#mnoupdate

This is the main index page, where you’ll be spending an awful lot of your time. That Slurpuff image will be replaced by your 100x100 icon uploaded directly to the site based on whoever posted last in the forum.

Here’s the post row: we’ve built in the design so there’s no need for fancy post templates to get wrapped around every post. We think it looks pretty nice. Also note the avatar (250x450) dimensions! That blue bar next to the username is a little bit of customization based on your pre-programmed trainer class.

This one’s a franken-cap! On the left is the back side of the league card, which is customizable too! We have a background and colour scheme for every type of Pokemon, and special event and other focused designs will be added intermittently! On the right is our PC Box code, which I’m just showing off because I think it looks cute. We also have codes for comms, shippers, and a thread tracker. But we’ll keep those to ourselves, I think!

Here’s a sneak preview of our information pages, particularly our fully custom Pokedex. You can filter by original region and also by the habitat the Pokemon is found in on site. Our very own Professor Sequoia is responsible for these colourful and information descriptions of each and every Pokemon found natively in Oresa!

Not the best crop, but here’s a preview of our profile, which doubles as a member’s application. A small replication of a league card, personality sliders based on the natures, and a freeform section to fill out and stylize to your heart’s content. We also make use of a second 250x400 image here for those who want more pictures, but we also allow you to use the same image as your avatar if you’d prefer!

All 18 Pokemon Types are represented in some capacity, split between two divisions: The Major Leagues and the Minor Leagues.

The Majors closely resemble the standard Pokemon Leagues around the world: eight gym leaders awarding badges for victory. Get all eight badges, and you earn the chance to challenge the reigning Champion.

Unlike in other regions, there is no Elite Four. There is only one final challenger in your way, known as the Elite. Defeat them, and you get to battle the Champion in one of the most publicized matches of the season.

The Minor League is comprised of the eight remaining types (8 Majors + Elite/Champion specializations). While they do not award official badges, they award silver-plated pins and substantial amounts of prize money. Completing the Minor League is considered a stepping stone to the Majors, but some trainers like to do both simultaneously to keep funding their Pokemon Journey.

So far it sounds pretty standard, right? Just wait! This is where things get interesting!

The Prism League changes year after year. There is no guarantee that a gym will be held by the same trainer for longer than a single season. There’s not even a guarantee that a gym leader will be leading the same gym, even if they qualify over consecutive years.

At the outset of every competitive season, the Grand Tournament is held. Think of it as the Opening Ceremonies to that year’s Prism League. In this tournament, the previous year’s Champion, Elite, Gym Leaders (Major and Minor) compete against everyone who completed the Major Leagues that past year in a bracket-style tournament. The top 18 competitors become the official Prism League for the upcoming season.

Of these final 18 challengers, the winner becomes Champion and the runner-up becomes their Elite. The rest of the Top 10 become the Major League Leaders, while the remaining 8 lead the Minors. This means that a single loss could end a career, or a weak battle could see the Champion one year be demoted to the Minors the next.

Tournament invitations are given to everybody who completed the Circuit in the previous season. Higher seeds are given to any competitors who defeated the Champion in exhibition play. Should there be any open spots remaining in the bracket, the Crown extends Wildcard slots to trainers who completed the Minor Leagues, but not the Majors. Our Current Champion was a wildcard, giving the feel-good comeback story of the year!

Upon completion, beginning from the Champion and working down through placements, the official new league picks their type specialization. While there is the expectation that gym leaders get precedent on re-selecting their type, it isn’t a hard-and-fast rule. Sometimes gym leaders cycle through new types for multiple years, while others get to keep their preferred specialization.

So what does all this mean? Isn’t it a little complicated?

For a site buzz period, yes, it certainly can be. We’re providing this context for storytelling purposes, rather than a real mechanic that players need to worry about for the time being. Next year, who knows? Maybe we’ll play this tournament out as an event. For now, it simply means an added layer of characterization for those who want to play Gym Leaders.

Shortly after the grand opening, all gym leaders will be asked what position they want within the League*: Elite, Major, or Minor. They will be asked in the order their character is completed in. Should one side fill up, all remaining applicants will be filled in with openings. After that initial rush, gym leaders will decide what League they’re part of upon the completion of their application based on spots available.

*Note: for story purposes, the role of Champion is currently being filled by staff.

Though it was founded long before any discoveries had been made, it was the gold rush that brought the first permanent settlers to the Oresa Region. Folks from all over the world rushed to the Bloodstone Mountains in search of precious metals and gemstones, hoping to strike it rich. Most of those mountainous settlements have seen been abandoned, but those who came from far-flung lands often decided to stay.

Those settlers built what’s now known as Diamond City, the crown jewel of the region. This massive city upon the bay has served as the area’s capital ever since, housing more than half the region’s population. As such, the local and region-wide governments have coalesced into one singular entity known as the Crown. They’re the ones responsible for fixing the roads, passing laws to protect wild Pokemon, and, of course, running the Pokemon League.

In Oresa, a gym circuit known as the Prism League acts as the region’s premier entertainment venue. With a fluctuating set of gym leaders and a wholly unpredictable result, the frenetic league has soared in popularity in recent years. (For more information, check back soon for our spotlight on the Prism League!) 

But battling isn’t the only way to live with Pokemon. Consisting of several unique biomes within the vicinity of Diamond City, unique Pokemon can be found: from the sea to the coast, the plains to the mountains, and the forest to the urban environment of Diamond City itself. There’s even a roster of domesticated Pokemon that prove as faithful friends and invaluable helpers. Breeders find and hatch eggs to preserve dwindling populations. Coordinators participate in contests to earn cute ribbons and trophies. The Crown has made it so that everyone is prosperous. Everyone is happy. Everyone always, always, is treated fairly and with dignity.

You didn’t really believe that propaganda, did you?

Team Pride has been speaking out against the Crown for months now, even as they risk their safety. This underground group has been protesting corruption and dirty deals occurring within the illustrious Diamond Tower. These destabilizing agents, often young adults passionate about their cause, have been branded Public Enemy No. 1 within Diamond City and beyond. But once the veneer of a perfect life begins to chip away, shadows lurk where the sun shines brightest.