1.31.01  Sorry about not reporting on last Thursday's (1/25) chat.  MT_Mike was out of town, but DarkApprentice Steve was on hand to help MT_Pat field the rulings questions.  There really wasn't much in the way of news to tell (lots of "dunno" and "can't tell ya" when asked about new sets, promos, and future events).  However, on Friday evening, Teeuwynn Woodruff from WotC R&D

and MT_Mike held a special Neo: Genesis chat session.  Here are some of the highlights:

 

OPENING COMMENTS:

teeuwynn says, "Hi everyone! My name is Teeuwynn and I'm a game designer/developer in Wizards R&D. I did a little bit of work on Neo Genesis (I did the Cold Fusion PCD for example)."

teeuwynn says, "Mike and I will do our best to answer your questions."

master_trainer_mike says, "Howdy partners!  Master Trainer Mike and Teeuwynn of R&D are here to answer your questions."

teeuwynn says, "Remember everyone, this chat is for Neo Genesis questions only!"

QUESTIONS:

master_trainer_mike presents the speaker with question #222 from glpokemonmaster1:

On the Surfing and Flying Pikachus, are their names just Pikachu or does it have Fly, Surf in front?

master_trainer_mike says, "Their name is as written on the card, so Surfing Pikachu is called Surfing Pikachu :)"

master_trainer_mike presents the speaker with question #232 from elf_girl:

what is the address I can (real) mail you at?

master_trainer_mike says, "You can send mail to cust serv at Wizards of the Coast PO Box 707 Renton, WA 98057"

master_trainer_mike presents the speaker with question #241 from trovtwo:

Have you guys ever written topdeck articles? Such as?

teeuwynn says, "I've written a lot of Top Deck articles. I've written some

articles on Magic: The Gathering and I've done a lot of theme deck articles

on Pokemon"

master_trainer_mike says, "I've written 4-5 or so.  The Neo center spread in

the last issue of Top Deck for example."

master_trainer_mike presents the speaker with question #243 from trovtwo:

Will neo2 be called neo exodus!!??

master_trainer_mike says, "We don't know yet what it will be called.  MT Pat

suggest Neo 2:Electric Boogaloo....."

master_trainer_mike presents the speaker with question #263 from

supertrainer_tim:

Hi, what is your favorite card and the one you think most effects the game

right NOW! =)

master_trainer_mike says, "Cleffa!!!  Everyone plays with Cleffa."

teeuwynn says, "Professor Elm's a very good card. If you use it at the right

time you can get BIIIGG card advantage"

master_trainer_mike presents the speaker with question #269 from zackarino:

Did you make a 1st edition Sneasel? If so how, with the colors in all?

teeuwynn says, "Yes we did!"

teeuwynn says, "The 1st edition symbol is black...but it's a darker black

with a bit of a lighter outline around it"

master_trainer_mike presents the speaker with question #279 from scrye_fung:

Hey Teeuwynn ... What is the most memorable part of working on Neo: Genesis

for R&D?

teeuwynn says, "Hmmm....for my part of doing Genesis, I'd say working up the

two theme decks. Theme decks are fun to put together and play against each

other."

master_trainer_mike presents the speaker with question #280 from

cyborg_raptor:

Why does Cleffa's Eeeeeeek have 7 "E"s?

master_trainer_mike says, "Because 8 would have been too many."

teeuwynn says, "And 6 would have been too few!"

master_trainer_mike presents the speaker with question #287 from scrye_fung:

What current projects for Pokemon are you working for Teeuwynn? Any _hints_

at least

teeuwynn says, "Well.....I've done some work on more theme decks for the

next Neo...coming soon! Also, I've been working on some more league

activities for the new Pokemon league."

master_trainer_mike presents the speaker with question #294 from calathon:

was the change on Slowking on purpose, or an error?

master_trainer_mike says, "On purpose."

teeuwynn says, "It was done intentionally. We like to do a bit of balancing"

master_trainer_mike presents the speaker with question #299 from scrye_fung:

What was the best part in making Neo: Genesis Teeuwynn?

teeuwynn says, "It's always fun to fool around with the new Pokemon. Of

course, Neo: Genesis had a bunch of new pokemon so it was even more fun than

usual."

master_trainer_mike presents the speaker with question #304 from trovtwo:

Why didn't you have a neo starter set?

teeuwynn says, "Neo has a bunch of good things going on, but the Starter Set

is only for the basic product... It's to introduce new people to Pokemon.

After they learn about it, they can check out the new sets like Genesis"

master_trainer_mike presents the speaker with question #305 from trovtwo:

Why wasn't neo gen. the final booster pack in topdeck?

master_trainer_mike says, "We didn't have them in time for the printing."

master_trainer_mike presents the speaker with question #310 from

unown_master:

Can you explain "Pokémon Tools" to me?

master_trainer_mike says, "They are a type of trainer card that you attach

to a Pokemon and they remain with it until triggered or used."

teeuwynn says, "So, they only help the one pokemon."

master_trainer_mike says, "You can only have 1 tool attached to any one

Pokemon at a time."

master_trainer_mike presents the speaker with question #312 from

unown_master:

What's your opinion? Oak, Elm or Cleffa?

master_trainer_mike says, "For what?  Dance partners???"

master_trainer_mike says, "Oak lets you play trainers after you use it but

you lose your hand."

master_trainer_mike says, "Elm lets you shuffle your hand back but no more

trainers that turn so not good for trainer combo decks."

teeuwynn says, "But Elm is good for decks that use a lot of cards fast from

the hand, since you can get such great card advantage out of it"

master_trainer_mike says, "Cleffa works well when trainers get shut down but

makes you use an attack to use it."

master_trainer_mike presents the speaker with question #319 from soslowpoke:

Why didn't you put the 9-card promo set in a separate binder?

master_trainer_mike says, "We wanted those cards to be more accessible so we

added them into the Genesis set."

master_trainer_mike presents the speaker with question #321 from soslowpoke:

Teeuwynn-are you gonna work on theme decks for the next expansion?

teeuwynn says, "I have worked on theme decks in the past. I'm working on one

for the next Neo set."

master_trainer_mike presents the speaker with question #322 from trovtwo:

Are there official char counters and if so were are they?

master_trainer_mike says, "Yes and they come in the Hot Foot theme deck."

master_trainer_mike presents the speaker with question #324 from profpoke:

Why didn't you put all the rares in one theme deck ;)

master_trainer_mike says, "because ice cream doesn't have bones...."

teeuwynn says, "Well.....part of Pokemon is collecting, and that would make

it a bit tooooo easy"

master_trainer_mike presents the speaker with question #329 from trovtwo:

mike, in your poke pullout you made Typhlosion ...not number one why is

that?

master_trainer_mike says, "Keep in mind, I wrote that article long before I

even had the cards to play.  Typhlosion is a good card but not the best in

the set (most usable) imho."

master_trainer_mike presents the speaker with question #331 from soslowpoke:

how many theme decks do you estimate there will be for the next neo

expansion?

teeuwynn says, "I believe there will be two theme decks."

master_trainer_mike presents the speaker with question #333 from psybuzz:

what do you use as a char counter?

teeuwynn says, "Well, I wouldn't use live flames or hot coals...but anything

else might work"

master_trainer_mike says, "I prefer using small pieces of

donut.............."

master_trainer_mike presents the speaker with question #334 from soslowpoke:

have you made any other theme decks in the past?

teeuwynn says, "Yes, I have....Ummm I did the original Brushfire deck. And a

couple of others."

master_trainer_mike presents the speaker with question #335 from

warlord_zap:

Teeuwyn, how do you pronounce your name?

teeuwynn says, "I get this one a lot. It's pronounced "George." No...Just

kidding. It's pronounced TAY-uh-win"

master_trainer_mike presents the speaker with question #337 from trovtwo:

have any of you done artwork for any pokemon cards?

teeuwynn says, "No. The artwork is all done in Japan."

master_trainer_mike presents the speaker with question #341 from tooppsee:

How can rainbow energy count for a darkness energy?  Tell me where in the

neo rulebook that it says that darkness energy is basic energy.

master_trainer_mike says, "Where does it say it is NOT a type??? It states

that Darkness and Steel are two new types of Pokemon cards.  It does say

that their energy cards are NOT basic cards because they have extra

abilities. You can infer from that that Darkness and Steel ARE basic types

(else why would we have that sentence??)."

master_trainer_mike presents the speaker with question #342 from

lugia_vegeta:

the dark energy card can not do damage to dark type or a pokemon with dark

in its name; my question is, does that go the same with the unevolved

TeamRocket forms? Ex: TR Squirtle does not have dark in its name, but does

it still count as a dark pokemon?

teeuwynn says, "Squirtle would take damage because it is NOT a Dark

Pokemon...even though it's evolutions may be"

master_trainer_mike presents the speaker with question #343 from

unown_master:

Could you attach Dark energy to BS Machamp, so its Pokémon Power does 20

damage to the defending?

master_trainer_mike says, "No, as Darkness energy only adds to an attack,

NOT a pokemon power."

master_trainer_mike presents the speaker with question #345 from soslowpoke:

So if I knock out my opponent's pokemon while Ecogym is in play, those

energies don't go back to his/her hand?

teeuwynn says, "Yep"

master_trainer_mike presents the speaker with question #346 from trovtwo:

Will this type of chat happen every poke week?

master_trainer_mike says, "Nope, but we do run the weekly chat Thursdays

from 3-5 pm PST."

master_trainer_mike presents the speaker with question #347 from psybuzz:

if you were to use a super potion on a pokemon with eco gym active would the

energy go back into the hand or in the discard pile?

teeuwynn says, "EcoGym only works when an attack or effect discards ANOTHER

player's energy. Not your own."

master_trainer_mike presents the speaker with question #350 from trovtwo:

IS there going to be any special pokemon neo site updates soon?

master_trainer_mike says, "We are working on lots of new web site content,

coming soon."

master_trainer_mike presents the speaker with question #351 from syko111:

does a metal energy and a darkness energy counteract each other? the 10

damage from darkness and the 10 less from metal counteract?

teeuwynn says, "No. Darkness doesn't do damage. It places a damage counter"

master_trainer_mike presents the speaker with question #352 from trovtwo:

Who comes up with the pokemon card commercials, you Mike?

master_trainer_mike says, "Ummm no, I would make them even sillier."

teeuwynn says, "Gleemax, the mysterious R&D brain in a jar"

master_trainer_mike presents the speaker with question #356 from profpoke:

How would one become a R&D dude?

teeuwynn says, "Or Dudette? Well, we require a college degree (minimum) and

you need to really love games. Then you have to be good at making and

evaluating games. We have a test called "Vapor Ops" which we use to have

people develop a fake set of cards. And then we ask them a lot of questions

about it! If you pass....you might make it in"

master_trainer_mike presents the speaker with question #355 from

unown_master:

why did Neo Pre-constructed theme deck take so long to arrive?

teeuwynn says, "Sometimes it just takes a while to get everything right. A

lot of people and machines are involved in the process"

master_trainer_mike presents the speaker with question #365 from lugia_2001:

Can you attach a Pokemon Tool and a Defender on the same Pokemon at the same

time?

teeuwynn says, "Yes, you just can't attach 2 tools to the same pokemon at

the same time"

master_trainer_mike presents the speaker with question #381 from profpoke:

Do you ever get tired of answering repetitive questions? Or do they train

you for that kinda stuff (^_^)

teeuwynn says, "In R&D we get trained to argue. : ) That's why I'm not in

Customer Service."

master_trainer_mike says, "Hmmm, we LOVE answering the same question over

and OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>"

master_trainer_mike says, "Ok, time to go, thanks for stopping by gang!"

teeuwynn says, "thanks everyone for all the questions! I hope you liked the

chat. I've got to go get ready for my business trip to Europe now"

master_trainer_mike says, "Thanks to Teeuwynn for guest chatting with us!"

teeuwynn says, "Bye everyone!"

master_trainer_mike says, "Thank you all for coming, see you next Thursday

same Pokemon time, same Poke channel."

Later,

 - CHRISBO