FAQ

Below are a list of frequently-asked questions that we have received about the project. Note that this does not include the list of known issues.

## In-Game Questions

### What generation is the game based on?

Apex uses the Pokémon Essentials framework, which is based on the 5th Generation of Pokémon. This means that Pokémon, moves, abilities, etc. of 6th generation onward, as well as the Fairy type are not present. Currently, there are no plans to add this content. For information about specific Pokémon stats or movesets, they generally match those from Black & White 2, unless they have been modified by myself. Check the Build pages for any balance changes in each build.

### Why can't I level up past level 20 or carry more than 3 Pokémon?

There is a dynamic level and party cap in Pokémon Apex to encourage players to think about their party strategically instead of simply grinding to pass challenges. The reason for this is explained in Chapter 1. As you progress through the game, you will be able to raise both of these caps. By the end of the game, the player will have no trouble carrying a full 6-member party and raising their Pokémon to level 100. See more info here.

### How do I progress in the RevTex factory after unlocking the first gate?

You can go under the raised conveyor belts.

### Why can't I go in the Town Hall in Jul'far?

The door may be blocked, but try to find another way in. What would *you* do if you couldn't go in the front door?

### Why are Ghost-Type moves super-effective against Normal-Type Pokémon?

This is an intended feature, to help Ghost-types step out from the shadow of Dark-Types, if you'll pardon the pun.

### How do Trade-based evolutions work?

Trading does not exist in Apex, and as such, Pokémon that require trading in order to evolve will have their evolution methods changed to ones that are attainable in-game.

The following Pokémon have new evolution methods:

* Feebas - Level up while holding a Prism Scale at night
* Karrablast - Use a Dawn Stone
* Shelmet - Use a Dusk Stone

Beginning in Build 10, Pokémon that require trading to evolve will have that requirement replaced with leveling up while in Assiah. Other requirements, such as held items, are still required.

### Will feature X be added?

You can find the list of features, planned or otherwise, on the About page. If you don't see something that you want, you are more than welcome to suggest it on Discord.

### Why don't you have [feature] from [fangame]?

I generally do not play other fangames, so I am not aware of other popular features that these games implement. If you would like a specific feature added, please see above, however please describe the feature fully, as I likely won't know what you're talking about from a casual reference.

### Can you add [feature] or [Pokémon]?

For all requests, please visit the Discord. Making requests outside of this manner will likely be forgotten by the time it comes to actually implement the change, and repeatedly requesting the same feature or Pokémon does not increase the chances of being added.

## Questions about the game

### When a full release be available?

No full release date is currently planned. This is a hobby project by a single developer in their spare time, so development will be slow. However, Alpha releases are currently available, which will let you play the game up to a certain point, and quite a lot of content is currently available. See the Development Roadmap for planned progress. Please see the devlog for development updates.

### What does it mean for the game to be in Alpha?

Alpha is a stage of development in which the game is still incomplete. During this phase, the majority of development efforts will go towards only what is required to complete the story of the game. Side content, extras, and embellishments are scheduled for the Beta phase. Since the game is not finished, all content you see is not final, and bugs and unfinished content may be present. I ask that you please be patient, as future builds may resolve these issues. That being said, I ask that you please report any and all issues you find, even if you believe that they may already be known or do not impact gameplay. See below for how to report issues.

### How do I play this game?

Please see the Installation Instructions for help.

### Can I play this game on Mac OSX/Linux?

Actually, yes, but it requires some setup. You can run the game through software called Wineskin.

See this guide by /u/eightabove for installation instructions.

Note that this implementation is not officially supported, so there may be bugs or crashes, and support is not provided for issues found outside of Windows.

### Can I play this game on mobile/emulators/etc.?

No. The only currently supported platform is Windows (which is limited by the RPG Maker engine and is out of my control).

### How do I install fonts?/Why does the font look like crap?

The downloads for the game contain font files that need to be installed for the game's text to appear as intended. These should be located in the `Fonts` folder in the game files.

If you downloaded the game via the launcher, these fonts will be installed for you.

Choosing to play without the game fonts will result in gross default text, and other possible issues with text rendering. No support is provided for text issues when the game fonts are not installed.

### Why does the game run poorly on my PC?

RPG Maker XP was released in 2005, and is considered an archaic game engine. Therefore, it is not properly optimized for modern systems. The choice to use this engine is due to the fact that Pokémon Essentials (the game's framework) only exists for RPG Maker XP.

If you are encountering low framerate, jittery movement, or graphical tearing, you can try changing the graphical settings by hitting F1 in-game. You also might want to make sure your graphics drivers are up to date, and try closing CPU-hogging processes, such as Chrome. Lowering your window size or disabling fullscreen can also slightly boost performance.

Ultimately, I have little control over the performance of the game, due to the restrictions of the engine.

### How do I change my window size/play fullscreen?

Window size settings are in the in-game options menu.

### Do save files carry over between versions?

Typically, yes. You should be able to keep your save files from previous versions. Integrity of save files is not guaranteed during Alpha, though, and there may be times where you are forced to restart, i.e. if a bug from a previous version causes your save file to be unusable. Other times a new version might cause a save state to load in an incorrect location. If this is the case, simply load the game in the previous version, save in a safe location, and then continue in the newest version. For maximum safety, save your game often and make backups of your save files.

Additionally, I may also recommend a restart if major changes are made to early game balance or story, however as of Build 7, this is unlikely to occur in the foreseeable future.

### Where are my saves located?

Your game is saved in a file called `Game.rxdata`, which is located in the folder `C:\Users\<YourUsername>\Saved Games\Pokémon Apex`. You can copy this file as you see fit, however the file must have that name and be in that file path in order to be recognized by the game. You can also manage your save data via the Launcher.

### How is this game made? Is this a ROMHack?

Pokémon Apex is created in RPG Maker XP using the Pokémon Essentials framework. Graphics are drawn in Adobe Photoshop, and scripting is created using RPG Maker XP's built-in script editor using the Ruby language.

The Apex Launcher is built in Microsoft Visual Studio using the C# language.

Apex is not a ROMHack (a game built upon the compiled binary of an existing console game), and thus does not use any proprietary code or require a ROM image to run. In short, it is a standalone game that you can play on your PC with no other required software.

### Can you give me the art/scripts/data/etc. from the game? I need it for... uh... reasons.

I do not give out internal game files for any reason. This is mostly due to security and copyright concerns. Various artwork can be found on the Wiki, and is free to use for video thumbnails, press posts, etc. about the game.

### My computer says the launcher is a virus! Should I panic?

No, this is normal. Windows (and many antivirus software) treat all unsigned .exe files as potentially harmful and sometimes will quarantine the file or display a warning when you try to run it. Unless you have downloaded the launcher from somewhere other than the official github repository, you have nothing to worry about. You will need to allow the software to run anyway. The launcher is open-source software, so you're welcome to verify the code for yourself.

## Questions about the project

### Who is working on this project?

See the Contributors page for developer information and how you can get involved.

### Where can I report issues?

Issues within the game itself are tracked on Discord. Please make sure to read the rules there before posting.

Issues with the Launcher are tracked on the Launcher's GitHub page.

Please do not report issues anywhere else, or your issue likely will not be addressed.

### Can I donate towards this game?

I do not feel comfortable accepting money of any sort for this project. I'm trying to keep the game 100% non-commercial to keep things simpler. If you want to give back to the project, you can become a contributor, spread the word, contribute to the Wiki, report issues, and get involved with the community.

If you want to check out my games and other works not related to Apex, visit my site where you can find links to all my projects, as well as my Patreon.

### Can I record or stream this game?

Yes, all I ask is that you link back to the project, preferably at apex.baph.xyz.