...how is that dumbing down the game? It’s what the games are running with right now, and it’s working just fine. The Pokémon games today are a lot more story-focused, especially compared to the stories of the older generations. Now whether the shift to story focused games are a good thing for the series or not is a matter or personal opinion, but it’s happening right now in a way that doesn’t infringe on someone’s ability to speedrun through the game if they so desire. If anything, a level cap system could potentially pull focus away from the story if it isn’t handled properly.
First all, yes, focusing on story and world building is a good thing and keeps a franchise fresh and feeling alive. It keeps the games from feeling its jut doing the same thing except adding new Pokemon, Moves, Abilities, and gimmicks.
As for appealing to players who don't care about the main game and only want to get through it to get to the post game to do something that the majority of Pokemon players, like those young players, don't really care about may dumb down things. To those players story is meaningless and any additional features (Pokemon Contests, Pokeathlon, Pokestar Studios, Mantine Surfing, Pokemon Refresh, Photo Club) which isn't battling is unneeded and a distraction. If it was up to them or GF decided to appeal to them they would toss all that out, leaving in MAYBE world building just to have a region for new Pokemon to exist in.
And speed runs don't work like that! Speed runs is a game by game basis. You're trying to complete the game as fast as possible within the game's rules and limits. If there were level caps that's something speed runners would have to work with, they're not going to go "oh man, Sun & Moon didn't have level caps" because these are different games so would have different speed run times anyway! If anything it'll provide speed runners with an interesting challenge, trying to find the best Pokemon to use if they can't just sheer force their way to victory.
You see, if Game Freak were the ones with that mentality, then they would effectively push away a huge chunk of the VGC community (which is a lot bigger than you think it is). You have to remember that Pokémon is a franchise that appeals to a broad audience, which consists of several sub-groups that fit into either the “casual players” or “competitive players” category. Alienating one of those groups for the sake of the other would cause a fallout for both the games and the fanbase.
... Why? Why would it push away the VGC community? Because they may have to *GASP* spend a WEEK finishing the game instead of THREE DAYS?! Because they wouldn't be able to get to the post game a few days earlier than they would... if that's even the case which probably wouldn't; most players would probably finish it around the same time as they usually do.
BTW, is this the same VGC community that's been wanting to make the games a bit more challenging? Like more difficult AI for important characters? Something which might make the game last longer?
Also, it's not like GF cares for their time either. Do I have to point out all the hoops one must jump through for the Legendary Hunts in ORAS and USUM? Or how Gift Pokemon aren't affected by Synchronize. And even if you get the right Nature that still leaves IVs up to chance (yes, Hyper Training helped with that but it doesn't help with Hidden Power or those mons you have to have 0 Attack and/or Speed). Also those Pokemon with either low encounter rates or catch rates (and some who have moves that'll knock themselves out). Ooh, or how about SOS Battles?
Game Freak has proven before that it is entirely possible to balance the medium between casual and competitive players (look at HGSS for instance), and if USUM were any indication, they are trying to make the in-game story more challenging for veterans of the franchise. But the median between the fanbase is very easy to disrupt if it isn’t handled properly.
True, and you know what, if they try level caps and it doesn't work, they'll just remove them next gen (or even release a patch that removes them for that gen)! If we're so afraid any change will disrupt the balance then why change anything? Change is needed to keep a franchise fresh and healthy. Some changes work and kept in, some changes don't work so aren't kept. But we don't know if we don't try, do an experiment. Also I don't think one little mistake, which this would be if it doesn't work out, is gonna sink POKEMON. Heck, players still give Sonic and Mario slack when they release lackluster games...
When I first played Red back in 1999, I could barely read; all I knew about the games were that they had cool little monsters and that everyone else at school had the games. That was all it took to pique the interest of a little kid who was in kindergarten. Although I did catch some other Pokémon, I only really used my starter (Squirtle), and I ultimately soft-locked myself at Giovanni when I traded off my starter for my friend’s Magmar. Having nothing of a decent level to take him on, I grew frustrated with the game and ended up putting it down for like a month before I picked it back up and restarted the save.
With that story aside, you have to remember that every new generation of Pokémon brings in new, young players to the franchise, whether they pick up the games on their own or are grandfathered in by the older generation players who are now parents. Are some of those kids old enough to understand the basic strategies of the game? Yeah probably. Are some of those kids too young to really understand what they are doing? Yeah probably.
You just countered your own point. Yes, you got frustrated and quit the game for the month... but then you went back and tried again. Why did you go back? According to what you said, you should have quit Pokemon and never looked back.
Also, that's a different problem AND a problem that wouldn't exist with level caps. Tell me, if you saw your main Pokemon wasn't getting any stronger but your other Pokemon were, wouldn't you decide to start training them? With your parable, you gave away probably your only Pokemon that was leveled up (which I doubt you would have been able to beat the Elite Four and Champion without being severely overleveled).
Also, you're assuming the kid has to finish the game in order to enjoy it. Here's my parable: I never completed my Blue, Silver, and Sapphire version. Why? Because I only trained my Starter (all the Fire-types, BTW). With Blue & Sapphire I got to the Elite Four though was never able to beat Claire in Silver. Luckily my brother and schoolmates played the game so I did get to see the endings and post game. Yet, I fell in love the series. I didn't need to finish the games to like them, I have fond memories getting as far as I did, and when I finally did beat Cynthia in Diamond and became Champion with a sort of more balanced team (still focused on my Infernape but I did have a Manaphy and Dialga backing him up... I beat Gen V's Elite Four without Legendaries and a fully trained, balance team) it felt as great as if I had done it as a kid (I was 17 at the time).
Edit: Just to be clear, I don’t disagree with the notion that the main games should be more challenging. I just don’t think forced level caps during the main story would be the best way to go about it
And with that I think we should agree to disagree. I think we both presented both our cases, we're not convincing the other, and our posts are beginning to get long. And in the ends it's up to GF who do seem to agree with your opinion that they don't need level caps... but we all agree they should find some way to provide the game some more challenge (I do think that they should focus on the post game more anyway, the Battle Tower has gotten a bit bland and could use some new additions (I say at least add Rentals, Little Cup, and Inverse Mode), also have something like the White Treehollow/Black Tower).