Post #2 – Web/Mobile App Critique

"In Post #2, you will write a review of a web/mobile app that you are familiar with. Or, if you are
not familiar with any web or mobile app, you may select one from the list provided in your text to
explore and review.
Evaluate the app’s usability, design, and functionality. Use screenshots to show how the app
works. Propose at least three recommendations for improvements."

The mobile app I have chosen to review is Pokémon GO, which is a mobile gaming application. I chose a mobile game, as this is one application I use daily, which doesn’t revolve around me using it for work or school, because let’s face it, I use my phone 24/7. My phone is always doing something for me, even when I am sleeping, by connecting to my fitness tracker and monitoring my sleep, counting my steps while I send emails while walking into work, or playing music through my stereo for me while I drive to/from work. Pokémon GO is the only application I have on my phone which is a game, and not used for fitness, work, school or to organize my life, it’s simply to relax with my kids and go around playing. If you are not familiar with this Application, it is “an augmented reality (AR) game developed by Niantic for iOS and Android devices” (Pokémon). My first screenshot is that of the game AR, the augmented reality of the game, puts the Pokémon in our world.

The game is very easy to play and understand, much like all other Pokémon games, the objective is to “Catch ‘em all”, all the Pokémon. If you are not familiar with Pokémon, there are a lot, over 800 currently in the on-going show which they have divided into 8 different generation in the mobile app game. So far, in game, there are 3 almost complete generation available, and a few from Generation 8 which they randomly released last week during the announcement of the next Pokémon game for the Nintendo Switch. The game itself can be played completely on your own, it is free, however there are the options to perches premium play items, including raid passes which allow you to battle stronger Pokémon in groups, and then the ability to catch them as a reward if you beat them in the raid. The more people you get together in a group to raid, the easier and faster the raid goes. There are 5 levels to raiding, 1 being the easiest and you can generally do it on your own, and 5 being the hardest and most often you need at least 4 to beat the raid, if everyone in your group is max level, which is 40 currently. I have provided screen shots of the Pokémon storage, store where you can buy premium items, and the character in the next 3 screenshots.

Overall, as you can tell I really enjoy this app. It reminds me of my childhood, when I used to watch the show and play the trading card game. Since the show is still airing new episodes, and the cards are still being played, it also allows for me to have something to do with my kids, as they are technology and Pokémon obsessed. Niantic has done a pretty good job of making the Pokémon really come to life in the game. I do have my very decent list of complaints about the app, but I will start with what they have done well. The bugs in the programing which were very frequent the first few months of the games launch have since been fixed, and the development team is quick to fix current issues. I like that we have weekly/monthly events available in the app, which allows for special items to be claimed with out buying them, even though I know my family and I spend a gross amount of money on this game. They also hold real life events once a month, called Community Day. Community day is once a month on a Saturday from 2pm to 5pm, and it has increased spawn (the amount of Pokémon that appear in game) rates, and they choose a new one each month for it, and it will have the option to appear “Shiny”, which in this game, is a pretty big deal, finding a Pokémon that is Shiny almost never happens, it’s super rare, and we check for them all the time. This is one of my complaints about the app, the spawn areas around me a great, so I am not affected when it comes to low spawns, or areas where there are not a lot of players. However, there are many areas where Pokémon just do not spawn, there are no Gyms to raid at, and there are barely any Pokéstops to go to and spin for free Items. More or less; if you live in a small town, you need to go into a bigger city to play. Secondly, there is no way to talk to other players in the game, which when you are trying to do team tasks, like raiding, you need to be able to communicate.

As for optimizations for this App, I won’t get into the typical gamer requests of “We need to be able to trade with one another!!”, I just want to be able to chat in game with my Raid group. I hate that I must use another app to talk to my group to get stuff done, we use Discord or Facebook messenger, which work, but I’d rather stick to one app to play. I also would like to see more levels added to the game, a lot of people have been Maxed out on their level since the first year of the release, we are coming up on the second anniversary, and I think we need to be able to get to at least 50, personally I’d like to see 100, but my raid group thinks that is too high, and unobtainable for most. I haven’t hit 40 yet, but I will be there by the end of summer. They could use more moves and information from the show and card game, often the move sets the Pokémon have are not what they could be or should be, or the damage they do is incorrect according to all other games Nintendo put out. It would also be nice to see other trainers on the map while playing, which would go back to them implementing a chat of some sort in the app. In the Nintendo DS games, you can find other trainers in game and battle them, you can battle with friends, however in Pokémon GO, you can only have co-op in raid battles not one on one battling to prove who is the best, which is what the Trading card game was about, and all other games before this one. I’ll keep playing even without these improvements, as I’d like to see where the game goes, and like I said, it’s an escape and it takes me back to my childhood. I know it looks weird when myself and 15 other grown people pull up to a virtual gym and 530pm in the afternoon and we all get out of our cars, talking and laughing with one another. It’s fun, and generally it seems more adults ages 26 to 40 play this game, that kids and teens, and I love it!

References:

Films On Demand - Embedded Content - Mobile App Research and Planning. (n.d.). Retrieved June 6, 2018, from https://fod.infobase.com/OnDemandEmbed.aspx?Token=47489&aid=18596&Plt=FOD&loid=0&w=640&h=480&ref

Films On Demand - Embedded Content - Mobile App Development and Deployment. (n.d.). Retrieved June 6, 2018, from https://fod.infobase.com/OnDemandEmbed.aspx?Token=47490&aid=18596&Plt=FOD&loid=0&w=640&h=480&ref

Pokémon Go. (2018, June 07). Retrieved June 7, 2018, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pokémon_Go

Vahid, F., & Lysecky, S. (2017). Computing technology for all. Retrieved from zybooks.zyante.com/

This is A Pokémon I happened to be catching today, after winning a raid battle with part of the raid group I play with. A few people in the group are in the background.

I am actually being laughed at right now for being in my car and not socializing. It’s 3:50pm on a Thursday and I am working remotely from my car, rather than my office, because at 4pm today, this guy goes anyway in the game, until they think of a random reason to release it again. Since another Pokémon is being release at 4pm, and has the new option to be Shiny, myself husband, and raid group will be doing this until raiding ends around 730pm.

You can customize your character and choose who they walk with, since I need the candies for this little guy, I am walking with him, to earn the candies to level him up.

This isn’t the main screen, but the options screen more or less, you can see what Items you have in your bag, look to see what Pokémon you have in your storage, or go to the shop and buy Items to use in game.

You need raid passes to raid, you get one free one a day, by going to a Gym, and spinning the stop there. You can only hold one free pass, but you can hold however many you choose to buy of the Premium passes, I had 68 this morning, but will have a lot less by the end of the day, I spend WAY too much on this game.

You can hold up to your max storage for Pokémon, I spent money to upgrade my storage box to 1,000. Pretty much, if it is not good at raid battles, ultra-rare or Shiny, I do not keep it. Mostly I chase after “perfect” Pokémon, like many other in my group, however if they will help me in a raid, I will keep it if it is a higher level.

They also offer a Journal of what you have been doing. As you can see, I took a break from work to go raiding with the group at 2:30pm today, which means my poor life choice of playing this game rather than working will result in me working later this evening rather than sleeping. (Pokémon GO is life!)

This is a Pokémon Gym, I’ve been holding this one down with my Pokémon and my kids Pokémon pretty much for the last 2 years on and Off. The more you visit a gym, you earn a badge and level that up, I’m gold (max level) on pretty much every single one in my city, which is sad. I leave for work 45min sooner than I need to each morning, just to take these over, and earn coins to spend in the game. (I swear I have a life…. It just sounds like I don’t)