(A Further) Local Ex-Raid, 9/10/2018

One thing that multiple Ex-Raid Gyms allow in a local area is flexibility. If a Trainer desires one, the Trainer can raid a specific Ex-Raid Gym while it is open for raids, for a chance of "qualifying" for an Ex-Raid there, while the other Gym(s) are closed in the interim period before an Ex-Raid. That was what I did for this Ex-Raid, by qualifying for it just before last week's Ex-Raid. This one also happened to be in the same location as one that happened a month ago, with it being a new one.

Of course, having flexibility to qualify for Ex-Raids does not mean any Trainer has flexibility to actually attend the Ex-Raid. Some who qualified for this Ex-Raid turned out to be unable to participate on the scheduled day because of other and/or sudden concerns, so they had to drop out of the planned battle flights and therefore forfeit the Ex-Raid. It's a given, since this one happened on a Monday at 1 PM. It's a little unfortunate, but at least because of the flexibility afforded above, they might be able to do so at a later time, though it may or may not be for the same Gym.

As well, there did not seem to be many Trainers from my raid group that qualified for an Ex-Raid, even after the few that dropped out. This led to only two battle flights, one for two teams with the fewest members and one for the team with the most members. The only problem that remained was that of the "unseen forces" which could either help or hinder the raid, and in fact both flights had at least one occurrence of both. There has to be a way for my raid group and others to control the "unseen forces" so that they may be more of a benefit rather than an impediment.

Mewtwo @ Street. The Gym is fairly close to the street.
Taken using the "manual method".

Having said all of that, my battle went smoothly. Despite being given a Mewtwo with fairly strong moves, my battle flight subdued Mewtwo quickly, which allowed the capture challenge to occur. Even the capture challenge proceeded quickly and effortlessly; I was given 11 balls and I caught Mewtwo on the first ball. A few others did the same, which makes me think this was somehow meant to be. Other than that, there were no reports of anything outlandish. It was just another Mewtwo in a slightly different place.

What You See Is What You Get.

With two places in my local area for Ex-Raids, the opportunities for Ex-Raids are greater. No one is locked in to just a single place with variable times; whichever Gym is open can be raided for a chance to qualify for an Ex-Raid. At the least, it makes things easier for any Trainer in Go to do so, and if skillfully done can provide the chance for Ex-Raids over several weeks. I can do it... or have done it, and others can do the same.

One year ago: Cosplay: BJF - Shizen ni Modoru

(Late and Great) Local Ex-Raid, 9/3/2018

Well, the Ex-Raid that occurred today had a number of things that happened once again, but that didn't make it any less great. For starters, it happened late again, as it was scheduled for 6 PM in the evening. While this does work out to the advantage of some people, as Monday is indeed a work day and the 6 PM time conveniently falls just outside of work, it might be a bit bothersome for others, considering how some people noted that the previous 6 PM Ex-Raid - one that I didn't attend and coincided with a special moment - was in colder weather. This scheduling has its ups and downs.

A good thing is that this Ex-Raid once again has the normal number of participants, numbering to over 90. As such, there were many battle flights. In all, there were eight: two for each team, and two dubbed as "rainbow" flights, which simply meant that they had players from different teams. It should be noted that with the way raids work, things may or may not provide an advantage to the players... or in my own terms, "handicap" or "assistance". Prior to this Ex-Raid, the Gym firmly belonged to Valor, and there was not enough time to "blank" the Gym, let alone change it to any other team. Thus this time it was a "handicap", and as things stood, I only got 11 balls to catch Mewtwo, again being forced to catch on the third-to-last ball.

The Mewtwo I caught today is not overly strong, but it's by no means less capable either. It is the eleventh one I've gotten since I've participated in the Ex-Raids. As my Pokémon storage grows full, I may have to think about trading away some of the Mewtwo to those who have not been as fortunate in getting one. Thanks to the trading system, now it becomes less desirable to transfer Pokémon to remove them from storage, and in the case of Mewtwo, it is simply too precious to do so even without trades. Of course, trades will also depend on the willingness and resources of the player willing to "adopt" it, which may be variable depending on circumstances.

Mewtwo @ Fountain.
I'll have to come back and take another picture for a daylight raid.

Also once again, for this Ex-Raid, I was unable to take an in-game picture with the normal means using the camera and the AR mode. This was what happened with the previous Ex-Raid, for which I had planned to take a picture in this way. (As a makeshift, the picture above was taken by a direct screenshot.) I talked to one of my fellow raid mates, and I was told that he was unable to take pictures either, and therefore this is a major bug, threatening the existence of something like the "Mew @ Everywhere" project. However, a week ago, I had discovered that a picture of the previous raid miraculously existed, so now I include it for reference.

The picture of my raid mates and Mewtwo, which was supposed to be posted last time.

Lots of things happened (again) in this Ex-Raid. By now, most of them should be able to be expected, and preparations can be made to support the positive ones and sidestep the negative ones. By my experience, I'm sure that I can do so in order to support my raid mates in the Ex-Raid effort. Surely lots more things will happen in subsequent ones, and dealing with them is what makes things great in the end.

One year ago: Bandai Pokémon XY Swing - Pikachu

Local Ex-Raid (and Changes), 8/19/2018

Every Ex-Raid seems to have their own concerns, and this one is no different. I've tagged this one with "changes" because it indeed may have some of that. This time, it occurred at the first place before new Ex-Raid Gyms became available. For this one, I tagged along with a friend for the initial "qualifier" raid, knowing that he wanted to go, so I could make his gas mileage count. The initial raid was also a Houndoom raid, which also filled my PokéDex entry for it, and that was a big change. However, it was also the first of many changes.

For this Ex-Raid, many of the regulars who often usually qualify for an Ex-Raid didn't qualify. This includes not only a good number of players at Level 40, but also a smattering in the 30s and upper 20s. Worse yet, a good deal of those haven't experienced (many) Ex-Raids. Some in my raid group theorized that the Ex-Raid distribution had returned to an older, hard-to-confirm methodology where everyone didn't qualify. Personally, while it may seem OK to see some of the Level 40 seniors "sit out" to let the juniors have a chance, it's really not fair to see the latter in the same boat. Fortunately, I was one of the many that earned this Ex-Raid, but it's still a bit worrying that this has happened and may happen again.

A good change this time is that some returning players and many new players were able to participate in this Ex-Raid, including a few of my friends. What wasn't a good change was that because of the relative paucity of participants, the battle flights tended to stack up on each other. Worse yet, because of certain celebrations that concern something of two days ago (and the fact that they're forced to stack up on Sunday, when people are likely to be free), the streets were a bit clogged, leading to some coming late or even canceling participation altogether. This is unfortunate, as is not being able to catch Mewtwo after the raid had progressed, which happened to a few.

Due to difficulties, a picture didn't work out, so here's the Mewtwo I caught instead.

Another good change this time is that the other Gym which previously hosted an Ex-Raid almost or nearly at the same time, and which I went to last time, did not host one in conjunction; instead, it will host one next week - but I didn't qualify for that because I didn't have a chance to do so. Meanwhile, that leaves the other Ex-Raid Gym in my locale, which has not hosted one since the Gym hosted its first one a month ago. This is a drastic change, given that the Gym is frequently raided, and it's an open question if it will host another. It may be a change in the making.

All told, many changes occurred for this particular Ex-Raid. Many seem unwelcome, but there were some OK ones too. It has been said that Ex-Raids are enigmatic and susceptible to future changes, and this one confirms them, presenting them as concerns. It might take one or a few more before seeing how things work out, and by then more changes could be expected as well.

One year ago: Pikachu Image Pillow

(A New) Local Ex-Raid, 8/4/2018

As I've discussed in my previous Ex-Raid opportunity, another Gym in my local area "broke through" and became able to host Ex-Raids. The one that I participated I today is "new", because I indeed got my Ex-Raid Pass for that Gym. I earned mine off an opportune Marowak; to be honest, I wasn't sure that I would get it because the raid for the Pokémon was a Level 4, which required at least a few players, but thanks to opportune players, I was able to complete the raid and capture the Pokémon, and get the Ex-Raid Pass thereafter. That's a great thing.

The only thing that wasn't so great was that there were far fewer participants in this Ex-Raid than in the previous ones I've participated in, excluding a few of the initial ones in which I took part. On one hand, this is understandable since the Ex-Raids here only started to happen two weeks ago. On the other hand, it may mean that the place only hasn't been seriously considered as an alternative to the usual place where I've had my previous Ex-Raids. Hopefully with this one, it may become more considerable.

The others... well... (I took the picture.)

With very few participants, the battle flights were also few - two in all, plus an extra one if necessary. However, during the course of the battles, many were found to be going off their flights, which destroys the entire point of coordination. I do wish things had gone according to plan. Fortunately my battle flight went just fine, even without the ones who weren't supposed to be there. Yet due to the situation, I only got a bare number of balls for my Mewtwo capture - seven - which made this capture particularly challenging. Luckily, with only three balls remaining, a well-executed throw resulted in a successful capture, and I was pleased.

Now, as with the previous Ex-Raid, this one also happened along with the Ex-Raid at the other usual place, only this time it didn't happen concurrently at the same time, and this one was instead separated by three hours. Yet in any case, this seems to affirm that the two places will have the Ex-Raids at the exact or nearly the same time. At the least, this will still allow options for different places to have Ex-Raids in, so both can and should be supported. I am also interested to try different things of my own in regard to these places with Gyms open for Ex-Raids, so these two places will definitely help for that.

I'm thoroughly satisfied with this Ex-Raid, even if it seems different, minimalist, and out of the ordinary. But then, that's the way it seems with Pokémon Go every so often, making for a dynamic experience. This dynamic quality will surely be what will keep me coming back for Ex-Raids in my local area, whether in this place, as usual in the other place, or perhaps even other places. For now, this one is just great.

One year ago: Pokémon on My Bed

(Routine or Special) Local Ex-Raid, 7/20/2018

Depending on how players perceive them, Ex-Raids can be a routine thing or still be a special thing. It can be routine once a player has experienced many of them, yet it can also be a special thing since even players may or may not regularly experience them due to the effort needed for partaking in one. I myself have been in 10 of these since I started to partake in them, and I can say it's both; it's routine because it's trivial to get to participate in one and special because it doesn't always happen for me (notably, including one for this game's second anniversary). The same can be said of today's Ex-Raid for both qualities.

There were a number of things that made the Ex-Raid this time routine. The "qualification" for this one was a simple one that occurred while I was out doing some errands and made some time to play; I only needed to raid the place where the Ex-Raid happens to get one, and sure enough, I got my Ex-Raid Pass off of a fortunate Manectric. From then on it was only a matter of reporting to my raid group that I got one and the division of battle flights with the rest of the players that got one as well. And then when the day came, I only needed to battle as scheduled before having the chance of capturing Mewtwo; both were smooth and successful, though it seems I got the short end of the shaft again as my Mewtwo was not very strong. Given all of these, it really does sound like it's a routine thing.

The Mewtwo in question.
(Sorry, no photo. Everyone quickly disappeared.)

Yet this Ex-Raid was special in a number of ways. Prior to this, my raid group had quite expanded with a handful of new members, so they were informed about Ex-Raids and how to "qualify" for one, and indeed some of them did, which made this their first one. While I wasn't able to oversee their performance, I can only assume that it went well. Another thing that made this one special is that this was not the only Ex-Raid in my area; a Gym some distance away which appears possible for hosting an Ex-Raid "broke through" and hosted one, at exactly the same time. Thus some of the players who would usually participate in the usual place got their Ex-Raid Passes and participated there instead. This seems to bode well for the expansion of Ex-Raids in my area, and that is a special thing indeed, as are the other things.

Ex-Raids will continue to happen for a fact, and that alone makes them routine, especially for those in the know, like most everyone in my raid group. But then again, efforts have to go into one to partake in one and make them successful, and this evokes a special quality. However they're regarded, they're still something to deal with, and if they're dealt with properly, the results can be amazing, no matter how routine or special they are. May they remain both, especially in my case.

One year ago: On Pokémon Promotional Toys

Local Ex-Raid (and Complications), 6/21/2018

So yes, today was again the day of an Ex-Raid scheduled at the (so far) only spot in my area for an Ex-Raid. The story of this one actually began almost two weeks ago. Those who have been reading this blog might have noted that around back then, I posted something on "the spirit of giving"; the activity of giving that I partook in with my Pokémon style actually occurred around the same spot with the Gym where the Ex-Raids take place, and since at that time an Ex-Raid had been completed just three days before, raids would naturally show up there for players to take part in and qualify for an Ex-Raid Pass. A raid did occur while I was in that activity, and I also did almost everything that I mentioned in that post for that raid. The result, of course, was an Ex-Raid Pass given just a few days later for the Ex-Raid today.

Not only that, this Ex-Raid had another commonality with one that took place two months ago: it was scheduled at 6 PM in the evening. It should be noted that the one that occurred then occurred one month before the extension of raid times into the night, which meant that for all practical purposes it could be considered the last raid of the day, but now with raid times extended, it may just be the prelude to more raids; this in fact did happen, but I didn't take part because I had to go and do other things. Meanwhile, this extension has brought about the possibility for an Ex-Raid being scheduled even later, perhaps at 8 PM. This possibility is remote or perhaps simply impossible, but it is at least a conjecture, given the situation.

As for the "complications" part, quite a few people were still in a "special time" mood, so they had to make alternative arrangements or bow out altogether. Notably, one of the "generals" that usually obtains an Ex-Raid Pass (and did in this case) had to suddenly bow out for reasons unknown to me. Things may become clearer once I talk again to the person. Another complication was the issue of whether the Gym of the Ex-Raid should be blanked out or left belonging to one team or another - in a way supporting that team. For the past few Ex-Raids, this was the case: the Gym was blanked out and left belonging to no team, with no Pokémon. Today the practice was to be repeated, but then at the last moment, someone - whether accidentally or intentionally - filled the Gym, and there was not enough time to empty said Gym once it happened. This becomes a debatable practice that may or may not be continued.

"What's next?" (I took the picture.)

The only complication I had today was being patient in capturing Mewtwo, which is also true for practically any raid, but perhaps more so for this one. The patience involves making sure that a Golden Razz Berry was given before each throw and then landing each throw so that the Pokémon enters the ball. I accomplished both, but it did take six throws before Mewtwo finally cooperated. I have to say that the challenge will be repeating this for any and all raids, including Ex-Raids. It's a complication that I may be able to work out.

All complications aside, this was a successful Ex-Raid to say the least. It's safe to say that almost no raid is completely free from complications, but this one was quite noticeable. And yet that's a good thing; it means they can be recognized and prevented in other raids later on. That remains to be seen and told, as are the stories that may unfurl before, during, and after the raids take place. I can't wait.

One year ago: Resets and Redos

(The Least) Local Ex-Raid, 6/6/2018

It's been about a month since I last participated in an Ex-Raid, and today is the day that one was scheduled. As with several of the previous Ex-Raids, I earned this one about one and a half weeks before today. For this one, I got it off of an (in)opportune Ho-Oh raid at the location, as I had actually been looking for Latios instead. Incidentally, I failed to capture Ho-Oh, but I did capture Latios through another raid just shortly after that. The captures are of course bonus challenges, so it's rightful that they bear no effect on someone getting an Ex-Raid Pass.

Now, the reason why I tagged this one "the least" is because barring a couple of Ex-Raids in the past, this one has the fewest participants yet. Actually, many players had gotten Ex-Raid invites and passes, but they got them for the most inopportune time possible; some were out of town for urgent business, were visiting distant relatives, or simply just had other things to do. As a result, those who couldn't come had to leave their phones (yes, some have dedicated accounts on different phones) or their login details so that someone could do it for them, or the Ex-Raid altogether - meaning that they had to lose a chance at Mewtwo. It's kind of sad, but things happen.

Imagine the left side benches filled with the ones who didn't come today...
(I took this picture.)

The tale of the day was how the "account jugglers" had to deal with the absentee players' accounts. In addition to the usual battle flights - which were simplified to only four this time, one for each team and one more for others that didn't fit - they had to make lists of which player to stand in for at which flight, logging in and out and perhaps swapping phones if possible and as necessary. This resulted in some dramatics as one phone's faulty GPS led to its players being knocked out of battle, while at the end Mewtwo couldn't be caught for one of the stand-ins; for the latter, fortunately the Mewtwo was not very strong anyway, but it still leads to wonder of what will happen when the news has to be broken to the stand-in player.

As for me, I caught my Mewtwo. Though it turned out to be only mediocre, I was kind of nervous that I couldn't capture it, but I did, and things were fine. After the Ex-Raid, there was an invitation to go on three nearby Ho-Oh raids, and I accepted; I got only one out of the three and the only one I got wasn't Shiny. I still appreciate that at least Mewtwo got caught today.

This particular Ex-Raid was as maximal as it was minimal... if that makes sense. And it may perhaps be even more minimal next time as some players may have other things to do within the upcoming two weeks. We'll have to see what they hold. Yet however minimal Ex-Raids get, it is almost assured that the efforts that go into them are anything but.

One year ago: Pokémon Direct, 6/6/2017

(High Noon at the) Local Ex-Raid, 5/8/2018

It is time, once again, for another Ex-Raid. This Ex-Raid brings back memories of when I first participated in them, as it took place in the daytime, but there are a few differences. As the title of this post indicates, the Ex-Raid took place at precisely high noon (12 PM), and since the weather had warmed up recently, it was also the hottest part of the day. And of course, this is no longer my first, and I am now sufficiently able to make better headway through it.

Everyone got their invites the same way - by raiding the Gym at the same place - but that doesn't mean everyone was successful in the bonus capture at that point. Notably, I let go of a Houndoom that I and some others had been victorious over. A similar instance had occurred in the past with a Machamp instead. Fortunately, these incidences did not stop me from getting the Ex-Raid passes, and that's a good thing. They are after all only small bonuses on the way to a bigger bonus, which is Mewtwo.

As hot as today was, my Mewtwo bonus today wasn't so hot. It was again subpar as the one from the previous Ex-Raid, though I did formally capture it. Also, today's battle (as part of my battle flight) wasn't so smooth, though I did scrape by. The good thing was that this time everyone was able to choose the battle flight they wanted (or are able) to participate in, instead of it being predetermined by someone prior. The fact that this is a mid-week Ex-Raid probably suits this system. Still, maybe I should have chosen a different flight.

This is what's left after a high-noon, mid-week Ex-Raid.
I took the picture.

After the Ex-Raid concluded, the ones that were left, including me, decided to try their luck and bid for a last-last chance Latias and a possible Shiny Wailmer. Neither succeeded; a few let go of the Latias, including me, and no one encountered a Shiny Wailmer. If at least Mewtwo went well, then that is perhaps where the luck should be.

If the results are to be believed, then today is a good day for Mewtwo, even with the other things that play into the circumstances. If anything, there will always be things that play into the circumstances. As long as we work things out, then perhaps it will make just enough of a difference for the best we can hope for with the Ex-Raids and anything else around them.

One year ago: Ash and Pikachu Keychain

(A Late) Local Ex-Raid, 4/23/2018

Wouldn't you know it, it's time for another local Ex-Raid. But this one's a bit different from the previous ones. While the previous ones were held within the late morning to the late afternoon, this one was held in the evening at 6 PM; in my locale, sunset is typically at 5:30 PM or so, and thus any time after that practically falls in the evening. Such is the case for this Ex-Raid. A fellow raid mate told me that this brings back memories of when Ex-Raids and therefore Mewtwo first appeared in my locale, as it was also held at the same time. This becomes an interesting footnote.

For this one, there were a few less participants, but that doesn't make it unnecessary to coordinate. In fact, coordination still becomes the key, as this is needed to ensure that everyone makes it to the end and gets a chance to capture Mewtwo. There was a chance that some people had problems entering the raid or got held back and had to arrive late, and based on the discussions I overheard, this was still the case. In the case of this Ex-Raid, I was placed into a later group; in previous Ex-Raids, I was typically part of the first (or only) group. Things have changed since the previous ones, as I'm now at a higher level and there are many more players that take part. Coordination therefore has to account for this.

The result of coordination is, of course, more efficient usage of our resources and better chances at Mewtwo. In fact, for this one, the battle was smooth - I helped to inflict damage on Mewtwo without using up all my Pokémon - and the capture was the same case, as I got Mewtwo within only a couple of throws. However, the Mewtwo I got this time was a bit subpar, though it may still be workable as it is. There may be better ones that await later on, and I certainly have those from previous ones.

By the way, I didn't cosplay today. Aside from not having any costumes that I can feasibly wear for the occasion, I wanted to try something different. In the past, I had bought a neatly though oddly designed shirt, one of two Pokémon-related ones. Since back then I wasn't playing Go, I wasn't sure if I could find an occasion to wear it. Now that Go is active and flourishing, I finally had a great occasion to wear this. I complemented this with black shorts for an all-black look.

Everyone's busy with Mewtwo.
I'm below the person in white between the birdhouses.

On the whole, this Ex-Raid was still effortless for me and my raid group. It's also a good thing that I got to experience what things must have been like when Mewtwo first appeared, with an Ex-Raid this late in the day. That seems to be a good memory for some, and to experience it becomes a good thing and a good memory for me too, one that I'll remember for some time to come, even as Ex-Raids proceed.

One year ago: Luffy and Infernape

(Continuing the) Local Ex-Raid, 4/8/2018

One good thing about Ex-Raids is that once it occurs in a Gym, it is pretty much guaranteed to be able to occur there again. A few days after the last Ex-Raid, the Gym became active again and furnished Lugia raids, which I and my raid group took advantage of. Not many of us got a Shiny Lugia, but in addition to the opportunity, we did get Ex-Raid invites in return. Our time and effort spent was thus still worth it, as it allowed for greater things.

Speaking of greater things, this particular Ex-Raid was supposed to have over 100 participants, but some ended up bowing out due to certain concerns. As if that wasn't enough, there were many celebrations around my locale due to the anniversary of its founding. That meant a lot of traffic jams and diversions even around the place of the Ex-Raid, not to mention elsewhere in the area. Fortunately a good number of those that got invites did make it, which is a good thing.

As before, the battle proceeded smoothly and efficiently with nary a hitch. What makes things different is that this time I succeeded again in capturing Mewtwo; when the first couple of balls missed or failed to hold on to Mewtwo, I was quite nervous, but then one well-executed throw managed to sequester Mewtwo in a Premier Ball. The CP and stats were quite good too - even better than the previous Mewtwo that didn't make it; it was kind of a "payback" for that time. Oh, and my success is Red's success, as I cosplayed again so that we could both seal the deal. He has something to say too.

[RedMode]
Thanks. Now I can finally say that I've captured Mewtwo, and I've fulfilled the promise made last time. It is because of your help and the others' help that we got to this point and succeeded. I may or may not return for another time, but I'm satisfied that I - or we - can capture Mewtwo this time. I wish you success on other times while I wait for the chance to go to other events. I'm sure they'll be great too.
[/RedMode]

[Red] That's me, in the middle.
[Me] Isn't it nice how things look similar?

There you have it. Even if things won't be too different for the next Ex-Raid, I may try to change things slightly to make things interesting. Also in regard to changing things up, there's been talk about trying again to make a second Ex-Raid available in my locale, as in my neighboring area, it was reported that more than one Gym is available for it. I'm all for this, and I certainly will continue to participate and report on local Ex-Raids regardless.

One year ago: On the Road Again

(Again a) Local Ex-Raid, 3/24/2018

OK, so one of the things that makes this weekend a Pokémon Go weekend is an Ex-Raid scheduled for today. I received the invitation last week, along with a great deal of my raid group members, by way of an opportune Rayquaza raid two days before it went away. I've missed a couple of the previous ones because of other hassles, so I welcome the opportunity.

What makes this one special is that along with the previous one two weeks ago, there were a lot of participants on record for the Ex-Raid, nearly 100 in all, which necessitated division into several groups. Evidently, coordination is a plus in this effort, whether before or during. One sad thing is that some participants who were able to be present last time couldn't, so this also required others to take care of those who couldn't be present. On one hand this is regrettable, but on the other hand they deserve it also. Everyone deserves thanks for all their efforts regardless.

Also regrettable is that this is the first time I've failed to catch Mewtwo. Despite a nearly flawless battle thanks to coordination, I just couldn't manage to keep Mewtwo in a Premier Ball. Evidently, it seemed that quite a few of the others were also unable to catch Mewtwo, more than usual, although this might also be related to number of participants. I had already said in the previous Ex-Raid that I participated in that this might be something to accept as it could occur to anyone, and now it has happened to me. Sigh. I did make up for it in a way by capturing two Lugia, one before (strangely) and after the Ex-Raid.

Although not necessary, I decided to cosplay today as part of a promise and as a bit of an icebreaker after something that happened earlier this month. I decided to resurrect a costume that I haven't worn in two and a half years, and that would be Red's updated costume. It also serves as a "cosplay test" before the next real cosplay event. I think it worked well this time around.

Guess where I am? 😉

In fact, he has something to say:

[RedMode]

Thanks for letting me have an opportunity to catch Mewtwo, with some comrades of course. It didn't work out for me though, but Mewtwo told me that if I am determined, I will be able to see it again for another chance to capture it. I'm sure I will be able to capture it next time - count on it. I know you'll help me, won't you?

[/RedMode]

Sure. And there seems to be an important point here: camaraderie is important, especially in something as majorly shared as this Ex-Raid. It's something to be kept in mind on the eaves of the next one, which I would be only too happy to take part in and make it succeed. 

One year ago: The Many Forms of Pikachu in Shuffle

(It's a Wonderful) Local Ex-Raid, 2/8/2018

Did I mention that I received another Ex-Raid invitation for today? Well, I should have, because that's exactly what transpired. I received the Ex-Raid invite and pass the same exact way as I received ones for the previous Ex-Raid, by a successful raid at a coordinated place, which was the same exact one, no less. I'm informed that this method for Ex-Raids may not necessarily work again with recent updates to the game, but I'm at least pleased that it worked one more time.

Unlike the previous Ex-Raid, and more like the one before it, the current Ex-Raid was scheduled in the afternoon rather than in the morning. In fact, the situation this afternoon was almost exactly like that time; not many attended, or rather were able to attend - although invites were sent to at least 30 members - and the rain didn't help matters much, forcing some members to count on some the ones that were able to come for a bit of assistance. Still, it was a fairly good turnout.

As before, our combined efforts were able to drop Mewtwo, and this led us to the bonus challenge of catching it. This challenge went nearly flawlessly for most everyone, though some couldn't quite get through it to catch Mewtwo, something that also happened in the previous Ex-Raid. It might be something that has to be accepted for any raid, including the Ex-Raid. I was lucky and thrilled that the challenge went well and that I caught my second Mewtwo, being a part of the successful side of things.

The ones who braved the rain. (I'm second from right.)

After a slight regroup, we decided to pursue two tier 5 raids just slightly uptown, and they of course involved Kyogre. Someone suggested that a weather boost might occur to benefit the captured Kyogre, but alas, this didn't occur. The Kyogre raids did occur, though, and surprisingly, they also went well - I caught both of them! Yet on the first one, there was panic when the game froze on my phone at the end of the raid, forcing me to close and restart. However, as soon as I went back in, I was immediately presented with the bonus challenge after the successful battle, and the rest proceeded as normal. I'm quite thankful that it did.

All in all, I was 3 for 3 today: the Ex-Raid and two Kyogre. I've never been this successful in raids, let alone a series of them in one day! Once again, I can't thank my local raid group enough for the camaraderie and coordination, something that is quite necessary for these raids to occur and be successful. Now we'll just have to see where and how far the latest updates in the game will take us for raids in the future. Perhaps it may be just as wonderful as today.

One year ago: Serena-Shipping: "Heaven Help My Heart"

Local Ex-Raid (and More), 1/24/2018

This is it - today is the day of the scheduled Ex-Raid in my area. All the preparations that we have made over the course of the past two weeks or so have come down to this. There was of course the previous Ex-Raid, indicated efforts that may help to summon the next Ex-Raid - which I participated in, and the invitation that I received not long afterwards. After that, it was simply a matter of preparing an arsenal of Pokémon for the Ex-Raid and to come to the location at the given time for it.

And that is what I and my fellow raid group members did. After a week of determining who got the invitations, checking who could actually come and who needed help, and preparing the arsenal and other necessary things, we gathered near the specified time at the location for the Ex-Raid. Then, at precisely the specified time, the egg that contained the Ex-Raid boss hatched, and the Ex-Raid officially began. After a slight bit of coordination, we entered the Ex-Raid with full force.

The Ex-Raid proceeded swiftly and smoothly, thanks to the arsenal of Pokémon that the veteran raid Trainers furnished. Mewtwo, the raid boss, succumbed to all our combined efforts, and that left the bonus challenge of catching Mewtwo. Amazingly, my capture proceeded spectacularly and dramatically; with a little assistance and just one throw of the Premier Ball, Mewtwo was within my possession. A couple of others had the same experience, while it took several throws for others to succeed, and a few also bombed. But when all was said and done, we had a great experience with the Ex-Raid.

An excellent group. (I'm third from left.)

With this Ex-Raid, I have in a way realized a situation that was depicted back when the very first trailer for Pokémon Go came out, which was a congregation of people attempting (and succeeding) to capture Mewtwo. It was a situation that I considered fantastic and almost unreal, but with Pokémon Go today, this situation is very much tangible and real. I caught a Mewtwo, and I did it through a journey in my real world, assisted with technology and a band of comrades.

My First Mewtwo™

After the Ex-Raid, the day proceeded much like the situation after the previous Ex-Raid; it was followed by a couple more regular raids. The primary target was Kyogre, which was boosted by the weather. On the first raid, the Kyogre catching attempt fizzled, but on the second, the attempt succeeded. It was a good cap to the Ex-Raid and a great start for my business in the rest of the day.

Today was an excellent day for raids and especially the Ex-Raid. We couldn't have done this without a coordinated effort. For that, I offer the Japanese phrase my fellow Japanese fans use to thank each other after a good day at an event: otsukaresama deshita ("thank you for your hard work"). All our work really was good work, and we deserve to be proud of it. So thank you again, and may we continue all our raid efforts - perhaps to result in another Ex-Raid!

One year ago: Electricity: Harness, Don't Exploit