[X] My Assistant

[Rookie Roo]

A quick TL;DR: Just pick one theme you'd like us to try and promote for the next Site Wide Shiny Hunt (SWSH), and we'll try our best to make it a reality!
And, when the time comes, consider voting for the theme that won so we can, collectively, make it a reality! Scroll a little down to the "About this month's options" to read more about the reasoning behind the options for this pre-voting stage! And, also, don't forget to check out the "Rules" part just to be in the safe side and not make an oopsie!

Heeeeeello beautiful people! Back again to the SWSH Pre-poll, I see!
Friendly reminder that, from now on, the pre-polls will be posted after we get the new Pokemon added to the site from the coin event... Because I think it's now a tradition to have new Pokes added to the site each event.
Of course, this is with the hopes of getting the user-suggested themes that had those Pokemon actually able to be voted for in the pre-poll, since it made no sense to allow one option to be voted if it had a Pokemon that wasn't even in the site.

But now, those SHOULD be able to be voted for IF they are elected by RNGesus. \o/

Of course, friendly reminder that I can't promise that the suggested themes will immediately get chosen in the next poll because it's all real RNG, BUT it could happen.
That said, those numbers are given to me by YOU GUYS. This time you gotta point your fingers to Gwineira, toreador and Phantaminium for giving me the winning numbers for the Pre-Poll. Just ask them, I swear I'm not meddling with the themes!

If you want to know which themes are available, what Pokemon can still be combined with others for more themes, or just to know the creativity of people, you can check the full list by clicking these words.

And now, a small introduction for those who are new here (and, if you are a pro at these polls, this is the part where you skip to the actual themes!):

Introduction

Are you tired of the SWSH being, most of the times, the last three Pokemon that have been added to the site? Are you tired of feeling as if your favorite generation doesn't get enough love, or is swept by the most recent ones? Do you wish you could have a hand in influencing the Pokemon we are going to hunt?
Look no further, you are in the RIGHT place.

For those who don't know me: I'm usually one of the organizers for past SWSH themes we've had! Particularly, I helped with a lot of 'em and, in fact, we already have three years with (basically) consecutive themes being chosen thanks to YOUR help and imagination! So, hooray! Honorable mentions are Moth Month (March 2021) and Changing Seasons (November 2021). Last SWSH (Lactose Tolerant: Vanillite, Swirlix, Milcery) was also promoted thanks to this community effort! After all, it's all democracy. If you wanna try for the themes, we can always keep trying!

Again, all of this effort couldn't have been made without YOUR help, so thank YOU for making them a reality! Here's for the future themes you guys decide to go for!

"Ok, sounds nice, but what do I have to do again?"

The plan is quite simple: every non-SWSH month I'm gonna post a thread just like this with 3 themes + a blank one, and you just have to choose the one you like the most! Then, the next month (the SWSH one) you'll see posters or info graphics inviting people to vote for the theme that had the most votes. PLEASE, consider voting for it and help out the other people who are already excited for a certain theme!

You can also look at it this way: if they get their theme quickly, it means we can get to the one you'd like faster than if you didn't help them! Mutual help! \o/

"Uuuuh... What is this anarchy option for...?"

Well, I'm glad you asked! Basically, the anarchy option (AKA "the blank option") is there for anyone who DOESN'T want a specific theme. If you don't want to hunt any of the themes proposed, select this one! But BEWARE, if this option wins, then there's not going to be a specific theme to be encouraged to vote for in the actual SWSH voting phase. And that's important to note because, if there is no collective push for a specific mon, then it's likely we would get the last three mons added to the site.

So if you are one of the people who prefer thematic SWSH, but aren't inclined to a particular theme, I suggest you don't vote at all in the pre-poll, and just join forces once a theme wins in the SWSH voting phase.
However, if you just don't want any of the themes to win, or you just want chaos (which, valid!), I'd suggest voting for the blank option. After all, if it wins, you most likely will get your wish! \o/

But wait that's not all! You can also help in other ways!

Personally, I encourage people to express themselves and ask for what they'd like. So, if you have a theme you'd like to see come true, please, go ahead and comment in this thread with it!
If you can, please tell me the reasoning behind them if there's any (for example "Pidgey, Fearow, Farfetch'd, because I like Kanto AND, more importantly, BIRBS") so I can try to think of ways to make them more appealing! Be that with a brand new story like I did with Lovecraft Lovers, OR by bothering Gajeel Redfox into using thematic images related to what you wanted!

So, think of one theme and post it if you want! Be sure to check this link, and make sure that the Pokemon you want haven't been hunted before!

Again, currently we have 48 different (and eligible) themes, but you can always propose more!

About this month's options

You have three themes and a blank... And it took me by surprise but we also have a surprise this time around (is this a curse? A return to "old tradition"? WHO KNOOOOWS?!?!) Choose wisely, 'cuz either way multiple themes will get soflocked due to the "new" rules!

These are the month's that people on Discord got by using real random number:

- Time Capsule: Hisuian Growlithe, Hisuian Voltorb, Hisuian Qwilfish. Just how much have you changed from your past self?
Proposed, named and description by me.

- Crunch Time: Gligar, Tynamo, Skorupi. lil bitey things, big teefers...
Proposed, names and description by: HeartofNova.

- BIRBS: Fletchling, Taillow, Hoothoot. It is for the bird.. Proposed and named by tealingual; description by GryphonCompanion.

- ANARCHY! Also known as the "No theme" option. Name given by Jade.

So, which one will you choose and would like for us to promote? Be sure to vote in the poll!

I also can't stress this enough, but: Your participation is important, both in this pre-voting stage and in the actual voting stage! So, please, consider participating!

Okay but, did something else changed? Are there any new mechanics we should be watching for?

NEW RULES HAVE BEEN ADDED! So, besides keeping the other ones here for posterity, I shall also add the new ones at the top, which are...

- The Pre-Poll will now be published once the coin event goes live. In fact, the usual post I (used to) do will both appear in the monthly update and also on the coin event update, and will be edited to show the link to the pre-poll once we now who the new Pokemon added (if any) are.

- As such, that means that not only the mons added as a REWARD FOR COMPLETING THE SWSH are going to be eligible, but also ANY NEW ONES added by coin events. Now, those recently added Pokemon WILL be eligible to be chosen for the next SWSH theme to be promoted!

- This also means you are now MORE than encouraged to make new themes using Pokemon who haven't been added to the site yet, since they can now appear in the polls as soon as they are added!

- There will be a ping over in Discord to let you guys know when the pre-poll goes live, but I also encourage people to spread the word of the new pre-poll in your status or else so more people (especially those who are not in Discord) can know that it is available!

- Special themes WON'T be locked to their specific month, but can be chosen for the poll IF RNG decided it. It's just that the month they are supposed to be selected makes them have a higher chance of being chosen (so, you know, I strongly recommend you guys start choosing specific months for your themes! nudge nudge).

- Themes can only be selected ONCE per year. So when a theme "loses" against another, it will have a cool-down of a year until you can see them again.

- Special themes are exempted of this last rule ONLY in the month they were proposed for. Example: if a July theme was selected for the January pre-poll and lost, it would still be rolled for the special option on July and compete with any other special theme of that month, the winner taking the "Special option" of the pre-poll.

- A particular species of Pokemon WON'T appear twice in the options of a particular pre-poll. Example: Of the three possible themes to choose from, Magikarp will only appear in ONE of them. This is to avoid forcing one specific specie into the SWSH.

These new "rules" might get small changes here and there depending on how they are working, 'cuz they MIIIIGHT be too restrictive... We'll see, we'll see. If you have any other suggestion tho', PLEASE let me know so I can bring it up with the community (mostly anyone that reads the #gpx channel on Discord) to discuss the idea, and to see how to implement that change!

- A recently suggestion, voted for a lot of people in this thread right here, is that each January the themes proposed WILL HAVE a recently added mon, regardless if the same theme got rolled at some point of the year (basically ignoring the rule from above!). That said, in 2024 we have the following recently added 'mons: Hisuian Zorua (January SWSH's) and Fuecoco (Anniversary Coin Event). I'd suggest anyone to share their themes involving these mons OR creating ones for other Pokemon that are not yet on the site as well!

Hopefully these changes make for better, more diverse pre-polls while also trying to cater to everyone!
Hope you enjoy them!

PS: If any rule seems hard to follow PLEASE let me know so I can look for another way to reword it so it makes more sense!

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER

This project is, by NO MEANS, replacing the official SWSH nor officially associated with it. This is just a COMMUNITY project that focuses on trying to organize future SWSHs to give them an extra flavor.
As such, I CANNOT and WILL NOT promise that the winning theme of this stage will be the official SWSH next month, but you can BET we'll do our best to make that come true! That's why your cooperation in voting for the winning theme is also encouraged.


And that's all. Now I'll just leave the official rules just to be in the same page. Catch you soon!

RULES

- Do NOT harass people into voting for what you want. Encouraging people is okay tho', so choose your words wisely.

For example, you shouldn't say things like: "DUCK THIS, VOTE FOR THE CLEARLY SUPERIOR X THEME!", "UGH, that theme is so LAME, EVERYONE should just vote for X". Things you could say: "Oh, I like X theme! Think of all the shenanigans we could create with it!", "This thread had my curiosity, but now X theme has my attention". Heck you could even go Hailey's route and go "VOTE FOR STUNFISK YOU COWARDS", though I would suggest adding a little smiley face (because they DO help to make your tone feel less inflammatory and friendlier) or "jk" at the end so everyone can understand it's, mostly, meant as a joke.

Basically I want to diminish the opportunity of people trying to throw shade at others and just bring negative emotions to the thread. Come on guys, we are all interested in hunts in here, we CAN find a way to coexist and help each other out!

- Regular forum rules apply! So don't double post, or don't ask for clicks every time your party's full again!

- Don't post your shinies here. Rather post them over here, since more people would be able to see them! ;D

- You wanna rage about something? We actually have a place where to vent any negative feeling you might have, so click on that link so you can go there and release some tension!

- Try not to use swear words! This is a feels-good space, y'all!

- Memes are PERFECT in here, BUT do remember that they can stretch the page, so if they are big or a lot of them, remember to spoiler them so it doesn't get too bad!

- Try not to make BIG quote pyramids! Why? Because of page stretching, of course!

- We love to talk around here, so if you wanna comment something, feel free to do so and evade SUPER short posts if possible.

[Professor Eucaly...]

I imagine most people simply want to hunt the new pokemon as soon as they're available which is why it's clever to tailor the themes around them. I voted for Time Capsule too since I only recently came back to the site and I have yet to hunt or see much of these Hisui pokemon.

[Akurone]

I want a spider option for the next one: Surskit, Spinarak, Tarantula.