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)

Just thought I'd add a point of data here: I just won the contest with a level 27 Scyther that I put to sleep and threw roughly ten sport balls at--I didn't think to count them until it was too late--and it's stats were 77/77 HP, 71 attack, 44 defense, 43 sp. attack, 58 sp. defense and 64 speed, which add up to 280 plus multiplier, and my score was only 351, which means my multiplier was only ~1.25; either sleep puts a huge dent in your multiplier or how quickly you caught it is way more influential than stated here. FFIXMaster 18:14, 1 January 2011 (UTC)

Thought I'd add my data too (which is from Soul Silver): I caught a male level 27 Scyther by putting it to sleep, I only used 1 Sport Ball the entire contest (which is the one I caught Scyther with), and I only had 8 minutes remaining in the contest , it had 74/74 HP, 72 Attack (31 IV's for it), 49 Defense, 37 Sp. Attack, 48 Sp. Defense, and 61 Speed, and it's ability is Technician. That ended up with me getting 320 points putting my in 2nd place. I also feel like noting that the winner also caught a Scyther though I don't remember how many points they got. I was also using a level 50 Mew. Though it's a difference of 31 points already, I think my data probably discounts the difference being because of Sports Balls used. I think it's very likely that the cause of a lower score is either because it was asleep, or because of the time spent. I would have tested again, but I really wanted a Scyther.--Freyt 04:16, 19 January 2011 (UTC)

I notice that after you obtain the National Pokedex, the Pokemon found in the Contest are at roughly double the levels they were before (and hence, double the stats), but this doesn't seem to affect their overall scoring -- anything worth about 320+ points has a shot at winning. (I remember winning the contest the other day, pre-National I think, with a Lv.18 Caterpie. Forgot the score though.) I tried again today and caught a Lv.36 Metapod (full HP / no status), but didn't even place. --Stratelier 21:04, 1 March 2011 (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)

Except that, "The winner is you?!" is grammatically incorrect --Shadowater 17:43, 17 August 2010 (UTC)

Actually, it is correct. It has a subject (The winner), a verb (is) and an object (you). It just isn't something that we as English speakers are familiar with. —darklordtrom 07:41, 18 August 2010 (UTC)

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)

Good point. But with that many, I'll reword it so it's the other way around. Werdnae (talk) 00:58, 27 May 2010 (UTC)

Silcoon?

I was doing the Thursday contest, and I saw a Lv. 36 Silcoon. The article says they can only go up to Lv. 35. Can I change it? Pawsrent 15:26, 25 June 2010 (UTC)

Go ahead.--Pokélova! 15:40, 25 June 2010 (UTC)

Oval Stone

Can you actually win the Oval Stone? ----Zewis (29) 12:01, 14 August 2010 (UTC)

Yes. I just did. --Minimiscience 21:58, 23 December 2010 (UTC)

Diurnal Nincadas

This page says you can only find Nincada at the bug-catching contest at night, but I just finished a contest that began at 4:10 PM and I saw several of them. Don't know the encounter rate, though, which is why I haven't changed anything. - unsigned comment from Chamtechie (talk • contribs)

I also just encountered a Nincada at 5:15 PM in the tall grass during the Contest. The page definitely needs changing. —Minimiscience 22:18, 1 January 2011 (UTC)

 I know this is a few weeks old but the page has not been reviewed and I just saw plenty of Lv. 32-35 Nincada yesterday (Thursday) at 1:20 pm and they seem to 

be as common as Wurmples. IMHO, I think the catch rate should be set at a set 20% instead of being divided by time slot since it's obvious it's common. Zetaphrem ~~President of Zeta-Tech Inc.~~ 18:45, 4 March 2011 (UTC)

Notable?

Was just wondering if this was notable. In GSC the judging of the contest is held in the gate between the National Park and Route 36 while in HGSS it is held in the center of the Pokéball field in the park. Notable for the article? --HoennMaster 21:00, 27 July 2011 (UTC)

Trainer List

The list of trainers that "are found in every contest" is incomplete, at least. It also doesn't make sense, as there's only five other trainers in each contest, but more than five already on the list. In today's contest for me (Saturday contest, post-NDex), in addition to Barry, Benny, and Ed (who are on the list already), I saw Abby (unsure of the right trainer class - looks like it might be an Ace Trainer) and Kipp (looks like a School Kid, not certain). Could it be that there's a fixed set that show up pre-NDex, and then more show up post-NDex? Aielyn 09:53, 4 February 2012 (UTC)

I think the list is all from GSC, so it's different. This needs spading... more data needed. ^ht14 21:19, 5 February 2012 (UTC)

Redo?

If I save before i start the contest, power off without saving, would I be able to do the contest again? VictoryStar (talk) 20:20, 11 June 2012 (UTC)

Yeah, should be able to. I did it all the time in my Silver version. ^★Jo the Marten^★ ಠ_ಠ♥ 20:29, 11 June 2012 (UTC)

What, no bag?!

One thing. You can use items from the bag through the party > give item menus. CraftyWeavile (talk) 00:33, 30 July 2013 (UTC)