Pokemon Go

So I've been hearing about this Pokémon Go craze. I thought it was just a video game. I had no idea what it was about. I wasn't interested in Pokémon so, I just ignored it. Well, it is hard to ignore when there are so many posts on Facebook about it. Also, sitting down with your friends and they are discussing it. I eventually learned it was not a "video game" in the sense I thought it was. It is a game that you need to walk around to get it to work. As you walk around Pokémon will appear. If you have your camera active on the device running Pokémon Go it will even show the Pokémon in the location you are at by superimposing it on the view your camera is presently pointed. You then have an imaginary ball on the screen and you throw, by flicking the ball with your finger, at the Pokémon to "catch" it. If you catch it it goes into your Pokémon library called the Pokédex.

Found Pokémon

Captured Pokémon

There are other things such as upgrading your Pokémon, evolving your Pokémon, gyms to train your Pokémon, gyms to fight other people's Pokémon with your Pokémon, and even Pokéstops to get freebees (such as more Poké Balls to catch Pokémon, eggs that will hatch Pokémon, and potions). There are a lot more to the game than this but this is just the basics as I understand them.

Pokéstop

Pokémon Eggs

I needed to take a walk one evening. It was to get out and get some exercise. So, I decided to download the game since it was free. I walked around the neighborhood while waiting for alerts from my iPhone that a Pokémon was nearby. Pretty soon, I started to find Pokémon and capture them. This actually caused me to walk further and longer than I planned to do; which is actually a good thing. I caught a total of thirteen Pokémon during that walk.

Some Pokémon I found while walking.

I think it is a neat idea that people are getting out to "catch" Pokémon. That is a good point. They are actually getting out of their home, having fun, and getting some exercise. The bad point is that I hear people talk about this being a game to get out and socialize or something like that. I haven't seen it. The people I've seen playing it and seeing them on the internet all just have their head down looking at their device. They are in their own little world captivated by the screen. This is one of the problems I have with a lot of video games. People just sit at home (or walk around in this case) and play a solo game. I guess they could play MMO or something like that but they aren't really "socializing" with other people. They may talk with them over the internet but they are missing that in-person connection that can turn a fun experience into a exciting experience. It appears they are playing Pokémon solo and so am I.

Heads down looking for Pokémon.

Also, I have started to hear that people are trying to play this while driving. I don't even need to go into how crazy that is. It's just a game folks!

PPGWD - Playing Pokemon Go While Driving

Hopefully, in future updates, they will include ways to interact with other people playing the game. Maybe a notice that goes out that in a certain location, such as a park, there is a special Pokémon or equipment there. Somehow the people there have to work together to capture it or some other way for people to have to get together, actually meet each other, plan, and talk with each other to get the "prize."

Hopefully a group capture of Pokémon is in the future.

However, right now, it is a good thing to see that this is causing people leave their home and move around their neighborhood or to even visit other parts of their town/city. This includes them visiting landmarks that are in their town/city. I think this is a positive and hope other games will be more like this.

Probably wouldn't have walked here without Pokémon Go.

Pokémon Go kind of reminds me of the time I was part of a scavenger hunt that you had to go to a certain location in my city to get a clue to where the second location in the city had the next clue. You went to that second location and there was a clue to the third location you needed to go to to get a clue where the fourth location is. Finally, the last clue will tell you where the "finish line" was. Generally, that was where the party was located.

We finished the scavenger hunt.

So, overall I am having fun with this game. It is definitely different and is giving me something to do while I'm walking. I just walk and pretty soon my iPhone tells me a Pokémon is nearby and I capture it. It is then added to my Pokédex. I am not sure about selling the Pokémon to the Professor or about powering up/evolving my Pokémon. That may come later. Right now, I'm just enjoying the surprise of which Pokémon will appear and then capturing it. Gotta catch 'em all I tell you. Talk to you later because right now I'm heading out to catch more Pokémon. I wonder which ones I will find this time?