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Pokémon Go Is Off-limits for Indonesian Police and Military Personnel

July 21, 2016 By Grant Hamersma Leave a Comment

Pokémon Go has taken the United States by storm, turning into a craze that doesn’t spare any fan, regardless of their age. Children, teenagers, and adults alike are running around the streets, heads buried in their phones, trying to catch ‘em all.

According to Indonesian officials, military personnel and the police are banned from playing the addictive game while on duty – which should have gone without saying in the first place.

The announcement was made soon after Ryamizard Ryacudu, the Defense Minister of Indonesia, gave a statement about the security threats related to the smartphone game.

Similarly, the Jakarta presidential palace also interdicted players to roam around the premises looking for mythical creatures. The warning was signaled with plaques that read “Playing or hunting Pokémon is forbidden in the area of the palace.”

Ever since Pokémon Go was launched two weeks ago, the game has caused a worldwide frenzy, and the Indonesians have also been caught in the whirlwind of chasing and catching Pokémon.

However, Go has already been blamed for several traffic violations, crimes, and complaints in the cities around the world where the game has been launched.

Even though Pokémon Go is not yet officially available in Indonesia, that hasn’t stopped the most avid fans to illegally download it and start hunting digital “pocket monsters.”

The game’s popularity is what caused security concerns, with officials suggesting its high-tech capabilities could be used in spying. “Spying can come in different forms,” according to Defense, who also added the game was “just not right.”

Pokémon Go will soon be banned for military personnel during duty hours. Tatang Sulaiman, a spokesman for the military, said the prohibition seeks to protect the high-security sites of the army.

Among the main concerns is the fact that the devices people use to play the game can also be used to send sensitive data over the Internet connection to other countries. The level of alert went even higher after a Frenchman playing Pokémon Go was temporarily detained as he accidentally walked into a military base on Java Island.

For those unfamiliar with the game, Pokémon Go uses a phone’s GPS location, camera, and graphics to display overlaying representations of cartoon monsters on real-world settings.
Image Source: Pokémon

Canadians Flood the Streets After Pokémon Go Launch

July 18, 2016 By Adam Lynch Leave a Comment

A lot of people around the world are feeling left out of the global phenomenon that is Pokémon Go. After taking the U.S. by storm, Canadians expected the game to be launched in their country as well.

Pokémon Go was finally rolled out in Canada on Sunday afternoon
Nintendo’s market cap was boosted by an impressive $7.5 billion thanks to the game
At least 6 percent of Android users downloaded the game prior to the official launch

Their wish came true as people of all ages set out to “catch ‘em all!” Huddled in small groups over their smartphones, Canadians are now in alleyways, on streets, and in front of buildings, excitedly punching the buttons on their phones and making sure they get all the Pokémons they can.

If you’re confused about Pokémon Go or you don’t have any idea what all this is about, you’ve probably been living on another planet over the last week or have just woken from a deep coma.

Go, which has increased Nintendo’s market cap by an impressive $7.5 billion in just a few days, is the latest augmented reality game that put the ’90 game back into the spotlight. By using an internet connection and your GPS data, the game has been brought into the real world.

Nostalgic players and new adepts are running with their phones in their hands from one location to another, catching curious digital monsters and other collectibles. The players – called “trainers” – can also battle with others in special “gyms.”

Before the Sunday rollout, Canada felt rather left out as the game had initially been launched in a hefty list of countries. But even though it made them feel like an afterthought, the slight didn’t deter gamers.

According to recent reports, at least 6 percent of Android phones in Canada had figured out how to download Go prior to the official rollout. With location spoof workarounds, desperate Canadian players got onto Go, ignoring warnings about potential malware.

But that was nothing compared to the flood of downloads that followed the official launch on Sunday afternoon. An hour after the release, Canada promptly crashed the Go servers. The craze continues with throngs of young adults running around the streets, heads buried in their phones’ screens.
Image Source: Telegraph.co.uk

Nintendo Finally Released New Demo of Pokémon Go Gameplay

March 22, 2016 By Jeremy Kennedy Leave a Comment

Remember the time Nintendo announced an upcoming premiere for Pokémon Go? Even if you did know about the trailer the Japanese gaming company released in September 2015, you might have forgotten all about it by now.

Despite the radio silence that’s fallen in the meantime, Nintendo and The Pokémon Company’s mobile developer partner confirmed a few weeks ago that the game was still coming.

Their promise was fulfilled when Pokémon Go made it to SXSW, where a new video was released, making us acquainted with the first real gameplay footage from the game.

The game does in fact use augmented-reality technology – which was suspected ever since we saw the first glimpse of original trailer six months ago. Even though the use of AR tech wasn’t clear back then, it is now: Pokémon is basically projected into the “wild” with the help of your phone’s camera.

If the existing kinks can be worked out, this can be a really cool experience. While it doesn’t yet feature the crisp, flowing holograms of the trailer, the game has undoubtedly surpassed the stage of relying solely on geolocation.

In the demo video, a player is shown throwing Pokeballs at an Ivysaur, trying to catch it. After the Pokémon breaks free from the first ball, the user uses a Master Ball, which grants them XP as the Ivysaur is locked up tight and added to their collection.

On the downside, the demo was a little weird as the users didn’t need much tactical thinking to actually catch the Pokémon. Rather than having to battle them or put them to sleep – or use any traditional Pokémon-capturing strategies – the new game seems to mimic a Pokeball-tossing mini-game.

The strength of the ball and finger accuracy appears to trump any other factor, which is rather disappointing. Hopefully battling Pokémon is going to be a little more complicated, though we have no footage yet detailing that aspect of the game.

As Nintendo tries to get back in the public’s attention, Pokémon Go has the potential to bring a lot of revenue. It’s not by far a fully-fledged Pokémon handheld title, but it should be able to produce a somewhat smooth AR experience.

As game betas for Pokémon Go are about to start soon, more official footage is expected to be released. And hopefully, the next demo won’t be filmed on a smartphone. You can do better, Nintendo.
Image Source: YouTube

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