Gotta catch'em all!
September 11, 2016 7:45 AM Subscribe
Is this the update that makes the game fun?
posted by demiurge at 9:17 AM on September 11, 2016 [8 favorites]
posted by demiurge at 9:17 AM on September 11, 2016 [8 favorites]
Yay, a new thread!
posted by ApathyGirl at 9:22 AM on September 11, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by ApathyGirl at 9:22 AM on September 11, 2016 [1 favorite]
Oh, apparently this is the update that blocks rooted android phones from playing. Great job, Niantic.
posted by demiurge at 9:26 AM on September 11, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by demiurge at 9:26 AM on September 11, 2016 [3 favorites]
But, but, when do I get my update? I have a Bulbasaur to walk...
posted by Margalo Epps at 9:54 AM on September 11, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by Margalo Epps at 9:54 AM on September 11, 2016 [2 favorites]
No trading, no tracking, no thanks.
posted by KevinSkomsvold at 10:03 AM on September 11, 2016
posted by KevinSkomsvold at 10:03 AM on September 11, 2016
I like how the distance charts article chooses a Pidgey as the example for candy after walking 1km. Like I need to get more Pidgey candy.
There are a lot of nice ones in the 3km range!
I work in an area with about thirty Pokéstops and hundreds if not thousands of Pokémon Go players – lunch time is like watching a documentary about people glued to their mobile screens – and you basically walk 6-8k on average here every day, so...
posted by fraula at 11:01 AM on September 11, 2016 [2 favorites]
There are a lot of nice ones in the 3km range!
I work in an area with about thirty Pokéstops and hundreds if not thousands of Pokémon Go players – lunch time is like watching a documentary about people glued to their mobile screens – and you basically walk 6-8k on average here every day, so...
posted by fraula at 11:01 AM on September 11, 2016 [2 favorites]
I am so hype for the buddy update -- I've caught all the base candy-evolvable 'mon, save for grimer
seriously does anyone know someone who has a grimer they feel as mythical as ditto
posted by The demon that lives in the air at 11:08 AM on September 11, 2016 [2 favorites]
seriously does anyone know someone who has a grimer they feel as mythical as ditto
posted by The demon that lives in the air at 11:08 AM on September 11, 2016 [2 favorites]
seriously does anyone know someone who has a grimer they feel as mythical as ditto
True story about the one Grimer I have: Got him by visiting a cemetery at night. We knew it was closed, with gates locked, but decided to pull up the gate anyway, just to see if any Pokemon were in there. We were testing the theory(since proved to be false) that certain Pokemon will spawn in cemeteries. But on that night, there was a Grimer, drifting about beyond the locked steel gates.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 11:15 AM on September 11, 2016 [2 favorites]
True story about the one Grimer I have: Got him by visiting a cemetery at night. We knew it was closed, with gates locked, but decided to pull up the gate anyway, just to see if any Pokemon were in there. We were testing the theory(since proved to be false) that certain Pokemon will spawn in cemeteries. But on that night, there was a Grimer, drifting about beyond the locked steel gates.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 11:15 AM on September 11, 2016 [2 favorites]
I have a Grimer! I've seen fewer Grimers (just one, which I caught) than Pikachu (seen three, caught one). Surprised to see Pikachu is a 1km buddy.
posted by fraula at 11:16 AM on September 11, 2016
posted by fraula at 11:16 AM on September 11, 2016
I used a Lucky egg and evolved all my Pidgeys to go from level 16 to level 20 (there were a bunch of Weedles too).
I can always use more Pidgey candy.
posted by VTX at 11:20 AM on September 11, 2016
I can always use more Pidgey candy.
posted by VTX at 11:20 AM on September 11, 2016
I've caught two grimers and have seen more on the radar. They exist!
posted by prize bull octorok at 11:55 AM on September 11, 2016
posted by prize bull octorok at 11:55 AM on September 11, 2016
huh. I have ok luck with pikachu -- I've caught 13, had two more run on me. Maybe semi-rural southern OR is too dry for grimer? (I thought they relaxed the biome restrictions...)
posted by The demon that lives in the air at 12:28 PM on September 11, 2016
posted by The demon that lives in the air at 12:28 PM on September 11, 2016
I'm underwhelmed by this update (which hasn't shown up yet).
Maybe instead they could work on making gym fights less pointless. The xp you get for fighting is an insult, there's no leveling up of your Pokemon who win fights and the only real reward you get is 10 coins once a day.
posted by octothorpe at 12:41 PM on September 11, 2016 [4 favorites]
Maybe instead they could work on making gym fights less pointless. The xp you get for fighting is an insult, there's no leveling up of your Pokemon who win fights and the only real reward you get is 10 coins once a day.
posted by octothorpe at 12:41 PM on September 11, 2016 [4 favorites]
I just recently got a new phone, so suddenly I am able to play Pokemon Go. Here is my experience so far:
--It's kind of hard to be going through the Ooh New Game! excitement months after everyone else has gotten over it.
--There's a gym pretty close to my house, which would be nice, except that it's actually located at a sex shop. You can't get to the gym unless you're in the sex shop or in its parking lot, so.... that's great.
--I have no idea how to tell what makes for a good pokemon. I get my pokemons appraised, but I don't know what those appraisals are based on. I evolve them when I can, and I power them up sometimes, but I have no clue how to strategize. All I know is that every gym I've seen has pokemons with CP scores at least ten times higher than any I have. Oof.
--I feel bad when I capture a pokemon. They don't seem to want to be in the pokeball. :-(
posted by meese at 12:46 PM on September 11, 2016 [9 favorites]
--It's kind of hard to be going through the Ooh New Game! excitement months after everyone else has gotten over it.
--There's a gym pretty close to my house, which would be nice, except that it's actually located at a sex shop. You can't get to the gym unless you're in the sex shop or in its parking lot, so.... that's great.
--I have no idea how to tell what makes for a good pokemon. I get my pokemons appraised, but I don't know what those appraisals are based on. I evolve them when I can, and I power them up sometimes, but I have no clue how to strategize. All I know is that every gym I've seen has pokemons with CP scores at least ten times higher than any I have. Oof.
--I feel bad when I capture a pokemon. They don't seem to want to be in the pokeball. :-(
posted by meese at 12:46 PM on September 11, 2016 [9 favorites]
That article says the Pokemon Go Plus device is hitting stores around 9/16... that's what I've been waiting for, probably. i like how the game encourages me to walk around my neighborhood and explore while getting some mild exercise in. But said neighborhood isn't all that safe if you're not smart, and staring at your expensive phone is not smart.
posted by naju at 1:34 PM on September 11, 2016
posted by naju at 1:34 PM on September 11, 2016
Have they fixed that exploit that allows players to put eggs in gyms and crash people's devices whenever they try to access them?
posted by fight or flight at 1:55 PM on September 11, 2016
posted by fight or flight at 1:55 PM on September 11, 2016
Well, that took a dark turn.
This is a game that involves stalking sentient creatures, capturing them in a restrictive environment, and forcing them, mandingo style, to fight creatures that other players have enslaved. Sometimes, drugs of various sorts are involved.
If your creature does not measure up to your standards, you may discard it in exchange for nourishment, which may be fed, Solyent Green style*, to the more worthy creatures in your stable in order to improve them.
It was always dark.
*honestly...what exactly is the Professor doing with all of those transferred Pidgeys?
posted by sparklemotion at 2:08 PM on September 11, 2016 [9 favorites]
This is a game that involves stalking sentient creatures, capturing them in a restrictive environment, and forcing them, mandingo style, to fight creatures that other players have enslaved. Sometimes, drugs of various sorts are involved.
If your creature does not measure up to your standards, you may discard it in exchange for nourishment, which may be fed, Solyent Green style*, to the more worthy creatures in your stable in order to improve them.
It was always dark.
*honestly...what exactly is the Professor doing with all of those transferred Pidgeys?
posted by sparklemotion at 2:08 PM on September 11, 2016 [9 favorites]
If your creature does not measure up to your standards, you may discard it in exchange for nourishment, which may be fed, Solyent Green style*, to the more worthy creatures in your stable in order to improve them.
Which makes wonder why Pokemon never resorted to cannibalism to power themselves up to prevent their capture by humans.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 2:30 PM on September 11, 2016 [3 favorites]
Which makes wonder why Pokemon never resorted to cannibalism to power themselves up to prevent their capture by humans.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 2:30 PM on September 11, 2016 [3 favorites]
Why do you think some of the pokemon have ten times the CP of their bretheren?
posted by dinty_moore at 3:52 PM on September 11, 2016 [4 favorites]
posted by dinty_moore at 3:52 PM on September 11, 2016 [4 favorites]
Oh, apparently this is the update that blocks rooted android phones from playing. Great job, Niantic
My phone is rooted and Pokemon Go works fine.
posted by 922257033c4a0f3cecdbd819a46d626999d1af4a at 4:19 PM on September 11, 2016
My phone is rooted and Pokemon Go works fine.
posted by 922257033c4a0f3cecdbd819a46d626999d1af4a at 4:19 PM on September 11, 2016
My phone is rooted and Pokemon Go works fine.
Have you gotten the update with the buddy system yet? It's currently in staged rollout (as all their updates do, so in case something breaks unintentionally, they can stop it before too many people get affected).
I've currently been researching the workarounds for when it ends up hitting my phone, and from what I'm reading, it's do-able but not pretty.
posted by radwolf76 at 5:30 PM on September 11, 2016
Have you gotten the update with the buddy system yet? It's currently in staged rollout (as all their updates do, so in case something breaks unintentionally, they can stop it before too many people get affected).
I've currently been researching the workarounds for when it ends up hitting my phone, and from what I'm reading, it's do-able but not pretty.
posted by radwolf76 at 5:30 PM on September 11, 2016
Yay new thread! Thanks Brandon! I was considering putting one up in Talk for something more long term but this is great.
There's a different theory about how the candies are made.
I haven't gotten the update yet. But I do wanna start walking my one Grimer.
posted by numaner at 5:37 PM on September 11, 2016 [1 favorite]
There's a different theory about how the candies are made.
I haven't gotten the update yet. But I do wanna start walking my one Grimer.
posted by numaner at 5:37 PM on September 11, 2016 [1 favorite]
*honestly...what exactly is the Professor doing with all of those transferred Pidgeys?
MOM SAYS HE TAKES THEM TO A REFUGE WHERE THEY GET LOTS TO EAT AND PLAY ALL DAY! SHUT UP!
*runs home crying*
posted by happyroach at 6:06 PM on September 11, 2016 [16 favorites]
MOM SAYS HE TAKES THEM TO A REFUGE WHERE THEY GET LOTS TO EAT AND PLAY ALL DAY! SHUT UP!
*runs home crying*
posted by happyroach at 6:06 PM on September 11, 2016 [16 favorites]
--I have no idea how to tell what makes for a good pokemon. I get my pokemons appraised, but I don't know what those appraisals are based on. I evolve them when I can, and I power them up sometimes, but I have no clue how to strategize. All I know is that every gym I've seen has pokemons with CP scores at least ten times higher than any I have. Oof.
Here's my new player run-down for "fighting" in Pokemon -
By and large the game is one of rock-paper-scissors, where you need a roster of various "types" which you pull out to fight the opponents in the gym. For example, water type beats fire, and fire beats grass, and grass beats water. The "CP" value is combat power and is an evaluation of the Pokemon's combat prowess based on its attack, defense and stamina. If you have what is called "Type" advantage, you can defeat much higher CP Pokemon - for example, a 1,000CP water pokemon will easily defeat a 1,800CP fire pokemon. In fact, training your own faction's gym REQUIRES this to be the case - you get almost no benefit training at your gym if you use a more powerful Pokemon than the one you are fighting - you are meant to use a much weaker one to win. So don't be intimidated by strong enemy Pokemon!
The appraisals are based on Internal Values - every Pokemon has an innate variance in Attack / Defense / Stamina by up to 8%, so two Pokemon of the exact same level could have different CP values. For example, my level 26 Venusaur, could potentially vary from 1,600CP to 1,800CP depending on its Internal Values - as a rough guide, the trainer will say the Pokemon is not very good if it is in the bottom 50 percentile for IVs, and there's 3 levels of optimism (roughly 50-68-65-84, 84-100).
A "good" Pokemon is primarily determined by its move set - the difference due to IV might only be 10%, but attack typing changes the role of the Pokemon entirely. Pokemon have a variety of quick and charge attacks it can learn, and this plays into the rock-paper-scissors dynamic. For example, a Victreebel can have either poison attacks or grass attacks, making it functionally very different. In addition, faster quick attack moves are good for attacking (water gun) because it allows you to weave attacks better while dodging, while slower quick attack moves are good for defending (bubble) since the AI attacks on a fixed interval. Slow charge moves are good for attacking (hydro pump) because you can't dodge while using a charge attack and the enemy can't dodge either, so you want to do as few charge attacks as possible, while fast charge moves (water pulse) are good for defending because the AI tends to spam them and it's harder to dodge due to their fast windup.
Pokemon gain CP every time they level up (power up). Each power up awards 0.5 of a level, and the Pokemon's maximum level is tied to your trainer level, so you gain access to 2 extra power ups each time your trainer levels up. The white semi circle bar over your Pokemon shows how close to "max" your Pokemon level is relative to your trainer level. As the level up CP is fixed, this means it has a disproportionate impact early on (going from level 10 to level 11 might be something like 700 to 760 (+8.5%), while going from level 20 to 21 might be 1300 to 1360 (+4.6%)
Not only that, but the exp required to level increases exponentially. It takes 200k exp to go from level 1 to 20. It takes 1.8 mil exp to go from level 20-30.
Wild caught Pokemon can be found from anywhere from level 1 to your level, to a maximum of level 30.
Eggs hatched Pokemon appear at the level you were when you found the egg (not hatched it) up to a maximum of level 20.
Assuming you're going for "end game" - where you have level 30 Pokemon to battle with. Level 30 is considered the soft cap, because CP gain from power up is halved after that point, while exp required per level continues to increase (1 mil exp to go from level 34 to 35).
It takes about 75,000 star dust to power up an egg hatched Pokemon from level 20 to level 30. Since you get 100 star dust from catching a Pokemon, this means that you need to catch 750 Pokemon to power up one Pokemon from 20-30.
Look at it in terms of your roster - if you have 5 Pokemon at level 20 that you want to "keep" to level 30, that means the expenditure of 375,000 star dust.
The general advice is to be very selective of what Pokemon you intend to spend star dust on - either something really rare that you won't likely get a higher wild caught one (Snorlax / Lapras) or something with perfect IVs and move set (like a 100% IV Vaporeon / Gyarados).
posted by xdvesper at 6:07 PM on September 11, 2016 [31 favorites]
Here's my new player run-down for "fighting" in Pokemon -
By and large the game is one of rock-paper-scissors, where you need a roster of various "types" which you pull out to fight the opponents in the gym. For example, water type beats fire, and fire beats grass, and grass beats water. The "CP" value is combat power and is an evaluation of the Pokemon's combat prowess based on its attack, defense and stamina. If you have what is called "Type" advantage, you can defeat much higher CP Pokemon - for example, a 1,000CP water pokemon will easily defeat a 1,800CP fire pokemon. In fact, training your own faction's gym REQUIRES this to be the case - you get almost no benefit training at your gym if you use a more powerful Pokemon than the one you are fighting - you are meant to use a much weaker one to win. So don't be intimidated by strong enemy Pokemon!
The appraisals are based on Internal Values - every Pokemon has an innate variance in Attack / Defense / Stamina by up to 8%, so two Pokemon of the exact same level could have different CP values. For example, my level 26 Venusaur, could potentially vary from 1,600CP to 1,800CP depending on its Internal Values - as a rough guide, the trainer will say the Pokemon is not very good if it is in the bottom 50 percentile for IVs, and there's 3 levels of optimism (roughly 50-68-65-84, 84-100).
A "good" Pokemon is primarily determined by its move set - the difference due to IV might only be 10%, but attack typing changes the role of the Pokemon entirely. Pokemon have a variety of quick and charge attacks it can learn, and this plays into the rock-paper-scissors dynamic. For example, a Victreebel can have either poison attacks or grass attacks, making it functionally very different. In addition, faster quick attack moves are good for attacking (water gun) because it allows you to weave attacks better while dodging, while slower quick attack moves are good for defending (bubble) since the AI attacks on a fixed interval. Slow charge moves are good for attacking (hydro pump) because you can't dodge while using a charge attack and the enemy can't dodge either, so you want to do as few charge attacks as possible, while fast charge moves (water pulse) are good for defending because the AI tends to spam them and it's harder to dodge due to their fast windup.
Pokemon gain CP every time they level up (power up). Each power up awards 0.5 of a level, and the Pokemon's maximum level is tied to your trainer level, so you gain access to 2 extra power ups each time your trainer levels up. The white semi circle bar over your Pokemon shows how close to "max" your Pokemon level is relative to your trainer level. As the level up CP is fixed, this means it has a disproportionate impact early on (going from level 10 to level 11 might be something like 700 to 760 (+8.5%), while going from level 20 to 21 might be 1300 to 1360 (+4.6%)
Not only that, but the exp required to level increases exponentially. It takes 200k exp to go from level 1 to 20. It takes 1.8 mil exp to go from level 20-30.
Wild caught Pokemon can be found from anywhere from level 1 to your level, to a maximum of level 30.
Eggs hatched Pokemon appear at the level you were when you found the egg (not hatched it) up to a maximum of level 20.
Assuming you're going for "end game" - where you have level 30 Pokemon to battle with. Level 30 is considered the soft cap, because CP gain from power up is halved after that point, while exp required per level continues to increase (1 mil exp to go from level 34 to 35).
It takes about 75,000 star dust to power up an egg hatched Pokemon from level 20 to level 30. Since you get 100 star dust from catching a Pokemon, this means that you need to catch 750 Pokemon to power up one Pokemon from 20-30.
Look at it in terms of your roster - if you have 5 Pokemon at level 20 that you want to "keep" to level 30, that means the expenditure of 375,000 star dust.
The general advice is to be very selective of what Pokemon you intend to spend star dust on - either something really rare that you won't likely get a higher wild caught one (Snorlax / Lapras) or something with perfect IVs and move set (like a 100% IV Vaporeon / Gyarados).
posted by xdvesper at 6:07 PM on September 11, 2016 [31 favorites]
English translation?
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 6:49 PM on September 11, 2016
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 6:49 PM on September 11, 2016
I idly clicked the app open while I waited for the kids to run into the drug store for some smokes* and was SURROUNDED by Pidgeys. It was creepy.
Update hasn't hit the iphone yet, but I gotta try that "put an egg in a gym" on a gym always nuked by an annoying blue guy with a pretty offensive name contrivance.
*AAA batteries, really
posted by tilde at 7:16 PM on September 11, 2016
Update hasn't hit the iphone yet, but I gotta try that "put an egg in a gym" on a gym always nuked by an annoying blue guy with a pretty offensive name contrivance.
*AAA batteries, really
posted by tilde at 7:16 PM on September 11, 2016
The fact that they have made a fair amount of money but haven't yet implemented trading or individual battles is annoying.
posted by sotonohito at 8:20 PM on September 11, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by sotonohito at 8:20 PM on September 11, 2016 [1 favorite]
I feel bad when I capture a pokemon. They don't seem to want to be in the pokeball. :-(
Once you catch them, they're loose in your house. Promise.
(That's what I tell myself. Pics of various Pokemon standing on the dogs reinforce that.)
posted by MissySedai at 8:27 PM on September 11, 2016 [1 favorite]
Once you catch them, they're loose in your house. Promise.
(That's what I tell myself. Pics of various Pokemon standing on the dogs reinforce that.)
posted by MissySedai at 8:27 PM on September 11, 2016 [1 favorite]
English translation?
If you want the end result instead of the fundamentals...
The "meta" in Gen 1 consists of the following standout Pokemon.
Dragonite (Dragon/Flying)
Snorlax (Normal)
Lapras (Water / Ice)
Vaporeon (Water)
Exeggutor (Grass/Psychic)
Dragonite and Snorlax just have naturally high stats, regardless of what attacks they spawn with, so they have a clear advantage over all other Pokemon even before type advantage is discussed.
They're also difficult to counter as a defender because they have good type coverage.
Dragonite is weak to dragon, fairy, rock, electric and ice. The typical "counter" you bring would be fairy, rock or ice. (there are no good electric types, and dragon is a neutral matchup). However, Dragonites can spawn with a steel primary attack, which counters fairy rock and ice, so in effect, the Dragonite can counter its own counters! That's why Steel Wing Dragonites are a premier defender.
Same goes for Snorlax, it also has very high stats compared to other Pokemon so it has the advantage right off the bat. Its "Normal" typing makes it so that it is not weak to anything... it has only one weakness, Fighting types. Except wait! It can also spawn with a Psychic primary attack - which counters Fighting types - so again, like Dragonites, a Zen Headbutt Snorlax counters its own counters.
Lapras is another very valuable Pokemon, in part because it perfectly counters Dragonites - which are typed as Dragon and Flying, both of which are weak to Ice, so it is double-weak against your Ice attacks. Despite the fact that a Steel Wing Dragonite's Steel primary counters your Ice, Lapras is also Water type (which resists Steel) so the strength and weakness cancel out. On top of that, there's not much that counters Water / Ice Pokemon when your Lapras is defending - the typical anti-Water tech is Grass, but Ice does extra damage to Grass, and the typical anti Ice tech is Fire, which is not effective against Water. So Lapras is a great defender as well.
Vaporeon deserves a mention as well. It has exceptional stats for how easy it is to get, and Water type doesn't get countered easily - it's surprisingly difficult to get Grass attackers, most pure Grass Pokemon are weak (like Tangela), so you're reliant finding strong dual-type Pokemon like Exeggutor / Venusaur / Victreebel - and the chances that your perfect evolve appears with dual grass attacks is very low, it's more likely you'll get one poison / one grass, or in the case of Exeggutor, it doesn't even have a grass primary to begin with - it can only learn two psychic primaries.
Exeggutor gets a mention because it has high stats and can go toe to toe with the rampant amount of Vaporeons people have - its Grass typing makes it resist Water attacks, and it can spawn with the Solar Beam charge move (Grass) which counters Vaporeons (Water).
posted by xdvesper at 9:17 PM on September 11, 2016 [20 favorites]
If you want the end result instead of the fundamentals...
The "meta" in Gen 1 consists of the following standout Pokemon.
Dragonite (Dragon/Flying)
Snorlax (Normal)
Lapras (Water / Ice)
Vaporeon (Water)
Exeggutor (Grass/Psychic)
Dragonite and Snorlax just have naturally high stats, regardless of what attacks they spawn with, so they have a clear advantage over all other Pokemon even before type advantage is discussed.
They're also difficult to counter as a defender because they have good type coverage.
Dragonite is weak to dragon, fairy, rock, electric and ice. The typical "counter" you bring would be fairy, rock or ice. (there are no good electric types, and dragon is a neutral matchup). However, Dragonites can spawn with a steel primary attack, which counters fairy rock and ice, so in effect, the Dragonite can counter its own counters! That's why Steel Wing Dragonites are a premier defender.
Same goes for Snorlax, it also has very high stats compared to other Pokemon so it has the advantage right off the bat. Its "Normal" typing makes it so that it is not weak to anything... it has only one weakness, Fighting types. Except wait! It can also spawn with a Psychic primary attack - which counters Fighting types - so again, like Dragonites, a Zen Headbutt Snorlax counters its own counters.
Lapras is another very valuable Pokemon, in part because it perfectly counters Dragonites - which are typed as Dragon and Flying, both of which are weak to Ice, so it is double-weak against your Ice attacks. Despite the fact that a Steel Wing Dragonite's Steel primary counters your Ice, Lapras is also Water type (which resists Steel) so the strength and weakness cancel out. On top of that, there's not much that counters Water / Ice Pokemon when your Lapras is defending - the typical anti-Water tech is Grass, but Ice does extra damage to Grass, and the typical anti Ice tech is Fire, which is not effective against Water. So Lapras is a great defender as well.
Vaporeon deserves a mention as well. It has exceptional stats for how easy it is to get, and Water type doesn't get countered easily - it's surprisingly difficult to get Grass attackers, most pure Grass Pokemon are weak (like Tangela), so you're reliant finding strong dual-type Pokemon like Exeggutor / Venusaur / Victreebel - and the chances that your perfect evolve appears with dual grass attacks is very low, it's more likely you'll get one poison / one grass, or in the case of Exeggutor, it doesn't even have a grass primary to begin with - it can only learn two psychic primaries.
Exeggutor gets a mention because it has high stats and can go toe to toe with the rampant amount of Vaporeons people have - its Grass typing makes it resist Water attacks, and it can spawn with the Solar Beam charge move (Grass) which counters Vaporeons (Water).
posted by xdvesper at 9:17 PM on September 11, 2016 [20 favorites]
xdvesper, how do you know what level your Pokemon are? Do you have to use a third party calculator?
posted by that's how you get ants at 3:50 AM on September 12, 2016
posted by that's how you get ants at 3:50 AM on September 12, 2016
sotonohito: "The fact that they have made a fair amount of money but haven't yet implemented trading or individual battles is annoying."
The announcement of this new update actually pushed me over the line to uninstall the game from my phone. I'm at level 22 and by this time, it just feels like a grind and without anything interesting in new features coming up, I'm out.
posted by octothorpe at 4:38 AM on September 12, 2016 [1 favorite]
The announcement of this new update actually pushed me over the line to uninstall the game from my phone. I'm at level 22 and by this time, it just feels like a grind and without anything interesting in new features coming up, I'm out.
posted by octothorpe at 4:38 AM on September 12, 2016 [1 favorite]
The promised update actually makes me super stoked, because AHHHHHHHHHH I CAN WALK AROUND WITH PIKACHU AS MY BUDDY WHO CARES ABOUT TRADING WHO CARES ABOUT AN IMPROVED GYM SYSTEM PIKAAAAAAAAAAAAACHU I CHOOSE YOU.
Also, the buddy system may make things more interesting at our local gyms, which are heavily, heavily dominated by Dragonites and Gyardoses. Pikachu and Jigglypuff are actually pretty rare where we are, despite Voltorbs/Electrodes/Clefairies/Clefables being ALL OVER THE PLACE. So I'm curious about whether the gym composition will shift once upgraded Raichus and Wigglytuffs become more common.
Also also, we have a bunch of the Pokemon that we're really close to upgrading, but just haven't gotten those last couple of Pokemon. Finally, we can upgrade our Cubone even if I can't spend 12 hours a week hanging out in the one freakin' spot in the city where they spawn, and getting yelled at by the security guards for having my feet in the fountain even though ugh, they are not.
But mostly PIKACHU I CHOOSE YOU.
posted by joyceanmachine at 6:53 AM on September 12, 2016 [10 favorites]
Also, the buddy system may make things more interesting at our local gyms, which are heavily, heavily dominated by Dragonites and Gyardoses. Pikachu and Jigglypuff are actually pretty rare where we are, despite Voltorbs/Electrodes/Clefairies/Clefables being ALL OVER THE PLACE. So I'm curious about whether the gym composition will shift once upgraded Raichus and Wigglytuffs become more common.
Also also, we have a bunch of the Pokemon that we're really close to upgrading, but just haven't gotten those last couple of Pokemon. Finally, we can upgrade our Cubone even if I can't spend 12 hours a week hanging out in the one freakin' spot in the city where they spawn, and getting yelled at by the security guards for having my feet in the fountain even though ugh, they are not.
But mostly PIKACHU I CHOOSE YOU.
posted by joyceanmachine at 6:53 AM on September 12, 2016 [10 favorites]
As a disclaimer/humble-brag, I may be feeling exceptionally up on the game just now, because Mr. Machine caught a full-blown Dragonite the other day while walking to a doctor's appointment.
No lure, no incense, no crowd, just him almost dropping the phone in excitement when that cute little yellow backside showed up outside a touristy restaurants.
The move set isn't ideal, but I still spend more time than I should staring at it, and enjoying how the head-whiskers do not appear to move in time to the wing-beats, and instead, wave in a breeze of their very own, like Beyonce's hair.
posted by joyceanmachine at 7:00 AM on September 12, 2016
No lure, no incense, no crowd, just him almost dropping the phone in excitement when that cute little yellow backside showed up outside a touristy restaurants.
The move set isn't ideal, but I still spend more time than I should staring at it, and enjoying how the head-whiskers do not appear to move in time to the wing-beats, and instead, wave in a breeze of their very own, like Beyonce's hair.
posted by joyceanmachine at 7:00 AM on September 12, 2016
Dragonite and Snorlax just have naturally high stats...
Thanks for the extended explanation. But I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that I caught a Snorlax with all of 40CP and a max IV rating of 64%, heh.
As a disclaimer/humble-brag, I may be feeling exceptionally up on the game just now, because Mr. Machine caught a full-blown Dragonite the other day while walking to a doctor's appointment.
That low CP Snorlax was one of three I caught in a 12 hour period. The first was the low CP one who just popped up while we were driving downtown this past Friday. My wife yelled "snorlax" and luckily there was as place to pull over. She faced one with high CP, who ran away, though. She was PISSED!
About an hour later I was driving alone through the same area, just in case and low and behold, he popped up AGAIN, this time with the CP as "????," which I've heard means high points. So razz him and use an Ultra ball and boom, caught ! Turned out to have 2300 CP.
Fast forward to five a.m. Saturday, when I wake up to go to the bathroom and on the way back to bed, glance at the app. Guess who's in the neighborhood? I pause to think about whether I'm gonna actually chase him, then put on some clothes, grab the car keys and do a little hunting. Turns out he was about a block away, also with the CP as "????" and manage to catch him too! Again, 2300 CP! Both of the high CP Snorlax had decent IVs, so woot!
But there's this guy on the local Pokemon Facebook group who managed to catch a Snorlax with 100% perfect IV. The catch is the CP was only 44, heh.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 7:12 AM on September 12, 2016 [2 favorites]
Thanks for the extended explanation. But I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that I caught a Snorlax with all of 40CP and a max IV rating of 64%, heh.
As a disclaimer/humble-brag, I may be feeling exceptionally up on the game just now, because Mr. Machine caught a full-blown Dragonite the other day while walking to a doctor's appointment.
That low CP Snorlax was one of three I caught in a 12 hour period. The first was the low CP one who just popped up while we were driving downtown this past Friday. My wife yelled "snorlax" and luckily there was as place to pull over. She faced one with high CP, who ran away, though. She was PISSED!
About an hour later I was driving alone through the same area, just in case and low and behold, he popped up AGAIN, this time with the CP as "????," which I've heard means high points. So razz him and use an Ultra ball and boom, caught ! Turned out to have 2300 CP.
Fast forward to five a.m. Saturday, when I wake up to go to the bathroom and on the way back to bed, glance at the app. Guess who's in the neighborhood? I pause to think about whether I'm gonna actually chase him, then put on some clothes, grab the car keys and do a little hunting. Turns out he was about a block away, also with the CP as "????" and manage to catch him too! Again, 2300 CP! Both of the high CP Snorlax had decent IVs, so woot!
But there's this guy on the local Pokemon Facebook group who managed to catch a Snorlax with 100% perfect IV. The catch is the CP was only 44, heh.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 7:12 AM on September 12, 2016 [2 favorites]
octothorpe, it was the same with ingress. Kind of cool idea, but the gameplay was just a boring grind.
posted by sotonohito at 8:17 AM on September 12, 2016
posted by sotonohito at 8:17 AM on September 12, 2016
And by "all," you mean around 150? Pfft, tell me when I can get a complete set of 721 (at which point I learn the extended PokeRap [YT - College Humor, SFW] is short 3 Pokemon).
posted by filthy light thief at 8:53 AM on September 12, 2016
posted by filthy light thief at 8:53 AM on September 12, 2016
Now that I've caught a snorlax I think my three weeks of fun with this game are about over. Can always come back when they add a lot more, which I have to assume they will given the money train they've got on their hands.
posted by MillMan at 11:32 AM on September 12, 2016
posted by MillMan at 11:32 AM on September 12, 2016
Oh, good! A new thread. I was missing the old one. I haven't been playing much lately--Hurricane Hermine knocked out power for 4 days last week, and internet for little over 5 days, so I had to conserve data and battery life on my phone.
Things are back to normal now, so I'm eager to get out and play a bit this week. I haven't seen as many pokemon around my little corner of the world, though. I would fire up the application and usually see something, but the past few days, there's been nothing. That's been a little frustrating, actually. I have a surplus of items, and nothing to use them on.
posted by PearlRose at 12:22 PM on September 12, 2016
Things are back to normal now, so I'm eager to get out and play a bit this week. I haven't seen as many pokemon around my little corner of the world, though. I would fire up the application and usually see something, but the past few days, there's been nothing. That's been a little frustrating, actually. I have a surplus of items, and nothing to use them on.
posted by PearlRose at 12:22 PM on September 12, 2016
I return from lunch to note that I spent it outside, in the glorious early fall sunshine, doing the following:
posted by joyceanmachine at 12:47 PM on September 12, 2016 [12 favorites]
IT WAS GREATeating a tasty home-made lunch
watching somebody blow bubbles for a very excited standard poodle
watching an elderly golden retriever take an (unauthorized, but much delighted-in) dip in the ornamental pool
watching a dog with a bit of border collie hop into that ornamental pool, then sit there in the water and sorta grin at its owner who came jogging up and said SIGH DOG COME ON YOU KNOW YOU AREN'T SUPPOSED TO BE THERE and then the dog was like BUT THIS IS GR9 and wagged his tail under the water
watching two Bernese mountain dogs and their dogwalker stop by the (empty) security gazebo and look mournful, because sometimes, there is a security guard who sits inside and dispenses treats to good dogs
sat with my work bestie and ground down a Team Valor gym and physically high-fived, then stationed our Pokemon there and defended the prestige of Team Mystic until we both ran out of potions and she had to go to a doctor's appointment.
posted by joyceanmachine at 12:47 PM on September 12, 2016 [12 favorites]
Every time Mystic "steals" a gym, a baby Seel cries.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 1:16 PM on September 12, 2016
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 1:16 PM on September 12, 2016
"Is this the update that makes the game fun?"
It helps if you have some friends.
posted by Eideteker at 1:54 PM on September 12, 2016
It helps if you have some friends.
posted by Eideteker at 1:54 PM on September 12, 2016
Hey! I'm Team Mystic!
posted by sotonohito at 2:09 PM on September 12, 2016
posted by sotonohito at 2:09 PM on September 12, 2016
Ignore the Valor bullies, they're just mad none of the top Pokemons are red colored :P
posted by numaner at 2:30 PM on September 12, 2016
posted by numaner at 2:30 PM on September 12, 2016
This was fun for about a week, then I realized it added $40 of data, and it was actually cheaper to buy real iPhone games for my commute. There's some great ones out recently - Leap of Fate, Severed, etc.
posted by Charlemagne In Sweatpants at 9:53 PM on September 12, 2016
posted by Charlemagne In Sweatpants at 9:53 PM on September 12, 2016
"It was always dark."
Every 'dark Pokemon' joke people make is just Shin Megami Tensei, which predated Pokemon.
posted by Charlemagne In Sweatpants at 9:54 PM on September 12, 2016 [3 favorites]
Every 'dark Pokemon' joke people make is just Shin Megami Tensei, which predated Pokemon.
posted by Charlemagne In Sweatpants at 9:54 PM on September 12, 2016 [3 favorites]
Charlemagne In Sweatpants: "This was fun for about a week, then I realized it added $40 of data, and it was actually cheaper to buy real iPhone games for my commute. There's some great ones out recently - Leap of Fate, Severed, etc."
Wow, is data that expensive in Australia? I played a lot last month and only use about 2G of data total.
posted by octothorpe at 3:47 AM on September 13, 2016
Wow, is data that expensive in Australia? I played a lot last month and only use about 2G of data total.
posted by octothorpe at 3:47 AM on September 13, 2016
So a great trick for not burning through your data is to use wifi and download offline google maps of areas you frequent. Because the game uses the Google Maps API, it's constantly getting map information as you're moving. If you have the offline maps, it will only use data for the other stuff (pokemons, pokestops, gyms, your profile, etc.) which takes much less data.
If you have Google Maps, "Offline Areas" are right there in the main menu. You can set the area as small or as large as you like, depending on the storage on your phone.
posted by numaner at 9:14 AM on September 13, 2016 [1 favorite]
If you have Google Maps, "Offline Areas" are right there in the main menu. You can set the area as small or as large as you like, depending on the storage on your phone.
posted by numaner at 9:14 AM on September 13, 2016 [1 favorite]
Cool, numaner. That is a good tip, and I will do that right now.
I'm grinding up slowly from 27 to 28. I am starting to feel like there's not much for me to work toward at this point. Like, maybe if I ever randomly run into a Cubone again I can evolve one. And perhaps some day I will get a 10 km egg with something I want in it. (anguished cry) LAPRAAAAAAASSSS!
My kid is still into it, so we play some, but he really prefers to play while riding in the backseat of the car, which doesn't really feel as wholesome as walking around in the fresh air, ya know?
I wasted all of my balls (every one) trying to get a 400 CP Dragonite on Saturday. It escaped. So cool, cool.
Gyms around here are sort of settling into these level 9 and 10 monoliths of Dragonites, which is making them less interesting, because even if they're not full, it's nearly impossible to play them up enough to make yourself a slot, and if they are another color, I can run through my army of Vaporeons and mayyyyybe knock one dude out. I think the way to do it is to play with two or three other people of your color and take down the gyms together. (Is it too early to get my 4.5-year-old a smartphone and an account. Kidding! Mostly!)
posted by purpleclover at 10:20 AM on September 13, 2016 [1 favorite]
I'm grinding up slowly from 27 to 28. I am starting to feel like there's not much for me to work toward at this point. Like, maybe if I ever randomly run into a Cubone again I can evolve one. And perhaps some day I will get a 10 km egg with something I want in it. (anguished cry) LAPRAAAAAAASSSS!
My kid is still into it, so we play some, but he really prefers to play while riding in the backseat of the car, which doesn't really feel as wholesome as walking around in the fresh air, ya know?
I wasted all of my balls (every one) trying to get a 400 CP Dragonite on Saturday. It escaped. So cool, cool.
Gyms around here are sort of settling into these level 9 and 10 monoliths of Dragonites, which is making them less interesting, because even if they're not full, it's nearly impossible to play them up enough to make yourself a slot, and if they are another color, I can run through my army of Vaporeons and mayyyyybe knock one dude out. I think the way to do it is to play with two or three other people of your color and take down the gyms together. (Is it too early to get my 4.5-year-old a smartphone and an account. Kidding! Mostly!)
posted by purpleclover at 10:20 AM on September 13, 2016 [1 favorite]
I'm a heavy user of the IV Calculator here for the last few weeks since I discovered it, but I'm still wondering if there's a canonical guide out there yet for which movesets are best (or at least, which are most useless) for each Pokemon. I'm at the point (level 26) where I only want throw stardust at powering up the real keepers. (I made some very poor investments early on, before discovering PokeAssistant before the in-game rating system debuted....CURSES)
posted by blue suede stockings at 11:03 AM on September 13, 2016
posted by blue suede stockings at 11:03 AM on September 13, 2016
I finally got the pokemon buddy update today! Time to take my big firedoggie for a walk :D :D
posted by randomnity at 11:52 AM on September 13, 2016
posted by randomnity at 11:52 AM on September 13, 2016
(or at least, which are most useless)
Oh, I'd like to nominate Bite/Bulldoze for Arcanines.
And Megahorn as the special for Nidoking. Why.
Serious question, y'all: What is Bug good for? Should I transfer all my Pinsirs? Please advise.
posted by purpleclover at 12:00 PM on September 13, 2016 [1 favorite]
Oh, I'd like to nominate Bite/Bulldoze for Arcanines.
And Megahorn as the special for Nidoking. Why.
Serious question, y'all: What is Bug good for? Should I transfer all my Pinsirs? Please advise.
posted by purpleclover at 12:00 PM on September 13, 2016 [1 favorite]
The update just popped up for me too! Yay I can finally evolve my one Charmander!
posted by numaner at 12:15 PM on September 13, 2016
posted by numaner at 12:15 PM on September 13, 2016
OK I just got the update and am a little disturbed to see you can now see Trainer names of those who have dropped an active lure on that Pokespot. As a grown-ass adult I'd like some plausible deniability for when I drop them during lunchtime at work thank you. (As a data nerd, I'm now going to have to spend some time on the Buddy chart as well)
posted by blue suede stockings at 12:20 PM on September 13, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by blue suede stockings at 12:20 PM on September 13, 2016 [2 favorites]
You could always see who dropped the lure... by clicking on the lure icon at the given stop.
posted by Cold Lurkey at 12:28 PM on September 13, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by Cold Lurkey at 12:28 PM on September 13, 2016 [3 favorites]
You could always see who dropped the lure... by clicking on the lure icon at the given stop.
Oh gosh, I did not know this. If my buddy at the company next door who also catches Pokemon on break (we're in a Pokestop-rich environment) figured this out earlier on it explains the looks when I've tried to claim I'm not playing as seriously as he is
posted by blue suede stockings at 12:36 PM on September 13, 2016 [1 favorite]
I think the offline google maps thing is a myth. A Google person on twitter had this to say about it:
short answer: no. long answer: nooooo
posted by vibratory manner of working at 1:53 PM on September 13, 2016 [3 favorites]
short answer: no. long answer: nooooo
posted by vibratory manner of working at 1:53 PM on September 13, 2016 [3 favorites]
Serious question, y'all: What is Bug good for? Should I transfer all my Pinsirs? Please advise.
Bug Type Moves are Super Effective Against Dark, Grass and Psychic Pokemon. Consult the Pokemon Go Database for further details on what types are most effective against what. But Pinsir can be very effective against an Exeggutor, Venusaur and Vileplume. Power that crazy ol'bug up and get to work!
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 2:13 PM on September 13, 2016 [2 favorites]
Bug Type Moves are Super Effective Against Dark, Grass and Psychic Pokemon. Consult the Pokemon Go Database for further details on what types are most effective against what. But Pinsir can be very effective against an Exeggutor, Venusaur and Vileplume. Power that crazy ol'bug up and get to work!
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 2:13 PM on September 13, 2016 [2 favorites]
Should I transfer all my Pinsirs? Please advise.
We use our Pinsirs on gyms with Snorlaxes (the Rock Smash attack), and Exeggutors (the Fury Cutter).
The Fury Cutter, in particular, is really really really effective on Execggutors, and has taken out Exeggutors with 600 CP or whatever higher. Apparently, this is because of the bonus for a Bug-type Pokemon doing a Bug-type attack against a Grass Pokemon.
(If you're better at dodging than we are, you can probably squeeze even more use out of them. Also, if you've got Vaporeons, then I'm guessing you've got Eevees. Maybe a super-buffed Jolteon with HP to spare will do better against a Dragonite?)
posted by joyceanmachine at 2:18 PM on September 13, 2016 [3 favorites]
We use our Pinsirs on gyms with Snorlaxes (the Rock Smash attack), and Exeggutors (the Fury Cutter).
The Fury Cutter, in particular, is really really really effective on Execggutors, and has taken out Exeggutors with 600 CP or whatever higher. Apparently, this is because of the bonus for a Bug-type Pokemon doing a Bug-type attack against a Grass Pokemon.
(If you're better at dodging than we are, you can probably squeeze even more use out of them. Also, if you've got Vaporeons, then I'm guessing you've got Eevees. Maybe a super-buffed Jolteon with HP to spare will do better against a Dragonite?)
posted by joyceanmachine at 2:18 PM on September 13, 2016 [3 favorites]
Finally got the update (alongside Android 7/Nougat, interestingly enough) and my Geodude is working hard on finding candy so his big brother can become a badass Golem. Only 37km left to go, little buddy!
posted by zombieflanders at 2:40 PM on September 13, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by zombieflanders at 2:40 PM on September 13, 2016 [2 favorites]
I'm a heavy user of the IV Calculator here for the last few weeks since I discovered it, but I'm still wondering if there's a canonical guide out there yet for which movesets are best (or at least, which are most useless) for each Pokemon. I'm at the point (level 26) where I only want throw stardust at powering up the real keepers.
I consider the real keepers to be the heavy hitters AND the Pokemon most effective against them. So yeah, a Dragonite and also a Lapras to go against it.
Hopefully Niantic reworks the gyms, so that the burrowing in of the heavy hitters and then leveling up to 9 or 10 is dampened. It's just not fun or interesting to "battle" against that mountain.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 2:55 PM on September 13, 2016 [1 favorite]
I consider the real keepers to be the heavy hitters AND the Pokemon most effective against them. So yeah, a Dragonite and also a Lapras to go against it.
Hopefully Niantic reworks the gyms, so that the burrowing in of the heavy hitters and then leveling up to 9 or 10 is dampened. It's just not fun or interesting to "battle" against that mountain.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 2:55 PM on September 13, 2016 [1 favorite]
Got the update and my 'go plus' is in the post!
posted by pixie at 3:41 AM on September 14, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by pixie at 3:41 AM on September 14, 2016 [1 favorite]
Can I have more than one buddy?!
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 5:25 AM on September 14, 2016
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 5:25 AM on September 14, 2016
Looks like you can swap the buddy as often as you want but you do lose out on the partial distance so best to switch right after getting a candy.
posted by pixie at 5:55 AM on September 14, 2016
posted by pixie at 5:55 AM on September 14, 2016
Yeah I was disappointed to learn the distance doesn't stay when you switch. But my lil' Charmander's gonna grow up big and strong in... 30 KM!
I think the offline google maps thing is a myth. A Google person on twitter had this to say about it:
short answer: no. long answer: nooooo
He was answering the question about battery usage, not data usage.
posted by numaner at 6:47 AM on September 14, 2016
I think the offline google maps thing is a myth. A Google person on twitter had this to say about it:
short answer: no. long answer: nooooo
He was answering the question about battery usage, not data usage.
posted by numaner at 6:47 AM on September 14, 2016
When you make a grimer your buddy it looks like you're being groped by creepy sentient ooze.
posted by ActionPopulated at 10:19 AM on September 14, 2016 [4 favorites]
posted by ActionPopulated at 10:19 AM on September 14, 2016 [4 favorites]
There's suggestive and then there's suggestive and then there's a Lickatung as your buddy.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 11:39 AM on September 14, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 11:39 AM on September 14, 2016 [2 favorites]
Another question: can someone explain how the walking works in the game?
I mean: does it only register the distance you've walked with the game running and on your screen? Because I'd really like to hatch some eggs, but that also sounds like such a huge, huge battery drain.
posted by meese at 1:43 PM on September 14, 2016
I mean: does it only register the distance you've walked with the game running and on your screen? Because I'd really like to hatch some eggs, but that also sounds like such a huge, huge battery drain.
posted by meese at 1:43 PM on September 14, 2016
Yes, sort of. I think if you let the screen turn off by inactivity it's fine, but some people say when you use the power button it pauses the game. I haven't gotten a chance to test, but most of the time I'm walking I have my phone out for stops anyway.
posted by numaner at 1:51 PM on September 14, 2016
posted by numaner at 1:51 PM on September 14, 2016
I'm not saying this is true, but I'm saying I wouldn't be surprised if it was. Those Instincts!
posted by numaner at 1:58 PM on September 14, 2016
posted by numaner at 1:58 PM on September 14, 2016
I mean: does it only register the distance you've walked with the game running and on your screen? Because I'd really like to hatch some eggs, but that also sounds like such a huge, huge battery drain.
1. Get an a portable battery, they're pretty cheap these days.
2. And/or turn on battery saver mode, which darkens the screen when you have the phone down by your side i.e. like your holding it vertically while walking. The game and distance tracker will be still be running, but the screen won't be using any juice 'cause its dark.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 2:08 PM on September 14, 2016
1. Get an a portable battery, they're pretty cheap these days.
2. And/or turn on battery saver mode, which darkens the screen when you have the phone down by your side i.e. like your holding it vertically while walking. The game and distance tracker will be still be running, but the screen won't be using any juice 'cause its dark.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 2:08 PM on September 14, 2016
Did all the updates fix that problem where the game freezes when the battery saver turn the screen back on?
posted by numaner at 6:39 PM on September 14, 2016
posted by numaner at 6:39 PM on September 14, 2016
Yes, was fixed in previous update, been using it just fine.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 2:40 AM on September 15, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 2:40 AM on September 15, 2016 [1 favorite]
Also, just read an interesting theory about Ditto: he'll come in future updates from a current Pokemon you have, as long as its 132CP. So if you have or get one, save it and we'll see what happens.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 6:11 AM on September 15, 2016
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 6:11 AM on September 15, 2016
Go Plus arrived. Works well. Lights up blue for pokestops and green for pokemon. Just press the button to spin/throw ball.
Seems to trick the app into correctly tracking distance too. Went for a walk with screen off and the distance was logged against eggs and buddy.
posted by pixie at 6:51 AM on September 15, 2016 [6 favorites]
Seems to trick the app into correctly tracking distance too. Went for a walk with screen off and the distance was logged against eggs and buddy.
posted by pixie at 6:51 AM on September 15, 2016 [6 favorites]
I really need to give this app due credit for getting me outside and increasing my activity. This app launched in the middle of summer, when I'm usually avoiding our humidity by hiding inside. Thanks to this app, I was outside taking walks with my toddler and dragging my husband to new city parks and trails to see what I could catch. I started leaving my office at lunchtime to look for Pokemon. I spent my whole vacation taking walks to hatch eggs.
It's kickstarted an effort on my part to increase my step count and make myself more active, especially now that the weather is cooling off a bit. I was starting to look into other ways to gamify this exercise because the grind of catching pidgeys & rattata was weighing on me. Still, I'd log into the app and carry it in my pocket just to hatch eggs. Now this new update improves on that even more, so the walking counts towards candy accumulation as well, and that's nice! Only 102 km left until I finally get an Arcanine.
(Also, I want to give this app credit for helping to normalize the metric system for us.)
posted by aabbbiee at 8:12 AM on September 15, 2016 [8 favorites]
It's kickstarted an effort on my part to increase my step count and make myself more active, especially now that the weather is cooling off a bit. I was starting to look into other ways to gamify this exercise because the grind of catching pidgeys & rattata was weighing on me. Still, I'd log into the app and carry it in my pocket just to hatch eggs. Now this new update improves on that even more, so the walking counts towards candy accumulation as well, and that's nice! Only 102 km left until I finally get an Arcanine.
(Also, I want to give this app credit for helping to normalize the metric system for us.)
posted by aabbbiee at 8:12 AM on September 15, 2016 [8 favorites]
Nests may be changing later today/tomorrow, so stock up if you can!
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 8:35 AM on September 15, 2016
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 8:35 AM on September 15, 2016
So guys I figured out how to bring back the fun, as someone who is stalled out and weary of grinding at level 26, and made some early very bad decisions about stardust allocation and evolution (especially before the in-game pokemon assessments and the increased accuracy and ease IV calculators online): I started all over again with a fresh account, determined to play the most strategic game possible this time around with everything I know and the improvements to the app. I have to say that it's a much more fun game for beginners this time around--I'm getting a lot more Pokemon diversity than I did in the exact same region when I started up in July (I've already seen and caught things in the last few days of this that didn't appear in my area for weeks or even months on my first go around).
I'm obviously going to have to keep my little guys out of gym battles, but honestly, even as a level 26 (who wasn't spending money in game, didn't have 4-8 hours a day to play, no spoofing or bots, no regular trips to large metropolitan areas) there's almost nothing I can do against the Dragonites and Snorelaxes (which I haven't even seen yet in the wild, much less caught or hatched) that are dominating all the gyms at this point anyway. (The gym issue is something that's discouraging at least a couple prospective late joiners of the game; will be interested to see if there's a workaround in the next major update for new novices.)
posted by blue suede stockings at 9:05 AM on September 16, 2016 [3 favorites]
I'm obviously going to have to keep my little guys out of gym battles, but honestly, even as a level 26 (who wasn't spending money in game, didn't have 4-8 hours a day to play, no spoofing or bots, no regular trips to large metropolitan areas) there's almost nothing I can do against the Dragonites and Snorelaxes (which I haven't even seen yet in the wild, much less caught or hatched) that are dominating all the gyms at this point anyway. (The gym issue is something that's discouraging at least a couple prospective late joiners of the game; will be interested to see if there's a workaround in the next major update for new novices.)
posted by blue suede stockings at 9:05 AM on September 16, 2016 [3 favorites]
but honestly, even as a level 26 (who wasn't spending money in game, didn't have 4-8 hours a day to play, no spoofing or bots, no regular trips to large metropolitan areas) there's almost nothing I can do against the Dragonites and Snorelaxes (which I haven't even seen yet in the wild, much less caught or hatched)
my liiiiiiiiife
posted by numaner at 12:07 PM on September 16, 2016 [1 favorite]
my liiiiiiiiife
posted by numaner at 12:07 PM on September 16, 2016 [1 favorite]
Yeah, I really hope Niantic does something about that, maybe have gyms with different levels, so only say 10-18 can battle each other, while in another part only 18-22 can? Because there's not much point to gyms anyway, other than getting stardust and coins.
It's just breeding an "I am the strongest bro" culture and Snorlax ain't go no time for that!
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 12:48 PM on September 16, 2016 [2 favorites]
It's just breeding an "I am the strongest bro" culture and Snorlax ain't go no time for that!
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 12:48 PM on September 16, 2016 [2 favorites]
Yeah, I really hope Niantic does something about that, maybe have gyms with different levels, so only say 10-18 can battle each other, while in another part only 18-22 can? Because there's not much point to gyms anyway, other than getting stardust and coins.
An interesting update: on DAY FOUR of this, not playing any more (or in any different locations than I was during the first go in July), I'm already halfway to Level 15. Pokedex already at 39, which before had taken me weeks plus a trip into a major tourist city. It's unreal. So I'm wondering if Niantic is trying to bring through new novices to speed as quickly as possible (or just recognizing that stumbling around with the AR isn't novelty enough at this point to keep folks who aren't in the biggest cities motivated to keep going).
I have so much stardust stocking up, because I'm not throwing it at the wrong little guys. Sorry, monster friends. Meet the professor.
posted by blue suede stockings at 12:29 PM on September 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
An interesting update: on DAY FOUR of this, not playing any more (or in any different locations than I was during the first go in July), I'm already halfway to Level 15. Pokedex already at 39, which before had taken me weeks plus a trip into a major tourist city. It's unreal. So I'm wondering if Niantic is trying to bring through new novices to speed as quickly as possible (or just recognizing that stumbling around with the AR isn't novelty enough at this point to keep folks who aren't in the biggest cities motivated to keep going).
I have so much stardust stocking up, because I'm not throwing it at the wrong little guys. Sorry, monster friends. Meet the professor.
posted by blue suede stockings at 12:29 PM on September 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
Found a work around for not having a revive - upgrade a fainted Pokemon and you can then just spray heal them.
posted by tilde at 4:32 PM on September 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by tilde at 4:32 PM on September 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
Yes! I was just coming in to mention that if it's a fainted Pokemon you might want to upgrade anyway, powering up gives them 1 HP so you can use regular potions the rest of the way.
So, just a couple of weeks ago, I was throwing away revives ... Ah, how things change.
I hatched a 10k egg with a Kabuto in it (ummmm, that's nice?)
I live in a very suburban area (I can sometimes catch a Pidgey near the elementary school down the block), but I've seen all kinds of wacky stuff on my Sightings lately: Golducks, a Vaporeon (which I caught and is pretty good), Pigeots. I think they're trying to make the catching more interesting without giving away all the good stuff. (LAPRAS!!!!!)
posted by purpleclover at 5:28 PM on September 17, 2016 [2 favorites]
So, just a couple of weeks ago, I was throwing away revives ... Ah, how things change.
I hatched a 10k egg with a Kabuto in it (ummmm, that's nice?)
I live in a very suburban area (I can sometimes catch a Pidgey near the elementary school down the block), but I've seen all kinds of wacky stuff on my Sightings lately: Golducks, a Vaporeon (which I caught and is pretty good), Pigeots. I think they're trying to make the catching more interesting without giving away all the good stuff. (LAPRAS!!!!!)
posted by purpleclover at 5:28 PM on September 17, 2016 [2 favorites]
For whoever was asking about what good is Pinsir, here's an idea I've discovered: Pair him with a lower CP level fire 'Mon and use them to quickly raise gym levels.
Example: Put a Pinsir in the lowest level of gym. Then use the fire 'Mon to battle Pinsir, then quit the gym after you've won. That should get you at least 500 points. If the fire 'Mon is about 150-190 points lower than the Pinsir, you might be able to raise it +700 points each round.
So yeah, sacrifice Pinsir, but not for dust!
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 8:44 AM on September 18, 2016 [3 favorites]
Example: Put a Pinsir in the lowest level of gym. Then use the fire 'Mon to battle Pinsir, then quit the gym after you've won. That should get you at least 500 points. If the fire 'Mon is about 150-190 points lower than the Pinsir, you might be able to raise it +700 points each round.
So yeah, sacrifice Pinsir, but not for dust!
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 8:44 AM on September 18, 2016 [3 favorites]
VG Cats accurately depicts the game as it stands.
posted by numaner at 12:29 PM on September 19, 2016
posted by numaner at 12:29 PM on September 19, 2016
So, I've been hoarding 10KM eggs, waiting until I had nine and then incubating/hatching them all at once. Did that this morning and this is what I got: 2 Magmars, 2 Hitmonlee, 1 Snorlax, 1 Lapras, 1 Eevee, 1 Jynx, and 1 Chancey. All had amazing stats, except for the Hitmonlee, which were just "strong" and oddly enough, had the exact same 811CP.
After refilling all the egg slots, I had one 10km, four 5km and four 2km. Here we go again!
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 6:00 AM on September 20, 2016 [1 favorite]
After refilling all the egg slots, I had one 10km, four 5km and four 2km. Here we go again!
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 6:00 AM on September 20, 2016 [1 favorite]
Is there a strategy to getting 10k eggs? I've only managed to grab five ever, and that's with trying to avoid repeating Pokestops.
posted by zombieflanders at 6:53 AM on September 20, 2016
posted by zombieflanders at 6:53 AM on September 20, 2016
Not that I'm aware of. I just kept hatching and incubating, one after the other, until I got all nine. Took about 3weeks, thought it would take longer.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 7:22 AM on September 20, 2016
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 7:22 AM on September 20, 2016
I *may* have been pretty intense about it. maybe
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 7:22 AM on September 20, 2016
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 7:22 AM on September 20, 2016
I've been doing the same for well over a month, in which time I got two of the five 10k eggs I've ever found. Gah.
posted by zombieflanders at 7:40 AM on September 20, 2016
posted by zombieflanders at 7:40 AM on September 20, 2016
I was leaving for work an hour early to go hunting and doing the same after work. Usually spent a similar amount of time on days off. Keep moving, keep incubating, then toss another egg right in the incubator. Would leave the game on while doing something else, as the GPS inaccuracies usually meant I could some more distance as the signal searched for me.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 7:57 AM on September 20, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 7:57 AM on September 20, 2016 [1 favorite]
If I have a my faction level ten gym can I fight enough to run off the lowest guy abd put in my own?
posted by tilde at 1:36 PM on September 20, 2016
posted by tilde at 1:36 PM on September 20, 2016
Nope. You can't get in there at all no matter how much you raise its prestige. I've seen plenty of level 10 gyms around here with 52000/50000 prestige which mean someone tried to raise it another 2000 to get in and couldn't.
Your best bet is to find a friend of the opposite team and have them fight through the bottom rungs and kick out the lowest one and then you can get in.
posted by numaner at 1:56 PM on September 20, 2016 [1 favorite]
Your best bet is to find a friend of the opposite team and have them fight through the bottom rungs and kick out the lowest one and then you can get in.
posted by numaner at 1:56 PM on September 20, 2016 [1 favorite]
But why would you have friends on another team?!
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 2:45 PM on September 20, 2016
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 2:45 PM on September 20, 2016
says the Valor that's married to a Mystic =P
posted by numaner at 2:56 PM on September 20, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by numaner at 2:56 PM on September 20, 2016 [2 favorites]
She chose wrong, I've forgiven her!
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 3:06 PM on September 20, 2016
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 3:06 PM on September 20, 2016
See, and I've forgiven all my Valor friends too. Now it's just a friendly rivalry where I curse them under my breath and drive around town at 2 in the morning to kick them out of all the gyms. Like how friends do!
posted by numaner at 3:09 PM on September 20, 2016
posted by numaner at 3:09 PM on September 20, 2016
What, that's nuts!
Just get up at 5am, grab the clothes you've already lain out, and the pre-made breakfast and then drive away town taking back what is rightfully yours from thieving assholes who dared to sully your beautiful gym.
Help me
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 3:41 PM on September 20, 2016 [1 favorite]
Just get up at 5am, grab the clothes you've already lain out, and the pre-made breakfast and then drive away town taking back what is rightfully yours from thieving assholes who dared to sully your beautiful gym.
Help me
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 3:41 PM on September 20, 2016 [1 favorite]
We'll get through this together Brandon, just as long as you let me hold those gyms long enough for my daily bonus.
posted by numaner at 3:47 PM on September 20, 2016
posted by numaner at 3:47 PM on September 20, 2016
Seriously, I'm disappointed at how the various factions want to take over everything. There's six gyms that I can see from my house and to me, things are great when each team has two. Seems fair, everyone gets some dust to do there thing. It's when one team wants to go on some spree and take and hold EVERYTHING that I just shake my head.
Mostly because I'm old and don't have the time to put in the hours to do that, but STILL.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 3:56 PM on September 20, 2016
Mostly because I'm old and don't have the time to put in the hours to do that, but STILL.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 3:56 PM on September 20, 2016
All three gyms near me are an enemy team, ten-deep, with the lowest level over 1000 CP, all topped by Dragonites well over 2000 CP. It is deeply not worth bothering with gyms here anymore.
posted by showbiz_liz at 5:16 PM on September 20, 2016
posted by showbiz_liz at 5:16 PM on September 20, 2016
There seems to be a pretty even distribution of Mystic and Valor peeps around here -- enough that gyms turn over a few times a day. There are two that are barely a block apart, and I (Instinct) can usually take over both long enough to get the bonus. I'm out within a couple of hours, though.
And I have never peed on my gyms!
It's taken me this long to realize that even when my bag is full, I still get XP by hitting pokestops. So, that's a nice discovery and helping me grind out level 23.
posted by gladly at 8:09 AM on September 21, 2016 [2 favorites]
And I have never peed on my gyms!
It's taken me this long to realize that even when my bag is full, I still get XP by hitting pokestops. So, that's a nice discovery and helping me grind out level 23.
posted by gladly at 8:09 AM on September 21, 2016 [2 favorites]
All three gyms near me are an enemy team, ten-deep, with the lowest level over 1000 CP, all topped by Dragonites well over 2000 CP. It is deeply not worth bothering with gyms here anymore.
I have the same problem. However within 10 minutes of me is a highly contested neighborhood with about half a dozen gyms that gets fought over every day. I have to time my wardriving well though because depending on the gym levels it could be over an hour between taking over the first gym and getting the last gym, and I could lose the first by then. It's happened before many times and it's the most frustrating thing because holy hell I just wanna go home and go the fuck to sleep.
posted by numaner at 8:18 AM on September 21, 2016
I have the same problem. However within 10 minutes of me is a highly contested neighborhood with about half a dozen gyms that gets fought over every day. I have to time my wardriving well though because depending on the gym levels it could be over an hour between taking over the first gym and getting the last gym, and I could lose the first by then. It's happened before many times and it's the most frustrating thing because holy hell I just wanna go home and go the fuck to sleep.
posted by numaner at 8:18 AM on September 21, 2016
It's taken me this long to realize that even when my bag is full, I still get XP by hitting pokestops. So, that's a nice discovery and helping me grind out level 23.
Haha yeah I didn't realize that until I was level 24.
posted by numaner at 8:18 AM on September 21, 2016
Haha yeah I didn't realize that until I was level 24.
posted by numaner at 8:18 AM on September 21, 2016
Yeah, i don't see gyms lasting too long with any one color in San Jose, even with overpowered line-ups.
In the evening the nearest gym may be a level 7 Mystic with like a 2500CP Dunwoody or something, and I'm all, "Man, it's pointless to even try to train there." The next day though, it'll be taken over by teamRocket Valor, with like, a 600 point Pigeotto. I beat them down, toss a Porygon or Aerodactyl in they're, and it's all good.
Honestly, this game is keeping me sane this election season.
posted by happyroach at 9:19 AM on September 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
In the evening the nearest gym may be a level 7 Mystic with like a 2500CP Dunwoody or something, and I'm all, "Man, it's pointless to even try to train there." The next day though, it'll be taken over by team
Honestly, this game is keeping me sane this election season.
posted by happyroach at 9:19 AM on September 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
It's really fun to pretend Valor are all trump voters and curse at them as you tear down their gyms. (I mean, so I've heard)
posted by numaner at 10:02 AM on September 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by numaner at 10:02 AM on September 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
It was a lot of fun to roll up on some Mystics (numaner was that you) trying to raise the level of a gym, then I steadily demolish it while both of them were working. They left, I continued working, realized what they would probably do and then left to go get some expensive coffee from a local joint. I got back to the gym in time to find them trying to raise the level again and continued demolishing them. There was a gleeful joy, because it was clearly a squad of Mystics trying to take over everything.
It's pretty much impossible to defend a gym against an active attack. At most, you can raise it about +750points, while a single person on the opposite team can take it down about 3-4K a turn.
I hope they change up that dynamic soon.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 10:46 AM on September 21, 2016
It's pretty much impossible to defend a gym against an active attack. At most, you can raise it about +750points, while a single person on the opposite team can take it down about 3-4K a turn.
I hope they change up that dynamic soon.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 10:46 AM on September 21, 2016
I hope they change up that dynamic soon.
Nooooo! It's the only way Instinct can take a gym! I don't even bother to train at Instinct gyms because it's so much more rewarding to take over a couple rival team gyms, collect my treats and move on for the day. And now that I've got a trick to solve not having enough revives (thanks to this thread), I am unstoppable!
posted by gladly at 11:21 AM on September 21, 2016
Nooooo! It's the only way Instinct can take a gym! I don't even bother to train at Instinct gyms because it's so much more rewarding to take over a couple rival team gyms, collect my treats and move on for the day. And now that I've got a trick to solve not having enough revives (thanks to this thread), I am unstoppable!
posted by gladly at 11:21 AM on September 21, 2016
Haha I have way more sense than that. I'd just let you take it and take it back as soon as you're done. I've been hoarding Revives and Hyper Potions like a doomsday prepper.
I second not changing that dynamic, it lets gyms be less of fortresses and encourage more interactions. What I would change is that successfully raising gym prestige should either give you candy or stardust or both, and higher XP than what you get now. I wouldn't want them to raise your pokemon's CP though because I have several I keep at a low level to train against my team when the first pokemon is just about the same so I could do 500+ prestige per battle.
posted by numaner at 11:47 AM on September 21, 2016
I second not changing that dynamic, it lets gyms be less of fortresses and encourage more interactions. What I would change is that successfully raising gym prestige should either give you candy or stardust or both, and higher XP than what you get now. I wouldn't want them to raise your pokemon's CP though because I have several I keep at a low level to train against my team when the first pokemon is just about the same so I could do 500+ prestige per battle.
posted by numaner at 11:47 AM on September 21, 2016
Ah, the low level CP trick. Just for that I hoard every 10CP Pokemon I come across. Hell, I've been hoarding Pinsers and fire Mon at various CP levels for the same reason. A fire 'Mon is super efficient against Pinsir, so it's a great way to rapidly raise gym levels. This tactic works great on with any 'Mon though, if you know or figure out what's super efficient against it.
Fine, fine, keep the gym dynamics.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 11:59 AM on September 21, 2016
Fine, fine, keep the gym dynamics.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 11:59 AM on September 21, 2016
New update is out and it'll tell you what city your Pokemon was caught in!!!! Not the street or GPS coordinates, but the city!
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 1:32 PM on September 24, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 1:32 PM on September 24, 2016 [1 favorite]
Finally figured out a use for the crappy 500 pt mons I keep catching. Use with 1-2 good guys to take out a gym. Revive good ones, transfer fainted crsppy ones.
posted by tilde at 1:39 PM on September 24, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by tilde at 1:39 PM on September 24, 2016 [1 favorite]
I've identified the few that I caught only in Montreal. I shall be making them my walking buddies!
posted by numaner at 8:39 AM on September 26, 2016
posted by numaner at 8:39 AM on September 26, 2016
Buddy walking has gone better than I expected; I've netted 25 geodude candies! (Now I only need to walk like 55 more km.)
posted by purpleclover at 12:28 PM on September 26, 2016
posted by purpleclover at 12:28 PM on September 26, 2016
Nests have changed! Here in Savannah we now have one for Jigglypuffs, Kabutos, Ghastly, Clefairies and possibly Omanyte (haven't confirmed yet). Bring on the Pokadex!
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 9:42 AM on September 27, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 9:42 AM on September 27, 2016 [1 favorite]
I just found a Drowzee outside my house, which I haven't seen since I was briefly in Zurich over the summer. Changed here too!
posted by purpleclover at 10:19 AM on September 27, 2016
posted by purpleclover at 10:19 AM on September 27, 2016
Why does the beautiful Goldeen evolve into the butt ugly Seaking?!
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 11:21 AM on September 27, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 11:21 AM on September 27, 2016 [1 favorite]
I stopped by a place today that had been a Dratini spawn, and now it's full of Slowpokes. There go my dreams of a Dragonite. (wasn't that Piers Anthony book?)
And it looks like a nearby Charmeleon nest is now Electrabuzz. Shit.
posted by team lowkey at 1:09 PM on September 27, 2016
And it looks like a nearby Charmeleon nest is now Electrabuzz. Shit.
posted by team lowkey at 1:09 PM on September 27, 2016
I just found a Drowzee outside my house, which I haven't seen since I was briefly in Zurich over the summer.
Ugh, still WAY too many Drowzees in Toronto.....according to my Pokedex, I've seen 434 so far.
posted by barnoley at 2:58 PM on September 27, 2016
Ugh, still WAY too many Drowzees in Toronto.....according to my Pokedex, I've seen 434 so far.
posted by barnoley at 2:58 PM on September 27, 2016
I can tell that the nests have changed around here, too. The Venonats, which were bordering on being an invasive species, and the Oddish are coming around less often. (I'm sad about the Oddish downgrade, though--I was so close to getting that Vileplume!) I see more Ekans around than I used to, so I think that's what at least one of them has been swapped out with.
Still a relatively steady supply of Eevee, although not as many as during their heyday, when I caught enough for all three eevee-lutions in one weekend. I think I have enough for a second Vaporeon, although I'm waiting until I catch an Eevee with really good stats.
posted by PearlRose at 6:45 AM on September 28, 2016
Still a relatively steady supply of Eevee, although not as many as during their heyday, when I caught enough for all three eevee-lutions in one weekend. I think I have enough for a second Vaporeon, although I'm waiting until I catch an Eevee with really good stats.
posted by PearlRose at 6:45 AM on September 28, 2016
Spurned Pokemon Go players file complaints with federal government
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 5:06 PM on September 28, 2016
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 5:06 PM on September 28, 2016
Has anyone yet linked this essay on Pokemon Go and Situationism? I intuitively made the connection when the app was released - the idea of taking unplanned walks and looking for urban oddities translated to an app.
On a more prosaic note, as a lapsed player is there anything that would lure me back to it?
posted by Charlemagne In Sweatpants at 6:45 PM on September 28, 2016 [2 favorites]
On a more prosaic note, as a lapsed player is there anything that would lure me back to it?
posted by Charlemagne In Sweatpants at 6:45 PM on September 28, 2016 [2 favorites]
On a more prosaic note, as a lapsed player is there anything that would lure me back to it?
It depends why you stopped. I remember for a while it was really buggy and I had to reload constantly (thus missing lots of cool Pokémon or a chance to spin a stop; I never have to reload it anymore. Every now and then it has a slight issue checking in, but resolves itself without intervention. The battery saver works now, so your phone can last a bit longer.
If you wanted to evolve something but never saw more of the same type, you can now buddy walk it for candy. It'll take forever if you've only caught one, but it's possible now. (And it's lovely for that Pokémon you caught almost enough of on vacation and just need those last three candies for.)
On the other hand, if you just weren't that into it, there aren't any new subgames or features yet. It's just a better working version of what it started out as.
posted by Margalo Epps at 11:38 AM on September 29, 2016 [2 favorites]
It depends why you stopped. I remember for a while it was really buggy and I had to reload constantly (thus missing lots of cool Pokémon or a chance to spin a stop; I never have to reload it anymore. Every now and then it has a slight issue checking in, but resolves itself without intervention. The battery saver works now, so your phone can last a bit longer.
If you wanted to evolve something but never saw more of the same type, you can now buddy walk it for candy. It'll take forever if you've only caught one, but it's possible now. (And it's lovely for that Pokémon you caught almost enough of on vacation and just need those last three candies for.)
On the other hand, if you just weren't that into it, there aren't any new subgames or features yet. It's just a better working version of what it started out as.
posted by Margalo Epps at 11:38 AM on September 29, 2016 [2 favorites]
Finally got some more new Pokemon with today's Lucky Egg session. My Machoke is a "wonder!" And I hope this Slowbro with an ice special will be useful to all these damn Dragonites.
posted by numaner at 4:17 PM on October 5, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by numaner at 4:17 PM on October 5, 2016 [1 favorite]
Ironically, I found the best way to get my portable Pokemon fix on my phone is the Rick and Morty: Pocket Mortys game, which is a pretty good clone of the first Pokemon game.
I stopped because a. it was eating up my mobile data, b. I'd caught most of the common Pokemon, the memable Pokemon like Porygon, a Pokemon with a power level of 420, etc, c. there isn't much 'game' there compared to other mobile games I have and d. I have a 3DS, so if I want to play Pokemon I can... play mainline Pokemon.
I still whip it out from time to time in interesting places.
posted by Charlemagne In Sweatpants at 5:47 PM on October 5, 2016
I stopped because a. it was eating up my mobile data, b. I'd caught most of the common Pokemon, the memable Pokemon like Porygon, a Pokemon with a power level of 420, etc, c. there isn't much 'game' there compared to other mobile games I have and d. I have a 3DS, so if I want to play Pokemon I can... play mainline Pokemon.
I still whip it out from time to time in interesting places.
posted by Charlemagne In Sweatpants at 5:47 PM on October 5, 2016
Metafilter: I still whip it out from time to time in interesting places.
posted by radwolf76 at 6:41 AM on October 6, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by radwolf76 at 6:41 AM on October 6, 2016 [1 favorite]
For nearly two weeks, I had a pokemon in a level 10 gym that was at 54,000. Sadly, my Flareon came home last night! No more easy money for me!
posted by gladly at 6:48 AM on October 6, 2016
posted by gladly at 6:48 AM on October 6, 2016
Just got my 400th Magikarp candy! That leaves about 5 more before I have a full Pokedex (minus the non-US local exclusives). The problem now is that I'm at level 30. There's no more items to unlock, and once I capture/evolve those last couple 'Mons, there's nothing left for me to do. It'll just be a really boring and unrewarding grind if I continue. There's only about two months left of OK weather in the northern hemisphere, so if Nantic is going to be rolling out expansions and major gameplay upgrades, they don't have a lot of time before folks stop playing.
posted by zombieflanders at 7:07 AM on October 6, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by zombieflanders at 7:07 AM on October 6, 2016 [2 favorites]
I dunno where people are getting Porygons. I've seen them in gyms around here but I dunno where they're from!
Also, I haven't seen a 10K egg in like forever, and the Pokestops with lure modules thing is a damn myth.
posted by numaner at 8:13 AM on October 6, 2016
Also, I haven't seen a 10K egg in like forever, and the Pokestops with lure modules thing is a damn myth.
posted by numaner at 8:13 AM on October 6, 2016
Haven't 10k eggs always been crazy rare? According to my stats, I've hatched 185 eggs, and I've yet to hit double digits in 10k egg finds.
posted by zombieflanders at 8:43 AM on October 6, 2016
posted by zombieflanders at 8:43 AM on October 6, 2016
I dunno where people are getting Porygons
5k eggs
posted by prize bull octorok at 9:36 AM on October 6, 2016 [1 favorite]
5k eggs
posted by prize bull octorok at 9:36 AM on October 6, 2016 [1 favorite]
They're definitely increasing the spawn rate. I live in a pretty deep suburban neighborhood; when the game launched I might pick up a Pidgey or two on my normal walks.
This morning, a Hitmonlee was hanging out outside my house. (new for me!)
Also, I'm 1km away from a Golem. Yay! And I made my first Dragonite yesterday. (I am level 29 and I do not understand where people are getting all these dratini.)
And yes I hatched my Porygon.
No movement on finding a LAPRAS .....
posted by purpleclover at 1:15 PM on October 6, 2016
This morning, a Hitmonlee was hanging out outside my house. (new for me!)
Also, I'm 1km away from a Golem. Yay! And I made my first Dragonite yesterday. (I am level 29 and I do not understand where people are getting all these dratini.)
And yes I hatched my Porygon.
No movement on finding a LAPRAS .....
posted by purpleclover at 1:15 PM on October 6, 2016
Ha, my phone autocorrects Lapras to be in all caps.
posted by purpleclover at 1:42 PM on October 6, 2016
posted by purpleclover at 1:42 PM on October 6, 2016
soon to come updates:
- Medal-based catch bonuses: "Trainers can work their way to a new tier by catching many Pokémon of the same type. If a Pokémon has multiple types, your bonus will be the average of your bonuses for each type. For example, Pidgey is both Normal and Flying type. Your bonus in this case would be the average of your Normal-type and Flying-type bonuses."
- Level-adjusted gym training (with 6 Pokemon!): "when training at a friendly Gym, Trainers will be able to bring six Pokémon to battle instead of one. In addition, the CP of the Pokémon you are training against may be temporarily adjusted lower during your training session to generally match your Pokémon’s battle capabilities. "
posted by numaner at 2:30 PM on October 6, 2016 [3 favorites]
- Medal-based catch bonuses: "Trainers can work their way to a new tier by catching many Pokémon of the same type. If a Pokémon has multiple types, your bonus will be the average of your bonuses for each type. For example, Pidgey is both Normal and Flying type. Your bonus in this case would be the average of your Normal-type and Flying-type bonuses."
- Level-adjusted gym training (with 6 Pokemon!): "when training at a friendly Gym, Trainers will be able to bring six Pokémon to battle instead of one. In addition, the CP of the Pokémon you are training against may be temporarily adjusted lower during your training session to generally match your Pokémon’s battle capabilities. "
posted by numaner at 2:30 PM on October 6, 2016 [3 favorites]
I am actually super-surprised about the gym stuff!
posted by purpleclover at 2:38 PM on October 6, 2016
posted by purpleclover at 2:38 PM on October 6, 2016
Finally about the gym stuff. Pissed me off to no end to see you couldn't train teams to join a damn gym.
posted by tilde at 3:11 PM on October 6, 2016
posted by tilde at 3:11 PM on October 6, 2016
Lapras hangs by the sea. Otherwise 10km eggs.
The newest nest change was annoying, as the last was really short and possibly done just to find third party scanners. But meanwhile the tracker remains lame.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 9:16 PM on October 6, 2016
The newest nest change was annoying, as the last was really short and possibly done just to find third party scanners. But meanwhile the tracker remains lame.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 9:16 PM on October 6, 2016
Seattle is full of ghosts lately
posted by vibratory manner of working at 1:05 PM on October 7, 2016
posted by vibratory manner of working at 1:05 PM on October 7, 2016
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posted by ardgedee at 8:04 AM on September 11, 2016 [4 favorites]