Here is a picture of the Internet this week:
To start, I totally knew that Fiona would be a Democrat.
Next, BLACK LIVES DO MATTER, and I fail to understand why some people believe that is still up for debate. What happened to the officers in Dallas was awful. Trump is actually a golem made of Cheeto dust and animated by virulent racism and therefore should not be president. Hillary might actually be Dolores Umbridge, but she's probably going to be a better president than Trump. I don't even know what's happening with the FBI anymore, and finally, it seems like the only bright spot in the world is Pokemon GO.
I like bright spots in the world.
It seems like everyone everywhere is playing Pokemon GO.
Because it's so popular and generating so much news, it's necessary to talk about Pokemon GO, including what it is and its pros and cons. I know there is probably not a single millennial in the first world that does not know what Pokemon is, but there are specific things that make this game unique.
Pokemon GO is an augmented reality game, which means that the real world is a part of gameplay. Players can make pokemon appear around them (on the screen of a mobile device). The game is available for iOS and Android users, and it uses the clock and GPS functions of mobile devices to determine what types of pokemon appear. Increasingly rare pokemon appear the more active a person is. The app is free, but it does allow for in-app purchases. Pokémon Go Plus offers a Bluetooth device that allows players to walk without looking at their device.
PROS:
1. It's Pokemon! Not only is it Pokemon, it's original pokemon. Pokemon GO uses only the original 151 pokemon found in first games. Feel that nostalgia.
2. The app is free. 'Nuff said.
3. It's an incentive for increased physical activity, which is healthy.
4. There is a Pokemon gym outside the Westboro Baptist Church, and players are using it to troll the church.
5. The game has actually been shown to have positive effects on players' mental health. Several players with mental illnesses including depression, social anxiety, and agoraphobia have taken to Twitter and Tumblr to talk about how Pokemon GO is helping them cope.
CONS:
1. Players are getting themselves into trouble. People are injuring themselves, playing while driving, and being lured into dangerous situations by criminals. One teenager stumbled on a corpse while playing the game.
2. Some parts of the game are different from the original. Players can still travel around and defeat gym leaders for glory, experience, and loot. However, the game doesn't give you the option to battle wild pokemon in order to catch them and build a team. Instead, players must throw a pokeball at the right time and with the right force to make a successful catch. Also, the game lacks significant multiplayer capability, meaning players can’t battle your real-life friends or trade with them.
3. There are complaints about servers being unreliable and frequently crashing.
4. There are complaints about the locations of some PokeStops and gyms. Locations include places of worship and memorials. The Holocaust museum in Washington DC and Arlington cemetery have both issued statements saying that Pokemon GO players are not welcome.
At the end of the day, it seems the pros outnumber the cons, especially if people pay attention and are courteous about where they're looking for pokemon.
Happy hunting!
