Yup the random encounters as companions is a highly requested suggestion :3 I'll create a discussion poll afterwards (maybe a few days) and state out some ideas on it. Thanks for the suggestion:3!!!
Sounds good! I do think the "only Gen1 Pokemon" thing is a bit too much of a limitation, there's plenty of Pokemon that could lead to some fun growth ideas beyond Gen1. In terms of the current random encounters, Lucario's Aura is always a good excuse for growth, Goodra feels like a natural target for belly growth, and Floatzel is the perfect Pokemon for inflation stuff. (What I mentioned about getting lighter as things progress miiiight just be me enjoying inflation involving helium, but still.)