Pokemon Diamond: Impressions

[mr_pikachu]

So, I take it you got a Japanese import? Sweet. Time for your interrogation!

• Have you gotten the Map yet? If so, how many towns are there in total? (I assume there are still eight Gyms, so any extra towns would just be world-builders...)
• How many of those towns have you visited so far?
• When you say that you have to do something special to reach the Gym leader, what do you mean? For instance, do you use an HM move? Or is it something more complicated like the puzzles in Surge's Gym (from RBY/FrLg)?
• How extensive is the map? Does it allow you to zoom in on specific areas? If so, how much information does it provide in terms of paths, landmarks, etc.?
• Are there any areas that are easy to get lost in due to size or some other effect?
• On that note, what sorts of area effects are there? Do we have misty areas, sandstorms, or anything else that migth be notable?

...I think that's enough for now. ^_^

[Roy Karrde]

• Have you gotten the Map yet? If so, how many towns are there in total? (I assume there are still eight Gyms, so any extra towns would just be world-builders...)
• How many of those towns have you visited so far?
• When you say that you have to do something special to reach the Gym leader, what do you mean? For instance, do you use an HM move? Or is it something more complicated like the puzzles in Surge's Gym (from RBY/FrLg)?
• How extensive is the map? Does it allow you to zoom in on specific areas? If so, how much information does it provide in terms of paths, landmarks, etc.?
• Are there any areas that are easy to get lost in due to size or some other effect?
• On that note, what sorts of area effects are there? Do we have misty areas, sandstorms, or anything else that migth be notable?

Okay here we go

• I have the first map which is the detailed one, I am still waiting to get the less detailed one that you can view via the touch screen. The one I have right now you use by accessing your backpack. There are 18 Towns. 8 of them have Gyms, 1 of the Non Gym Towns has a Pokemon Daycare, 1 of the Non Gym Towns so far has a Pokemon Contest in it. 1 of the Gym Towns so far also has a Pokemon Contest in it.
  
• I have been anywhere from 9 to 7 of those towns. The reason I say that is becuase the number doesnt add up since I have only seen 4 Gyms.
  
• The first gym you have to get the gym leader who is at a archiological dig outside of the town. The second gym you have to defeat four girls that are hidden in the gym. And very hard to find. The third gym, the gym leader is attending a Pokemon Contest and you have to bypass her gym. The fourth one has a Lt Surge type gym where you have to move long rod like things to create a path to the gym leader. The only way to get to all of the rods is battling each person in the gym. And the most annoying thing is if you lose, they reset and you spend ten minutes re alligning them
  
• The top screen just looks like your normal map. You can use the touch screen to zoom in to I would say 3 or 4 times the magnification. That gives you information in Japanese of all the towns and routes when you touch them.
  
• Several, at the beginning of the game it is somewhat straight forward like the old Pokemon games, and then it slowly gets to where you can go on multiple paths and do multiple things like visit a Pokemon Tower/Ghost Tower like place. The worst hits after the 3rd/4th Gym. I say 3rd/4th becuase you have to bypass one and come back to it later. Anyway once you leave it you have several different options. Go back to the previous gym that you bypassed, go south of the town and explore this huge beach/spa/mansion that seems to go on forever. Or go West to what would be the next town.
  
• So far the only enviromental effect is two rain storms I have gone through. Which brings out unusual trainers too! Like a woman carrying a unbrella * sp * and stuff. Also another thing is that during the second down pour, mud starts to form in areas. If you go too deep in the mud you get stuck and have to pound the A button to jump out.

[Dark Sage]

So, which would you say is the bets starter? Who did you pick?

Also, what's the deal with the Rival Factor in this game? How does he figure into this?