Team Builder by Cat (v1.5)
 

Team Builder by Cat

This program is designed to assist competitive battlers interested in creating teams and analyzing their usefulness. Using data from the veekun Pokédex project, I've compiled a simplified database of essential Black & White 2 data to help create the perfect team.

Features

• Stat calculation, which takes into account IVs, EVs, and nature
• List of all weaknesses and resistances of each Pokémon (including multipliers on mouse hover), and a total analysis of global weaknesses and resistances to find possible holes in teams
• Selection of any move or held item
• Six Pokémon tabs, one for each team member, and an analysis tab
• Saving/loading teams
• Saving/loading individual Pokémon
• Exporting of an HTML or CSV file for usage in other programs, or as text for posting on forums
• Team printing for battlers on the go or those who want a hard copy
• Multiple windows can be open at the same time to work on multiple teams at once
• Built in FAQ

Screenshots

Attachment 4286
Attachment 4287


System requirements

• Windows 8, 7, Server 2008, Vista, Server 2003, XP
• 3 MB disk space
• 256 MB RAM
• 1024x600 minimum desktop resolution
• The dependencies listed below

Dependencies

These programs are required to run the Team Builder:

• Microsoft .NET Framework 4
• Microsoft SQL Server Compact 3.5
  • 32-bit users, install the 32-bit version
  • 64-bit users, install both the 32-bit version and the 64-bit version

Getting started

1. Download and install the two dependencies listed above. These programs may already be installed, especially .NET Framework 4, which is delivered through Windows Update.
2. Download the ZIP archive below.
3. Extract the two files to the same folder. The database is required for the program to function and is the reason Microsoft SQL Server Compact is required.
4. Run the program. If it fails, return to step 1. If it still refuses to start, post a reply to this thread with your issue.

Version changes



Download

The newest version is listed at the bottom. Previous versions are not supported.

I should be able to update the database information when necessary, but hopefully that won't happen anytime soon.

If you have any questions or comments, don't be afraid to post them.

Wow! Time well spent I would say. Very useful.

The analyze tab is probably the most useful function in my opinion; I like how it shows what your whole team is weak against and what it resists. Overall, nice job crazy bro. (y)

Quick question: your summary says it works with Windows 8, but the summaries of the 2 dependencies only claim to be compatible with anything up to Windows 7. Since I use a Windows 8 laptop, how should I go about working this?

.NET Framework 4 is pre-installed in Windows 8. MSSQL Server CE should work fine on Windows 8.

A fitting Christmas gift from you, I suppose.

Thanks, this is really going to help me out.

Well... um... wow. All I can say is wow. Thanks for replacing Pokémon (DISALLOWED) completely as my Pokémon checker. It's cleaner and easier to use, so that's like 8 thumbs up there. Good work, Scotty.

What you talkin' 'bout? Though my laptop was an upgraded 7, it works perfectly on my Windows 8. I just downloaded the necessary thingies and poof.

This is just a little something extra I've noticed, but would it be possible to take into account the Ability resistances like Levitate, Flash Fire, and Water Absorb in the Analyze tab?

I put in a Bronzong with Levitate into the teambuilder, but the type chart in the Analyze tab still accounts for Bronzong's Ground weakness even though it has Levitate.

Hm, I had actually considered that before, as well as the Choice items you mentioned.

This is so cool and really helpful, thanks! This must have taken forever to make. :o

It was about three days (waking to sleeping) of solid work. I almost gave up before realizing it was a good idea to consolidate the tables in the database.

Well, apparently Microsoft didn't update the summaries of the 2 dependencies, they downloaded just fine (and you were correct about .NET Framework being preinstalled, Cat, even though I couldn't find it at first).

My first overall impression is that this is a nice little applet that probably took a while to make. It completely streamlines my team-making process, which previously involved use of Marilland's "team builder" to see how I was in the weaknesses department, and a heavy use of paper.
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Minor nitpicks: The Hidden Power type indicator works fine, but doesn't include a specific number for its power. I love the Hidden Power calculator you included under the IV table, but it's only telling me half the story.

I was curious as to why there were no shiny sprites in the program, but I see that's been included in the FAQ. I don't really need to see the shiny sprites of any given Pokémon, seeing as it's really only an aesthetic change.

You can't select a Pokémon's moves from its respective movepool. Like the shiny thing, I'm not really gonna touch this, especially since I use a lot of research, mostly through Serebii, to form all of my movesets. I can imagine just how much memory it would take to accomplish this as well; if shinies would double the amount of space this took up, putting in every movepool would probably triple to quadruple it. Really, it's just something that would be more of a convenience, and I could just as easily live without it.
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My only major issue is that there's no included IV calculator. I love how I can find the Hidden Power through the layout of my IVs, and it can determine my stats through the EVs and IVs, backed by nature and base stats, but all that relies on if I know the various IVs of my team's members.
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I can honestly say this is the first tool of it's kind that can almost be used as a sort of all-purpose, all-knowing, team building program, and be able to be a substitute beyond normal methods. I love how it works, and being able to look back and analyze how everything meshes together and averages out is truly amazing. It has nearly everything I would need to throw the Internet out of the window and be able to use this one program as a standalone for most of my competitive work. Overall, this program is nothing short of spectacular. (In short: good job :D)

I shall answer them one by one!
I was considering doing that, but I decided not to because it wasn't necessary. I shall add that in the next version, as it is quite an easy calculation, and I have done it before.


I might add this one in the future, but you're indeed correct in how nasty it will be. I'd have to account for egg moves of the first stage, standard learned moves for all evolutions, learnable TMs by all evolutions, and tutor moves for all evolutions. I might add this in a future version if this tool really kicks off.

Again, this is another thing I considered, but it definitely won't be added to the next version. Heck, I probably wouldn't include it directly in the interface, either. I'd probably put it on its own tab or a menu option.

Thanks! :D

Version 1.1 has been released and addresses a feature requested above as well as several minor bugs:

• Added calculation of base power of Hidden Power
• Fixed "Export CSV" alternative key sequence (Alt-F-V) to not be the same as "Close Window" (Alt-F-C)
• Set minimum window size for Help window
• Changed display of version number in About dialog to only show major and minor version numbers

You may download the new version in the first post.


Also, regarding this feature:

I would like to ask anyone interested to please look through all the abilities and find the ones that affect weaknesses/resistances. Here are the ones I can think of off-hand:

• Levitate: Resists ground type moves
• Flash Fire: Resists fire type moves
• Water Absorb: Resists water type moves
• Wonder Guard: Resists all non-weakness type moves
• Volt Absorb: Resists electric type moves
• Lightningrod: Resists electric type moves
• Sap Sipper: Resists grass type moves
• Dry Skin: Resists water type moves
• Storm Drain: Resists water type moves
• Motor Drive: Resists electric type moves
• Thick Fat: ½ resists ice and fire type moves
• Heatproof: ½ resists fire type moves

Am I missing any?

Are there any held items that permanently affect this?

Here are a few things that I can think of:

-Dry skin also increases the amount of damage you take from Fire moves.
-There's the Air Balloon item which grants immunity to ground moves, but it's more temporary.
-Iron Ball item makes you vulnerable to ground moves if you are a Flying type/has Levitate.

Other than these three, I don't think there is more to add.

Thanks for making this Cat :D.

Updated list:

• Levitate: Resists ground type moves
• Flash Fire: Resists fire type moves
• Water Absorb: Resists water type moves
• Wonder Guard: Resists all non-weakness type moves
• Volt Absorb: Resists electric type moves
• Lightningrod: Resists electric type moves
• Sap Sipper: Resists grass type moves
• Dry Skin: Resists water type moves and increases fire type weakness to 1¼
• Storm Drain: Resists water type moves
• Motor Drive: Resists electric type moves
• Thick Fat: ½ resists ice and fire type moves
• Heatproof: ½ resists fire type moves

I'm not sure how to handle a 1¼x weakness in the program.


As for temporary items, it's probably best not to have them do anything, as Air Balloon, Cell Battery, and Absorb Bulb are all consumed after one use.

I may add Iron Ball.

Instead of "resists", how about "immune" or "absorbs" or "raises stat X instead"? "Resists" implies some damage still occurring.

Fixed list:

• Levitate: Immune to ground type moves
• Flash Fire: Immune to fire type moves
• Water Absorb: Immune to water type moves
• Wonder Guard: Immune to all non-weakness type moves
• Volt Absorb: Immune to electric type moves
• Lightningrod: Immune to electric type moves
• Sap Sipper: Immune to grass type moves
• Dry Skin: Immune to water type moves and strengthens fire type moves by 1¼
• Storm Drain: Immune to water type moves
• Motor Drive: Immune to electric type moves
• Thick Fat: Resists ice and fire type moves by ½
• Heatproof: Resists fire type moves by ½

I do actually want to ask an interesting usability question. In the actual games, when a Pokémon has a nature that affects stats, the stat that is raised is red, while the stat that is lowered is blue. I reflect that correctly in this program. However, I extend it to the weaknesses/resistances too. The weaknesses and resistances are colored in the same fashion, where red is beneficial and blue is bad. (The table on the Analyze actually has the colors backwards and is fixed in the upcoming version 1.2.)

How should I do the colors for the weaknesses/resistances? Should I change them entirely, so maybe red is bad, but green is beneficial? I really need to figure out what colors work best early on before this tool gains any popularity.

So, you want to use entirely new colors? I don't know what to say about specifics, but I do like that idea of changing the colors completely. Maybe bright, cool colors are used for beneficial, while darker, hot colors are used for the bad one.

No, I want to know whether or not the existing colors are fine.

Right now, dark red is good and dark blue is bad.

Well, no sense in changing something that works. I like it that way, but my idea is still out there.

I'd go with the Red/Green combo, it's more universally understood that red = bad/stop and green = good/go

I'm thinking of doing that because the weaknesses and resistances have nothing to do with natures, so the colors don't have to be related. I'll try messing with different shades of green to see how they look.

Edit: I like it.

Go with Red/Green as it is more intuitive.

Version 1.2 has been released! The download is in the first post.

• Changed colors for weaknesses/resistances to better match common associations
• Added highlighting in weakness/resistance table for types that have at least three weaknesses or resistances
• Fixed a bug where corrupt values for the Pokémon can arise when garbage is entered for the Pokémon name
• Fixed the held item image, which now disappears when no item is selected
• Fixed types for Arceus in the database

Note that there is a new database file, so you will need to replace that too. It's included with the program like usual.

Installing only the 32-bit version on a 64-bit computer might break other things even if your application works, so just to be safe, I'd advice everyone to also install the 64-bit version.

I've updated the directions.

Well. You know I'm terrible with computers and stuff. so is this compatible with my Macbook Pro xD derp, I feel stupid. and If so, what do I click on cause I just.. feel so dumb lol

Are you running Boot Camp?

If yes, reboot into Windows first.

If not, nope.

If you have the time to do so, would you block "invalid" moves for a given Pokémon in the drop-down lists? Or alternative sorting while selecting them (like instead of A-Z, something like "Physical first/Special first/With effect first/Sort by power/Sort by accuracy".

The application should allow the user to save while exiting if the current data is unsaved.

Also, Tahoma/Segoe UI/default system font?

If I knew what Boot Camp was, I would tell you xP

So running OS X, then?

Unless Cat decides to port this to OS X (and it'd be hard due to its reliance on .NET Framework and SQL Server Compact), nope.

There is currently no intention of porting this program over to Mac, Linux, or mobiles. That may change in the future.

Anyway, 1.3 should be out pretty soon with the ability changes. Should I make it so the Choice items affect display of stats, or any other items to do something similar?

Okie dokie well, I'll follow this thread and look for updates to the Mac ^^

Perhaps so, and you should put the item descriptions somewhere, too! Even though a lightweight program has its advantages, there is a point in covering more bases, so to speak.

I'm definitely planning to add flavor text (descriptions for items/moves) in a future version, but only if the data are accurate. :p

Alright, I've determined the IV calculator idea is going to be shelved for a very long time. If the level is high enough, you can reverse calculate the IVs easily enough: just plug in the level, EVs, and nature, then find the range of IVs where the stats match.

Hm, one more minor feature: I'm going to probably be adding Imperial measurements to the Pokémon weight/height as well. Weight is only really useful for calculating Grass Knot. (Should I include the weight classes for Grass Knot?)

If someone knows the exact algorithm used to convert hectograms (tenths of kilograms) to pounds and decimeters (tenths of meters) to inches in the games, that'd be nice. I know it involves multiplying by a factor then rounding up to the nearest inch or tenth of a pound, but I'm not sure how many significant figure are in the factors. Remember, the games display up to five significant figures.

I'm gonna guess the weight factor is 0.22046 lb/hg and the height factor is 3.9370 in/dm. Can anyone help confirm/deny this? I don't think the height factor is correct because Steelix comes up 30'3" while it's actually an inch shorter.

(Also, I think the height measurements in the Pokédex are very flawed. They really should go back and make them more consistent instead of sometimes including tails.)

Have you messed around with the Windows 7's unit conversion function? Try some bases (like trying to see how much 1 dm is in in) and see if it yields anything. (The Windows calculator got a huge upgrade in 7)

Do you think one single thread is good enough, or do you think we should have a bugs/feedback/suggestions split?

I think this one thread is fine. For now, I'm not going to bother with the Imperial conversion.

Also, the Ring Target removes all immunities and changes them to x1.

This looks like an uber-improved *******. It's so cool that I'm making a Windows VM on my Linux box just to run it. 8-)

Gonna bump this up now that X and Y are out.

There will absolutely no inclusion of Gen VI Pokémon until veekun updates their data. I most likely am not going to add any preliminary data, items, or anything of those sorts until then. Given the current difficulty of obtaining such information, it could be a while after release. Under the circumstances that this thing proves popular and veekun can't obtain the data, I may have to manually add all the Pokémon, moves, and items through information from Bulbapedia--and I would definitely request for you guys to help out.

I'd be happy to help out. Anything specific that you need help with right now?

Edit: So long as I can do it on my Linux box. I can do research/information adding, along with most programming languages if you need any coding help.

No, nothing for the moment.

Time for a mini update (version 1.3). I added only a single feature, though:

• Added menu option to export team to plain text

I've been thinking of the best way to add the ability resistances without making it too complex/complicated.

Version 1.4 has been released!

• Enabled abilities to affect the resistances and weaknesses
• Fixed a bug where the analysis table did not correctly represent ¼× and 4× weaknesses

Yep, I finally added the function of abilities to change resistances and weaknesses. I also fixed the analysis table. I changed a bit of code around, so there's a chance something is broken.

Also, Dry Skin was kind of odd, but I decided that it should show as "2×" on the analysis table if it's anywhere above 1× but under 4×, and "4×" if it's at least 4×, because I didn't want to add extra columns for the rare numbers 1¼× (Croagunk/Toxicroak), 2½× (Jynx), and 5× (Paras/Parasect). On the Pokémon tab, hovering over the Fire weakness shows the exact multiplier.

I did find a small bug with Shedinja.
Attachment 4443

In this picture, you'll see that I have three Pokemon on this team: Reuniclus, Shedinja, and Lucario. There's a small bug with Shedinja's Wonder Guard ability in the Analyze tab. You'll see that it doesn't show Shedinja's 0x resistance to Ground, but it instead lists it as having a 2x Ground weakness. Only Lucario is weak to Ground, so the circled number should be a 1 instead of a 2.

1.5 is up. :p

• Fixed a bug where Wonder Guard had incorrect efficacies

I know you're busy and all, but do you think you could update this with the new features? I understand it would take some time. I still use it and it would be great preparation for the Generation Tournament, and and any others also set up like those.

I lack official numbers on the base stats of the Pokémon. Once the published numbers are confirmed, I can use them. Whether or not I'll update this is still in the air, but I hope to be able to.

I see. I wish there was some way I can assist, but all I can do is wait. At least there are only 94 new Pokemon this time, including the Mega Evolutions.

I think this program would work great when we can start running the gym league, so I don't want to abandon it. I just need new data and (as seen in the VRAC thread) new images. Thankfully, this one does not require shiny images. I might use the Global Link images instead, as those are fairly small and look uniform.

Can't download anything until I buy my virus protection again

I've noticed some of the base stats have been changing on the major sites, so it might be a while before the data are concrete enough to incorporate into this program.

Now that I have a little time, I think I may pick this project back up. At this point, how reliable are the base stats on the major sites (Serebii, Bulbapedia, etc.)?

I will be updating this program to be compatible with Gen VI soon thanks to reliable data being available on veekun. Does anybody have any new ideas for the program other than the obvious updates and addition of Fairy type?

Besides that, I can only think of small touches like shiny images, male/female graphical differences, and Fairy being added to the type chart tab.

Oh, and maybe adding in the new items too.