You would not even believe the lengths to which I have gone to try to get through this game. Because I really, really like it & wantt to play, want to complete the dex, etc.
OK so the first time, I got to the point around the last gym where there was this big mess with a warehouse key & some of the team galactic guys were supposed to be outside of a building....and no matter WHAT I could not get them to show up. I think it was the point where the dude was supposed to drop a key.

I spent a good few weeks running around, trying everything before just giving up & replaying the entire game.

Well now I'm almost back up to that same spot & I'm running into a problem again!! I have just gotten the 7th gym badge - the one from beating Cynthia. She gave me Rock Climb. So then I wasnt totally sure what to do next & I looked at the walkthrough thats linked here (I'll paste it below this) and it says to go to Acuity Lakefront. Welll......I go there & the only thing there is my rival who tells me to go beat the gym!

So this is exactly the last step immediately before what happened to me last time.

PLEASE help. This is my first ever Pokemon game & I defintely cant stomach it if there's some kind of problem like that I cant do it at all... Just totally not sure what's missing.

Thanks!

Oh I meant to add this -
http://www.psypokes.com/dp/walkthrough.php?part=7

and that the guy blocking my way is saying something about a blackout. (Sorry, I wish I could give more exact info I just dont have my DS with me right now)

Am I remembering something wrong, or maybe going to the wrong place?

So you beat Snowpoint city gym I guess?
And the guy saying there's a blackout... there is the electricity gym here, and they have no more electricity, so they closed the city (logic)

Ok... for now, you need to go visit the first lake. You know, just beside Twinleaf town. Then the professor will tell you what to do.

If you have any more questions, feel free to post here, I'll answer to all of them.

Good luck!

With regards to the events at Acuity Lakefront not happening, perhaps you didn't complete some earlier events.

After defeating Byron (6th Gym Leader, Canalave City) did you (in this order):
1. Go to Canalave Library and talk to Prof. Rowan
2. Go to Lake Valor and battle Galactic Commander Saturn
3. Go to Lake Verity and battle Galactic Commander Mars

You then need to get the Icicle Badge (which you already did) to be able to enter Lake Acuity.

After entering Lake Acuity and chatting with Jupiter you will have to complete the rest of the Team Galactic stuff in Veilstone and Mt. Coronet. When you do all that, the man blocking Sunyshore city will let you through.

AAHHHHHH I finally realized - there is a place .... over past the dead/dying Magikarp that are all flopping on the ground... where you can go off to the side. Its really non-obvious!!! It just looks like a dead end of trees. So i found that, ran back to here to try to recover my dignity LMBO. One of the galactic commanders is in there. Commander Blue Hair, I think is his name.

Thanks to any & alll who responded. Hopefully I can get so - you know, it would help if I didnt stay up the entire NIGHT playing video games.