State of the Game #14: Mega Update

Welcome to the latest State of the Game update for Pokémon TestFlight. There's quite a bit to cover in this entry, so let’s dive right in.

Alpha Build Timeline

As with every update, I want to address a question that's always top of mind: there is still no hard deadline for the Alpha Build release. While steady progress is being made, it’s happening slowly due to both the scope of the project and the nature of learning as I go.

Some days, development time is spent entirely on studying tutorials and researching how to properly implement systems. It’s not always about writing code or building assets—sometimes it’s about ensuring I know how to do those things right. This learning process is essential for getting TestFlight to function the way I envision.

Gym Leaders & Game Progress

In State of the Game #13, I shared an overview of the Gym Leaders in TestFlight. This update expands on that progress.

Development Note: All eight Gym Leaders are now finalized in the database, including their names, teams, and held items.

Remaining Tasks

• Design the battle rooms for all Gym Leaders and Elite Four members
• Determine what rewards each Gym Leader will give
• Finalize how payouts for victories will work
• Finalize the Champion, Executive Thorn (team, dialogue, win/loss quotes, etc.)
• Playtest Elite Four teams for balance and difficulty

Design Insight: Since TestFlight allows players to purchase Pokémon rather than catch them, in-game currency will play a larger role than in traditional Pokémon games. This means payouts, item costs, and economic balance will be especially important and may require extensive testing.

Playtesting and Team Design

Significant strides have been made toward refining the first two Gym Leaders. I plan to personally test each of their teams, making adjustments as necessary—this may include changing movesets, swapping out Pokémon, modifying held items, or removing certain abilities to improve the challenge and pacing.

Several Gym Leader and Elite Four types have also been revised. The main reason for these changes is simply creative freedom; with so many incredible Pokémon to choose from, it made sense to pivot and experiment with new combinations.

Additionally, I’ve finalized the "minion" trainers you’ll face before each Gym Leader. Their teams, dialogue, and battle quotes are all complete for all eight gyms.

Future Plans

Though TestFlight remains the primary focus, I’ve been exploring concepts for a future project. If it takes shape, TestFlight would serve as a stepping stone—both in terms of design experience and development workflow. More details will come much later, but it’s something to look forward to.

Asset Collection

On the graphical front, progress has been equally exciting. I’ve sourced a large number of high-quality, free tilesets for map design—thanks in large part to this amazing community resource.

In addition, I’ve collected:

• Trainer sprites and overworlds
• Pokémon sprites (front, back, and icons)
• Cries, footprints, and related Pokédex data

These assets will help bring the world of TestFlight to life in a polished, immersive way.

Thank you for continuing to follow the development of Pokémon TestFlight. Progress may be steady rather than fast, but each step forward is building toward something I’m incredibly excited to share.

Stay tuned for more updates.