The Pokémon Factory FAQ

Welcome to the Pokémon Factory FAQ! Here you will find the questions we've been asked most often, and the answers we've provided to these questions. The questions are sorted into six sections. To look up a particular question, just click on the section it belongs to.

Suggestions
Usage of our concepts
PF pokémon species
Artists and other Staff members
PF RPG (the PFL)
Miscellaneous questions

Suggestions

Q: Can I suggest new moves/items/abilities/evolution methods?
A: Yes, but only along with an actual pokémon suggestion that makes use of said move/item/ability/method. You may not suggest them separately.

Q: Can I suggest new types?
A: No, you cannot. Our three fake types are plenty enough.

Q: Can I suggest new move categories?
A: No, you cannot.

Q: Can I suggest type changes to a pokémon/move?
A: No, you cannot. We've already changed the types of all pokémon and moves that deserved it. You can read about them here and here, respectively.

Q: You have a section for ???-type moves. What characteristics does a move have to possess in order to be considered of that type?
A: To date, Nintendo has only one ???-type move, named Curse. The thing about it that makes it ???-type is the fact that it works differently depending on the species of the user (specifically, the move's effect when used by a Ghost-type has absolutely nothing to do with its effect when used by a non-Ghost-type.) The Pokémon Factory's first foray into new ???-type moves, however, was with Nintendo's move Hidden Power, since if there was ever a move that deserved to be ???-type, it was the Normal-type move that could deal damage of any type except Normal. Thus, ???-type moves generally have at least one of those two traits: an effect that varies with some detail of the user, or the ability to deal damage of multiple elements. This means that external factors like the terrain, weather or held item do not influence the effect of ???-moves. Moves with effects based on these factors will therefore not be considered to be ???-type moves.

Usage of our concepts

Q: Can I use your dexes?
A: Yes, as long as you don't remove the copyright notice at the top, or modify them in any other way. Linking back to us is always welcome.

Q: Can I use your sprites?
A: No. You are not allowed, under any circumstance, to separate our sprites from our dexes and showcase them somewhere else. If you do so we will take action to get them swiftly removed. National Dex pokémon, items, and other loose sprites are not useable either.

Q: Can I use your pokémon for my fan project (game, forum RPG, etc.)?
A: You can use the pokémon for a forum RPG so long as you link back to us and give us full credit, including credit to the person who submitted the pokémon. You will also need to ask permission to that person, if possible. Fan games will be looked at case-by-case, so please link us to your game so that we can decide.

Q: Does the Pokémon Factory own my suggested pokémon?
A: PF only claims ownership of the resulting sprites and dexes, and reserves the right to use your pokémon in our forum RPG or any other media related to the site, such as wallpapers and skins. Other than that, the concepts themselves remain under ownership of the persons who submitted them, and are free for them to use at their own discretion in or outside the setting of the Pokémon Factory. This is not valid for concepts submitted as community works, however.

PF pokémon species

Q: You have a Porygon pre-evolution, but Porygon already evolves twice. Shouldn't the pre-evo be removed?
A: At the Pokémon Factory, there are two versions of Porygon, thus creating two different evolution lines. The first version produces Protogon as offspring and has Porygon2 as its final stage. The other, newer one removes the pre-evolution feature in order to make room for Porygon-Z. We have come up with this solution because Porygon is a computer program, so having different versions of it makes sense.
Should you choose to run into a Porygon in the setting of our forum RPG, you are free to decide which version it is.

Q: You have a Munchlax pre-evolution, but Munchlax is a baby pokémon and cannot breed. Shouldn't the pre-evo be removed?
A: When Munchlax was introduced, we retconned our Snorlax pre-evo, Yawnlax, into a pre-evolution of Munchlax. By doing so, we also agreed that Yawnlax would be the true baby form, while Munchlax would be considered to be a 'teen'. In the context of the Pokémon Factory, Munchlax can therefore breed as well.

Q: What will happen if a pokémon from a future generation clashes with one of your evos and/or pre-evos?
A: We will consider any possible changes that could be introduced in order to make our pokémon viable, whether by making it an alternate evolution or a whole new species altogether; we will try not to drop ideas whenever possible.

Q: One of your first (RBY-)generation pokémon looks acceptable. Can I bring it back?
A: No, you cannot. Our old pokémon are showcased as a museum of sorts. They represent a time when approval rules were lax, and they are not meant to be used in any way. They can only be redone as a 'Classic Reborn' Special Edition, which is entirely up to the Staff's discretion.

Artists and other Staff members

Q: How do I become a Staff member?
A: To become a Staff member, you have to show us some of your work, and we will review it. If we like it, we might give you a series of tests which consist in fleshing out a few pokémon of our choosing. If we do not, you are always free to keep practicing and try again later.
It is a good idea for you to spend some time at the board first, so we can get to know you better. Who knows, if you stick around enough time, maybe we will be the ones who call upon you.

Q: I found a wonderful artist! Should we bring him/her in?
A: No. We prefer people to find us out of their own personal interest. Also, bear in mind that many pokémon artists out there already have projects of their own, and are not likely to leave them to work with us.

Q: How do you make sprites?
A: It mostly takes careful observation of official sprites, and a lot of practice. A useful guide to spriting can be found here.

Q: What programs does the Staff use for spriting?
A: You'd be surprised, but many people use plain old MS Paint to make sprites. Other common tools include Photoshop, Gimp and Adobe Fireworks.

PF RPG (the PFL)

Q: How does the RPG work?
A: The RPG can be described as interactive storytelling. Once you fill your registration form and have your character approved, you can start your adventure by writing out its actions, and then other people will help you to carry out the story. For this purpose, you can bring along a friend, or ask people who already started if you can join their adventures. At specific times, Staff from the Pokémon Factory will participate as well.
At all times, you are in full control of what your character does and encounters along the way, with some exceptions.
For more information and detailed rules, please visit the PF League sections of the site located at the bottom part of the menu on the left (the Map of Bombur in particular), and also read the following topics:
Rules for an Acceptable RPG Topic
Free Spirits General Plot

Q: How do I use TMs and HMs?
A: The Bombur pokédex, which is granted to you after beating the first gym, has the ability to read TM and HM discs and teach them to your pokémon. A pokémon may only know four TM and/or Tutor moves at once, but it may keep all the moves it learns naturally, and there is no limit to the amount of HM moves it can carry as long as they are compatible with it.

Q: How do I buy items?
A: Once you are in a town or city, you may simply write about going to a PokéMart and buying whatever you need. Money management is not really important, you may consider that your character has saved enough money for the pokémon journey, or he/she may get it from his/her parents. TMs are a special case, though; please visit our TMs section to learn more about it.

Q: How do I fish?
A: Once you are located in one of the bodies of water mentioned on the Placings List, just have your character use a rod and hook up one of the aquatic pokémon listed for that area. How did he/she get the rod is up to you; your character might have packed one for his/her journey, or else he/she can get one at the beginning of his/her journey, in Anchore Town, or buy one in any other city. There is no distinction between 'old', 'good' and 'super' rods in our RPG, a generic rod will do.

Q: Some pokémon in the placings list require the Silph Scope to be seen. How do I get that item?
A: The Silph Scope is available for you to find in Bastion City's Silph Co. Building once you've beaten the third gym in Askorun Town.

Q: Where do I revive fossils?
A: At the Altum Cecidi Museum, after beating the Elite 4.

Q: Are there Pokémon Contests/Super Contests in Bombur?
A: No, there aren't. However, you can still feed your pokémon Pokéblocks and Poffins to raise their contest stats, in case you have a pokémon that depends on them to evolve such as Feebas or Parrapeet. You need to feed your pokémon 20 Pokéblocks/Poffins of a single flavor in order for it to max a stat and evolve. The aforementioned items can be bought at every town in Bombur, but you can only buy 5 of each flavor at each location. An example would be buying 2 green Pokéblocks and 3 bitter Poffins.

Q: Are there any other ways to raise a pokémon's contest stats in the RPG?
A: There is a special store in Askorun Town that specializes in colored scarves (blue for Beauty, green for Smartness, pink for Cuteness, red for Coolness and yellow for Toughness). Attaching one to a pokémon will cut the amount of Pokéblocks/Poffins it needs to evolve in half. However, you are only allowed to buy a single one, so choose wisely.
There's also a spa located near the Hot Springs which offers trainers different treatments for their pokémon. A relaxing massage will raise your pokémon's beauty, while some exfoliation and nail (or hoof and antler) care will make it look extremely cute. Staying a while in a hot sauna will surely toughen your pokémon, while a mud bath will greatly boost its coolness points. Finally, for the intelectually inclined, a session of yoga and meditation is a good way to improve their smartness. Each of these treatments takes a couple of hours to complete and equals the consumption of 5 Pokéblocks/Poffins, while also raising your pokémon's happiness.

Q: So if there aren't any contests, what kind of special competitions can my pokémon actually participate in?
A: You can create all sorts of competitions and festivals at the different towns you visit, but you must keep them small and simple. Pokéathlons, cross-regional competitions or nation-wide events of any kind are not allowed.

Miscellaneous Questions

Q: Have you considered sending your designs to Nintendo?
A: No, and we never will. People at Nintendo already have enough talented artists at their disposal, and they are unlikely to be interested. Besides, companies will not usually accept ideas from outside sources, at it brings them unnecessary complications with copyright issues, and so on.

Q: Will you make a Pokémon Factory game?
A: No, for the moment we are not actively pursuing the creation of a full-fledged PF game. The RPG will remain our main source of interactive entertainment for the time being.

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