...well that takes "exclusivity" to a whole new level.

Hey everyone. I've been swamped with a lot of stuff and have been tuckered out trying to manage everything. But, I wanted to get in at least something to show I'm still among the living (mostly).
Now, today, I know, the new Star Trek and Ice Age films came out. Funny enough, both space themed (the later in a way)...but there can be so much said about Star Trek that I'd feel out of my element. Or maybe too much into my element. I mean do you really think transporting bodies is that easy? Oh boy, dreams for mankind it is so...
As for Ice Age, I dunno. I haven't seen it yet, and I was worried for awhile that they'd actually built a "rocket made of wood" to escape the meteor. But from what I've read (not too keen on spoilers for stuff I'm interested in. Was not really for this), they had an interesting idea. Probably wasn't executed as well as it could have, but I dunno. Series has been kinda on a weird slope and there's other films out there that do better.

So anyway, topic at hand. This Pokemon Go thing....right? It was pretty dang popular when it came out, and still is, and with anything popular comes the controversy.
For those out of the known, let me go brief, which is really an honest interpretation. I don't play the game, nor do I really want to. That's not to say I don't admire the effort. Anyway, Pokemon Go seems to be a smartphone game that mixes a virtual game with real life locations to produce an almost-real Pokemon capturing experience. You go to the rivers, water Pokemon show up. Go to caves, you'll be finding Zubats. Go to cemeteries.....uhh...wait, no don't...don't do that....

Ahem. Anyway, OG Pokemon people are pleased (as are those who don't wish to count so high) that only the original 150 Pokemon are in the game (so far). But the experience from the Gameboy days is going to be different. I admit, using real-world locations and assigning Pokemon types to them (as well as Marts and Gyms) is pretty cool. But capturing these guys seems...more luck based than it was in the game. Seems you're up to just flinging a pokeball and hoping it works. As said, don't play the game, not planning to in the future, I just see vids. I'm sure fictional Don't-Let-Pokemon-Fight sayers are glad for this...till the gyms, where the Pokemon DO battle...albiet not as...overly exciting.

I mean, I've played the original Pokemon games, and some of the new ones (Black/White was my last one...or Platinum or...was that...Silver....UGH colors!), and I've enjoyed my experience some-what. It's been forever since the actual Anime. Somebody tell me, did Ash catch'em all yet? No? Jeez, this boy is going to be catching Pokemon till he's 90...
But anyway, by comparison, I don't think Pokemon Go is really that better. What sets it apart, though, is it's real-life augmented reality bit. It's connecting Pokemon to the world, connecting other people through it....though unfortunately, it's not all good.

Harsh to say, I'm sorry, but the world's got it's fair share of dumb ideas. Not necessarily dumb people, but there can be at times, but some people just tend to do stupid things for a reason, at the time, they think is acceptable. Take the above Cemetery thing. I think these are spots for ghost Pokemon, think Haunter was particularly notable. Can you imagine a guy walking through a funeral, stopping by a casket and then shouting "I caught a Haunter!".
Ok, probably a less morbid example. But everyone's seen it. Two guys outside a dude's house, who later waved a gun and shot at them while they drove off. Sure, the old dude may have been a bit trigger-happy, but hey...how many movies have you seen with a strange car outside your home have people with good intentions in'em? And yes, relatives count.


Yeah, you've heard it. Trespassing, walking on train tracks, car accidents, other injuries, including trackings and death. Yep, sooooo much badness. Even GOVERNMENT people are doing this thing, and some I heard may even get banned from it all together. But hey *shrugs* it's not like people in government don't do their job right heh?....right?....am I right?.......ok....

But yeah, Pokemon Go's mania has caused a lot of people to do stupid stuff. Whether it's the loss of common sense or using the game as an excuse to do such things, lets be clear for the millionth time.
It's the fault of PEOPLE, not the GAME. It's a game people. It only has as much power over you as you let it.
Granted, Pokemon since it's inception has been a major collecting giant (featuring actual giants). It's a literal monster (no offense Ran) of a franchise. This was just their next step. Sure, maybe they should have added some...safety features or...something. But all these drawbacks and incidents should be expected.
What if Digimon did the same thing? Well, same result. Anything with collecting popularity is going to result in the same thing. It's not it's fault, it's people.
I understand it, yeah. Collecting stuff and "having it all" is an urge with a lot of people, especially gamers. It's nice in the virtual world, but the real world? Yeah, that brings it's share of problems.

So everyone, when playing GO, just have common sense. Know your surroundings and try to curve your enthusiasm about "catching them all". You think they'll limit to 150? (if they do, shows ya this is really a "fad game") Ash Ketchum has been trying to do it for years, and I don't actually think he even has half of that 150.
But that advice probably falls on deaf ears. Collecting is like an addiction, heck it probably is one, and Pokemon is sure heck a great supplier.

To be safe, I ran up the holo-deck with a virtual representation of Go, just for info gathering...and I found something kinda interesting. Ya know, aside from rumors and possible cheaters, there are a couple Legendary Pokemon people haven't gotten in the game yet. Mostly this goes to the last few, the Legendary Birds, Mew, Mewtwo...not sure if anybody's legitimately got them...
I think I found out why....huh....



I still think, though, that it's HILARIOUS that Japan got the game AFTER the US. Doesn't that usually work the other way? (Don't worry, they DID get it. But EVERYBODY who's missed out on great games for being Japan-only can look at Pokemon Go as a reminder "Do release world-wide")