Berry Cuisine

In the world of Pokémon, Berries are an established class of items as well as (the fruits of) full-fledged organisms all to themselves. Their main purpose is to be fed to Pokémon for different purposes such as healing, enhancing, or even just satisfying their bellies. Evidently, they are also edible by people and can satiate them as well. In a way, they can become a cuisine for whomever or whatever is involved.

According to the lore, Berries that are stored in the shell of a Shuckle will, after a few days, convert to Berry Juice. If Berries in their original forms are luscious to any Pokémon, some Pokémon might find this liquid form interesting to be consumed. Also according to lore, Tepig, a starter Pokémon from Unova, likes to eat Berries, particularly those that are roasted. The only problem is that the Pokémon sometimes tend to get over-excited and instead burns the Berries it intends to eat. If that doesn't happen, it may be certain that the Pokémon will enjoy whatever Berry it decides to process in this manner.

Both of the processed forms above might also appeal to certain people, for whom Berries are also edible. If they weren't edible, then the full range of tastes (Sweet, Sour, Spicy, and so on) wouldn't have been able to be established for each individual Berry, and the Berries themselves wouldn't even be consumed on their own - most likely the "tamer" Berries such as Oran and Pecha Berries. Of course, that does leave them open for inclusion in any kind of food that would appeal to people, though given Berries as a Pokémon specificity, there would be a myriad of things specially done with Berries.

For Pokémon, Berries have special characteristics that augment their capabilities; yet besides this fact, they can manifest themselves as something to be just enjoyed. Due to Berries also being edible, at the least people can also partake in the enjoyment. There may not be any manifestations of augmented capabilities conferred by Berries to people, but it seems they would make for fine cuisine just as they do for Pokémon.

(And yes, today is Pi Day, so the cuisine calls for pie... hopefully with quite a bit of Berries in it.)

One year ago: Pokémon Anime Song Remixes?

Two years ago: Profits on the Side

Three years ago: It's Pi Day!

Four years ago: Pokémon and Puzzle Games

More Pokémon Go Quality-of-Life Improvements

Pokémon Go, being a mobile game, benefits greatly from continuous updating, whether it's to add new features or improve upon existing ones. The latter seems to be what the game desperately needs the most, given its sizable history of bugs or things that are off. The good thing is that Niantic does realize at least some things that need to be improved, and they have, through "quality-of-life improvements" that do just that. Recently, there have been a couple more of these, and they're worthy of some discussion along with how they were in the past and some of the ones then.

Back then, I wrote about some of them in the framework of "countermeasures" since at the time activity in Pokémon Go decreased due to what happened in the world. Now, current conditions have only improved modestly, but it's enough to make people active again, especially in Pokémon Go. Accordingly, I'm not discussing about them as countermeasures anymore, but just as updates in general that make things more viable and less demanding in the game to afford some more enjoyment.

Moving forward from then, some became relevant to Mega Evolution, for which I've discussed the "quibbles". In response, Mega Evolution time was extended from 4 to 8 hours, Mega Evolution for a previous Mega-Evolved takes even less Mega Energy from 1/4 down to 1/5, more tasks feature significantly more Mega Energy, one can walk with a Mega-Evolved Buddy to gain Mega Energy, and when Mega Evolution is active, one can earn Candy for Pokémon of the same types (something I mentioned as a Community Day strategy). The "less demanding" quality is evident here.

More recently, one improvement has affected the Go Battle League. I've noted before that it was conceived with walking in mind, but now there has been a change of mind: the GBL will no longer require walking in order to battle, and this applies onwards. As such, one is now free to battle all 5 sets of 5 battles (25 in all) in the GBL any time and anywhere without being constrained to walk in order to battle. Battle fiends will certainly welcome this, as will perhaps Trainers of Level 49 who struggle in competitive battling.

Like Mega Evolution, Candy XL also has its "quibbles"... or mostly had, thanks to a recent update. Trading Pokémon now may reward Candy XL depending on the locations of the traded Pokémon, walking with a Buddy can possibly reward Candy XL, and catching evolved (1 for a stage 1 evolution, 2 for a stage 2 evolution), Legendary (3-6), or Mythical (3-6) Pokémon is now guaranteed to give Candy XL. The chance element is still there, but it has been somewhat reduced, and the most obvious means of obtaining now allow for such. The effort is also still demanding, albeit now less so.

At this point, Pokémon Go has improved overall from what it was before, especially in regard to what was improved above. Improvements are a continual thing for Pokémon Go and mobile games in general, but with the way things have gone in Pokémon Go, they are not only expected but also demanded. It is certain that the features that were added above were already of great benefit; the quality-of-life improvements are then designed to affirm and augment that fact if it isn't already evident.

One year ago: The First Hoenn Saga Japanese Opening Theme

Two years ago: The Poké Ball Classics Merchandise Line

Three years ago: Yes, Even More Pokémon Stickers

Four years ago: Every Day We're Shufflin'

Making the Case for Open-World

With the edition of Pokémon Presents from a couple of weeks ago, the hot topic for Pokémon today would be the "other Sinnoh game", which would be Pokémon Legends: Arceus. As noted, it's an open-world game that is unlike many Pokémon games and much like many popular games today. I call it the "open-world proposal" because of its novelty to Pokémon as a whole, and in fact, the case could be made for it. Based on discussions that I've had and observations that I've made, the case seems legitimate, though there may be a few footnotes.

The Legends game is to be released on the Nintendo Switch, the current and most advanced platform of Nintendo. It's no stranger to a certain open-world game of one other franchise belonging to Nintendo, and that game is phenomenal in its own regard - though I've not played it and am not moved to do so. Yet because of this fact, there's a sense that the Pokémon open-world game has to stand up to the phenomenon of this other open-world game, in a way combining the sensibilities and/or quality of that game with elements of Pokémon that fans like me appreciate; the results have to be utterly just as phenomenal.

At the same time, Nintendo might have to "up the ante" for this game, because although the Switch is a good console, it can and does suffer from performance issues, one of which may have caused one belonging to a Pokémon fellow of mine to burn out its main board and therefore to render it and the saved games on it dead (my fellow doesn't seem to have an online subscription). A better-running Switch might allow existing games as well as this newfangled game to run better as well, and that should make the game as successful as it should be, in addition to its new way of doing things.

Because of that new way of doing things and the potential for this game to dazzle like that other game, some have called for Game Freak to "take their time" in developing this game, even delaying it if at all possible to make sure it is developed well. This comes back to the discussion from what it essentially took for this "proposal" to be put forward, the outsourcing of the actual fourth-generation remakes to another company. By doing so, a lot of pressure has been taken off the table, but at the same time there is still the pressure to make and execute this game as well as it can possibly be.

Evidently, the legitimacy is there. This kind of game is popular nowadays, and even one of them has graced the very console on which many Pokémon games appear. The attempt to make a Pokémon version is laudable, but it also has to avoid the pitfalls of being poorly developed in order for the game to come out strong whether on current editions of the targeted console or perhaps a later edition. The case has been made, the "proposal" has been put forward, and the results will be told by time.

One year ago: Possibility of a "Basic League"?

Two years ago: Beta Testing

Three years ago: Taking the Go Train

Four years ago: Worldly Inspirations for a Small World

Quickies: Surf's Up, Surf's Down

There's a certain capability of certain Pokémon species that I still have some fascination with, and that would be the field usage of the Surf move to go across water. From the perspective inside Pokémon, it is neat that one in theory can exploit this capability of specific Pokémon to get to different places separated by water. The Surf move alludes to both the natural phenomenon of waves and the fact that they can be ridden on, as in by way of a board. It is an intriguing capability if not a bit quirky.

The quirk lies in the fact that practically most Water-type Pokémon can learn the move and then take their Trainers across. For large Pokémon, it would seem to be fine, but for smaller Pokémon, it could prove to be a hassle even if the capability is there. It may be that because of the quirk, the capability is rarely demonstrated except with bigger Pokémon like Lapras that can actually conceivably carry people. As quirky as it may be (being the subject of some funny conjectures), the capability is unique and can't be dismissed.

If I were an actual Trainer, I would likely have to make use of Pokémon that can make use of the capability. The drawback is that I'm not too fond of being over water since I can't swim, so the usage of small Pokémon wouldn't suit me too well, and I'd need Lapras as above or even Wailmer to do so more comfortably. The "surfing challenges" in Alola as actual "surf" venues wouldn't suit me too well either, and I'd take the boat instead. Perhaps some Trainers might share the same sentiments.

It may be that this capability is quirky or becoming less relevant, especially in more current Pokémon adventures. Yet it remains something that is established about Pokémon and their relationships with people. For some people and at certain times, the "Surf" may be up and it may be time to make use of the capability to a full extent; for others and different times, the "Surf" may be down and some other means may be necessary. That's fascinating enough for me, however much the Pokémon capability pertains.

One year ago: The Wonders of the PokéRap and Beyond

Two years ago: Quantity and Quality

Three years ago: Cosplay: Daisuki! Japan Fest 2018

Four years ago: Have You Seen My Childhood?

Thundering into the Vortex

Since my raid group (and I as well) have become less focused on PvP - at least for community tournaments like the Silph Arena - these have gone by the wayside for other convenient options like the Go Battle League. But certainly I'm not prevented from discussing them on this blog and discerning things about them. And so the current Silph Arena season continues, this time with a themed cup that might throw competitors for a loop - or rather, into a vortex. That's because the themed cup is titled exactly that: Vortex. It could be a real doozy.

The standard and current stipulations apply, being based on the Great League and no Mega Evolution. For this themed cup, there are quite a few other restrictions, this time directly pertaining to the Pokémon: the Fairy type is disallowed, Legendary Pokémon are not permitted, and the list of banned individual species is even larger than for the previous Labyrinth themed cup (which may also have been called Maze) - 20 species this time in all, and the full list can be seen on the themed cup page.

It seems that this themed cup can be construed as an effort to apply the most restrictions possible to the Great League format. Fairy types are a given ban, since they tend to have powerful attacks - a fact that I can testify, having been on both sides. Legendary Pokémon not being allowed keeps things level and prevents oddities from taking over. Most importantly, the individual species bans prevent those that have become popular meta Pokémon regardless of theme and have been identified as such over time.

Even with restrictions that attempt to cast aside previous meta, there is still a definitive meta for the species that are still involved. There are several key domains of types involved in the meta: Electric, Ice, Dark-Dragon, Fighting, Grass, and Ground, and they go around. Compounds of these with Steel and Water might also stir up key matchups, and they're the ones to look out for. A good team would have to be able to deal with any or all of these domains depending on their presence in a team.

With the Great League having been fleshed out for a considerable amount of time, certain Pokémon have been able to appear time and time again, and the current Silph Arena themed cup appears to try to stem just that. What will then be able to decide how things turn out is how Trainers will choose their team Pokémon to "thunder into the vortex" and make headway against any of the possible remaining Pokémon. At the least, it could be an alternative to making one's headway into PvP in some form.

One year ago: A Taste of the Poison Paradise

Two years ago: Everybody, Polkamon

Three years ago: Action or Strategy?

Four years ago: Thank Heaven for Little Boys

Tags and Tagged Search in Pokémon Go

As part of the Go Beyond update, Pokémon Go implemented a system of Tags, which allow a Trainer to label their Pokémon similar to how the main series games and related tools implement symbolic labeling, but in a less abstract and more free manner. Along with this feature, tags are also implemented in a slightly different way involving how Pokémon are searched for in the storage. It seems that this is a good time to explain both not only because of their interrelation but also to maximize their utility for those who use them.

First, there are the Tags. These are labels consisting of a name and a color (any one of eight), and multiple tags with the same color can be created, whether directly from Pokémon information or from the Tags tab to the left of the Pokémon tab in the storage to access them directly. Individual Pokémon can be tagged immediately from its menu, a group of them can be searched from the storage and then selected and tagged, or the tag itself may be accessed and then Pokémon may be searched for and have the tag applied by way of the "add Pokémon" button. Naturally, Pokémon may also have multiple tags applied to them as one feels they should apply, and the tags themselves are searchable as accessed from the tab, perhaps with the help of the other kind of tagging to be explained. If this feature sounds powerful, it should be, and there's a lot of potential in this system.

Then there is "tagged search" as I call it, which offers a more intuitive way of searching. Accessing the search bar now presents a number of categories that can be applied as "tags" to the search; some of these are search keywords or operators that can be applied by expert searchers simply by typing them in, so part of their purpose is to simplify searching somewhat. Only a handful are presented up front, but more of them can be accessed by tapping "See More", and the list is quite extensive. Doing this also presents one with a list of four recently applied search strings, which should eliminate some of the brunt of copying and pasting as well as aid those with memories that are not as sharp. The traditional method of searching is still applicable and can be used in conjunction, and in this way it is a powerful feature as well.

Thus, the tags allow the Pokémon caught in storage to embody self-created identifiers, while "tagged search" applies familiar search identifiers and more in a new way for searching. The common thread is that they make things a little easier for those who possess numerous Pokémon through their identifiers. In the context of the Go Beyond update by which these features were added, their utility can be very much considered "one step ahead" for Trainers whose future very much depend on all the identifiers that Pokémon may possess.

One year ago: Toxic People and Fans

Two years ago: Interpretative Soundtracks

Three years ago: Father Figure?

Four years ago: Tonight, We Honor the Hero

At (and Beyond) the Beginning

And life is a road that I wanna keep going

Love is a river, I wanna keep flowing

Life is a road, now and forever

Wonderful journey

I'll be there when the world stops turning

I'll be there when the storm is through

In the end I wanna be standing

At the beginning with you

-- "At the Beginning", Richard Marx and Donna Lewis

This post is a bit overdue but still fits a bit, so I've got to get it out of the way. So last month, the big Pokémon anniversary happened, and that's a wonderful thing. That was the same case for the way Pokémon Go celebrated that anniversary by holding the Pokémon Go Tour event. It constitutes an elegant way to hold a throwback to the roots of Pokémon - the beginning, where it all started. Of beginnings, there is this song that also makes them out to be wonderful, literally, and I thought of this song as that happened.

The song is already taken as the feature song to a different kind of animation that can be considered to be worlds away from Pokémon. It is the pop song complement to the musical songs of the animation; it is also a lesser hit song for one of the artists, who is typically well-known for another hit pop song. As is typical with songs of this nature, there's a romantic message about it, perhaps as the start of great times for a person and their significant other for what will likely be quite some time to come.

That same message can be said to apply for a good number of Pokémon fans at this moment after the big anniversary, particularly those who have been with the franchise from the very start, and that of course includes myself. After a quarter-century, the sentiments don't seem to change even if a lot has changed and will continue to change. In a way, it also could encapsulate the feelings between a Trainer and any of their Pokémon, for whom there are many beginnings when the former catches the latter.

And certainly, the Pokémon Go Tour event only makes the sentiments more appropriate in many ways. Now, Pokémon has come very far from its beginnings, but there are or may be still more of them to speak of: new games down the pipeline, new potential fans, and new ways to enjoy this franchise. It is also very hard to deny about everything from where the franchise started, and that's a wonderful beginning to a wonderful journey... hopefully one that will never end, but will always begin somewhere for its fans.

One year ago: Pokémon Conferences?

Two years ago: Add Hope and Tears...

Three years ago: Cultivate or Gather Berries?

Four years ago: Pokémon and Music Games