This is a pilot program on adding replays in smogon analyses. The goal is to provide each analysis set with several informative replays. Post relevant replays in the mentioned format in this thread.
It is obvious to anyone in the Smogon analyses scene that there's a problem with the whole analysis writing and output process. Writing prose, quality checking, and grammar & prose checking can take a year, and some metagames move way faster than that. There is also no one-size-fit-all product; comprehensiveness and readability/beginner-friendliness are at odds. I am proposing to add notable educational replays in analyses because
1. It's probably easier to learn how a set works in practice than in words, regardless of one's level of experience
2. It provides low-effort, maximum impact content to new gen analyses, which change rapidly and have little time for the meticulous writing process (some C&C leaders might be monitoring this pilot)
3. It allows the entire playing community, not just the C&C contributors, to get involved.
Discord testimonies:
Structure of submissions
Here's the structure I came up with.
Pokemon: [Pokemon name]
Set: [name of the set as it appears in the analysis]
Punchline: [key message]
Replay: [replay link here]
Source: [where did this replay come from? if tour, tour name+round+year, if ladder, what elo are both players? be sensitive about private replays (see below)]
Date: [date of replay]
Key turns: [turns that feature important moves]
Comments: [description of key turns; interesting observations]
Example (COPYPASTE THIS AND MODIFY)
Pokemon: Zapdos
Set: Rest
Punchline: RestTalk Zapdos walls and stalls out MagDol
Replay: https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/smogtours-gen3ou-602910
Source: SPL XIII, 2022
Date: Jan 16, 2022
Key turns: 68, 82, 98
Comments: T68: Rest stalls out Blissey, T82: Sleep Talk + Roar denies Suicune a sleep burning turn, T98: Roar denies Wish support
Some replays may use a slightly different set from that in the dex due to the dex being outdated (see RestTalk Zap above) or just because there's a better filler move. As long as the core idea is the same, we use the set category that fits best (Rest Zap in this case). If it really doesn't fit into any common set (Curseboom Snorlax doesn't exist on dex), then just create a name for it. Again, this is meant to facilitate the updating process to make the dex more relevant, not the other way round.
What is this information used for?
The plan is to convert this information into a sentence that can be easily inserted into the dex, such as:
RestTalk Zapdos walls and stalls out Magdol (SPL, Jan 2022) OR
RestTalk Zapdos walls and stalls out Magdol - T68, 82, 98 (SPL, Jan 2022) OR
RestTalk Zapdos walls and stalls out Magdol (SPL, Jan 2022) - T68: Rest stalls out Blissey, T82: Sleep Talk + Roar denies Suicune a sleep burning turn, T98: Roar denies Wish support
And maybe (I haven't thought of how) find a way to link it into the prose, such as "Rest allows Zapdos to stall out Blissey under sand (T68)". All this is up for discussion, but I just want to gather the replays and relevant information first. The source and date help quality check reviewers to sift out replays based on relevance and recency, and the date helps readers understand how outdated any information is.
Criteria for selecting replays
The aim is to have replays that players, inexperienced and experienced, can appreciate and respect, and are representative of the metagame. In my mind, that means preferring teams on both sides that look standard enough, devoid of UUs, and are not wild matchup fishes, and plays that are of good quality such that the strengths of a Pokemon can be expressed accurately - replays for tours, or high ladder (>1550 preferably). I feel that replays should display positive attributes of the Pokemon (no point showing a replay of DDMence countered by Swampert in a DDMence analysis, but feel free to show that in a Swampert analysis), but feel free to contest me on this if there is a point to be made.
**IMPORTANT - be sensitive about replay privacy**
Public tour replays are scarce if we want to find multiple replays for every set in OU. If you want to post a tour replay that hasn't had its link posted in another forum post and is private, please ask the other party for permission. Understandably, some replays will come from ladder, but ladder is also a testing ground for tour players. I am going to require that only public replays or private ladder replays that have been made at least two months ago can be posted, unless permission is granted by the other party. If there is a really cool game that you want to share, but are bound by this limitation, and want to make yourself a reminder, feel free to post a draft without the replay first, and update later on. Any posts in violation of this limitation will be deleted, and undeleted when proof is presented (PM me if you wish to keep identity private). I am open to feedback about this system of privacy.
What next?
Let's make smogon a better place!
Post relevant replays in the above format in this thread.
Let me know if you might be interested in helping to consolidate/evaluate some of these replays in a manner that can be inserted into the dex. The current QC team is in a bit of a limbo because most OU analyses are up and running, so I'm all ears where it comes to fresh blood.
Everything here is open for feedback.
Tracking Index
To inform everyone what replays are lacking. Pokemon name is linked to dex entry.
It is obvious to anyone in the Smogon analyses scene that there's a problem with the whole analysis writing and output process. Writing prose, quality checking, and grammar & prose checking can take a year, and some metagames move way faster than that. There is also no one-size-fit-all product; comprehensiveness and readability/beginner-friendliness are at odds. I am proposing to add notable educational replays in analyses because
1. It's probably easier to learn how a set works in practice than in words, regardless of one's level of experience
2. It provides low-effort, maximum impact content to new gen analyses, which change rapidly and have little time for the meticulous writing process (some C&C leaders might be monitoring this pilot)
3. It allows the entire playing community, not just the C&C contributors, to get involved.
Discord testimonies:
Structure of submissions
Here's the structure I came up with.
Pokemon: [Pokemon name]
Set: [name of the set as it appears in the analysis]
Punchline: [key message]
Replay: [replay link here]
Source: [where did this replay come from? if tour, tour name+round+year, if ladder, what elo are both players? be sensitive about private replays (see below)]
Date: [date of replay]
Key turns: [turns that feature important moves]
Comments: [description of key turns; interesting observations]
Example (COPYPASTE THIS AND MODIFY)
Pokemon: Zapdos
Set: Rest
Punchline: RestTalk Zapdos walls and stalls out MagDol
Replay: https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/smogtours-gen3ou-602910
Source: SPL XIII, 2022
Date: Jan 16, 2022
Key turns: 68, 82, 98
Comments: T68: Rest stalls out Blissey, T82: Sleep Talk + Roar denies Suicune a sleep burning turn, T98: Roar denies Wish support
Some replays may use a slightly different set from that in the dex due to the dex being outdated (see RestTalk Zap above) or just because there's a better filler move. As long as the core idea is the same, we use the set category that fits best (Rest Zap in this case). If it really doesn't fit into any common set (Curseboom Snorlax doesn't exist on dex), then just create a name for it. Again, this is meant to facilitate the updating process to make the dex more relevant, not the other way round.
What is this information used for?
The plan is to convert this information into a sentence that can be easily inserted into the dex, such as:
RestTalk Zapdos walls and stalls out Magdol (SPL, Jan 2022) OR
RestTalk Zapdos walls and stalls out Magdol - T68, 82, 98 (SPL, Jan 2022) OR
RestTalk Zapdos walls and stalls out Magdol (SPL, Jan 2022) - T68: Rest stalls out Blissey, T82: Sleep Talk + Roar denies Suicune a sleep burning turn, T98: Roar denies Wish support
And maybe (I haven't thought of how) find a way to link it into the prose, such as "Rest allows Zapdos to stall out Blissey under sand (T68)". All this is up for discussion, but I just want to gather the replays and relevant information first. The source and date help quality check reviewers to sift out replays based on relevance and recency, and the date helps readers understand how outdated any information is.
Criteria for selecting replays
The aim is to have replays that players, inexperienced and experienced, can appreciate and respect, and are representative of the metagame. In my mind, that means preferring teams on both sides that look standard enough, devoid of UUs, and are not wild matchup fishes, and plays that are of good quality such that the strengths of a Pokemon can be expressed accurately - replays for tours, or high ladder (>1550 preferably). I feel that replays should display positive attributes of the Pokemon (no point showing a replay of DDMence countered by Swampert in a DDMence analysis, but feel free to show that in a Swampert analysis), but feel free to contest me on this if there is a point to be made.
**IMPORTANT - be sensitive about replay privacy**
Public tour replays are scarce if we want to find multiple replays for every set in OU. If you want to post a tour replay that hasn't had its link posted in another forum post and is private, please ask the other party for permission. Understandably, some replays will come from ladder, but ladder is also a testing ground for tour players. I am going to require that only public replays or private ladder replays that have been made at least two months ago can be posted, unless permission is granted by the other party. If there is a really cool game that you want to share, but are bound by this limitation, and want to make yourself a reminder, feel free to post a draft without the replay first, and update later on. Any posts in violation of this limitation will be deleted, and undeleted when proof is presented (PM me if you wish to keep identity private). I am open to feedback about this system of privacy.
What next?
Let's make smogon a better place!
Post relevant replays in the above format in this thread.
Let me know if you might be interested in helping to consolidate/evaluate some of these replays in a manner that can be inserted into the dex. The current QC team is in a bit of a limbo because most OU analyses are up and running, so I'm all ears where it comes to fresh blood.
Everything here is open for feedback.
Tracking Index
To inform everyone what replays are lacking. Pokemon name is linked to dex entry.
Aerodactyl - CB [0]
Blissey - Utility [0], CM [0]
Breloom - Spore [0]
Celebi - Utility [0], CM Pass [0], Offensive [1], SD Pass [0], Defensive CM [0]
Charizard - Mixed [0], Sunny Day [0]
Claydol - Utility [0]
Cloyster - Spiker [0]
Dugtrio - CB [0]
Flygon - Offensive [0], Defensive [0], CB [0]
Forretress - Standard [0]
Gengar - Defensive [0], Offensive [0], Utility [0], Perish Trap [0]
Gyarados - Standard [0], Rest [0]
Heracross - Standard [0], SubSalac [0], CB [0]
Jirachi - Super [0], Defensive [0], Wish CM [0], SubCM [0]
Jolteon - Standard [0]
Magneton - Trapper [0]
Metagross - CB [0], Agility [0], Bulky [0], Mixed [0]
Milotic - Standard [0]
Moltres - Standard [0]
Porygon2 - Standard [0]
Regice - Offensive [0]
Salamence - Mixed [0], CB [0], DD [0]
Skarmory - Standard [0]
Snorlax - CurseRest [0], Utility [0]
Starmie - Offensive [0], Defensive [0]
Suicune - Defensive [0], Offensive [0], Substitute [0], Modest RestTalk [0]
Swampert - Standard [0], Mono [0], Offensive [0], Salac [0]
Tyranitar - Fast DD [0], Bulky DD [0], Bulky 4Atk [0], Pursuit [0], Mixed [0], CB [0]
Zapdos - Offensive [0], Rest [0], Agilipass [0], Mixed [0]
Blissey - Utility [0], CM [0]
Breloom - Spore [0]
Celebi - Utility [0], CM Pass [0], Offensive [1], SD Pass [0], Defensive CM [0]
Charizard - Mixed [0], Sunny Day [0]
Claydol - Utility [0]
Cloyster - Spiker [0]
Dugtrio - CB [0]
Flygon - Offensive [0], Defensive [0], CB [0]
Forretress - Standard [0]
Gengar - Defensive [0], Offensive [0], Utility [0], Perish Trap [0]
Gyarados - Standard [0], Rest [0]
Heracross - Standard [0], SubSalac [0], CB [0]
Jirachi - Super [0], Defensive [0], Wish CM [0], SubCM [0]
Jolteon - Standard [0]
Magneton - Trapper [0]
Metagross - CB [0], Agility [0], Bulky [0], Mixed [0]
Milotic - Standard [0]
Moltres - Standard [0]
Porygon2 - Standard [0]
Regice - Offensive [0]
Salamence - Mixed [0], CB [0], DD [0]
Skarmory - Standard [0]
Snorlax - CurseRest [0], Utility [0]
Starmie - Offensive [0], Defensive [0]
Suicune - Defensive [0], Offensive [0], Substitute [0], Modest RestTalk [0]
Swampert - Standard [0], Mono [0], Offensive [0], Salac [0]
Tyranitar - Fast DD [0], Bulky DD [0], Bulky 4Atk [0], Pursuit [0], Mixed [0], CB [0]
Zapdos - Offensive [0], Rest [0], Agilipass [0], Mixed [0]
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