Kei

[color=darkblue]Good question, Gavin. The process of merging is, in fact, very complicated. It all starts with the Pokémon and the trainer, however. As previously explained, when Pokémon are captured, they are given Merge Bands inside their Pokéballs. These bands will only respond to the signal from their trainer's Merge Watch. This means that these Pokémon can also only be called from their trainer's storage space (where all captured Pokémon are kept, unless a trainer lets the Pokémon live outside the Pokéball for whatever reason,) by that trainer only. These bands are also the main units that allow merging to happen. [b]The Merging Process[/b] Merging can only be initiated with one Pokémon at a time. To merge, a trainer presses a small button (usually located on the top-right hand side) and the merge begins with the Pokémon that the trainer currently has out. Also, the Pokémon the trainer intends to merge with needs to be within 10 feet or merging cannot occur. Merging is very dependent on how well the Pokémon likes it's trainer, as has been said. If the Pokémon loves its trainer dearly, then merging will most likely always be flawless. If the Pokémon doesn't like its trainer, but the trainer tries to force it to merge anyway, the likelyhood of the merge failing increases dramatically. A failed merge attempt hurts both Pokémon and trainer, sometimes to the point of hospitalization. As of yet, there have been no deaths reported from such happenings. A successful merge results in a sort of hybrid between Pokémon and trainer, an example of which can be seen [url=http://img396.imageshack.us/img396/4569/sketchthingy2du.jpg]here.[/url] (I apologize for the horribleness of the quailty, but you should still be able to get the general idea.) This happens to be an example of a trainer merged with a Houndoom. All Pokémon techniques and special abilities are available to the trainer. As such, all the moves are performed as if a human were doing them, since both trainer and Pokémon are largely in human form. [b]Merged Battles[/b] In merge battles, the first trainer to take enough damage as to where trainer and Pokémon disengage from their merge or faint from exhaustion is declared the loser. [b]Battles in General[/b] In the world, there are those that have fallen into th new "trend" of merge battles and those that prefer "traditional" battles. All trainers that are out on the field are able to choose whether they want to fight traditionally (with Pokémon only,) or merged. All PFL tournament and event battles are to be fought merge-style. Any trainer found to be using Pokémon only will be immediately disqualified from the tournament/event and placed on probation. I hope that helps you. If you have any more questions, feel free to put them here. Additionally, due to the fact that the thread has been standing idle for many days now, all particiapants are free to post at their own discretion (in other words, go nuts with the posting, but keep it civil.) ^^ [/color]

[color=darkblue]I would focus on your characters and basic outline for the series, if I were you. Try getting out as much detail as possible about all the characters and their surroundings, then find the ways that you want them to reveal their world to your readers. Get in your character's heads and try to find out what they want to say. While it's true that good art can make or break a comic, a storyline or lack thereof can destroy hopes just as well. That's all I've got at the moment.[/color]

[color=darkblue]I can't quite remember if we're still doing this in rounds or not, but you can ask an Administrator (either Dagger or Desbreko) to change it for you, but requests are only taken through Private Messages. Hope this helps you.[/color]

[color=darkblue]The thread is up, but here are some final notes before everyone starts posting: 1) Everyone starts in their home country. You can be traveling around you country by walking currently to catch Pokémon, but as is stated in the first post, the season just started, so your Pidgeot and Lapras Passes are only just now becoming active. 2) As Jokopoko stated, Pokémon abilities are available while merging. If your Pokémon have more than one ability that they can have, please choose one and stick with it throughout the entire RPG. Also, please don't confuse abilities with techniques, lol. 3) The Championships are a long way off. Right now, everyone is trying to build up their Trainer Points in order to be able to compete in the Championship. Everyone currently has 500 TP. Compete in the smaller tournaments, events and catch Pokémon to build up your points. 4) Pokéballs are only used to capture Pokémon nowadays. Once captured, they're automatically sent to your Trainer Storage Space which is allotted to all PFL participants. You can call out your Pokémon by calling them through your Merger. 5) As was the case in the seventh Pokémon movie, Pokémon Destiny: Deoxys, a Trainer ID card (in this case, your Merger) will serve as currency. You can buy any items you need via your Merger at shops and stores, but only for healing items and food. Personal items (clothes, souvenirs, etc.,) must be bought with a Trainer's own money. That's it for right now. If anyone has any questions, please post them here. Have fun! ^^[/color]

[color=darkblue][size=1] Kei stretched out on her couch and began absent-mindedly stroking her Persian?s ear as it lay curled up on the floor below her. Staring up at the ceiling of her tiny apartment, she sighed lightly, looking more than a bit perturbed. Kei sat up, suddenly intrigued. Kei sighed heavily, throwing herself back against the cushions. The large cat, without budging from its position, flicked an ear in her owner?s direction and opened one eye. ?Myew?? ?Myew myewmy mye mye my myewmyew?? ?Myew, myeew. Mye myewmyewmyew myew myew, mye. Mye myeme myewmyew.? Kei said as she got up and began walking back to her bedroom.?> ?Myew mye.? ?Mye myew mye myew myew mymyew myew.? Kei rolled her eyes as entered her room and grabbed her Merger from her nightstand. Whipping the strap around her wrist and buckling it, she sighed lightly. ?Mye myew myew.? ---------------------------- [b]Side note:[/b] When you see text inside brackets, then it means it's translated from the speaker's native language, in this case, Japanese.[/color][/size]

[color=darkblue]All right, everyone. Sign-ups have closed and now it's time for the posting order. I put names in a hat and chose at random for the order, so everyone had a fair chance of being picked first. If you don't see your username, then I'm very sorry, but perhaps you'll have better luck next time. [center][b][u]*PFL Posting Order*[/u] Ozymandius Jones ^.^ Kitty Gavin Nefertimon The Monster[/b][/center] Jokopoko and I will post randomly to inform trainers of their surroundings or to tell everyone of an event. There may also be other events that may happen during the course of this RPG, so be sharp. You never know what's going to happen. ^_~ The thread should be up sometime late tomorrow evening. Enjoy the RPG, everyone! ^^[/color]

[color=darkblue]If a person doesn't reply to the thread with it's his or her turn within three days time and hasn't spoken to either myself or Jokopoko, we'll move on to the next person. If necessary, I may ask people to do a brief recap at the beginning of their new post if a significant amount of RP time has passed since the last time they posted.[/color]

[color=darkblue]Well, this may be seemingly useless advice, but perhaps you should trying emulating current art styles. As you get better at it, you'll notice consistencies in various works and can apply that when you draw your own style. Of course, I'm not saying that you should start out by trying to draw something from CLAMP or Hellsing, but start with more simplistic styles like Naruto or the Pokémon animation art style. Over time, you'll notice things coming to you easier and drawing will be simpler. Alternatively, you can always access How to Draw Manga.com's free tutorials section.[/color]

[color=darkblue][size=1][b]Name:[/b] Kei Kamagawa [b]Age:[/b] 25 [b]Gender:[/b] Female [b]Nationality:[/b] Japanese [b]Appearance:[/b] Kei stands at five feet ten inches tall. She has waist-length brown hair that?s seemingly plagued with split ends, but is actually just cut that way (it may or may not be held back by a black headband.) She also has light blue eyes, is fair-skinned and has a slightly curvy build. She?s typically seen wearing a white duster with the sleeve rolled to the elbows over a black camisole, black boot-cut jeans with a light blue swirl decal on the sides and black ankle boots with a three-inch heel. [b]Pokémon:[/b] Persian, Shuppet and Arcanine [b]Biography:[/b] Kei Kamagawa is the head PFL Trainer Liaison. Her job is to make sure that all the trainers have what they need in order to compete in the PFL and also to get out amongst the trainers to make sure that healthy battling is going on among the masses. It is also her job to inform trainers about events that are going on around the world. Before Kei came to work at the PFL, she was a Pokémon research assistant at the Kyoto Pokémon Institute. Kei studied various aspects of trained Pokémon behavioral patterns alongside her mentor, Prof. Tanaki, to try and gain an understanding of how the merging process affects both Pokémon and their trainers. She used her research in order to better train her own Pokémon and understand them a bit more. When Kei was still a small child, she was already very fond of Pokémon, usually being found feeding the wild neighborhood Pokémon in her hometown of Yokohama when her mother called in for dinner. This was how she met her first Pokémon, Meowth. After feeding the creature one night, it followed her into her house, refusing to leave her side. Her mother initially didn?t want her to keep it, but after many hours of pleading and meowing, she finally relented. After that, Kei became a determined trainer and a careful owner (as her mother promised that one screw up would land the scratchcat out on its ear.) One day, on the outskirts of town, the pair came across a Shuppet. Not realizing at the time that normal attacks did fare too well against Ghost-types, the two went after it only to have it disappear every time. The Shuppet found their antics amusing and started hanging around with them when they came out to play every day. This went on for several years. When Kei left home to attend university, the Shuppet came along with her. After graduation, Meowth (which had evolved into a Persian) and Shuppet continued to accompany their trainer as she decided to throw her hat into the battle ring. Although the group of friends didn?t manage to win any of the tournaments they entered, they still placed fairly well and gained valuable experience. Eventually, Kei decided that it was time to take a hiatus from battling for a while and turned her attention to studying the behavioral habits of Pokémon in Osaka. Learning several things after only a few years, she came back to the battlefield (well versed in the ways of merging,) but not without another partner. A trainer left his Arcanine at the university and due to its sassy nature, was hard to deal with. As no one wanted to be bothered with it, Kei volunteered to take it, since it would help her research (as well as her battling team.) Before she could enter another tournament, however, she was propositioned by the PFL to become a low-level trainer liaison. Kei accepted the position on the terms that she could still travel around and battle with trainers on occasion. As time went on, Kei worked her way up the ladder and eventually became the Head Liaison. Not many people would think that she takes her work seriously, as she comes across as an extremely big flirt and slightly more than oblivious. She does have a blunt tongue and isn?t one for proper language, but when it comes to her job, she?s as serious as they come. [center]***[/center] Heyo, everyone. I'm really liking the way that sign-ups are looking. ^^ As I said before, sign-ups will close on Saturday, so the thread will more than likely be up on Sunday evening (CDT) once it's determined who will participate and the posting order is set.[/color][/size]

[color=darkblue]Well, using my newfound courage to try graphics, I gave your request a go. I have no idea whether this is what you were going for or not, so do with it as you will. ^^;[/color]

[color=darkblue]Negi, for future reference, we ask members to start threads with a little bit more to go on than just one sentence. If you're wondering what the series is about, ask, say why you're interested in it. If you're looking for others thoughts because you've read it yourself, say that. Just don't post one little sentence and expect a conversation to emerge. Feel free to create another thread once you've taken all this to heart. Thread Closed.[/color]

[color=darkblue]There is already a D.N.Angel thread in the forum that may help you in your decision. You can find it [url=http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=46459]here.[/url] Thread Closed[/color]

[color=darkblue]It would help a lot if you give us some information on what it is exactly you want to do. What style are you going for? More importantly, what's your story about? People won't know if their interested in helping you or not if you don't give them anything to go on.[/color]

[color=darkblue]This stops. Now. I'm not sure if either of you are aware of this, but threads like this are the epitomy of spam and are not allowed on OtakuBoards. Please don't do this again in the future. Thread Closed.[/color]

[color=darkblue][center][img]http://img385.imageshack.us/img385/6491/pfllogocopy5te.jpg[/img] [size=1][b]A Katoko Production[/b] Welcome to the Pokémon Fighting League! This exciting league promises lots of fun and exciting opportunities for trainers and we hope that everyone can have lots of fun while making their way to the top. Please reference this database if you find yourself in need of assistance on understanding how everything works. [b][u]The Pokémon Fighting League[/u][/b] The PFL was established five years ago for Pokémon trainers who want a more physical challenge in their Pokémon battles. The Merge System is used to provide this challenge. Both the Pokémon and the trainer meld together through a Merge Watch and battle as one against an opponent. The trainer that de-Merges with their Pokémon or faints first is the loser. [b][u]The Trainer Points System[/u][/b] All trainers, once accepted by the league, shall have all of their battles judged and scored by the Trainer Points System (TPS.) It works as follows: During the course of the RPG a Trainer may earn Trainer Points (TP) through battling and certain events, the number of points determines how a trainer will perform in a Merge and the strength of the Pokémon they can successfully capture. Battle Points: Maximum points available are 300. [150 IC, 150 OOC] 1. [In Character Points] Trainer points may be awarded for the following: 1. Control over the Pokémon. 2. Successful Merge. 3. Amount of damage caused to opposing Pokémon. 4. Total time taken to end battle. 5. Trainer ability. [Problem solving, tactics etc] 6. No damage to Trainers Pokémon. [In Character Points] Trainer points may be deducted for the following: 1. Breaking the Pokémon League rules. 2. Breaking the battle rules I.E. using more Pokémon than the set limit. 3. Use of untested/undeclared Pokémon attacks or abilities 4. In-ability to control the Pokémon. 5. Unsuccessful Merge. 6. Trainers Pokémon takes damage. [Out of Character Points] Trainer points may be awarded for the following: 1. Good post quality. 2. Examples of good Pokémon knowledge. 3. Making the battle interesting. [I.E. No one-hit KOs or dodging all attacks] 4. Keeping the action equal to the character development. [If necessary] 5. Solving problems in an effective and believable way. 6. Adequately explaining the tactics used during the battle. " [Out of Character Points] Trainer points may be deducted for the following: 1. Repetitiveness. [Using the same tactics or repeating information] 2. Poor grammar and spelling. 3. Using non-canon [Made up] Pokémon attacks or abilities during a battle. 4. Using an attack or ability that was not part of the original sign-up. [Unless the Pokémon developed the attack/ability via experience] 5. Making the battle dull and relying on one-hit KOs. As stated in the above rules, points are given out during events and battles. Go for the gold to rack up points! As trainers go about their journeys, time will draw closer for the PFL Grand Championship, which will be held on the Galapagos Islands in South America this year. In order for a trainer to participate, he/she must have 5,000 TP or more. Alternatively, if the trainer does not have enough TP to qualify, he/she may take the Trainer?s Exam at the International Pokémon Center in London, England in order to get a special badge to enter the tournament. This test will only become available two weeks before the competition. [b][u]The World and Travel[/u][/b] Trainers come from all over the world to participate in the various PFL challenges. For that reason, all trainers are issued a Lapras Pass for sea travel and a Pidgeot Pass for air travel. All major air and seaports offer travel accommodations specifically for trainers and do not allow normal travelers access. Both offer their bonuses and faults. Traveling by air is faster and allows a trainer to get where they?re going more quickly, but flights usually don?t allow trainer battles. Traveling by boat is slower than going by air, but all PFL-sanctioned ships have Battle Zones on their decks where trainers can battle while they wait to arrive at the destination. A small Pokémon Center is also located on the ship, usually below deck, near the Captain?s Quarters. Trainers can also apt to travel by Pokémon if they so desire. Trainers are allowed to travel anywhere they wish, but they are reminded that they are not above the laws of the countries they visit. If a trainer is arrested, he/she will lose the ability to compete in all PFL competitions for one year or more (depending on the crime committed.) (A World Map can be found [url=http://www.worldatlas.com/aatlas/world.htm]here.[/url] Click on a continent to zoom in.) [b][u]Area and Pokémon Information[/u][/b] When a trainer enters a new area, PFL Trainer Liaison Jonah Harris (Jokopoko) will give them information regarding Pokémon in the area and things that are happening within the city. [b][u]Events and Tournaments[/u][/b] PFL Trainer Liaison Kei Kamagawa (myself) will also notify all trainers though their Merge Watches of events and tournaments that are going on throughout the world. Please be on the lookout for these messages. (During tournaments, it may be that two people who are playing in the RPG will come up against each other. If this happens, both trainers will post their version of events in the battle and the winner will be determined based on the Point System by the referee [also myself.]) [b][u]Assistance[/u][/b] If, for some reason, a trainer finds him or herself stranded in a country, they are advised to visit that country's International Pokémon Center for help. If they or their Pokémon are in dire need of medical attention, please seek out the local Pokémon Center. [b][u]**Special Note: Posting**[/u][/b] During the course of the RPG, players are asked to post in a certain order. This keeps things from getting messy (as an RPG of this projected size as a free-for-all would be chaotic to keep up with,) as well as provide everyone with lots of possible interesting scenarios. Once the list of accepted trainers has been finalized, posting order will be determined and the list will be placed here. Thank you for visiting the Pokémon Fighting League Trainer's Database! We wish you luck on your journey! *** If there are any other questions, please feel free to post them in this thread and either Jokopoko or I will answer it as quickly as possible. ^^ Have fun![/color][/size] [size=1][url=http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=49252]Pokémon Fighting League Sign-Ups[/url][/size][/center]

[center][img]http://img385.imageshack.us/img385/6491/pfllogocopy5te.jpg[/img] [color=darkblue][size=1][b]A Katoko Production Pokémon Fighting League: Introduction[/b] There are a great many mysteries in the world, each more enveloping than the last. In the past, many beings that appeared to be paranormal, the Loch Ness Monster, Bigfoot, and several others were spotted worldwide, no one knowing what they really were? Then, in 1998, the truth behind these creatures was revealed. While they weren?t exactly what the world was expecting, these creatures certainly sent a shockwave through the masses. These strange creatures could use even stranger powers and seemed to have the very elements at their beck and call. These creatures?were Pokémon. Upon their discovery, scientists everywhere took up the cause of studying these mysterious creatures. In the process, many have lost their lives, underestimating the fierce power of some of them. But now, thanks to their efforts and the work of several others, it is the strong belief the world over that we?re starting to get a grasp on the Pokémon world. During the time that most scientists were searching for a way to study Pokémon, there were others developing technology to help capture the creatures and use them in a way that was beneficial to humans. After several years of development, scientists successfully created the first PokéBall in 2001. Once proven to be able to capture the creatures, they were mass produced and sold to the public at a reasonable price. People seemed pleased to be able to harness the Pokémon?s powers for themselves and used them to help them in their daily lives. Not long afterward, some members of the younger generation began using the Pokémon to fight each other. These were the first Pokémon battles. As time went on, Pokémon battling became a worldwide phenomenon. It eventually became an international sport, with the very first World Championship held in Tokyo, Japan in 2006. During this tournament, several Pokémon were seriously injured and it was decided by the newly formed Pokémon Battling Commission that such treatment was cruelty to Pokémon. For this reason, Pokémon battling was banned worldwide until special hospitals were built for the medical treatment of Pokémon. The first was built in India in mid-2007 and others were finished around the world the same year. Due to the fact that trainers often met together for the sole purpose of their Pokémon, they earned the nickname ?Pokémon Centers.? The term is now permanently associated with the Pokémon hospitals. The ban was lifted once all the hospitals were complete. Though there is one in every major city, there are also several scattered throughout the world in forests, plains, deserts, etc. Pokémon battling tournaments continued and technology advanced over time. In 2098, records dating back to the infancy of Pokémon research were found in the computer records of Bill, the man who created the first Pokémon Storage System, who was also known as ?PokéManiac Bill? among trainers. In the records, Bill underwent an experiment which went wrong and resulted with his DNA being crossed with that of a Pokémon. Going on his records, scientists recreated the experiment and eventually managed to find a way that would allow both people and Pokémon to ?merge? together into one being: one that would retain their basic human form, but have all the abilities (and some features) of a Pokémon. It took several years to perfect the technique and in 3005, scientists announced that they had done it. Soon afterward, watch-like devices called ?Mergers? began becoming available to the public. Mergers work only after a trainer has captured a Pokémon by normal means. Once a Pokémon has been captured, it is given a band that will only respond to the signal from its trainer?s Merger inside its PokéBall. The Pokéball itself will then be transferred to the individual trainer?s storage space, which all registered trainers have. It can be called out through voice-command from the Merger anytime afterward. While it may be possible for a Pokémon and trainer to merge right after capture, the likelihood is low due to the fact that the Pokémon?s level of affection toward the trainer has been found to significantly affect whether a merge is possible or not. In 3007, the Pokémon Battling Commission changed its name to the Pokémon Fighting League and began specifically using Merger technology for official events and tournaments. Each year, the World Championship is held in a different place, with last year?s Champion claiming her title on the Fiji Islands. Pokémon trainers the world over continue to participate and start journeys of their own in hopes of obtaining the title of Pokémon Master and this year is no exception? ***[/center] 254 Tatakai Tokyo, Japan Dear Trainer, Congratulations! I?m pleased to inform you that your application has been accepted and you have been registered into our database with the following information: Name: Age: Gender: Nationality: Appearance (picture or written description is acceptable): Pokémon (up to 3; [b]the use of Legendary Pokémon is prohibited[/b]): Biography: Once you confirm your registration, you will become an official PFL trainer and will be able to use all benefits and facilities located around the world. Please find enclosed the PFL standard Merge Watch which you should use from now on, a Lapras Pass which will allow you to use any ferry or ocean liner you may need to use on your journey and a Pidgeot Pass that will allow you to board special flights only for PFL-recognized trainers. (Please note that these items will not become active until you confirm your registration.) If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me or your local PFL representative located at the nearest International Pokémon Centre. I wish you the best of luck in your battles and I hope to see you at the Championship this year! Best regards, Kei Kamagawa Trainer Relations Overseer Pokemon Fighting League HQ Enclosure (3) KK [center]***[/center] Hey there, everyone. As you can probably tell, this is one Pokémon RPG that kind of breaks the mold. Jokopoko and I have been working on it for a while, so we hope you enjoy it. [b]The Underground thread, [url=http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?p=677921#post677921]Pokémon Fighting League: Trainer's Database[/url], is now available for viewing.[/b] Thank you and have fun! ^^ [b]Note:[/b] Sign-ups will close on [b]Saturday, Sept. 3.[/b] The only way someone can enter afterward will be to PM either Jokopoko or myself with your sign-up and we will determine if you can join. Thanks for understanding. ^^[/color][/size]

[color=darkblue]I'm not ashamed to admit that I cried when[/color] [spoiler]it seemed like Pikachu would leave Ash in the first season of Pokemon. It might have been the incredibly sad song in the background that accompanied it, but still, I did cry a bit over it.[/spoiler] [color=darkblue]Also, from Cowboy Bebeop,[/color] [spoiler]the end of Speak Like A Child was sad as well. Seeing Faye like she was when she was in her teens... It just made me sad to think that she lost all those seemingly wonderful memories.[/spoiler] [color=darkblue]They may seem like little things, but eh. ^^;[/color]

[color=darkblue]A few things wrong with this... 1) This is a manga forum for discussing manga, not RPGs. If you want to collaborate with someone or have an idea for one and want some advice, try the Underground. 2) Your posting quality really needs work. We ask that members use proper grammar and punctuation in their posts so that it's easy for everyone to read. Please try to work on it in the future. Thread Closed[/color]

[color=darkblue]Fair warning to keep posts on topic and to put forth the proper effort. I wouldn't want to have to close this, heh. ^^;[/color]

[color=darkblue]Anime is to be discussed in the Anime Lounge. Manga Workshop is a discussion ground for manga. ^_~ Thread Closed.[/color]

[color=darkblue]This thread is getting seriously off-topic. Any more posts not regarding to the subject at hand, and I'm closing it down, so this is your fair warning. Just try to stay on topic, guys. ^^;[/color]

[color=darkblue]The thread is about Americans making [i]comics[/i] that have been heavily influced by Japanese culture, not cartoons. Truth be told, I'm sort of 50-50 on the issue. While I enjoy it when it takes on a parodic form (take Atomic King Daidogan, for example,) it may go to show that people are moving on to recycle more ideas. Sure, there are those that are originals (and I'm really happy to see them come out) and I know that everyone who does create "Amerimanga" (myself included) try really hard at what they do, we're really just doing what we did to all of our comicbook superheores and ideas; putting the same plots and characters in new packaging. Don't get me wrong, it's entertaining, but I still can't help but think about it in that aspect a little, you know?[/color]

[color=darkblue]You can also visit howtodrawmangaonline.com to buy manga drawing supplies online. Their stuff is reasonably priced (most of it, anyway,) so if you're looking for stuff and not trying to buy yourself out of house and home, it's a good way to go. ^^[/color]

[color=darkblue]I'm quite inclined to agree with GTK (it's our job to tell people that, by the way ^_~. 'Tis appreciated, however.) When you start a thread, you do need to put in a bit more effort that just two lines of very small text. Try going into what your own inspiration is or somethign along that line. ^^; That being said, thread closed.[/color]

[color=darkblue]...Ahem. Sorry to spoil everyone's fun, but favorites threads like this are somewhat outlawed here at OB, since they have a tendency to get very spammy very quickly with "I like so-and-so!" and "Blah-blah is awesome together with yadda-yadda!!" That being said, I'm going to have to close this down now. Sorry. ^^; Thread Closed.[/color]