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James Luedee was lounging on the same bench by the Rideau Canal for three-and-a-half hours Monday, head buried in his phone. Even though Luedee works two jobs as a server, the 24-year-old has a lot of time on his hands these days — or rather, he made sure he has a lot of time.
Luedee booked an entire week off work at both East Side Mario’s and Scores Rotisserie to play Pokémon Go, the new “augmented reality” mobile game sensation.
If that sounds inconceivable to you, then let this be a lesson to never underestimate the power of nostalgia.
“I’ve been a fan since (Pokémon) came out,” said Luedee. “It’s fun, you get to interact with a lot of people. You get to catch all your favourite Pokémon.”
Luedee didn’t have a phone until three days prior — he’d been betting on using his mother’s Android, but then she downloaded the game herself and went wandering out, only to catch 10 Pokémon and become hooked. That forced Luedee to go out and buy his own iPhone 6 “specifically for this.”
“I’m just here for the Magikarps,” he said from that Rideau Canal bench on Monday, referring to the fish Pokémon that pops up more frequently when players are close to water. “They’re hard to come by.”
Unless you’ve been living under a Regirock for the past week, surely you’ve heard of Pokémon Go, the mobile game that allows players to catch, battle and train Pokémon. The app uses the phone’s GPS as players walk around a Google Maps-esque grid of the real world, catching Pokémon at random when they pop up, superimposed, on screen.
Jessica Gee tries to catch a Ghastly at Confederation Park in Ottawa on Tuesday. (Jean Levac/Postmedia)
Players can use those Pokémon to battle against other real trainers at “gyms” — sometimes located in Ottawa at noteworthy landmarks, such as Parliament Hill or Lansdowne Park, but also in unexpected places like a small park or kabob restaurant on Kent Street.
The point is to get kids — the word “kids” is used loosely here, as many of the players appear to be full-grown adults — out of the house and exercising. Going out to get groceries with mom has never been so appealing.
The game was released July 6, but isn’t officially out in Canada yet. That hasn’t stops the hundreds, possibly thousands, of Ottawans from downloading the game through craftier means, either by signing up for a U.S. iTunes account (the app is available in the States) or by “side-loading” the game on Android phones straight to the device, rather than through the app store.
Meanwhile, the culture in Ottawa that has grown out of such a recent phenomenon is shockingly well-developed.
On Tuesday at 11:42 a.m., Confederation Park was near-empty save for a few tourists and business-types on lunch break. That is, until this reporter opened her Pokémon app and set a “lure,” or device that temporarily attracts more Pokémon to one area for the benefit of all who pass by, onto one of the park’s “Pokéstops,” which can be landmarks, statues or buildings around the city.
Less than three minutes later, two boys with their eyes on their phones moseyed over to a park bench. Right after them was a lanky boy who hovered behind their bench under the shade of a tree. Then, in the span of about 10 minutes, a collection of lone individuals drifted into the park to sit on benches, or on the grass, or by a pole, all looking at their phones.
Many gamers showed up at Confederation Park in Ottawa to play Pokemon Go on Tuesday. (Jean Levac/Postmedia)
Experienced Pokémon trainers can identify brethren when they see them: Look for the knitted eyebrows, the non-intuitive resting spots (in the middle of the sidewalk, for example), the subtle swipe up of the finger as they “throw” a Pokéball.
Before long, about 20 to 30 people had congregated, all playing Pokémon.
Chatting with a group of 20-somethings in a circle — they formed naturally and in little pockets around the park once everyone realized what the others were doing — it’s clear the game is a titillating revitalization for those who grew up with Pokémon Game Boy games in the 1990s.
For some, it’s even more. Raymond Belanger’s dream of being a chef was dashed a year-and-a-half ago when his lung collapsed, causing chronic nerve damage. Belanger, now 30 and unemployed, said the game has given him new life.
“Pokémon has got me outside, interacting with a lot more people,” Belanger said. “I can be on my medication and out enjoying the weather. The social aspect has helped me get through my days. I can spend seven hours talking with complete strangers. It’s fun.”
He admitted, somewhat coyly, that he had been up since 5 a.m. that day, and averages about 12 hours of play per day.
“I think I’ve explored more of this city in the past four days than I have in the 12 years I’ve lived here.”
Even local businesses are getting in on the fun.
Jamil Bhuya, co-owner of Burgers n’ Fries Forever on Bank Street, said his restaurant will start buying lures for a neighbouring Pokéstop “soon” to attract more customers to the area and “make it fun for people.”
“It’s everywhere now,” said Bhuya. “We might do a burger or fries, too. I’ve always been a Charizard fan, so maybe something a little fiery and spicy.”
The news isn’t all good. After reports of armed robbers in Missouri using “lures” to attract players to isolated areas, Ottawa police used the #Pokemon hashtag in a tweet Tuesday warning people to not make themselves easy targets for robbery.
There haven’t been any reports of robberies connected to the game so far, said Const. Chuck Benoit, but police are taking “proactive measures” to get people’s attention.
“There’s quite a lot of cellphone robberies in Ottawa, so if you’re going to be playing this game it’s one of the items that should be kept hidden.” he said.
Don't be an easy target for robbery. Always pay attention to your surroundings. #Lookup #Pokemon #ottawa #ottwalk pic.twitter.com/bIZuo8oyeO
— Ottawa Police (@OttawaPolice) July 12, 2016
Pokémon Go has garnered a fair bit of derision for a number of reasons — some fearing for the safety of players or telling adult-aged ones to grow up, others decrying the exacerbation of cellphone use for a generation already glued to their screens.
For their part, the group hanging out at Confederation Park has been miffed by the criticism.
“People were texting and bringing our their phones while walking before Pokémon came out,” said player Michael Busse, 25. “But now it’s almost a positive thing to have your phone out because you get to join in on a circle like this and talk with people you’ve never talked to before.”
The group stressed they’ve been hyper-aware of safety, and said none of them have had any close calls. Well, all except one.
Danie Boulard, 19, was running across the street at 3 a.m. Tuesday after spotting a rare Aerodactyl on Parliament Hill. She almost got run over by a car in her excitement. “Straight up my own fault,” she said. “But I got it!”
amah@postmedia.com
twitter.com/alisonmah
Top 5 Pokémon scouting locations:
1. Parliament Hill: Word is that the Hill is a hot spot for rare and unusual Pokémon (some which may appear more frequently the later you get into the night). For some not-as-rare but still desirable Pokémon, Abra and Clefairy, plus a bunch of other more common pocket monsters, are in abundance.
2. Confederation Park: If the Hill is a rare hot spot, then Confederation Park at the corner of Elgin Street and Laurier Avenue is a social one. From noon till evening, the place can be packed with anywhere between 20 to 50 chatty people, often strangers, and a constant multi-lure set-up to keep things interesting.
3. Carleton University and University of Ottawa: The campuses are conveniently loaded with Pokémon hot spots, Pokéstops and two gyms each. If you’re not into walking, you won’t have to travel far.
4. Andrew Haydon Park: The large park on Carling Avenue at Holly Acres Road has several areas with multiple Pokéstops close together and different terrains (water, grass, woods) that attract a wide range of Pokémon types.
5. Queen Elizabeth Driveway near the Rideau Canal: Not only does this walk have a bounty of water-type Pokémon (plus the occasional gym if you make your way closer to Lansdowne), but the stroll down the scenic waterway on a sunny day can’t be beat.
查看原文...
Luedee booked an entire week off work at both East Side Mario’s and Scores Rotisserie to play Pokémon Go, the new “augmented reality” mobile game sensation.
If that sounds inconceivable to you, then let this be a lesson to never underestimate the power of nostalgia.
“I’ve been a fan since (Pokémon) came out,” said Luedee. “It’s fun, you get to interact with a lot of people. You get to catch all your favourite Pokémon.”
Luedee didn’t have a phone until three days prior — he’d been betting on using his mother’s Android, but then she downloaded the game herself and went wandering out, only to catch 10 Pokémon and become hooked. That forced Luedee to go out and buy his own iPhone 6 “specifically for this.”
“I’m just here for the Magikarps,” he said from that Rideau Canal bench on Monday, referring to the fish Pokémon that pops up more frequently when players are close to water. “They’re hard to come by.”
Unless you’ve been living under a Regirock for the past week, surely you’ve heard of Pokémon Go, the mobile game that allows players to catch, battle and train Pokémon. The app uses the phone’s GPS as players walk around a Google Maps-esque grid of the real world, catching Pokémon at random when they pop up, superimposed, on screen.
Jessica Gee tries to catch a Ghastly at Confederation Park in Ottawa on Tuesday. (Jean Levac/Postmedia)
Players can use those Pokémon to battle against other real trainers at “gyms” — sometimes located in Ottawa at noteworthy landmarks, such as Parliament Hill or Lansdowne Park, but also in unexpected places like a small park or kabob restaurant on Kent Street.
The point is to get kids — the word “kids” is used loosely here, as many of the players appear to be full-grown adults — out of the house and exercising. Going out to get groceries with mom has never been so appealing.
The game was released July 6, but isn’t officially out in Canada yet. That hasn’t stops the hundreds, possibly thousands, of Ottawans from downloading the game through craftier means, either by signing up for a U.S. iTunes account (the app is available in the States) or by “side-loading” the game on Android phones straight to the device, rather than through the app store.
Meanwhile, the culture in Ottawa that has grown out of such a recent phenomenon is shockingly well-developed.
On Tuesday at 11:42 a.m., Confederation Park was near-empty save for a few tourists and business-types on lunch break. That is, until this reporter opened her Pokémon app and set a “lure,” or device that temporarily attracts more Pokémon to one area for the benefit of all who pass by, onto one of the park’s “Pokéstops,” which can be landmarks, statues or buildings around the city.
Less than three minutes later, two boys with their eyes on their phones moseyed over to a park bench. Right after them was a lanky boy who hovered behind their bench under the shade of a tree. Then, in the span of about 10 minutes, a collection of lone individuals drifted into the park to sit on benches, or on the grass, or by a pole, all looking at their phones.
Many gamers showed up at Confederation Park in Ottawa to play Pokemon Go on Tuesday. (Jean Levac/Postmedia)
Experienced Pokémon trainers can identify brethren when they see them: Look for the knitted eyebrows, the non-intuitive resting spots (in the middle of the sidewalk, for example), the subtle swipe up of the finger as they “throw” a Pokéball.
Before long, about 20 to 30 people had congregated, all playing Pokémon.
Chatting with a group of 20-somethings in a circle — they formed naturally and in little pockets around the park once everyone realized what the others were doing — it’s clear the game is a titillating revitalization for those who grew up with Pokémon Game Boy games in the 1990s.
For some, it’s even more. Raymond Belanger’s dream of being a chef was dashed a year-and-a-half ago when his lung collapsed, causing chronic nerve damage. Belanger, now 30 and unemployed, said the game has given him new life.
“Pokémon has got me outside, interacting with a lot more people,” Belanger said. “I can be on my medication and out enjoying the weather. The social aspect has helped me get through my days. I can spend seven hours talking with complete strangers. It’s fun.”
He admitted, somewhat coyly, that he had been up since 5 a.m. that day, and averages about 12 hours of play per day.
“I think I’ve explored more of this city in the past four days than I have in the 12 years I’ve lived here.”
Even local businesses are getting in on the fun.
Jamil Bhuya, co-owner of Burgers n’ Fries Forever on Bank Street, said his restaurant will start buying lures for a neighbouring Pokéstop “soon” to attract more customers to the area and “make it fun for people.”
“It’s everywhere now,” said Bhuya. “We might do a burger or fries, too. I’ve always been a Charizard fan, so maybe something a little fiery and spicy.”
The news isn’t all good. After reports of armed robbers in Missouri using “lures” to attract players to isolated areas, Ottawa police used the #Pokemon hashtag in a tweet Tuesday warning people to not make themselves easy targets for robbery.
There haven’t been any reports of robberies connected to the game so far, said Const. Chuck Benoit, but police are taking “proactive measures” to get people’s attention.
“There’s quite a lot of cellphone robberies in Ottawa, so if you’re going to be playing this game it’s one of the items that should be kept hidden.” he said.
Don't be an easy target for robbery. Always pay attention to your surroundings. #Lookup #Pokemon #ottawa #ottwalk pic.twitter.com/bIZuo8oyeO
— Ottawa Police (@OttawaPolice) July 12, 2016
Pokémon Go has garnered a fair bit of derision for a number of reasons — some fearing for the safety of players or telling adult-aged ones to grow up, others decrying the exacerbation of cellphone use for a generation already glued to their screens.
For their part, the group hanging out at Confederation Park has been miffed by the criticism.
“People were texting and bringing our their phones while walking before Pokémon came out,” said player Michael Busse, 25. “But now it’s almost a positive thing to have your phone out because you get to join in on a circle like this and talk with people you’ve never talked to before.”
The group stressed they’ve been hyper-aware of safety, and said none of them have had any close calls. Well, all except one.
Danie Boulard, 19, was running across the street at 3 a.m. Tuesday after spotting a rare Aerodactyl on Parliament Hill. She almost got run over by a car in her excitement. “Straight up my own fault,” she said. “But I got it!”
amah@postmedia.com
twitter.com/alisonmah
Top 5 Pokémon scouting locations:
1. Parliament Hill: Word is that the Hill is a hot spot for rare and unusual Pokémon (some which may appear more frequently the later you get into the night). For some not-as-rare but still desirable Pokémon, Abra and Clefairy, plus a bunch of other more common pocket monsters, are in abundance.
2. Confederation Park: If the Hill is a rare hot spot, then Confederation Park at the corner of Elgin Street and Laurier Avenue is a social one. From noon till evening, the place can be packed with anywhere between 20 to 50 chatty people, often strangers, and a constant multi-lure set-up to keep things interesting.
3. Carleton University and University of Ottawa: The campuses are conveniently loaded with Pokémon hot spots, Pokéstops and two gyms each. If you’re not into walking, you won’t have to travel far.
4. Andrew Haydon Park: The large park on Carling Avenue at Holly Acres Road has several areas with multiple Pokéstops close together and different terrains (water, grass, woods) that attract a wide range of Pokémon types.
5. Queen Elizabeth Driveway near the Rideau Canal: Not only does this walk have a bounty of water-type Pokémon (plus the occasional gym if you make your way closer to Lansdowne), but the stroll down the scenic waterway on a sunny day can’t be beat.
查看原文...
