The Peak of Go

As usual, the post at the end of a three-month period also marks the end of the current Pokémon Go season, which has been a real "get up and go" affair. It obviously has deep connections to Pokémon Go itself by way of the identifier, but at the same time, it appears neutral enough that it can cover Pokémon happenings beyond that game, as I've suggested early on in that post. Based on the identifier of the season and its happenings, it is good to review just how things had "gone" and "went".

In the realm of Pokémon Go, there is (or was) Pokémon Go Fest, which went swimmingly this season and this year. Old traditions in the form of regional Go Fest editions could have a go once again, and those proceeded with much fanfare. At the same time, the new means of experience - the global "everyone" edition - also continued to go, and it went and bookended the entire run of summer festivities along with a specially dedicated "finale" edition. Overall, with the events proceeding without a hitch, they really did go and run, and in some ways they also went "beyond", like a certain update some time ago.

Going "beyond" may also describe this year's Pokémon World Championships, which also managed to get going again since years ago, this time with Pokémon Go and Pokémon Unite under its wing, as well as to go places, at least in comparison to its previous more recent editions. Pokémon Go finally going forth and Pokémon Unite going ahead in these competitions represent significant advances, and it's likely that others who play these games and others will have their own ways of "going" when the championships roll around next year.

Other Pokémon affairs, as elucidated through the recent Pokémon Presents, are evidently going as well, including the new Scarlet and Violet games, which are on track to go for later this year. This and the other affairs above already show that lots of things are going for them, and with that, the "Go" identifier for the Pokémon Go season really is neutral and can involve, within its scope, a lot of things in the general happenings for Pokémon. 

What may be considered for those happenings is that they are like fireworks. They become ready to be lit up, and once they're lit up, they go and race up into the sky before bursting loudly and in a bright, dazzling array of colors, as is the norm for certain celebrations of freedom. They can almost become as bright as the sun and luminous as the moon, each with their own light that fills the sky. And if the next Pokémon Go season is of any indication, then that may just be the way that things should "go".

One year ago: The Peak of Discoveries

Two years ago: Pokémon: Twilight Wings

Three years ago: The Start of a Decked-Out Adventure

Four years ago: Solidarity Making

Five years ago: Reunions!

Delving Further into (Enjoying) PokéToon

Around this time last year, I explained about another path that the Pokémon anime had taken, which is a path that is stylistically different from its usual incarnations. That would, of course, be about the animated series called PokéToon, which also has the subtitle of "The Pokémon Cartoon Animation". The explanations in that post mostly continue to apply, but I also bring forth a few updates about it, in particular regarding how it may be enjoyed and perceptions regarding their enjoyment.

For the former, after being Japanese-exclusive for about a year, PokéToon is now available for the rest of the world to enjoy in an adapted form (dubbed in English). Eight episodes have been uploaded on the official Pokémon YouTube channel, as well as that for Pokémon Asia for regional availability. This new form may just highlight subtle nuances that those who have attempted watching the original Japanese might have missed, which also applies to watching the anime in general beyond this specialized path.

Unlike Twilight Wings, the episodes of PokéToon vary significantly in length, from just under four minutes (for the Scraggy and Mimikyu episode) to slightly over 14 minutes for the longest - nearly two-thirds of the episodic content of a regular anime episode without breaks. So, some episodes might fit within short breaks, while the longer ones will likely require devotion of some free time to watch them. Yet it is almost a guarantee that they can now be more or less universally enjoyed.

I did mention how "wondrous" this different Pokémon animated series might be for some people previously, but considering the run of eight episodes (some having animation styles of their own), that may not be completely true. On the other hand, there is some correspondence of the animation styles in the eight episodes to the source from which I made the "wondrous" comparison previously. In this way, the matter might still be considered to apply, but for how "wondrous" PokéToon might just be, that may be according to the beholder.

Regardless, PokéToon still has a special place in the realm of the Pokémon anime for its unique take by way of its varied style. And now with its general and broader availability, it means more people who can enjoy the animated shorts. Something has to be said for the power that the Pokémon franchise has in captivating people - in one part through its animated forms - over all these years, and if anything, PokéToon is just one of those statements, one that hopefully lasts as Pokémon goes through more twists and turns.

Like the other short animated features, I can't leave well enough alone without the two-line summaries for them:

Blossom's Dream

What will it take for a Blossom to bloom

and realize her Pokémon Trainer goals?

Help! I've Turned into a Gengar

An excursion into a school's dark reaches

leads to a drama of "Gastly" proportions!

Jigglypuff's Song

One Jigglypuff different from the rest

finds a voice and those who appreciate it.

The Pancham Who Wants to Be a Hero

And in order for Pancham to become as such,

it must be able to differentiate itself...

Scraggy and Mimikyu: Chase the Beans

A Scraggy meets a Mimikyu, leading to chaos

over beans that leave their trails...

The Slugma-Powered Home

In one house embedded in the wintertime,

a Slugma is as friendly as it is hot.

Snorunt's Summer Vacation

When a Snorunt makes its way to some boys,

they decide: do they stay or go on?

Wait for Me, Magikarp

The bond between one person and a Pokémon

stands the many tests of time!

One year ago: Raids on Different Platforms

Two years ago: Competitive Stage Progress

Three years ago: Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 8/30/2019

Four years ago: Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 8/30/2018

Five years ago: Stories That You Don't Know

Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 8/29/2022

The events in Pokémon Go last month had a bit of a unique structure to them, and that can be said to continue to apply this month. Because this month is also the ultimate final month for the current Season of Go, it may be said that they also have an element of "grandiose closing" about them. They're grandiose because they have major elements about them, and they're closing because of the very reason above. And before the month (and season) closes, they have got to be rolled up as usual.

As the previous month had two of the three regional Go Fest editions, this month had to have the third and the last (the "grand close"), in the first weekend of the month. That edition would be the one in Sapporo, Japan, also acting as the Asia representative. Those who didn't go there could still contribute to the festivities by completing a Global Challenge for double Stardust from captures and a Collection Challenge featuring some Grass-type Pokémon, which echoes the "monkey trio" representative of the region, Pansage. Two sets of Ultra Unlocks were gained from this: one for Community Day with extra XP, Candy transfer, Special Trade, and trade discounts, as well as one for a decidedly buggy (but not that kind of "buggy") event.

That "buggy event" would be the (return of the) Bug Out event with its smattering of creepy-crawly Pokémon. Here, there wasn't a closing element, but the grandiose element manifested itself, as the edition featured the debuts of the Grubbin family, Shiny Venipede, Mega Scizor, and Genesect holding the Chill Drive. To help with those, really successful captures rewarded double XP, also augmented with the Ultra Unlock of more Candy and Candy XL for captures, plus a special Unown and Pansage feature as well as a Timed Research set to augment the experience. A Collection Challenge, bonus appearances for completing on-site raids, and photo bomb encounters served to highlight the Bug Pokémon aspect further, who are present in the wild, raids, and Field Research rewards. It then could be said that the event "ironed out all the bugs" from the next event to make that one more grand.

And that event would be the World Championships event from August 18 to 25 to honor the first time that Pokémon Go is included in the festivities. Clothing items were one of the draws of this: new Galar outfits plus a commemorative shirt for everyone, a special shirt for those on location, and the World Champion outfit (and pose) for the winner. The last of these was also featured as a costumed Pikachu special for this event. Another draw is the battling aspect, which is served through increased GBL sets on all days in lieu of a single Go Battle Day plus triple Stardust bonuses from that, as well as on-the-field Trainers (called Challengers) based on regional winners and their teams. Pokémon in the wild, raids, and Field Research task rewards highlighted those that are common for the Great League, and a Timed Research set got things going. Select Pokémon could also be obtained with their exclusive moves from past Community Day events, making things that much more exciting to close up the series.

As for the truly final event of this month and thereby this season, that has already been explained to a great length in its own write-up, but a few concluding remarks can still be made about it. The appearances of the Ultra Beasts were teased in analog horror style with a few "found footage" videos on all the official social media outlets for Pokémon Go, which has drawn a number of (grand) reactions. After the event concluded, then it was time to preview the next season before the conclusion of the current one, and it really will involve something that "closes up" what the Ultra Beasts have wrought.

This season in Pokémon Go has been a whirlwind and tour of events, and they all have to make their grand closing statements this month. Fortunately, with all of the events above, they appear to have done just that. And why not - it's only fitting that they do so, especially given their circumstances. At this point, now it's just a matter of waiting for this season to close so that more grand statements can be made in the next.

One year ago: Respect for Veronica Taylor

Two years ago: The Social Value of Pokémon Go

Three years ago: Adventurous Families

Four years ago: Media Master

Five years ago: Catching Up

Pre-Stage Items in Pokémon Shuffle

Since I decided to explain about items in Pokémon Café Remix that may be used before and during a puzzle, and being that I haven't done the same for its predecessor Pokémon Shuffle, I thought I'd explain exactly the latter. Shuffle may be considered to be on its downturn as Café Remix has gained prominence, but explanation of some things may still be helpful for those who still play. One of those things would be the stage (puzzle) items, though in the case of Shuffle, they are only present before things get started.

For these items, it is possible to group them into three groups and explain them accordingly. The first group is what I call "additives" and covers the items of Moves +5, Time +10, and Exp. Points x1.5. The first two items increase the number of moves (of a move-based stage) or the time limit (of a time-based stage), but the increase is not factored into making a Pokémon easier to catch as they do normally when they remain after completing a stage; completion of stages in the "extra period" given by the items also always gives out a C rank. Thus, the two items only serve to help guarantee stage completion regardless of what happens. The last item is only a simple accessory that ensures Pokémon earn more experience points after a stage is completed, which may in turn be a motivator for that as well. 

Next, there is the "boosters" group. This has the items of Mega Start and Attack Power Up. The former initiates Mega Evolution at the start instead of it being dependent on moves being made. Even with the usage of Pokémon capable of Mega Evolution that have been enhanced with the Mega Speedup enhancement, the item may still be necessary as a "failsafe" and a guarantee, especially for urgent stages where every move counts. Meanwhile, the latter doubles the amount of damage that the opposing Pokémon takes in battle; if in the course of playing a stage the opposing Pokémon only takes about half the damage that it should, then the item is to be considered in the next "item run", which should help get things done and especially if there is no alternative.

Then, the last group is the "removers" group, composed of the remaining two items of Complexity -1 and Disruption Delay. As can be predicted, these items essentially eliminate possible hindrances. In the case of the former, certain Pokémon (or even in some cases rocks or blocks) are taken out, making a stage much easier to complete, though at a heavy coin cost. It follows that this first item has to be used very wisely. The latter item, meanwhile, prevents an opposing Pokémon from adding disruptions for half the duration of the stage, as half the amount of time or the number of moves starting from the beginning; it makes them act as if they're stunned or paralyzed for that duration. Once the duration passes, then one has to deal with the disruptions as normal.

Other relevant properties also apply to the items above. It should be noted that the availability of some of the items are dependent on stage circumstances, as with Moves +5 and Time +10 above and as explained additionally in the previous "item run" post. If no Mega Evolution-capable Pokémon are selected, then the Mega Start won't be available. Non-EX Main Stages as well as Expert Stages also won't have the Attack Power Up item available. All of the items may be accumulated instead of spending coins for any or all of them, but some of the items are more usable than others and the accumulation for specific items is likely to be used up before an item can be stockpiled to a great extent, else avoided entirely with the use of an Item Bundle also as explained before.  

All of the items above in effect require some forethought to know when to use, being only offered before the stage starts. Considerations based on the above likewise also apply to that forethought to avoid over- or under-spending. Regardless, the items above effectively are to be used to (try to) guarantee success of a stage, which may not always come easily or even cheaply in some cases; they remain the hallmark of this Pokémon puzzle game, and their legacy deserves some commemoration even after moving on.

One year ago: Road of 25th Anniversary: Divided and United

Two years ago: Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 8/28/2020

Three years ago: Allying with Characters

Four years ago: PokéVerbalisms

Five years ago: After the Faraway Tournament

Pokémon Go Fest 2022 (Global), Finale

Where there's a beginning, there's an ending, and today, that is at hand. As detailed early in the current Pokémon Go season, there would be a finale event for the marathon of Go Fest events throughout the season, and now is the time for that. Unlike the two-day global soiree at the beginning of this season, the finale event is only a one-day affair, much like Community Day as an example. Regardless, those who purchased tickets for the earlier global two-day event get access to this finale event as well, which is why I'm here today; it could also be purchased directly or as a gift for a lucky beneficiary.

For this event, the execution remained within the 10 AM to 6 PM framework of the earlier two-day event on each of the days. This time, the event was broken down into four habitats, which had specific Pokémon of the Bug, Fighting, Electric, Rock, Poison, and Grass types, gradually progressing in that sequence over the course of the event. Those who paid for a ticket and activated Incense (which is lengthened to two hours in this situation) gain extra appearances from characteristic Pokémon of the prior Go Fest editions this season in each habitat, including the "monkey trio" and some regional Pokémon plus Unown forms, with the addition of Shiny Unown N and Unown X for this edition.

The reason that the four habitats are as such is that they represent the types of the first four Ultra Beasts, which were also introduced in the preceding Go Fest events (Nihilego in Global, Buzzwole in Seattle, Pheromosa in Berlin, and Xurkitree in Sapporo). These Ultra Beasts returned today to the raid stage as Level 5 raids for everyone to deal with, appearing every two hours in the order of Pheromosa, Buzzwole, Xurkitree, and everyone plus Nihilego. Ticket possessors had the courtesy to raid them with up to 9 free on-site passes and an additional 3 premium passes in a bundle, with the latter also available to everyone; on-site raids as in the former also rewarded 1.5 times the XP. As well, all the Ultra Beasts when encountered can now be captured within Beast Balls, the special capture ball for this purpose.

Research and the related Collection Challenges remained a point of importance. Today, the latter featured four sets that were to be completed within each bi-hourly habitats with eight Pokémon each. Field Research featured tasks that are characteristic to each Ultra Beast and the ultimate goal of the Special Research. As for Special Research, everyone got a short two-page set that deals with the recovery and return of Professor Willow from Ultra Space (appropriately titled "Willow's Return"), for which when completed by ticket possessors unlocks a longer six-page set (titled "A Radiant Reunion") that is intended to be completed gradually (two pages at a time) as each Ultra Beast makes successive appearances, or all at once in the usual manner afterwards. As for that ultimate goal, Shaymin in its Sky Forme awaits at the end, which explains the remaining Grass type feature of the Pokémon appearances.

As usual, there were other remnant bonuses for everyone and some more for ticket possessors. For everyone, photo bombs featured a Pikachu with a scarf just like what Shaymin wears, Munna in the last two-hour period may be obtained in its Shiny form, new Ultra Beast and Ultra Recon Squad apparel are available in the Shop, and stickers with the Ultra Beasts and Shaymin are available. For ticket possessors, spinning PokéStops rewarded more XP, Eggs could be hatched at half the distance, and Shaymin forms may be switched after capturing the Sky Forme. Back to everyone, after the event hours, there was an influx of Lunatone and Solrock... which might be indicative of things to come in the next season.

I had the opportunity to spend the day with a few of my raid fellows in our former Community Day spot, which is more expansive and suited for this event due to its Gyms and walking areas. We went through as many of the perks as possible to capture Pokémon, complete the variety of tasks demanded by Research, and most importantly raid for all the Ultra Beasts whenever possible with other friends, both on site and off site. The Shiny rate wasn't all that great, but we still managed to catch a few, sometimes more than a few. Still, the real focus and objective were the Ultra Beasts, whose appearances today were the novelty of the event.

Much has been dealt with in the global edition of Pokémon Go Fest that kicked off the season as well as subsequent editions around the world, and this finale celebration for everyone couldn't have been any more appropriate with the entry of the Ultra Beasts for all. At least, with their availability for everyone, the "ultra" state is retained in the ones that could be successfully captured, as Pokémon Go prepares for what's beyond that "ultra" state as Go Fest and eventually this current season concludes.

One year ago: Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 8/27/2021

Two years ago: Road to the 25th Anniversary

Three years ago: Blogging on Blogs: The Pokémon Go Official Blog

Four years ago: My Pokémon Groups on Facebook

Five years ago: In-Town vs. Out-of-Town Events

Pre-Puzzle and Mid-Puzzle Items in Café Remix

In order to provide assistance to players, Pokémon Café Remix has a selection of items that can be selected before the puzzle (stage, order) starts. This is yet another point of similarity to Pokémon Shuffle, though this is something I've yet to explain for the latter. Uniquely, though, the former also has a selection of items that can be used in the middle of a puzzle, in case none of the pre-puzzle items were used prior and/or extra assistance is necessary. Since they're both to a certain extent equivalent in item stature and assistive power, I've decided to collate their explanations together.

Before the puzzle, the three items that may be chosen are Skill Plus, Megaphone UD Maker, and Megaphone LR Maker. Each of these adds the respective icons to the puzzle at the start, being a skill icon of the leader Pokémon, a two-directional vertical megaphone, and a two-directional horizontal megaphone. Similar to Stamina Crystals and its predecessor's Special Shop items, it is also possible in some circumstances to earn infinite but time-limited versions of these items, which are activated upon earning and will automatically add the icons while time still remains. These are helpful for getting a jump-start to clear puzzle elements earlier instead of later as the icons are earned.

During the puzzle, there are four items that may be chosen: Helping Paw, Whistle UD, Whistle LR, and Leader Bell. In order, these items clear an obstacle, remove elements in a vertical (UD) or horizontal (LR) line, and change non-leader Pokémon icons into that of the leader. The use of these items do not decrement the move counter, and so they are especially useful for getting out of a jam or even very close situations, such as one last obstacle to clear a puzzle with three stars. Of course, these items may be used at any time during the puzzle, especially if warranted.

The best practice for using these items would certainly be in replaying puzzles that have not been cleared with three stars, given knowledge of the elements in them that need to be cleared and the challenges in doing so. Minimizing the use of these items (specifically, others that aren't used) is still a primary goal, as is staving off further replays with the selection of the right items for use. While most of the time the strategy is to try to not use these items, drastic circumstances will likely demand a shift in strategy along with their usage.

With three pre-puzzle items and four mid-puzzle items, Café Remix has an item system that is slightly more complex yet somewhat more flexible than its predecessor. At the same time, it's still important to know when it becomes necessary to use them to resolve difficult situations - especially those that are being dealt with again - and to clear the puzzles as intended. It's an assistance that is as warranted as the Pokémon that prepare the food for the café.

One year ago: Go Battle Night Burnout

Two years ago: Continuous Inspiration

Three years ago: Making Others (and Myself) Happy

Four years ago: Figure Gathering, Again

Five years ago: Cosplay: B-Bunkasai 2017 - Yume no Tobira

More Strides for the Daily Adventure Incense

Last month in Pokémon Go saw the introduction of the Daily Adventure Incense, a daily-use attracting item with a certain affinity for rare Pokémon and social perks to boot. It also has a few demanding characteristics that may make using it a little quirky, but it's still (very much) usable in that regard. On that note, it seems that it may be necessary to give a few more pointers, and that's what I intend to do in this post. They're all synthesized from various general suggestions as well as my own experiences.

As the Incense demands walking, the basic pointers concern the execution of this effort. It is good to walk at a reasonable pace, but it may be better to walk at a brisk pace as well to allow more Pokémon to appear; sometimes, playing in a moving vehicle as someone else drives in light traffic may just work as well (in a pinch), though this slightly defeats the intent and purpose of walking. The path taken should also be as straight (or with as few sharp corners) as possible, for consistency not only in traveling distance but also Pokémon appearances. Finally, it is imperative not to stop walking if at all possible, regardless of what happens in and out of catching; because of this, the vehicular approach becomes slightly favorable, even if it's somewhat of a cop-out for using this item.

Then, there is the capture aspect. Most of the time as stated previously, the Pokémon that appear by way of using the Incense are common and possibly related to local appearances or an ongoing event, and in those cases, a "fast capture" may be welcomed with certain reservations. For the very rare ones, including certain Legendary Pokémon, it's better to capture them in the usual way, and one may stop moving to do so; as the Incense can potentially lead to the appearances of virtually most species, it is necessary to look out for them. At this time as well, it is also not worth it to place too much hope on the "prize" of capturing the Galarian birds, and it is best to just capture whatever is possible.

Other considerations are also pertinent. If one doesn't wish to have the extra 30 Poké Balls, then one ought to open Gifts and/or spin PokéStops beforehand to have at least 30 capture balls of any sort. A stable connection is also preferred, which will most likely be the mobile network data; it is worth turning Wi-Fi off if possible just before using the Incense. Further, it is also highly not recommended to activate the Incense during single-Pokémon events like Spotlight Hour or Community Day, unless one is only interested in that; still, activating prior to them or in their final minutes may remain workable solutions in a pinch.

Daily Adventure Incense has proven to be an item with a certain wondrous and intriguing quality about it, and in a way, that quality also entails some best practices for its usage. After dealing with the item for nearly a full month now, I and others have been able to determine many of them as above. Hopefully with them, most of the quirks can be understood and dealt with for the best capturing adventure possible each day with the item.

One year ago: The Magical Wonder of PokéToon

Two years ago: The Principle of Life

Three years ago: Expecting the Cards

Four years ago: PokéMusicians

Five years ago: Wallpaper: Ash XY Tribute Style

The Fighting Cup of GBL

GBL has its role in introducing new formats, as I discussed earlier for a "format of the season". Of those formats, it may be considered rare that an introduced format turns out to be a "flop" in a way. That seems to be the case for a newly introduced format since last week, coinciding with a special event (and which today is the final day for the format itself). It may be symbolic of a certain struggle that one has to strive for (even as a certain "flop"), and appropriately enough, it's called the Fighting Cup.

For this format, Fighting-type Pokémon are involved. They may or may not have a secondary type, but any Pokémon with the Fighting type as one of its types is fair game. The only exception is the Psychic type, which is definitely a counter for this type and for which the offender is the ever-popular Medicham; the type (and effectively that Pokémon) are banned from this format. The rest is for Trainers to contrive to set themselves apart... or perhaps to try to stay in line with the others, as will be evident shortly.

One of the reasons for that is that some of the top contenders are quite uncommon. Hakamo-o is the topmost of them, but its family has been hardly encountered and is therefore lacking in accessibility. The same goes for Sneasler, which is only gotten through Hisuian Sneasel and thus the preceding Hisuian Discoveries event, also a rare one. Toxicroak is the most common, most accessible, and most versatile contender, and it only gets more or less more common from there... or maybe not.

The "flop" is that because of the above, this format is rather lopsided; one can see Toxicroak dominating, with only a handful of the others making things "spicy". As such, since the format is demanding for both keeping up and differentiating, one of my PvP fellows actually recommended not to deal with this cup and to go with straight pure Great League, which is available until the season ends as the month ends. Fortunately, that shouldn't be a problem as today is the last day anyhow.

Even with the format being a "flop" for what it is, the thought process behind it and its inclusion is still notable in some ways. The sole banning for the format fulfills the consideration of what really works, though it seemingly just moved dominance from one species to another. The struggle is as evident in the name of the format as it is for preparing for it, and that may be the least of anyone's worries. It still remains as real as the spirit of any new format that the GBL chooses to introduce for prospective Trainers.

One year ago: Flashback to a "Voice Chaos"

Two years ago: Real Fights Over Imaginary Battles?

Three years ago: Cosplay: B-Bunkasai 2019 - Orihime to Hikoboshi no Monogatari

Four years ago: Trainers and Musicians Alike

Five years ago: Pokkén Downturn?

The Dream Archivist/Historian

Of all the jobs that any Pokémon fan can have, the dream job for such a fan is to work for Pokémon itself, which is something I've addressed over five months ago as I tried my luck for a tangential one. Even so, a few months ago, an intriguing Pokémon job opportunity had surfaced. The position is officially dubbed as "Pokémon Historian" and by several reports had been billed as a dream job for Pokémon fans, an example being me. However, as with many things, there is more to this than meets the eye.

According to the job description, which regards the job as an archivist, the person who possesses the position is given several very important tasks to perform. Among others, the person is to deal with massive inventories, policy creation, catalog affairs, and asset preservation. All of this is for the management and development of the internal archive for Pokémon, which would obviously be related to the games to a major extent. In fact, the archivist would also need to work with the managers for the game data for this purpose.

Though the tasks mentioned in the description above are and should be doable for the person who applies for and is hired into the position, there is something else important to know. All of the workings for the tasks entail advanced IT knowledge for them to be achieved, as I've discovered when I looked into it. This knowledge is not something that everyone possesses, and moreover, it's a crucial "piece of the puzzle" that is often overlooked by those reports that state it as the dream job that it is and should be, at least for those who can do it.

If anything, this affirms my views in my previous post above in that most likely, an occupational position directly related to Pokémon will have relationships to technological knowledge in some manner. More to the point, it is also particularly oriented to the games, which I've stated before in speaking (literally) that things will always be the case. If I possessed such knowledge, I would have applied for this job in a heartbeat, but that's not the case, though I'm sure this would be the case for others, which it appears to be.

By now, the job is now in the hands of a fortunate applicant - reportedly, after a tight selection - and I can only wish that applicant the very best (ahem) in performing the tasks that come with the position. Yet it remains that any position in similar capacity to this and moreover directly related to Pokémon itself is something to behold for its legions of fans; there may just be a few among them who possess the expertise for such a position. In that case, that would indeed be the job of their (Pokémon) dreams.

One year ago: Survival Mode in Pokémon Shuffle

Two years ago: Pokémon Go Datamining Moments

Three years ago: It's Gonna Be...

Four years ago: A Mascot Reinterpretation

Five years ago: Local Hangouts and Pokémon

The Summer Cup of GBL

Aside from introducing novel battling formats, Go Battle League (GBL) also has the chance of introducing battle formats that are likely to be familiar for many Trainers. They're familiar because they may essentially contain another format within it, whether that is of the GBL itself or external ones, most likely those of the Silph Arena as the two are sometimes interrelated. Earlier this month, it had done that again with the introduction of a week-long new format called the "Summer Cup", appropriately for celebrating the inline northern hemisphere season.

This time, the involved types are Normal, Grass, Fire, Water, Electric, and Bug. If that sounds somewhat familiar, that's because all the types other than the first has the makings of Silph Arena's Rainbow Cup, and therefore it might be thought of as "Rainbow Cup+" with the only differentiator being the addition of the Normal type. It is also a similar story to that of the Love Cup vis-a-vis the Rose Cup, only this one is much more evocative of the present state of things in the Go Battle League after much has been added.

For that, a few of its top contenders are Diggersby, Lickitung, and Pachirisu, all of whom need the support of Candy XL in order to become viable here. Contenders that are viable without being as such include Trevenant, Galvantula, and Blaziken, the last of these being the best Fire-type contender. Overall, the top contenders are comprised of many novelties that have been introduced through means like Community Day as well as timeless picks that even without the Normal type could still belong within the realm of the Rainbow Cup.

If anything, it may be considered that external PvP formats (primarily those from the Silph Arena as the most well-known generator of such formats) and internal formats of the Go Battle League has a certain relationship of making things familiar and then building on that familiarity. Here, the familiarity is with an elegant format of yore but built on with the additions since that time and an expansion of types, putting on a challenge for current PvP masters to continue to "ride the wave" of this summer season.

One year ago: My Personal TCG Equipment Wishlist

Two years ago: On the Mining of Data

Three years ago: Mementos of...

Four years ago: Cosplay Events, Wherefore Art Thou?

Five years ago: Connection Issues?

Cosplay: 77th Independence Celebration

Me: Well, this is an event, but I also want to approach it in another way - you could say it has a "Let's Talk" perspective. So, what do you think of when you think of "independence"?

Ash: Let's see - I want to win battles with the Pokémon I have and who I'm friends with. And they can just be themselves. That's independence, I think.

Goh: I want to have freedom to go where I need to go to find rare Pokémon, and then catch and befriend them when they want to. Now that's independence.

Pikachu: Pika chu, pi pika chu. ["Sounds like I'd go for those too."]

Me: Good answers; I wouldn't disagree with those. And that leads to this event. So, my local area has been on an independence mood lately, and one part of my town has decided to have some celebrations today.

Goh: And they've decided to invite characters as well.

Me: That's what happened with a character parade, and that of course means Ash for me.

Ash: I'll have my Unova outfit!

Me: OK, why not. That's convenient. Now, what do you think about street festivals?

Ash: I like them. That one time during the Jirachi event was nice.

Goh: The concept is nice, so I'm fine with that.

Me: I agree. The reason I mention street festivals is because this event takes place as one.

Goh: That's neat. But I see it takes place near the middle of the town - won't it clog up the street?

Me: It might, or it might not. That's for Ash to tell after this.

Ash: I don't know about the others, but I'll do my best not to block people's way.

Me: That's always good to do. OK, enough small talk for now - how did things go?

Ash: I got there early and I thought they'd be setting up, but there was nobody.

Goh: Are you sure you got the right time for Ash?

Me: I'm positive! I even was informed of the schedule. The organizers might be the ones delayed.

Ash: I guess they were. They finally got set up after an hour or so. 

Me: See, it's not our fault.

Ash: Once they did that, though, they really got going!

Pikachu: Pika chu! ["Really going!"]

Ash: Everyone did block off a bit of the street, though, so... yeah. I guess it was going to happen somehow. But I didn't try to make it worse.

Goh: Let me take a look at the schedule. So... I wonder what that first one is.

Me: OK, so the first one is a kind of dance. Think of it as "Rayquaza and Pyroar dancing". The others, well, the second is just a fashion show for kids and the third is a parade with all kinds of things.

Ash: I saw all of that! They looked nice even if I wasn't part of it. I guess it's their way of celebrating. The character parade that had me and the other characters waited for the other one to finish and come back so people could have something to see.

Goh: Did it seem like you were waiting for forever?

Ash: A little, but it was worth it. If not, they would have missed it and we would have missed it. It was a lot of fun for me and everyone! I got on stage and did as much as I could with Pikachu.

Me: That's great. How were the results?

Ash: Hey, would you believe it? We got Top 4!

Pikachu: Pika! [Nice!]

Goh: Awesome! You two really did it - and your friend really helped.

Me: And this is the first time in a long time that we came away with something, so this is excellent.

Goh: And I get to hear about it! How lucky is that?

Me: I'll say! So, after all this, perhaps you (and I) might have something to tack on to our meanings of "independence"?

Ash: I guess, if you can have fun no matter what, and everyone can do that too without getting in the way of each other, then that's independence.

Goh: I'm with Ash. If everyone can own up something for themselves in the best way without disturbing others too much, then you really do have independence.

Me: On that note, it is settled, then - it's about entitlement and responsibility. And that's something to celebrate not just now, but every time.

Pikachu: Pi pika. ["Always."]

One year ago: Quickies: Officer Jenny, the Keeper of Order

Two years ago: Pokémon and Plant Eaters

Three years ago: The Price of Cosplay Costumes

Four years ago: Do Unusual Things

Five years ago: Futureproofing Transfers

Deliveries in Café Remix

I've mentioned a few times a certain feature from Pokémon Café Remix, but I haven't gone into detail about it yet. And now that I deal with the game and often with the feature, I do need to address it. The delivery feature allows one to send Pelipper out into town with a menu item from the café, exchange it with an item from a prospective customer, and receive the item when Pelipper returns. As can be expected, it's another gacha system much like, say, energy rewards in Pokémon Unite, but it almost feels unlike one - the only telltale sign being the disclosure of odds in the Info section of the feature.

Once main order #10 is completed, Pelipper can make one (free, no-frills) delivery every 23 hours, which is rather slow for such an adept Pokémon. Yet it does mean that a delivery can occur daily or, in a very specific case and if one is observant of it, twice daily. In any case, the delivery status (including time left) can be seen on the main menu, and once "Complete!" is shown, the delivered item can then be claimed from Pelipper. Once claimed, the process then starts again by letting Pelipper depart with another menu item.

The most common rewards are Tarts for raising Pokémon levels, which can be expected most of the time. One step up in rarity are kitchen notes for certain Pokémon, which unlock and/or upgrade extra Pokémon abilities. Rarer than that are friend boosts for certain customers to hire them (who once hired will become Pokémon cookies), and even rarer still are "five-star outfits" that dress up and empower certain Pokémon. For the uncommon rewards, as noted in the detailing of currencies in the game, once the limits have been reached, they are converted to delivery points should they be earned again.

As for the non-free and frills aspects of deliveries, one can use a 1x Express Delivery Ticket or else pay 3000 Golden Acorns to have Pelipper deliver and return at once. Some events also allow an extra free and immediate delivery each day, which is prioritized before a ticket or payment. Meanwhile, an 11x Express Delivery Ticket or 30000 Golden Acorns does the same for 11 (10+1) immediate deliveries, and if the ticket allows for an Instant Hire, it hires a prospective Pokémon on the spot. The three items above may be earned from certain events or purchased during certain event periods, likewise regularly for the Golden Acorns.

Because of the regularity of rewards, it is highly recommended not to miss a delivery opportunity, especially when free daily delivery opportunities are present. Yet, because of the common odds, it is also recommended not to go overboard in ticket and acorn exchanges; if possible, tickets can and should be saved as a last resort, or when a good opportunity for (multiple) exchanges presents itself, such as increased odds for certain Pokémon. After that, the rewards may just take care of themselves.

While it remains a gacha system at heart, deliveries in Café Remix are still rewarding and, as above, somewhat flexible. What it may take is diligence and patience in following and claiming rewards, just as much as one has to be diligent and patient in certain other aspects of Café Remix for the best results. Here, that pays off as Pelipper brings in the rewards and means for the Pokémon of the café and beyond to advance themselves as well as the café in serving up as many orders as possible, as best as possible.

One year ago: Furthering Eevee's "Eeveelutions"

Two years ago: More on Pokémon Go Gift Stickers

Three years ago: Red and Riley Keychains

Four years ago: The Apple and Pokémon

Five years ago: Cosplay: Nimatsuri 2017

The Old (City) for the New Championships

It's been a long time coming, almost precisely three years ago, but it's now here. The Pokémon World Championships are back this weekend after that long period of absence beset by a cancellation, though now it faces a new world unlike what it was back then. Its location this year is also something to behold in its oldness as well as novelty, especially compared to the editions of the past and including the above. The content has also been known since last year, though it has shaken up a little since. It may be considered that there is an old thing-new thing going on this year and in more ways than one.

This year, the location of the World Championships is in London, UK, instead of being in the US as in the past three editions. For those who may have been there or read about it for various kinds of studies, it's obviously an old city with a rich history, and now it gets to host the Pokémon World Championships anew after its absence. It's also very much appropriate as the eighth-generation games (the latest known) are set in the region (Galar) that is the "proxy" of the geographical region where the city is located. It's a little old by now, especially as it was due to host two years ago, but today is a new day.

As above, all of the pantheon of content made it, with one important addition: Pokémon Unite is also included, if earlier posts didn't already make it clear. It thereby skips the exhibition "stage" that Pokémon Go went through, and that's an immense feat, especially with the game being only one year old. Effectively, as stated in the anniversary post, the game has reached a certain state of maturity as well as acceptability, and that bodes well for its future, both in the World Championships and beyond - it's a new "age" of Pokémon championships.

Unfortunately, there is a bit of a parting with the old as well. This year has been divulged to be the last time that Pokkén (Tournament, in its DX incarnation) takes part as an official division in the World Championships, and in effect it's also the awarding of the final title. As previously noted, the game only seems to have a niche popularity as far as Pokémon is concerned, and the time for it to depart the world stage seems to be now. At least, it has had a welcoming presence in its six years in the World Championships.

Much of the world is new today, but the city of London remains an aged beauty that today plays host to a newfangled kind of Pokémon World Championships, with old standbys and new waves alike. It's a celebration worth waiting for after a few years of absence, and if my notes from Pokémon Presents are still in order, the old and the new have to be able to spark and shine with the brilliance that they so possess.

Whether things are old or new, this weekend is certainly festive and competitive for Pokémon fans of all kinds. As always, good luck to those who are competing, and may the spirit of the old be able to usher in victories of the new.

One year ago: In the Mix: Pokémon Presents, 8/18/2021

Two years ago: Too Many Items from Raids?

Three years ago: This Is My House

Four years ago: Local Ex-Raid (and Changes), 8/19/2018

Five years ago: Pikachu Image Pillow

Hard Times, Fun Times in New Unite Battle Arenas

In the progression of the anniversary event for Pokémon Unite, which is still ongoing, two new battle arenas have been introduced. One of them represents a fun arena that may be considered an epitome of Pokémon, and the other represents a hard arena that really tests one's skills in a unique team-based manner. I've decided to collate their discussions not only for the festivities of the event but also for the spirits that they represent.

The first battle arena is called Pika Party. Here, everything is all about Pikachu: the Pokémon on the field are Pikachu, and everyone plays as Pikachu (one may still select Holowear to differentiate). The base of the arena is a Quick Battle in Mer Stadium with the change above, and the center "boss" is Gigantamax Pikachu, appearing up to twice with the expected bonus of making goal zones defenseless if defeated, in lieu of the non-appearing Rotom. It may sound like a one-note arena, but it can be rather dynamic - and then there's the fun aspect.

It is obvious that the key to success in Pika Party is the selection of pre-battle items and in-battle moves that suits one's play style and team needs. Since everyone plays as the same Pokémon, which cannot be the case in regular battle arenas, one has to adapt to certain "virtual" roles (including but not limited to the usual ones attributed to Pokémon) while given the only Pokémon to play, and certainly deal with the boss in the middle as soon as possible to get an advantage. The new arena could be considered a "learning tool" of sorts.

The second battle arena is called Boss Rush. Here, instead of being pitted against another team of five Pokémon, the team is pitted against a selection of three "boss" Pokémon from other battle arenas. The arena's appearance is partially based on Auroma Park but set in the evening, and it too is a Quick Battle, meaning five minutes to defeat those three bosses. This battle arena may be played directly with random opponents from the Quick Battle menu, or together with a Unite Squad for ranking purposes of those groups.

As Boss Rush is a departure from the usual format, team cohesiveness has a good deal of further importance. That may be why it was implemented for Unite Squad ranking; it tests the cohesiveness of members within it and is strongly recommended as such. The option to play from Quick Battle remains available but may become more difficult over time, so it may be more reserved for playing with friends who aren't part of the same Unite Squad. The arena is also rather offensive in nature, which is something to consider for technique.

After one year of existence, it seems that Pokémon Unite can play a little more loosely with battle arenas, and that's rather evident for the two new ones above. The results are arenas that are uncommonly fun and festive as well as uncommonly challenging and demanding. Then again, Pokémon Unite is an "uncommon" MOBA of sorts, so the "uncommon" treatment may be deserved for its first anniversary and beyond.

One year ago: Chiki Balls Pokémon Coins: Selections

Two years ago: The Power of Stories

Three years ago: Cosplay: STARNIFEST 2019

Four years ago: Cosplay: B-Bunkasai 2018 - Subarashii Maboroshii no Sekai

Five years ago: Battle of the Masters

Independence Numerology, Pokémon Style

Yes, it's that time of year again. Today this year, it's the 77th independence day of Indonesia, my birthplace and current residence. 77 is a neat number, as it's made up of two of the same digit. For many of those who live in the country, however, there are a few more important numbers for the occasion, and taken together, they constitute the patriotic numerology. That same numerology can also be applied to Pokémon, with some interesting results.

For the occasion, the important numbers are 8, 17, and 45. They are in order the month, the date, and (the last two digits of) the year of the independence. From these, other significant numbers can be derived. For example, the country code for dialing phone numbers is +62, because those who registered the country code opted for 17+45 in order to have an element of those numbers. Concatenations of the numbers can apply equally well, especially as it will become evident soon enough. The patriotism remains in the spirit of those three numbers.

Something that in Pokémon is popularly identified (referred to) by numbers are the individual Pokémon species by the National Dex. In recent years, it has become a bit of a brouhaha, but it still remains an easy and definite reference. By the numbers above, they refer to Wartortle (#8), Pidgeotto (#17), and Vileplume (#45). Various additions of the numbers then result in references to Pikachu (#25, 8+17), Persian (#53, 8+45), Poliwrath (#62, 17+45), and Weepinbell (#70, 8+17+45), where the first of these is a "perennial staple" for Pokémon. Since the numbers are relatively small, many first-generation Pokémon are obviously referenced.

Concatenating the numbers and their additions, they result in the species of Xatu (#178, 17&8), Mudkip (#258, 8+17&8), Mantyke (#458, 45&8), Throh (#538, 8+45&8), Braviary (#628, 17+45&8), and Phantump (#708, 8+17+45&8) for species prior to the eighth generation from Galar. The latter then has Drizzile (#817, 8&17), Dottler (#825, 8&8+17), Cramorant (#845, 8&45), Grapploct (#853, 8&8+45), Obstagoon (#862, 8&17+45), and Falinks (#870, 8&8+17+45). Overall, with the above, they represent a motley crew that is famous in various aspects of Pokémon, including the games and anime.

A few things can also be picked out. Braviary is a bird Pokémon that has certain similarities to the national symbol and may be regarded as complementary; the same is true of Throh with its red and white coloring, which needs no introduction (see the post five years ago below). Falinks might also be regarded as similar to the marching soldiers or troops that are often present at around this time. Coupled with the "perennial staple" as above and the rest representing people of various kinds, it seems real celebratory indeed.

Numerology can yield interesting results with numbers that are as exotic as they are relevant, and for today's occasion, that interest is patriotism. The Pokémon species that satisfy those exotic numbers then might just be of interest to those who like Pokémon, like me, and desire to find their relevance in real matters like today in addition to imagined ones.

Today, though, there is no need to imagine independence for Indonesians. Happy Independence Day.

One year ago: Sparkling, Shining for the World

Two years ago: Rise Up and Live, with Body and Soul

Three years ago: ...And Social Justice for All

Four years ago: United in Diversity

Five years ago: Red and White Philosophy

Myst Pillars, Pokémon Pillars

Since I have disclosed a long time ago that I'm a Myst fan (secondarily) in addition to being a Pokémon fan, I have (mostly) no qualms about discussing any musings I may have about Pokémon that are inspired by the former franchise. Recently, through the community convention for the franchise (Mysterium), a few design principles for games in that franchise have been revealed, which can be described as their "pillars". I consider Pokémon to already have its own pillars - four of them - but there's no harm in trying to put those pillars from that franchise into a Pokémon perspective. Here they are:

Story. The focus of most Pokémon games is on the action, whether it's about battling or catching, or something that's a "proxy" to that. Therefore, "story" is mostly a background aspect. In fact, it may be hardly noticeable; for example, although Pokémon Go currently has a "story arc" of Professor Willow's disappearance into Ultra Space, many Trainers apparently have not picked up on that or are in disbelief that it does exist, indicating either their inattentiveness or ignorance. Still, if one does take the time to comprehend the progression of some of the games, it won't be hard to see that "story" does exist.

Environment. Likewise with "story", "environment" may be thought of as a background aspect in Pokémon games, being that it's mostly a complement to how and where the action takes place. In most games this would be a crafted area, though Pokémon Go puts in an abstraction of the real world instead, as it's meant to be set in that very place. Yet it can't be denied that some design effort has gotten into those background areas, whether it's entire geographical regions like Kanto or even just the café in Café Remix. It's not something for "oohs and aahs" like the other franchise, but just enough to make the games what they are.

Friction. In the Myst series, "friction" is described as something that moves the story and thereby game progression along; it may even put it into a specific "pace". In those games, puzzles often accomplish this purpose. Pokémon games have very few "friction" puzzles - although some do exist in the main series games - yet "friction" may also be considered to be accomplished in different ways. Characters who block off certain paths, necessary "battles" in different ways, and even checkpoints requiring certain completed objectives to progress may be thought as the ways that "friction" is manifested in various Pokémon games.

Clearly, the Myst series is oriented in much different ways than the Pokémon franchise, so it would make sense that the former has its own set of "pillars" to adhere to, while the latter is similar in that regard. At the same time, the former's pillars also represent some elements of conventional game design, and the latter can (and should and does) still adhere to these elements to a certain extent while keeping its primary pillars at the forefront. Being a fan of both, it becomes natural for me to identify their elements and then attempt to understand them even in a side-by-side manner for my and others' enjoyment.

One year ago: Thoughts of Cards, Again

Two years ago: The Age of Post-EX Raids?

Three years ago: Capital Convergence

Four years ago: Getting Lucky with It

Five years ago: I Want to Splurge

Pokémon Go Community Day Goodies, Round 4

Every once in a while, Trainers in Pokémon Go get into a slump. It may be in the form of Pokémon that are not close to perfect, not being able to get desired (Shiny) forms, or even less-than-stellar results in Go Battle League. In the same way, it may be understandable if the same slump occurred for, say, obtaining the merchandise from a meetup for Pokémon Go Community Day. And yet, that seems to be exactly what happened for the one that took place on Saturday, with the few pieces of merchandise I did obtain.

Coincidentally, they're also all repeats. The poster is a repeat, though the content is different, which this time is appropriately for Galarian Zigzagoon. Compared to last time, the Pokémon Go logo returns on top of the phone silhouette, but this time the appropriate disclaimers are absent. Due to the rain, I also couldn't keep the poster entirely away from the rain, at least not without compromising its structural integrity in a different way. Either way, it was going to happen, and I could only strive to minimize it - a "slump" in a sense.

The other two items, the postcard with the bonus item code and the Niantic sticker, are still exactly the same as the previous edition, except of course for the fact that the code is different and that I don't need to show it, whether or not I have claimed it. The Niantic sticker was also in excess, so I could stand to earn another one. On the other hand, Niantic pins and the phone holder were still available, but I opted out of them so that others who didn't get them can have the opportunity to do so, so it won't be their "slump".

On the other hand, there were a few other merchandise items that are completely new (or I haven't gotten), and it seems no one else got them either unless they were specifically designated to them by a certain prior circumstance - it was vaguely mentioned when others asked about them. This could probably be described as a "slump" as well, for without these, there aren't (or haven't been) really new sets of merchandise for those who are interested in them - like me - just as much as in gathering up for them for Community Day.

With or without Community Day merchandise, the event is still a relative success if one managed to get out there and even participate in an officially supported gathering. Any "slump" that might occur would be par for the course, including in merchandise if there were any, and as above. Still, Pokémon Go goes on, and so does Community Day and its official gatherings, and it's up to everyone to make that a success, hopefully while going over the periods of slump and getting something really achieved.

One year ago: Pokémon Go Community Day, 8/14/2021 and 8/15/2021

Two years ago: Matters of Shadow and Light (Purification)

Three years ago: The Subtle Generational Spoiler

Four years ago: Don't Look Back... in Anger

Five years ago: Pokémon Desktop Wallpapers

Cosplay: Japan Overdrive 2022

Goh: Hey, um, are you really sure it's OK? There's been a few of these conventions and events you're sending Ash to and they don't seem to stop even with things the way they are.

Me: I know what you mean, and I'm personally concerned as much as I want to take advantage of the opportunity. I don't want to play "Darkrai's advocate", but I don't want to loaf around like a Slakoth either. So there's this one.

Ash: I'm OK with it if you're OK with it and Pikachu is OK with it.

Pikachu: Pi pika! ["I'm fine!"]

Me: OK, so there's supposed to be a lot of entertainment at this one and the usual bunch of competitions. But I've decided to... just send you for one of them.

Goh: That's unusual. You usually go all out with Ash.

Me: I know. I wanted to try something different this time. It's kind of related to what I need. Now, I'm just going to send you for the singing competition, here called "Anisong", with "Mezase Pokémon Master".

Ash: I guess you want me to try again from the one last Saturday. 

Me: In a way, yes. But I'll let you have the special journey outfit.

Ash: OK, great! So, I went to the place of the event, and... wait, this place is exactly the same as that event from a year ago that really went wrong!

Me: Er... yes. Yes, it is. So you're making up for that too.

Ash: I'm not going to get chased out like that time, am I?

Me: No, hopefully not. But the possibility of that, even if that can't or doesn't happen, is part of why I decided to take on just this one competition. How'd you do?

Ash: I think I did great! I had a blast singing the song the way you want it to be. It's just such a fun song. I know it really applies to all of our journeys, so I'm glad.

Goh: I can tell why you'd want to sing it over and over again. I feel the same way about my journey to catch all kinds of Pokémon.

Me: Doesn't it? No wonder why some call it an "anthem" of Pokémon.

Ash: Yeah! But I feel a bit disappointed not being able to hear about the results since I had to leave early.

Me: That's OK. Everything must have been delayed, so even if you got in the character parade, you would still have not been able to hear about it anyway.

Ash: When I left, the last entertainment to perform was late by 20 minutes. The schedule was just packed!

Goh: Let me take a look - oh wow, that is just packed. How did they not think about all this entertainment being given time?

Pikachu: Pi, pika chu... ["So, many things..."]

Ash: So I guess even if I stayed for as long as I could, I still wouldn't be able to hear about it.

Me: See, this is why I was hesitant about the character parade, besides the fact you could get chased out any time. Anyway, friends of mine and yours helped you to get back to me way early.

Ash: Yeah! We've got to thank them for their help. We also went together to the place, so that made it great too. I know you've got a few things on your mind, so I don't mind leaving early for you.

Me: So what do you think overall?

Ash: It looked like something from a few years ago with just a lot more people and bands in it! I had a a lot of fun then and now, even if it's harder to have fun now.

Goh: I think I'd love to enjoy it too.

Me: Well, all the more reason we've got to be able to get you in, eventually.

Ash: I agree! You need to come and see how it's like.

Pikachu: Pika, pika chu? ["Well, why not?"]

Me: At least there's still a lot of fun to be had in limited spaces and mindful times like these.

One year ago: Let's Talk About Cards for Humanity

Two years ago: Localized TCG: After One Year

Three years ago: Who's That...

Four years ago: Worldly Reverence

Five years ago: All in Good (Life)Time

Pokémon Go Community Day, 8/13/2022

One reason that I can't keep posting about one specific topic for a long time is that there are always things that happen revolving Pokémon, and one of them is this regular one for Pokémon Go. Just like two months ago, this edition of Community Day can be said to have gone to "the dark side" with its featured Pokémon, which may be said to have a "blocking" quality about it in both attitude and ability.

The featured Pokémon this month, as thus, is Galarian Zigzagoon, the regional form of the originally known Zigzagoon from Hoenn, for which it and its species family is not exactly Community Day fodder. The former is, however, as it evolves twice to Galarian Linoone, followed by the unique species of Obstagoon. This last form in the case of this Community Day then learns the Charged Move of Obstruct, which is modestly powerful in non-PvP settings but has a special defensive power in PvP, increasing one's and decreasing opponent's. Because of this, there is significant interest in this area, as well as in obtaining its rather uncommon but available Shiny form until the moment of the event today.

Aside from double Candy and doubled Candy XL chance, which by now could be considered standard, the main bonus is tripled Stardust from captures, which is lucrative for just any Trainer. Extended Incense and Lure Modules, photo bombs, stickers, trade bonuses, and group play bonuses (for more Stardust and extra appearances through Galarian Linoone raids) are as they were previously; Rhi continues to guide the paid Special Research, now titled "Field Notes: Galarian Zigzagoon". The completion of a certain Go Fest edition also adds double XP, double Candy transfer, and improved trade bonuses. Finally, Timed Research containing outfits inspired by the species family is also present for additional challenging rewards.

Like the previous few months, a local meetup remains the go-to aspect for this edition, for which I chose to just send myself today. Same place, same time, same people - but different circumstances. The local organizer was notably late and had another agenda today, so the role was limited. Further, even the sky turned dark and the weather turned rainy in the last hour of general appearances, prompting only a quick photo op and forcing the traditionally held contests at the end to be conducted online, not to mention everyone scattering either to their places of origin or wherever it might serve or have served to be convenient. Such a situation was inevitable, but perhaps not this inevitable.

The quickest photo op ever. (I'm on the far right.)

For this one, I only obtained 5 Shiny Galarian Zigzagoon, but one of those is particularly notable: it had the worst stats possible, which is rarer than even the best, and I proceeded to evolve that. I wasn't the only one; a few others lucked out and got the former, but at least one got the latter. For the rest, I evolved a buddy Linoone that was also Lucky and had the best stats, as well as two for PvP purposes. These are pretty much standard by now.

Community Day goes on, perhaps this time with a little "bump in the road" that affected some things at the end. That may be considered part of the "dark side" this time around, also with concern of the featured Pokémon. The results, however, no matter what happens, are likely to lead everyone and everything to the brighter side, and that's a pretty hard thing to block even with what thus month's featured Pokémon can do.

One year ago: NGOCO Podcast: What's Up with Pokémon?

Two years ago: Get Sporty for Sports, Pokémon Style

Three years ago: The Changing of Boxes

Four years ago: Toy Block Pokémon?

Five years ago: Cosplay Briefings

Dream Pokémon Food from Café Remix

After four days of discussing the hard game stuff from Café Remix, it's time to discuss some of the lighter side of it. Since the game has a café theme to it, food (and drinks) would have to be involved somehow, and they are: the Menu Development feature involves the creation of dishes and drinks to be served to the Pokémon customers, and a few of these are a delight to think and dream about - and perhaps enjoy in real life. To that end, I've chosen four of the menu items for each menu item category that I might just enjoy if it were to exist.

Representing the Beverage category, Lilligant Floral Tea is the one that piques my interest the most. In the in-game image, it is served in a clear teapot with a flowery motif, which clearly indicates its flavor and aroma. I'd like to think that such a tea can be replicated with a mix of black tea and chrysanthemum flowers, due to its color being representative of brewed black tea, and the flowers being able to give that floral aroma. All told, it would seem like a good combination that I'll have to try.

Dugtrio Sandwich Trio is my representative pick for the Appetizer category. The sandwiches are unique as they are served vertically, and it seems they would feature whole-wheat bread for the bread. The filling could be of different things, so that might be whatever I desire, complete with the indicated vegetables of tomato and lettuce. It is also served with what seems to be either tomato soup or sauce of some kind, which is perfectly applicable and enjoyable for me as well. It's a good meal for a starter, but it could be for any occasion too.

For the Main Course, there is the Piquant Pikachu Curry. The Pikachu part is a yellow rice with edible decorations, which could be made from seaweed and vegetables. The curry part would be a run-of-the-mill Japanese-style curry, but it would have the star-shaped bits as indicated; those bits would be whatever one might desire for the vegetables and other things in the curry, which could take some creativity and depend on what one likes. It's a simple dish with the potential for complex nuances.

They say there is always room for Dessert, and the Ribombee Chocolate Cake fits my bill for this category. The cake appears as a multilayered cake with some chocolate decorations. This cake screams "opera cake", which is exactly what it looks like and can be gotten as such, so that would just leave the decorations to be made to make the cake what it is. And it may not take an adept hand to create the decorations, just the necessary ingredients (chocolate of various kinds). The right resources can realize this menu item with less effort.

It's already evident that Café Remix is very addictive, and the menu items that are served are as captivating as the gameplay. Moreover, it may not take that much effort to realize the menu items as real food and drinks, and one could serve oneself or a group of people the "heaping helpings" of the food that the Pokémon café is known for. It's also known for a lot more features besides food and fun, but that'll have to wait after this five-day run of discussions for this rich food-themed game.

One year ago: On Pokémon Who Talk and Speak

Two years ago: The Fate of (Monthly) Go Fest and Safari Zones

Three years ago: Localized TCG (Not Quite) Taking Off

Four years ago: Pokémon Go Community Day, 8/11/2018 and 8/12/2018

Five years ago: Cosplay: DANOBU 4

The Currencies and Shops of Café Remix

Another point that further relates Café Remix to Shuffle and practically other similar games, especially mobile ones, is the fact that these games have currencies (or even currency-like items) and thereby also shops for spending those currencies. In fact, Café Remix has quite a few of them, and I've decided to discuss them together for posterity, whereas in the past I've done so separately for other Pokémon games, to simplify the discussion and expedite it this time around.

The primary currency of this game is called Golden Acorns, which are mostly involved in the raising of Pokémon, paid to uncap their level limits along with Pokémon cookies, which may need to be discussed separately. They can also be paid to restore maximum Stamina (5 Shards for 900 Acorns), or in some cases piecemeal at 180 Acorns for each Shard; shuffling Pokémon customers (replacing or "passing up" the ones presented) in most cases or taking a second consecutive order for a customer also requires paying Acorns. This is also the currency that is gained by paying real money in the game's Shop, where item packs are also sold, some of which are at a premium (including the so-called Premium Pass). For the most part, however, the most important purchase will be for the Golden Acorns with their ubiquitous utility.

One step detached from Golden Acorns, by currency and shop, are Milestone Cookies, which are cookies that are earned in excess of specific Pokémon cookies or even just earned as such from certain events in certain ways. These can be exchanged for a selection of items in the "Exchange cookies" part of the Shop in a swap-out manner with bulk exchanges possible, though for limited numbers of each item, for which the limits are reset from time to time. This manner of exchange also applies for the other currencies - or rather, currency-like items - below with their own specific shops.

In performing deliveries (also an important and separate point), one may obtain duplicate or excess items in similar ways to Pokémon Unite, and these extra items are not earned and instead are converted to what are called Delivery Points. The exchanges for these occur in the "Exchange points" part of the delivery feature. Those who have been playing longer will likely have some of these points and/or have exchanged them for the items.

Lastly, some specific events with Legendary Pokémon (of which one is occurring right now and is technically a repeat) allows the earning of Legendary Coins, a currency-like item for this specific purpose. It is exchanged in a "Swap Shop" for the particular event that is likewise accessed accordingly through an "Exchange" feature. The earning of these items are limited to the event period, but the shop is available for exchanges for a sufficiently longer period than the event's own, allowing accumulation during the event and exchanging afterwards.

Café Remix has quite a few currencies with shops to go along with them, but on the whole, the utility value is also increased, even though it may look complex with the things that are going on in each one and for each currency. It is regardless necessary to take advantage of each currency and each shop when the opportunities present themselves, to be able to serve Pokémon as best as possible through each order, enhanced by these currencies and shops.

One year ago: Great League and Ultra League, Newly Remixed

Two years ago: Pokémon Go Feature Wishlist Realizations

Three years ago: Monthly GO Fest/Safari Zones?

Four years ago: Pokémon Go Personal Feature Wishlist

Five years ago: Cosplay Scrapbooking

The Importance of Training in Café Remix

In my post about the transition from Shuffle to Café Remix, one point that I continued to stress is the training of Pokémon who have joined the café staff. While it is important to complete main orders (stages) for general as well as event-specific progression, it is also important to train the Pokémon as they are involved in those very orders and training will make them capable for their completion. It also has many beneficial effects that also make progression that much more satisfying. All of these matters need to be addressed.

Training obviously raises Pokémon, which gain experience points and climb levels as they are raised. As they do, they unlock and/or upgrade new abilities to clear obstacles in orders that may be necessary for completion, and they can score more points, which may be important for point-based objectives. It is yet another point of similarity with Shuffle, as it also demands Pokémon to be raised in the same way, even though abilities (skills) are raised separately. Regardless, raising Pokémon levels continues to be a point of importance.

Pokémon do still earn experience points from main orders, but this is limited to a paltry 10 points per order, which is impractical for raising them unless they are very near a maximum level. The actual training of Pokémon rewards hundreds of points, which might be increased on some days, with certain events, and by an active Happy Bonus. Therefore, raising Pokémon through training becomes the only way to raise them, aside from feeding them Tarts like the Exp. Booster items in Shuffle, which may be only necessary as a last resort.

By raising Pokémon, it is then possible to develop new menu items by meeting the level and Pokémon targets, which then enables new Pokémon to come to the café and to hire the new Pokémon as they bond, and then allows them to act as a leader in some orders, which may be necessary. Therefore, there is a chain of actions that can only be initiated by raising Pokémon, which becomes of the foremost importance besides all the beneficial effects above. This also means being able to achieve greater progress elsewhere.

As for best practices, it is highly suggested that as soon as a Pokémon joins the staff, it is trained once with 1 Stamina Shard. This lets the Pokémon become level 5 and unlocks the first two abilities, which are key. Uncapping level 5 and training a few more times should allow the Pokémon to reach level 10, which is a good temporary milestone until it can be uncapped. The importance here lies in being able to conduct the process as soon as possible, which should allow more important progressions to be made later on.

With everything that has been outlined above, it is particularly evident that training Pokémon in Café Remix is important. The process affects progression of main orders in significant ways, in addition to simply being a way to prepare for future progressions. The Pokémon that come to the café and subsequently become hired (under certain conditions) can do amazing things, but only if they are trained as such. Training allows that to occur, aside from being just a natural progression in this game and its predecessor alike.

One year ago: Realized Personal Social Media Experiments with Pokémon

Two years ago: Let's Talk About Events, Conventions, and Beyond

Three years ago: A Tale of Two (OK?) Performances

Four years ago: Ode to Magikarp

Five years ago: Snorlax's Awakening