If you're a fan of speedruns, especially Pokemon speedruns, then you've probably heard the terms 'RNG', 'manip', 'RNG manip', and 'RNG maꦏnipulation' thrown around a lot. What exactly is RNG? And what is RNG manipulation? And who is RNGesus? This guide will explain all of these terms within the context of Pokemon.
You may think RNG is just a fancy way of sayin♒g luck, but it's a little more complicated than that, and fortunately, you can use it to your advantage.
What Is RNG?
RNG stands for Random Number Generator. Think of a number between 1🥀 and 100. Now, many of you will have 🌊gone for 69, which is why people aren't good random number generators. However, computers are, because they don't have filthy minds.
The most simple explanation of it is this: RNG is a system that rolls a random number to determine certain things. They normally work in a range, such as 1 to 100 or yes or no — that kind of thing. Tossing a coin or rolling a die could be used as random number generators. For example, in a game like Pokemon, RNG is used to determine if a Pokemon is shiny when you encounter it in the wild. The base rate in Generation VIII is a 1 in 4,096 chance, and you need the random number generator to land on "1" for the Pokemon to be shiny. So, when you encounter a wild Pokemon, the game "rolls" a number between 1 and 4,096. If the "right" number — 1, in this case — is ꦦproduced, the Pokemon is shiny. It's much more complicated than this simple explanation, but that's the gist of it.
The problem is, even the best RNG isn't truly random. There is a reason for this, and it has a lot to do with words like 'deterministic', and 'philosophical,' but the long and short of it is this: when giveඣn the exact same starting inputs and conditions, a deterministic device will always produce the same output. 'Deterministic' means that everything is bound by the laws of cause and effect, so give something the same input and you'll get the same output, even for a random number generator. Don't look into it too much unless you're willing to have your understanding of free will irrevocably shattered.
Anyway, because of this, Pokemon's RNG isn't truly random — it can be predi𝔍cted, and therefore, it can be exploited.
What Does Pokemon RNG do?
Why would anyone want to exploit Pokemon's RNG in the first place? Well, RNG is used to determine seemingly random events in Pokemon, such as encounters, IVs (hidden values that determine a Pokemon's stats) natures, and 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:if a Pokemon will be shiny or not. It even dictates the unique trainer ID on your trainer card, and ho﷽w good a hatched Pokemon will be.
A popular trick in Pokemon Heart Gold and Soul Silver speedruns is to exploit the RNG in order to get a Raikou. All speedruns also include gaming the RNG in such a way that you always get a specific Starter 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Pokemon with a good nature and solid IVs.
How Does Pokemon RNG Work?
is honestly the best o✃ne out there for how Pokemon 𝔍RNG works:
"Each time a game boots up, or is soft reset, a number known as a 'seed' is plugged in. The seed gets its name because all of the other pseudo-random numbers 'grow' out from this seed. Since true random numbers cannot be generated, any given seed will always ouღtput the same numbers in the same order."
that:
"In games where the initial seed (on startup) is predicta🦩ble, the subsequent 'random' numbers are predictable as well."
For Pokemon Emerald, the seed is always 0, for the Gen IV and Gen V titles, the time on the Nintendo DS is used, as well as factors such as the delay between starting the game a🧔nd pressing 'continue' and the buttons being pressed. Anyone who's played Minecraft is already familiar with what a seed is. Each random world is generated from a seed, so if you like a friend's world, just use their seed and you'll get the exact same world. So, knowing the starting seed means you know what numbers will appear later, and therefore you know what is going to happen and when.
Popular Pokemon streamer Gunnermaniac regularly does RNG manipulation in Pokemon Sapphire. You may be wondering how that's possibl🌱e since Sapphire is not one of the games listed as having a predictable seed. We𓂃ll, once the internal battery dries up (a problem with all old GBA cartridges), the starting seed is locked, so RNG manipulation can be done.
What Is Pokemon RNG Manipulation?
Since all de𒉰terministic systems have predictable outcomes if we know the starting conditions, knowing the initial seed of ꦫa Pokemon game means it is possible to know the exact stats and nature of a Pokemon you want to catch, which is invaluable for Pokemon speedrunning and competitive play.
RNG manipulation is the act of using this knowledge to your advantage. If you know a perfect Mudkip will appear six and a half seconds after rese🐎tting the game, you can simply save, soft reset the game, wait that time, and boom — perfect Mudki𒀰p.
Is Pokemon RNG Manipulation Cheating?
It depends on who you ask. You aren't inserting a cheat code or using any external hardware to change your game, you're just using your knowledge of the g♔ame's systems to your advantage. One might argue that, if that's cheating, then so is using a Water-type to beat a Fire-type.
In theorꦰy, anyone can learn RNG manipulation, so it's fair game. RNG manipulated Pokemon have even been used in the Video Game Championships (V𓃲GC), which is an official tournament. So if they don't rule RNG manipulation as cheating, neither should you.
How Do I Manipulate Pokemon RNG?
It's important to note that RNG manipulation is an incredibly deep and complicated thing. It will take a lot of time, effort, and practice to master. This is because Game Freak knows that the RNG in Pokemon isn't truly random, so to give it the appearance of randomness, Pokemon RNG pౠrogresses at a rate of 60 times a second.
So, if you want to get that perfect Mudkip, you need to be able to hit a timeframe of one-sixtieth of a second - that's 0.016666667 seconds. Each game has different tricks and timeframes, so it's best to pick a game you want to speedrun, 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:shiny hunt, 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:or breed in, and then go from there.
How Helpful Is RNG Manipulation?
It is impossible to overstate how helpful Pokemon RNG manipulation is. The only way to beat any of the current Pokemon world records without it is through accidentally stumbling on a Starter Pokemon w൩ith perfect nature and IVs, which is what RNG manꦫipulation is anyway.
As wel🐟l as being used to get perfect Starters, RNG manipulation can be used to guarantee certain Pokemon encounters and catch rates, win the lottery in Goldenrod, and reduce the number of encounters in grass and caves. Without RNG manipulation, Pokemon is purely a game of luck, but with it, the odds are shifted in your favor.