For a while now, I've been seeing the number 255 appearing in lots of places in D/P. any stat can only have 255 evs. any pokemon can only have 510 evs (255 x 2), the highest base stat, blissey's HP, is 255, 2 eggs will always hatch at an interval which is a multiple of 255.

so has anyone else noticed this?

i think there was a thread about this a long time ago and alot of games have 255 in them as well. i think it's got somthing to do with programing or memory or somthing

A bit is the smallest piece of data (either 0 or 1), and game data on the smaller machines is typically stored as a single word (a word being a group of 8 bits). With this system, a single word stores 2^8 (256) possible values.

Since we need to be able to store a value as "0", the range of values are from 0-255.

Also note that 255 is FF in hexadecimal (base 16 numbering system) and a table of data of values to a range of 255 can be represented easily this way with only 2 characters.

quote PureStealth

game data on the smaller machines is typically stored as a single word (a word being a group of 8 bits).

You are wrong or right depending on the framework of the machine. As programmers and engineers create better systems, the definition of a byte will change. I'm sure you've heard of 32-bit systems, and 64-bit frameworks. These systems use different ways to 'map' the bits in memory and ram, thus warping the bit system from 8. A word has 8 bits. A Dword has 16. A Qword has 32. I forget the term for 64-bit words.

As i said, we are talking about smaller memory systems for things like pokemon. I am fully aware of modern 32 and 64 bit systems, being both a programmer and an engineer myself (at least in training ).

For devices like the GameBoy (where the current pokemon stat system started) memory was very tight, and the storage of such values reflects this.

Actually, the original GameBoy was 8 bit with a black and white LCD for battery and manufacturing purposes. A better framework was not desired, therefore the memory was not as much 'constricted' as it was 'ignored.'

And by the way, my previous post was directed to AKTKWNG. I didn't say you were wrong at all. I actually thought your answer was well-put.

Fair enough, though the reasoning behind how and why the GB memory was designed/manufactured does not change the fact that the environment each game has to work with is a tight memory one.

Also after double-word (D-word) and quadruple-word (Q-word) comes double,quadruple-word (DQ-word)

well, i apologise for my outdated IT knowledge. the rest was well-put, btw