JSB’s (enlightened_pogo) Event Pokemon Proofing Guide

This guide describes the essential content to include when proofing event Pokemon and provides tips and tricks for making quality, easy-to-share photo (a-button) or video proof for Generation 9 Event Pokemon redemptions

Quick Link: Examples of Gen 9 proof can be found here.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents        1

Essential Content        2

Optional but Recommended Content        2

Video-Specific Content        3

Video Quality & Size        3

Sharing Proof        4

Preferred Method: Google Drive        4

Backup Method: Imgur        4

Troubleshooting & Warnings        4

Advanced Video Content (optional)        5

Advanced Video Processing (optional)        5

Essential Content

The most important details to include in the proof are on the “A-Button” screen after the Pokemon is claimed. Whether taking a photo or video proof, the following are critical:

  • The entire switch screen is visible, with nothing obscured, even partially.
  • The text on the “A-Button” screen is readable. The date and time are essential!
  • A paper or an electronic note with additional information next to the switch:
  • The Reddit username of the person claiming the event.
  • The current date (year, month, and day).

Optional but Recommended Content

The following is my best practice for creating quality proof, and it is not likely to detract from its perceived quality.

  • Make sure the proof is oriented correctly! Sideways or upside-down proof can be frustrating to read.
  • Adding additional information to the paper or electronic note:
  • The “formal” name of the event. This is often the name used for the Bulbapedia entry. If you are proofing events as part of a trade, ask your trade partner what name is preferred if they do not specify, as different individuals prefer different levels of detail. (e.g. Dada Zarude vs JPN Dada Zarude vs Forest of Okoya Dada Zarude)
  • The Reddit username of the person for whom the redemption is being done. This is only useful if you proof events as part of a trade. This is not required for redeems you keep for yourself or to trade later since you don’t know who you’re trading with!
  • A counting mark of some sort. If you redeem multiple events in a row, use a number or counting mark to track which one is which. My preferred method is to use incremental marks (I, II, III, etc.) or rewrite a number and start over at the beginning of each day. Therefore, if you redeem five events on Saturday and four more on Sunday, the proof on the first five would show marks indicating 1 through 5 with the Saturday date, and the proof on the following four would show marks indicating 1 through 4 with the Sunday date.
  • As a fun aspect of proof, include Pokemon-related merchandise in your photos and videos to put your twist on the proof!

Video-Specific Content

The following are my preferred details to include in a video proof:

  1. The screen that confirms that you want to retrieve the event.
  2. The animation of the gift dropping and the Pokemon appearing.
  3. The “A-Button” screen after the Pokemon is retrieved. This includes a timestamp of when the Pokemon was retrieved.

The following do NOT need to be in the video but are often included for completeness.

  1. The code submission, if one exists.
  2. The summary screens of the Pokemon. This is primarily useful when an event has randomized attributes.

Video Quality & Size

The main things to consider when setting up to take videos of redemptions:

  • Make sure the lighting is good so that all details are clear.
  • Make sure the camera can focus on the switch screen.
  • Be cautious of reflections on the switch screen and what they show!
  • Ensure the camera is oriented correctly in every video to avoid sideways or upside-down videos.
  • Don’t worry about audio in the video, as I strip audio from everything. Many phone video editors allow you to strip audio!

File size tends to vary greatly depending on the camera being used. Run a couple of tests if you have not done this before, but videos in the 50 MB—100 MB range per event redemption will likely be high quality without being impossible to upload or work with.

Sharing Proof

Preferred Method: Google Drive

My preferred method is Google Drive. There are many ways to organize proof, but one method is to create a folder called Pokemon Proof and create other folders in the format of YYYY-MM-DD TrainerName. For example, I would create 2021-08-05 Sailor_Tenchi if I provided proof to u/Sailor_Tenchi for a trade on August 5th, 2021. You can then use the Copy Link option on the YYYY-MM-DD TrainerName folder to create a shareable link to that folder and that folder only. This is a great way to manage proof to others, keep track of old proof to clean up, and make sharing overall easy.

When sharing videos with me, I ask the following:

  1. I prefer all proof videos in one folder. If you create subfolders, please do one per event (if your trade with me involves more than one type of event), or create one folder if you restart your proof numbering daily.
  2. An example naming scheme that works well with this is: EventName Date ###.
  1. Example: PTC 2021 Porygon-Z 2021-08-21 #05
  2. Example: ptc_2021_porygonz_2021_08_21_005

Backup Method: Imgur

Creating a private post on Imgur works in a pinch if you do not have Google Drive. This only requires you to create an account and make a post. When you are done uploading images/videos to a post, click the Hidden button to get a private link. This ensures that the post is not made public. The main drawback with Imgur is that videos must be shared individually, which is very painful when sharing multiple videos. I suggest only using Imgur for photo proof.

Troubleshooting & Warnings

  1. If you are new to proofing event Pokemon, please take your time making test videos to get lighting and your camera setup how you would like it. Don’t rush!
  2. Ensure your switch is set to the current date/time before starting event redemption or the Pokemon will get bad redemption timestamp data. This is common if you “time travel” on your switch for Raid Den RNG or other games like Animal Crossing.
  3. Each switch profile used for redeeming events must be associated with a Nintendo Account. This does not need to be a paid account for Nintendo Online, but it does need to be associated to access the Mystery Gift feature, to trade, and for HOME to access the save.

Advanced Video Content (optional)

If you are really into taking video redeems, consider the following fun quality-of-life and fancier video options:

  • Consider getting a webcam and phone tripod to keep the phone steady without holding it. I'm glad to make recommendations.
  • Pokemon-themed backgrounds add a nice touch. Posters that come with books or games are a commonly accessible option.
  • Pokemon plush or figurines. Since you are playing Pokemon games, you may have these, and posing them around the switch adds flair to a video.
  • Custom artwork. This is a flex if you enjoy doing it!

Advanced Video Processing (optional)

The video sizes for proof can be cumbersome, but with the right amount of post-processing, the quality can be preserved. The redemption video takes up less space than still images for an A-button proof!

Thanks to u/stinkynate for introducing me and other members of the r/pokemontrades discord to Handbrake. I have tinkered with my settings to maximize quality, reduce size, and strip audio. I have four presets that also reorient the video when it is sideways or upside down. Those presets can be found in the folder alongside this guide!

If you try out Handbrake to manage the video redeems you are doing for me, please check the output even if you use the presets I included with this guide! Even with my presets, some phone settings or lighting conditions cause the results to be blurry or color saturated to the point that you cannot read text or even see the switch screen!