Nintendo Pokemon Go (Android & iOS)

Kevin

Kevin

Code Monkey
Staff member
Well, I installed Pokemon Go on my Android phone just to see what the fuss is about. For those not familiar with the game it is an augmented reality (AR, not VR) game for Android & iOS devices that uses real world locations to 'catch' Pokemon creatures and to fight (virtually of course) other trainers. The new game has been getting a lot of attention in the media this week since it's release because it is getting people to actually go outside and explore their surrounding by combing the real world with the virtual. It is also getting some negative press because people distracted while driving & walking is not a good combination plus because it relies upon GPS, for tracking where you are and far you've traveled, it is quickly gaining a reputation as a phone battery killer.


Now to be frank, I've never played Pokemon before in my life nor was familiar with it. The first "Pokemon" game out for the Gameboy in the mid 1990's and by then I was already well into my 20's and long past the stage of playing with a Gameboy. Plus I wasn't exactly the target demographic for hat kind of game at the time.

So far what I've found out is that my usual user name (the name of this site ;)) is already taken, hhhmm.... :shifty:, and that if you install it on your device in the middle of the day while at the office then there isn't much to do in the game after you are up & running. That's okay though because it gives me a chance to catch up on some reading about "Pokestops" and other stuff.
 
Pet Rocks, Trolls, The Beatles, Rubik's Cube, Cell Phones and hundreds of other mass distractions. Personally, I just don't get the need for distractions like that? I've never had the need or the desire to be part of the "In Crowd" and popularity is nothing but a reflection of insecurity.
I understand that your reason for getting hooked into the latest craze is for research due to curiosity. At least you think it is curiosity. I however am not curious about it. I was not curious about Pet Rocks either. My sister had one, I thought it was 'dumb' (I was 8 years old).
I could understand the craze if it were limited to children but full grown adults are too captivated by this. Full Grown Adults that let important things in life slip by while entertaining the latest 'craze'. It all reminds me of "The Game" in Star Trek:TNG. It is a distraction for the Sheeple. It isn't the first and it won't be the last.
You need to feed your Tamagotchi. When is the last time you walked your Pet Rock? What happened while you weren't looking?
Your children grew up without your guidance.
Your country self-destructed.
Someone stole your money and possessions.
They gave your job to someone else.
You let your career slide.
Your stocks crashed.
any number of things in your life that you should have been thinking or acting on but were too focused on a meaningless game. While not everyone is as engrossed as some, at what point is enough, enough? At what point does your adult mind step back and say..."This is dumb"?
 
Tom said:
I understand that your reason for getting hooked into the latest craze is for research due to curiosity.
Click to expand...
Curiosity is being driven by a few aspects in this case.

First is the social aspect. This game is encouraging people to go outside and walk around their hometowns, something no other "game" or app on phone has been able to do. That alone is an interesting milestone for mobile devices. While people are outside they are also being drawn together at certain spots (the "Pokestops" and "Gyms" in the game) which encouraging social interaction in the real world.

Second is the business aspect. As mentioned, there are certain common geographic spots that users will be drawn to. The ability to monetize on that fact is interesting because here is an app' that is actually encouraging people to go to certain places that they might not have before like public parks, museums, and other attractions around them. Businesses are getting in on the action by doing what they can to attract people to their spots. This is something that could actually have a positive impact on local mom & pop shops.

News article about businesses using Pokemon Go to attract customers: Gotta catch 'em all: Pokemon Go is boosting business for restaurants
Tom said:
the latest craze
Click to expand...
Unlike some of the other items mentioned, "Pokemon" isn't exactly a craze. It started in Japan in the early 1990's and was international by the middle of the decade. There is literally a generation of people out there who grew up with Pokemon and now their kids are also playing it.

Which brings us to yet another aspect of the game, it is actually encouraging family members to interact between them.

Blog post about families bonding over Pokemon Go: 'Pokémon Go' is actually bringing families together

So, yes, the level of activity will likely decrease as time goes on but the game really is a milestone. Here finally is an app for mobile devices which is encouraging families to interact, encouraging people to explore their hometowns, and is helping to boost local businesses. That sounds like a "Win-Win-Win" situation.
 
What I find interesting about Pokemon Go is it's popularly with adults, not just with kids. It wasn't an accident that the initial release included only the 150 Pokemon from the original release. The ones everyone who grew up during the '90s are nostalgic for.

I have to admit, I just about wet my pants when I discovered the prospect of going outside and catching Pokemon for myself. But overall, the whole thing is very positive. It's making people go outside, exercise to hatch their eggs, and interact with others over a shared experience. It's not often you find something you can use to immediately strike up an in-depth conversation with a complete stranger.
 
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