Global Terminal
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| Location: | Jubilife City (Sinnoh) Goldenrod City (Johto) Any Pokémon Center, except the one in the Pokémon League (Unova) Anywhere, accessed through the PSS (Kalos) | |||
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| Region: | Sinnoh and Johto | |||
| Generations: | IV | |||
 Location of Global Terminal in Johto. | ||||
| Pokémon world locations | ||||
The Global Terminal (Japanese:グローバルターミナル), known as the Global Trade Station (Japanese:グローバルトレードステーション) in Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, is located in Jubilife City and Goldenrod City and is the worldwide network over which players of the Generation IV and V games can interact in different ways via the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. In Sinnoh-based games, in order to access the terminal, players must have the first Badge of the region, while it is instantly accessible in Johto as soon as the player arrives in Goldenrod City (this may be due, of course, to the fact that one cannot get to Goldenrod without the first Badge). The player's first Pokémon is returned to its Poké Ball before entering in HeartGold and SoulSilver. In Unova, the Global Terminal can be accessed in every Pokémon Center after obtaining the first Badge.
In Diamond and Pearl
Global Trade Station
The Global Trade Station, or the GTS for short, is the worldwide network over which players of Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum, as well as Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, can trade Pokémon via the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. Pokémon with the Classic Ribbon or Premier Ribbon cannot be traded here.
The Global Trade Station lets a player send and receive Pokémon on the worldwide network. In order to access the GTS in Diamond and Pearl, the player must have the Coal Badge as well.
Inside, there is a large globe, called the Geonet, on which players can indicate their location and on which small dots representing players they have traded with will appear. When the player first logs on to Geonet, they will be asked where they live, so that other players may locate their position in the world.
If the player talks with the woman at the counter, she will direct them into a room where they can either put up a Pokémon to be traded or trade a Pokémon they own for one that has been put up for trade.
In searching for Pokémon, after the player chooses one species that they have seen, the search can be further narrowed down by level, gender, and the country where the person trading it is from. These four categories were introduced in order to mitigate trades being pushed to the bottom and becoming overshadowed by others. By level, players can search for and request Pokémon level 9 and under, level 10 and up, level 20 and up, and so on until level 100, or they can search for Pokémon of any level. Gender is similar, with the player being able to search for male, female, or either gender of the selected Pokémon, though searching for a genderless species automatically sets the gender to 'either'.
Offering a Pokémon is similarly restricted, such that the player can only request a Pokémon they have previously seen. Unfortunately, Pokémon that are offered cannot be bargained, and the player must choose a single Pokémon they want for the Pokémon they are offering, instead of having a more flexible list.
Like normal trades, a Pokémon can also hold an item when being offered or traded. This may add incentive for a player to trade his or her Pokémon for a Pokémon that they already own in order to get the item held, instead of just trading to complete the Pokédex. Pokémon that evolve after a trade, whether with or without items, will do so in the same manner they would after a normal trade.
The GTS also allows an individual to trade between two different games they own without using two Nintendo DS systems. However, such trading through the GTS does carry the risk that another person may trade for the invidual's uploaded Pokémon before they can retrieve it.
It is recommended to check up on a deposited Pokémon every so often, as the Pokémon may flee if it is kept in the GTS for an extended period of time.
Website
A website dedicated to the Global Trade Station was put up in 2007. It allowed players to see trades all over the world and to view statistics relating to trades on the GTS, among several other features such as the ability to read information on the countries of the world and the most popular Pokémon traded per country.
It also featured a daily "GTS Journal", a printable newspaper article which reported an analysis on a Pokémon that had recently become prominent within the trading network in some way, as well as a comparison with a different Pokémon that has experienced similar success on the network. It also hosted small polls. At the start of a new month, a V.I.P. Pokémon would be chosen, specifically one that had been traded across the world most within the previous month.
The site announced on August 14, 2010 that it would close down a month later, possibly to make way for the new generation of Pokémon games. On September 14, 2010, the site officially closed and the GTS Journal is no longer available for reading or printing.
On June 20, 2012, the Pokémon Global Link site was updated and now includes many of the features that used to be on the old GTS site. For example, the ability to see trades and view statistics about Pokémon and countries was carried over. The GTS Journal did not make a return, and the site no longer features information on trades within the Generation IV games.
In Platinum, HeartGold and SoulSilver
Ground floor
In Pokémon Platinum, the GTS building has been replaced by the Global Terminal, which was redesigned to contain more features. It is located in the same place as the older GTS. The Vs. Recorder is widely used here. The features of the GTS here are similar to the ones in Diamond and Pearl, except that a choice to narrow the Pokémon found in Seek Pokémon feature by location has been added.
If the player talks with the woman at the counter located in the upper left corner of the ground floor, she will direct them into a room in which they can either put up a Pokémon to be traded or trade a Pokémon they own for one that has been put up for trade.
The Geonet reappears in the Global Terminal, on which players can indicate their location, and on which small dots representing players they have traded with will appear. When the player first logs on to Geonet, it will ask where the player lives in the world, allowing details for other players to locate their position in the world.
In Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, the GTS has the same interior as the one in Platinum.
The Geonet also reappears, on which players can indicate their location, and on which small dots representing players they have traded with will appear.
The ground floor is the room seen when entering the Global Terminal. It can be reached when in the other floors by using the blue warp panels. There are four points of interest on this floor; the Global Trade Station which is located on the north-western corner, the Geonet located just below it, the Trainer Rankings located on the eastern side and the northern set of blue machines, and the Battle Video Rankings located just below the Trainer Rankings, in the south-eastern corner. The information desk is located next to entrance, which contains two ladies that will give information about the Global Terminal. There are also the warp panels located on the north-eastern corner.
The first floor in the Global Terminal was initially the total Global Trade Station in Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, still holding the Geonet and the actual counter to the trade room. However in Pokémon Platinum, it was expanded to include the other machines, while pushing the counter to the western corner. This floor is more likely the ranking floor, containing the Trainer Rankings, which ranks the results of Trainers from around the world by divided by team, as well as the Battle Video Rankings, which ranks Battle Videos from around the world by popularity.
Mail System
The GTS in Platinum, HeartGold, and SoulSilver has incorporated an e-mail system that allows players to be notified of completed trades; the player no longer has to periodically manually check if a trade is complete. The Japanese version sends notification messages to the player's e-mail address, so the messages can be viewed either on a PC, mobile phone or a Wii console. The North American and the European version's Mail System was downgraded to just using Wii messaging. By entering in a correct email address, the Nintendo DS system will automatically send information directly to the player's computer, mobile phone, or Wii system.
In the international versions, if the player selects the "Wii Message Settings" and completes the setup, once their Pokémon have traded over the GTS the player will receive a Wii message on their Wii system. By adding "wfc-mail@nintendo.com" to their Wii console address book, as well as adding their Wii Number to the start menu on Pokémon Platinum. Enter the players Wii Number and reenter it a second time for confirmation, then after connecting to Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, a registration code will be sent to the registered Wii system. Once the player's Wii number has been registered, they will be asked to set a 4-digit Wii number password to protect the Wii number.
The player is able to check and change settings using the Wii Messaging. Once the player has registered, a menu will appear on the main menu. There will be three options:
- Check Wii Number: The player can check their Wii number they have registered here.
- Set Wii Message Reception: The player can select whether or not they would like to be contacted by Wii messages once the trade has gone through the GTS.
- Delete Wii Message Settings: The player can erase their Wii Number and the password.
Geonet
Inside the GTS, there is a large globe, called Geonet, on which players can indicate their location, and on which small dots representing players they have traded with will appear. When the player first logs on to Geonet, it will ask where the player is lives in the world, allowing details for other players to locate their position in the world.
First, the player must register their location on the map. Using the control pad to move up and down and press the A button to select. However, once the player has completed registration, their location cannot be changed. Using Geonet, the player can view the location information for all the other people they have met around the world. By moving the cursor over a point and by pressing the X button to view the location name.
Geonet reappears in Pokémon Platinum and Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver. It is found on the first floor and it serves the same features. Unlike before, it affects what other players see in the Visitor Profiles in the new Wi-Fi Plaza.
Trainer Rankings
The blue portal machine found below shows the Trainer rankings. It sorts the results of Trainers from around the world by teams and by categories. The player's own results are sent in automatically. Once the ranking machine is accessed, it will connect to the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection and start up the Vs. Recorder. The player can see the current week's and past week's results.
Battle Video Rankings
The blue portal machine found on top shows the most viewed uploaded Battle Videos. It ranks Battle Videos from around the world by popularity. The player can even save their favorite video. The player's named will be displayed along with their party Pokémon, in ascending order.
Second floor
Players can go to the second floor by using the green warp panels. There are two points of interest on this floor; Box Data, located on the western side and the northern set of green machines, and the Dress-Up Data, located just below the Box Data, in the south-eastern corner. The warp panels are located on the eastern side, the blue warp panel located on the northern corner will take people down to the first floor, while the pink warp panel located on the southern corner will take people up to the third floor. There is a PC located just north of the Box Data machine.
The second floor is more of a photo scene floor, that allows people to take pictures and send it to their friends. The Box Data will allow players to take a picture of one of their Boxes and upload them here to be seen by others all over the world, while the Dress-Up Data, allows players to pictures taken at the second floor of Jubilife TV can be uploaded and viewed here.
Box Data
Players can take a picture of one of their Boxes and upload them here to be seen by others all over the world. Upload data about the Boxes where the player's Pokémon are deposited, and see other Trainer' Boxes. The Box Data is the green set of machines located on the north-western side of the second floor.
The player is able to show off a PC Box full of Pokémon. By selecting the player favorite wallpaper and arrangement of their Pokémon according to a favorite theme, and upload their data for everyone to see. The player is also able to view other Trainers' Box Data from the menu.
Dress-Up Data
Pictures taken at the second floor of Jubilife TV or the Goldenrod Tunnel can be uploaded and viewed here. Player's can upload their Pokémon Dress-Up photo and see other Trainers' photos. The player is also able to view other Dress-Up Data from the menu.
Third floor
Players can go here by using the pink warp panels. There is only one point of interest on this floor; the Battle Video Gallery located on the western side and the set of the pink machines. The warp panels are located on the eastern side, the blue warp panel located on the northern corner will take people down to the first floor, while the green warp panel located on the southern corner will take people up to the third floor. There is a PC located just north of the Battle Video Gallery machine.
The third floor is the battle floor, that allows player's to upload their Battle Videos here though the use of the Vs. Recorder. Players may search Battle Videos in several ways, such as by facility, Pokémon in the battles and by using the number code given after uploading a video.
Battle Video Gallery
Players may upload their Battle Videos here. They may also view and download the videos of others. The player can send their own Battle Video and view other Trainer's Battle Videos. Battle Videos will be assigned a 12-digit number. The player can pass this number to other players, so they can find the player's Battle Video. Players may search Battle Videos in several ways, such as by facility, Pokémon in the battles and by using the number code given after uploading a video.
The recorded battles, known as Battle Videos, can be found in the Vs. Recorder. The Vs. Recorder can record battles from the Battle Frontier, wireless play and Wi-Fi. Players can also download videos from the Global Terminal which can be viewed in the second option. The third option deletes recorded videos. Battle Videos change depending on the game's language. Everything changes to the game's language except the names. For example, watching another player's video from a Japanese version of Platinum which features Dahlia in an English game would show her name as Arcade Star ダリア and her Pokémon would have Japanese names. In the third room, player's can open the Global Mode in the Vs. Recorder to view and upload videos of battles. The first option allows the player to view battles. It can be searched by the last thirty that were uploaded, choosing the Trainer and the type of battle or by putting in numbers. The second option allows the player to upload their own battle. Several numbers are given which are used in searching for it.
Uploaded videos do not remain in the Global Terminal forever, so codes might not always work or show the same video.
Layout
| Version | 1st floor | 2nd floor | 3rd floor |
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In Generation V
While no longer a location, the Global Terminal and all its features can be accessed in any Pokémon Center's second floor, except the one in the Pokémon League (due to its lack of a second floor). Players must simply talk to the receptionist at the righthand counter, who manages all of the GTS features. An option to upload photos taken from Pokémon Musicals has been added.
The GTS acronym in this generation stands for Global Trade System instead of Global Trade Station. This name is shown on the screen where one selects what to do on the GTS.
GTS Negotiations
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The contents of this section have been suggested to be split into Negotiation trade. Please discuss it on the talk page for this section. |
In addition to the trading format introduced during Generation IV, GTS Negotiations allows two players to show one another any Pokémon they have in their party or PC; up to three Pokémon can be shown at once. The players can communicate with each other using a set of emoticons (Smile Mark, Saddened Mark, Heart Mark, Surprise Mark) until both players find Pokémon that they are willing to trade for. Each player may then select one of the other's offered Pokémon to be traded. This solves the restriction imposed by normal GTS trading (where the player can only search for a Pokémon they have already seen), as a player can offer any Pokémon in their possession, including Pokémon Eggs.
In addition to the actual Pokémon offered for trade, the player is also shown the greeting on the other person's Trainer Card, their number of successful trades, and (during the actual negotiating process) an abstract glimpse of the other player's party and PC Boxes (with individual Pokémon represented by their Pokédex color).
Prior to the update that accommodated non-Japanese games, whenever a player successfully trades with another player through GTS Negotiations, they will show up as Trade Pals on the Pokémon Global Link, assuming that they have Global Link accounts.
Random Matchup
- Main article: Global Battle Union
In addition to being able to trade Pokémon on the Global Terminal, there is now another option known as Random Matchup. Trainers must first select a battle mode, either Single Battle, Double Battle, Triple Battle, Rotation Battle, or Launcher Battle. The player will then be connected and asked to choose either free battle or rating battle, which records the data from the battle. The player will then be sent to a battle with a Trainer who chose the same option. The two Trainers will choose several of their Pokémon from their initial party of six and begin battle.
Many stats for the Random Matchup can be accessed on the Pokémon Global Link, under the Global Battle Union.
In Generation VI
- Main article: Player Search System#Global Trade Station
In the Generation VI games it is possible to access the GTS via the Player Search System. Unlike in previous generations, the player may now ask for Pokémon not yet registered in his/her Pokédex.
Glitches and manipulation
Cloning glitch
- Main article: Cloning glitches
There is a glitch on the GTS that allows the player to clone any Pokémon that does not have a Classic Ribbon. It involves turning the game off at precisely the right moment before the Pokémon is deposited. If the Pokémon is deposited in the GTS and the connection is interrupted at the right time, the Pokémon in question would be in the player's party (or PC Box) and in the GTS, requiring the player only to withdraw the Pokémon from the GTS to obtain the clone. In Pokémon Platinum, however, the glitch of cloning via GTS was remedied; if it is attempted, the game simply reports a communication error and returns the player back to the main desk.
Trade evolution glitch
In Generation IV there is a glitch with the GTS that allows Pokémon to evolve by being traded, but without actually trading them. Players must first place a Pokémon that evolves by trading it (with the correct held item, like Metal Coat for Scyther or Electirizer for Electabuzz) onto the GTS. To prevent the deposited Pokémon from being traded away, players should request an impossible trade, such as a level 9 and under Mewtwo.
The player must then search for a Pokémon on the GTS and trade for it. After this has been done, returning to the Pokémon that was placed on the GTS by the player and taking it back will cause it to evolve.
It is possible that this was intentional, however due to the fact that it was removed in Generation V makes this very unlikely. The risk of not being able to reacquire a Pokémon while trying to evolve it through trade evolution over the GTS is very great and this could have been a planned countermeasure. The requirement (a trade) must still be met in order for the Pokémon to evolve, but this system would prevent a player from potentially losing the Pokémon they wanted to evolve.
Morphing glitch
There have been somewhat numerous reports of a glitch happening in the GTS that causes a player's offered Pokémon to become "glitchy". The Pokémon's sprite will morph into a different Pokémon, and the gender might be swapped as well. It will also say it is the same species it used to be (example: A morphed Heatran would still be Heatran/Heatran) and will be holding a Seal Bag, a beta item. There is no confirmed way to deliberately access this glitch; however in many of the reports, people have claimed that the glitch happened right after the GTS came up with no searches for any of the Pokémon, but did not send out a Communication Error. After it stops blocking all access to other Pokémon, it is believed that is when the glitch is most likely to happen. Trying to withdraw the glitch Pokémon may result in a Communication Error but when the game lets a player withdraw the glitch, the Pokémon returns to normal.
Another glitch similar to the morphing glitch has been happening where the Pokémon in the GTS is morphed into the wanted Pokémon (as shown in the picture to the right). Instead of its name being the same as before, its name is now that of the wanted Pokémon, but still the same species as the Pokémon originally offered. There's also the possibility of the morphed Pokémon holding a Seal Bag. Most of the time, trying to trade for it will either cause a communication error or say that the Pokémon has been traded. In addition to this glitch, sometimes these glitched Pokémon will be the only that appear when searching for Pokémon of a certain level. This glitch has also been seen in Generation V.
Vanishing glitch
There have also been instances of a "vanishing" glitch on the GTS. After uploading a Pokémon to the server and checking its summary without changing the Pokémon, the "summary" button is sometimes replaced with "deposit," suggesting that the Pokémon has been traded. Selecting "Deposit" will cause a communication error, and the player will return to the front desk. Logging on to the server again will cause the Pokémon to reappear, with no noticeable changes.
Level display glitch
In early releases of the US version of Platinum, when seeking for Pokémon, the game will not display the level range of the wanted Pokémon. This can result in confusion, where even if a person has the right Pokémon to offer, but it is not at the right level, it will not be able to be selected without any clear reason.
This glitch is not present in the PAL releases or the original Japanese, indicating that it was mistakenly left out in the North American version. Nintendo offers a fix for it by sending in an affected game.
DNS abuse
Several developers have created programs that allow a player to send Pokémon to and from their computer using the GTS servers. This will count as a trade on the player's Trainer Card.
Some players have created servers which allow the player to download custom "event" Pokémon. These can be accessed by disabling "Auto-obtain DNS" and entering the DNS required to connect to the server in question. Other interesting results such as Pokémon cloning can occur from the use of these servers.
Masuda's method
- Main article: Masuda method
In his online column, Junichi Masuda detailed that he programmed a method of easily obtaining Shiny Pokémon utilizing the GTS. Dubbed the Masuda method by fans, it activates when two Pokémon in the Pokémon Day Care are from games from different language regions. This significantly raises the odds of their offspring being a Shiny Pokémon.
If an Egg is hatched from a Pokémon received from a game originating from a language other than the language of the player's cartridge, the chances of hatching a Shiny Pokémon from that egg increase. It will not work if both Pokémon are from the same foreign language, even if it is a different language from the game; or if the player uses one of his or her own Pokémon and the Meister's Magikarp. This is because the Magikarp has been generated on the same game as the player's Pokémon.
The Masuda method is possible due to coding Masuda programmed into the games. If, in the Pokémon Day Care, the game recognizes one of the Pokémon as having a different home location as the other, the chances of having a Shiny Pokémon in the egg will be six times higher, increasing from 1/8192 to 1/1366 in Generation V, or five times higher to 1/1639 in the Generation IV games.
Though the odds of obtaining a Shiny Pokémon are still fairly low, the chances have now been increased so significantly that players are touting it as a more reliable method than the Poké Radar. In addition, it allows players to customize their team further, with specific egg moves and IVs that would be either unavailable or harder to obtain, making using Masuda's method even more appealing. However, when breeding with two foreign Pokémon, the 50% chance of passing down a parent's nature via an Everstone is not present.
Controversy and criticism
Impossible trades
Although being a well-meaning trade function, the GTS has come under criticism. Many traders ask for a legendary Pokémon in exchange for a common Pokémon, and some players request Pokémon at levels that are impossible to obtain that Pokémon at, such as a "Level 9 and under" Mewtwo. Other trades are dominated by demands of Pokémon that are often featured in Pokémon marketing, such as Munchlax or Lucario. Finally, the inability to ask for a Pokémon the player has not seen makes it impossible to trade for event Pokémon (such as Manaphy, except in Platinum, or Pokémon that can only be found in Generation III games) over the GTS without having obtained the Pokémon, though this last restriction is alleviated using Generation V's "GTS Negotiations" , which allows two players to offer and trade any Pokémon in their possession, regardless of whether the other player has seen it or not, and is completely removed in Generation VI.
There is also a risk of receiving hacked Pokémon, as information regarding the OT or the ID number when seeking Pokémon was not displayed in Diamond or Pearl (this information was added starting with Platinum).
Pokémon with a Classic Ribbon or Premier Ribbon cannot be traded on the GTS, making event Pokémon even more difficult to obtain as they frequently come with such Ribbons attached.
Temporary legendary Pokémon ban
On July 3, 2007, legendary Pokémon became banned from being traded on the GTS. A similar incident occurred in Pokémon Battle Revolution on the same date.
The banning received a large amount of controversy. Nintendo stated that it was a "technical difficulty"; legendary Pokémon were later allowed again to be traded over the GTS and battled in Battle Revolution.
In other languages
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External links
See also
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This article is part of Project Locations, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on every location in the Pokémon world. |
