Hey everyone! I’m working on a Pokémon fan game and trying to figure out the best way to handle TMs (Technical Machines) to make the gameplay more strategic. I want resource management to play a part, like having to decide whether to spend money on TMs or more Pokéballs. I’m debating between two options: 1) Make TMs findable and usable only once, but let players buy more—though it’ll be pricey. 2) Make TMs reusable infinitely, but you have to buy them first and they’re expensive. Which option do you think creates a better experience?
2 Answers
I’m all for option two where TMs are reusable but have to be purchased at a high price. It makes sense to me because you still have to invest resources, but once you’ve paid, you can mess around with your Pokémon’s moves more freely. Also, I think the way recent official games handled TMs as reusable sometimes backfires, especially when limited parts or conditions block certain moves—like that annoying case where a TM required a Pokémon part only available in one version, making it impossible for players on the other version without a game patch. Being careful with resource costs strikes a good balance between accessibility and challenge here.
I prefer the first option where TMs are single-use items you can find and use once, but you can buy more if you really want. This setup encourages players to be thoughtful about which Pokémon get what moves since each TM is limited. Plus, it lets players experiment with more diverse move combinations since they get a few different TMs spread out, instead of just relying on one TM over and over.
