Monday, December 4, 2023

Unexpected Uses of Pokémon Go

A very long time ago, I wrote on how Pokémon Go could be used in certain other ways. All of them were niche yet still plausible and expected - and in fact, one of them, the "tour guide", was realized through the recently introduced Routes feature. With the way the game is and the features that it possesses, it can possibly open itself up to some other unexpected uses, and now that is what I'd like to discuss in similar form. 

Note-taking aid. Since the game contains various text fields and a camera function, it could be conceived as a way to help take notes, particularly if it's already open. I have occasionally taken photos of Pokémon while including something else I'd like to record (such as places or phone numbers), and I even have a Quagsire that I've named with a certain phone number that I haven't bothered to copy off. And that's a thing: while notes taken this way will probably need to be moved off somewhere eventually, at least the note-taking part is achievable.

Concept visualizer. Going back to the camera function, it can be used to take pictures of Pokémon in various settings and situations, and conceivably, this can be used to show off various concepts. I can think of taking them in front of a T-shirt to illustrate how they could be placed in one, or maybe on the wall as a wall hanging (an Ampharos T-shirt and a Bronzor wall hanging came to mind). There are, of course, infinitely many natural extensions to this, and that's something that Trainers may have to discover for their own purposes.

Survey assist. It is known that PokéStops in the game are of and fit into certain categories, and with more of them appearing, they can be used to gauge the fullness of certain areas with certain objects, such as places of worship or parks. While the data may not thoroughly cover an area, they may still be helpful as a starting point for more in-depth surveys, and that is the essence of the game being used to assist surveys. Of course, in a way the game itself (by link to Wayfarer) is a survey tool, and so it's a natural progression for its assistance.

Over the years, Pokémon Go has continued to accrue elements, including new Pokémon and features, and the multitude of them may just have some uses that are beyond their typical nature, as the above would suggest. The game is now very much established as a typical game, but some doors may remain open for these and other atypical uses, and it may just be up to Trainers to use it however they see fit (and proper).

Three years ago: Resistance vs. No Effect
Four years ago: Off We Go... to Galar!
Five years ago: A Sewaddle Keychain

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