>> I hate secrets

[DarkestLight]

Anyone read Masado's blog anymore. I happened to click it today. and it says something along the lines of

"Play Pokemon Diamond/Pearl on Saturday-there will be something different."

The last time they pulled this, I missed it, and I still don't know what the hell happened. But

A) Darkrai silhouettes have been floating around on Pokemon.com for about 2 weeks now?

B) Small buzzes of Shaymin have also popped up.

I'm wondering if they'll drop us a easter egg with one of those two finally. Cause wel all know Arceus is gonna be like 29385692043582903 years from now.

[Number1ChanseyFan]

Actually I have never seen Masado's blog. Do you have a link for it? I have seen the Darkrai floating around on Pokemon.com too. I also heard that there is a sequel to Pokemon Ranger that was announced, it will be released in March in Japan, so I am wondering if one of the secret Pokemon will be a part of that game, like Manaphy was in the first Pokemon Ranger.

Also, where this thread was posted isn't really a real forum, (I know, that sounds weird XD) it is just kind of a strange area that is a "parent forum" for the sub-forums, (D/P, R/S/E/FR/LG, and their sub-forums, the Team Rating forums.) although it doesn't really have a purpose of it's own, it can still be posted in for some reason. Anyways, I will go ahead and redirect this to the Diamond/Pearl forum, where people would be more likely to see it.

[DarkestLight]

Err sorry, got the name wrong. Jun'ichi Masuda, not Masado. Link is...
Here...and I now am reading reports that its just a cosmetic change in Snowpoint. Not worth my time -.-...

[Number1ChanseyFan]

Yep, you are absolutely right, the only change is that the Diamond Dust weather condition is in effect while inside Snowpoint City.

[Jeff]

Just checked it out, like N1CF said, the snow is different in Snowpoint and that's it. The interesting thing is that I didn't have to go online first or anything so it must be built in. Kind of makes me wonder if there are any other changes on random dates like this.

[DarkestLight]

There was one other one I remember, so I'm kinda wondering if they just kinda do this just cause they feeel like it, or what?

[Mega Horny]

I'm curious as to how they did it. Did they plan this eventually long before the game's release and input the diamond dust function to occur on some date, or can they alter our cartridges to a degree without touching them?

[mr_pikachu]

If it worked without being connected to Nintendo WFC, then the only logical conclusion is that the code was included within the game. But it makes you wonder how they kept players from finding out in advance by changing their DS time and why they would program such a minute change anyway.

[AdventureSerum]

What, this upcoming Saturday? Or did I miss it? Can someone tell me what's going on? Diamond dust? Can I set my clock back if I missed it? Does it happen once a year?

[Number1ChanseyFan]

What, this upcoming Saturday? Or did I miss it? Can someone tell me what's going on? Diamond dust? Can I set my clock back if I missed it? Does it happen once a year?

The event was last Saturday, and basically, all that happened was that the snow in Snowpoint City was changed to "Diamond Dust," which was a sort of twinkling effect as opposed to snow falling. I don't know if it happens every year or just this year, and I don't know if setting the clock back will work or not. Basically, it has no effect at all on gameplay, it was only cosmetic.

[Jeff]

If it worked without being connected to Nintendo WFC, then the only logical conclusion is that the code was included within the game. But it makes you wonder how they kept players from finding out in advance by changing their DS time and why they would program such a minute change anyway.

Easy, no one bothered to look first. It's not like it's a holiday or anything so there would be no reason for someone to purposely change the date to January 12th to see what happens on that day.

[mr_pikachu]

Ah, good point, Jeff. I didn't think of it being a transition on the 12th, like a switch being flipped... I assumed that changing the date straight to, say, January 1st, 2050 would do it too.

That still begs the question of why they would add the code for a change rather than just use the Diamond Dust effect in the first place... maybe they're planning to ask which one we like better, or something?

[DarkestLight]

Or maybe flipping that switch somehow allows for other things to be delivered the the game via WiFi?

[mr_pikachu]

Perhaps, but then that begs the additional question of why that wouldn't have been enabled immediately. Why use a switch when you can just flip everything "on" from the start?

It's a little baffling...

[DarkestLight]

Yes, I agree. But this is Nintendo. They've been baffling us with Pokemon since 1996 :O.

[AdventureSerum]

Yeah. Remember that truck in R/B? This whole diamond dust thing is probably better than gluing a penny to the floor!

[Jeff]

Well considering Snowpoint has normal snow again now, this is obviously just some nifty cosmetic change that only occurs every January 12th, and not some sort of special switch that gets flipped to turn on the diamond dust all the time. That's why I'm wondering if there are any other dates that have certain differences associated with them.

[Austrian ViceMaster Alex]

Easily possible. I wonder if the Diamond Dust appears each year for the celebration of Mr. Masado's birthday. They could have added similar things for others who have worked on the game. Did anything happy on August 28 last year when Satoshi Tajiri had his birthday?