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Ed’s Pokémon GO Journals – Mixed Feelings About the Latest Update & Player Tactics

By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

Niantic Inc is rolling out a new update to Pokémon GO and by now, most players should have it. As much as I often think of stop playing this game, this latest revision has my interest. In trying it out, my feelings are mixed about the ‘new features.’

I love the fact that the medals finally mean something (players get a better chance to capture pocket monsters from a particular type) and the gym your team occupies can be trained up easier. Instead of using one gladiator, you can now bring in six. The big news is in the fact the game will balance the combat power so these fights are fair. It works, but I am bugged that all my little warriors need a revive crystal before they are usable again. There was a time they simply fainted and only heals were needed. In fights at rival gyms, to use the said item makes sense, but when fighting your own? I wish Niantic brought back this feature.

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Ed’s Pokémon GO Journals – Making Your Buddy Shine

By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

Forbes Magazine‘s Paul Tassi suggested a great idea, and that’s to sell extra slots to players wanting to walk more than one Pokémon in the latest update of this game. Since people in real life can take several dogs on a run, the idea can translate well into the game. But the list should not end here. I feel this recent add is decent enough to get me outside again, and walking lots.

Fellow writer James Shaw still will not join me in my gaming adventures as he is not into mobile gaming. As for his thoughts on Pokémon, he is not as interested in this franchise as much as his very dated love for Ranma½ (not a big deal, since I prefer Sazan Eyes) and he has told me he is unwilling to watch the dub – while I have no problems with American voices in foreign products these days. I’ve gotten over my elitism but apparently my buddy has not. To each their own, but one of these days, I’ll see him playing this game. He’s my pal after all and he’ll be tagging along. It’s just a matter of time. For the time being, I have a Snorax named James Shaw in the game for my next ‘mon to walk with. They both sleep lots, have a fuzzy head and are big boned.

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Ed’s Pokémon Go Journals – Is The Buddy System Enough to Sate the Sweet Tooth?

Pokémon GO Card

By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

Despite the fact Pokémon GO still has bugs to fix, including getting a working tracker available to everyone and fixing a bug whenever gyms are challenged, and a new feature is being offered in this week’s update — I like to see more options for players to obtain candy and coins.

The latest version is said to be rolling out this week, but as for when — that’s anybody’s guess. I do not like the idea of downloading from an unofficial source, and already “those cheaters” have a heads up. The good thing out of the new version is that rooted phones (hacked for whatever reason) will not let gamers play. I understand the reason for this security check, but it will not stop the committed. Usually the roll out starts with West Coast of North America, starting with the United States, before other countries see it in their respective Google Play or Apple Store. Some are impatient and others just want it now, since the Buddy System solves one great problem: to get enough power-ups (candies) to evolve a particular Pokémon when they are hard to find. But adding a new feature will not fix a broken and unbalanced game.

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Ed’s Pokémon GO Journals – A Buddy System is Coming But It’s Still Not Tamagotchi

Pokémon GO Card By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

A new gameplay element is coming sometime soon to Pokémon GO and the question of whether or not it will be enough to win me back is in question. I have slowed down in playing, and find no excitement over catching the same pocket monster again and again. Unless it’s a particular creature, I’m not catching them all. In those that I do, the pocket monster needs to be raised to combat potential.

The upcoming “Buddy” system sounds good and the features allow building that Pokémon up, but it is still not Bandai’s Tamagotchi. When I look at the concept in writing, I see the potential to severely unbalance the game.

In the official statement by Niantic Labs:

“You will be able to pick your favorite Pokémon from your collection to become your buddy, opening up unique in-game rewards and experiences. Buddy Pokémon will appear alongside your Trainer avatar on your profile screen, adding helpful bonuses such as awarding Candy for walking together. You’ll also have the ability to change your Buddy Pokémon at any time.”

If any Pokémon can be walked, then that means the best Poké Gym defenders can easily be buffed up to impossible to take down levels. I am aware that lots of sweets are required to even strengthen the select buddy, but where there is a will, some players will take advantage of the system by hopping in a car and driving at 15kmph until enough distance is covered to get the awards even faster. These power-ups are more valuable currency than the coins used to buy incense, lure and the like.

Until this feature gets fully documented in how it works, I’m sceptical if this addition will make the game any better. The best solution is to limit how many candies can be awarded in total.

Fortunately, the developers mentioned that limits to how many candies are earned per day will be put into place. I feel a fixed cap needs to be part of this game’s back-end rules.

Ed’s Pokémon GO Journals — How Can This Game Evolve? (Part Two)

By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

The big talk lately about Pokémon GO is in the millions no longer playing the game faster than me catching another Drowzee. I’m also slowing down since the gameplay is mostly about grinding for candies to power up my best fighting force. I’m close to giving up on trying to catch them all since nobody can (to do so means travelling around the world). Unless a truly interactive element is added to this game, this product will fade fast. The biggest item everyone wants is a proper tracking mechanism. If it does not turn into another type of recreational activity, like geocaching to help find the legendary pocket monsters like they are valued treasures, then I do not think this game will go far.

Augmented reality does not mean these pocket monsters simply appear at random. I’d love to see an added science element where if you study where a Pokémon appears and reappears (in theory, some die-hard players say biomes exist, but I see no rhyme or reason behind when Snorax or Onyx appears) then predicting where they might walk to next can be fun. Chasing a moving target like hide and go seek can potentially be interesting when breadcrumbs are being left behind.

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Ed’s Pokémon GO Journals — How Can This Game Evolve? (Part One)

By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

As fun as this game is to catch a new Pokémon for the first time, the quest to catch them all is not easy. There’s a handful which requires travelling far and wide for, and others where the nests have not been identified yet. The latter requires exploring the entire town or city for. To be dedicated, the player has to start keeping a physical or mental journal, recording times when these pocket monsters have been spotted and hopefully returning to catch them on a regular basis. Over time, these critters can be raised and trained to fight other Pokémon.

Each Pokéstop is a landmark to admire. If this game is to evolve, I propose that the company work with museums and national parks to create new gyms and stops truly worth exploring. I do not like the fact it’s tailored for urban centres. The more mobile data being sent is indicative of which Pokémon can appear. I ask what happened to the thrill of the hunt at out-of-the-way places? The promo trailer made going out of urban centres and to large parks exciting!