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Bulbagraphic:Economics and the Pokémon Video Games: Difference between revisions
Bulbagraphic:Economics and the Pokémon Video Games (view source)
Revision as of 07:59, 19 October 2011
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The {{bp|Pokémon Games|Pokémon video games}} are largely based in strategy and relationships. To wit: the plots are almost always rooted in relationships – {{bp|Ghetsis}} and {{bp|N}}, {{ga|Hilbert}} and N, {{ga|Red}} and {{bp|Giovanni}}, to | The {{bp|Pokémon Games|Pokémon video games}} are largely based in strategy and relationships. To wit: the plots are almost always rooted in relationships – {{bp|Ghetsis}} and {{bp|N}}, {{ga|Hilbert}} and N, {{ga|Red}} and {{bp|Giovanni}}, to name a few. Pokémon creatures and battling are the strategic aspects of the game. These two aspects of the game take up 90% of the game time, for example; completing the plot, creating competitive teams, completing the {{bp|Pokédex}}. However, no game can function in a vacuum; these games need auxiliary functions to help propel them forwards and to ensure a coherent game. | ||
One of these things that is not often given a second thought is the economic system in the video games. The animé has no monetary system to speak of, but the video games could not function without their ideologically nebulous economy.It is necessary for finishing the game and training a successful team – without money one could neither buy enough items to heal one's Pokémon at critical points nor buy enough items to strengthen and perfect the team. Ultimately, the economic system is a semi-utopian confluence of several existent economies. | One of these things that is not often given a second thought is the economic system in the video games. The animé has no monetary system to speak of, but the video games could not function without their ideologically nebulous economy. It is necessary for finishing the game and training a successful team – without money one could neither buy enough items to heal one's Pokémon at critical points nor buy enough items to strengthen and perfect the team. Ultimately, the economic system is a semi-utopian confluence of several existent economies. | ||
[[File:Ruby_Sapphire_Lady.png|75px|right|thumb|The Pokémon aristocracy]] | [[File:Ruby_Sapphire_Lady.png|75px|right|thumb|The Pokémon aristocracy]] | ||
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In the video games, the player-character acquires money through battling, and the money earned is roughly proportional to the difficulty of the battle. Every trainer class has its own scaling (obviously {{bp|Lady|Ladies}} and {{bp|Rich Boy|Rich Boys}} pay more at easier battles than do, say, {{bp|Bug Catcher|Bug Catchers}}), but within that class, the pay scale increases with the difficulty of battle. This suggests some sort of merit-based system; the more successful one is at battling, the wealthier the person becomes. Nevertheless, almost every economic system is merit-based, from capitalism where the money one earns is based on the success of the product, to communism where the money earned is proportional to the contributions to society. | In the video games, the player-character acquires money through battling, and the money earned is roughly proportional to the difficulty of the battle. Every trainer class has its own scaling (obviously {{bp|Lady|Ladies}} and {{bp|Rich Boy|Rich Boys}} pay more at easier battles than do, say, {{bp|Bug Catcher|Bug Catchers}}), but within that class, the pay scale increases with the difficulty of battle. This suggests some sort of merit-based system; the more successful one is at battling, the wealthier the person becomes. Nevertheless, almost every economic system is merit-based, from capitalism where the money one earns is based on the success of the product, to communism where the money earned is proportional to the contributions to society. | ||
However, the defining characteristic of monetary acquisition is the positive feedback loop it creates – those who have money can train better Pokémon and win more money, and those without money cannot train their Pokémon and therefore are destined to poverty (which is where the “utopian” vision of the economics falls apart). The betterment of a Pokémon is highly dependent upon the amount of money spent – the more items used, the more likely that Pokémon will level up. If someone who has dozens of hyper potions battles someone who doesn't have any healing items at the same level, obviously the trainer with the money (as items cost money) will win the battle and make their Pokémon gain experience, and earn more money. This positive feedback loop feeds into the fact that | However, the defining characteristic of monetary acquisition is the positive feedback loop it creates – those who have money can train better Pokémon and win more money, and those without money cannot train their Pokémon and therefore are destined to poverty (which is where the “utopian” vision of the economics falls apart). The betterment of a Pokémon is highly dependent upon the amount of money spent – the more items used, the more likely that Pokémon will level up. If someone who has dozens of hyper potions battles someone who doesn't have any healing items at the same level, obviously the trainer with the money (as items cost money) will win the battle and make their Pokémon gain experience, and earn more money. This positive feedback loop feeds into the fact that an oligarchical structure exists – pointing to a capitalist society. | ||
[[File:VSLance.png|200px|left|thumb|A symbol of Capitalism?]] | [[File:VSLance.png|200px|left|thumb|A symbol of Capitalism?]] | ||