YOU, THE PLAYER, AND YOUR BACKSTORY.
Did you find the word play in their names? I can't tell whether its too obvious or not enough.
I'm not satisfied with the mere idea of having your player go through the typical trainer journey. Beating the eight gyms, having on last standoff with your annonying rival (which in this case is Sunny), before finalling beating the bad guys and the champion. Take Pokémon Red and Blue. Even though the player couldn't possibly have that many expectations coming in (those were the first Pokémon games, after all), Gen 1 still managed to be subversive by having the champion be your epic rival battle.
If I decided to make my own imaginary Pokémon game, it's because I like challenges. Why else? I may not be willing to sacrifice my life in defense of the actual games (especially the newer ones), but I still enjoy the franchise. At its core, Pokémon is about a lot of things. For some, its a collecting and trading game (though those people are rare nowadays). For me, its about imagination. If nothing else, Pokémon, to me, is an idea, a concept, a world upon which I can create my own stories. Following the usual formula for the games would be boooooring for me. There's a reason why I'm writing lines upon lines of text here, and it isn't so that I can put myself to sleep.
Borowing from Gen 1, I have an idea. The most memorable champions in the franchise are either ones with which you already had connections to, like Blue or Professor Kukui. Or, in the case of Cynthia, they can also be remembered by the sheer amount of trauma that they had caused. I know that ain't that original on its own, but I'd like my champion to be the main villain, the evil team boss, if you will. And the protagonist... will be the former champion that they replaced. Let me explain:
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Years and years before the events of the game, you were the champion. You were one fierce warrior, respected by all. Your face was plastered in magazines, and you gave many interviews wherein you explained how you had gotten this far (this is important). You had hoards of fans, a life purpose, you had everything! Then... you lost it. You lost the title. The "Evil Mafia Boss", armed with power previously unknown, battled you, and won... But that's not the whole story. Oh, no, no. If only it ended there. You know what happens when a team grunt defeats another trainer? Do you really think they wouldn't do that to the region's champion, of all people?! If only...
They stole your Pokémon.
Devastated, you became a teacher at the Pokémon school, slowly receeding into the background, as a myriad of articles start rolling in, all asking the same question: "Where is our former champion now?". Only rumors spread, and for next two years, you continue life in relative peace. Not quite giving up on your passion for Pokémon but never daring the depths of the tall grass ever again, or so you thought.
It's your birthday!! ...no one knows. No one cares. As you walk in though the doors of the school for the upteenth time since your beginings there, you notice it's dark. Then light. "Surprise!" All the cute little children huddle around you with hugs ad kisses and smiles and laughs, and a present. The gift is a box. You notice a strange plump redhead at the back the room. She smiles at you gently. Inside the box are three Pokéballs.
That's a lot of information to throw at a player all at once, and I like myself a bit of mystery. That's why, even though I could do the whole exposition sequence (like Pokémon Uranium did, although I think it was a good choice in their case), I won't do that. At least, I wouldn't. That's the correct grammar to use when talking about a hypothetical Pokémon game which will never make it past the whiteboard stage.
I want the player to think it's going to be a typical Pokémon journey, but, at the same time, be thrown off by the odd references here and there in the dialogue. Then, after beating their first gym, going into their first big city (think Jubilife, Castellia and Lumiose), they are surrounded by hoards of fascinated NPCs going on and on about "The champion! Oh, can I take a picture with you?". And that's when it's all revealed to you.
Because everyone knows you're the former champion, tutorial dialogue doesn't happen in the game. You know what I talking about. You decide to engage with a random first-town NPC and they begin rambling on about how you can only hold six Pokémon at once. There won't be any of that. Instead the dialogue will be centered around the history of the times you visit, telling you (implicitely) about how you were years before and random fun facts about the Pokémon you will meet. That's what interests me. "But then," you may ask, "how would a first-time Pokémon player know the ropes of the game?" You. You will be your own tutorial.
Remember how, years ago, during your prime, you gave interviews with tips and tricks for new trainers? Those magazines, you will later find them at the paper shop, where you can also buy mail. It's a bit like the electric bulletin boards of the Gen 5 games. There, you will find information about the world you live in (which may interest even experienced Pokémon players) and the usual tutorial-speak in the form of past interviews you had done. Of course, the bread-and-butter basics of the game like what the Pokémon Center, Mart and the paper shop are and how to catch a Pokémon WILL be shoved down your throat. Sorry, it's my only choice. The relatively unninportant things like the Pokémon Center computer will be optional information you can go after if you so please. We've gotta stop with the handholding! Who knows? In those newspapers and magazines, you may even find maps for hidden routes! Non-essential issues might randomly spawn on the ground during adventures...
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