Anyone who has seen this https://www.newgrounds.com/art/view/crashcourse81/pokemon-neoverse-logo will know what this is about. I recommend reading the description in this pic before reading this.

This is Part 8 in a series of documents detailing the Neoverse Project, which I've been working on for some time now. If you wanna see the previous Parts, check here.

https://crashcourse81.newgrounds.com/news/post/1309027

https://crashcourse81.newgrounds.com/news/post/1309029

https://crashcourse81.newgrounds.com/news/post/1309030

https://crashcourse81.newgrounds.com/news/post/1309031

https://crashcourse81.newgrounds.com/news/post/1309516

https://crashcourse81.newgrounds.com/news/post/1309033

https://crashcourse81.newgrounds.com/news/post/1309034

This Part will be explaining a few things not mentioned in the previous Journals, but are related to the gameplay. Extras, in a sense.

Note: The titles will be at the sides because they won't stay centered for some reason. -_- Also, this is all copy and pasted from my DA St.ash Journals, with a few alterations.

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Nuzlocke Mode

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People have been going on about Nuzlockes for years, from what I've learned. I myself never knew what a Nuzlocke was until a friend or two told me about it and after watching a video of Jaiden Animations doing one on Pokemon Ruby a few years ago. Then I figured, "What if it was an actual thing?" Thus, I came up with the Nuzlocke Mode. It is unlocked after completing the story of a game, and can be selected from the main menu. It involves you making your way through an otherworldly gauntlet made of the areas similar to the levels (ie. routes, settlements, buildings, etc) you visited or could visit in the game, but with tougher opponents. The goal is to make it through every level and defeat every major opponent that has appeared throughout the story, including optional areas and foes you have may have visited and fought. Before the mode starts, you may choose whichever character you want to be, and make yourself a group of Pokemon and human allies to bring with you; the amount of Pokemon depends on how many you could have in the story, while the number of humans is always limited to 5 (including yourself). They will have the same Levels, Tiers, stats and everything else they did in the story, though they can be customised to prepare for the run. Moreover, they can gain additional Levels and such in this mode, but ONLY in this mode. Think of it as if their setups had virtually doubled.

The Nuzlocke Mode option will become available in the main menu once you complete a game. After pressing on it, you will be treated with the following options:

• Run: Perform, continue or replace a run through the Nuzlocke. You can also see your Run History on the side.
• Party: Organise the characters you wish to take with you on your run. You may also get the aid of players online.
• Exit: Return to the main menu.

There are special enemies only found in this mode called the Formless, which are strange beings that either fight you in their wavy, uncertain forms or take on the forms of humans and Pokemon alike to combat you. They all have and will only have the Omni-Element, making them dangerous opponents. Luckily, they don't have many Moves outside of mimicked forms, and those Moves don't have much of a Damage Rate. Even so, it is advised to avoid them whenever possible, and take caution when you have to fight them. The good thing is even the weakest among them give a lot of EXP, and have a good chance of dropping helpful items.

On that topic, there are also items to be found in this mode that aren't found in the story, and pickups that restore your Battle Stats along the way. One of these items is a special set of tokens that can be used to buy high-grade stuff at checkpoints that appear at certain points. However, the shops have a limited amount of stuff AND don't sell them for cheap. Your progress is autosaved when you step into a Checkpoint, and you can choose to either continue or exit the mode. Regardless of whether you win or lose, your time taken in the mode and how far you got will be noted down. You can play the mode on different difficulties like the story, but one thing that will be present on each one is that when an ally is defeated, they will ALWAYS disappear and be unusable for the rest of the mode, but will not be dead in the actual game. The stuff the difficulties offer are as follows:

• Simple: You may capture up to five Pokemon per level, and you can buy items from stores of mimicked settlements. Enemies are decently easy to beat.
• Average: You may capture up to three Pokemon per level, and Marketplaces and Techstores are not available. Enemies are moderate and appear a bit more often. EXP gained is increased by 10%.
• Challenging: You may capture only one Pokemon per level, and Clinics can only be visited once per settlement. Enemies are difficult to beat, appear more often and have more commonly have items to use against you. EXP gained is increased by 25%.
• Primal: No Pokemon can be captured and no shops are open, barring the ones unique to this space. Enemies are much stronger, appear commonly and use strategy to beat you. Bosses will be accompanied by enemies. EXP gained is increased by 40%.

Each difficulty has better items to find that become more commonplace depending on how hard they are. The mode itself also gives you some VERY special prizes if you happen to complete it, even on Simple difficulty. These items can be used in the story or during your next Nuzlocke run, which is immediately saved into your Run History in the Run option, recording the characters you had with you and how far you got into the run.

Yes, I realise this is VASTLY different from how Nuzlockes are done in the original games, but I couldn't think of a way to make it work in these ones without breaking the stories. So this will have to do. I hope you like the idea regardless.

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Gamechangers

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Mentioned throughout the Parts, Gamechangers are meant to be the gimmicks from the original series, which are drastically different in the Neoverse games...some, at least. They originate from different sources on Aterr, be they Pokemon, Aterr itself or even humans. The AAA (Aterr Alliance Amalgam), or Aterr Leagues as they're also known by, are in charge of locating, managing and mastering Gamechangers, mostly for the purpose of the Aterrians' growth and to keep them out of enemy hands. However, they're also commonly used for battles, including official ones held in stadiums and such. There is more than one Gamechanger on every continent, with each game focusing particularly on certain Gamechangers. Most of them, if not all, usually change a character's stats in some way, and are helpful for different situations, but can also be detrimental in others.

The ones currently existing will be posted here for people to see, via links to pics showcasing them, so expect this segment to be updated a lot. I'll give summaries for each one as they're posted.

• Platinum Providence - https://sta.sh/02bjs9sbr5nn

The most common yet not most well-known Gamechanger on Aterr, which is related to Shining Pokemon. This phenomenon can be supposedly enhanced to birth Platinum Pokemon, which bear the Omni-Element alongside Greater variants of their own, strangely enough. They're almost like humans in that sense, being able to control every Element to some extent, but mastering a few of their own...

• Cruptaia Transformations - https://sta.sh/027fgs8v8tbq

Cruptaia is another kind of Cruia that is vastly different from the others. The Gamechanger is performed via stones that were found in ancient times, and devices that were foundED shortly afterwards. Together these things can put a Pokemon's Cruia into overdrive, and with enough effort, even give them brand-new evolutions! Unlike other ones however, these evolutions are temporary and will wear off once the Cruptaia wears off, but the effect is said to be stronger than even Cruiora...

• Hosaiko Moves - https://sta.sh/0xknamesec

A special series of Moves that outmatch Katayas, the art of Hosaiko was born during one of the ancient eras of Saia, when it was being attacked by an invading army. According to legend, a group of dojo fighters were blessed by the power of a Legendary Pokemon and were able to perform Moves of immense power. They have since had an art made around them, which has been refined and made for humans AND Pokemon to use.

• Zodaumorphing - https://sta.sh/023urmgi3nih/https://sta.sh/025j6eo1xa7r

This Gamechanger comes from the Zodaum, a league of massive, godly Pokemon that were focused in ancient Urepoe and managed the entire continent from their mountainous home of Zodalitos. Their powers were said to be passed down throughout the continent's humans and Pokemon, through the Zodaum's Crests, which each of the denizens seem to bear in some way. When the power of these Crests is activated, said denizens can become gigantic beings with control over their Crest's Elements, though the power is still lesser than that of a Zodaum...

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Natures and Stages

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I explained most about Stages before, but not Natures, so I'll go over that first.

Every Aterrian, including Originals, has a Nature. These affect their bearers in many different ways, typically in how they act and what they would do. Similar to how they worked in the original games, Natures are variable between each and every living thing. Humans would of course having different Natures among their kind, since they're all so different, but a Pokemon Line will have more fixed Natures, which is partly what earns them their reputations as Killer, Even and Tame. A few Pokemon from a Line may have different Natures from the norm, but this is rare. Also like in the original games, Natures affect the Battle Stats of their bearers, both positively and negatively. One stat could be 10% higher and gain that many more stat points, while another could be 10% lower and gain that many fewer points, but not ALL of them have negative effects. You can call these Nature Values, or NVs, and can be viewed as green covering a character's affected stats; light green for positive, dark green for negative.

Here are the Natures and their NVs, as well as how their bearers would act:

• Hardy: Lifeforms who are adept in all kinds of situations, or are quite flexible.

NVs - +10% in all Battle Stats

• Lonely: Loners tend to be shy or just not fond of society, but keep themselves in adequate shape.

NVs - None

• Brave: These beings are known for not being afraid of anything, but as a result can be quite brash.

NVs - +10% Offenses, -10% Defenses

• Adamant: Beings who are set on something once they've decided it, and are hard to dissuade.

NVs - +10% HP, +5% Defenses, -10% Evasion

• Naughty: Usually an undesirable who likes to mess about even with their friends and do "messy" things.

NVs - +15% Sharpness, +10% Evasion, -5% Physicality, -10% Resilience

• Bold: Those who are willing to do things that some wouldn't, such as disobeying orders or venturing into dangers.

NVs - +10% Physicality, +5% Sharpness and Force, -15% CP and Evasion

• Docile: Calm beings who only attack if provoked, or if there is no other option.

NVs - +10% CP and Speed, -10% Offenses

• Relaxed: Peaceful like Docile beings, but in a more calculated and easy way, making planning and talking easier.

NVs - +10% CP and Accuracy

• Impish: Cheeky and tricky beings who like to prank others and find ways around a more reinforced situation.

NVs - +10% CP and Speed, -10% Offenses and Resilience

• Lax: Lazy beings that only act when under threat, or if something triggers them.

NVs - +20% HP ,-10% Manueverability, -5% Offenses

• Timid: Beings that are easily frightened and scared off.

NVs - +15% Manueverability, -10% Offenses

• Hasty: Haste makes waste as they say, and Hasty beings do indeed make waste by not planning before moving.

NVs - +10% CP and Speed, -10% Defenses

• Serious: Not easy to get along with, due to how direly they view and take certain matters.

NVs - +10% Offenses

• Jolly: Happy and pleasant beings who can be a little ditzy, but they mean well.

NVs - +20% Vitality, -15% Physicality and Accuracy

• Naive: People and creatures who easily believe most things, unless shown proof deconfirming their beliefs.

NVs - +10% CP and Energy, -15% Distability

• Modest: Those who like to praise others on their abilities or feats accurately.

NVs - +20% Accuracy, +10% Distability, -20% Evasion

• Mild: Easygoing and not that fierce of a combatant, even being a bit gentle.

NVs - +10% HP and Defenses, -10% CP and Offenses

• Quiet: The "silent pro/antagonist" type, but where they lack in speech they make up for in their movements.

NVs - +10% CP, Speed and Evasion

• Bashful: Shy beings that don't like to be out in the open, or to be noticed that much.

NVs - -15% Distability and Energy

• Rash: Quick to provoke and not thinking before acting, these beings tend to get into rough times.

NVs - +15% Strength and Speed, -15% Toughness and Evasion

• Calm: As the name says. These kinds of beings are usually peaceful or composed, even when under stress.

NVs - +10% in positive GVs, -10% in negative GVs

• Gentle: Mostly kind beings who don't wish pain upon others, and instead seek to help them.

NVs - +15% Vitality and Speed, -15% Offenses

• Sassy: People who aren't afraid of speaking their mind, even in battle against difficult enemies.

NVs - +15% Distability, 10% Physicality, -10% Speed and Evasion

• Careful: Careful beings take the time to analyze their surroundings, then act accordingly...or not at all.

NVs - +15% HP, -15% CP

• Quirky: Odd people and creatures that have varying traits from others of their kind.

NVs - +10% in three random stats

As for Stages, there's not much more to explain about them. Pokemon can have a max of four natural Stages (ie. Stages not part of any Gamechangers), but Fourth-Stage Pokemon aren't necessarily the strongest there is. If they were, it'd be unfair on others. Instead, to balance things out, each Stage gains different IVs depending on how long their Lines are, which are increased by the Level/Tier boosts but made in a way so they can catch up to the others. Additionally, their Battle Stats increase a certain amount depending on the Stage transitions and what stats are affected by the Pokemon's Nature. Shining Evolutions also grant stats, but without taking the Natures into account. They are as follows:

Four-Stage Lines:

• First-Second Stage: 15% normally; 20% for positive NVs and 10% for negative NVs
• Second-Third Stage: 20% normally; 30% for positive NVs and 10% for negative NVs
• Third-Fourth Stage: 40% normally; 50% for positive NVs and 30% for negative NVs
• Fourth-PP Stage: 50%

Three-Stage Lines:

• First-Second Stage: 20% normally; 30% for positive NVs and 10% for negative NVs
• Second-Third Stage: 35% normally; 45% for positive NVs and 25% for negative NVs
• Third-PP Stage: 45%

Second-Stage Lines:

• First-Second Stage: 30% normally; 40% for positive NVs and 20% for negative NVs
• Second-PP Stage: 40%

Single-Stage into PP-Stage: 40-50%

While I'm talking about them, one last note about evolution is that while Pokemon's physical ages DO change depending on their evo's appearance, it is actually not required to reach one to perform evolution. Their ages also progress differently between Breeds, like Originals do.

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Ranks and Tasks

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I didn't go over them before, so I'll go over them now.

There are different kinds of Tasks and Ranks that can be taken on and obtained, as well as difficulties that determine how tough the former is. Each Task offers up Alliance Points (or AP), which is what allows Alliances to Rank Up. Reaching higher Ranks is paramount towards getting access to new areas and items around the continent. Another way to gain AP is by defeating Aterr Leagues. Vanguards offer 25 AP, Gym Leaders offer 50, High Fivers offer 200 and Champions offer 1000. The number for Gym Leaders and High Fivers will increase as you defeat ones with stronger setups; half the previous number for each one (ie. first Gym Leader - 50, second - 75, third - 112, etc). You'll gain AP by beating them in official rematches too, though with somewhat higher points due to using different teams and levels of power. You can also earn Negative Ranks if you do something in your Tasks that was the opposite of what you were supposed to (which isn't necessarily failing one, don't worry) or if you do cruel stuff like kill people and Pokemon (besides Killers and certain Even ones) or harm allies. This can make things...difficult for you, such as barring you from entering League areas or even settlements. Just so long as you have good intent, you'll be fine.

Now for the different kinds of Tasks, difficulties and Ranks.

TASKS

• Building: A group of workers or moving people need help in constructing or rebuilding something, needing the materials for it or some extra hands. Either way, you're in for some heavy lifting.
• Outlaw: Mentioned before, Outlaw Tasks involve searching for criminals, which can vary from Alliances with negative Ranks or just bona-fide troublemakers. These tend to be the more dangerous Tasks, but also some of the most rewarding.
• Search: Someone's item or friend has gone missing, or someone has found something of interest that they need help in finding. Some of these are treasure-related, which attracts the attention of money and adventure-lovers.
• Public: Usually Tasks that take place in cities or towns. These ones involve helping the public out in some way, such as cleaning the place up, aiding in small jobs, teaching them how to protect themselves, etc. Some of them even involve helping government representatives.
• Rescue: Someone or someplace has gotten into trouble, and someone needs to save them. Another dangerous variety of Tasks, but also one of the most important, as some of these people/places may be of high value.
• League: Tasks put up by the Aterr Leagues or people working for them. These can be various and are usually difficult, but quite rewarding. They can also earn the Leaguers' trust.

Difficulties

• Breeze: The simplest Tasks, ones that only idiots could fail. Usually offers 5-15 AP (aka Alliance Points.)
• Quick: Easy-to-do Tasks that won't take long to finish. Usually offers 10-20 AP.
• Common: An average Task. Not much about it that stands out. Usually offers 15-30 AP.
• Decent: An above-average Task that may take slightly longer than anticipated. Usually offers 25-40 AP.
• Fair: A Task that is not too long or difficult, but not too short or easy. Usually offers 35-65 AP.
• Busy: A somewhat-challenging Task, but one that can be worth your while. Usually offers 50-80 AP.
• Hefty: When Tasks start to get tough. Usually offers 75-100 AP.
• Dangerous: A high-risk Task that only high-Ranking Alliances would dare even think of taking up. Usually offers 100-150 AP.
• Uncertain: These Tasks get their name from how uncertain it is that one would come back from them. Usually offers 200-300 AP.
• Impossible: The hardest difficulty given, few Tasks of this nature exist, but very few people even look at them, because of how unbelievably hard they are. Usually offers 500-1000 AP.
• Otherworldly: A small group of Tasks that some people have given an extra difficulty for because of how they are SOMEHOW even more difficult than Impossible Tasks! Just what are they about? No one knows, and no one's tried one...and so no one knows how much AP they give out.

RANKS

• Starting: The basic Rank for any beginning Alliance.

Positive Ranks

• Good: The first Positive Rank, and the sign that an Alliance is looking to play nice with others. Requires 100 AP.
• Decent: The most average Rank for Positive Alliances. Requires 500 AP.
• Helpful: A Rank that shows how kind Alliances have been and wish to be. Requires 1000 AP.
• Great: An above-average Rank that most skilled Alliances have. Requires 1750 AP.
• Honoured: Alliances that have done well for others are granted this Rank. Requires 3200 AP.
• Rising: A reference to rising stars, for Alliances who have done impressive work in general. Requires 5500 AP.
• Brilliant: Ranks given to the elite of Alliances. Requires 7500 AP.
• Super: A Rank offered to many High Fivers and Peak Elites. Requires 10000 AP.
• Master: A Rank usually offered to Champions, and is so far the best anyone's gotten. Requires 15000 AP.
• World: The final Positive Rank there is, which is the sign of a truly great Alliance. Requires 100000 AP.

Negative Ranks

• Bad: The starting Negative Rank, usually obtained by common ruffians and thugs. Requires -100 AP.
• Annoying: A Rank that signifies an Alliance is either stuck on their course or is heavily misguided. Requires -500 AP.
• Scummy: People who rob from others and trick them into scams earn this Rank a lot. Requires -1000 AP.
• Wrong: The standard Rank for criminals on Aterr. Requires -2000 AP.
• Hated: Alliances that continue to cause trouble for others within a large area. Requires -3500 AP.
• Infamous: Alliances known around a region for their bad deeds. Requires -5000 AP.
• Evil: Cruel Alliances that have caused much turmoil, pain and even death across a continent. Requires -7000 AP.
• Dark: Groups whose deeds surpass even Evil Alliances, which have been done around the world. Requires -10000 AP.
• Mad: Unspeakable and unexplainable acts have been performed by these Alliances, who are beyond notorious. Requires -15000 AP.
• Demonic: An Alliance so vile they're not even considered Aterrians, but something...unholy. Luckily no such Alliance exists...yet. Requires -100000 AP.

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Types of PESes

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The PESes, aka Neoverse Poke Balls, are useful for not only carrying your Pokemon around without any hassle, but also make for good homes for them. How they function differs between each model, as do the environments they have. Some are small and don't have much to see, while others are large and have plenty of space for the Pokemon to move around, and can affect how comfy they'll get. This affects how many items can be placed into them too, which are composed of DB (derabytes), a type of data unique to the Neoverse. Pokemon are configured into derabytes when put into a PES, with every inch counting as 3 DB. Some PESes also have codes that activate during a Pokemon's Capture that limit it in some way, to help with keeping them inside the sphere.

Like in the original games, if a PES is broken open, it will become unusable unless retrieved (you can find them laying on the ground after a battle, if they're intact) and fixed at a Techstore or other place that specialises in tech, though as you can expect, this costs money. Because of laws set by humans and the PESes always releasing the creature they contain when opened up, the devices cannot hold more than one Pokemon at a time.

I would post the ones available here, but that'd take up too much space, so I'll post something showing them off alongside other stuff in the next Post.

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Price of Failure

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Like the original games, it's possible to get a "game over" of sorts if you lose all of your health, only this time it can happen in the overworld AND in battle. Regardless of where it happens, the consequences can be...harsh. If you are simply knocked out in some way you will wind up back in the nearest Clinic with your stats and that of your allies' all restored, though you may have lost a few items and Prizeng. If you are outright KILLED, then you'll get a proper game over and have to restart either from your last save point or return to the main menu. There are different outcomes to being defeated on each difficulty.

• Simple: As you cannot die, you will always wind up back in a Clinic with all your items and money intact.
• Average: There is a small possibility you can perish on this difficulty. If knocked out, you will lose a tenth of your items and a 1/12 of your money.
• Challenging: There is a 50/50 chance you can perish on this difficulty. If knocked out, 3/10 of your items and 1/8 of your money will be lost.
• Primal: Most of the time you will die, but for when you don't, you will lose half of your items AND a 1/5 of your money.

Luckily, if you lose your items and money, not all will be lost. You can return to the place where you were knocked out and find them laying where you last stood. Sometimes though, the enemies who beat you will take the stuff and run off with it. You CAN find and beat them to retrieve the stuff, but they may have used some of it by the time you do or run away to someplace distant or hidden. Enemies who have beaten you before will be marked with an X, allowing you to tell them apart from other enemies. Most of the time though, it's recommended you place most of your items and money (especially if you don't need all them that much) in someplace like a storage for safekeeping, to limit the number of stuff you will lose if you happen to be defeated. You won't lose anything if you're killed, except game progress if you didn't save beforehand...But not all is lost if an ally or Pokemon is killed. If you're still alive and can get them to a Clinic AND have enough money for it, you can pay to have them undergo a revival procedure. There are also certain items that can do the job like Harsh Revives, which are greater versions of even Full Revives. More on that in the next Part...

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That's it for this Part. The final explanations are continued here. https://crashcourse81.newgrounds.com/news/post/1310071