Twitch Plays Pokemon

Galaxy 9000

Post by Print Error HAIL HELIX FOSSIL.

Twitch Plays Pokemon is an ongoing social experiment whereby tens of thousands (currently over 80k) of people are playing one copy of Pokemon Red - at the same time. Commands are entered into the Twitch feed and transferred to the game, albeit it with a lag of about 30 seconds, so no one person out of the multitude gets to exercise much control - it is truly a group effort. Despite early predictions that they'd never get anywhere, the TPP team managed to make it to the Rocket Hidehout, having defeated such obstacles as Brock, Misty, The Route 9 Ledge, That Tree in Front of Erika's Gym, and the Spinny Tile Maze, although not without experiencing significant losses on the way - namely the starter, ABBBBBBK (, a Charmeleon that nevertheless had no fire moves, and 'Jay Leno', a Ratata with Bubble Beam.

'I believe in Helix Fossil' - Wil Weaton
"Now is not the time to use that!" - Professor Oak
'Down. Down. Down. Down.' - 'wobblyslime'

Progress Google Doc file so you can see where we are.

MDL

@Galaxy:

http://www.twitch.tv/twitchplayspokemon

The progress of this experiment is just great.

For sure, one of the best things i've ever seen.

If they actually manage to beat the game, it will be one of the greatest ever accomplishments in gaming history (IMO).

Wagomu

@Galaxy:

http://www.twitch.tv/twitchplayspokemon

The progress of this experiment is just great.

I watched a bit of the stream last night. When I turned it on this morning, they were in the same place… with one less pokemon.

Khamolen

@Galaxy:

http://www.twitch.tv/twitchplayspokemon

The progress of this experiment is just great.

How did any of them even evolve?

Print Error

consults Helix Fossil

Dryish

Oh hey look, a trainer battle! This is intense.

Prismeru

A few Milennia in the future:

A:How did the race of this planet die?
b: Oh, they tried to play communally a game of pokemón. It all went downhill from there.

Wagomu

@Prismeru:

A few Milennia in the future:

A:How did the race of this planet die?
b: Oh, they tried to play communally a game of pokemón. It all went downhill from there.

A: But what was the final straw?
B: A communal game of Demon's Souls

Prismeru

@Wagomu:

A: But what was the final straw?
B: A communal game of Demon's Souls

Nobodyman

@Galaxy:

http://www.twitch.tv/twitchplayspokemon

The progress of this experiment is just great.

So if you get a bunch of random idiots together to randomly input individual orders into a game, they'll dick around a tree for half an hour.

This is what counts as an "experiment" these days. (though I am curious how they got even this far).

Dryish

Half an hour? They've been at it for almost four hours now. ;D

Enzeru

@Galaxy:

http://www.twitch.tv/twitchplayspokemon

The progress of this experiment is just great.

Good God, that is depressing to watch.

Wagomu

@Nobodyman:

So if you get a bunch of random idiots together to randomly input individual orders into a game, they'll dick around a tree for half an hour.

This is what counts as an "experiment" these days. (though I am curious how they got even this far).

I figure on average, people want to progress through the game, which is how it's gotten as far as it has already. The more people they have that are just dicking around, though, the longer it takes.

I figure this will go on for a while and then most of the dicks will get bored, so the rate of progress will increase. Of course lagging button inputs and conflicting priorities will still get in the way, but at least you'll have less people trying to actively move away the current objectives.

I'm currently looking forward to the moment the pigeotto gets too high level for Twitch to control.

MDL

Holy shit, they're in Celadon now?
Last i checked, they were fumbling around in the dark tunnel without flash.

At least if they manage to get into the gym, they'll have a pretty easy time with the leader.
A grass gym will stand no chance against their over-levelled Charmeleon and Pidgeot.

Wagomu

Someone on the feed actually brought up a good point. They will never get past the Safari Zone. They will not be able to retrieve surf.

Dryish

Oh, Surf is going to be nothing. I fully expect the people running the thing getting involved at that point and moving things along.

What, however, is going to be hell is this: http://i.imgur.com/suaL1bX.png

Wagomu

Oh my god that will be pain. You just need one asshole to say 'down' and it's over.

Print Error

They're turning off the step limit for Safari Zone. Not to save time, but rather, because the SZ charges money to enter, you can make the game unwinnable at that point.

Why is this as fascinating to watch as it is? If they allowed streaming at work, I'd totally have this in the corner of my monitor just to glance at from time to time.

Dryish

You guys have seen this, right? The doc is pretty amazing.

–- Update From New Post Merge ---

They got the tree!

Nobodyman

@Print:

Why is this as fascinating to watch as it is? If they allowed streaming at work, I'd totally have this in the corner of my monitor just to glance at from time to time.

I must admit, even though I just got back from the grocery and they're still dicking around in Celadon (though this is apparently pretty much par for the course, and it looks like they did get past the tree. wow), I can't help but check in every now and then.

MDL

Gym battles happening right now.
Some of the users are freaking out because they saw more trees within the gym, lol.

Dryish

Now they're losing all their pokemon to a Stun Spore + Wrap combo from a broken Weepinbell. Looks like we're doing the tree all over again soon.

Galaxy 9000

Woo, no backtracking (for now).

Wrap is outrageous though.

Nobodyman

And I thought watching Game Grumps play Pokemon was excruciating.

BTW, just throwing this out there, should we give this its own thread?

Dryish

I'm rather surprised that the Pokémon X & Y thread isn't all over this thing already knowing how active and comprehensive it usually is when it comes to Pokémon stuff. But if they don't adopt it, I don't really see a reason. This probably won't get that much attention, and even a cheap laughs thread could use some actual conversation that contributes to the fun of something posted in it every once in a while.

MDL

I…I don't know how they pulled off beating that second gym trainer.
One pokemon left, with 19hp.

now they're debating over whether to cut the tree twice to heal, or die intentionally at the gym and cut it only once on the way back.

Print Error

Maybe the Pokemon XY thread folk are too busy playing Pokemon? XD

@MDL:

I…I don't know how they pulled off beating that second gym trainer.
One pokemon left, with 19hp.

now they're debating over whether to cut the tree twice to heal, or die intentionally at the gym and cut it only once on the way back.

As if consensus could ever be consciously achieved with that thing XD

Erica has a Victreebell with Wrap. This could take a while.

MDL

There's a poll right now, but it won't make any difference of course.

http://strawpoll.me/1169260/r

Galaxy 9000

@MDL:

now they're debating over whether to cut the tree twice to heal, or die intentionally at the gym and cut it only once on the way back.

Well…. either way, they'll be at this spot for the next 1-2 hours.

And this thing doesn't seem to lose viewers at all. 5000 more people have joined it in the last hour.

Print Error

@Galaxy:

And this thing doesn't seem to lose viewers at all. 5000 more people have joined it in the last hour.

People heard that the Tree had finally fallen? I dunno. This is getting quite a bit of press now.

Dryish

"We suck at dying" -Twitch Chat 2014

They just destroyed a Bulbasaur and an Ivysaur with Quick Attacks and a critting Gust while attempting to suicide. Man I'm laughing.

MDL

@Toraish:

"We suck at dying" -Twitch Chat 2014

They just destroyed a Bulbasaur and an Ivysaur with Quick Attacks and a critting Gust while attempting to suicide. Man I'm laughing.

The most unbelievable thing i've ever seen. My jaw certainly dropped.
"are…are you serious? did this really just happen?"

Dryish

I take it you have never played much Pokémon then? Every run has a few of these, no matter how well you actually play, and every time something like that happens it's always as incredible and fun. What amazes me more is that it happens even to a hive mind of 52k people playing the game.

Now they've finally died, but getting the cut right again is going to be awful.

Galaxy 9000

@Print:

People heard that the Tree had finally fallen? I dunno. This is getting quite a bit of press now.

The more the merrier, I say. This only gets funnier with more and more people.

MDL

@Toraish:

I take it you have never played much Pokémon then?

I've played 90% of all Pokémon games from Red to Y. I still own many of them.
You misunderstand me.

What amazes me more is that it happens even to a hive mind of 52k people playing the game.

^ THIS is the factor that made it a shock. These bumbling fools wanted to suicide, but they failed so gloriously by winning so handily.
It was both glorious and wtf-inducing.

Dryish

It's… Pokémonous. There's no other word that explains it. :P

Print Error

@Toraish:

It's… Pokémonous. There's no other word that explains it. :P

'HELIX FOSSIL'

Dryish

All hail the mighty Helix Fossil!

Print Error

@Toraish:

All hail the mighty Helix Fossil!

http://cdn.bulbagarden.net/upload/c/c0/Dream_Helix_Fossil_Sprite.png

It's things like this that I really enjoy about it all. The hivemind nature of the player and audience means that minor game elements end up having stories attached to them, and so suddenly, cutting a tree is something as epic as, say, Luffy punching out Crocodile.

Dryish

Lol, I just found out someone's Wonder Trading away Charmeleons named ABBBBBBK ( who are all holding a Helix Fossil. I want one.

–- Update From New Post Merge ---

@Print:

It's things like this that I really enjoy about it all. The hivemind nature of the player and audience means that minor game elements end up having stories attached to them, and so suddenly, cutting a tree is something as epic as, say, Luffy punching out Crocodile.

Yeah, exactly. I have always been the kind of a person who gets very emotionally attached to little things that I give value to no matter how arbitrary that thing realistically is. It's kind of a running joke within my social circles that I'm the most sentimental person on the planet. And this experience is making every single thing worth so much that it's literally impossible not to bond with something as silly as an expendable TM that teaches teleport. It's just incredibly beautiful in its own agonizing way.

Smiley

I can't watch that without thinking to myself "stop! no stop!" so I rather watch the reactions for the thing. :P

Dryish

The gifs this is spawning are glorious as well:

Smiley

Prismeru

Helix Fossil for OU tier, A+

I was at the movies so….how the hell did they pass Lt. Surge Garbage Quiz?

Print Error

@Prismeru:

Helix Fossil for OU tier, A+

I was at the movies so….how the hell did they pass Lt. Surge Garbage Quiz?

Luck. Perfect luck.

Smiley

Welp there goes the pp up. :/
the trolls are the worst.

Dryish

Just wait till the inevitable tossing of the Master Ball. That's going to end the universe as we know it.

Smiley

@Toraish:

Just wait till the inevitable tossing of the Master Ball. That's going to end the universe as we know it.

Nah that one will be waisted on the first trainer they see.

Wagomu

I'm waiting for them to finally give up the helix fossil. If Omanyte isn't a mainstay, then those hours spent consulting will have been in vain.

MDL

THEY FINALLY CUT THE DAMN TREE AGAIN. (which, unsurprisingly, was met with explosive celebration)

Now they're making their way to the gym to try and finish the job.