In the next episode of "As the Dream World Turns..."

I don't have the strategy guide, which is a first for me...and I didn't follow Serebii religiously until the release. (When they were asked to take down the images, I lost interest in previews. Sad me.)

I heard loose rumors about Dream World - mostly that's where you get berries, as well as Pokemon that have special new abilities. Come to think of it, those are the two main selling points for me, having experienced it.

There's a current mini-game you can play on the Pokemon website, that gives you an evolved Eevee-lution for free - I'd suggest getting that soon.

On 4/12, it opened. Technically it's 4/13 in Japan, which is why the rest of us were..."oh my, it's early!" I got my Entralink code the first time I tried to go there, which I had to attach to my Pokemon Trainers' Club ID on their website.

Now the confusing part...
1. Get code. Get booted.
2. "Tuck in" Pokemon. Get booted.
3. Log in...Pokemon seems asleep - maybe I should switch it out, as no games are starting?

The real answer is no. Once your Pokemon is asleep, within the next 5 minutes or so you can go to the website Pokemon Global Link and you play there. Oh...you have to play on your computer, not the DS.

If you pull your Pokemon out of the Entralink, you're done for the day. You're also done if you click in the upper right corner. (It can also end after an hour.) My 4/12 attempt was aborted as I tried to switch napping Pokemon out - DON'T!

On 4/13, I started with 5 Haban Berries - I planted 3, put one on my trade rack, and fed one to the END TREE *important*. I crossed the rainbow bridge to the forest - this bridge will go away if you feed a berry to the END TREE. In the forest, you'll run into a variety of Pokemon - they'll offer you a variety of mini-games, and then you'll have the option of picking up that Pokemon at the END TREE. You can also find items and berries that are added to your treasure chest back at your house. The final step is the END TREE.

I keep saying END TREE, not because that's the name - it just kills your access to the forest, once you pick a Pokemon that you befriended. You only get one each day - I choose a female Tangela...female DW Pokemon can pass on their DW ability 40% of the time to its children. Once you choose, you're bounced back home and the rainbow bridge is gone.

You're supposed to be able to access game/trade pals' houses, but I wasn't able to see them. There's a chance that changing a setting in your Pokemon Trainers' Club profile (from Friends to Everyone) will let you access other players' gardens/houses. I changed mine after today's successful access of the DW.

So the quick summary of what happens:
1. Plant/Harvest Berries <10>
2. Walk around the forest, collecting things
3. Play some mini-games <10-30>
4. Collect a single Pokemon <50>
5. Water other people's gardens/trade racks. <10/1>

Some of these activities are good because they level up your Entralink <@500>, letting you find better things - Pokemon? items? berries? At 900 and 2100, your berry fields will add a row.

Hope this overview helps!

Pokemon Black (and White) IV talk

I picked up Pokemon Black on launch, and haven't been back to update this in awhile. I'll chat more about breeding once I do more of it.

1. There's a guy above the Subway, in Nimbasa who rates your Pokemon's IVs - great for making choices on which baby to level up...

If the IV total is between 0 and 90: "This Pokemon's potential is decent all around."
If the IV total is between 91 and 120: "This Pokemon's potential is above average overall."
If the IV total is between 121 and 150: "This Pokemon has relatively superior potential overall."
If the IV total is between 151 and 186: "This Pokemon has outstanding potential overall."

If the highest IV is between 0 and 15: "It's rather decent in that regard."
If the highest IV is between 16 and 25: "It's very good in that regard."
If the highest IV is between 26 and 30: "It's fantastic in that regard."
If the highest IV is 31: "It can't be better in that regard.

2. I did breed an Arbok in HG, to migrate it into Black...Dark Pulse doesn't exist as a TM, but I wanted it for my Hydreigon. Took forever, getting a male Arbok with a Timid nature. (I hadn't migrated any of the natured-Dittos yet, so the Arbok was responsible for the Dark Pulse and the Timid nature.) It's great that the everstone works on either the male or the female!

Lots of updates

1. B/W has a release date of 3/6.

2. Celebi will be a Gamestop download from 2/27 to 3/7 for D/P/Pt/HG/SS. It will unlock a story in HG/SS, and will be transferable to B/W to unlock Zorua. [EDIT: Celebi will also unlock a battle with Giovanni in HG/SS...and be carrying the final Berry - Jaboca, #63! D/P/Pt reference added as well.]

3. "Ash's Pikachu" will be a TRU download from 1/30 to 2/7 for D/P/Pt/HG/SS. Level 50, unknown if it unlocks anything. Iron Tail, Volt Tackle, Quick Attack, Lightningbolt.

4. SHINY LEGENDARY DOGS!
These are downloads available at Gamestop, for D/P/Pt/HG/SS.
1/3 - 1/9: Raikou
1/17 - 1/23: Entei
1/31 - 2/7: Suicune

These will unlock Zoroark in B/W.