should we add the trainers and the player as well? I am pretty sure all pokemon games never had a trainer behind the pokemon but I feel this should, as well as where the player is, when your pokemon uses a move you should be able to see yourself too.
the way its set up atm is fine, IMO, its going to be very easy to do all the trainers in the system nilllzz has implemented with opposing trainer overworld sprite behind the pokemon, however, here's 2 examples of pokemon battles in 3d
pokemon stadium for the n64 were nintendos first attempt at 3d pokemon battles, it looked really cool and nilllzz said he's taking cues from it, but you can't see trainers here. it was too hard for ninty
for people who havent played mists of pandaria yet and are doing a spittake at this picture, wow has pokemon now. its kind of a side game you play as you level, wtih wild pets around the place, some of them rare, and matchmade multiplayer. this was a shot of me fighting some guy, his pandaran monk pet had done a combo over 2 rounds that 1 shot my baby pheonix :| but im posting this because it demonstrates something neat, your trainer is behind the active pokemon, and behind you are your party. this wouldnt be something we can do with p3d though because your party are in pokeballs, but it's a cool example of what you can do with a 3d battle
unfortunately blizzard have a game that have 3d models for characters so this sort of thing was very easy for them to do, the more we put in the battle screen the less we can rely on sprites. this is why i think the current system is pretty damn good for what we need. my only wish would be different sprites for the trainers, to match the quality of the pokemon ones, but its just not that easy to do when you can't get some artist who is on the payroll to make the sprites for you.
it could be possible to put the player's overworld sprite onto the field as well but i think we're stuck with the sort of camera angles we have, its just more managable that way
