1 April 2014 I geeked out on Ravalation about Google's April Fool's joke of catching pokémon with your phone. You'll have to forgive me for using this drawing I made back then once more. I still can't believe it's reality now!
Like so many, I grew up with Pokémon. I never really liked the TV series (I was a bit too old, I guess), but I dug the Gameboy games. Pokémon Gold was the first game I bought in my life, after jealously watching my younger brother play Pokémon Red; he shared his Gameboy with me and let me train his pokémon sometimes, the sweetheart. I spent months working in the garden and doing all kinds of menial tasks to earn enough money to buy it, but it was so worth it!
Although we're both grown up now, Pokémon is a kind of bonding thing, a strong positive childhood memory and fandom that I and my brother share. Just one month ago, we went on holiday with the family to Sweden and Danmark. And so two grown ups were sitting in our vacation house playing pokémon on the Gameboy.
Now the bad news: my phone broke down last week. It was randomly crashing, quite laggy and weird with recharging at times, so it's probably for the best: I'm sure catching pokémon with it would've been a frustrating experience. But meanwhile I need to pick and wait for a new phone while everyone is having fun.
Pokémon Go has not officially been released in the Netherlands yet, but of course that doesn't stop anyone from playing it. Even in my small town, there are two gyms close by that are guarded by pigeottos.
Now the bad news: my phone broke down last week. It was randomly crashing, quite laggy and weird with recharging at times, so it's probably for the best: I'm sure catching pokémon with it would've been a frustrating experience. But meanwhile I need to pick and wait for a new phone while everyone is having fun.
This popular gif captures my emotions perfectly
Pokémon Go has not officially been released in the Netherlands yet, but of course that doesn't stop anyone from playing it. Even in my small town, there are two gyms close by that are guarded by pigeottos.
Earlier this year I moved back to my small hometown after having lived in Amsterdam for nine years. It's times like this that I miss not living in Amsterdam anymore. I was so done with living in the big city, but now I get all sentimental when I read stories about people teaming up with strangers on landmarks I used to visit!
Er is een zieke pokémon in het AMC - wij zullen goed voor ‘m zorgen. We stellen het op prijs als je ‘m niet bezoekt. pic.twitter.com/u8RACvGZgp— AMC (@AMC_NL) July 11, 2016
"There's an ill pokémon in the Amsterdam Medical Centre (one of the two largest hospitals in Amsterdam, red.) - we'll take good care of him. We'd appreciate it if you don't visit."
Meanwhile, the wildest stories are going around about people who caused traffic accidents by trying to catch pokémon on the highway. Or people in Qatar that are only able to catch Sandshrews. Or how someone parked a Clefairy called LOVEISLOVE on an LGBT opposed church that happened to be a gym. Pokémon Go is revolutionising mobile gaming as we know it; it is much like an MMO but in real life. I'm sure the hype will tune down, but until then I'm living vicariously through all Pokémon Go news. I really can't wait to get a new phone!
oh my god #PokemonGO pic.twitter.com/jCK6KDrx1q— WORLD STAR FANS (@WorIdStarLaugh) July 10, 2016
Did you grow up with Pokémon? And are you playing Pokémon Go? This is your chance to make me jealous by posting your Pokémon Go stories below!
I can't wait till this is released in Europe - I keep checking in hope of some news but so far... ugh! I'm especially looking fwd to playing this with my 7 yr old (I'd play it without him, but I think it'll be 10x as fun with him!)
ReplyDeleteFrom what I hear, it's so much more fun to play together with others. I envy you a bit, because it sounds like you'll have a great time! Unfortunately, my friends live all over the country, so that will prove difficult. But who knows, I might run into some people here. :)
DeleteI tried to get into Pokemon. I really did. But I was never able to. It is just not my type of game.
ReplyDeleteDespite that it has been amusing to see people tweeting about Pokemon Go. Specially because shortly before the Pokemon Go crazy it was all about Overwatch. And it was starting to get hard to resist the temptation to play that one... (I am terrible at shooters so I am pretty sure it would all end up in tears!)
They say Overwatch is a shooter for people who dislike shooters. I hate playing shooters, but even for me it was hard to resist. If I would've had some friends invite me to play with them, I'd probably have caved.
DeleteWhat don't you like about the Pokémon games? Is it too lineair, or is it just that you don't like pokémon?
That is what I heard too. But I am afraid this feeling and all the friendliness right now is just part of the honeymoon phase of the game. Once that pass and most people moved to other games it will be only the "This is srs business!" people left.
DeleteIn any case, if I get the itch to that kind of game I still have Splatoon for the Wii U. The good part about that game is if I am not doing too well, I can always help my team by trying to paint as much territory as possible. Also, it helps there is no communication during matches so people can't harass me. And the matches are pretty short too. :p
I guess the problem is that I am just not into collecting in games. Which seems like a pretty much "Well, duh! Pokemon is not for you then!" moment. But at the time I did try Pokemon more seriously (back during the Pokemon Ruby days) I didn't think as much about my own tastes. So without the allure of battling other pokemons to catch them.... There is pretty much nothing to interest me in the games. I do like the design of the pokemons themselves though. They are pretty interesting visually.
You may be right about Overwatch. Or you may be wrong. LOTRO used to be known for its friendly community (and still is, to an extent). After the game went F2P you don't want to be reading World Chat anymore, but I have countless examples showing those helpful people are still around as well. The LOTR setting attracts a certain type of people; Overwatch may as well. To appeal to hardcore army-loving shooter people, the game may look way to colourful and cheerful.
DeleteI always found the pokémon battling system interesting, especially if you get to know it a bit better (which I probably wouldn't have had without theorycrafter Conrad showing me the way), but if the wandering around looking for pokémon thing isn't for you, then I guess the pokémon games are indeed not for you. And since Pokémon Go is basically built around that aspect, you may just skip that as well. :P
You are absolutely right. I should not worry about things that are beyond my control and even more so, to do it so prematurely. Now I am one step from buying Overwatch. Luckily I am too much into Skyrim right now testing some mods (as always) and trying to get some last achievements before they release the Special Edition. Now if Twitter goes back to do nothing but talk about Overwatch again....
DeleteThe pokemon battling system does have some interesting ideas (elements being strong against certain other elements for example) but not enough to keep me engaged with it. Regardless of my feelings of the game, Pokemon Go is generating some very amusing tweets and stories to read. :)
Now Skyrim, that's a game I really should pick up once more. Still not seen the end of the main story. It's just that my favourite ENB isn't available anymore and I haven't been able to find a good alternative.
DeleteIf you have all the DLCs you might as well wait for the Special Edition then as you will be getting that for free. Then you can see if you like the visual changes and if you still need another ENB.
DeleteOtherwise, I recommend Tetrachromatic ENB for NLVA:
http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/73848/?
Thanks! Yes, I do have all the DLCs (which makes it even worse that I haven't played it all yet), so I'll probably take your advice. Now I'm hoping the Special Edition will look at least as good as the modded versions!
DeleteThe ENB you linked looks pretty good. If I can't resist the urge to play (which is a real possibility now I've been watching those gorgeous mod videos), I'll use that. :)
I started a comment about why I'm not playing but it turned into a blog post. Thanks for the prompt - I didn't know what I was going to write today!
ReplyDeleteReally enjoyed that post, Bhagpuss!
DeleteWhy I'm not playing Pokémon Go (like I need a reason)
As a 51 yearold I am not grown up with Pokémon, and to be honest, it doesn't do it for me. But my 16 yearold son loves it, every day he is roaming the city (The Hague) with his friends. My girlfriend, and fathers of his friends, drive with them through the city in search for Pokémon. And I love seeing that. Better than him playing League of Legends 24/7. Okay... not THAT much, but still, they are playing outside :)
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like an awesome way to spend time with family. Even though you don't play yourself, you've managed to make me jealous. +1 Cunning for Raebidus of Evernight.
DeleteI was too old when Pokemon came out; for reference, I was at university when the Berlin Wall came down.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I knew that this was coming as we have a Wii U, and so I keep abreast of what Nintendo is up to, both the good (Xenoblade Chronicles X) and the bad (Star Fox Zero).
What I wasn't expecting, however, was to see a whole bunch of kids in a nearby cemetery marching among the headstones with phones out. I think I could count on one hand the number of times I'd seen people in that old cemetery in the past 14 years. That's when I knew this had hit the big time.
Apparently they've distributed the pokémon accordingly, so if you're near water there's water pokémon around etc. I've heard cemeteries host specific sought-after pokémon. Although it makes me wonder if they shouldn't have excluded some places from the game. You don't really want running and shouting children in a place dedicated to rest and peace. Then again, people are smart enough to handle both augmented reality and reality at the same time (most of the time).
DeleteI was never into Pokemon and I don't have a smartphone. It's nice to see people having fun, but it's all a bit over my head, lol.
ReplyDeleteYou know, I can't really tease you about being a luddite (for not having a smartphone) because your rig is so much better than mine is. ;-)
DeleteBesides, were it not for my employer, I'd not have a phone at all. (To me, it means "the company can wake you up and make you go to work at all hours of the day and night.)
Aww, poor Shintar. If it helps, I didn't have *any* mobile phone before Conrad gave me his discarded smartphone two years ago (which has now died). I want to play Pokémon GO so badly that I want to buy a smartphone, though. *hides behind rock*
DeleteI'm not into Pokemon that much, but I might give it a go. Not yet though. As for your phone.... well... patience?
ReplyDeletePatience?! I'm fangirling way to hard over this! ;)
DeleteI can't wait either, although I never played pokemon games before. If you want you can have my spare phone, the battery is still good!
ReplyDeleteWhoa, Heleen, I don't know if I can accept that. I'll give you a call. We should make a plant date anyway!
DeleteI am absolutely loving Pokemon GO! And more than that, I love the concept of the game, getting people outside and moving to play. I love gaming, but it can often be a sedentary and isolating experience (though less so in the internet age of course). I love how this is incorporating the real world!
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love those aspects, too! Even if it means I'll probably lag behind at the game compared to others because of my health. I'm gonna catch them all... eventually! :P
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