AWKWARD ZOMBIE

Now that Pokemon Go is out, I guess I'm gonna get back into it after 10 years without.

Nostalgia lane up next.

Went out for a quick walk, got a Slowbro, 2 Eevees and a Pidgey. I was most stoked about the Slowbro. If I can get a Haunter, I would be super stoked because he's my favourite of all.

I would be very into the game if I didn't work a retail job that involves standing and walking all day already.

As it is, the restaurant where I get my lunches at work is a stop, so I just play it when I walk over there. Or, y'know, launch it, walk over there, and only actually play it while I'm waiting at pick-up because I can see fuck all on my phone in the middle of the day outside.

I also see if there's anything around in the parking lot when we get out, but for some reason, half the time or more when I try it, I can't even see the pokestops let alone find any 'mons.

So I tried to play Cockfighting Society Go again, and apparently, my iPad is useless outside of my home, as it either lacks a GPS signal or an internet connection.

Tried to download it on my iPhone, and it gave me a message I needed the newest software update, despite when I try to update, my iPhone says I'm already up to date.

Something tells me I won't actually be able to play Cockfighting Society Go, even when all the server issues are fixed.

There's a Pokestop within walking distance, and I think I COULD walk the dog over there... problem is I'd have to go trekking through some woods to get there and there might be a fence somewhere that I can't see. If I could get there as the crow flies it'd be perfect, but alas...

There's also a golf course nearby, no stops but tons of shaking grass.

Well that's every app ever. You need to use a computer to update Apple devices to the latest iOS version. The later version will make the phone slower, but it may be worth it. I am stuck right before the version of Minecraft that has pistons 'cuz I don't want to have my dad to update his old phone.

There's tools for calculating the hidden stats of the pokemon and for scanning the area for where exactly pokemoon are already. Dang, that community surprises me every time with how fast they find this sort of stuff out, be it in the main games or in an app like this.

oh speaking of which, the latest Sun/Moon trailer dropped and showed off Hyper Training, a method to raise the IV's of lv. 100 pokemon

yes, the IV's, those things determined upon catch

Meta's gonna be way easier to get into now

also like six new pokemon but who cares about those

I really approve of the fact that Pokemon has been making some of the "grindy" things easier over the last few gens with the changes to XP gain, making TMs re-usable, Super Training, and now Hyper Training. Back in the day it seemed like the only folks who could end up with competitive-tier Pokemon were people with way too much time on their hands. Even getting shiny Pokemon has methods that make it easier now, if only by a little bit.

I'm not into the competitive scene at all, but Super Training was fun enough to actually get me into EV training, which says a lot.

Hurray! Now I can try being competitive come Sun & Moon! Because I got stuck at Pokemon X!

This is news to me.
Maybe this game is the one where I finally attempt to enter the competitive scene.

I'm gonna hug the hugbear and punch the wimpod for being a coward

Random thoughts time, I do feel like many Pokemon designs in the latest couple of gens are getting... I dunno, more complicated? The style is definitely different from first gen and I'm beginning to understand why Genwunners dislike them, they really are in a different style (at least for certain Pokes)

I suppose some of it can be contributed to the improving graphics - Gen 1 (and to some extent Gen 2) had a limited color palette so most of the Pokes from that era have just one or two colors. Compare that to Bruxish's color swatch Jackson Pollock-lookin' disaster or even Sigilyph's color scheme. More colors can be nicer looking and gives some more freedom in design, but there's a certain simplicity to Pokemon that mostly stick to a single color.

Better graphics also means you can show more detail, and I feel like the designers have responded to that by.. making Pokemon look more complicated than I think they need to be. I know a lot of people feel that way about many Mega Evolutions already, but I guess those are kind of meant to look over-the-top. I'm talking about more subtle details that don't really seem to serve a purpose other than "we noticed this Pokemon didn't look interesting/badass/visually cluttered enough, so here's some extra spots, stripes, and horns." For instance, take a look at Vikavolt. I suppose he's meant to look like a bug, with those strong stag beetle jaws made to look like an electrical plug. Okay, cool. Why do those jaws need extra spikes coming out the side? what's up with that weird pentagonal frill behind its head? It has a weird mix of angular and round shapes, and while I think overall it looks cool, I also think its design could be simpler without losing much of what it is. In fact, losing a few spikes and corners would make its similarities to real-world things more clear, I think. There's also details like differing eye shapes (I'm seeing a lot more Pokemon with actual, like, eyelids? instead of triangles with dots in them.)

It's pretty clear to be the design style has changed, but who cares, right? Well, I honestly think that the change in design is a big reason so many people who are nostalgic about the early gens don't care about the later ones. Because they look at some newer designs, see a weird monster, and don't recognize any of the simple, clear design aspects of the early gens in the later ones. They're not as cute or badass as the ones they remember because the style is so different it may as well be a different franchise to them. You can really notice the change in Gen 1 pokes that got a new evolution later - For example, Magnemite and Magneton have a simple, easy to understand design - they're round, made of metal, and have magnets. But then when Magnezone shows up, it becomes a UFO?

I think a big reason for Pokemon Go's success was the fact that it only included Gen 1 Pokes. Maximized the nostalgia factor, and honestly, I think if they had included all the gens, a lot of people would be turned off by it just because they would have to get used to these creatures that don't have that characteristic "Pokemon" feel to them because the style is so different. Makes me wonder if it's a good idea for Niantic to consider adding later gens in the future or not...

Don't get me wrong, I still like a lot of new designs. And not all of them suffer from the "weirdness" problem. (Cutiefly is a good example, looks exactly like a real bee fly, nothing overcomplicated) but But I understand where people are coming from when they say they don't "get" the newer ones, they really are different. The problem isn't really "hurr why did they make a sentient ice cream cone", I think it has more to do with how the ice cream cone was drawn, it doesn't match the sentient sludge pile, gas cloud, and Pokeball-with-eyes Pokemon they're used to.

Why did I write all this? I need to go to bed.

Ironically what I heard most people mocking Mudsdale for was that "its just a horse with dreads". As opposed to 'just a horse that's on fire'?

I'm personally sure that it's mostly a case of 'its different and new and therefore I hate it'. It's all Ken Sugimori.

That's something that crossed my mind as well. As I understand they're going to slowly introduce the new generation. That will hopefully give people time to get used to them while keeping the game fresh. Even for people who continue to prefer gen1 (which will still be the majority), it will increase the value of those Cockfighting Society because they'll likely become more rare.

Actual stag beetles can have a spike on the outside of their pincers too.

Now that I look at it, the real stag beetle is much spikier than the pokemon even. Especially on the legs.