Can we catch ‘em all?: Generation I: Difference between revisions

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Before applying media archaeology methodologies to these versions, it is helpful to look at Nintendo’s advertised descriptions of versions as described in Nintendo Power.
Before applying media archaeology methodologies to these versions, it is helpful to look at Nintendo’s advertised descriptions of versions as described in Nintendo Power.


[[File:GenIOfficialVersionTreeV2.png|Generation 1 Official Version Tree]]
[[File:GenIOfficialVersionTreeV2.png|thumb|Generation 1 Official Version Tree]]


According to Nintendo's official publications and advertisements, Pokémania began with the Japanese release of {{bp|Pokémon Red and Green Versions|Pocket Monsters: Red and Green}} for the {{bp|Game Boy}} in 1996.<ref>http://www.pokemon.co.jp/game/other/gb-rg/</ref> A minor revision, {{bp|Pokémon Blue Version (Japanese)|Pocket Monsters: Blue}}, was released later in the same year as a gift to loyal {{bp|CoroCoro Comic}} subscribers.<ref>http://www.pokemon.co.jp/game/other/gb-blue/</ref> Red and Blue were translated into English, with no other changes made to the games themselves, and released in Australia and United States in 1998 as {{bp|Pokémon Red and Blue Versions|Pokémon Red and Blue}}<ref>http://web.archive.org/web/19990501171038/http://www.nintendo.com/corp/press/100298.html</ref> followed by {{bp|Pokemon in Australia|Australia}}<ref>http://m.ign.com/articles/1999/09/01/pikachu-down-under</ref>. Some advertisements noted the existence of a secret third version known as Green in Japan, but little to no information was released on that title. Once successful in the United States, Europe received its translated versions in 1999.<ref>http://www.pokemon.com/uk/pokemon-video-games/pokemon-red-version-and-pokemon-blue-version/</ref>
According to Nintendo's official publications and advertisements, Pokémania began with the Japanese release of {{bp|Pokémon Red and Green Versions|Pocket Monsters: Red and Green}} for the {{bp|Game Boy}} in 1996.<ref>http://www.pokemon.co.jp/game/other/gb-rg/</ref> A minor revision, {{bp|Pokémon Blue Version (Japanese)|Pocket Monsters: Blue}}, was released later in the same year as a gift to loyal {{bp|CoroCoro Comic}} subscribers.<ref>http://www.pokemon.co.jp/game/other/gb-blue/</ref> Red and Blue were translated into English, with no other changes made to the games themselves, and released in Australia and United States in 1998 as {{bp|Pokémon Red and Blue Versions|Pokémon Red and Blue}}<ref>http://web.archive.org/web/19990501171038/http://www.nintendo.com/corp/press/100298.html</ref> followed by {{bp|Pokemon in Australia|Australia}}<ref>http://m.ign.com/articles/1999/09/01/pikachu-down-under</ref>. Some advertisements noted the existence of a secret third version known as Green in Japan, but little to no information was released on that title. Once successful in the United States, Europe received its translated versions in 1999.<ref>http://www.pokemon.com/uk/pokemon-video-games/pokemon-red-version-and-pokemon-blue-version/</ref>
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How can a player make sense of this confusion? Why are Nintendo’s statements nonsense when compared to the obvious reality of versions? For a more honest breakdown of versions, we must look at links within the source and executable code itself.
How can a player make sense of this confusion? Why are Nintendo’s statements nonsense when compared to the obvious reality of versions? For a more honest breakdown of versions, we must look at links within the source and executable code itself.


[[File:GenIUnofficialVersionTreeV2.png|Generation I Unofficial Version Tree]]
[[File:GenIUnofficialVersionTreeV2.png|thumb|Generation I Unofficial Version Tree]]


The diagram above demonstrates the actual connections between versions from a media specific, code-based examination using fan sources such as The Cutting Room Floor.<ref>http://tcrf.net/The_Cutting_Room_Floor</ref> Media archaeology is critical to make sense of the differences between this diagram and the previous, official diagram of versions taken from Nintendo advertisements.
The diagram to the right demonstrates the actual connections between versions from a media specific, code-based examination using fan sources such as The Cutting Room Floor.<ref>http://tcrf.net/The_Cutting_Room_Floor</ref> Media archaeology is critical to make sense of the differences between this diagram and the previous, official diagram of versions taken from Nintendo advertisements.


{{bp|Satoshi Tajiri}} hand-coded the original Pocket Monsters over a period of six years. This limitation of resources resulted in well-known {{bp|glitch|glitches}}.<ref>http://web.archive.org/web/20071212005118/http://www.time.com/time/asia/magazine/99/1122/pokemon6.fullinterview1.html</ref> The purpose of {{bp|Pokémon Blue Version (Japanese)|Pocket Monsters: Blue}} appears to be a much-needed overhaul of problematic source code, neutralizing {{bp|glitch|glitches}}. What is so impressive about this version is that such an overhaul is invisible; more precisely, these structural changes appear minimal to players but radically altered the structure of the game’s code underneath the surface.  
{{bp|Satoshi Tajiri}} hand-coded the original Pocket Monsters over a period of six years. This limitation of resources resulted in well-known {{bp|glitch|glitches}}.<ref>http://web.archive.org/web/20071212005118/http://www.time.com/time/asia/magazine/99/1122/pokemon6.fullinterview1.html</ref> The purpose of {{bp|Pokémon Blue Version (Japanese)|Pocket Monsters: Blue}} appears to be a much-needed overhaul of problematic source code, neutralizing {{bp|glitch|glitches}}. What is so impressive about this version is that such an overhaul is invisible; more precisely, these structural changes appear minimal to players but radically altered the structure of the game’s code underneath the surface.