Play Where You Are (or at Home)

I've been meaning to make this post for a while now (in fact, when the second set of "countermeasures" were introduced), but time and resources got away from me, until I finally could make it today. So, with the current conditions, Pokémon Go has instituted the "countermeasures" as refined above, and then again a couple more times. Collectively, they comprise new ways to still be able to play Pokémon Go but remain at home, or wherever one may be. I (and Niantic at one point) have dubbed this "initiative" as "Play at Home", though now it is officially dubbed "Play Where You Are", as in the title. It is summarized on a page on the Pokémon Go web site, and the contents of that are highlighted here.

For the "initiative", there are three aspects, which are "catch", "bond", and "battle". The first aspect of "catch" involves a few things that have the potential to aid Trainers. Incense and the Mystery Box are included here as per their functions, both having been extended to one hour since the start of everything (and still is), along with whatever special events they may relate to, such as Community Day or the Pokémon Home link respectively. Along with providing something to catch, something has to be provided to aid in catching them, and that comes by way of the bonus Field Research task, which is intended to be as such even if it may not seem to at times. The point is that activities for catching Pokémon can continue and be supported at the same time.

Then there is the "bond" aspect. The "bond" involves not only Trainer friends but also Pokémon. To that end, stickers for Gifts to other Trainers are included and to be used for their ability to enhance Gifts and make them compelling to be opened by other Trainers. As for the Gifts themselves, the important thing is that more of them can be held and opened, and if necessary can be supplied by a Buddy Pokémon (though recently this latter bit has experienced some upheavals, which should be detailed later on). Speaking of Buddy Pokémon, it still becomes relevant and even necessary to interact with them through Buddy Adventure to form tighter bonds. Whether Trainers or Pokémon, improving relationships should not only be good but great, and remain key for all.

Finally, there's the "battle" aspect. For this, the important venues are raids and PvP battles. As can be expected, for the former, the most important thing is remote raids that is facilitated by its respective passes and now assisted by the invitation capability. Regarding PvP battles, the easiest and most direct way of battling is through the Go Battle League as the way to challenge Trainers from all over and see how they stack up, especially now as currently no walking is required in order to do so. Those not keen or prepared for the Go Battle League can still battle with friends of at least Good Friend status (as of now) or with anyone through the crafty usage of the Battle QR Code. Participation in certain kinds of battling becomes warranted and encouraged.

At this point, according to this page, there is not much that is new for Trainers who have been following the developments of progress for Pokémon Go through the current conditions up to today. However, the page serves as a helpful reminder of what can still be done with Pokémon Go beyond the normal means and still have a way to progress through what one is demanded to do or interested in doing. The current conditions have forced most everyone to stay separated and/or inside when no external objective is pertinent, and that does affect quite a bit of the gameplay of Pokémon Go. Yet it's still nice to know that with all developments thus far, play from anywhere or at home is made possible and feasible.

One year ago: Time of Posting

Two years ago: Pokémon Asia McDonald's Happy Meal Toys, Waves 1 and 2

Three years ago: Watching and Re-Watching

Go Beyond... Features

Pokémon Go just delivered its "Go Beyond" update, by which many things have been included to allow Trainers to take things to new heights. Officially, there are only three things that are included or described as the main aspects of the update, plus its "prelude" event. What the update didn't mention is the addition of other major features as part of that update, and they allow the experience of everything in the update, or at the least make everything so much more convenient. It is worth it to explain those addition of features, seeing they are key.

One of the major new features is a new type of "consumable" items for Pokémon. That item is called Candy XL, and its usage is to power up Pokémon beyond the Level 40 maximum instead of regular Candy. Candy XL can be earned through catching, transferring, and trading Pokémon as with regular Candy, but unlike the latter, which is a guarantee, Candy XL is earned fortuitously by those actions. For those who don't want to take their chances, they can choose to trade up Candy to Candy XL at a rate of a whopping 100 Candy per Candy XL, or use up Rare Candy XL (an item earned at levels post 40) in the same way as regular Rare Candy. They can be quite expensive but may be necessary nonetheless to "go big" per "Go Beyond".

The next new feature is actually in part a fulfilled request for one of my own. Around two years ago, I proposed the addition of Pokémon markers in order to be able to label Pokémon according to certain indicators, much like what happens in the main series games and associated tools (Bank and Home). Pokémon Go agreed, and now there is a Tags feature. These allow Trainers to define custom tags and apply them to any Pokémon in their storage; the Favorites star itself counts as a tag. This feature is admittedly not the same as the marker system, but it is definitely a lot more expansible while fulfilling a similar purpose, and "expansion" is the central idea of "Go Beyond".

The final big feature is platinum medals, which provides another level of achievement for those who go above and beyond with Pokémon Go and need a way to prove as such. As can be discerned, they're a tier above gold medals, and they can have pretty steep requirements, an example being the Pokédex medals, which require all the Pokémon species of that region to be caught. Trainers who have been long in the tooth, however, should be able to obtain more than a handful of them right now, including for a few new introduced medal categories along with the new platinum medals. They too are required for some levels post 40 in order to level up, so commitment for some of these medals may be warranted.

To attain new heights, all the parts of the "Go Beyond" update can serve Trainers well. Still, it doesn't hurt for Trainers to be able to attain those new heights with certain helpful features, and all of the above fit very well in that regard. Candy XL prepares them and their Pokémon to the new heights, tags allow these Pokémon to be sorted out even further, and platinum medals provide another achievement tier for the journey there. These features not only enhance the experience of the update but also really contribute to the associated achievements.

One year ago: The Social Aspect of Pokémon

Two years ago: More Weather Boosts for Types?

Three years ago: Game Bugs and Fixing Them

Resistance vs. No Effect

Something that has been key to Pokémon since it first existed is type matchups. Some types are particularly strong against another, while others are particularly weak. Some types also cannot affect others... at least in some games, while in others they do affect those types, whether very weakly or similarly weakly. This point-and-counterpoint matter with two different circumstances becomes something neat to discuss as well as something to be possibly resolved in different games in the future.

It helps to start the discussion with the circumstance that came first, which would be the "no effect" point. This has been the case for the main series games ever since their inception, with the example relationships being that Electric cannot affect Ground and Dragon cannot affect Fairy. In some ways, the relationships above make sense according to realistic behaviors, being that electricity is neutralized by the ground and dragons become incapable against fairies. And yet, there are only a few of these "no effect" relationships, in a way making them an oddity among all other relationships that do cause damage.

Meanwhile, in other games, the "no effect" relationships, as mentioned above, do have some effect. The effect may be a "resistance" effect in that the damage that is caused is even less than a "not effective" damage; this is the actual system chosen to be implemented in Pokémon Go. It may also be just weak, on par with "not effective" damage; this system is implemented in Pokémon Shuffle. No matter which approach and system is implemented, any type is affirmed as being able to affect another, even if the effect is only weak or even very weak. The perceived oddity as above then would not exist in this case.

Given the two circumstances above, the situation might be potentially controversial. Main series purists - who are likely to exist - will probably scoff at (discovering) other Pokémon games not implementing the exact type relationships as the main series, including the "no effect" relationships. Meanwhile, modern fans who are raised on other games, for example Pokémon Go, might not realize that these "no effect" relationships exist when they then go play the main series games, thereby causing headaches for them and other Trainers; there has been the instance of a Max Raid Battle where this exact situation happens, and this seems somewhat regrettable.

The status quo as above may be kept, with all the consequences, though this may hardly be a resolution. A resolution that would please main series purists would be to force "no effect" relationships everywhere, but this could also additionally assert their superiority or elitism, or even both. A "compromise" could be to have "resistance" implemented in the main series games, but to a limited extent; the "resistance" of Pokémon Go is half of a "not effective" attack, and in the main series, this could be one-third or one-fourth. Type matchup relationships have been changed before, so there is the precedence, even if some could and would decry a change like this.

Type matchups have always been and will continue to be important for Pokémon and its games. There will always be types that are good against some types and not so good against others. But then there is the "no effect" relationship, which evidently is not universal and may be in the form of "resistance" instead. A resolution of what happens by this relationship considering all games may or may not be desired, but if it does get resolved, it may and should be for the greater cause of all Pokémon Trainers.

One year ago: Off We Go... to Galar!

Two years ago: A Sewaddle Keychain

Three years ago: In and Out of Poké Balls

The Touch of Satoru Iwata

I've mentioned the name a few times on this blog, but I haven't discussed the person directly. For fans of Nintendo, Satoru Iwata is no stranger. He was the CEO of the company from 2000 to 2015 up until his death, and during that time, he brought many successes. What might not be known very well by many fans, especially Pokémon fans, is that he had made his own contributions (his "touch") to said franchise, in a way making it successful than ever. It is therefore worth it to detail and discuss exactly that in a post of its own.

Iwata, prior to his Nintendo years, acted as part of the developer side of things, essentially "mediating" Game Freak and Nintendo. He developed graphics compression for the second-generation games (initially Gold and Silver), allowing the games to hold more data in less space. By doing so, the inclusion of Kanto was also made possible without detracting from the game's main region of Johto. For another game, Pokémon Stadium, it was also Iwata that took the battle system code of the original Red and Green (Japanese) games and made a port of it for use in Stadium. Iwata may not be described as a "miracle worker" regarding his game development capabilities, but these achievements are really nothing short of miraculous, to put it lightly.

His work also paved the way for Pokémon to become internationally recognized beyond its home of Japan. After examining the game code for the original Japanese Red and Green games, he then created the plan for the games to be localized in other languages, which for the American market is of course English. Two years later, the plan was realized to completion, and the games were sold, becoming extremely popular. He also helped to found the other two corporate entities connected to Pokémon, The Pokémon Company and Creatures, Inc., for which Tsunekazu Ishihara then took the reins. Iwata also juggled the licensing for Pokémon for all areas. If it sounds like Iwata is the key person for making Pokémon popular around the world, he actually is; Ishihara himself testifies of Iwata as such.

According to Iwata, video games are supposed to be fun for all people. To that end, Iwata instituted plans in his later years for games that would improve the "quality of life" - in other words, make it better. Pokémon Go is one of the offshoots of these plans, evidenced by its intended purpose of getting people to go out and play. Iwata actually participated in the development of the game as early as 2013, and it was even one of his last contributions - he even asked for feedback on the game from Ishihara just prior to his death; the game was divulged a couple of months later. Pokémon Sleep therefore constitutes a further expansion of the concept, and perhaps the same would be considered to apply to Pokémon Smile. The vision is pleasantly noble.

It's been more than five years since the passing of Satoru Iwata, as the top figure of Nintendo for more than a decade. Yet besides being important to Nintendo, he's also important to Pokémon. Iwata as a game developer was quite adept and then as executive officer was quite visionary for Pokémon in particular and Nintendo in general. It can be said that thanks to Iwata and his "touch", Pokémon fans everywhere now enjoy its lasting success in different forms, and his "touch" remains felt today even without his physical presence.

One year ago: For Want of an EX Raid

Two years ago: Pokémon Go Community Day Weekend, 12/1/2018 to 12/3/2018

Three years ago: Fallen Comrades

Let's Go (Above and) Beyond

No, I'm not talking about a certain brand of cars. But the spirit could be considered to be similar. Now, last month, there was an event called "12 Days of Friendship"; that event is meant to be a prelude for the addition of something really big (actually, a few things) for Pokémon Go that in a way is far-reaching and extensive, even surpassing everything. Appropriately enough, those things are grouped under a single banner called "Go Beyond", and as of today, all things that belong to this update are live for everyone. It is then appropriate to discuss about them.

One of the things in "Go Beyond" concern levels - and yes, that means Trainer levels (Pokémon levels also indirectly). After months of conjectures, predictions, and whatnot, it is now official: the level cap has been raised. The maximum level is now 50, as I've predicted before. To get to Level 50, however, one needs to not only earn XP, but also complete four Research-like tasks for each of the levels above 40. These tasks range from simple and obvious to demanding and complicated, though any Trainer who has been in the ropes should be able to complete them in addition to earning the required XP (if necessary, as saved up XP can be used for this purpose). It becomes a whole new challenge to show that one is a cut above the rest.

Discoveries are also one of the things in "Go Beyond". Of these, an important one has officially entered the fray: the first batch of sixth-generation Pokémon from Kalos can now be found in Pokémon Go, with a special prelude the day before by Espurr in raids. The rest of the first batch, which as always includes the three starters (in this case Chespin, Fennekin, and Froakie), can be found roaming in the wild - though for now, not with the use of summoners such as Incense and Lure Modules - as well as in raids if one encounters them in this way. A Timed Research set is also available to motivate and challenge Trainers to catch the new Pokémon, as the start of what will be many more of them, at least eventually.

The third and last thing in "Go Beyond" is seasons. Like the real environmental markers, these will mark what kinds of Pokémon will be available in different ways, including in the wild and raids, and through events; this last bit will also progress accordingly. It is also especially important for two species in particular, Deerling and Sawsbuck, whose forms are now differentiated by time and location. The Go Battle League (GBL), which had already established its own seasons, will now also run according to these seasons, and it too has a different structure, which ought to be explained later. The first season is called "Celebration" and will run up to March next year. Special things are to be expected as these seasons come and go.

Pokémon Go has always been big from the start with all the things that happen inside and outside it. The latest update of "Go Beyond" can be said to be all that and more. With the update, Trainers can now progress even further, have access to many more different Pokémon, and explore and revel according to what the season can offer. The keyword is certainly "surpass", past what had been achieved, what is available, and what will be the way things go. They may not get there with a car (and hopefully not), but the hearts of some Trainers may race just as fast with the things offered today.

One year ago: Being a "Love Slave"

Two years ago: Cosplay: Chibi Daisuki! Japan Fest

Three years ago: A Beautiful Symphony

The Deactivation of My Regional Figure Group?

Faithful readers of this blog will likely have read about the virtual Pokémon figure gathering (specifically directed for my regional group) that I took part in close to six months ago. It was a fun gathering that could possibly spawn more of its kind. However, close to six months later, nothing more has come out of it. In fact, not only have no gathering plans have been scheduled, the group chat for my regional group has for the most part gotten mostly quiet since three months ago. It is as if my regional group has "deactivated", in a way, which if so would be quite regrettable.

A variety of things had also happened in the group chat, some of them also regrettable in some ways. A couple of months after the virtual gathering, it was discovered that one of the members had passed away, and he was fervent when he was active. Afterwards, it was disclosed that the leader of the group had gotten married, which is wonderful, but it seemed to affect his capacity for figures as well. Then, another member had a family issue that was regrettable as well. From then on, the group chat was quiet, save from small bits of info, and even today, no one has responded to a question I and another member posed as of two days before. The group chat has essentially become "dead in the water", unpromising.

It should be admitted that now isn't exactly the best time for looking into figures of any kind. Investing in them is hard to justify, as is searching for them, whether through the connections of the group or beyond. Yet, it also seems difficult to be divesting the figures that are currently possessed for the very same reasons or even the reason of attachment to them. The Pokémon figures may still mean a lot if there are no hard-and-fast reasons to divest of them for any purpose. At the same time, there has been no word regarding what my fellow collectors have been up to with their figures.

Incidentally, on this date last year (see below), my figure fellows held an interesting gathering in collaboration with a different but related community. I'm sure it would have been even more interesting had I been able to attend, though perhaps it was just not meant to be for me after my activity the day before. Then, the last time we were able to physically meet was right before a theme event that was, in a way, right on the turning point for all situations. They could also be described as the last moments of peak joy for us. Meanwhile, after the virtual gathering, there was actually a small discussion that was expected to generate the next gathering, but of course, it just didn't happen (or at the least hasn't happened).

And with that, my figure group, at least the regional division of the larger national group, seems to have become deactivated. This is certainly only my own observation based on the things that have taken place, yet it seems to describe the current situation to an extent. Yet it may make sense, given that it's best not to discuss figures too much. It is still regrettable that things happen and happen, then all became suddenly rather quiet. It may be that for now that is the way things have to be, and after all the stillness and quietness bring peace, then it would be time once more to talk about Pokémon figures. 

One year ago: All the Missing Pieces

Two years ago: Let's Go, Pikachu and Let's Go, Eevee Uptake

Three years ago: Poké-Friends and Gratitude

The State of Nominations, Part 7

After two months, my situation with PokéStop nominations for Pokémon Go is pretty much the same as last time. I haven't been out for sufficient lengths of time in order to make as many nominations as needed, but I always find the opportunity. As a result, I did attempt to nominate when that opportunity comes about, and I'd have to say that it paid off since the last time I reported on my nominations. Yet, there are other stories to tell, and that's part of the reason to make the post on it.

As always, there are the numbers to be discussed. The number of distinct nominations I've made has increased only by 5 to a total of 86. Yet, I've also gained 8 more approvals for a total of 45, some coming from successful renominations. One nomination was mysteriously superseded, perhaps by another approved nomination that didn't become a PokéStop, and that raised its total to 10. Thanks to successful renominations, though, the rejected list went down to 24, yet this could have been more if other new nominations weren't also rejected. 

That last bit about rejections makes for one of the stories. Now I have five distinct nominations that have been doubly rejected, and the worst part is that some of them can make for good nominations if they weren't rejected for reasons that didn't even apply. Recently, I also was about to attempt to nominate a place that fits well with the criteria, though in doing so I ran into a problem with a person involved with the place; it is yet another sad issue. Whether these can be resolved remains to be seen.

Many possible places to be nominated remain on my list of nominations, and those will have to be nominated in due time. What also takes time (and due effort) is the planning of nominations based on map locations, particularly those of other PokéStops, and this also explains why most of the time I don't nominate places as soon as I find them. It's also partially intended to avoid the scenario that led to the superseded situation as above, but it obviously didn't work then. It's still a useful thing to do.

Seeing as how this is November, in two months' time it will be January, and therefore it will be the new year, making this the last time I'll be able to report on my PokéStop nominations this year. But if this report is of any indication, then I may be in the right direction. This year has turned out to not be the best year for most anything, including Pokémon Go affairs like this, but some have managed to continue in some capacity. And so the progress of nominations continue, to put as many PokéStops as possible in my neighborhood and beyond.

One year ago: Cosplay: UC Bunkasai

Two years ago: Local EX Raid (and Rain, Again), 11/30/2018

Three years ago: Feature Film 20 - "Pokémon The Movie - I Choose You!"