Cosplay: Bocchi Noizu Mini Gathering

Me: OK, um... September is going to be somewhat different (and somewhat busy). And it all starts by sending Ash here.

Ash: Great! What am I in for?

Pikachu: Pi? ["Hmm?"]

Me: I'll explain about that in a moment. So, "Bocchi Noizu" is a community of local pop culture fans. You might have seen them a few times in the conventions I sent you to earlier.

Ash: Yeah! I did. They're really nice and fun.

Goh: So... this isn't a convention or a festival. It's just a meetup.

Me: True, but... trust me, it's important. So Ash, what can you tell us about the place it's in?

Ash: Oh! It's in the same place as CyFest!

Me: Indeed it is. Now, one thing that makes this important is that like earlier...

Goh: Ash is performing - as a singer! Right?

Ash: Right! My friend set me up for this. They wanted two songs, so I chose "Soko ni Sora ga Aru Kara" and "Mezase Pokémon Master".

Me: But more importantly, Ash is here for the character parade - not competing in it, but judging it.

Goh: Whoa!!

Ash: All right!

Pikachu: Pi pika chu pika! ["So, so awesome!"]

Me: Neat, huh? You've waited five years for this, and now you're back in the "driver's seat".

Ash: I'm excited! That's why I was in my Hoenn outfit too. I know we've both gotten really well-known for it.

Goh: If you're judging, you must be.

Ash: And it's only my second time! But what my friend told me back then still applies now.

Goh: Well, I'm sure you know what to look for. 

Me: He ought to. OK, so I want to know how you did when you sang, and what happened during the character parade.

Ash: The sound was a bit too low when I sang both songs, even after the event people and I checked it. But I sang really great, though!

Goh: That's kind of a shame. Maybe you'd like to try it again?

Ash: I think our friend has a plan for us.

Me: You know, I think I do. But that will have to wait to see how the rest of the year pans out.

Goh: And the character parade - that must have been a sight.

Ash: It was! There were only 12 characters, even after they allowed more time for characters to sign up.

Goh: There had to be good ones for sure, though.

Ash: Some were good, but others were really good. I had a bit of a debate with the other judge - he's a character friend of us - but in the end, we chose two favorites and three big winners.

Pikachu: Pi pika pika! ["Really good!"]

Ash: Pikachu can confirm - we had a good time just watching them.

Me: And you got a little something good for us?

Ash: Of course! It's not much, but it should help you.

Goh: Were there other entertainment?

Ash: The hosts had a couple of games with the people watching, and there was a magic show too.

Goh: That's pretty neat! It's different from other times.

Pikachu: Pi, pi pika. ["Surely so."]

Ash: For sure. They used it to fill time so more characters can be in the parade.

Me: But wasn't it crowded over there?

Ash: It was! Just the characters were few.

Goh: That's strange. You'd think they'd be all over it.

Me: Well, I can think of a time when this was the case: many years ago, when I first sent Ash.

Ash: Yeah! Come to think of it, it was like that. 

Me: Still, even with the delay and the relatively few characters, I guess you can say that today was a success.

Ash: Yeah! It wasn't too much like those you usually send me to, but I guess it's not supposed to be.

Goh: It all happened in just a single afternoon, so it's like a get-together with many friends... which is what it was supposed to be.

Me: And don't forget, you are (were) a star for a day, especially with the help of our friends.

Ash: It has to be awesome! Everyone really did a great job today. 

Pikachu: Pika chu! ["For sure!"]

Me: The gathering may have been mini, but I'd like to think we made it "maxi".

One year ago: Quickies: Building with the "Builder Trio"

Two years ago: Wallpaper: Journeys Gap Ad

Three years ago: Multilingual Pokémon Go

Four years ago: Gym Tours

Five years ago: (A Further) Local Ex-Raid, 9/10/2018

Six years ago: Cosplay: BJF - Shizen ni Modoru

The Lucky Wheel in Café Remix

Like many mobile(-oriented) games today, Pokémon Café Remix has some gacha elements about it. One of them is the delivery feature, which I've covered on a couple of occasions. Yet there is another feature, and it's called the Lucky Wheel. It's not a constantly present feature; it's a feature that only appears during special occasions or events, and as can be discerned, it relies on luck to hand out prizes, some of which are very special... though it also does depend on some player efforts due to the way that the feature works.

During those special occasions or events, players can collect Lucky Wheel-specific items that can then be exchanged for a spin of the wheel - hence, the gacha portion. A single spin can be made at a time with the wheel shown, or ten spins can be made at once, skipping the actual wheel spin except if an exceptionally lucky chance occurs. Most of the time, the wheel will land on the spots for the sixth, fifth, and fourth prizes, while the third prize is rather infrequent, and the second and first prizes are only remotely or circumstantially possible. No specific odds are given, although the sizes of the prize sections should already be a good indication (or not).

If the prizes are less than a certain threshold, a gauge fills up, and when it is full, the wheel is put into a "Lucky!" state and has a greater potential (with a bottom limit) to result in a higher prize, although for special occasions this seemingly may not be that much greater. In any case, the Lucky Wheel items are only limited to several hundred regardless of occasion or event and ways to obtain them, and therefore the spins are limited as well; once the items are gone, so are the chances of obtaining more (and greater) prizes.

Golden Acorns are undoubtedly a common and thus basic prize, but getting them as a lesser prize is somewhat meager. The first prize of the Lucky Wheel during special occasions, however, is one million of them - but this is (and has to be) obscured behind odds that are practically astronomical, given the nature of Café Remix as a free-to-start game and even with the backing of players who can spend on the more premium enhancements. Yet any amount that can be gained may still be worth it.

As for special events, recently there has been a batch of "hospitality" events that use the Lucky Wheel framework, only this time it can also reward items like Tarts and Milestone Cookies, as well as Pokémon friendship boosts to hire them and/or increase their outfit grade - one of which is a Shiny Pokémon. In fact, it seems the goal of the events is to fill up the "Lucky!" gauge, and when full and the wheel is spun, the first prize, which happens to be the Shiny Pokémon, is awarded - even though this is still likely to occur with a regular spin, as the odds aren't as astronomical as the 1M Golden Acorns. It may only be gacha in illusion.

Still, it is no illusion that gacha is present in Café Remix, and the Lucky Wheel is a secondary manifestation of that. Even as it occurs in limited circumstances with some strange odds at times, it is regardless a form of gacha. The prizes from the feature may also be special in their own way rather than generally, but that's the norm of operations with the way that gacha is. At least, the events and occasions might benefit from the added special quality that the Lucky Wheel provides along with the prizes it begets.

One year ago: The 2022 Silph Arena Continentals Meta

Two years ago: Capturing Toward the (Pokémon) Future

Three years ago: More Music from Pokémon Go

Four years ago: The Music of TCGO

Five years ago: Cosplay: Tachiagare

Six years ago: My Book of Days

The Persistence of Theia Sky Ruins in Pokémon Unite

I've discussed about matters related to Pokémon Go in the past few days, so it's high time I move on to something else that isn't related to it. And why not Pokémon Unite, for there is something currently of value regarding it. For that, it's been about a year since the battle arena or map called Theia Sky Ruins came into force as the map for Ranked Match purposes and a couple of other play modes, and there is no sign of that changing at the moment, at least not until next year's World Championships. It may be described as a kind of "persistence", and it's definitely something that may be discussed.

As I've outlined earlier, the map is somewhat more complex than its predecessor, Remoat Stadium (which also continues to persist, now as an alternate choice for a Standard Match in case current players want to experience it), but it's also established to be apparently fairer in some ways. The reasons of complexity and fairness may explain the map's persistence; it's just complex enough for elite play as in tournaments of the above caliber, yet it's also forgiving enough for either side to clamp down on the other team and/or to mount an epic comeback, either of which has happened in at least one match and tournament; it was even updated for that reason shortly after it was put in. The persistence is then rightful and believable.

Whatever the possible reason for its persistence, it is admittedly something that is (was) needed. The shift to Theia Sky Ruins from Remoat Stadium took place after approximately a year of the game's existence, which given its recent two-year anniversary, means that it occurred halfway through its present life and somewhat early in its existence. Yet the shortcomings of the latter map had already become evident, and at that point, it really needed to be fixed - and so the shift happened. It seems like such a shift might be concerning to be made at such an early point in the life of the game, but it was essentially necessary for the game to rise to greater heights... and in fact it has.

Still, with the above, it does make one wonder: just how long will this persistence last (that is, persist)? If a new map were to be made in a year's time for Ranked matches, it would most likely have to carry on many of the particularities that make Theia Sky Ruins so attractive and competitive, including complexity and fairness as above. And that may not be a necessary effort, given that Theia Sky Ruins accomplishes its purpose and is continuing to do so at this point for longer than its predecessor. Efforts may be better spent on introducing new Pokémon for play on the map or other novelty maps to keep interest varied while keeping the core competitive game rolling on something tried and true.

Persistence, then, perhaps may depend on whether something has achieved its goals and will continue to do so in the future. This was clearly not the case for the map that preceded Theia Sky Ruins and prompted the replacement with it as such. Now, approximately a year after its introduction, this map appears to have achieved as intended - to provide a playing field that is advanced and equitable - and will take that achievement for as long as it possibly can. That would indeed be a kind of persistence, and Theia Sky Ruins seems apt to exhibit that quality and continue to prove one's mettle in Pokémon Unite.

One year ago: Like a Headless Torchic... or Pokémon

Two years ago: Pokémon Go Multiple Pokédexes, Realized

Three years ago: Pokémon Documentaries?

Four years ago: The New Flavors of Pokémon

Five years ago: Other Uses of Pokémon Go

Six years ago: Incubators in Pokémon Go

Paldea in Pokémon Go: Catching Up, Skipping Out

A bit of a breakthrough has occurred for Pokémon Go. In the past couple of days, Trainers might have noticed a certain medley of starter Pokémon species that hail from a region that is representative of the number 9; it's the happening I noted at the beginning of this new season. No, that's not an illusion; those are indeed Pokémon from the Paldea region and therefore of the ninth generation. They're part of an event, with details to be explained later on in the month as usual. But what is important right now is that the happening, also as I've noted, is a bold move that turns heads because of what it means for the approach of including Pokémon in the game.

That ties in to the matters of "catching up" and "skipping out" as indicated in the title of this post, and it's wise to start explaining with the first of these. The inclusion of the Pokémon species as above means that Pokémon Go has caught up with the current generation, notwithstanding the gaps from previous generations that still need to be filled in, including the one for the second matter to be explained shortly. That's a significant thing, because it means the game can become current if it needs to be; eventually, there might be a point where the game only needs to be updated with mostly new Pokémon rather than old ones, and that is an interesting prospect, to have a currently competitive Pokémon game (roughly) on par with the main series games in content and scope.

But then there is the matter of "skipping out". With the above, it becomes clear that the starter Pokémon of the previous (eighth) generation has been skipped, which is the first - and possibly the only - time this will happen, since it seems a trivial matter to add them whenever it becomes appropriate to do so. At that point, the scenario of roughly equal content and scope will likely be on the horizon and the matter of "skipping out" becomes moot. For a game that has had all previous starters in sequence, it seems like such a big deal, but in the end, it's just an optional formality. Pokémon Shuffle and Unite skip starter Pokémon around due to them needing adaptive content more than sequential content, though in more recent times, Pokémon Go may be argued to be needing this as well.

In any case, it seems that the second matter has been blown out of proportion and the first matter is the only one that matters. The addition of any new Pokémon to Pokémon Go is certainly appreciable, especially with the above (the starters from Paldea) being some of the more recent ones known to Pokémon in general. Though the addition does seem "out-of-band" given how things have always been in Pokémon Go, that is much less of a concern compared to the concern of Trainers having something to experiment and battle with. That too is rightfully not an illusion, and it's the reality of things in the game, no matter how old or new the Pokémon are.

One year ago: Rising to the Occasion: Theia Sky Ruins

Two years ago: Chiki Balls Pokémon Coins: More Selections

Three years ago: The Charisma of Pokémon Personalities

Four years ago: TCG, Order and Chaos

Five years ago: Artistic Routine

Six years ago: Pokémon Song, Indonesian Flavor

Why Do I Still Play Pokémon Go?

My previous discussion of how my return to playing Pokémon Go is the way it is also has another indication: that I'm still playing Pokémon Go in the midst of its turbulence. This does lead to an important question regarding that very matter, which has been clearly stated in the title of this post. I'm actually inspired to make this post by someone else answering this exact same question and giving the reasons for the answer - and now it seems to be my turn to do so. And while that previous discussion may be considered to provide some of those reasons, now I'd like to give a few others.

One reason is that I consider Pokémon Go to have an element of realism and/or immersion: it's the closest thing I can have right now to being in the Pokémon world, and it takes no mental or spiritual tricks - just a smartphone takes me there. I (and others) can chase after Pokémon and have a thrilling time about it, just like when Kecleon first appeared. I can capture and battle with Pokémon in real time, and that's satisfyingly real, even if life aspects are ignored - though they can be made up through Pokémon facets less tied to the games. As far as I'm concerned, the immersion and realism is genuine and unique.

I also consider Pokémon Go to have the best sense of accessibility for Pokémon, whether to understand it or just to get into it. Its "free to start" nature only helps in this regard; it's the simplest and most bare-bones form of Pokémon that parallels where it began, the main series games. In fact, I would advocate someone who knows nothing about Pokémon to pick up Pokémon Go to ease the explanation of the pertinent details that make Pokémon what it is, and after that point, the hope is that they'll develop the appreciation. Even I, who has been a long-time fan, think the simplicity is warranted even for myself. That translates into a very good form of accessibility.

Lastly, I still play because I feel that doing so regardless would support Pokémon, not so much Niantic as the developer, even though they can and should benefit as well. It's been known that a lot of the turbulence has been in part caused by, again, the antics of Niantic, if the support that I provide ultimately goes to Pokémon, then I feel that I am validated nonetheless. I still have to abide by good conduct in providing support, but that should come easily with good faith. This is also similar to other Pokémon games I play whose developers aren't Game Freak:  I'm playing a Pokémon game, not so much something belongs to the developer even though it still is.

Even with all the troubles that the game may possess presently, I still find it of some value to play Pokémon Go. It still has that quality of realism and accessibility that is part of why I'm sure many people were attracted to it in its early days, and above all else, it's still a Pokémon game, part of a body of many games of this franchise. With all that and the significant progress I've made in the game, the natural option is to continue, perhaps also to ensure that the game continues as intended and maybe - just maybe - that its turbulence will soon pass and enjoyment continues to reign.

One year ago: Pelipper's Carry-Ons

Two years ago: The Silph Arena Continentals Meta

Three years ago: Multiple Pokédexes in Pokémon Go?

Four years ago: Local Tailors and My Cosplay Costumes

Five years ago: A New 3DS Story: A Second Monster Home

Six years ago: Personalities

Point of (No) Return?

Well, September 5 is the day I returned to playing Pokémon Go after a year of absence, which happened many years ago (see below). It's something I've discussed from year to year with different focus topics, and this year is no different. This time, though, I want to discuss a rather difficult topic. Recent times might be considered turbulent times for Pokémon Go, with some people getting (back) into it while others are getting out of it due to the antics of Niantic (ahem). Given this situation, I'm prompted to think of my own, specifically what would have happened if I never returned that day, and the prospect of turning back on it all right now.

For the former, I probably would have continued my ill-fated career in VGC battling; while it could have meant finishing the main series games in time one after another, I might still have continued to struggle with the competitive complexity, including the processes of breeding and training. Else, I could have actually shifted to the TCG and started dealing with TCGO much earlier, building up a sizable collection and along with it the knowledge to play. In either case, Pokémon Go wouldn't have taken a big chunk of posts on this blog, and perhaps most of the content would be somewhat different in both order and topic. Yet it seems that I would eventually get into it, but not as extensively as today. 

As for the latter, that would definitely be a hard thing to do. The reason is that my progress has already become extensive, having Pokémon that are primed for raids, Gym battles, and even PvP. Even with that year's absence back then, I've essentially caught up with all the events that happened well after that time and especially Pokémon Go Tour. For competitive play, even if I'm still not the best and may or may not ever make it to a major competitive venue, the mastery is significantly more advanced than I could ever dream of for VGC and other areas of competitive Pokémon like the TCG. 

In essence, I'm essentially facing a "point of no return" with my progress in Pokémon Go, as the title of this post would suggest without any punctuative embellishments. Notwithstanding a possible "apocalypse" for the game (heaven forbid), it is practically impossible to go back to the way things were before that extensive progress, let alone the fact that it can still be tied to the main series games if I wish to shift again, even if that would be highly unlikely. Further, the extensive progress can also be used to assist other Trainers to try to get to where I am now and beyond, through trading, battles, and so on. At this point, it's simply not feasible to discount all the progress that I've made.

The turbulence that surrounds Pokémon Go at present has proven to be very dynamic for Trainers, especially for those who have gone back in and those who have gone out. I've made my going back in way before the turbulence started, and I think of it as a fruitful "point of return". It seems inconceivable to think of what would have happened if I was in a state of "no return" to Pokémon Go back then, and now it has become a "point of no return" to any preceding condition, even this turbulence. It seems that now I have my place, whether it's on this "return anniversary" or any other day I play Pokémon Go.

One year ago: Return Back, Return Forward

Two years ago: Returns in Various Guises

Three years ago: Returns Come and Go

Four years ago: Return, Return, Return, Return...

Five years ago: A Happy Return

Six years ago: Here I Go (Again)

TCG Live Is Live! (...Mostly?)

It seems some posts on this blog are delayed by certain issues, some of which are beyond my control. This post is one of them, and the  "issue" - at least I deem it as such - is apparently one that has existed even its early days. Nevertheless, by the title of this post, it can be discerned that it as well as the "issue" pertain to the newest platform for playing the Pokémon Trading Card Game virtually, as Trading Card Game Live or TCGL for short. It was finally released on June 8, displacing the previous incarnation, Trading Card Game Online (TCGO), which I've already detailed in a couple of earlier posts. Now that it was released and has taken hold, I'd like to go into some detail on it.

At a glance, the TCGL platform is not much different from its predecessor; most things that can be done on TCGO can be done on TCGL. Still, there are some differences of note, one of them being the visuals; this is, of course, apparent on the main screen, but it's also quite apparent on the playfield, which now contains some new special effects as cards are played. The "Done" button is now the "End Turn" button, clarifying its function, and is situated next to a group of player indicators. From the main screen, a toggle between Ranked and Casual play can also be selected for those who desire to switch between those play modes. The transition from the earlier platform thus should not be too difficult.

So too is the task of migrating, at least for new players. Upon logging in with a PTC account used to play TCGO, a "data transfer" screen will appear; "Migrate" is the clear and best option here, since the TCGO has been discontinued already and it's better to bring extant data anyway. The process doesn't take long and afterwards, it's time to begin playing... after a series of guided battles with the new professor of the game, which I recommend not skipping to get a feel for the new interface. Then it's just a matter of tying up loose ends (redeeming codes and the like) before beginning play.

Now, I'd like to discuss the "issue". The TCGL has been advertised as a "global" or "around the world" release, but in reality, that seems not to be the case. A certain part of the world is in fact excluded from the release (unable to download the desktop version) and players there may have to take "roundabout" approaches in order to play; furthermore, the mobile version also throws up a "not available in this region" message from official means, confirming the exclusion. It also seems to have persisted since the days of the beta, which is strange and/or regrettable. This is exactly why this post has been strangely delayed.

Regardless, now Pokémon TCG Live is (mostly) live and is primed as the next-generation platform for the virtual version of the TCG. The features ought to be similar as the previous TCGO platform - which they are, in fact - but enhanced as they should be for a successor platform. At this point, it's just a matter of getting into it (for both players and their TCGO data, if applicable) and make great progressions in the "live" scene of the new platform with new and old Pokémon cards alike.

One year ago: The Food Element Categories of Café Remix

Two years ago: YouTube Pokémon Highlights: The Lighter Side

Three years ago: Worlds Within Worlds

Four years ago: The New PvP Charged Move Mechanism

Five years ago: AFA ID in Memoriam

Six years ago: Cold as the Winds