My problem with the GTS

[Lady Mage Gryphon]

*sigh* The GTS could have been so much better than it is. It could have been so convenient...
But instead it lets you offer only one pokemon and you must specify what you want in return. And if someone else offers a pokemon you can only give them what they want for it. That's it. There are no other options.

But just 2 more options would have made the GTS the most amazing program:

-Allow trainers to post a pokemon without a specific request. Rather let people send you offers and the OT picks the trade s/he wants. Say I've got a shiny pokemon and I'm not sure what I want for it yet. Let me put it on the GTS and see what offers I get. Maybe someone will post a pokemon I hadn't thought about

-Allow trainers to search through to see which trainers want a specific pokemon. Say I want to trade my heracross. Let me see which trainers want a heracross for their pokemon. Then I can choose which trade to complete.  

[[Philosophy In A Teacup]]

Another thing that makes the GTS fail is how you can only ask and search for what you've seen. Got a Weavile? Want a Gallade for it? But haven't seen a Gallade yet? Sucks to be you, then. Either ask for something else, or make a thread in a Pokémon community like Serebii or PE2k.  

[Vickicat]

I doubt I'll be using the GTS much, if at all. In fact my boyfriend is the only one I've been trading with, since he'll give me good things for not so good things, he doesn't care. But I'll try to give him things he needs, at least things that he's missing to try to make it more fair. XD Plus it's fun writing silly mail and giving funny nicknames to the Pokémon we trade to each other. I really hate the whole thing where you can't search for a Pokémon you haven't seen yet on the GTS. That kind of defeats the purpose. So I think I'll stick with trading with people that I know.  

[Lady Mage Gryphon]

Not being able to get pokemon I haven't seen is annoying, yes. And I hate that I have to wait until after I defeat the elite four to import pokemon from my other games, but to not be able to trade for some of my favorites? It's outrageous. All I want is my pidgey, best bird ever, but no, I can't evil  

[[Philosophy In A Teacup]]

Tennyo_Oujo

Not being able to get pokemon I haven't seen is annoying, yes. And I hate that I have to wait until after I defeat the elite four to import pokemon from my other games, but to not be able to trade for some of my favorites? It's outrageous. All I want is my pidgey, best bird ever, but no, I can't evil

Oh, I know. The Pokémon bottleneck until you beat the first half of the game is outrageous. That's why I didn't even start my Pearl until after I had finished Diamond and had Migrated a few good Pokémon over.  

[Hero of Oregon]

The GTS is a hit and miss scenario. I couldn't find any pokemon I needed without having to fork over a ledgenary. So I tried setting up my own trade. Oddly enough, I got more than I wanted. I sent out one of my many Gibles (level 15) and got the Feebas (level 50) I needed.  

[[Philosophy In A Teacup]]

Hero of Oregon

The GTS is a hit and miss scenario. I couldn't find any pokemon I needed without having to fork over a ledgenary. So I tried setting up my own trade. Oddly enough, I got more than I wanted. I sent out one of my many Gibles (level 15) and got the Feebas (level 50) I needed.

Yeah, if you have rares, you can get a lot. With shinies, you can get anything. I've gotten so many L.100 legendaries for L.5 shinies, including a L.100 Deoxys for... a shiny, female first gen starter, I think.

And last night, I put up a shiny, female Staravia (L.16, I believe) for a L.50+ Celebi, 'cause I traded my L.40 Celebi for a L.40 Delcatty. domokun

Dunno if I got anything, but knowing Japan, I probably did.  

[Feather]

So basically all we need to do is hack the game to get shinies. Easy!  

[Lady Mage Gryphon]

Feather

So basically all we need to do is hack the game to get shinies. Easy!

Says you. I have no idea how to 'hack' the new games.
I have several shinies on Emerald, but that does me no good until I complete the game.
Basically I want my first gen pokemon, but can't have them until after the elite four. *sigh*
Still the GTS does have some uses. I got a level 29 glameow [f] for a cranidos and a level 36 bronzor for my craptacular heracross.

I stand by my grievances though, the lack of search options is deplorable.  

[[Philosophy In A Teacup]]

Feather

So basically all we need to do is hack the game to get shinies. Easy!

You shouldn't subtly sass the one who is probably the only active mod. :)

I know I have it easy by owning a hacked game and an AR. Really, if I bothered to look for a Level Mod code, I wouldn't need to trade or train at all. But where's the fun in that?

Also, it's not like I'm flaunting my pretties and then hissing when anyone asks for a cut. If y'all want junk, just drop me a line. I won't mind cloning it and Migrating it over, or generating it, or modifying it, or training it, or recatching it for y'all, so long as y'all don't come to expect it of me as though it's owed to you.  

[Feather]

But you are happy to trade your clones over GTS. How does a complete stranger on the other side of the world know that the shiny you're trading to them has about 19 complete clones waiting in a box in your game that's going to be traded the same? Do you think they'll value the shiny the same if they knew that, or be happy to trade a high level pkmn they bred and trained themselves if they knew you can keep making them? Do you write it in an attached letter?

I don't want a clone or clones in the GTS. It's not because I think pokemon are real, I think it's because it gives hackers undue advantage over players who put time and effort into the games rather than risking glitches by exploiting loopholes. I have to trade my spare Rayquaza for a Dialga. No issue if I clone him, but I've chosen not to, so I've made the game harder for me and me only, and at it's proper gameplay level.

So, you're still not exactly clean when you offer to share around the wealth, as it were. By filling GTS with these pokemon that are endless, and thus lacking any value, you're making honest players pkmn lose their value.

My 'sass' has nothing to do with the rules of the forum or the mod status and everything to do with the style of gaming.  

[[Philosophy In A Teacup]]

Feather

But you are happy to trade your clones over GTS. How does a complete stranger on the other side of the world know that the shiny you're trading to them has about 19 complete clones waiting in a box in your game that's going to be traded the same? Do you think they'll value the shiny the same if they knew that, or be happy to trade a high level pkmn they bred and trained themselves if they knew you can keep making them? Do you write it in an attached letter?

I don't want a clone or clones in the GTS. It's not because I think pokemon are real, I think it's because it gives hackers undue advantage over players who put time and effort into the games rather than risking glitches by exploiting loopholes. I have to trade my spare Rayquaza for a Dialga. No issue if I clone him, but I've chosen not to, so I've made the game harder for me and me only, and at it's proper gameplay level.

So, you're still not exactly clean when you offer to share around the wealth, as it were. By filling GTS with these pokemon that are endless, and thus lacking any value, you're making honest players pkmn lose their value.

My 'sass' has nothing to do with the rules of the forum or the mod status and everything to do with the style of gaming.

You make it sound as though I'm flooding the GTS with shinies caught via the Wild Shinies code, while trying to pass myself off as the perfect, little angel. Thing is, I'm not trying to do either.

I believe in cloning. I believe in allowing every and anyone the chance to own Pokémon such as Mew, Celebi, and Deoxys. That's why I clone my 10ANNIV Celebi, my MYSTRY Mew, my Birth Island Deoxys. It's unfair to deny people these Pokémon simply because they didn't feel like driving across the state to attend the respective event. If there was even an event at all.

I believe in cloning. Some people don't have the patience to train something up to L.100, or to EV train (I know I don't). So if they want to take the quick way out and pawn off their own pretties for a L.100 clone of mine, let them. See, what do you think I'm gaining from trading? What could possibly be the benefits for me?

But there are none. With my AR, I can generate anything; any Pokémon, any item. And with the various EXP codes, I get get those said anythings to L.100 simply with two or three runs of the Elite Four. So really, even by trading clones, neither me nor the other person are losing anything, but they are the ones benefiting. If they regret trading their Pokémon for mine, that's their own problem. They should've thought the deal through more.

But it's not as though I try to pass off my Pokémon as legit if they're not. If someone wants to trade, I tell them, "It's a clone. Is that okay?" If it's not, then I apologize, but then advise them to then find another trade partner. I don't do that with my hacks because I do not offer my hacks. Someone must seek me out and specifically ask for a hack (and thus consenting that they are okay with receiving a hack in a trade), otherwise the generating of Pokémon and the editing of their movesets are done solely for my own personal benefit, and the benefit of close friends. Should those friends decide to pawn off their hacks later on is none of my business, nor can I be blamed for that so-called "corruption". That would be like blaming the VT massacre on the poor guy who sold Seung-Hui Cho the guns.

I realize that the powers I hold could also lessen the value of certain Pokémon. I've already noticed that I do not value shinies as much as I used to. Nor legendaries, ever since I obtained every legendary there ever has been, via the GTS or my own cartridges. But you know something? It is just a game. If you get angry because you traded your lovingly-raised Groudon for a cloned Mew, then you should probably take a break. You should've also probably asked before hand if the Mew was cloned, or at the very least, what its OT was. And if parting with your Groudon proved to be that hurtful, then maybe you should've either not traded, or cloned it.

See, I do not appreciate being grouped in with the stereotypical AR users. You know, the ones that use the All Badges code right after getting their starter, and generate übers with a beneficial nature, perfect IVs and straight 999 EVs across the board to use in WiFi, and engineer Pokémon to pawn off on the GTS for Pokémon they might not have for some reason or another. I don't do any of that because, you're right, it's unfair. I beat my Diamond fair and square, and if I were to WiFi battle, I'd use the team I used to beat the Elite Four, who have been pretty much untouched since that time.

Some of us don't like breaking our backs and jumping through hoops just to have a chance in a game. Pokémon is supposed to be fun and relaxing. I shouldn't be frustrated and stressing out over the fact that I've beaten Denji, but will I be able to beat the Elite Four? Perhaps I should EV train in HP and Attack? But where? And for how long? How do I know if I'm even doing it right?

No. I refuse to partake in that sort of thing. Between struggling in class, playing Musical Chairs Therapy, a failing relationship, and developing feelings that are confusing the hell of out me, I do not need my favorite past time to add on to such pressure and stress. I will snap because of my workload at school, but I will not snap because EV training to prevent Shirona from beating the tar out of me for the fifth time is taking too long.

And if other people believe that idea, and wish to trade with me so they don't have to spend a lifetime looking for a one in eight thousand chance, or so they can just beat the Elite Four in a clean sweep so they can start enjoying the game, then I'll be happy to supply them with whatever they need.


And actually, it does. Well, doesn't, so long as you know that there's no hard feelings. If you take personal insult to my side of the debate, then I'll have to turn into Mod Tippy. I'm not insulted that you're anti-clone and anti-hack. I respect that, actually. To each his own, you know? But our Champion always tells us to respect the beliefs of others, even if we don't subscribe to such beliefs, so I will expect that you also respect the fact that I am pro-clone and pro-hack. 'Cause disrespect to her mods has gotten people banned before by Neth herself. > __>



And oh dear. I think I might've gone off on a tangent or two. Or moved from debate to stream of consciousness. Damn. Just for the record, though, even though I've always been pro-clone, I used to be anti-hack. But then I became so bored and disillusioned with Diamond after I beat it. I was so disappointed that the means were not justified by the end. But then my AR renewed my interest. So I've had a change of heart.

But you're right. It has everything to do with the style of gaming. But you know, there is no "right" way to game, nor is there a "wrong" way to game. Like I said, to each his own. And if you, or anyone really, has the nerve to look down at me, or persecute me due to the way I play the game, then perhaps I'm not the corrupt one...


And because I'm strange:

If you don't want clones, don't use the GTS. Simple as that. Fifty percent, I'm willing to wager, of the the Pokémon on the GTS at any given time are clones or hacks. It's something you've either got to accept or reject. And by rejecting the clones on the GTS, then you also reject the GTS itself. If you want to ensure that your time and effort on a Pokémon are not wasted, then stick to forums like Serebii and The Pokémon Community so you can pick and choose with whom you would like to trade. Surely, after spending so long perfecting that Groudon of yours, you won't mind spending a little longer looking for a trade containing an equally perfect, equally natural Pokémon.

Though I can assure you that the GTS will never be free of clones and the more subtle/well-done hacks.  

[jedi_master_tenku]

Boy, I get to follow that up... sweatdrop

I've had one nice thing off the GTS, where I traded a freshly caught Croagunk for an apparently freshly caught Glameow (as I can't catch it on Diamond). I do heartily agree that it sucks that you can only look up Pokemon you've already seen, and it'd be very nice to be able to offer something without knowing exactly what I want back. The only other thing I'd really like but can't find a sane offer for is a Misdreavus. crying  

[[Philosophy In A Teacup]]

jedi_master_tenku

Boy, I get to follow that up... sweatdrop

I've had one nice thing off the GTS, where I traded a freshly caught Croagunk for an apparently freshly caught Glameow (as I can't catch it on Diamond). I do heartily agree that it sucks that you can only look up Pokemon you've already seen, and it'd be very nice to be able to offer something without knowing exactly what I want back. The only other thing I'd really like but can't find a sane offer for is a Misdreavus. crying

If you want, I can breed you one. o __o

I got a time-traveling Mismagius off the GTS a few weeks ago that I can breed with my Ditto...  

[A Nobodie Is A NoOne]

=/ My big problem with it is people asking for ridiculous things. For almost all of the pokemon I have searched...even like a level 1 zubat....there are people asking for like a L100 Palkia. That ruins it for me.