Pokemon GO Trainers Must Unite to Catch 'Em All
Looking for a way to socialize with nearby trainers while playing Nintendo’s intensely popular new mobile game, and learn a vital insider trick for locating Pokemon? Read on!
There’s no denying it — Pokemon GO has become an overnight sensation, leading to Nintendo’s stock rising by as much as 23% in one day, according to Wakefield. Why is Pokemon GO so wildly popular? Perhaps because of the real world interactions it affords its users. According to Polygon, because Pokemon GO takes place simultaneously in augmented and virtual reality, users have cited “meeting a bunch of other Pokemon diehards and becoming friends” as one of the best aspects of the game.
Socializing With Pokemon GO
So how is Pokemon GO encouraging its players to interact with one another? At the moment, that’s still a work in progress. Although developers are looking to add features allowing trainers to trade (according to GamesRadar), as of yet there aren’t many features that encourage players to directly interact.
That’s not to say that Pokemon GO isn’t an incredibly social game; in fact, the premise of the game itself encourages socialization.
By creating geo-locked real-time locations where players can find Pokemon, the game allows its users to meet face-to-face — or at the very least, screen to screen. The question then becomes: how can we help these trainers tear themselves away from their screens and actually interact with their fellow gamers?
Netaround’s Geo-Targeted Zones
Since Pokemon GO is a GPS-centric app, it seems only natural to pair it with a location-dependent social media platform. Netaround is just that — a geo-fenced app designed to help users connect with other like-minded people around them. With diverse applications ranging from community-building to professional networking, Netaround could likewise enhance neighborhood gameplay for those who are no longer satisfied with solo Pokemon hunting.
In order to facilitate community engagement, Netaround allows users to create “zones,” which are tied to a specific location and can have a radius of up to one square mile. As far as Pokemon GO is concerned, the purpose of these zones could be anything from a broad gathering of local fans to the recruitment of fellow players in pursuit of a specific gaming goal. For example: if users are interested in engaging with their neighbors while receiving tips on where to find the rare Pokemons nearby, they can create a geo-fenced zone for Pokemon GO trainers in their immediate area to join.
Here’s our insider tip on locating Pokemon quickly and beating other trainers to the chase: you access the nearby Pokemon feature, which will identify nearby Pokemon and their locations. Click on the specific Pokemon you’re after, and a compass will appear to point you in the right direction. Turn your phone until the compass aligns with the Pokemon and a white outline appears around the Pokemon locator in the bottom righthand corner of the screen, indicating that you’re headed straight towards it.
With Netaround, trainers can team up with fellow team members to swap insider tricks such as this one, giving themselves a competitive edge. Since players will be able to use Netaround to exchange messages, photos, and perhaps the occasional lighthearted taunt, they’ll have built an online rapport that will transition seamlessly into real world collaboration the next time they’re both trying to catch the same rare Venusaur.
And, since Netaround allows users to view not only which members are actively on-site, but what their interests are as well, fellow users may find it much easier to strike up a conversation — whether they’re trying to catch a new Pokemon, or simply looking for a new friend.
(Image credit: Farley Santo/flickr)
