A "Comprehensive" Guide to PokemonGo

Launch day for PokemonGo has been rough, to say the least. There have been server crashes EVERYWHERE and for those who are able to get on have had some issues playing in general. However, there is hope. We all know the first week or so can be rough for games with online capabilities, so we are still holding onto hope Niantic Labs and Nintendo will fix it soon.

Well, what is there to say? It seems pretty straight forward- walk, run into pokemon, throw pokeballs, catch them, be happy! How in depth can it go? Well, that's where we start right now! Here is a starter's guide to the Android Version with just a few pictures.

If you've ever played Ingress, this is quite similar.

The beginning:

We start off with logging in. You have the choice to use your log in with either your Google Plus account or your Trainers account. Once linked, Professor Willow gives an introduction and then we are given the age old question "Are you a boy or a girl?" Hmm, well which is it? There is plenty of customization when it comes to your avatar. Although minute details such as height, weight, and clothing styles are not included, you have the choice of changing the colors of your hair, eyes, hat, skin, clothing, backpack and shoes.

Once finished you are given the choice of which starter you would like to catch: Squirtle, Bulbasaur, or Charmander. My personal favorite is Charmander. Every pokemon caught grants you XP and that pokemon's candy. Now, what should Prof. Willow call you? Pick something fun, he will always think it's a cool nickname no matter what!

Catching Pokemon:

Pokemon come and go as they please, so be sure to walk around in an area thoroughly. You may see rustling grass around you, though this does not mean a pokemon is in that exact area. It simply means they are moving around and depending on what you do physically, they may be moving toward you or away. There is a small white box in the bottom right hand corner that shows pokemon in the area. A silhouette means you have not caught them, while an actual image means they are registered in your pokedex. Touch the box. You will see little footprints under each image of a pokemon. This symbolizes the distance between you two. One footprint means close, while three means furthest away. No footprints is great! Touch the image/silhouette and you will "call out" that pokemon to appear if it has not already. Now all that's left to do is catch it! When a pokemon enters your radius, your device will vibrate to notify you of this.

(Hmm...that should be a pokeball, not a gray marble...)

Menu:

The pokeball that sits at the bottom of the screen is your menu button. Touch it to open and find your pokedex, shop, items, and pokemon list. The pokedex lists up to the highest numbered pokemon, so don't be discouraged to find that it is missing a huge chunk in the beginning. As you catch more the dex will expand. When you touch pokemon you will find a list of all pokemon you have caught. You are able to sort them by recent, favorite, HP, and other filters.

Pokemon:

You are rewarded with three candies and some stardust each time you catch a pokemon. Use these to power up and evolve them. It's a nice added touch that each one you catch has a different weight and height, not just a generic one for each and every of the same name. As you scroll down you can find a map of where the particular one was caught and the day. Use the transfer button to send your pokemon to Prof. Willow in exchange for one candy. This action cannot be undone, so be absolutely sure before sending off the wrong one!

Combat Power:

Each pokemon has combat power, which is how powerful it is against opponents. As you evolve and power up your pokemon, this number will increase. Your level will also help determine this as the higher level you are, the higher CP your pokemon are able to have.

Gyms and Battling:

Gyms are quickly being picked up by all three teams, so be sure to level up and claim one for yourself! Leave a high level pokemon to defend your gym, or use your team to attack an opposing team's gym. Battle in this game is not turn-based, unlike previous pokemon games. You are allowed to attack at any time, however spam attacks are not allowed. Dodge left and right by swiping left and right and hold down to use your ultimate move. If your team owns a gym already, you may use it to train your pokemon. Unfortunately there are no PokeCenters (that I am aware of) yet, so when your pokemon are KOed they will remain so until you give them a revive. Remember, revives only heal half of your pokemon's HP, so be sure to have a potion ready as well!

PokeStops:

These magical locations are all over the place. Some areas have more than others, but there are a bunch, nonetheless. When you are moving you may encounter a PokeStop at any places that are monuments, parks, post offices, or anything else. When you are within radius, the icon will begin to rotate and you can touch it to interact. Spin the image to collect items. You will receive pokeballs and sometimes other items or even an egg! Walk the eggs so they will hatch a new pokemon for you! These places will often refresh within 5 minutes or so. If you are travelling in a vehicle, be sure to tap and spin quickly, as you are only allowed to interact with these places when you are within the radius. Once you leave you will be "too far" to receive any items.

You:

From the main screen, touch your face. Here you are able to find you username, level, experience, journal, and more. Your journal keeps a record of all pokemon caught (not evolved) and when. It will also record when you stop at a PokeStop and what you recieved. Here you will also find your team, however you are not able to choose this until level 5. Your badges are located at the bottom and include feats such as collecting normal pokemon, poison pokemon, traveling certain distances, and more. It's always fun to see it pop up when you have achieved a badge! The gold coin pikachu is your pokedollars. If you need to buy anything you can purchase it through the shop with pokedollars. There are pokeballs and such that are able to be purchased at any time!

Extra Notes and Tips:

- PokeStops refresh every 5 minutes or so. So if you are near one for some time be sure to check back for more pokeballs!

- The battery saver does not give any information. It does not really save your battery, and as well all know, PokemonGo is a battery killer. Turn this on and turn your phone upside down. The - PokemonGo logo should show up on a black screen and will allow you to go about your daily activity without skipping a beat!

- Incence works for everyone. If you use one for yourself, everyone else in that radius also benefits from it!

- Do not hesitate in catching multiple pokemon of the same name. Transfer them for free candies!

- Using the AR camera is much more difficult to catch pokemon than with no AR.

When you turn your phone upside down, this is what you should see.

How has your PokemonGo experience been so far? Let us know in the comments below and share any other tips and tricks you have found! Have no fear if you can't get on right away. Just keep trying at it and eventually a spot may open up for you to play!

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