Pokémon Go Fest 2020, Day 2

This is the live blog post for my coverage of Pokémon Go Fest 2020, Day 2.

The most recent updates appear at the top, below the three dashes.

This live blog post has ended.

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8:42 PM UTC+7 - If on Day 1 I learned about some of my capabilities as a blogger, and a live one at that, on Day 2 today I learned even further. And there's a lot about that, and I cannot explain them all right here right now. What is right here and now is that I bid adieu to a very spectacular Pokémon event that from year to year (even this one as a questionable year) has had its moments. As others complete the event as it makes its way to them, it's something to think about and hopefully cheer for its continuity.

Thank you Pokémon Go Fest, hope to see you next time. With that, my live blog coverage of Day 2 and Pokémon Go Fest 2020 has ended.

8:21 PM UTC+7 - This Pokémon Go Fest has been a totally virtual one, which is supposed to approximate how things would be if they were live and in person. I would have to ask someone who has been to a live Pokémon Go Fest, but their words may be subjective, and the only way to find out for real is to be there... for real. That may be something for the distant future, and definitely after the world has settled.

8:09 PM UTC+7 - With Day 2 having come to a close, Pokémon Go Fest 2020 is now over, at least where I am. For a virtual event, it was quite intense. In all practicality, it's like having a month of events squeezed into a span of several hours, in this case multiplied by two. And... it technically has spanned a month. It requires an event rollup as I've done each month, which demands a different post. For now, this major event is done and gone.

7:10 PM UTC+7 - It's the last hour of Pokémon Go Fest 2020, and I've activated one final Incense to try to catch Pokémon of interesting qualities that I haven't gotten, whether of good stats or Shiny. The assortment of Pokémon species has been bewildering over today and yesterday, and it has been mind-boggling. In a way it is understood why one can only spend one day at its live counterpart, for this very reason. At least now I know.

6:05 PM UTC+7 - Only a couple of hours before Go Fest ends, and I've decided that I'll spend them capturing Pokémon from Incense and dealing with Team Go Rocket Grunts that appear by balloons in order to maximize what could be done with the remaining time available. I'm currently midway through an Incense I activated half an hour earlier and I'm also trying to burn through Gifts from friends for Poké Balls.

5:30 PM UTC+7 - Some of my fellow Trainers did venture out today, and I laud them if they can do it safely, as John Hanke noted in the kickoff video, which can be seen in the Virtual Team Lounge. I did plan to venture out as well - aside from the errand - but ultimately it never happened. Some had different successes as well, including a Shadow Mewtwo with the best stats possible. Quite a bit was admittedly luck-of-the-draw, but how would anyone really complain.

4:25 PM UTC+7 - For those who are wondering, I spent almost the entirety of yesterday and today at home or in the area around my home (one exception: an errand I needed to do just now). Aside from the fact that I needed to use tools at home for this live blog, this is meant to show that everything can be done there for this special Go Fest, and it is - yesterday's Special Research was completed, and today's is on the eaves of being completed.

3:41 PM UTC+7 - There may be a sense that the Habitats from Day 1 were intended to continue or at least be changed up somehow for today, if Team Go Rocket had not came barging in, and this can be seen in the statistics on the Virtual Team Lounge on the official web site. Whether this is or isn't true, what is given with them (minus errors) can only make Trainers happy.

2:59 PM UTC+7 - Well, I spent the past hour catching Pokémon after activating an Incense in order to use up Poké Balls and Berries, and to look for good things, and I did find a few. It looks like this is going to be the way to go for the remainder of the event, which is due to end in 5 hours. There are still lots to do within that time, though.

1:56 PM UTC+7 - I'm sure those who are catching Pokémon after the Team Go Rocket whirlwind will also have to think about Pokémon management, as in which ones to keep, purify, adjust with TMs, and so on. Right now, there's something easy to do: change out Frustration with a Charged TM for any Shadow Pokémon that is not intended to be purified, especially for the Shadow Legendaries that have been just obtained. The cutoff for this is 8 PM local time, so one has to be wise.

1:17 PM UTC+7 - Giovanni went down rather quickly this time around, and thanks to my efforts, I was rewarded with Shadow Mewtwo followed by Victini from the Special Research... although their stats are lower on the other side, if you get my drift. Now with tons of items, I ought to activate an Incense to get catching and afterwards take on Team Go Rocket again. For now, perhaps a little sustenance is in order.

12:56 PM UTC+7 - Giovanni turns out to be right under my nose in a PokéStop that is closely accessible from home. I had suspicions that this was the case as since mid-morning the Pokéstop had not been invaded by a Grunt. This is an easy way to tell if a PokéStop is being occupied by a Leader or Giovanni if one does not have a Rocket Radar. Nevertheless, this is an easy access to the Boss that I can take advantage of now.

12:45 PM UTC+7 - After defeating Sierra a second time and regaining a radar, I finally found Cliff and managed to defeat him without too much work. It's absolutely easy to regain a radar now, which might explain why healing items are given en masse. Now the real work is Giovanni, which might not be so easy considering the problems I had the last time out.

11:58 AM UTC+7 - Obtained the third radar, but haven't encountered Cliff. Meanwhile, my fellows are rather interested in Legendary raids, as they have Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina in both forms, and they are all very much coveted. I participated in one but will hold off on another until Team Go Rocket is taken care of.

11:48 AM UTC+7 - Depending on the tools one may or may not have at one's disposal, the Special Research can proceed extremely slowly or extremely quickly. I had two spare Rocket Radars that allowed me to go up against Arlo and Sierra relatively quickly, and now I'm collecting Mysterious Components for a third against Cliff. At least a few of my fellows may have gotten through all three and perhaps even Giovanni to reap everything. At least the bonus of double Components will help.

10:39 AM UTC+7 - I've activated an Incense to lay waste to the 100 Poké Balls I've received as part of the early stages of the Special Research, and a lot of Pokémon that were present yesterday, including an Unown that I've just discovered, are much like yesterday, so it can be considered a "catch-up" of sorts. If one doesn't have Rocket Radars to spare, one may have to get rid of items before battling them, and this may be a good opportunity.

10:07 AM UTC+7 - Pokémon Go Fest in my area has begun, and indeed Team Go Rocket has taken over it with its logo emblazoned over the Go Fest logo card in Today View, as well as Go Rocket confetti everywhere. What's more, there is the Special Research entitled "Rocket Straight to Victory", which appears to be all that there is today - no challenges as yesterday. But the rewards are just as plentiful as yesterday, which means once again that it is lots of work to get to.

9:41 AM UTC+7 - Now, overnight, there have been some developments. At midnight local time, almost all surrounding PokéStops were taken over by Team Go Rocket, which was a big hint that they are going to be majorly involved over the course of this day. Meanwhile, the other half of the world had its own problems with some of the Habitat blocks as it came their way, so a make-up event is imminent, as I've detailed yesterday. At least, there is still today to take care of, and that's the current target.

9:02 AM UTC+7 - Hi again, and welcome to my live blog post for Day 2 of Pokémon Go Fest 2020. I've promised live blog (posts) for both days of this spectacular event, and it's only rightful that I fulfill that promise. Again, I've started things a bit early in order to ease into it and get stuff going.

One year ago: Mobile "Invasion"?

Two years ago: Two New Pokémon Center Merchandise Lines

Three years ago: Supporting Doujin and Indie Stuff