Uhuh. First off, the Audinos give much more exp than the ordinary trainers, and are much weaker than any trainer on route 1, essentially free. Secondly, Pokemon as a game is literally created around the concept of collecting and grinding, so you're complaining about a core mechanic that all pokemon games have. Thirdly, your definition of 'high difficulty' is the same nonsense spewed by all the other complainants here who hate using items, using stat moves, using terrain moves, using anything aside from 'brrr, hit super-effective brr.'
And finally, All pokemon available in both the Town and route 1 were designed to hard counter Joey. You were just too lazy to catch and train. All in all, you are full of it.
Good day to you sir.
Damn we got the dev here.
Listen man, I appreciate people who make any kind of romhack/game/similar. It takes a lot of time and effort. But your high horse needs to be reached with a ladder.
1) Yes, Audino exp is free. So is wild grass pokemon exp. But at level 11ish, the trainers I was fighting gave roughly 470+ exp if I beat a mon, the same amount as the level 7 Audino's exp. So yeah, your 'ordinary trainers' give audino levels of exp.
Beyond that, in regards to it being free, why should it matter if I spend 1 minute to get one level of exp instead of 10 grinding in the grass?
2) Training is a core mechanic, not grinding. Most route one areas let you 'naturally level' where you fight whatever is in the grass, and then the trainers on the way, and you'll be doing fine. Your view of the 'core mechanic' may be a long grind fest, but that isn't really the case most of the time. Beyond that, if grinding is a core mechanic, but this is your romhack/game, then you can make it better (see Emerald Rogue's groupleveling + forced level cap system).
Speaking of level-caps, I should be able to take on trainers at my level, and I'm not talking about Joey here. Let's just grab a rando trainer on route one, the lass with Peliper and stage two Pidgy. They're both level 14, second stage pokemon. Using the items provided, buying potions, setting berries, using debuff moves like baby-doll eyes and powder moves, a team of pokemon from only route one (not the cave to the left) doesn't really stand a chance. Mankey? Flying types can one shot at matching levels. Jumpluff and Bellsprout can get lucky and survive a hit to provide sleep or poison, if the powder hits. Your only two options after setup then, are your starter, zigzagoon, and snubull (who i didnt use as I've used one in my teams for many games and wanted a shift in pace). Zigzagoon has mid defense and a headbutt does less than a third HP. If you go for weakening with Baby Doll eyes, you can allow your starter to get wackin. Then the starter uses its (frankly busted this early) 20hp damage move, stalls with leftovers, and you may beat ONE of the two pokemon.
But you can't use evasion against Keen Eye and you WILL get hit with at least one sand attack.
I've played my fair share of nuzlocke runs, and completed them, I'm not adverse to a challenge. There is room for strategy in these fights, and I don't doubt that the game evens out further in. But I ain't "full of it" for thinking your view of 'difficulty' is kaizo-like. Sod off.