While we feel that the way previous announcements were handled was very disorganized and not adequate, an announcement was made about Alola Pokemon availability, and the starter list update specifically was announced and linked on the Victory Road plurk. We don’t like the way it was handled, but we can’t change the fact that it’s too late to remove Type: Null from game canon.
The truth is that as moderators of a roleplaying game, we have to consider all sides of the issue-- which means that creating a fair environment for the playerbase sometimes has to take precedence over canon mechanics or lore. Scrubbing Type: Null from the game entirely, even if “allowing” one player to keep their got-in-on-a-technicality starter, would create a situation in which a single player receives special treatment by having the most unique Pokemon in the game. Even worse would be forcing said player to retcon their starter, which was entirely within the rules at the time (even if many people had not gone to explore the Starter page and seen it themselves).
If we want to talk about setting a bad precedent, we feel that type of decision would cause a great deal more than just short-term frustration. We feel it would be deeply unfair, create an unstable ooc environment, and give players good reason to feel wary of the rules being changed on them without warning.
Neither Route 29 nor Victory Road will ever be able to fully match the Pokemon video games. In order to keep the setting functioning as a collaborative, interactive writing game, there will always be times when we have to be adaptable to situations or bend game canon like this in order to find the fairest solution. In this case, given the hand we were dealt, we feel that nerfing Type: Null and introducing it in this kind of manner is the best way to stay true to the spirit of the game.
We have put a lot of thought into this, and while we are certainly open to new ideas on how to make Type: Null’s introduction to the game smoother, we will not be considering total removal from the game as a potential option.
no subject
The truth is that as moderators of a roleplaying game, we have to consider all sides of the issue-- which means that creating a fair environment for the playerbase sometimes has to take precedence over canon mechanics or lore. Scrubbing Type: Null from the game entirely, even if “allowing” one player to keep their got-in-on-a-technicality starter, would create a situation in which a single player receives special treatment by having the most unique Pokemon in the game. Even worse would be forcing said player to retcon their starter, which was entirely within the rules at the time (even if many people had not gone to explore the Starter page and seen it themselves).
If we want to talk about setting a bad precedent, we feel that type of decision would cause a great deal more than just short-term frustration. We feel it would be deeply unfair, create an unstable ooc environment, and give players good reason to feel wary of the rules being changed on them without warning.
Neither Route 29 nor Victory Road will ever be able to fully match the Pokemon video games. In order to keep the setting functioning as a collaborative, interactive writing game, there will always be times when we have to be adaptable to situations or bend game canon like this in order to find the fairest solution. In this case, given the hand we were dealt, we feel that nerfing Type: Null and introducing it in this kind of manner is the best way to stay true to the spirit of the game.
We have put a lot of thought into this, and while we are certainly open to new ideas on how to make Type: Null’s introduction to the game smoother, we will not be considering total removal from the game as a potential option.