Reformulate Your Game Strategy

Don't worry about Combat Power (CP).  Don't worry about only catching what you consider uninteresting Pokémon.  Don't worry those players who live near Poké Stops and always have more resources than you.  Take your time playing and read up on game strategies.  It takes skill and lots of preparation to compete.  Become familiar with the different types of Pokémon and learn what their strengths and weaknesses are.  Assimilate move sets combinations and discover how they make your Pokémon special.  Combine your knowledge with a Pokémon that has fair CP and good Individual Values (IVs) to win in gyms.  Don't worry so much about losing because you need team effort to hold these gyms.  

Think about the things you gain from the game itself.  Find your joy in playing!  You're out more, exercising, exploring new places, and meeting new people!  Pokémon GO (PoGO) is like Life...and your perspective on how to approach it affect outcomes.  Robert H. Schuler noted, "Problems are not stop signs, they're guidelines."

In the real Pokémon anime, Ash Ketchum and all the other Pokémon Trainers, never caught them all.  In all honesty, the creators of the game did not intend for us to do so either, especially not within the first year.  It is like anything and everything else, we don't have to keep winning.  Keep the fun in the game and don't stop learning.

So, You Think You Can Beat a Gym Rat? [Part I]

  

Comprehending the fundamentals of Gym Training and Battles in Pokémon GO (PoGO) involves a long path of trial and error…seriously.  Like anything else in this world, a person will devote hours and hundred of thousands of Experience Points (XP) to learn a skill.  To be a great chef, stunning rock star, bold athlete, talented graphic designer, top chess player…to succeed at anything requires commitment, along with much patience and a bag full of rejuvenation supplies to keep on going.

In the Pokémon anime, individuals go out into the world to become Trainers at the age of ten.  Each one start out the same way, catch Pokémon and fighting battles with them.  During the journey, each Trainer travels to different regions developing their own strategies to be successful according to their own goals, specialties, and passions in mind.

For us, PoGO is our augmented reality (AR) game of strategy.  The key to winning is simply managing our resources.  Niantic Labs provided a basic starter guide to help familiarize players with the app, but it still lacks Beginner’s instructions.  To some, this may come as a surprise; however, I presume the reason is that PoGO has a huge social factor which means more engaging elements, challenges, and interaction with others.

PoGO is all about exploring and building.  At Level 25 and an incomplete Pokédex, I see this game has much more potential than just "collecting them all".  Creating a diverse team of Pokémon, powering them up, training, and capturing gyms requires so much of a true Pokémon Trainer. 

I hope this gives a little more perspective on PoGO.  Do you want to be a Pokémon collector?  Do you want to be a Pokémon Trainer?  Alternatively, do you just want to explore and study Pokémon?  It is something to think about because as Professor Oak states in mentorships, “Being a good trainer is a long and complicated process which involves working with each individual Pokémon.”  

Not all Pokémon are created equal; in order to win Battles, Trainers need to learn everything there is about each species.  If it sounds overwhelming and complex, it really is.  PoGO allows Trainers to work towards goals that are compelling, let your Pokémon inspire you to take it further and not quit when things get hard.

Level UP...and Pure Chill

Nine and a half weeks since my very first Poké Diary entry, I finally acquired 710,000 Experience Points (XP).  Everything happened right at that moment – my bag reached its limit at the last Poké Stop, "Kadabra found a candy", my 10-km egg hatched, my Avatar hit the next "Level UP!"…and then I realized at that moment…contentment.

It is the middle of the fall semester.  There is an overload of studying, college projects, full-time work, and familial responsibilities.  I am nowhere near completing my Pokédex or close to Level 30, and Hawai'i still has no access to any regional-locked Pokémon.  However, as the messaged hovered on my screen, “Level up! 25!”  I just stood there, calm, controlled, and at total peace.  Fifteen hours later, I still am not upset about hatching a Pinsir from a 10-km with an Individual Value (IV) of 77.8%.

I shared the news with my close network of Pokémon GO (PoGO) Buddies and we celebrated each of our Trainer accomplishments for the day.  My biggest reward since I began my PoGO adventure is not receiving an overflowing bag full of goodies: 25 Ultra Balls, 20 Max Potions, 15 Revives, 15 Razz Berries, an Incense, a Lucky Egg, another Egg Incubator, and Lure Module; but having such a diverse group of Buddies to share real-life adventures through our virtual fun.

As I continue counting down: T-minus seven weeks until the last final exam for the fall, I am confident all will be well as I continue to work the Black Hole in American society.   Staying afloat in Life’s Abyss comes not from my own resistance, perseverance, or accomplishments, but experiencing moments of positive interaction and growing relationships of people who continue give support and inspire one another each day.  Collaborating and working through conflicts leads to positive experiences for everyone.  There is something to gamified learning and applying to real-life situations.  We benefit greatly and develop into the very best of ourselves by combining ideas and insights from one another.  

Lost City of Waikiki

Pokémon GO (PoGO) players in the Aloha State finally received the latest app update this weekend.  This version includes the “Capture Location” of each Pokémon, however, it is a statistical-related feature would probably benefit those players interested in seeing if Tauros can truly be found in Paradise.  

The United States government approved statehood for Hawaii on August 21, 1959.  Does this mean Hawaii is included on the North American server for Niantic Labs’ PoGO app?  I know players in the 50^th State would rather be a part of Asia’s region-exclusive and catch Farfetch’d.  John Hanke, for the love of all that is Pokémon GO, please let your fans what region-exclusive Pokémon can be caught in Hawaii.

When the app first launched, some players could pull up a map which exhibited the exact location of each Pokémon catch.  I cannot say that I would ever miss it because I never had that feature.  I still do not think it is necessary because it does not alter the mechanics of gameplay.  However, the developers insist on trying to adding this feature that continue to fail.  Of all the places in Hawaii, Waikiki does not show up!  Atlantis…Cambodia…El Dorado…these are a few fabled places that enticed generations of explorers around the world.  These lost cities led many on a fruitless trek.

 

I caught a handful of Pokémon in the Lost City of Waikiki on September 23^rd.  Apparently, the PoGO GPS is unable to locate this district!  It is supposed to say: "Honolulu, Hawaii, United States."  As you can see in the screenshots of the information statistic screens, the city and state are missing for these Pokémon caught in Wakiki.  

Will people say that the Augmented Reality (AR) photos of these Pokémon be considered inconclusive?  Hopefully, the ambitious developers at Niantic Labs will get this app working right so that I can prove my catches are real.  Until then, the rest of Hawaii will continue to wait impatiently for the enhanced “Sightings” feature [that was released back in August for a trial-run in San Francisco] so that we may find that mythical North American Tauros.

*Pokémon GO updated to version 0.39.0 for Android and 1.9.0 for iOS

Gym Besties for Life

               

Last semester, I wrote a paper on Priority Dilution; it is a term coined by motivational speaker, Rory Vaden.  It is purely…genius.  What is more exciting about the concept is that I learn to incorporate it into my daily adventures as a Pokémon Enthusiast and future Project Manager professional.  I humbly thank everyone for inspiration and support, from my readers, cohorts, friends, and loved ones.  As I strive to stay afloat in the abyss of readings, projects, and homework assignments, I look forward to moments of brief interaction.  It is the relationships in life that make expended energy and effort worthwhile.

Today is exactly two weeks into fall semester.  I did not reach Level 30 just yet, however, I am especially thrilled with my current Pokédex collection!  A friend and I chatted this morning about our current stats.  Although I sense the Mystic Force is strong within, [he has not picked a team as of yet] I will still call him friend.  Like other team events, we may be rivals, but we are not enemies.

I observe the many social affects of Pokémon Go (PoGO) on players and how diversity is embraced amongst people.  I love seeing how the very young to the young at heart come together to share in the real-life of this virtual Pokémon hunt! 

As we near the end of summer and celebrate Labor Day weekend, let us forge more PoGO relationships and long-lasting friendships.  Thank you, Mother America and Father of Labor Day, for providing us many new opportunities.  "The vital force of labor added materially to the highest standard of living and the greatest production the world has ever known and has brought us closer to the realization of our traditional ideals of economic and political democracy."  If it were not for the accomplishments and perseverance of our forefathers, there would be Pokémon NO.

                                             

*U.S. Department of Labor: History of Labor Day