Talk:Bug-Catching Contest

Scoring?

How do we know for sure that shinyness and other factors don't affect the scores? I'm Missingno. Master, and I approve this message. 10:28, 11 May 2008 (UTC)

Unless shininess affects the stats (which, I've found, it doesn't) then it won't affect the score. The score is determined by the overall stats and the amount of health remaining. For further details, look a couple topics down. --MarkoOhNo 17:11, 13 October 2009 (UTC)

Crystal Catchability

According to the National Park page, Paras cannot be obtained outside the bug catching contest. If this is true, not only does this page contain false information, it leaves Venonat as the only Pokémon catchable outside the contest leading me to want this

"Except for Caterpie and Metapod in Gold, and Weedle and Kakuna in Silver, none of the above Pokémon are seen in the National Park outside the Bug-Catching Contest. In Pokémon Crystal, however, only Butterfree, Beedrill, Scyther, and Pinsir are not available in the wild outside of the contest."

change to this

"Except for Caterpie and Metapod in Gold, and Weedle and Kakuna in Silver, none of the above Pokémon are seen in the National Park outside the Bug-Catching Contest. In Pokémon Crystal, however, Venonat is also available in the wild outside the contest."

or something similar. Kanjo 20:28, 21 July 2008 (UTC)

Point System

Does anyone understand the point system? How does it work? Also, there are specific trainer names that reoccur. Check on it. I'll write it down as well. ^ht14 00:09, 30 July 2009 (UTC)

Cooltrainer Nick usually always wins with a Butterfree. --^Psychic_Rider^☮ 00:16, 30 July 2009 (UTC)

I spent a lot of time studying the numbers and this appears to be how the score is determined: it is the combined stats (attack + defense + special attack + special defense + speed) times a multiplier (which I've found ranged from about 1.8 to 3.0. The multiplier's primarily affected by the health of the pokemon when it's caught. If you catch one without weakening it at all, you get the highest possible multiplier. Whether or not this is affected by a change in the pokemon's status condition, I'm not sure. Plus I think number of rounds taken to capture and/or number of pokeballs used in the attempt might affect the multiplier. But this appears to be the primary conditions: stats and remaining hp. I've caught a level 15 Pinsir and not even registered in the rankings because I caught it with about 4 hp remaining, but have won using a level 13 Venonat which still had all of its hp. Rarity and level affect the stats... sort of. The rarer pokemon on the field tend to have higher stats, and of course level affects stats. But if you can catch something without damaging it, you have a pretty good chance at winning. This last time, I got first place on the first try and that didn't happen hardly ever before I discovered this. (Btw, this was discovered using SoulSilver(Jpn).) --MarkoOhNo 17:05, 13 October 2009 (UTC)

I may have been premature on this. After continued study, it looks as though the length of time taken to capture or number of failed attempts may have a more significant impact on the score. I caught a level 14 Pinsir and won, but the point multiplier was barely above 2.0 (stats totaled 157, winning score was 336... I was expecting something about 100 points higher.) It took several rounds to capture this one... so... I'll continue to study this and report any further findings. I won't be satisfied until I know the mathematical formula of exactly how the score is determined. It's a question which has haunted me since G/S/C first came out. --MarkoOhNo 18:48, 16 October 2009 (UTC)

HG/SS Bug Catching Levels

From my experiences, the levels of the Wild Pokémon found are the exact same as they were from Gen II. Someone correct me if I'm wrong! Shoy 08:17, 17 September 2009 (UTC)

At the very least I doubt you can catch Weedle at level 35... [[Derian]] 15:12, 21 September 2009 (UTC)

Yes, and the rarity appears to be the same as well. However, after obtaining the National Pokedex, more bug-types become available. --MarkoOhNo 17:08, 13 October 2009 (UTC)

Prizes

According to serebii.net, it's possible to win other stones besides the Sun Stone if you win first place, in HG/SS. http://www.serebii.net/heartgoldsoulsilver/nationalpark.shtml So far, I've only won Sun Stones for getting first place, however. --MarkoOhNo 17:23, 13 October 2009 (UTC)

You probably have to get the National Dex first. Otherwise, you could get Pokes not in the Johto Dex like Mismagius and Honchkrow. MagicBarrier 20:30, 28 February 2010 (UTC)

Is there someway that we could categorize the prizes as Post-national Dex as the Sun Stone is the only item that you can get for placing in first place without the National Dex. Thanks.–MasterKenobi 20:26, 31 March 2010 (UTC)

Really? i need a Water Stone, but you say that a Water Stone is obtainable when get the National Dex, right, for now the only 1st prize is a Sun Stone always, right?

You can get a Water Stone prior to the National Dex, just not from the Bug-Catching Contest. Actually, you could technically get any stone prior to that if you were to acquire a pokemon holding that stone. But Water Stone... it seems like I found one somewhere sometime before reaching Goldenrod City. Also, once you add Fisherman Tully to your call list, he'll sometimes call to offer you a Water Stone. Sometimes that's the prize for beating him in a rematch. But yes. Until you get the National Dex, a Sun Stone is the only possible prize for first place. --MarkoOhNo 19:54, 17 April 2010 (UTC)

Umm...

I caught a level 31 Weedle last Tuesday in the contest. I also saw a level 31 Caterpie as well. But I wouldn't wanna go and change it without permission.--ポケモン恋人(チャット)(貢献) 23:31, 31 March 2010 (UTC)

Permission granted. —darklordtrom 00:24, 1 April 2010 (UTC)

A Winner Is You Trivia, Incorrect.

I can confirm (with a screenshot if needed) that the trainer Don, when spoken to after you win the Bug-Catching Contest, does -not- say "A winner is you?!" He says, "You won? The winner is you?!" Which could very easily just be an exclamation, and not a reference to a meme at all. - unsigned comment from Erikhogue (talk • contribs)

GS/SS Levels

Are we sure that those levels given are ALWAYS present, and they don't increase after a point in the game? Makes a lot more sense than the current set-up which seems to imply the bugs go up to Level 30 at any point in the game. Drake Clawfang 20:55, 6 April 2010 (UTC)

Just a note - Caterpies go up to Level 36, and I've seen a Level 30 Butterfree and Level 29 Pinsir. Drake Clawfang 20:58, 6 April 2010 (UTC)

Right now im lookin at a level 28 metapod too. Wouldnt the game guidebook have it? Meesa yoda 21:37, 13 April 2010 (UTC)

A game guide would have a lot of info that would improve many articles here, am I right? The issue is that sometimes, the game guides are wrong. ^ht14 02:33, 14 April 2010 (UTC)

Thursday/Saturday only?

As far as I've seen, I've been able to catch Nincada on Tues/Thurs/Sat. Level 33+ Nincada at full health wins it for me too. Kektklik 23:55, 15 May 2010 (UTC)

Pokémon available in GEN II

The following isn't right: "Except for Caterpie, Metapod and Paras in Gold, and Weedle, Kakuna and Paras in Silver, none of the above Pokémon are seen in the National Park outside the Bug-Catching Contest."

Pokemon that are not available outside the Bug-Catching Contest in both versions are only Pinsir and Scyther.

You can catch all of the other pokemons.

Caterpie and its evolutions though are only available in the Gold version outside the Bug-Catching Contest.

And Weedle and its evolutions are only available in the Silver version outside the Bug-Catching Contest. OMG 00:33, 27 May 2010 (UTC)

That is exactly what it is saying. None of the Pokémon in the Bug catching contest can be caught outside it except Caterpie, Metapod and Paras in the Gold version, as they can be caught outside the contest, and Weedle, Kakuna ans Paras in the Silver version, as they can be caught outside the contest in Silver. Werdnae (talk) 00:41, 27 May 2010 (UTC)

The description doesn't include Venonat(Routes 24, 25, and 43,), nor does it say that you can also catch Beedrill(Silver - Route 2 ; trees) and Butterfree(Gold - Route 2 ; trees) OMG 00:50, 27 May 2010 (UTC)