Wilde Obsession: Pokemon Go Game Tips

Yes, that's right. I have a new obsession. My husband and I are playing Pokemon Go (we're team Mystic!), and I love it. I hate the bugs in the interface, but the game itself is addictive and fun. I've been playing Ingress, which is also made by Niantic Labs, for quite awhile, so this feels familiar, yet new. 

My husband wrote up an FAQ for our local DFW Pokemon Go Trainers Group, and I'm sharing it below since I thought it might help out some of you as well! Some is DFW specific, so it may not apply, but a lot of it is just plain good general info. Thank you (as always!), Wes Howard: 

1 - There is a lot of posts with 'hey! wow! lots of pokestops here'. I tend to give a small eyeroll there because as playing Ingress for years I knew these spots to be portal rich, and since all Ingress portals were converted this is no surprise. Instead of being that pedantic 'of course there are portals there!' guy I went into Ingress and took some strategic screenshots and am posting them in an album for everyone to see. These are some key areas to help you plan outings for finding pokestops. Some areas have more detail than others, but at least it gets you there. For anyone that did not know, in Ingress any piece of public art (mural, sculpture, architecture), any monument, any post office, any fire-station, any public library, or any historical marker could be submitted as a portal. Cemeteries especially have a lot of these in the form of memorials and historic markers so tend to be very good places to go.

2 - Battery life. I see a lot of discussion on this. Again, lessons as an Ingress veteran, get yourself a battery back up. I cannot say enough how good Anker is as a brand, but anything works. I have an Anker and then a few cheaper ones to supplement. Serious players may get multiple high end Ankers over time. Get what fits your budget, but for about $35 you can get a FANTASTIC Anker that does fast charging. I and my wife personally have these - Anker PowerCore+ 10050 Premium Aluminum Portable Battery Charger with Qualcomm Quick Charge 2.0. The other battery life tips I would give: a) Disable AR. It is cool, but if you want to be the best you have to conserve so you can go long.
b) Do not wait until your battery is nearly dead to plug ion the battery. Running off the battery and letting it recharge as you go is more efficient and you get more out of the charge. Plugging in when you are at 15% is an uphill battle and not good use of resources.
c) Adjust your screen. Bright enough and that is it. Turn off the auto feature.

3 - Get some good shoes, but do not forget good socks. Be comfortable and make sure you stay that way. For socks I recommend stopping at a sporting goods store and looking for wool hiking socks. A good pair of these can make a big big difference. And yes, they do have summer weight ones that provide good padding and prevent rubbing and blistering. Gopod walking shoes that fit properly are a must.

4 - This is Texas folks and the heat and sun are no joke. Here are some must haves for being out and about in the heat.
 a) SUNSCREEN. UV is bad news people, wear it like it is your job. Get a kids one for your face, you are gonna sweat and it will run down in your eyes. No tears stuff makes a difference. Use a good sport one elsewhere. Do not forget your ears.
b) Loose fitting light color clothes. A black shirt is gonna overheat you faster than a white one.
c) Sunscreen UNDER your clothes. Not everywhere, but shoulders and upper arms. More UV goes through than you realize and you can sun burn through them. It takes longer, but a light application helps with other negative effects of UV
d) Get a hat. A broad brimmed hat that protects your neck, forehead, and ears as well as your scalp.
e) Hydrate. Get a water bottle, fill it with ice and water. Get two. On second thought, water bottles are for amateurs, get a CamelBak and fill it with ice and even put blue ice packs in the pack. The cold along your back is nice, and a water bottle on your leg can bruise your thigh. ;) Whatever you choose as right for you, stay hydrated. All kinds of things happen to your muscles and back when you get low on fluids and it can at a minimum make you ache and at worst be life threatening.

f) Know your limits. Do not walk from your car or house as far as you can. Remember its a round trip so turn around and head back before you are at your limit.

5 - Be aware of your surroundings. Earbuds are cool, but leave one ear open to hear car horns and other audible signals of urgency. Look up every few steps or better yet stand still when looking at the screen and look up while walking. Wandering out into traffic, stepping in a hole, walking off a curb, taking a header down stairs that you did not know were there. You can get hurt!

6 - If you want to go out in a car get a wingman to handle the phones and you focus on the driving. Pull over to a safe place for capturing or hitting pokestops.

7 - Be respectful of peoples businesses and private property. Don't make us look like a bunch of jackwagons.

8 - And related to 7, cemeteries are FULL of pokestops so be very aware of your surroundings there. If a ceremony is going on then skip it. The pokestops are not going anywhere. If you see people visiting graves be quiet and give them a lot of space. While playing Ingress I walked right past a fresh grave of a 3 year old (the same age as my son at the time), and this is going to happen to you too eventually. If you think this might affect you negatively then find someplace else to go.

9 - Keep an umbrella and/or rain poncho in your car. Less of a problem now, but be prepared. An umbrella can also be useful for sun protection, so do not be afraid to break it out for that.

10 - If you are out at night where light colors, reflectors, lights. Check the arm band flashers joggers use. Stay safe!

11 - External apps and guides. Ingress had TONS of things the community built to make game play easier, better, whatever. I do not have a lot to add here right now, but as things emerge I will try to add them here. 11 - I started a Slack group for non team specific PGO chat. Feel free to join - https://dfwpokemongo.slack.com