Tournament: Raid Group Rainbow Cup

Today is the last day of June, which means it's the last day for Rainbow theme battles in Pokémon Go as instituted by the Silph League Arena. It just so happens that my raid group had scheduled a Rainbow Cup (tournament) of their own today. This was initially scheduled for yesterday, but Raikou happened yesterday, so it had to take precedence. Fortunately, the following day - today - allowed everyone to be free and still compete with the Rainbow theme. I decided to take part to see if I could test my mettle.

The number of participants wavered a bit before the start of the tournament; there were a few people who registered at the last moment, one of them being me. Since I was free, I decided in the morning to take part, and so I signed up. A fledgling recent member of my raid group wanted (or was encouraged) to participate as well, but in the end, the new member couldn't do so due to unpreparedness and technicality. The number of participants also came out to a nice round number of 20, meaning that everyone battled in each round, or in other words, there was no "bye".

As for the tournament results, one good thing was that everyone won at least one battle, including yours truly, and no one came out a total loser. On the other hand, no one came out a total winner too, and thus the final results had to be decided with extra battles to decide who got the prizes from the tournament. (Everyone did get a prize of some sort just for participating.) After the allotted five rounds, four participants won four times, seven won three times, four won twice, and five won once. I happen to have ended up in the last category.

Unfortunately, I also ended up on the very bottom, due to the way of how rankings work for the tournament. I may have had a chance of winning my first battle, but it seemed that my predictions and strategies fell apart at the very end. I only recovered in the end, and that was even after some problems with my cell network, and a dramatic sequence of three battles. It seems this may be a challenging thing regardless of what Pokémon battles I undertake.

With that, the time for the Rainbow theme has come to an end. Its successor theme, which has been announced, will surely have some tricks of its own, something that could be discussed shortly. Preparations are underway for it, and depending on what I can muster, I may be more or less flexible for it. Tournaments like the one held today would surely give an incentive to prepare, as well as frequent practice. My mettle deserves to be tested further.

One year ago: Gifts That Keep on Giving
Two years ago: After Six Months: Poké-Paradise in a Blog

Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 6/29/2019

This rollup is another one that is near the end of the month. but it's OK. The rollup coincides with the major part of an event that I'm summarizing, and it serves as a post-conclusion to it too. Therefore, I can call this a "just-in-time" rollup. It's actually somewhat rare that it does happen; usually what I summarize in the rollups are events that have ended or possibly about to end, but this time I'm also including the end part of an event. So here goes this month's rollup.

Now, hot on the heels of a press conference on future Pokémon games was one event to celebrate that, more specifically Pokémon Sleep. For a few days, Sleeping Snorlax appeared within Pokémon Go; these are Snorlax in an actual sleeping position seen from the left. The notable thing was that these Snorlax were guaranteed captures... at least on the third ball; though it appeared to flee on the first and second throws, the ball counter was not deducted unless one missed. Even so, after they're captured, they returned to their normal standing form, with their only real novelty being that they have the Fast Move of Yawn. This did lead to greater opportunities for trading and getting a Lucky Snorlax, which was kind of nice.

After Snorlax came the return of Adventure Week, the event that is focused on exploration and Rock-type Pokémon. There was a fair boost of XP during this event, which did help me attain the "general" status, but most of it was emphasized on the release of the Shiny forms of Onix, Lileep, and Anorith, as well as of their evolved forms. There were also several Field Research tasks oriented to some of these Rock-type Pokémon, which also happened to involve the Fossil Pokémon of the present generations. This one had something for everyone, even if the demands might have been enormous.

During this month, each Wednesday had a Legendary Raid Hour, corresponding to "dinner" from 6 to 7 PM. The concept hadn't changed much from April since they were introduced, but the bosses involved did. The first two Wednesdays had Cresselia as the raid boss, taking over from the Lake Beings and having its Shiny form; the last two Wednesdays had a revisit from Kyogre, itself having replaced Cresselia. As of now, Kyogre has finished its run and handed over the spotlight to Groudon. It remains to be seen whether it too will have Legendary Raid Hour(s) during the next month.

The biggest thing this month was the first stop of the Pokémon Go Summer Tour with the holding of Pokémon Go Fest Chicago in the middle of the month. This also involved Professor Willow's Global Challenge with the Candy-based rewards by Spark, which was achieved quite dramatically. The Candy rewards had been in place over the week after its conclusion, but the final bonus of Raikou Raid Day only came today. Like previous Raid Days, it also involved its Shiny form, and I'm happy to say that I'm the proud owner of one of these after a dramatic afternoon as well - it being held from 4 PM to 7 PM. Everyone should still have achieved good results.

This June, the time had been right for the events in the game. There was a time to sleep and then to rise up, then a time to be with legends for one hour and a good part of a day. It seems some of that had been borne within the right and even dramatic amount of time, making them "just in time" in many ways. So too is this event rollup, being just in time as a certain part wraps up and the month itself wraps up. That has to amount to be just right.

One year ago: Monotype (of) Sorts
Two years ago: 3DS Circle Pad and Pokémon Games... Plus My Experience

The Path of (the) Silph

I've mentioned in a few posts about a certain tracker and competition helper for Pokémon Go, and it's something that needs to be discussed sooner or later. That tracker and competition helper is run by an independent entity called The Silph Road, which organizes competitions as part of The Silph League Arena. Its namesake is clear: "Silph Co." is the corporation that is established in Saffron City of the Kanto region in the main series of Pokémon games. Thus, "The Silph Road" name plays on the Silk Road, the famous cross-continental real trade route that connects many regions. And like that route, it does connect the players of Pokémon Go in some ways.

On the tracker side, it provides info on present in-game elements, including available Pokémon, current raid bosses, and possible Egg hatches (as well as Field Research tasks, which happen to be new). For raids, there is a guide on the number of Trainers needed, and for Egg hatches, there is a guide on the likelihoods of obtaining certain Pokémon. Even so, features for these seem to be at a minimum, with many being recently added. For a rudimentary guide, it seems fine enough.

The real connective aspect is through player profiles in the form of "Trainer Cards", which keep track of certain Pokémon Go data, including XP and Pokédex, though these have to be manually updated. Registered players can also register their meetings with one another through "handshakes" using four-digit codes and checking in during major meet-ups. Players may also be able to report the movements of specific Pokémon in the game and be credited for it. This leaves lots of room to connect with others and relate with certain game statistics.

The heart of connecting with each other, of course, is related to competing with each other through tournaments, and The Silph League Arena furnishes and aids in that for The Silph Road players. Players may be involved as participants as well as organizers, reporting outcomes and resolving disputes. The systems run based on player input, including what Pokémon participants enter. The results and stats are transparent and available for everyone, which encourages all to be honest; they too provide achievements to the player profile. Everyone connects, and tournaments both large and small run well; that has to be a good thing.

For all its independence, The Silph Road and its League Arena have a lot to offer. They supplement and encourage further gameplay in ways that the game itself doesn't have. Connectivity is also highly evident in the offered methods to link up with each other, as well as with the comprehensive tournament system. The path of The Silph Road has shown itself to be a veritable path for many players of Pokémon Go, and it's likely to persist for some time in the same way that the trade route of similar name has.

One year ago: Go Gets Social
Two years ago: LINE Pokémon Themes

Club 40 ID Tournament Memorabilia

Last Saturday's tournament wouldn't be a great tournament without some great memorabilia. Everyone that attended, whether as observing audience or participating competitor, received a few things, and those that did special things in the tournament got a few more things. With what transpired in the tournament, I got quite a few of them, as can be seen in the photo below.

Everyone who attended the tournament and registered as part of the audience or competitors received a lanyard with an ID (in the middle). These are tagged with four-digit numbers, which could be drawn to win giveaways during the tournament. I didn't win anything from the giveaways - and if I did, I probably would have reported it earlier - but this is a fine idea for a tournament this big and important. The first 200 registered audience members received a special ID signed by Brandon Tan, but I was obviously a competitor and didn't get one. Instead, I opted to have one pin signed by Brandon Tan as part of the two pins (on the right) I was offered to have. The other pin is an interesting Mewtwo one.

During the tournament, certain battles were shown on a big screen, and one of my battles was picked. The compensation for this honor, for both competitors win or lose, is another pin (or it would be better described as a badge), the smaller object above the two round pins. It has the image of the Rainbow battle theme emblem, which comes from the battle theme organizer that I've yet to discuss. It has two parts to it: the front of the badge itself, and the back, which holds the badge in place. The front part is placed to puncture a surface, then the back holds it in place. Similar pins or badges have been designed for the type symbols as used in Pokémon Go, which a friend has but I don't.

The best memorabilia I got from the tournament is one of the prizes for taking third place in the cosplay competition. That would be the leftmost object in the photo. It's a small trophy/plaque that commemorates the tournament. The object is made more interesting because it has an electrical component, which explains the cord and the plug behind it. When plugged in, the trophy lights up with a nice light purple hue.

I can imagine that at night, this would create a spectacle, so it would be great to plug this in when I'm showing things off. At other times, especially to conserve power, I can let the image speak for itself and leave it unplugged. Of course, lighted electrical devices like these can't conceivably last forever, and the light will eventually cease to function. However, it is hoped that the plaque image will persist for some time, along with the memory of the tournament.

This tournament has been effectively the only bright spot in a weekend outing with gloom and doom. In any case, its memory will persist, even if I'd happily let go of the others surrounding it. The memorabilia from the tournament will surely help in that regard. Their remarkable designs only help to sweeten the memories, which will make them more desirable to remember. I'm certain that's the case for me and others who received similar memorabilia from it.

One year ago: Leaders
Two years ago: A Little Dream

Pokémon and the Visually Impaired

The story of the visually impaired person competing at last Saturday's tournament, which I detailed in the emotions post from the other day, got me to think. Not every person in this world have normal vision. Some people may be slightly impaired, others may be more severely impaired, and yet others may be almost unable to see. That could present an impediment to how they could enjoy Pokémon, though there may still be ways that they could.

Those that are slightly impaired in their vision should be able to take in all the sights of Pokémon and enjoy them as any others would with normal vision. They might require corrective devices like glasses, and that's fine; even people in the world of Pokémon use them too, one of the notable ones being Max, May's little brother. Their experience should be more or less like most everybody that enjoys Pokémon, even if their corrective devices make them out to be different, which is something that shouldn't happen.

For people that are more severely impaired in their vision, things may be somewhat more problematic. The true heart and soul of Pokémon are the creatures that bear that name, and to not be able to see them in their true form would seem disappointing. But if anything, with whatever vision that may be retained, something could at least be seen, and that should be appreciated by the viewer and honored by everyone. The competitor relied on sounds the other day to compete, and this is surely an important and helpful thing as well.

As for those that are almost unable to see, this would be a real disappointment. In that case, the experience would have to be fully through sounds, voices, and music. It would almost be like an audio or radio drama for those concerned. It has been said that these people do dream, but not with visuals; perhaps the experience would be like those dreams. Needless to say, they would need a great deal of assistance just to be able to experience things, and so they should be gladly provided with it.

Though Pokémon is a highly visual phenomenon, even those who have problems with vision might and should be able to enjoy it as well. Heaven forbid I (or others with normal vision) would lose it, but in the dreadful case that it does happen, hopefully Pokémon could still be enjoyed, even if the experience wouldn't be the same. But like the person, with some effort, anything may just be possible.

One year ago: Retro Music and Modern Music
Two years ago: More LINE Pokémon Stickers

Evoked Emotions

As a Pokémon fan, I've had the experience of enjoying many things related to it. These include the many games and forms of entertainment. And with that experience also comes something fascinating: a wide range of emotions can be evoked by how these things are enjoyed and/or taken to mean. That's a significant thing for all the things related to this media franchise and the people that enjoy them, so some of that bears at least some amount of explanation.

The most obvious emotion is happiness. Many Pokémon things mean nothing if they can't be enjoyed to result in happiness. For many fans, this really does mean different things. This might be as simple as qualifying for a tournament and getting good results, or happening upon a Shiny Legendary Pokémon, or reading or watching a good Pokémon story unfold until the very end. These are just some of the endless possibilities for happiness with anything Pokémon, and as the world of this franchise expands, so too do the possibilities. As fans explore, there will always be new things that evoke happiness.

Granted, not everything that happens with Pokémon is happy. There are sad moments as well. The emotion is evoked if, say, a battle is lost even though there was a slight chance for victory at the end. Stories or plots which unfold like the fifth feature film is a cause for evoked sadness as well. Seeing a good Pokémon player suddenly becoming unable to play certainly makes for sadness for that player and any other player who commiserates. Needless to say, things like these are things that should ideally be avoided.

There are also in-between emotions. At the tournament from Saturday, one of the competitors happened to be a visually impaired person. That person had insisted to come and play in the tournament despite the visual impairment, relying mostly on sounds, as the person described it. The struggle of the person made many people happy and sad at the same time (even leaving some in wonder), and so the person was rewarded with a Mimikyu plush. It's certainly one of the more interesting stories that occur with Pokémon and its fans.

I suppose whoever enjoys Pokémon will feel some kind of emotion being evoked from experiences. Most of the emotions will no doubt be happy, as that is how Pokémon should be rightfully enjoyed. Sometimes there will be sadness, even if one tries hard to avoid it. And between them is a plethora of emotions that may have elements of both happiness and sadness. Given all our experiences with Pokémon, in due time, we may just continue to feel greater varieties of evoked emotions.

One year ago: Promoting Local Establishments with Go
Two years ago: Four Notions

The Show Must Go On

In the tournament post, I mentioned that I just had one of my worst days ever. The reason would be that I lost my phone less than a day before it, putting my participation at risk. However, I had come so far that not participating was out of the question, for myself or otherwise. It was a big "show" for me, and so was the entire weekend.

Thus, within the time span of a few hours, I had to recover all that I can recover from my old phone, including Pokémon Go. And I could, surprisingly; with just that much time, I was able to get back almost everything on my old phone, including Go, allowing me to get back to the business at hand, which is preparing for the tournament.

But then there is the "almost" part. Stuff that I didn't get back included many of the more recent camera photos, including of the cosplay cards - yet I was fortunate to have uploaded them to the blog post before the incident. As well, many of the more recent Pokémon Go snapshots were also lost, which is regrettable. I didn't have the forethought or ability to backup most of these, and so they are gone. 

Even now, with a new phone, I now face a different crisis, one that may be more grave. That is why I mentioned the rethinking of going to really far away opportunities like these for some time, though I may make one exception in the near future. This is also precisely the reason why I'm hesitant to make myself closer to such opportunities (in other words, move), even if Pokémon in general could be involved to a greater degree.

I've stated previously that Pokémon could be likened to a "show" for me, and it still is. And the current show is a tragedy that I have to stomach. It means a lot of things, and one of those things is that I have to take a few steps back before I keep moving forward, certainly always with Pokémon in tow.

The show must go on.

One year ago: Jumping the 'Karp

Two years ago: Married... to Pikachu?

Cosplay: ENNICHISAI 2019 + CLAS:H/ICGP Nationals

Me: Don't get too relaxed from yesterday's tournament, because I've got this one from last year for you too.

Ash: Oh yeah! It's so great they're on the same weekend.

Pikachu: Pika! [enthusiastic]

Me: As always, this event has a lot of things to show off. But that means it draws a lot of people from everywhere, including us.

Ash: I know! It was a sea of people last year, and this year it's the same - maybe more! I can't Surf through it.

Me: But you still managed to have some fun, right? What happened this time?

Ash: I met a person at the start of today. We got along, so we became buddies for the day. That's fun for us.

Me: It has to be. Having a buddy or "assistant" is quite useful. It helps to keep one's pace.

Ash: The entertainment is neat and it's not all on the same stage. So I can check out one and then move again if I'm not interested.

Me: But then there's the sea of people, right?

Pikachu: Pika!!! [frustrated]

Ash: Yeah, there's that. And it was hot too! Groudon may have been somewhere near.

Me: That didn't stop people from coming, though.

Ash: Yeah, and hey, I got you in the character parade!

Me: That's something that's always there, so that's absolute. How'd that go?

Ash: I guess it wasn't our day - the judges didn't pick me as a favorite. 

Me: With hundreds of participants, that seems to be mostly the case.

Ash: Hmm, right. Oh yeah, I saw some of your character friends in the national competition. They were really great on stage! I wish I could be up there, but you know how we are.

Me: That's true. Any other interesting things?

Ash: I met Red, but he didn't bring a Pokémon.

Me: Oh wow! That has to be a sight. Don't you love it when that happens?

Ash: Sure! I also met someone who played Pokémon music for me.

Me: That too just had to be heard. By the way, I have some bad news. I'm afraid this edition may be the last for now. As you saw, it's just too much year after year, and that's a problem. The people who run it plan to rethink the concept, but it may take some time.

Pikachu: Pika pika... [dejected]

Ash: Oh no! Well, it seems like even you and I had problems, just by coming here! Maybe we can think about coming really far away like this next time?

Me: I think we really have to. There are some heavy things on my mind.

One year ago: Gym Rework, One Year Later
Two years ago: Pokémon Go Gym Rework

Tournament+Cosplay: Club 40 Indonesia Tournament

No, you're not seeing double. This event involves both tournament and cosplay. For that...

Me: OK, so this is a really big Pokémon tournament, and I've decided to send you, and Pikachu as well.

Ash: Wow! I like this one! Pikachu, we need to give it our best for this one.

Pikachu: Pika pika!!! [energetic]

Ash: What have you got for me?

Me: The tournament is a Pokémon Go PvP tournament with the Rainbow theme, and I've prepared a team for you, at least what I can muster for it.

Ash: Sure, I'll be happy to work with it. What about the character thing?

Me: That's the interesting part. The character competition is during the tournament, to see who has the best characters as they battle. What's more, there's a buddy competition for you, Pikachu!

Pikachu: Pika pi! Pika pika! [with excitement]

Me: That one is about the one who has the best buddy Pokémon with them as they battle. Neat, huh? And since you two are together, it works out!

Ash: That's really nice! I'm thrilled, and so is Pikachu!

Me: Yeah, so am I! The only problem is that this one is really, really far away, and... I'm sorry to say that I had a bunch of problems in sending you, and I almost couldn't. I... I... [sob]

Ash: I know how you feel. Life as a Pokémon Trainer is hard, especially the way you are with all the things you need to do. I guess it's a miracle that you were able to still do it for me.

Pikachu: Pi, pika. [consoling]

Me: Thank you. Pokémon means a lot for the both of us, and I think you would agree. OK, so this tournament drew lots of participants. 400+ said they were interested, but only 280 ended up actually coming.

Ash: Yeah! I saw. It was a lot of people for Pokémon. I think you'd be surprised.

Me: I already am! Now, the impetus for this tournament could be said to be because of the coming of a certain guy named Brandon Tan, the world's number one Pokémon Go player. I'm told he's a great guy.

Ash: He is!

Me: Whoaaa!!! He has further plans - which I'll discuss later on - but this is incredible! Thank you!!

Ash: No problem! Everything is good for everyone who likes Pokémon, right?

Me: You bet! For this one, a few of my raid fellows and associates came as well. I originally didn't care, but then I found out about the character competition, so I just had to send you in. I really wouldn't have otherwise.

Ash: Well, sure! I'm sure you would like to find out how I did with the Pokémon you gave me, right?

Me: That's an absolute thing.

Ash: So for the first three battles, I lost. And then I won my fourth and sixth, and the other Trainer wasn't there for the fifth. Then I lost the two next ones, and the other Trainer had problems. Oh yeah, one of my battles was shown on a screen - that was fun for everyone to see.

Me: Four wins (two by forfeit) and five losses. That's OK, and at least there are two legitimate wins, more than even in my local tournament. It's a bit of an improvement. And I love that that happened.

Ash: And you'll like this one: third place for the character competition!

Me: YAY!

Pikachu: Pika pika pika!!! [exhilarated]

Me: Well, I guess it's not too bad.

Ash: Pikachu didn't win the buddy competition. The ones who won look good, and Pikachu is, well... Pikachu!

Pikachu: Pi. [firmly]

Me: That's OK too. After having what was one of my worst days, this is a relief. More on this soon. I guess this was a good day and a good tournament.

Ash: Yeah! You have to see if you can send me again.

Pikachu: Pika! [interrupting]

Ash: Yeah, Pikachu too.

Me: No promises, but it may just happen. This tournament is quite promising, though, as a step to even bigger ones. The people here can't thank Brandon Tan enough, and we all appreciate his coming.

Ash: Me too!

Me: I'm sure the future of these tournaments look bright, and so does my future.

One year ago: Food Chain Axioms
Two years ago: Technology, Good and Evil

Cosplay Card, Fourth Version

It's been somewhat of a long time since I've had the third version of my cosplay card, which as I've explained in the previous post, was an attempt to create a fully Pokémon-themed cosplay card. Time has gone by and I've never had the chance to (re)design it the way it ought to be, let alone update it. All that changed recently, and now I finally have the fourth version of my cosplay card.

The Mystery Gift-inspired design of the previous version has been thrown out, and in its place is what I term as a classic-meets-modern design. The classic part is that it includes the system characters of the original first-generation games on the Game Boy; the modern part is that it also has the font of the 3DS Pokémon main series games, which is simply the 3DS system font slightly condensed. As well, the arrangement of the cosplay photos - which now include Ash's seventh-generation (SM) outfit - slightly recalls the one on the second version, even though this is a new design with the sleek metallic background. The background even contains the silhouettes of the first 151 Pokémon as well as of Ash himself, representing the archetype of a Pokémon Trainer.

Well, at least it's supposed to have the silhouettes. When I printed the cards, I thought the print shop printed it too dark, so dark that I and a friend couldn't even see the silhouettes. I reprinted a smaller amount at a different print shop, and they looked better, but perhaps still a little too dark. I have come to the conclusion that the final image itself is just too dark (though the design is fine) and will try to print a lighter version once most of the cards I've printed out have been consumed.

Finally, I have an admission to make. I didn't make the design of this card all by myself. I collaborated with a friend on this design. That friend sent me a draft of the card design and the vision for it, and I realized the remainder of the vision as well as the finishing. And that friend is... the girl fan who I have written about previously. This is the collaboration that I also mentioned in that post. If you can't tell by now, she delves into visual arts, and she's really good at what she does. That said, I've credited part of the design to her on the card in the lower-left corner using her Instagram handle (akimaoru) just so people know. The emphasis is here as well.

The first opportunity for me to use these cards just happen to be... tomorrow, and the next day. I'll discuss them as they happen on their respective days. But right now, at least I can rejoice (or perhaps not so much) in having an updated card that is helpful in popularizing me as much as it popularizes my attachment to Pokémon.

One year ago: Local Ex-Raid (and Complications), 6/21/2018
Two years ago: Resets and Redos

Thematic Battles

Most Pokémon battles are typically free affairs, meaning that one is free to use most different kinds of Pokémon. That somewhat explains the National Pokédex brouhaha that brewed last week. But what if battles were more constrained by other requirements, forcing Trainers to use a more limited yet perhaps harmonious subset of Pokémon? The result would then be called "thematic battles", and it would be a story worth telling.

Admittedly, though, competitive VGC battling for the main series of Pokémon games has implemented this to some extent. Each year, the format changes to allow or disallow certain groups of Pokémon, most notably Legendary Pokémon. The current format, VGC 2019, even has three sub-formats that differ in the usage of specific Pokémon. Apart from that, however, there is still a broad spectrum of Pokémon that Trainers can choose from to battle one another, so there isn't really a "theme" in the strictest sense; if there is, it usually has been interpreted by the players, with some variations thereof. The point is that there may or may not be a theme, but what is there is a broad range of possibilities.

Meanwhile, in competitive PvP battling for Pokémon Go, thematic battles are thriving well, thanks in large part to the tracker and competition helper that popularizes them. The theme for the month of June is "Rainbow", which restricts all Pokémon to be from the first or second generation (no Alolan forms either) and to have at least one type of Fire, Electric, Bug, Grass, or Water - hence, a "rainbow" with their traditionally assigned colors. A prior theme was "Kingdom", which is easily remembered because of the clash of "dragon fire and cold steel", which obviously suggests the type restrictions, with "cold" referring to Ice types. Their uniqueness may also be the thing that keeps them going.

Evidently, one benefit of a theme is that it "levels out the playing field", in a way, by making everyone work from the same limited pool of resources. By packaging everything in a theme concept, it also promises excitement by itself. One big downside is that some people might not want to work with limited resources; some of these people might also be the ones who have called for National Dex inclusion. As well, the meta game for these limited resources might reveal itself fairly quickly, but this is a blessing or curse depending on the player in question. Thus, thematic battles may or may not suit certain players.

However it's regarded, the concept of thematic battles present something quite different to the table. On one hand, they may become restrictive and challenging. On the other hand, that may just make them festive and exciting. Whether it's VGC or PvP, this concept is worthwhile to be explored and developed so that Trainers are not only challenged by battling freely but also by battling harmoniously.

One year ago: Losing Touch and Keeping in Touch

Two years ago: Pokémon Exclusivity

LINE Pokémon Emoji

Anyone who is familiar with instant messaging apps of the recent era will no doubt be familiar with emoji (derived from Japanese, meaning "picture character"). It's an expansion of the concept of emoticons with a more pictorial appearance. The instant messaging app LINE some time ago added the ability to purchase and use special emoji packs pertaining to different things (both official and indie or creators'), and one of those official things happens to be Pokémon. It was one of the earliest packs to be added, and I recently got it a short while ago.

Emoji, like stickers, are purchased from the sticker store. The cost for the Pokémon emoji is 100 coins, equivalent to the price of sticker packs. What one gets for that price is a pack composed of 40 emoji, which is equivalent in number to a standard non-enhanced sticker pack. The emoji can be used per their intended purpose, which is to be inserted in message text to add emotions. However, emoji can also be used on their own without accompanying text, and in doing so, they appear larger, almost like a mini-sticker. So for this Pokémon emoji (as well as any other), I'm essentially getting a free sticker pack as well, only with the added perk that these can be inserted into text, making them rather flexible.

The assortment of featured Pokémon is pretty good too. The de facto series mascot Pikachu gets six emoji while Piplup gets five. Piplup tends to be a favorite of a smattering of fans, including one in my figure group, so it's no wonder that it got a few here. The rest are composed of many Pokémon from the first and second generations, with a handful from later generations. Rounding out the emoji pack are the "Big Four" types of Poké Balls, which should offer a way to decorate messages. They're all quite expressive as well.

The art style here is pixelated retro. The Pokémon and Poké Balls appear as if they were taken out of one of the classic main series Pokémon games. The pixelation is even shown clearly when the emoji are used on their own and enlarged. On the other hand, they are supposed to be mostly used inserted into text, so that's fine. My favorites from here are the ones with Pikachu and Piplup, though I have to say Meowth and Wobbuffet look pretty expressive as well.

Unlike stickers, this is the only Pokémon emoji pack that currently exists. But given how other things have multiple emoji packs, future Pokémon emoji packs may be expected. I, for one, would like to have an all-Pikachu pack, or at least more of Pikachu and Piplup in one pack. Emoji packs could also have Pokémon items, of which Poké Balls are a small part of that. For now, this emoji pack looks to be a great start. Anyone who uses LINE and want to integrate Pokémon into their messages as an alternative to sending stickers can do so with this emoji pack.

One year ago: The Super Incubator
Two years ago: The Badge Arcade Hit Its Limits

On Copyrights

I actually wanted to make this post right after I made the one about the "officialness" of things, but then I had to let the big news in my Pokémon Go tenure break out. No matter; a topic is a topic, and a post is a post. The thing is, it's hard to talk about the official nature of things without talking about the legal side of things. It's something that perhaps most people or even most Pokémon fans don't often discuss. But as an intensely passionate Pokémon fan, I feel that I have to discuss it to some extent.

The three parties that have a hand in just about all Pokémon-related things are Nintendo, Creatures, and Game Freak. They are also the ones that I've acknowledged in the copyright notice on this blog. Nintendo is the brand owner, Creatures is a secondary developer and media creator, and Game Freak is the primary developer and originator. What they do with Pokémon is what enables all fans around the world to enjoy it in various forms, even as something that some people consider far removed as Pokémon Go, for which they are also ultimately credited in its various sites. (Creatures did the Pokémon models for Go and some other games.) They certainly hold the copyright.

Meanwhile, the entity known as The Pokémon Company acts to manage, market, and license all things Pokémon, including the games and media. It was established by the trio above for these purposes. There's one arm for Japan and one arm for America and Europe (The Pokémon Company International, often abbreviated as TPCi), as well as other divisions for certain regions. They're responsible for "who-gets-what" matters, like the English TCG for English-speaking regions and the localized TCG for certain markets. So no matter what, everything goes back to the copyright holders somehow.

As for this blog, the writings and text are my own, of course. I don't own any stake in any of them, and I most likely never will. I'm not affiliated with them either, and I'm just one passionate person. But someday, if a Pokémon book by me is ever realized, then they will surely have some sway over it. And it would just be an absolute dream to be able to directly contribute somehow to any of them, even if the "how" is unclear. Yet I'm sure my penchant for writing and passion for Pokémon will have a role in that.

In a nutshell, Pokémon is theirs. They have the copyright (and thus, supreme authority) over all things Pokémon. People like me can make creations that tie into Pokémon - such as this blog - but only by their blessing do things really become official. Yet while Pokémon doesn't belong to everyone, Pokémon is for everyone. I'm sure that I and they would agree on this matter.

One year ago: Boxes of Go-Goodies
Two years ago: There Is Only One Ball

I'm a "General"!

Over a year ago, I discussed the term or title of "general" as it might apply in a particular context related to Pokémon Go and specifically my raid group. It's a term and title referring to those who have (currently) maxed out at Level 40 in the game. To reach this point, it may take a long time, and the struggle may be hard. And after nearly two years of (re)playing the game...

I've done it. Today, I'm a "general"!

I earned the necessary XP to level up to Level 40 today by way of a well-timed friend cascade. Two friends were waiting to become Ultra Friends with me and I only needed less than 100000 XP to go up. So we agreed to open gifts on this day, and when the cascade occurred, I leveled up. Technically, I could have done without a Lucky Egg, but I still chose to activate one, for a reason that I will detail shortly. With that, it seems most of the XP I gained during my time at Level 39 were earned by way of increased Friendship degrees.

Now that I have reached Level 40, there are a few freedoms that are available to me. If major new features were to be introduced into the game, such as friends or the improved camera, I would be one of the first to experience them if gradual rollouts were to happen, as with those features. Most importantly, because I reside in Indonesia, I can take advantage of PokéStop nominations to expand the overworld where I am. This latter feature has been something that I've awaited eagerly, and it seems some of the others in my raid group have too.

At this point, I've gained all the XP I need for full progress through the level tiers. Even so, XP will continue to be important; I don't stop collecting XP just because I've reached Level 40 - the game continues to track my accumulated XP, something that I've mentioned two months ago regarding the level cap. If at some point the level cap is raised, then I may already have a head start on that. Therefore, I'll still be using Lucky Eggs during very important moments, especially during friend cascades; I get four of them upon leveling up to 40, so that affirms that in a way.

It has been said that Level 40 is only a beginning, despite it being the end of the current level tiers. It alludes to the adage of "life begins at 40", only here in regard to level tiers. I'll believe that, with all the things I can do now and still do as the game continues to expand. For this newly inducted "general", the experience of playing Pokémon Go can only go onward and upward from here.

One year ago: Viewpoints and Preferences
Two years ago: Hounds and Hyenas, Canines of the Dark

The State of Officialness

Some weeks ago, there was a slight discussion among some of my Pokémon fellows on the state of some things that have links to Pokémon. The discussion concerns the officialness of those things. On the surface, this might seem obvious and only two-sided, being that things are either official or not. However, I'm inclined to think that there might be a certain gray area in that characterization, depending on how close they are to being official. Official things remain official, of course, but beyond that, it may be possible to delineate their degrees to becoming official.

Something that really illustrates this point are some things related to Pokémon Go. The game itself is official, as TPC gave blessings to Niantic for the creation and development of this game. But then there are also certain tools that coexist with the game (but not intrude into the actual game, which would invalidate them) to aid the game; though unofficial, they seem to be welcomed, and these could be considered to be one step away. There is also a tracker and competition helper system which is also popular - and probably deserves its own post sometime later - but it's by no means official either. It would suffice to consider it two steps removed.

To a further extent, there would be the various other web sites related to Pokémon. There is a Pokémon portal site that is hugely popular among fans, and its popularity and standing puts it at two steps away. A step away from that would be sites like this blog and other sites of devotion or with a personal nature. After that, everything else (for example, sites that hold other Pokémon content - without specification) is just plainly distant and plainly unofficial; they're just so far removed.

Could some of these become closer? It's possible, but it would take some advancements as well. If a functionality in Pokémon Go could supplant the use of the tools above, then that would make the tools closer to official, though arguably it could drive them out as well. If the tracker and competition helper were to be blessed in some way, it would become a step closer at the least. As for the sites, if they could leverage a connection to something official, then it would bring up their standing, though maybe they'd still be a bit distant. The rest would remain where they are.

Still, for hard-and-fast purposes, things are either official or aren't. But for certain unofficial things, they may have distinctions or features that set them apart from others and makes them appear closer to official, though they still aren't. Regardless of their official nature, if they exist for fans of Pokémon, fans will surely make use of them somehow. And somehow that may just bode well for the continuance of Pokémon and everything related.

One year ago: Pokémon Go Community Day, 6/16/2018
Two years ago: Limited Editions

Code Affairs

It's been a few days since the National Pokédex affair, and the controversy has not died down online. In fact, it has only heated up some more and has even spilled over into scrutinizing the technical aspects, including what may be known of the game code (though not of the games in question). Personally, it does seem like it's a bit much for this Pokémon fan; there are a few Pokémon things that I could scrutinize to some extent, but the game code isn't really one of them. And yet, code remains a vital part of Pokémon, in particular the games.

The Pokémon games are video games that run on consoles, but at their hearts, they're essentially computer programs that run on computer-like devices; Pokémon Go could be included, for what are today's smartphones if they aren't computers in miniature. They may be programmed in the same ways, and if rather unfortunate, may have bugs that interfere with how they should operate. These are things that not just anyone knows - including me, but I'll get to that in a second - but the people that know them obviously know a lot of things, including how to realize the games in a form that any fan (also including me) can love. They deserve lots of credit.

As for myself, I'm not a programmer. I've taken a couple of programming classes in my school years, but I didn't really enjoy them despite getting good grades. Today, my background is mostly with the social sciences, though knowledge of natural sciences and mathematics (which ties into computer science) still persist and in my view are important as well. What I can do is to scrutinize Pokémon more through social affairs, issues, and matters, but not really touch on the game code, though if at all, it may be on the surface. Beyond that, it's something that I can't really authorize myself to do. Computer code in general is a complex affair that boggles the mind of those who don't know what they're in for. I can't and won't deal with Pokémon code, but I'm happy to enjoy Pokémon and deal with it in other ways.

The prospect of no National Pokédex and a limited (though perhaps not very) assortment of Pokémon is a little depressing to be sure. But it's also depressing in some ways to see people (fans) go into the game code and tear it apart, possibly without sufficient knowledge or authorization. The code is important, but not so much for me, or maybe even the controversy in a general sense. At this point, what is perhaps important is that the controversy dies down and that the game code is excluded from it.

One year ago: Number One for...
Two years ago: 15^th Feature Film Mini-Figures

Integration Prospects

I can't discuss about gloom-and-doom things like chaos and darkness forever, so now it would be better to discuss more enlivening things. One of those is the prospect of "integrations" for a couple of Pokémon-related things. They're "integrations" because they have the same spirit as such, even with various differentiating aspects. To me, they still present some intrigue to me as a Pokémon fan.

One of those "integrations" concerns the Pokémon logo. The international version of the logo with the blue-and-yellow color scheme is nothing new; it's been around since it was introduced to a welcoming and grateful world. What seems to be new, however, is that even the East is adopting facets of this logo. The logos for the upcoming Sword and Shield games in Japanese have the "Pokémon" ("Pocket Monsters") portion in the same style as the international logo, only of course in Japanese script. In fact, the game logos are essentially the same all around, save for the script. As well, the recently announced Pokémon Quest for China has a logo that partially uses the blue and yellow. Admittedly, though, there are also precedents, like the Korean version of the second series of the Mystery Dungeon games using the blue and yellow, as well as Pokémon Asia using the international logo with the "Asia" tag, rather than the recolored logo. All these could be considered "integrations" in some sense and to a certain extent.

Another "integration" concerns the recently announced Pokémon Home service. At present, it risks recalling some of the unsavory things that have transpired, but this has to be discussed anyway for its more uplifting aspects. When this is realized, it will link up five Pokémon games and one previous service. So many Pokémon games are linked up by this one service, which is astounding. Though it wouldn't be possible to retract Pokémon back to where they came from (except for one link), the intermingling is admittedly neat. Details are of course still scant as to its actual realization, but the promise of a holding place for many Pokémon is intriguing. It surely can be expanded later on, especially if it becomes well-maintained, and that means greater integration.

I would say that these integrations are making things better for Pokémon. The international logo being (re-)integrated shows how powerful of an indicator it has become. The Pokémon Home service offers a neat holding place at the least and definitive integrated links at best. With all the gloom-and-doom that has unfolded these past couple of days, I'm happier still even with little things like these integrations, and would be even happier if they lead into something much more.

One year ago: More Pokémon Paper Things
Two years ago: Poké-Crafts Made out of Paper

Chaos and Darkness

What I love about Pokémon is that it makes me and a whole lot of other people happy. However, as with any other fandom, chaos and darkness may result. The latest is the non-inclusivity information and announcement from the other day; not only has this resulted in a petition as mentioned, it also has led to a flurry of "dislike" on the YouTube video that concerns this. This is evidently chaos blooming due to a perceived "darkness".

I took the two primary keywords of the title and topic of this post from a statement that I found emblazoned on a wall. The statement itself wasn't really related to Pokémon, but the "chaos and darkness" part spoke to me. It made me think about the information and announcement from yesterday and how things are seemingly spiraling into just that, what with the petition and the flurry of "dislikes", the latter for which I'm sad to say that one of my fellows (indicated to) have joined in.

On a different note, of chaos and darkness themselves, the world of Pokémon could be said to nurture them, in a way. Ghost, Dark, and Psychic types are all around, and it has been established from the games, and anime, and pretty much everywhere that they can wreak substantial havoc if they so desired. The kinds of havoc they wreak might not measure up to what has recently transpired, but some people and fans might think it might lead up to that. I personally hope that it's not so and wouldn't be so.

Chaos and darkness (and a bit of controversy) is nothing new to and with Pokémon. Reports from the first Go Fest have spoken of a few distraught players complaining about the bugs in the game as well as some things there. The first transition of the English voice actors for the dub of the anime also caused a bit of furor, to which I'm sad to say that I might have been involved in a part of it. And then there was the "incident" with the anime, which could be said to have left more than chaos and darkness in its wake, and should be discussed differently, though not soon.

Pokémon is overall something that gives happiness and fun. But every once in a while, chaos and darkness seems to like to perturb into that. The newest information about the soon-to-be new games appears to be as such. It has to be kept in check so that it doesn't become real chaos and darkness as could be caused by certain Pokémon, or yet another major one in a list of them. After that, it's back to more happiness and fun as it should be.

One year ago: Singular vs. Multiple Focus Legendaries
Two years ago: I Don't Want to Miss a Thing

Nationally Challenged

It has become apparent, through some new information about the Sword and Shield main series games, that the game will have a truly limited assortment of Pokémon in its Pokédex, in a way; Pokémon from the upcoming Home service cannot be transferred to the games if they aren't in the Pokédex of the Galar region. This is in contrast to the games of the previous generation, which accepts Pokémon of all prior generations, essentially having a National Pokédex, though there isn't really one per se in it. The concept is important, yet has become challenged.

The cited reason for this exclusion is that including every single species in the National Pokédex would consume a large amount of development time for the games. I can see why this would be so; these two games are new for a new console and essentially constitute a "reprogramming". With over 800 Pokémon (and more in this upcoming generation), it does seem like that is the case. I would think that space and/or system limits are also a concern to some extent. Even if they weren't, time is still the crucial issue regardless. Pokémon isn't going to get lighter with each new generation, but at the same time, "Saffron City wasn't built in a single day".

Yet, the National Pokédex has become somewhat of a tradition in the main series games. Other games may be permitted to have lesser subsets of Pokémon owing to a number of different considerations, but the main series games ought to have every Pokémon, as the heart of everything, including the English slogan and competitive battling. Some feel that denying the full lineup would be tantamount to denying certain generations (the most extreme form being the case of "genwunners") and therefore all-inclusiveness must not be questioned.

To that end, a petition has arisen for all-inclusiveness of Pokémon in the Sword and Shield games. Interestingly, I discovered the petition just as I was brainstorming what I should write for today, and this firmly established the topic for today's post. The demand is to include everything, even if this means a protracted development or gradual updates (perhaps in the manner of Go). The realization of the response to this petition remains to be seen. It may very well just succeed, and a path may be forged for that.

In the meantime, it's clear that the National Pokédex concept is becoming a shaky one. On one hand, it's purely and simply tradition, but on the other hand, it's a big task for it to be implemented in the main series games, which for many fans is regarded as the be-all and end-all of Pokémon. The honoring, appeasement, and implementation of this concept is truly a challenge in many ways, especially now with Sword and Shield at hand and perhaps at stake as well.

One year ago: Before Gold and Silver
Two years ago: Red on a Bike

Field Research Task Reporting

Field Research in Pokémon Go has been around for a good long while now, but the changing nature of the feature makes it always viable for discussion. One of those discussions concern something that I and many groups of players have to deal on a regular basis. As all players know, the Field Research tasks found in each PokéStop change each day. Therefore, it makes sense to be reporting them each day as well. It's a simple matter on the surface, but it's something that's slightly problematic deep below regarding the "why" and "how".

The problem is that many players may be loath to report the tasks they find, especially if they're not interesting enough and/or there's no event that features them as a key part. I confess that I sometimes fall into this camp, most of the time being practical or minimal about the tasks that I get and sometimes to the point of forgetting them after I complete them. There's the utility value that is lost: as a real example, there was once a PokéStop next to a Gym with a task that rewarded 1000 Stardust for winning a raid, and a raid conveniently appeared in the Gym - players would have overlooked the PokéStop task had no one reported (and received the report) about it. Therefore, even meager tasks may be important to be reported, for it may be useful to undertake or even to skip over, and that players ought to not be so loath in reporting in general.

After the "why" comes the "how". My raid group keeps track of some Field Research tasks by an ever-expanding list that everyone can copy and add. It's simple to execute, but this method could be considered low-tech, even if the data is kept electronically. What would be more high-tech is keeping a database that is flushed every day, to which everyone enters the PokéStop and task data, which then can be seen by just about everyone. I would make such a system if I weren't limited by time and skills. Even then, if such a system were to come to fruition, players would have to grasp the knowledge of how it works to take full advantage of it, something that is true for sophisticated systems in general. I suppose whichever way works, then that is the best way to go.

What remains to be kept in mind is that Field Research tasks change from day to day, so the reporting must keep up at the same pace. Tasks of interest should be reported, as are any other tasks that people might find useful or convenient to have or even to skip over. The system used for reporting may be rudimentary or even complex, but as long as it works, it works. Reporting Field Research tasks shouldn't be seen as an issue, but as a challenge - one that counters the challenge of them changing each and every day.

One year ago: The Myth of Shiny Pokémon
Two years ago: On Skateboards and Pokémon

To Hold or Not to Hold?

In my post yesterday about a possible methodology for Limited Research events in Pokémon Go, I mentioned that Pokémon could be "held" prior to capture (also known by the other name of "stacking Research encounters"). This is something that applies not only to Limited Research but also Field Research in general. For any task that rewards the appearance of a Pokémon, after claiming the reward by tapping the completed Field Research task, a Trainer may "flee" from the Pokémon encounter, but may return to it after doing other things. It's something that has existed since the Research feature was introduced in the game.

What makes this (terribly) useful is that a large number of Pokémon encounters may be held prior to capture. Someone on a binge of Pokémon-related Field Research tasks may hold a few encounters, then complete more tasks, then hold a few more, then complete a few more, and the process repeats. This is what can happen (and essentially happens) for many people during a Limited Research, where all the tasks reward a certain Pokémon. The action of "holding" many encounters could be described as an undocumented feature of sorts. And yet, "terribly" does describe another aspect to it.

The "hold" capacity of Pokémon encounters is not indefinite, however. Only about 100 Pokémon encounters may be held, after which the next encounter that is held "kicks out" an older one, essentially voiding it as a true "flee", even though one is not supposed to be able to let these encounters escape. Further, some of my raid fellows have experienced this first-hand, losing a valuable encounter with a Shiny Pokémon, for example. As well, the reason for its other name is because the encounters indeed do stack, which means they have to be cleared in a certain order; one cannot go back to a specific encounter in the stack until the stack is cleared to that point.

This does lead to the question I pose as the title of this post. The answer perhaps depends on the situation. For everyday play, there should be very little reason to hold encounters, especially if an encounter turns out to be with a Shiny, rare, or high-CP Pokémon. During events with great numbers of Field Research tasks that reward Pokémon, including Limited Research, it may be permissible to hold some Pokémon until they are ready to be captured. And for those who make this a routine, it would be best to keep a list of the stack of held Pokémon, if they happen to be all different. Even so, it has been said that the feature is technically "unsupported", which is why I'm against using it if at all possible, for fear that it may disappear or be reworked one day, resulting in the loss of all held Pokémon.

Though that may be the case later, the feature has displayed persistence in that it is still available for use today. It has its uses, and yet it has its limitations as well. One has to be wise about its use, at least in its current form and for the time being. Whether this feature has a place or not seems to fully depend on the whims of Trainers, Field Research, and the game itself. There's a lot of dynamics in that as well as the question above.

One year ago: Variegated Pokédexes
Two years ago: Pokémon and Sports

Limited Research Methodology

Anyone who's familiar with high-level academics know that any research involves certain methodologies, which in general involve the "process" for it. So too would the Limited Research event format in Pokémon Go, which should accordingly be done with a process. This post is kind of late - the last Limited Research event was in March (though I covered it in April), and it hasn't been seen since - but as with other things, it's better late than never. It remains something that should be discussed, similar in vein to the Community Day "workflow".

In the first Limited Research event, which happened and was mentioned in January, there weren't much about it, but the basics were established: over a certain time period, Field Research tasks of all PokéStops are replaced with tasks from a set list (like Community Day, but the objectives are more varied - not just one), and all of them reward the same Pokémon (at that time Feebas). Thus, a good way to complete these tasks is to gather up three of the same task, do as they say, then move to another set of three, and so on and so forth. Noting down just which ones have which tasks helps a lot in this regard, and this allows for some short-term planning. A group of Trainers would especially assist, as would a system for reporting Research tasks. Beyond that, it's a matter of catching the featured Pokémon.

In the second iteration from February and mentioned in March for Clamperl, the set list of tasks expanded, but in some sense noting down tasks and completing them in batches would still help. It would also help to keep some resources available for others: one task was notably "battle in a Gym", which can't be done if all the Gyms in an area are wiped and/or claimed by a single team. After that, the challenge became the actual capturing of the featured Pokémon. If one has ample storage space, then it wouldn't be a problem. If one doesn't, one might have to use the "hold" function of Research tasks. I didn't do this during this particular iteration, so I ended up transferring quite a few of the weaker ones that could have been conceivably traded, though most would have been transferred regardless had they dropped in stats or weren't lucky, so the losses were offset a little bit. Still, this appears to be a good practice.

That was exactly what I did in the third (and to date, last) iteration as above with Lotad. I used the "hold" function to keep less capable Lotad in check while immediately capturing those that are more capable. The result was that it allowed me to draw several Lotad in case someone asked to trade, and only the ones I needed; a side effect was that I obtained four Lucky Lotad from different people. Because of the extended duration, noting down tasks wasn't too much of an issue; most could be done as they are encountered. However, regardless of the duration, this would still be a good practice nonetheless and would assist the efficiency of others, especially if the event coincided with a tournament as above. With that, it would seem like there would be sufficient methodology for the next time the event returned.

The only problem is that Limited Research hasn't returned; neither April nor May had one, and there is no indication that one may appear this month. It seems the event format is suspended, which is somewhat of a shame. But over the three iterations of this event, the "methodology" or process had developed somewhat, enough to be summarized and slightly systematized as above. All that remains is to see if the methodology can be implemented when Limited Research returns, if ever. One thing's for sure: no matter if it's real or virtual research, methodology is still a key thing.

One year ago: The Spirit of Giving
Two years ago: A Faraway Tournament and a Charitable Spirit

Pokémon Go Community Day, 6/8/2019

Being that the previous month's Community Day was only three weeks ago, some of my fellow Pokémon Go players thought it would be nice to have a bit of a break, even suggesting what Pokémon it should have in that respect. Lo and behold, they weren't far off, and this Community Day turned out to satisfy their wishes. And yet, any Community Day requires at least some effort, so this one was no different in that regard.

The featured Pokémon this month was Slakoth, which is rather known for its slowness (as is its final evolution Slaking, though the inverse is true of its intermediary evolution Vigoroth). For its final evolution Slaking, its exclusive move is Body Slam, which might be interesting to use in some cases. The side bonus for this month is accelerated egg hatching, which is always nice for those with Egg stock that needs to be hatched. As always, there is the standard Shiny form inclusion and extended Lure Modules, which should go without saying; it should be noted that the extended Lure Modules also apply to the new kinds of Lure Modules, not just the regular Lure Module. This has been the case since last month, and may be something to keep in mind for later editions, which may benefit from increased use of these new kinds.

The Shiny forms of this family of Pokémon do present a slight issue, however. The one for Slakoth is the most readily identifiable, being a deep pink that is in stark contrast to its normal-colored form. However, Vigoroth and Slaking do not show the same stark contrast; their Shiny forms seemingly appear more aglow and yellowed, but are otherwise too similar to their normal-colored forms. It may have made some of my raid fellows to not be too interested in evolving a Shiny Slakoth all the way into Slaking, as I've discerned in conversations with some of them. But it seems most were happy to evolve even just one of the Shiny forms they caught, which also depends on their productivity.

For me personally, that productivity translated into quite a lot of Slakoth captured. I did, however, release most that I caught due to them not fulfilling some specific criteria. Yet, I also freed up quite a bit of my Pokémon storage space in order to have a little freedom in captures. With that freedom also came 11 Shiny Slakoth, which is more productive than I thought it was going to be. As always, I evolved one good one and the best Shiny form I had, plus one more for possible use in other specific objectives. I've already traded away one Shiny Slakoth in the hope of obtaining a Lucky one in return, but this was to no avail. Most of the rest I captured will also be traded for that purpose, and the rest of the Shiny forms will be for "bargaining power" for other Shiny forms.

In a way, this Community Day was "on the money". Some players got what they wanted, which was a lax Community Day with a very suitable Pokémon. Other players also got more than what they expected in return, like me with the Shiny form. What is clear is that some effort was still necessary, for otherwise this Community Day wouldn't be, even though the featured Pokémon might have suggested otherwise. Slakoth still neatly paved the way for a break of some sort.

One year ago: Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 6/8/2018
Two years ago: Poor Zygarde

Going Big in Galar

As I've indicated yesterday, something important actually happened the day I also wrote about the special time, two days ago. It was, of course, the Pokémon Direct for the Sword and Shield games that I also mentioned in my prior recap of the previous press conference. Conceivably, something had to give, and I let the special time take precedence, but of course not without a Pokémon twist. Plus, as I said yesterday, I wanted to "distill" it a bit before I discuss it in a post on this blog. I have done just that, which allows me to write up this post.

Now, the title of this post is as such, because it describes the major new feature (or mechanism) added to the new games: Dynamax. During battles, a Pokémon may trigger the mechanism, becoming giant-sized in battle. The moves of the Pokémon adjust to the new state of the Pokémon, becoming "Max Moves". Dynamax may only be triggered once in a battle, with the mechanism reverting after three turns. As such, the mechanism may be considered partial adjuncts to Mega Evolution and Z-Moves, though it remains to be seen how both will work with the new mechanism.

Pokémon in the Dynamax state become a key part of another new feature: Max Raid Battles. This feature is obviously and evidently influenced by its counterpart in Pokémon Go, but it's supposed to work somewhat differently. Here, a team of four Trainers are to work together to take down a Pokémon, with it being in Dynamax. This kind of multiplayer is something fascinating to have in the main series games after it has shown its popularity in Go, but the particulars need to be further acknowledged. At the least this brings significant interactions into play. In other areas, Gyms have returned, and now one has to look around in finding Pokémon; these are good news in a way as well.

As for individual Pokémon, now a few more are known, besides the starters. Shown in the Direct were Wooloo, Gossifleur and Eldegoss (the latter an evolution of the former), Drednaw, and Corviknight. The last one looks like an armored crow and is set to find a liking among different fans. No starter evolutionary forms were divulged, so this will have to wait somewhat longer. As well, the identity of the "box legends" are now known: they are the sword-wielding Zacian and the shield-faced Zamazenta, for the respective games. They too have their share of appreciation and criticism. The rest of the generation still awaits, but from this, at least a bit of excitement is in order.

The Sword and Shield games are already big news for any Pokémon fan, and the announcements through this Direct have contributed to its magnitude. At least, that's what I've been able to distill from the Direct. Evidently, Galar is going to be big in many ways, even physically and perceptibly. It seems one will have to make room for the game, and again within it in order to go big, and then make it big.

One year ago: Pokémon Archetypes
Two years ago: New Paradigms

Be with You, Always with You

Someone else will keep you warm from now on
Someone else will keep you safe from the storm
But I'll be with you wherever you go
So you will never be alone
I'm going where the wind blows
Going where the lost ones go...
-- "I Will Be With You (Where The Lost Ones Go)", Sarah Brightman and Chris Thompson

Yesterday became the marker of a special time. Yesterday, something else important also happened, but I need to allow myself some time to distill that... and perhaps to distill myself. The thing is, this special time for me this year is a bit sentimental in a slightly different way than the perceptions offered by the song I mentioned yesterday. It makes me think up of a different song, one that is more related to Pokémon as it is isn't. Huh?

Such is the case for the song I've quoted above. This song in English is the ending theme for the tenth Pokémon feature film or movie, which in English is titled The Rise of Darkrai... at least for the Japanese side. It is odd in that the song is fully in English, yet is the theme for an originally Japanese film. Further, the song has Norwegian origins, sung by the artist Sissel (with Espen Lind) and became popular six years prior to its cover for the Pokémon movie. As well, the original title of the song is stated in the parentheses above. Thus, the song is, in a way, distantly related to as it is closely linked with Pokémon.

The theme for the song is about moving forward despite losing or parting with someone. The telltale repeated words in the lyrics for that is not only those contained in the two titles of the song above, but also the phrase "leave and let me go" as well as "carry on... stay strong" in certain verses. The point is that wherever one goes, there may be something that accompanies, even if one is heading in the direction of "the lost ones", which perhaps could be some unknown place. These exact sentiments are what I identify with at the moment, and while I can't say for sure when, this is something I have to prepare for soon enough.

And so I've distilled myself. All that remains is to distill the thing that happened yesterday, and I'll be off in a better place. The special time by now is fading (or has faded) into its remnants, but I still can take solace wherever I may go and whatever happens next that something is there. I'm sure that Pokémon is at least one of those things, as may be other things that this song suggests.

One year ago: (The Least) Local Ex-Raid, 6/6/2018
Two years ago: Pokémon Direct, 6/6/2017

Holding Hands

Hold my hand
There are many ways to do it right
Hold my hand
Turn around and see what we've left behind
Hold my hand my friend
We could save the good spirit in me and you
For another chance, and let's pray for the beautiful world
The beautiful world I share with you
-- "Hold My Hand", Maher Zain

The special time that I discussed last year returned today, albeit 10 days earlier. But that's always the case with this particular special time, being about that many days earlier each year. But no matter what time it is in the year, there's always a sense that something of it (or that could be related to it) always reminds me of Pokémon. This year, it is this song, by the same artist of the song that I mentioned last year.

This song is somewhat mellow and sentimental. It speaks of disunity, conflict, and injury that shouldn't be. It instead should be unity, harmony, and healing for anyone concerned. The song seems to be apt for describing some things that have occurred in the modern world, and perhaps even some things that have occurred in recent memory. Of course, the same things could conceivably exist in fictional universes, which could explain how this song ended up being featured in a couple of AMVs (anime music videos). In short, the song also has universal messages, just like the song from last year.

While those AMVs didn't feature the Pokémon anime, I've thought of a specific circumstance that evokes this song. Early on in the Sinnoh saga, there was the Chimchar conflict that ultimately led to Ash obtaining it; I find that the song seems to capture some of the sentiments of that conflict. With the way that Chimchar progressed, it seems the chorus of the song had been realized. So this could be considered a testament for this particular song and its contained messages. It may even beg for an AMV to be made, but that's out of my current range of capabilities. In general, though, the song may be considered to apply wherever people and partner Pokémon are concerned, especially coming away from a negative situation.

What is clear is that the song trends towards positivity, which should be a good thing that even transgresses this special time. With its messages transcending the real and imagined worlds, that's an even better thing. I'm all for unity and harmony, as everyone else should be, including people and Pokémon alike. At the point where this is realized, we can then hold hands and face all that a beautiful world has to offer.

One year ago: Raid Preferences
Two years ago: Sympathy for Villains

A Noble Mission

During the press conference from last Wednesday, I found something fascinating. To that end, I've included it here in the form of a screen capture of the relevant point:

If you happen to be unable to see images for some reason, the image contains words, which I restate below, verbatim:

The Pokémon Company's mission statement is to enrich both the real world and the virtual world with the Pokémon characters.

This is a powerful message that The Pokémon Company (TPC hereinafter) is sending out. It means that the ultimate objective of TPC is to want to fill the world, whichever one it may be, with as much Pokémon as possible. I consider this mission to be a noble one. Moreover, I feel that as a Pokémon fan, I have a role to play in this mission.

Something that makes this a noble mission is that it has been elegantly done. Pokémon has gone from being games that only some people may play to something that all people may enjoy. The gradual expansion that has taken place has left a mark on many people, who then become fans in some manner. Enjoyment also contributes to the nobleness, as it helps fans stay fans and others get a sense of the world of Pokémon. As well, the expansion has been all-encompassing, with something for everyone to enjoy, not necessarily just one thing for one group. Elegant, enjoyable, all-encompassing... I'd say that's noble, especially if it continues to be so for this mission.

As for myself, I consider my role as being someone who "enlightens" or sheds light on what is there to enjoy about it. That's something that becomes the aim of all posts on this blog, with the hope that people may be able to perceive and enjoy Pokémon in different ways as I have done. With that role, I have to allow myself to understand as much as I can, which means playing as many of the games as possible, watch many Pokémon features, read many Pokémon things, and so on and so forth. This may then lead to further and greater opportunities for understanding for myself and all other fans. Considering the mission, I have an assistive role as well, which with the above has to be noble as well.

I'm personally taken with this mission statement by the TPC. It is evidently something that has been truly done, based on everything Pokémon that I've seen. There's an astounding presence in the virtual realm as well as a vivid presence in the real realm. To want to augment that presence for any and all people is a great thing. To be able to assist and contribute to that process is a great thing as well. With these things considered, the mission presents itself to be a noble one indeed.

One year ago: Keeping It Free... or Augmenting It
Two years ago: Ball Redesign?

Local EX Raid (Time and Again), 6/3/2019

It's actually been nearly two months since I've taken part in an EX Raid - the last one being in April - and there are various reasons I can give why this is so (one of which I already gave in last month's Community Day). The important part now is that I got to participate in another one today. And it seems for this one, I'm discerning a lot of links regarding "time". The EX Raid itself went pretty well, so I won't touch on that too deeply, but more on the "time" factor.

This was one of those EX Raids where I actually made the time to raid for "qualifying" for the EX Raid Pass as part of some errands I had to do. I love it when this happens; I personally wouldn't go out to an EX Raid Gym solely for the "qualification" for the EX Raid, except in rare cases - there has to be something else that I have to do in addition to doing so. It might or might not be related to Pokémon Go, but as long as the initial raid happens, then at least I'll have made good time along with those errands. Of course, the EX Raid itself demands that its own time be made, which leads to a few consequences.

As is well-known by now, Trainers that earn an EX Raid Pass can invite someone with that pass to participate. Because this can be done only once, the decision has to be made carefully. For this one, I invited a friend who desired the EX Raid, but it turns out at the very last minute my friend couldn't come. This always becomes the hard question. On one hand, I want to be able to avoid situations like these, but on the other hand, things just ended up badly timed with no control for me, even forcing some alternate plans. And so the EX Raid proceeded regardless.

Even with that, many of my raid fellows had happened to earn the pass and used it to invite others. And for those that did, they really made the effort to come, even making sure with a roll call in the group. When I met them, we also attempted to make sure that everyone present was in, in a timely manner - something that in many past occasions would be done with a separate group, but this time on our own. It seems that this resulted in the EX Raid proceeding smoothly and efficiently.

There was even just enough time for a quick shot.

The key to this particular EX Raid is really time. That involves earning the EX Raid, gathering up the participants, making sure who is in and when, and just executing it. The fact that things went well means that we made our time wisely. After quite a bit of time of not participating in EX Raids, to make time for one is good, and seeing that time used up wisely means that it is a better one. It may be time to get back in the full swing of EX Raids.

One year ago: Classical and New HP Heal Amounts
Two years ago: 3DS Pokémon Themes