Presents (and Items) Piling Up in Café Remix

Close to a year ago, I had discussed the Presents feature in Café Remix, what the feature serves to do, and possibly some helpful aspects and tips that pertain to it. Since then, I've personally made use of the feature... and perhaps a little too extensively at that, because now I have many such Presents piling up in the feature, which is also an effect of items in general also piling up, given that they have collection limits in the game. It's a situation that merits a discussion for its present applicability to me and generally to other (longtime) players.

As expected, most of the Presents that pile up for me are composed of Tarts XL for each type as they are earned from Daily Training, becoming as such due to having maxed out the counts for them. Yet I also have Stamina Crystals from Monthly Goals that I chose not to use (yet) due to already having a ready supply and being not ready to use them. Skip Tickets are now also becoming an occasional problem due to them easily "regenerating" by way of the daily login and missions, even when I use them to the fullest each and every day.

Though I'm nowhere near the limit of 200 Presents (currently, I have about 30 or so at any one time), continued play will surely see some of the items above continuing to accumulate as Presents, meaning that I'd eventually have to use them somehow... if I can. The problem is that most of my Pokémon are already maxed out to either Level 20 or Level 25, and my "working section" (the ones between those levels) has already become small. And then there's the problem as mentioned above for the Stamina Crystals. 

Other longtime players, if they log in and play as frequently as I do - which would be every day - will likely experience the same situation and problems, which suggests that there could be a "universal" quality to them. Equally "universal" solutions could be conceived (by the game itself), but the application could be the dicey part when fairness for players is considered in all kinds of ways. It seems that all players will have to wrestle for some time with what might be an overload of Presents (and items) in their collection. 

Now, after several years of the game's presence (and a few of me playing it), the problem of having too many items in one's possession - and a lack of opportunities for using them - seem to be apparent, at least for me personally. Still, I'm likely not to be alone in this regard if the ways of playing the game are "universal" for others, or at the least similar. With such a pileup of Presents and items, there may be a pileup of things to do as well to attack the "pile" and use them as best as possible.

One year ago: Surrounded by Bots in Pokémon Games?

Two years ago: Needing a Time Distortion

Three years ago: Keeping It Simple with Pokémon

Four years ago: Pokémon Go Community Day, 4/23/2022

Five years ago: The (Post-"General") Longest Journey

Six years ago: Touching and Caring for Pokémon

Seven years ago: Pokémon for a Puzzle Professor

Eight years ago: (A Late) Local Ex-Raid, 4/23/2018

Nine years ago: Luffy and Infernape

Pokémon Night Out: An Electronic Celebration

As part of this year's anniversary celebrations for Pokémon, some special events are being held for that purpose to please fans of all ages, both the young and familial and the old and hip. For the latter, the celebration is to go in a very electronic direction and a wild one at that, one that is familiar to music fans who really like to jam, and especially so during the later hours of the day. Appropriately, the celebratory event is to be carried out in such a manner, and thus it's called "Pokémon Night Out" for all that it offers.

Essentially, the event boils down to an EDM concert (two of them, in fact), but it will be combined with a lot of Pokémon visuals - especially if the e-mail newsletter bulletin is of any indication - that complement the music and make use of advanced technology. The musical acts planned for these concerts are of the extraordinary level as well, with Marshmello as the main act and Alison Wonderland as the secondary act. It seems to promise an amazing time for fans of these artists, their genre, and Pokémon.

Now, the two concerts are slated for later this year - specifically on October 24 and November 16. The former will take place in Los Angeles in Intuit Dome, and the latter will take place in London in London in O2 Arena... which should please the American and European fans while those in Asia will have to make an effort to go to them. In fact, tickets began to be offered for sale close to a week ago, so they'll all have to reserve the money for it and the plans to go there starting right now before the concerts happen.

For the initial impressions, the concerts are definitely a stunning collaboration, more so with the artists that will be featured in them. The execution remains to be seen, and especially so with the technology, and the Pokémon element as the visuals will certainly be the key to make things alive, given that it is a Pokémon project after all. EDM may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it's a respectable current music genre that even many older Pokémon fans enjoy, so the "Night Out" moniker makes complete sense here.

The Pokémon anniversary celebration, as stated, is a special one with Pokémon having gone through three decades. A lot has also happened within that time, including the development of the music genre that becomes the focus of the special event as above. It is inevitable for the two to cross over in big ways, and the special event represents what may be the biggest yet, at least for the old and hip fans of this franchise. That may just be the key to keeping Pokémon hip as it continues to last into a truly wild future.

One year ago: Like a Dragon (...Or Not)

Two years ago: Cosplay: Biznet Festival

Three years ago: Keeping Relationships Real with Pokémon

Four years ago: Let's Talk About The Ways of People and Pokémon

Five years ago: Ideas for Pokémon Vehicles

Six years ago: Reading the Signs

Seven years ago: PokéMania and WhatMania

Eight years ago: Tournament: PTC18 Online Tournament 7

Nine years ago: Costume Issues

Staring to the Sea Like Jasmine

The Gym Leader of Olivine City, Jasmine, has been depicted in some instances to stare out toward the sea - even in certain places beyond her own region of Johto. This act is definitely representative of a contemplative effort by said Gym Leader, not to mention if it's done by everyday people, including yours truly and other Pokémon fans. With that, the matter is also seemingly of interest to be contemplated, at least in brief.

For those who have done the same as Jasmine, such an act can have the potential to stir up emotions - at least internally - wherever and whenever it's done. Olivine City as the home of Jasmine is indeed next to the sea, and it seems a natural thing (for her) to juxtapose the roiling of her internal emotions with the roiling of the sea. This act taking place in similar settings in other places then transports the associated emotions and movements.

Meanwhile, Jasmine herself specializes in dealing with Steel-type Pokémon, which have a popularly given repute of having a strong ("steely") resolve. After dealing with challengers - possibly several of them, as Gym Leaders are wont to do - even such a resolve might become prone to a weakening. Thus, for Jasmine, the opportunity to stare to the sea is one to "steel" herself, not to mention her Pokémon through a necessary healing.

Staring out to the sea can be quite an experience for people, whether or not they are Pokémon fans or characters within that very world. Of the latter, Jasmine can be said to embody the experience wherever she might be and within the act, especially given her Gym Leader background. In the contemplation of the act and the experience, there may just be a "steely resolve" to be had with how that occurs for Jasmine and others.

One year ago: For Pidove and Peace

Two years ago: Cosplay: ChibiCon 4 x ICGP Regionals 2024

Three years ago: Draft Pick in Pokémon Unite

Four years ago: Community Day Meetups (Plus Local)

Five years ago: Quickies: The Pokémon School of Martial Arts

Six years ago: All Rumbled Out

Seven years ago: Cosplay: Isshoni Tanoshimimashou 14

Eight years ago: Crazy Decisions

Nine years ago: Tropius Fruit and Other Pokémon Edibles

More on Benefits

Several years ago, I wrote a post on benefits as would be applicable to me and the Pokémon things I deal with. However, the focus of that post was economic benefits, as it was written in conjunction with the other themes of "profit" and "loss". I've decided to bring back the topic for discussion - certainly still with Pokémon matters in tow - but this time, it's related to a different context for the discussion, one that I've previously brought up in what could be considered another topic series.

That previous topic is "hobby", which I've previously discussed against "passion" and then before that against "responsibility". One component of the previous discussion (the former) that I seem to have left out is indeed "benefit", so the discussion of this component with relation to the other two components is to explore how that becomes relevant to me and whatever I do with Pokémon. And if the previous discussion about benefits is of any indication, there is quite a bit to be explored.

With concern to benefits, it can be said that a hobby may or may not have evident benefits for the people who possess one and/or others they influence with it. Some of the Pokémon things that I deal with may be like that in that respect, especially if other people are considering them, yet as long as they're done in good faith, I prefer to consider that the benefits are already evident somehow - like the peace of mind after a Café Remix session or a workout after a Pokémon Go activity.

As far as passion goes, it can be said that a passion should have evident benefits already, if not within a short time ahead. Under such a consideration, this blog as a "passion project" should already have its benefit for a lot of the in-game features I choose to explain or events (of any kind) that I feature, in informing and entertaining fellow fans. And then there are my cosplay efforts, which gets me out to public spaces and meet other people, fans, and cosplayers - like at last Sunday's convention.

It's admittedly a bit hard to point out benefits, whether by the previous components as recently discussed or the previous-previous components as discussed way back when. Yet the involvement of Pokémon as something that I am a fan of and that other people are also fans of seems to make that effort a bit easier. Benefits still have to come one way or another with all the things that I and others do, for Pokémon or otherwise, and that should be discernable with other aspects ascribed to it.

One year ago: Matching (and Understanding) TCG Rarities

Two years ago: Pokémon Go Community Day, 4/20/2024

Three years ago: Places to Shoot Live-Action Pokémon Movies

Four years ago: Ideal Parks for Playing Pokémon Go

Five years ago: Getting In and Out Of Character with Pokémon Games

Six years ago: Rumble Tumble, and...

Seven years ago: Legends for Lunch and Dinner

Eight years ago: Curveball Wisdom

Nine years ago: The Music of the Poké Flute

Cosplay: Ganbatte Idol Fest 2026

Ash, Goh: We're back!

Me: Good timing. There's this convention I'd like to send Ash to, and it's today.

Goh: I see that. This looks like it's new - for you at least.

Me: It's indeed new for me (us). It's been going on for a couple of years, though; I just never had a chance to do anything about it until now. 

Ash: And now I get to deal with it!

Pikachu: Pi pika! ["Let's do it!"]

Me: Of course. Now, the place should be familiar...

Ash: Oh, it's the usual big mall for conventions and stuff.

Me: Well, sure. And inside there?

Ash: You said it. Just like the usual. Communities, goodies, and characters. I met the vehicle community and the tile game community.

Me: It's good to spend time with them... which hopefully you did.

Ash: I did spend time with both. I got a picture taken with the first and had a couple of good games with the second.

Pikachu: Pika chu. ["Good job."]

Me: Well, there you go. Did you find the rest of the booths interesting?

Ash: I got a couple of goodies... and that was it. I just had small talk with the rest.

Me: Uh-huh. Speaking of talking, where has Goh gone?

Goh: Hi!

Ash: Oh! You're actually here!

Me: Well, what do you know. Someone actually sent you in for real this time.

Ash: Maybe I should have had my world outfit instead of my special journey one. 

Me: And then I had been requested to have you with your Kalos outfit, but it wasn't exactly convenient. 

Ash: I guess we did what we can. 

Goh: Hey, doesn't it seem like there aren't a lot of characters around here?

Ash: But it's a big convention! There's still a good number.

Pikachu: Pi pika. ["Quite a bit."]

Goh: That's true, even if it's less than what you'd expect. 

Ash: I guess the ones who came were really serious about this one.

Goh: Well, you know, there's the character parade and the performance competition... but the latter isn't for you, and I think you need to deal with the former.

Ash: Oh, yeah! I need to do that.

Goh: I'll see you back after I do some stuff.

Ash: Sure!

Me: OK, so then there's the two competitions. For the character parade, did you have any trouble getting in?

Ash: Well, the people asked me to sign up for something, but I got around that somehow.

Pikachu: Pika chu? ["Tricky?"]

Me: Yeah, usually that's a bit of a sign. But I'm told this on had a lot of prizes?

Ash: Yeah! But a lot of characters wanted it too, so a lot still didn't win anything... and I didn't.

Me: Still a "lottery". Now, based on my research, the performance competition is a regional edition that is a part of Indonesia Cosplay League (ICL) for a global series called GICOF, so a different one but still in a related vein to ICGP for WCS.

Ash: Oh. That does make it hard for us to get in. But all the teams (I saw) really had great performances!

Me: I'm sure they did. OK, and on top of all this, you must have met my other friends.

Ash: A lot of them - even one dressed in black... and... white?

Me: Sounds interesting, that one friend. Oh, and what about other entertainment?

Ash: Dance groups - but they were all in a stage in a separate space.

Me: OK, that's the "fest" part covered.

Goh: I'm back! So, after that person sent me, I guess we can say that the convention is like a smaller version of other conventions that are usually here.

Ash: Like ChibiCon and C4.

Pikachu: Pika! ["Like that!"]

Me: I'm told it's not meant to be this small. I heard that there's another convention some distance away and yet another one in a neighboring town.

Ash: Oh, so some people might have gone there instead of to this one.

Goh: That seems to explain things. But hey, I'm sure you still had a great a time - I know I also did.

Ash: And it's the first time for this one too!

Me: It's a first time (for us), and a bit of a "strange" time, but it made for a great time. This one is definitely in the books - and spirits, as the spirit of "ganbatte".

One year ago: Overnumbered Cards in TCG

Two years ago: My Favorite Pokémon Outfits in Café Remix So Far

Three years ago: One-Minute Cooking: A New Standard?

Four years ago: Scoring in Pokémon Unite

Five years ago: Friendships Like Pokémon

Six years ago: Everyday Discoveries

Seven years ago: Local EX Raid (and a Whirlwind), 4/19/2019

Eight years ago: Cracking the Case

Nine years ago: Oddest Things with Pikachu

Remote Trading in Pokémon Go

Alongside the new and "ultimate" friendship level that was introduced in Pokémon Go a few months ago, I had noted that there is another feature that comes with it, and that I would discuss it later because it's significant - and that time is now. For those who have friends from faraway places and have attained high friendship levels with them, they may have the desire to trade with them beyond the limits of the regular trading feature, and this new feature allows them to do just that. Accordingly, it's called the Remote Trade feature.

In order to be able to make use of Remote Trade (in contrast to regular trading, now called "Local Trade" to differentiate), two friends in Pokémon Go have to attain the Forever Friends level, which will unlock the first Remote Trade opportunity. After performing a Remote Trade, the two friends then need to interact again for 90 days to re-attain the Forever Friends bonus and the next Remote Trade opportunity. So, the opportunity might not come very often, but it is significant just as the new Friendship level is significant.

Of course, they also need to be able to see what Pokémon that the other can offer, so the feature also comes with a special Pokémon tag for a Remote Trade. Within a few days of one's first Forever Friend, one can start labeling Pokémon with the tag for that purpose. It also goes without saying that one should make use of the feature as much as possible by labeling as many Pokémon as possible, especially once more Forever Friends come about who may just make the request for a Remote Trade at any time.

Then, there is the process. One of the Trainers starts the process by reviewing the other's tagged Pokémon (including moves) and selects up to three from the set to make the Remote Trade request. The other Trainer then reviews the request and makes selections to confirm the request, and then the originating Trainer makes the final confirmation. The trade is then made, and the two Trainers receive the Pokémon. It's a little similar to the process in the distantly related game of TCGP, only somewhat more involved.

Some other notes also apply to the process. Obviously, if the two friends are Lucky Friends, the Remote Trade will be a Lucky Trade as well. As for Special Trades, a Remote Trade can allow for an extra Special Trade to be made for that purpose, separate from ones for a Local Trade. In light of the above, it is also advisable that two friends who have attained an opportunity for a Remote Trade to take advantage of the opportunity, considering that it is gained from the continued dedication to interact as friends.

Remote Trade in Pokémon Go is regardless a very useful addition to Pokémon Go, especially for Trainers who are friends with others from all around the world and even those who are separated by great distances. Although it does require that they maintain friendship and increase that level to the "ultimate" degree, once that happens, a lot of things can become fair game through a Remote Trade opportunity. That might allow for just-as-lasting mementos to result, in a way affirming the "forever" quality of the friendship.

One year ago: Pokémon Concierge: The Resort of Fun

Two years ago: Cleaning Up Like Poison Types

Three years ago: Hunting for "Smurfers" in Pokémon Unite

Four years ago: On the Two Sweepers and Cleaners

Five years ago: Cosplay: "Pass-the-Time" Contest

Six years ago: Love and All

Seven years ago: Performance Critique: INOCHI 2019 Sing Cover

Eight years ago: Getting Social with Cosplay

Nine years ago: Console Renewal?

Chasing After and Catching Up with Suicune

If there's a Pokémon that could embody the spirit of a pursuit somewhat well enough, it could perhaps be one of the Legendary beasts of the Johto region, being Suicune. As most Trainers recognize, in the original games it appeared, a literal pursuit had to be made across the region for the purpose of encountering them - never mind getting a chance to capture them. This pursuing effort is definitely one that gets Trainers to chase after it and make it possible to develop a bond somehow with the Pokémon.

Of course, in the "third version" of Crystal, Trainers didn't need to chase after said Pokémon and could simply encounter it in one of the towers in Ecruteak City. This allows the "bond development" to take place sooner, especially with a capturing process involved, without the complications of the pursuit as above. In this way, one could be considered to have "caught up" with the Pokémon for all its relation, even if the relation is only specific to that one game. Yet it's still important in this case somehow.

Now, as for why this post brings up the topic and ideas above, there might be a few personal aspects that are to a certain extent related to the ideas, which brings about the topic. In particular, there is the relation to this very medium, for which some might have noticed a certain peculiarity even if the consistency remains... which I won't discuss too much in obvious terms. As for its relation to the topic at hand, perhaps Suicune itself might know - but that'll demand an actual chase-after and catch-up.

The games where it becomes pertinent to chase after and/or to catch up with Suicune may be considered to have their own points about meaningful pursuits, specifically for the Pokémon that is mentioned as such. Trainers may make interpretations of that in ways that are relevant to them - and that includes yours truly for certain pertinent affairs - but the "blue streak" that is the Legendary beast as mentioned above will likely have its own interpretations of the pursuit that truly embody situations at hand.

One year ago: Dreaming of Pokémon Friends?

Two years ago: Musical Emotion, Place, and Event

Three years ago: Going for (Real) Pokémon Cookies

Four years ago: Rotating to Objectives

Five years ago: Longing for Team Go Rocket

Six years ago: Impressions of Chef Mallow

Seven years ago: Choosing Pathways

Eight years ago: And Again, I Dream

Nine years ago: We're All Tied to Pokémon