Halloween 2020: Facing the "Spooks"

...which brings me and everyone to the ultimate bewitching highlight of October, known far and wide as Halloween. If last year (see below) I felt estranged by it, this time I - and most likely many more people around the world, including Pokémon fans - feel more greatly spooked by it. The reason is of course because of current global conditions that are perhaps more spooky than any kind of Halloween trick. They have unleashed "spooks" (in addition to existing ones) that have totally turned over every fabric of life, including some related to Pokémon. It can be such a wonder regarding the matter of facing those "spooks", and yet they must be faced.

There are a few aspects that are to be followed in the struggle against those "spooks", but I won't reiterate them here, and they are to be followed regardless. What I will touch on, though, is other aspects that complement that struggle and can stand to apply to Pokémon affairs as well. One of those is "don't panic" or "remain calm"; by doing so, all kinds of advancements and/or decisions can be made in a rational manner even if they don't turn out as expected. Another one is "be alert" to anticipate changes that may occur, then to adapt to the changes as they do occur. In different kinds of Pokémon battles, both aspects apply to some facets of the battles, which can then be followed to help assure victory or at the very least allow for it to occur. 

When it becomes necessary to face the "spooks", as with the current global situation, then a person has to be quite prepared, for which the above aspects may very well help to do so. That also means not overstepping the bounds of what a person can only be demanded to do, lest the global "spooks" overwhelm and therefore defeat the person. Pokémon and its associated battles have their own different kind of "spooks", but they can overwhelm and defeat in the same way, except through preparations in the same way as above. It is hoped that the "spooks" will be driven away and good and happy returns will result - only those, if preferred.

Today, there was a different kind of "spooks", though. And...

Me: I asked you earlier to try to go catch a few Alolan Marowak from a few Gyms. Did you get them?

Ash: I did! I went to all the Gyms that was easy for me to get to and I raided them. It was amazing - they're all over the place! Alolan Marowak is pretty strong, but your Pokémon could deal with it with no problem.

Me: Neat, huh? This Raid used to need two people at least, but if you're prepared, then you can really work on it alone.

Ash: One of your faraway friends also invited me to a raid in their Gym, and I got that.

Me: OK. So how many did you get?

Ash: I got nine: six off your free passes from yesterday and today, and two off premium passes, plus that remote invite. They weren't Shiny, though.

Me: Well, that's unfortunate. Luckily I already have a different Shiny one. The ones you raided should all know the Shadow Bone move.

Ash: They do! I guess they should be neat. And it was fun to raid while with my Alola outfit.

Me: That was the consideration. I think I may be able to do something with all these Shadow Bone users. Thanks a lot - especially for going out in the rain.

Ash: Don't mention it. Things worked out with these spooky things.

For the uninitiated, that would indeed be the realization of the Alolan Marowak Raid Day that got canned last year, but it worked out this year on the most appropriate day of all days. They brought out another kind of "spooks" in a time filled with them. And this year it becomes as such, making us able to get what we couldn't get before. In a world filled with "spooks", there are many different kinds of them, as with this one. Yet it is certain that with a little effort, peace of mind can bring peace to even the wildest of "spooks", with or without a visible appearance.

Happy Halloween 🎃 ...and stay safe. 👻

One year ago: Halloween 2019: Taking My Chances

Two years ago: Halloween 2018: The Tricks to Treats

Three years ago: Happy Halloween!

Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 10/30/2020

Last year in an event rollup for Pokémon Go (see below), I noted that it was relatively uneventful and that likely the most important event would be the Halloween event, which is always a mainstay, as past years have indicated. This time, though, there is (or was) a load of events in addition to that, so it has become a stark contrast to that. It can also be considered one of the months in recent times that is most packed with events. That said, I still have to roll them up, so that becomes the task of this post and my own big task before this month ends.

There is a definite pattern to this month's events, though, and they involve weekly and one-day events, so it helps to use that to structure my rollup. In the first week of the month, there was a week-long (Paris) Fashion Week event to celebrate its start and a collaboration of Pokémon with fashion brand Longchamp. During the event, certain "fashionable" Pokémon became the focus, including some with totally neat costumes that can be gotten in various ways. Midway through that event, Niantic celebrated its fifth anniversary, and this became a one-day event on October 4. The single focus on that day was a Timed Research set to be completed on that day, and many bonuses were active to aid in that effort and to celebrate the day in general. The start of the month could be considered to have been quite celebratory.

October is a distinct month in terms of seasons, and to commemorate that, a "seasonal change" event started out for approximately half of a week. The focal point of this is the debut of Pokémon known to change with the seasons, which would be none other than Deerling and Sawsbuck, presently in its Autumn form to coincide with the northern hemisphere season. Pokémon with a natural theme were more active, as with Berries that are gained. Amidst the event, there was also a Limited Research featuring Meowth of all forms on October 10, though in execution, it was mostly about the Alola form, and Shiny forms seemed to be scarce compared to other similar events. Both were still somewhat well-timed and appropriate for the affairs of the seasons, which will certainly change again soon.

After the seasons changed, it was also time for Team GO Rocket to change in all kinds of ways, including the Pokémon they bring, except for their nefarious intentions. It was at this time that the Strange Eggs also began to appear from superior positions within this organization. More importantly, this event also this marked the appearance of a new Special Research with focus on this team of not-so-great people, and awaiting at the end of that Special Research is a familiar Pokémon, especially to those who participated in this year's Go Fest: Mewtwo in its Shadow form, which also marks its general availability. The main event that lasted for a week went well, but later on there was a goof on Shiny Shadow Pokémon that demanded compensation. The corresponding one-day event for this is Community Day, but that doesn't need to be explained, not in this post at least.

And then there is that mainstay event, the Halloween event, that started a week ago and is ongoing. This year, the event is a lot more festive due to the appearance of lots of new Pokémon forms, including costumed Gengar and Sableye, Mega Gengar, Galarian Yamask, and Shiny Spiritomb. The latter two are part of this year's "A Spooky Message" Special Research, and even Spiritomb can be gotten just through Field Research, making them less of a rare commodity in general. Complementing this event is yet another one-day event called "Catch Mastery" that tested the mettle of Trainers in catching Pokémon, with Drifloon as a feature of the event, as well as the realization of last year's cancelled Raid Day, and a special one-week Go Battle League challenge. The latter two are very special and needs to be given more information that can fit in this post, but everything around the event is truly "spook-tacular", even this year.

With that, the month of October this year has become a rather eventful one, with a few long events and just as many short events. Things are always happening in Pokémon Go, so it would be no surprise if they do keep happening, especially in the manner that they do (or did) this month. Halloween is regardless a mainstay, especially with the day being tomorrow, and this year it's bigger than ever in the face of challenges that are also bigger than ever. Perhaps to face the "spooks", one only needs a larger frame of mind, and it may be that all the events this month provide just that.

One year ago: Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 10/30/2019

Two years ago: Community Day Workflow

Three years ago: Pokémon Go Halloween 2017 Event

Road to 25th Anniversary: Getting Warmer

So, yes. I did have an inkling of a plan to have this post made once a month ever since I started bringing it up in August and then again in September. It is a very significant anniversary that I and likely others are patiently waiting for. And if there are any indications toward that anniversary this month, it is that things are getting warmer for that, thanks to the happenings just within this month. As such, the way to remind about that upcoming anniversary would be to review those happenings this month, which fits in with my plan.

The most poignant and sentimental happening that should signal that impending anniversary would of course have to be the "GOTCHA!" music video that was just released before things turned over into this month. Beyond the happenings in the games that would then occur, this one really set the tone (ahem) for the month even before the month began. And it really unfolded within the month, based on the micro happenings related to solely that. It is best to cover those in a different post, of course, but it's safe and sufficient to say that this happening pretty much is something of its own.

The two most popular Pokémon games, the main series games and Pokémon Go, had their own significant happenings. As noted earlier, the Crown Tundra as the second part of the Expansion Pass for the Sword and Shield games had been set for release a week ago, and it was, with at least some good reception. The Pokémon Go and Pokémon Home linkage is to be established soon, though as of today, it has yet to happen; this month, though, was busy in other ways and through other events for as much as the former is concerned... but certainly that needs yet another different post. Even so, the significances are quite apparent.

All these happenings are a fair indication that the situation for the anniversary is indeed warming up. It has to, since by now the stated anniversary is only a few more months in the making, and for a special one as this one is, special things have to be begotten. The music video alone is special enough and already makes things very warm for all fans, particularly those from the very beginning. At present, the challenge becomes translating the happenings into a warmth that absolutely any fan of Pokémon from however long will enjoy. More of that has to come in the lead-up to the anniversary.

Four months away for that anniversary is still a long way off, but as many people can attest, long will eventually become short, and in this case fans of Pokémon will have a gleaming anniversary on their hands. And at the moment, it may suffice to say that things have warmed up. The real fever pitch will be during the time of the actual anniversary, but it also can't hurt to have just a little taste of that even today, early on before it. With that, I'm certain that keeping tabs on things as they unfold is a good idea, and that will be the way things go.

One year ago: Psyduck Is Missing

Two years ago: Expression of Care

Three years ago: Three-Line Episode Summaries

Being a Scanner or Diver with Pokémon

In the realm of self-help for life, there is a particularly famous dichotomy. Barbara Sher, a "life coach", posited the idea that people can have one of two habits in life: being a "scanner" or "diver". Those of the latter camp do or delve into one thing to the fullest, while those of the former camp pursue or try out a myriad of things to different extents. Being that I'm a Pokémon fan, I become inclined to think of these habits as they relate to me, other fans, and Pokémon in general. It becomes something to really consider.

When gamer life in general is involved, Pokémon becomes one of the things that people do, if not the thing that they do. Some of my friends, from what I see, are "scanners" in terms of games, so much so that they can be described by another term: "seasonal gamers", and it becomes clear that for them, Pokémon is just a "stop" in the big world of games. In contrast, I'm also in connection with other people who are fully immersed in Pokémon matters, and - at least from what I see - they never fully leave Pokémon. These people can then be rightfully called "divers" with Pokémon (and its games) being a concern.

Even in Pokémon life, it may be considered that there are "scanners" and "divers". Of many of those whom I know, I know that they are likely to not venture far from where they are raised, whether by the main series games or by Pokémon Go. They are or can be said to be dedicated to where they hail from and are effectively "divers" in this regard. Meanwhile, quite a few others may venture to different parts of the world of Pokémon games, with or without being proficient in one or many of them, and because of this, they are effectively "scanners". The same may also be true of other things that involve Pokémon.

So where do I stand? In general, I've become a "diver" when it comes to Pokémon matters; I often say that if it involves Pokémon, then I want in, and it's true. Of course, as can be discerned, I don't specify which matters of Pokémon that I want in (despite the current heavy attraction to Pokémon Go and a few other things), and this is also very much true: I want in on them all. Therefore, based on this regard, I'm really a "scanner" when it comes to Pokémon things or matters. I'm also like some "scanners" with the varying levels of proficiency and linkage for all the individual matters.

Sher has stated that the dichotomy of "diver" or "scanner" is meant to really only apply to life at the most general level - that is, as far as everything is concerned. By the same token, I and maybe a number of other Pokémon fans can say that Pokémon is everything, and with that, we can apply the dichotomy for the purpose of determining how Pokémon fits into our various lives, because Pokémon is our lives. Sher may or may not approve of this, but as far as I'm concerned, I approve of it all, whether on one side or the other of the dichotomy.

One year ago: On Tap for Go

Two years ago: Pokémon Go Community Day Repeat, 10/28/2018

Three years ago: At the Movies: Episode 698 - "Movie Time! Zorua in 'The Legend of the Pokémon Knight!'"

Pokémon Go as a Gacha Game?

Here's an unpopular opinion: Pokémon Go could be considered as a game that involves gacha, the "lucky draw" component that is a part of many popular games today, particularly on mobile platforms. It's also one of the "four notions" that I've explained so long ago. At first glance - in other words, on the surface - Pokémon Go wouldn't suggest anything related to gacha, being that the focus is on the adventure. But considering how things play out, the "gacha" aspect could be considered rather apparent.

Since that aspect is the crux of these games, it is wise to start from that. The gacha aspect would be what becomes the main part of the game: catching Pokémon. Each time a Pokémon is caught, it is effectively like spending a "ticket" for the gacha. The ones that appear by themselves in the wild or by certain Research are free "tickets", but ones that appear by Incense, some Raids, or other Research may be considered paid "tickets". The option for "gacha" is often called "summon" in many games, but of course Pokémon don't have to be summoned, as it's simple to encounter them, and yet, the other methods above essentially do summon them. Even IVs of different Pokémon are rated by stars, from zero stars to four stars, which is the way that many "gacha" features rate the results of doing just that. With that, the "gacha" becomes evident.

Along with "gacha" comes the development of what has been obtained through that, which becomes the core effort of the games that feature that. The development here would of course be through powering up and enhancing Pokémon for use in all battles that involve them, whether in Gyms, Raids, PvP, or Go Rocket battles. All the decisions for this effort lie solely on the scrutiny of the Trainer, whether to go on with what is possessed or to go back to the gacha process for something else. The resources needed for development also partially lies in the gacha process, so it may not be a matter of choice if one has to return to that.

Then there's the "re-rolling" of Pokémon IVs through trading, which I had already briefly mentioned when I discussed about the entry of trade evolutions. It's a process that is also frought with its complications. If things work out, this may result in good Pokémon to be adapted to good uses, but if they don't, then they don't, and it becomes a matter of going back to gacha for what needs to be gotten. In effect, the process is in itself a kind of gacha, only with the complications that the process represents.

It's a little hard to say that something like Pokémon Go is a gacha game, given it does look and has always looked like one big adventure. Yet that adventure also includes lots of effort in dealing with what the game gives out in random, which is a hallmark of many games that include gacha as part of its system. With a little careful insight and reasoning, Pokémon Go could be considered to be as such. Regardless, the adventure aspect with Pokémon remains something true about the game, whether or not gacha is involved.

One year ago: Explaining the Supernatural

Two years ago: Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 10/27/2018

Three years ago: Expecting Something Special

Usage Experience of Go Plus Peripherals

A few days ago, I made a post on "Go Plus Peripherals", regarding the Pokémon Go Plus mini-gadget and its many spin-off varieties. Many players, including a few of my raid fellows, use them to improve their gameplay experience or at the very least make things easier. At present, I don't have one of these, but I'm often in the company of those who do have the gadgets, so I indirectly deal with them at times. Because of that, I'm able to garner their experiences, enough for me to understand them and then to write about them in this post.

No matter the device, they all connect by Bluetooth, which is a modern, popular, and effortless way of connecting devices. However, because of this, they may (or will) put a strain on some phones due to requiring Bluetooth to be on to maintain the connection. Some Trainer's phones, especially those that are a few years old, may already be strained through playing Pokémon Go, so an add-on Bluetooth device is likely to add more strain. Investing in an auxiliary battery pack (for use with the phone) may be either highly recommended or very much necessary if one wishes to use one of those gadgets, keeping in mind their method of connecting by Bluetooth.

The issue of "manual" and "automatic" also factors in, particularly for those who can tap into the market of gadgets of the latter kind. As can be surmised, the official gadgets (Go Plus, Go Plus +, Poké Ball Plus) are designed to be "manual", and therefore "automatic" devices are "aftermarket" and/or unofficial. It seems that manual and most likely official devices may be the best way to go, as they have a certain amount of control based on how I and my fellows deal with the automatic kind and how at least one has the manual kind. It must be conceded that an automatic gadget may have its perks, and it may be something I might use, though not all the time.

That does lead to the concerns that the "unofficial" gadgets might have. On at least one occasion, I've had to deal with a "quirk" that one of my fellows had with the Go Plus peripheral owned by the person, which is that it often disconnected while playing, which essentially undid the preparations for making it work. For other similar gadgets, the concern may be the power source that allows the gadget to work. That same fellow seems to be knowledgeable regarding the latter concern as it is similar to the concern of some watches, though of course a Go Plus-like gadget is very different from a watch. The concerns seem to favor a decision of getting an official gadget.

From what has been experienced by my. Pokémon Go fellows regarding Go Plus mini-gadgets and their derivatives, I can distill important things about them and present them in this post. In turn, that helps me somewhat to establish my case for getting one, and it might just help for both of those who do or don't have one. Getting one of these mini-gadgets is definitely an investment, much like some other things in the game, but it's also definitely an experience. Above all, that experience may be very helpful indeed for gameplay and the things that occur behind it.

One year ago: Tournament: Raid Group Sinister Cup

Two years ago: Two-Sided Stories

Three years ago: Pronouncing Pokémon

Type Logic: Of Light and Darkness

While it's not too late and still relevant, I'd like to discuss another facet of "type logic". As with the discussion of a different facet yesterday, this one came out of the same discussion with the same friends. As we brought up the three types we brought up, we also brought up two other types, Psychic and Dark. After we moved on from the "folklore" aspect, we discussed these two types along with the Fairy type under a different aspect - or rather, two of them - which would be the ones also contained in the title of this post, "light (brightness) and darkness". These represent common themes in many kinds of stories, but it especially ties in well to the three types we brought up.

According to our discussion, the Psychic type can be said to be the original "light", being one of the 15 types that initially came to be for Pokémon, in the first generation. Indeed it was: Pokémon of the type tend to be stronger than most, it has a dedicated Gym for the type, and even one of the most well-known Legendary Pokémon from that generation is of that type. Simply put, the type is very strong, and few other Pokémon of other types can stand up to it; it was a "light" in many ways, and a very bright one in many ways; even today, it's still bright in some ways.

As such, then there was the Dark type from the second generation onwards. It is powerful in some ways just like the Psychic type, but it could also counter it, which helped to decrease its dominance. At this point, the battle was "won" by the Dark type by way of having achieved near-parity with the Psychic type, but the two types would still have influences in many ways. One of those influences would be the evolved forms of Eevee, Espeon and Umbreon, which evolve by day and by night respectively, and are Psychic and Dark types respectively. Beyond anything, the two establish the connection between the light that is Psychic and the shadow that is Dark.

The Fairy type, then, could be regarded as a "second light" given that it deals with Dark types easily, and in a way, Fairy becomes a buffer or foil for the partial dominance of the Dark type over the Psychic type. Moreover, in the same generation that it was introduced, it also came with an evolved form of Eevee to represent it, being Sylveon. Like the Espeon and Umbreon introductions above, the introduction of Sylveon puts things in perspective as well as in place, as the "second light". Today, the Fairy type has gained its own following as a modern "strong type" by itself, a little like Psychic in the past.

This part of the discussion on "type logic" in a way tells a story about how the themes of "light" and "shadow" are intertwined and interrelated. It's a little abstract to follow because of the nature of the two themes, but much of the relationships can be discerned. In the beginning there was light (Psychic), but then this light became obscured by shadow (Dark) before becoming tempered by another source of light (Fairy). This helps to explain the "type logic" aspect of it in a succinct way. However the types play out, the benefits are rather clear in that they give the world of Pokémon the dynamics that are necessary for things to be challenging... as well as a little story for some of its fans to tap into.

One year ago: One-Upping Ash

Two years ago: Dilemma of Colors

Three years ago: Pokémon XY Pikachu Freezer Bottle

Type Logic: Of Dragons, Fairies, and Steel

I and two of my friends the other day went into a discussion of another specific facet of "type logic". Two years ago, I had a similar discussion on the Flying and Fighting types, which prompted me to create a post to discuss that as well as a blurb about their general relations. This time, we took to discussing about two of the types I also mentioned in that blurb, plus one additional type that is key to one of them. As the title of this post indicates, those types would be the Dragon, Fairy, and Steel types, which could be said to be the "folklore bunch".

Of these types, I've discussed the Dragon and Fairy types in the previous blurb. Previously, I had stated that they're rather physical, at the least folklore-wise. When we discussed these types in our discussion the other day, we got to think of it in a different way, which is that fairies are magical, and because of this, they would be able to outsmart dragons every which way, and therefore the former is not able to hit the latter. While the physical matter I discussed may remain true to a certain extent, the matter of magic seems to be what seals the deal between Pokémon of these two types and makes the latter type superior.

But then, that same magic is the detriment of the Fairy type against the Steel type. We weren't quite sure what to think of it until someone conjectured that the best way to think of it is that steel objects are reflective, and in most folklore, magical powers reflected onto itself becomes the detriment of itself, which suddenly made quite a bit of sense. I was going to put out my conjecture that steel is at the heart of "industry" and therefore it overcomes magic, but the other conjecture makes so much sense that I've taken to adopt it instead of anything else.

As for the relationship for and against itself that is the hallmark of the Dragon type, it wasn't much discussed and was only briefly touched on. We still seem to have trouble explaining how this comes to be. If anything, it may be considered that with folklore in mind, dragons are supreme creatures, and that their supremacy has the power to affect even each other. With the way that dragons exist in folklore, this could be conceived as the best explanation. For us, we might be able to make a further discussion at some point; for now, the point above stands.

Being that the three of us are fans of Pokémon, discussions of things like types is a natural thing that can arise. These three types that may be considered to be connected by folklore have their own enigmas in relationships and become something to be contended. In the end, there are a few explanations that we may be able to settle satisfactorily on (at least for now) among these three types based on what goes on in folklore. There is a sense that we then help ourselves to understand folklore and Pokémon by each other in this case.

One year ago: Pokémon Annual 2019

Two years ago: Items with a Purpose

Three years ago: Beyond the Boundary... of Languages

Minimum Play with Pokémon Go

I've been real busy lately, but I still have time to write in this blog, and of course to deal with Pokémon things. That includes Pokémon Go in particular as my current go-to game. Because of the current business I'm in, I've been wondering how minimal I can play Pokémon Go and still continue with my affairs within the game and outside the game. It's an interesting challenge for someone who is busy like me.

The minimal that perhaps anyone could stand to do to play would be the "daily tasks" that I've detailed in a post a couple of years ago, being to capture a Pokémon, spin a PokéStop or Gym, and complete a Field Research task. During the current hard times, this has become a little easier (or maybe not so easy) with the guaranteed Pokémon encounter - though not a guaranteed capture - and a bonus Field Research task, though of course one still has (or may have) to wander slightly to spin a PokéStop or Gym. Other than that, these are arguably the simplest tasks one could do to still maintain playability during current times and busy times.

To play the game and battle could be a greater challenge. It may be necessary to battle a Gym and put a Pokémon in, but that depends on accessibility and which team controls an accessible Gym. Team Go Rocket is easier to deal with thanks to occasional aerial appearances, but one definitely needs to be prepared. Raids can now be battled remotely, which helps with accessibility. Meanwhile, Go Battle League is accessible at any time and even doesn't require walking currently, but preparation is even more necessary, and some good time may be needed for battling in a set. These would seem to be things that would be great when they are opportune, and they can add value to the minimum gameplay.

With the new Buddy system, there is something new to be dealt with daily, which is to raise its friendship level. Assuming available resources, it may be possible to earn six hearts for a Buddy Pokémon by feeding it, playing with it, taking a photo of it, and battling with it. Even at the minimum, the last three actions are still doable somehow. Either way, it will take longer to build up the friendship level of the Buddy Pokémon, but with restrictions on play, speed is not important, of course; what's important is the minimum that can be played to make things progress, and this aspect at least has a certain minimum, which is a good thing.

It may be considered that there's a lot of leeway for minimum play in Pokémon Go, even at present. When things change, the minimum play might change, but because of the way the game is, there will always be a minimum that will be satisfied. That seems good enough for me, especially when times are really busy as is the present case. Once I'm not as busy, then I may have almost all the time in the world for it.

One year ago: Performance Critique: Akatsuki no Matsuri 2 J-Song

Two years ago: A Storybook and a Reference

Three years ago: A Successor Has Been Named

On the Variety of Go Plus Peripherals

Pokémon Go is a great game all on its own. However, one thing that can augment the gameplay experience is the use of one of the neat mini-gadgets that for this post I'll refer to as "Go Plus peripherals". There is actually a maddening variety of these, and sometimes their use can be maddening as well. The latter issue I will save for a later post; right now, I wish to highlight the kinds and features of these mini-gadgets for a bit of perspective on them.

The first of these is of course the original and namesake for these mini-gadgets, the Pokémon Go Plus. These do exactly what they need to do, which is to catch Pokémon and spin PokéStops and/or Gyms. The peripheral is operated in order for it to function, which is by way of the flashing button in the middle, much as one deals with the game, but off the screen. Since it's the original, it's a good choice for those looking to take some pressure off of holding their phones to play, and may be very helpful in certain situations.

With the announcement of Pokémon Sleep last year, a different kind of Go Plus peripheral was announced, being called the Pokémon Go Plus +. There's not much that differentiates this from the original, except for the shape and the fact that it's certainly geared for those intending to play Pokémon Sleep as well as Pokémon Go. And as much as the game itself is being developed, it too is being developed. If Pokémon Sleep is a sure thing, then this might be worth looking into, especially when both the game and the peripheral comes about.

Those who play the Let's Go games will no doubt be familiar with the Poké Ball Plus, which came out along with the games when they were released. As expected, the peripheral looks like a Poké Ball; it is also to function as a partial controller for the games, and to hold a Pokémon that can be made to travel around with them, along with its functioning as with any other Go Plus peripheral. The ultimate goal of this is to support playing both Pokémon Go and the Let's Go games, and that's a natural reason to get one.

There are also variations of these, many of them mods or "indie" creations. Enterprising souls have been able to modify the Pokémon Go Plus to make it "automatic", and some of my raid fellows actually use this. Even more enterprising people have been able to create peripherals that replicate its functions but are more practical (rechargeable, simplified) to use, and some users of these devices are pretty well-known, though I won't say who. Still, the unofficial nature of these gadgets may make them undesirable.

The intent of the "Go Plus peripherals" is indeed to make it easier to enjoy the game, and all of the above do that along with other capabilities on the side. Beyond the maddening variety, the takeaway is that one can purchase certain peripherals according to certain (supplementary) needs and fulfill those needs while at the same time enjoying the primary game they are designed for, Pokémon Go. Their assistance in that respect should not be counted out.

One year ago: A (Not So) Little Anniversary

Two years ago: Resilience

Three years ago: Cosplay: Arigatoo...!!!

"To the Sea" with Pokémon

I take inspiration both from Pokémon and everything else that I do in life, as some posts on this blog can attest. That includes a few TV programs that I watch or have watched, as was the case for a statement I collected from one a couple of years back that unfortunately had also ended. This time, I've collected another statement from another TV program that, unlike the other program, is currently running and hopefully will continue to do so for quite some time. The statement is short but quite profound, and it's present in the title of this post: "to the sea", as my rendering of it here.

The concept of the program is simple. It presents facets of life in relation to a key figure who has been involved with the sea for a good number of years, perhaps more than one might think. As a result, much of the content is influenced by the experiences of that person with affairs of the sea and certainly beyond. That being said, the program and this blog could be considered to be similar. Whereas the program does so with the sea, I do it with Pokémon in mind, and I become the equivalent of that key figure in blog form.

If anything can be gained from all the episodes up to today, it is that the sea is life. It provides life and life is given back to it. Therefore, there is the necessity to keep it functioning as it should, so that it supports those who live by it and ultimately the lives of everyone. There is also the sense that people's lives are intimately and/or ultimately connected to the sea, even if they don't realize it. For the key figure who has been involved with the sea, it becomes an important realization. I also find this enlightening for myself and Pokémon.

The interrelation to the sea is quite evident for Pokémon as well. It is where Fishers go to fish and Swimmers go to swim. Water Pokémon, those that also inhabit the sea, come in a myriad of shapes and sizes, and each one has its role to play for different kinds of Trainers. This can really be seen in one of the Twilight Wings shorts, one that I also discussed briefly at that point. And down within the depths of the sea, there are secrets waiting to be discovered, for Pokémon and everything else. The expected real world connections apply here as well.

For the figure, the sea is an inspiration. There are lots of things about the sea that can be considered important and relevant for life. For me, as with other Pokémon fans, Pokémon is an inspiration. It shows its importance and relevance in my and others' lives. Combining the two sensibilities, the sea becomes important and relevant, whether it's for real life or Pokémon. What is great to do is to maintain their respective important and relevant points. For those who will surely appreciate both, the solution may be to really go to the sea and "test the waters"... with Pokémon included, of course.

One year ago: Some Pokémon Commercials

Two years ago: Pokémon Go Community Day, 10/21/2018

Three years ago: Pokémon Brand Parodies

YouTube Pokémon Highlights - Comic Dub Special

I have not done a YouTube highlight of Pokémon videos since July, and a lot of that is owed to my affairs, both in and out of Pokémon things. And yet, browsing through the social video site for Pokémon videos or otherwise is something that I still do at times. In actuality, today's highlight is a remnant highlight that I intended to make in a previous month but didn't because of those affairs. Now that I have some leeway, I can stand to make it and get it out of the way.

Earlier in July, I made a highlight of videos on a channel run by two brothers that made "comic dubs", video creations that turn static illustrated comics into something a little more dynamic with added voiced dialogue. As would be expected, they are not the only ones that realize these creations, and a few other channels and/or creators do exactly that, certainly in different ways than what was done by the previous channel. Today's highlight is intended to explore that.

One of those other creators is known as "TheKingRiki", and the creator has a few Pokémon comic dubs in his channel. A couple that I checked out involved the unusual case of Pokémon "dating" - likely before they breed - and what perhaps could be described as a result of that, with an odd family of Lucario. The latter, and a few of the other comic dubs, have some relation to Super Smash Bros., which is natural since Pokémon is related to it. It seems, though, that the creator has not been active since two years ago, evidenced by the last upload, but the works that have been uploaded are quite passable.

The previous creator is also associated with a few other creators and voice actors, and one of them goes by the name "The Aquatic Charizard". Beyond comic dubs, the creator is also well-known as a Pokémon fan and gamer, which can be seen in the other videos, but he still also takes pride in his comic dubs and voice acting, which has to be praised. I also checked out a couple of his creations, which incidentally involve comics by the same illustrator, one about some Fire-type starters getting along and another about two "big daddy Pokémon" outpacing each other. Those checking out the rest of his works should find the passion to be evident.

On a similar yet different take, there is a creator by the name of "BlazetheBrawler". Like the second creator above, he has multiple interests, including gaming. Unlike either one, some of the comic dubs here appear to involve him less as a voice actor and more as a producer, with others giving voices instead. He did provide Red's vocalizations in a comic dub of Red being defeated in Alola as well as one about his supposed "habits". Also like the first creator, there's been a long bit of absence by the creator, and even some problems have been disclosed lately. His efforts should be welcomed nonetheless as well.

The world of (Pokémon) comic dubs on YouTube is a broad, broad world, and I can't stand to explore all or even much of it in a single post. That said, before I close this post, I can stand to offer a couple more comic dubs: one by Dottovu about a "Sylveon idol" and another by Scribbler Productions about Red getting "tried" in Alola. The first one should be rather cutesy while the second one could be a little harsh. Even with that, they do show the possibilities that can happen.

Comic dubs are really a big highlight for Pokémon-related videos on YouTube, if the creators and videos highlighted above are of any indication. For that, it's also no wonder that it took me a while before I could stand to make this highlight. In any case, they're also representative of the social power of the videos, many of them being collaborations. I and others who browse YouTube can stand to perceive that social power through these Pokémon comic dubs and more.

One year ago: Cosplay: Akatsuki no Matsuri 2

Two years ago: Santorini and Sootopolis City

Three years ago: To Genwunners: Get with the Program!

The Challenges of the Juvenile

The juvenile in a time where the night is so cold

The juvenile has the key to the end

The juvenile in the end, that is why we are here

The world will take us to the end

Tomorrow's foe is now a friend

-- "The Juvenile", Ace of Base

This year has been a year of challenges for pretty much everyone, including this Pokémon fan. Many fans of the franchise like me could be described as "young", at least relatively to certain other fans, or in other words "juvenile", and that brings up this song by this (used-to-be) famous group. It could also be described as a "spiritual sequel" to another song of theirs, which I coincidentally wrote about two years ago (see below). The youth spirit is evident for Pokémon affairs, so I won't discuss that too much with this song - the other one below suffices for just that - and instead, I want to go back to the "challenges" topic, which this song and Pokémon can tie into in a way.

This song happens to be the last track (in most cases) of their last album that was released while their two original female vocalists still remained in the group. In its original form, it was to be planned as the theme song for an installment of a popular series of detective films, but their record executives cut the project midway through, and eventually it was retooled to its current form. In the years that progressed between the two events, the group experienced many challenges, partly due to industry pressure and partly due to their own undoing, and that eventually led to the exit of the vocalists and later on the group becoming "defunct". There's something to be gained from this, particularly for Pokémon.

A friend of mine, who is also a fervent Pokémon fan and observer, say that Pokémon (specifically its originators Game Freak) may be facing industry pressure due to the demand of new games. This is particularly evident with how the newest games of Sword and Shield turned out, no matter how good they are. The industry pressure could be construed to be similar to what affected the group as above. Therefore, the challenge for them is how to keep things relevant and yet accessible with future games, particularly of the main series. With demand remaining high for the Pokémon games, the pressure seems to be something that will always be there; the challenge is certainly keeping things together and not letting the pressure get to them like it did for the music group, and that's a big one.

As for the song itself, for which the chorus is quoted above, it sounds like a hymn. That hymn may describe the challenges that both budding and veteran Trainers may have right now with current times, whether young or just young at heart. The chorus particularly contains the "tomorrow's foe is now a friend" line, which avid Pokémon fans should recognize as being conceptually similar to the second chorus of the Japanese theme, "Mezase Pokémon Master", but more "forward-thinking". Though it may not necessarily have the same connotation, the "forward-thinking" assumption in light of "Mezase Pokémon Master" should be good enough for me as well as any Pokémon fan.

It's hard to deny that this year has been a pretty rough one for anyone concerned, in and out of Pokémon, with its various challenges. Then there are those challenges that the originators of Pokémon itself and the music group that created the above song have faced, which could be taken to be similar. No matter the challenge, it may help to have a youthful spirit in order to face them. As with the song from two years ago, I have to state that I'm not such a "juvenile" anymore, but it's still a good spirit to have. With that, the song above seems to be a good legacy left by the once-famous music group and a reminder for future progression for young and old, Pokémon or otherwise.

One year ago: Pokémon Movements in Pokémon Go

Two years ago: Being Young and Proud

Three years ago: PokéNumbers

Starting with the End in Mind

I've been writing posts on this Pokémon blog for a long time. Over that long time, there have been obviously a variety of challenges that I've had to deal with, and I have somehow gotten over them one way or another. Today, I want to discuss about one of them that keeps recurring, even as recent as a few posts back. The challenge is that as I'm writing posts, I sometimes think about how it's supposed to end or conclude, even well before I'm supposed to make the ending part of the post. It's a real challenge in that in a sense one doesn't want things to end before they have to end, and yet in my case, it seems easy to think of the end even only as l begin.

All good writing - and therefore good posts on this blog - needs a good way of ending just as much as they need a good beginning. It's a natural thing for any piece of writing if one desires them to be good, or even really good. What seems to be unnatural is that I think about how the ending is supposed to shape up even well before how the rest of the post is supposed to shape up. For those familiar with the writing process, a "pre-write" can be made to plan out something to be written, and in light of this, the above challenge seems to be moot. And yet, even with the (semblance of a) pre-write that I make for my posts, I seem to be inclined to conceive the ending before anything else.

An example would serve to illustrate my case in point. When I was composing the post regarding the Go Battle League rewards, I actually thought of the "indirect" part of the conclusion as I was composing the other parts of the post, specifically most of the first half or so. While I did think up of the rest of the contents of the post (what happens, personal experience, and best practices) beforehand, as I prepared to realize their explanations, it was then that this part of this ending came up. As can be surmised, this situation occurs not only for this post, but also a few others, though by now I've pretty much lost the exact memory of how the occurrences happened; only this one stood out in particular.

On the plus side, it may be considered a blessing that this phenomenon occurs, since it means I won't have to think hard about how the key point of the ending part of the post would be realized, especially if I manage to catch the point and put it down somehow before I forget, much like how I deal with posts in general as I conceive their ideas before I actually make them. On the minus side, it does seem that when this happens, it would seem a little premature, as strange as the "Strange Eggs" thing that just happened, which to some extent also had the phenomenon happen because of thinking "strangely" about the ending. It would seem that the phenomenon could go in a number of ways.

As far as "challenges" go with the posts that I make, therefore, it would seem that this is one that I haven't exactly gotten over because of the continued recurrence of it. When thinking of Pokémon topics to discuss on this blog, I also have to think up of the way to round out their discussion, which is fine when it comes to that point, but perhaps not so much beforehand. It still has to happen somehow, given what I do with this blog. I do want to say, however, that as much as I have to round out discussions about Pokémon, the one thing I don't want to have to round out is Pokémon itself, if this phenomenon is to suggest anything. If anything, it should keep on going - just as I continue discussing it on this very blog.

One year ago: October (on the) Road

Two years ago: The Moves Pokémon Know and Use

Three years ago: Second Remakes?

Pokémon Go Community Day, 10/17/2020

In last month's Pokémon Go Community Day edition, there were a few "scenarios from the past", one of them being that last month's edition and this month's edition, specifically the Pokémon species and their associated families for inclusion, were both decided by voting. The winner's turn was of course last month, so this month is the runner-up's turn. As for those "scenarios", this month had a larger one of its own due to the way that the voting that took place in August turned out, and it's pretty significant as far as Community Day is concerned from the beginning up to now.

So, the runner-up from the voting from two months ago was... Charmander. That's really significant, because this is the first Community Day Pokémon to be repeated, and by Trainer votes nonetheless. Those in the know will recognize that Charmander already had its (first) Community Day way back in May 2018, and back then it was a standard Community Day owing to its starter Pokémon status, and as thus its final evolution of Charizard got Blast Burn as a Charged move. This time, as part of its repeat and by its earlier candidacy, it gets a different move: Dragon Breath as a Fast move, obviously owing to the fact that Mega Charizard X is part-Dragon type, making it quite suitable for that. For the usual bonus, it is triple Stardust for captures, which should be of interest to anyone who is hungry for Stardust for any purpose. It also should be noted that Blast Burn is expressly unobtainable at the moment and only Dragon Breath is obtainable.

While the conditions of the world are still what they are, Community Day remains what it has become, though there is a slight influence from a new view on things, specifically regarding Incense. Other than that, every related Community Day perk remains the same, including an additional paid Special Research, this time called "A Tale of Tails", a nod to the flaming tails of the entire species family. The backstory of the Special Research also includes this nod throughout. One thing I do have to mention, though, is that the Special Research seemed to come later than it should, as late as on the very day of the event. This may cause problems for those who typically plan ahead on getting it, and even I had personal problems of my own when I did. This may be something to look into.

As Mega Evolution has entered Pokémon Go, some more changes were made to accommodate its inclusion (which fortunately, Charizard already has) into this Community Day. If last month there was an additional Timed Research to provide evolution items, this time the Timed Research is retained to provide Charizard Mega Energy instead: a whopping 300 of them from the Timed Research alone. The paid Special Research also included an extra page consisting of - yes, as expected - Mega Energy, another 300 of them; so for those fortunate, 600 Charizard Mega Energy can be obtained graciously. Those who spun certain PokéStops may also be fortunate to receive Mega Energy, though only 10, from the "catch-3" tasks. These are indeed less demanding ways to obtain Mega Energy, which partially relieves the quibble. As an aside, one of the reasons I and Handoyo discussed Charizard in Episode 1 of our podcast was in light of this very event, which was known as far back as when we made it, but only now divulged on my blog.

This month, my friend who was with me in the past two months couldn't make it to meet me. With that, I decided not to to try to venture too far, but still get in some Community Day time. Since this edition is effectively in part a "replay", I decided that I would try to do things a little differently. For the first one and a half hours, I took care of friend- and Buddy-related matters while still capturing Charmander, though without the use of an Incense. For the next three hours, it was in full-on Community Day mode with an activated Incense. The last one and a half hours was spent in "cleanup" mode for cleaning myself personally, finishing the paid Special Research, and deciding which ones to be evolved, while still capturing any available Charmander. Since the transition to a full six hours of Community Day, I've found that I tend to get overwhelmed with six hours of full Incense, let alone knowing that I may not be able to be present for some of it (recharging phone, resting, and so on); this new approach was intended to lessen the burden, and it works to some extent. For a Community Day with a repeat species, this may be the best way yet - otherwise I'll go back to my old way for a new species.

If last month's Community Day had small "scenarios from the past", this one had a major one, due to having the first repeat species for a Community Day. And now that it's done and gone, it "opens the door" for a few other past scenarios to be realized in the future. Further, for as long as the world is still in its condition, this may be considered a partial expectation, along with the full expectation of the current ways for Community Day. Whatever the expectations, it seems that as long as Trainers impart the will to success, the success will happen regardless, even during today's conditions.

One year ago: Wallpaper: Pokésoft Mix

Two years ago: The First Sinnoh Saga Japanese Opening Theme

Three years ago: Pokémon and Trains

Hunting for Rewards from the Go Battle League

Arguably, the Go Battle League is of interest to many Trainers in Pokémon Go because it offers a way to push oneself to the top of the top Trainers in the world. The system offers a neat way of doing just that. But for some, it may not be the "top of the heap" that they are aiming for. Instead, they may be aiming for the rewards that are given out by winning battles, which as I've explained in the initial post, is very much a part of the system. And it's also a very neat and attractive part.

Regardless of the tier (Basic as free entry and Premium with a Battle Pass), one obtains rewards as one wins battles, starting from the left; this means that the rewards are particularly sequenced with no free choice except by way of choosing a tier. A "mystery item" rewards a randomly selected item, which may be as valuable as a Silver Pinap Berry or as common as a Sinnoh Stone. A "Pokémon encounter" rewards a randomly selected Pokémon from a dynamic list that can be seen by tapping the reward, though achievement of certain ranks always rewards a certain Pokémon first. Completion of battle sets also always rewards Stardust no matter the results of battling, in addition to what may be rewarded. Certainly, for pursuers of rewards, the objective is to obtain as many as possible.

I've come back from completing a full day's worth of battle sets, and I've had a fascinating time with the rewards. At times, I've had a "blowout" by having lost all in a set and only earning the consolation Stardust, but at other times, I've won at least a couple of battles, guaranteeing the first couple of rewards as well - in my case, I became a "freeloader" and collected extra Stardust and the mystery item. The latter of these, I'm not fond of most of the time due to getting Charged TMs, as useful as they may be, but the initial Stardust is always appreciated. I'm also not too interested in starting a Premium tier due to performance inconsistencies, though I may just take up one near the end of this season. All the other rewards ought to come in due time.

As for best practices, I'm certain that if a Trainer is sure to be rewarded certain Pokémon, it may be wise to use a Premium pass for the Premium tier, hope for a win, and get things over with. It may be wiser still if one is confident of three wins to do the same freely. As above, the "mystery item" reward may be neat at times and not so neat at other times, but what is always neat is the Stardust reward. It is simply worth it to try to battle in the GBL just for the Stardust alone, and if things work out well, more can stand to be earned. Unless one is confident of five wins and need the Charged TMs in the Premium tier, being patient with the Basic tier may work out just as well. And for other rewards, if things work out, they work out.

The achievement in GBL is therefore twofold: one for supremacy in comparison to other Trainers, and one to reap the rewards that may be gotten. If anything, however, getting to the top is inseparable from getting the rewards associated with getting there, no matter what one is focused on achieving. But it still remains fine to shoot for the rewards, being as neat as they are, and gain as much as can be offered. It may just offer one with an "indirect" path to the top by doing exactly that.

One year ago: Where I Want to Go

Two years ago: (Improving the) Local EX Raid, 10/16/2018

Three years ago: Trainer Fashion

Strange Eggs, and Getting Estranged with Eggs

Something new has livened up the "Egg market" in Pokémon Go. A new type of Egg has appeared with its own peculiar properties. The new type of Egg is called a "Strange Egg", and it's distinguishable by the red spots on the Egg. It's also particularly distinguishable by its hatch distance, which is 12 kilometers, the most out of any Egg available thus far. Therefore, if no events are in place that cut Egg hatch distance by some amount, these Eggs are totally fodder for the Super Incubator. Even with that, some walking effort is required regardless.

Obtaining these Eggs is no strange matter. They are obtained after defeating the Team Go Rocket Leaders (Arlo, Cliff, and Sierra) and certainly provided that there is an empty Egg slot, as with any Egg in general. Now, in light of this fact, these Eggs are in part the result of their strange work, which is currently happening and needs to be explained, though not at the moment. What is currently in the moment is of course these Eggs, which one needs to expend a bit of effort to obtain, and yet the results may leave one feeling estranged, in a sense.

At the moment, these Eggs may hatch a number of assorted species that have appeared in Pokémon Go (Larvitar, Absol, and Scraggy among others), as well as some new species making their debuts (Vullaby, Pawniard, and Sandile). What many of these species have in common is they gain the Dark type at a certain evolutionary stage or have already gained it in the case of Absol. While that sounds fascinating and somehow attractive, there is the issue that their hatch rates are not necessarily equal or even, making some particularly hard to get, if they aren't already due to the preconditions of the Egg.

It has been shown that the hatch rates of most of the Pokémon that may hatch from this Egg are relatively even, except for two Pokémon in particular, one of them being the new debuts (Sandile). Therefore, one would seem to be hard-pressed if one is on the hunt for those specific Pokémon. The Eggs themselves may be a little difficult to get if one is unprepared to face the Team Go Rocket Leaders, and then they may be hard to hatch without a Super Incubator and/or an event that cuts Egg hatch distances, let alone other things on the agenda. In short, there are potential problems that luck may or may not resolve.

And strangely enough, this is not the first time. Back in August, there was the Dragon Week event that promised Shiny Deino from 10 km Eggs, and while the promise wasn't exactly "broken", it wasn't exactly "fulfilled" either. A very few lucky Trainers did get their Shiny Deino, but for most everyone else, it was a miss - even if they got a Deino at all. Coincidentally, Deino is the other of the two Pokémon with the "outlier" hatch rate as above, and it's definitely in the mix for the new Eggs. Now the "estrangement" is evident, as without prior knowledge, one might be tempted to doubt that the Pokémon may be obtained from the Eggs.

The "Strange Egg" truly lives up to its name, with the way that it is obtained and the Pokémon that it may beget. However, it also provides a repeat case of the "estrangement" feeling that one gets when one is unable to hatch a particular Pokémon that is known to be able to be gotten from Eggs. The new Eggs remain "strange" by their name, but perhaps that should be the only thing that's "strange" about them. The rest of the Eggs have to remain a hot and lively ticket to obtain the Pokémon they can provide.

One year ago: Rekindling Old Games

Two years ago: Ultra Ball Hanging Ornament

Three years ago: Cosplay: MAXcited

Workouts, Exercise, and Fitness with Pokémon

Recently, I've been seeing a few ads (or rather, one that often pops up repeatedly) for a fitness app while I'm browsing through videos on YouTube, and I find that I enjoy its concept. Meanwhile, I have a friend who often promotes efforts to get fit through certain forms of exercise or workouts, and I have to say I'm interested at times. Of course, being that I am the way I am as a Pokémon fan, I'm also inclined to get Pokémon involved. That gets me thinking that somehow that can indeed happen, and that becomes the inspiration for writing this post.

In a way, Pokémon already has a fitness app, and it's a game called Pokémon Go. As long as it's being played appropriately, it should provide a good indication of how far one has walked, which if significantly performed could and should also be an indication of fitness. Of course, this would be well to do if it were to be combined with the other "lifestyle games" of Pokémon Sleep (still in development, but has a relationship to fitness nonetheless) and Pokémon Smile (out now), but this may be digressing slightly, especially for the latter game. The point is that fitness and Pokémon have some semblance of being together.

As for that fitness app, I'm sure it's a great thing and I would enjoy it no matter what. But given that I'm a Pokémon fan, I can't help but think that I would enjoy it more with a Pokémon touch, or perhaps even a similarly-designed app that is created with Pokémon (fans) in mind. The most important thing is that the fitness goals ought to remain the same yet also achievable even with Pokémon incorporated. Being that Pokémon hails from games, if Pokémon were to be incorporated, at least one minigame of some sort could be included, but relevance has to be maintained somehow and it shouldn't take over. To see the fitness and Pokémon objectives balanced would be a neat thing.

And then there is the thing about exercise and workouts, which is the specialty of my friend. As with the fitness app, I would be inclined to follow them, especially in their demonstrations, and this is an area where Pokémon can stand to be involved. For this purpose, the demonstrating Pokémon would have to be humanoid and as closely resembling people as possible. Perhaps they also wouldn't replace people completely; the Pokémon could be alongside ordinary people, and both would demonstrate as closely as possible for people to follow - and I would be one of the followers.

Fitness (and its necessary entailments of workouts and exercise) is not something that would be thought of normally as being linked to Pokémon, but for those who really enjoy Pokémon, then it could be a natural step to take. It would at least be an encouragement for those who might be about to resemble Snorlax to take measures that would keep them looking like Gallade (or Gardevoir, for women). I'm sure the fitness app ads and the promotion by my friend is a rather sharp cue for me to take action to get fit, even with Pokémon included.

One year ago: Community vs. Central Management

Two years ago: Cosplay: Akatsuki no Matsuri

Three years ago: Never Stop Exploring

The Day-Night Cycle and Pokémon Games

One thing that I would consider to have made certain Pokémon games more lively and realistic is the addition of a day-night cycle as well as things that are affected by that cycle. Day and night are present in the real world, and they define many of the interactions in life that occur there. It therefore would make sense that the realism of a game would be enhanced by having a day-night cycle. For Pokémon games, that couldn't be more true.

I actually thought of discussing this topic by a different kind of game where realism (and a bit of mystery) is a concern, especially in its more recent iterations. One of the things that was added to subsequent reworkings of the game is in fact a day-night cycle, and such an addition has indeed heightened the realism, and when it is noticeably absent in places that demand it, the realism is slightly lost. While Pokémon doesn't concern realistic environmental aspects as much as that other game, at least the aspect of the day-night cycle has some relevance.

The Ghost and Dark types are two types that make sense concerning day and night, at least regarding the latter, as they would be expected to be more active in that time rather than the other. It further makes sense that the Dark type is positioned as the counterpart to the "brightness" of the Psychic type - as per Umbreon vis-à-vis Espeon - and that one demands the darkness of the nighttime and the light of the daytime. With this in mind, a day-night cycle fits in for the framework of the two types and the things they entail.

Many of the main series games after the first generation have a full day-night cycle even without visual evidence; even the Moon games of the seventh generation have an "inverse" day-night cycle where the game is in nighttime in real daytime hours and vice versa. Pokémon Go has a full and realistic day-night cycle because the game is real - at least, its environment is an abstraction of the real world, and it therefore demands it. In all cases, the dynamics as above play out as expected.

It's hard not to consider that the Pokémon world, being that it is faithfully realistic, would have day and night. That would be realized in the games as a day-night cycle, and indeed, some of the games implement this. I suppose that it would be considered fortunate that Pokémon games can and do implement this; it is the facet that brings in more of the liveliness and realism that many players like me would expect.

One year ago: Cosplay: KAI ESports Exhibition

Two years ago: Pokémon and Adventure Games

Three years ago: Respect for Ikue Ootani

The Deprecation of HMs

Those who have played the Pokémon main series games from the first up to today know that a part of their history involves something called Hidden Machines or HMs. By today, however, they pretty much have been deprecated or no longer really used for one of their intended purposes, which is to provide moves that can then be used on the field ("field moves") to advance past a particular area with features that demand their usage. It is helpful to review their history in order to understand the logical reasons for their deprecation.

Hidden Machines or HMs are inherently special in many ways in the games that they were featured. They could only be obtained from what could be considered "obscure" sources, and then to actually use them on the field, they require the earning of specific Gym badges. They in effect act as controls for progression, by making sure that one faces a Gym Leader and wins before attempting to do anything else. It is possible that some of the "obscure" sources are not evident to some people, and they have difficulty finding them in the first place, providing a good reason for their deprecation.

Once the HMs are found, they of course have to be taught to a Pokémon to be able to be used. The caveat is that the moves cannot be forgotten except through a Move Deleter in later games, and they may be nonessential for good plays. This leads to the phenomenon of "HM slaves", which are Pokémon that can learn multiple HM moves for use on the field... and that's pretty much it, as they don't have much role for anything else under this circumstance, and it would be better than having a good Pokémon be stuck with a subpar HM move. All of these are, of course, reasons that naturally point to deprecation as the best option.

Besides HM moves that can be used on the field, there are a number of other moves that could be used in the same manner, and they require no Gym badges and can be replaced easily if the need arises. Rock Smash, a move that became an HM in the third-generation games, was one such move prior to that. While they may not have been in competition with HM moves, they do offer a stark contrast to HM moves in their concept, and the "use anytime" concept finds favor with players; the Pokémon Ride function becomes the manifestation of that, in place of HM moves.

For the longest time, HMs and their moves were the norm in the Pokémon main series games to do unique things in order to progress. Evidently, the concept also presented a few problems, and it can easily be surmised that they played a part in its deprecation for concepts with less hassles. They remain a good and essential part of the history of earlier Pokémon games, and it's wise to understand them in light of how things work in the more recent editions of the main series Pokémon games.

One year ago: Pokémon Go Community Day, 10/12/2019

Two years ago: Finding and Re-Finding Players

Three years ago: The (De Facto) Series Mascot

Making (Personal) Breakthroughs in the Go Battle League

I've been on a Go Battle League (GBL) kick in Pokémon Go most recently. For most times I've dealt with the GBL previously, I hadn't dealt with it seriously, but this time, I am dealing with it somewhat seriously. One evidence for that is that I've managed to battle as many times as I'm allowed to battle on a couple of occasions, and overall I've battled more in this season than in the last season or even in previous seasons. It may be described as a total breakthrough in the making.

Currently, I'm at Rank 8, which is also something that I've never bothered to achieve in previous seasons. After being used to battle only those of the same rank, now I'm being faced with even Trainers of Rank 9. In some cases, I still lose out, but in others, I can actually win, and this is as surprising as it is significant. I do have to admit, however, that quite a few of my wins have resulted from my opponent forfeiting, but nevertheless, a win is a win by the system, and I go along with it.

There may be one particular reason that I'm driven to put in lots of effort this time around. A change was implemented for this season of the GBL, in that only wins are required to advance to Rank 8 and Rank 9, which were previously exclusive to those with high ratings. Now there is no worry about finicky ratings for these cases, but the worry is on the effort to advance to those ranks, which may be equal to or greater than what it took previously. For me personally, this change can be considered a defining reason and its own breakthrough.

Perhaps an unspecific reason for the great desire to advance is to obtain the rewards. One reward that has been offered for a time now is Rufflet, a Pokémon that at present is only given out for Rank 8 and above; I've obtained this because of exactly that. A general reward of interest is Stardust for each completed set of battles and certain wins, and I (plus some of my fellows) would consider this important to be gained as well. Other than these, the other rewards seem pretty much take-them-or-leave-them.

My breakthrough in GBL this time is likely to continue, since the season is only about half over, and that means many, many more opportunities to battle in the weeks to come, including in a special surprise for the end of the month. Along with my breakthrough, the GBL itself is demanded to make breakthroughs of its own, and if they're like the above, that would serve well to keep me and others interested. I and my fellows will have to maintain the interest until the end to see how far we can actually get.

One year ago: Shuffle Secrets

Two years ago: Pokémon Game Journals

Three years ago: All That He Wants... (Is Another Victory)

How Simple Is Pokémon Really?

Pokémon, in reference to the creatures that bear the name, is simple. As I've explained many times, they're creatures that can fit in a pocket (thus, pocket monsters). What may not be so simple is the rest of the world that they're in, including the games and beyond. Given the state of everything related to Pokémon today, the question presented in the title of this post came up. I thought it would make a perfect discussion topic for a post, and so here's my attempt to see and perceive the simplicity of Pokémon as it is apparent today in its various forms.

For the games, the main series games are certainly not very simple, at least compared to how they were in the past. However, it may also be considered that the games are actually simple if a person can get to know the mechanics well, especially given that much has become standard. Modern refinements may in fact actually reduce the apparent complexity. Something more simple than the main series games is Pokémon Go, and it has been since the start; with a grasp on the mechanics, then the perception may be similar still to the main series games, being even simpler. In either case, the simplicity may be lurking down below after getting to know things.

For other things beyond the games, like the anime, manga, and other derivative imagery such as figures, there are just the creatures and what they can do, and that's simple enough. What then may get complicated is taking them in the different directions that they may possibly go. The same species could be made to appear differently according to position, attack, and/or even its status of ownership. And then there also their different stories depending on which ways they go. Despite these being rather complicated, the progression itself may not be as such, and just following the forward progression may be considered the simple thing, rather than tracing all connections.

So, regardless of whether it's the games or other things related to Pokémon, there are lots of things going on, and that may not represent anything simple. Yet it may be simple enough to get a grip on things for the games and move forward for other things. At that point, what may have been initially regarded as complicated will then likely present its simplicity, which can then be appreciated. Today's Pokémon may be considered to be a far cry from its supposed pocket representation scheme, but at least some simplicity may still be gained.

One year ago: Illusions of Success?

Two years ago: People-Adventure or Pokémon-Adventure?

Three years ago: Kanto Starter Keychains

On the Buying and Selling of Gameplay Elements

Many Pokémon games require the possession of certain things in order to be successful in certain aspects. Those who are determined will surely be willing to spend time and effort, and effectively money, to possess those things. But for those not who may not possess the first and therefore the second, they may desire to spend money for obtaining certain gameplay elements, if they know what it is they want and where to look. This may look neat, but this is an area full of caveats, so making this post on it is like "opening a can of worms". But because it is real and it happens, particularly for some situations I've discovered, I feel it's important to explain them, specifically in terms of the caveats.

The first caveat is that it is definitively illegal, as in the selling of accounts for Pokémon Go. People are supposed to be playing the game for fun, fitness, and enjoyment, not to make money off of it for someone else. Niantic has clearly taken many measures to prevent this, but the fact is that this still can and does happen; a simple search can lead people to this "underbelly", with certain enterprising people who have spent time and effort for this purpose, and accounts available with different compositions from different times. It would be simple to not demand this, but this is easier said than done. The fact that it is actually illegal has to be the prime deterrent for people to be interested in this, whether to provide or to purchase.

The second caveat is that it may be insecure. One phenomenon that may be relevant to this is the providing and subsequent selling of the Mystery Box for Meltan in Pokémon Go. Those who know the process will know that the Pokémon Go account must be linked with the Nintendo Switch and the Let's Go games. The "insecure" part is when this is to be done remotely, which will require the provider to access the account; those who are protective - and that should be everyone - may not necessarily want to take the risk to allow the provider to access the account, and it would be wiser and better to own a personal Switch or link with a friend, the latter being what I've often done. Certainly the planned link for Pokémon Home to be able to do the same thing might sidestep the issue, possibly also the purchase aspect.

The two situations with the caveats above share the same thread of the involvement of purchasing something that really shouldn't be purchased in the first place. In contrast, the involvement of aid by an expert, such as in breeding certain Pokémon, may still be permissible if no monetary transaction is involved and the rest of the process is handled by the Trainer being aided; not any Trainer may have Ditto with 6 IVs just lying around, for instance, and I've sometimes noticed aid requests in the form of this. Yet this may lead into the caveat of dubiousness of acceptance, particularly if the aid is known. Still, even with everything that eases competitive play today, some assistance may still be needed, though money is and should not be an issue.

In this "can of worms", what seems to be clear is that the purchase of possessing certain gameplay elements outside of the games themselves is the biggest issue, entailing the caveats of illegality and insecurity, followed by just the dubiousness of things. While it may be true that the Pokémon games need money to make money, the time and the effort that goes into playing them are really the invaluable things, as is the fun gained from them. The important thing is to avoid illegal or insecure situations while also reducing dubiousness. Only the fun and enjoyment in the process of possessing things for Pokémon success should matter aside from the money spent (in a good way) to allow them to happen.

One year ago: Hunting for Physical References

Two years ago: What Pokémon Eat

Three years ago: Pokémon Jigsaw Puzzle

Countermeasures for Pokémon Go: Taking Stands, Taking Chances

The last time I wrote about the "countermeasures" for Pokémon Go was two months ago on what's staying and what's going. Recently, there's been an update on the "countermeasures", so I feel the need to make this post again. Furthermore, the update can be described as "taking a stand", being that it establishes a position (or positions), but at the same time, the update's position could be a bit risky and is therefore "taking a chance" (or "chances"). These also need to be discussed along with that update.

In the recent update, which was put in place at the beginning of this month, the half-distance bonus for Eggs have been removed and distances have returned to normal for them; to help hatch Eggs, more incubators have been provided in the Shop boxes. Walking is now also necessary to get Pokémon to appear with the use of an Incense. For Gifts, Buddy Pokémon will bring them only once a day and only when very, very low, and the chance of getting them from PokéStops or Gyms has been decreased slightly. The bonus distance removal is in line with what was expected to go, though the Go Battle League wasn't affected, for now at least. The general Egg distances weren't changed either.

Now, the stand that was taken as the rationale for this change is that people - in particular Trainers - need to walk for their health, both mind and body. Pokémon Go has always been designed in mind to promote health, so this part makes sense in a way. As a follow-up to this, another stand that was taken its that the walking effort can be done safely even in these uncertain times by following all necessary health protocols, including maintaining proper social distancing. It can and has been proven to be doable, so there is some truth to this as well.

As for the chances, some have considered that some people at present may still be unable to get the necessary walking distances, whether by area or physical limits, and therefore the update makes less sense due to this, moreover since GBL wasn't affected, though it could have been due to its practices before current situations. Another issue is that even if people can and should follow health protocols, it doesn't mean that they will, due to one reason or another. This is especially so if there isn't some kind of reinforcement, and thereby the opportunity itself would present a chance to become ill rather than to become more healthy. These are serious chances for current times.

The countermeasures in Pokémon Go aren't intended to last indefinitely - or on the contrary, if they make things more workable but not excessively so - but some of the latest that have been changed up and out may present positions and risks that some may not want to be in and can do without. Still, by knowing the positions and risks, the further changes that have been made may be considered to be workable, at least until changes in positions and risks demand even more changes to keep the world of Pokémon Go going - safely, might I add.

One year ago: Someone Else's Points

Two years ago: A Poké Ball Keychain

Three years ago: Cosplay: Kisetsu no Matsuri

Let's Talk About Phones and Gadgetry

Me: OK, so I've decided to have another chance to talk about some things that matter to us both.

Pikachu: Pika! ["And me!"]

Me: Yes, you too, Pikachu. It may matter to you as well.

Ash: Well, I'm always up for it, so that's great.

Me: So today, I want to talk about gadgets, the little devices that we use to get through our lives. The Poké Ball can be considered one of them, but that's not part of this discussion.

Ash: Oh, I get it - so it's things like phones that we can we use to talk to people, keep track of things, and stuff like that.

Me: Yes, they're exactly that. Even for Pokémon, I'm sure you've dealt with a few.

Ash: I guess the Pokédex would count?

Me: In some ways, but then there's also the PokéGear that you used during the Entei happening.

Ash: Oh yeah! Things like that. So I guess I do use a lot of gadgets.

Me: You'll no doubt remember the Rotom Dex; even though it's got Rotom in it, it's still a gadget in some ways, at least I would think based on my usage of it.

Ash: It's a fun gadget, but it can be annoying sometimes.

Pikachu: Pika chu! ["Really!"]

Me: Right? You've had your moments, and I'm sure any Trainer who got one while in Alola will know when it's fun and when it's not.

Ash: I think I've got you.

Me: And now we have the Rotom Phone, so now it looks more familiar - to me at least - so you get to have a ball with that. 

Ash: Well, I've seen the phones in your world, and they look like it without the Rotom bits.

Me: Absolutely. And my phone is my gateway to catch Pokémon when you're not being tasked to do it.

Pikachu: Pika chu! [imitates an "Excellent" throw]

Ash: I know it's your gateway to your friends, people you know, and other things you like. I commiserate for your loss that one time.

Me: I know. Don't think about it. What's gone is done, yet even now, my position hasn't improved. So I've got a little something for you to do.

Ash: Yes?

Me: I want you to check out a few phones while helping a few friends out. Maybe you could find something I could be interested in. Did you get to do that?

Ash: I did, and I found something you might be interested in when you can spend for it. And I got a nice little gift for that.

Me: Neat. And I've got your recommendation. I may just consider it when I really need it.

Ash: I saw a few of your friends and my friends. It was great, but as you told me, I had to stay safe while doing it. I tried as hard as I could.

Me: With stuff going around, you absolutely need to do so.

Ash: You're not kidding.

Me: So for us both, gadgets are important in a number of ways. It lets us connect, be informed, and even do stuff, that perhaps we would have a hard time doing without.

Ash: And we have to be able to be smart with them and not let them annoy us, like Rotom Dex did every once in a while.

Pikachu: Pika pika! ["That's a must!"]

Me: For as long as we'll need to have them and use them, which will be for a long time, that should remain true.

One year ago: Livestream and Let Livestream

Two years ago: Cosplay: SJF - Tomodachi 3

Three years ago: Iron Trainers?