Pokémon Go

[Johnny Au]

This is a thread to discuss Pokémon Go.

As of this post, it is not available in Canada. Once it becomes available here, it would be interesting to see the effects of that app.

It is among the most popular mobile apps on the Internet, despite being available in a few countries. It is more popular than Snapchat, Facebook, and even Twitter.

Please vote in the above poll and state your rationale.

 

[Johnny Au]

Despite it not being officially available in Canada yet, the Toronto Star Building alone has three Pokéstops: https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2016/07/14/we-held-a-pokmon-go-meetup-who-showed-up.html

 

[G.L.17]

And here's a map of where to go for certain Pokémon in downtown:
http://www.blogto.com/tech/2016/07/map_of_pokemon_go_locations_in_toronto/

 

[christof53]

This game is honestly amazing. I was walking home from work the other day when I noticed a Weepinbell was nearby so I immediately turned around and started looking for it. I ended up meeting a few other people also looking for the Weepinbell and we banded together to try and find it. Eventually one person found him and we all went to catch him. We ended talking and sharing our experiences/pokemon after and went on to look for other pokemon. I don't think I've ever had a gaming experience like it.

Not to mention I have walked roughly 30km since I started playing this game 5 days ago.

 

[tripwire]

Much to my chagrin, my gf installed the app and I have mixed, though mostly positive feelings about it. The game itself I find pretty mundane, but I admit that I absolutely love the walking/finding part of the "game". There's murals in the neighbourhoods that I've glanced at but never really paid attention to until now, as well as all the historical landmark plaques that I never bothered reading until now. Although we walk around our neighbourhood a lot, the app has given us a bit more "meaning" and historical sense to the area which I give really big kudos to. I can only how awesome it is when in another neighbourhood or city/country!

Like the Wii, the idea of gaming being active is pretty cool. Now I find this adds just a touch of awareness and education to it too.

I can see it being a bit dangerous with people more focused on their phone vs their surroundings. I had to remind my gf at one point to finish crossing the street and then do her capture. I also told her when we visited Japan in a few months that I wanted to her be looking up and not at her phone all the time.

 

[Johnny Au]

Much to my chagrin, my gf installed the app and I have mixed, though mostly positive feelings about it. The game itself I find pretty mundane, but I admit that I absolutely love the walking/finding part of the "game". There's murals in the neighbourhoods that I've glanced at but never really paid attention to until now, as well as all the historical landmark plaques that I never bothered reading until now. Although we walk around our neighbourhood a lot, the app has given us a bit more "meaning" and historical sense to the area which I give really big kudos to. I can only how awesome it is when in another neighbourhood or city/country!

Like the Wii, the idea of gaming being active is pretty cool. Now I find this adds just a touch of awareness and education to it too.

I can see it being a bit dangerous with people more focused on their phone vs their surroundings. I had to remind my gf at one point to finish crossing the street and then do her capture. I also told her when we visited Japan in a few months that I wanted to her be looking up and not at her phone all the time.

Japan would have Pokémon Go fully implemented by then (same with here).

Urban planners would have to understand Pokémon Go as well.

 

[Johnny Au]

It is very interesting that Drowzee is the most common Pokémon in Toronto. In fact, many Pokéfans nickname our fair city "Drowzee City" as stated here: https://www.reddit.com/r/pokemongo/comments/4t4v8f/i_found_a_high_population_drowzee_spawn/

Toronto should adopt Drowzee as its official Pokémon mascot.

Oh, and Pokémon Go is now officially available in Canada!

 

[Filip]

Indeed we have a lot of Drowzees. I catch them and Pidgeys the most often. Rattata is a close third.

Here he is trespassing on my balcony. Must've used some psychic teleport. (Abra where are you?)

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

This is something that would have worked better on Google Glass than a phone.

AoD

 

[someMidTowner]

Oh, we're doing Pokemon Go memes now?

 

[tripwire]

My gf catches a lot of Drowzees, Spearows and Rattatas. I was amused that Captain Johns is a pokestop.

 

[Johnny Au]

I always wondered how to design cities to maximize the catching of legendary Pokémon.

Higher densities lead to more Pokémon being available.

Subway stations tend to be located near high-density pockets.

Therefore, subway stations would be a good place to find Pokémon, especially those in open sections. Glencairn station may be useful after all.

 

[Filip]

I even took the streetcar to work and back a couple of times because that thing moves so slowly it counts as walking and I can hit a thousand pokestops by the time I get to my destination.

See benefits all around!

 

[Johnny Au]

For those who play Pokémon Go, I have another question:

Which team do you belong to?

• Team Mystic (blue; mascot is Articuno)
• Team Instinct (yellow; mascot is Zapdos)
• Team Valor (red; mascot is Moltres)

 

[Johnny Au]

I even took the streetcar to work and back a couple of times because that thing moves so slowly it counts as walking and I can hit a thousand pokestops by the time I get to my destination.

See benefits all around!

I would love to see a Flexity shrink-wrapped in Pokémon livery, just like this plane:

That Flexity would have to move slowly on purpose (and to make up for slow commute, it could be free, albeit with Nintendo and the Pokémon Company paying the TTC to make up for lost fares).

After all, the Flexity has very much the same colour scheme as a Pokéball. So many commuters would want to take the Pokémon streetcar, even if it were moving slowly and crowded.

Likewise, an outdoor subway station could be Pokémon-themed as well.