Pokemon GO!: The Ultimate Unauthorized Guide

by Cara Copperman

Overview

The essential guide book to the biggest mobile game in history, Pokémon Go!
Pokémon GO! The Ultimate Unauthorized Guide is a must-read companion to the hit mobile game that has taken the world by storm. This essential guide will teach gamers all they need to know to become the ultimate Pokémon Master. Filled with tips, cheats, strategies, insights and even guides to Pokémon Go sites in a variety of cities, Pokémon GO! The Ultimate Unauthorized Guide is indispensable for anyone looking to fill their Pokédex. This guide includes:
• Everything you need to know about Lures, PokéBalls, Eggs
• How to catch the really hard Pokémon…Level 20 and above!
• Level Up! XP, Medals, Achievements + more
• How to find the best Gyms and Pokéstops in your hometown

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250135568
Publisher:	St. Martin's Press
Publication date:	09/13/2016
Pages:	176
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.20(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

CARA COPPERMAN has authored more than a dozen books including unofficial Minecraft and Terraria novels and other nonfiction titles.

Read an Excerpt

Pokémon Go!

The Ultimate Unauthorized Guide

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By Cara Copperman

St. Martin's Press

Copyright © 2016 Stonesong Press, LLC
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-250-13557-5

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CHAPTER 1

ARE YOU OUT CATCHING POKÉMON?

You most likely skipped over the app description in your rush to download it and start catching, but after playing for a while, you may stop to ask yourself: "What does it mean?" "What's all this catching, evolving, and fighting for, anyway?" And to you, we provide the answers, in the form of the app's description and introduction. Take a moment to read it now ... We'll wait ...

* * *

Venusaur, Charizard, Blastoise, Pikachu, and many other Pokémon have been discovered on planet Earth!

Now's your chance to discover and capture the Pokémon all around you — so get your shoes on, step outside, and explore the world. You'll join one of three teams and battle for the prestige and ownership of Gyms with your Pokémon at your side.

Pokémon are out there, and you need to find them. As you walk around a neighborhood, your smartphone will vibrate when there's a Pokémon nearby. Take aim and throw a Poké Ball. You'll have to stay alert, or it might get away!

SEARCH FAR AND WIDE FOR POKÉMON AND ITEMS

Certain Pokémon appear near their native environment — look for water type Pokémon by lakes and oceans. Visit PokéStops, found at interesting places like museums, art installations, historical markers, and monuments, to stock up on Poké Balls and helpful items.

CATCHING, HATCHING, EVOLVING, AND MORE

As you level up, you'll be able to catch more-powerful Pokémon to complete your Pokédex. You can add to your collection by hatching Pokémon Eggs based on the distances you walk. Help your Pokémon evolve by catching many of the same kind.

TAKE ON GYM BATTLES AND DEFEND YOUR GYM

As your Charmander evolves to Charmeleon and then Charizard, you can battle together to defeat a Gym and assign your Pokémon to defend it against all comers.

It's time to get moving — your real-life adventures await!

Note: This app is free-to-play and is optimized for smartphones, not tablets.

* * *

As you probably already know by now, the game uses Augmented Reality to place Pokémon characters in the real world. You can run around in the real world, get exercise, spend time with friends, explore new places, get to know your neighborhood, and become a Pokémon Trainer — a dream come true for Pokémon fans everywhere.

As you go through the real world, you pass PokéStops and Gyms and stumble upon Pokémon hanging out nearby, just waiting to be caught. Throw a Poké Ball and catch that wild Pokémon and take your battle skills to the next level: A dream come true for kids who grew up on Pokémon or anyone who wants to blur the lines between fantasy and reality.

Once you've caught your Pokémon, you can help it evolve, train it, and once you get to level 5 you can enter it in Gym Battles to defend your Gym and take over new ones. As your Pokémon grow stronger, you level up as a Trainer. You start at level 1 and with hard work, dedication, and hours of game play, you can progress all the way to level 40.

5

Top five reasons everybody who's anybody [love]s Pokémon GO

(1) It's not just Pokémon, it's Pokémon IRL — In Real Life!

(2) You have to go outside and explore your environment to play.

(3) Catching and hatching require getting some actual exercise to succeed.

(4) It's social. You can connect with people and overcome social anxiety, depression, or shyness.

(5) Technologically speaking, it's the first globally accepted application that uses augmented reality, fusing virtual game play and real life. Future history books will cite this as the app that started the trend!

5

Top five reasons H8ers gonna H8

(1) It's a single-player game, even if hundreds of players are all around you, so it ends up being just you and your Pokémon on your screen.

(2) The app requires your phone's full attention. It won't run in the background and it uses all your phone's major processors to work.

(3) The game requires your full attention, too. Even in battery saver mode, you need to keep an eye on the phone so you don't miss nearby PokéStops or Gyms.

(4) Meeting up with strangers and following lures can lead players into dangerous situations.

(5) To play the game you need to move and you need to watch your phone. Doing both at once can lead to distracted walking, driving, skateboarding, bicycling, and moving in general.

Who made Pokémon GO?

Pokémon GO is a combined effort of three companies: The Pokémon Company, Nintendo, and Niantic, Inc. Niantic, the company you probably never heard of before July 2016, was actually founded in 2000 as a Google start-up. The company created the augmented reality game Ingress, where basic game play is very similar to Pokémon GO: to move in the game, you have to move in real life.

Quiz: Which gamer type are you?

Pick the one that describes you best:

Casual lurker: I play to see what the fuss is all about. I like seeing where PokéStops and Gyms are, checking out which team holds the Gyms in my neighborhood and seeing which Pokémon are nearby.

* * *

Social catcher: I play when I'm hanging out with my friends. We visit PokéStops to stock up and catch whatever we happen to find.

Collector: I play to build my Pokédex. I don't just catch Pokémon, I evolve them and max out their CP to collect all of the Pokémon at their most powerful.

* * *

Achievement Hunter: I play to rack up the achievements. I do whatever it takes to earn gold medals in every category.

* * *

Competitor: I couldn't wait to reach level 5 so I could start taking over Gyms for my team and defending them.

* * *

Warlord: My goal is to take over and hold as many Gyms as possible in my local area. If I see a Gym's prestige going down, I send my most powerful Pokémon in to defend and protect it from invaders.

* * *

Team player: I've got major team spirit. I support my teammates at Gyms and IRL to keep my team strong.

POKÉMON GO: A REAL PHONE BRAIN DRAIN

Your battery and cell data drain quickly for a reason. Pokémon GO takes advantage of all the cool features of your smartphone all at once.

GPS: the game constantly tracks and updates your location using Google Maps

Graphics Processor: The images you see on the screen are created on-the-fly, which means that the information gets sent to the phone's graphics processor and then the phone creates the image. The images update constantly as you walk, which puts a huge drain on your phone's "brain."

Camera: The camera is what gives the game its best AR feature, placing an overlay of Pokémon on top of your IRL setting. You can also use the camera to snap a photo of the Pokémon before you battle.

Brightness: Since you use the game outside, the brightness usually needs to be turned all the way up so you can see the Pokémon clearly in bright sunlight.

Sound: The music and SFX constantly play classic Pokémon sounds in the background, providing your own personal soundtrack as you walk through the real world looking for Pokémon.

Basic rules before you start playing

(1) Walk with your head up and your phone down

Watch out for walls, cars, trains, people, and other stuff you may bump into. Your device will buzz when you get near something you need to catch, so you don't need to walk around with your phone in front of your face! Wearing headphones will enable you not only to hear the background music but also help you keep your eyes on the road ahead and still stay alert to the appearance of wild Pokémon nearby.

(2) Stay off private property

Pokémon GO's user agreement* explicitly forbids users from entering private property without permission, giving it some cover. As for wild Pokémon who appear in the middle of the road, you can catch them just as easily from the safety of the sidewalk. Remember: In the rock-paper-scissors game of life, real-life laws beat gaming rules every time!

* https://www.nianticlabs.com/terms/pokemongo/en.

(3) Watch your battery life

As anyone knows who has played the game for any length of time, playing Pokémon GO can really eat up your battery. And it's not surprising. The app uses the GPS, graphics processor, cellular signal, and camera and keeps your phone on its brightest setting to catch 'em all in broad daylight. But there are a few tricks to keep it from draining too quickly. Using battery saver mode in the Pokémon GO app settings.

Using battery saver mode in the Pokémon GO app settings

"When activated, turning your phone upside down will have the screen turn black, while still registering your steps toward Egg hatching and vibrating when you come within catching range of wild Pokémon. In addition, I usually keep an extra battery and mobile charging cord with me when I travel." — DroptheSammer

(4) Battery life-saving tips

Turn on battery saver to turn your screen off while your phone is rotated 180° so that the top of the phone is facing the floor and the home button is facing the ceiling. Flipping the phone facedown does not activate the battery saver.

Put your phone in Low Power Mode. On the iPhone, go to Settings>Battery and enable Low Power Mode to temporarily turn off background processes like background app refresh and automatic updates.

Turn down your screen brightness.

Turn down your phone's volume.

Turn off the AR (Augmented Reality) setting. It uses your phone's camera to show the Pokémon you catch against the backdrop of your real life settings. To disable AR, get the Pokémon in your sites, then slide the AR toggle switch in the upper right corner of the screen to off. You'll miss out on seeing Evee perched on your dog's head, but you'll gain some extra Go time.

Disable all of your background updates in settings for apps like Facebook, Twitter, and other social media, Email, other games, news feeds, and anything else your phone checks regularly to keep you updated when you're not paying attention.

Go into the Pokémon GO menu, click settings, and disable music, sounds, and vibration.

(5) Watch your cell phone bandwidth

According to wirelesshack.org*, at the app's launch it uses up around 30MB for every three-to-four hours of game play if you're not in WiFi. If you're playing for an hour a day, that's 1 GB in about three days. If you're not on an unlimited data plan, restrict your play to WiFi zones as much as possible.

Conservation tip: If you're playing in a group, switch off the app on all but one phone at a time. When you're near a Pokémon, a Gym, or a PokéStop, alert your companions to open their apps and reap the rewards!

* * *

* http://www.wirelesshack.org/wifi-or-cell-plan-data-usage-and-pokemon-go.xhtmll.

CHAPTER 2

READY, SET, POKÉMON GO!

HOW TO DOWNLOAD, SET UP, AND START CATCHING

As of the game's launch, it's only available to play on iPhones and Android devices. Download it from iTunes or the Google Play store for free and start playing.

* * *

WARNING: Don't download apps or programs that claim to make Pokémon GO work on tablets or other devices. They may contain viruses, malware, or glitches that could harm your device and may try to steal your personal information.

Login with a Google account or Gmail. Don't have one? Create a Google account for free. If you're a dedicated Pokémon fan or want an account just for game play, you could sign up for a Pokémon Trainer Club account to login.

Trouble logging in? Make sure you're connected to the Internet via WiFi or cellular data. The app requires that your phone stay connected to the Internet while you are using the app, even in power saver mode. If your connections are good, your phone is probably not the issue. People around the world have caught Pokémon GO fever, and just a small fraction of players all online at once may be enough to clog up the servers. If your settings are all good, keep trying!

* * *

Remember your email and password that you signed in with. Don't count on the game keeping you logged in every time you open the app. You may also need to know them to sign in from a friend's phone if you forget yours or you run out of battery!

* * *

When you log in, Professor Willow will welcome you and teach you the basic info you need to get started.

Pick the perfect Trainer name

Maybe you're one of the lucky people who have a unique name that hasn't been taken yet, but chances are your first, second, and third choices have already been taken by now. To come up with your perfect, completely unique Trainer name combine two of the following:

(1) Your favorite color

(2) Your favorite Pokémon

(3) Your favorite Trainer

(4) Your favorite food

(5) Your favorite character from a book, movie, or TV show

Create your avatar

When Professor Willow tells you to choose a style for your adventure, you'll be able to customize your Trainer avatar. Once you're happy with the results, you're ready to go!

Not happy with your look? Change your avatar whenever you want by clicking on your avatar button in the bottom left corner of the screen, then click the three lines on the bottom right and click Customize to change your avatar's outfit or gender.

You get one chance to change your Trainer name if you don't like it, so make sure you really identify with it before you confirm your name!

For absolute beginners

When you are finally logged in, your screen will display the following:

Profile: The bottom left of the screen shows your avatar, screen name, level, and how far you have to go until you level up. Click on it to open your profile.

Menu: Click the Poké Ball to open the settings screen.

Trainer: The avatar you created.

Nearby: Up to three nearby Pokémon. Click to see the full list of Pokémon who are near you.

* * *

As you travel, Gyms and PokéStops will appear.

Gym: Where teams train and battle.

PokéStop: Where you can gather supplies such as Poké Balls, Potions, and Eggs.

What you see when you click on Profile

(1) Avatar

(2) Name

(3) Level

(4) XP needed to level up

(5) Number of PokéCoins you have

(6) What team you're on once you choose one

(7) A list of medals and achievements you can start racking up by walking, hatching, catching, and training Pokémon. The list grows as you gain more experience, and you have the ability to earn a bronze, silver, or gold medal.

(8) Journal button recapping your experience as a Trainer

What you see when you click on Menu

(1) Game settings where you can switch the sound, vibration, and battery saver settings on and off. You also can access a basic guide, get help, and report issues with the game.

(2) "Tips" calls on Professor Willow to review basic game play for you.

(3) Pokédex brings up a matrix of numbers with images of the Pokémon you've already battled and caught.

(4) Visit the shop to spend PokéCoins and use your Defender Bonus.

Earn a Defender Bonus by defending a Gym for twenty hours. Collect the bonus from the shop to earn 10 PokéCoins and 500 Stardust for every Pokémon you have defending a Gym. You can have up to 10 Pokémon defending Gyms at one time. A shield icon will appear on the top right of the shop screen if you have an active Defender Bonus. Tap the icon to collect the bonus once it's time!

You can buy PokéCoins with real money, but with strategic game play, you'll never need to spend actual money on Poké Balls, lures, or any other items you can earn with good old-fashioned hard work and determination.

(5) Pokémon gives you a view of the Pokémon you've caught. You can sort them in different ways using the button on the bottom right.

Click on a Pokémon to see its complete bio.

Click the Egg tab to see Eggs you've collected and how far you need to walk, run, bike, skate, or move with the app open to hatch each Egg.

(6) The items icon takes you to a list of available items you can use such as Incense, lures, Poké Balls, camera, and more.

Congratulations! You've found a PokéStop!

A PokéStop looks like a floating blue cube. When you're right next to a PokéStop, click to open it. If you are close enough, spin the photo circle to release supplies. Pop or swipe the bubbles that appear or click the X to collect the items and add them to your inventory. Once you claim the available items, the PokéStop will turn purple for five minutes before you can visit again and claim more loot.

(Continues...)

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Excerpted from Pokémon Go! by Cara Copperman. Copyright © 2016 Stonesong Press, LLC. Excerpted by permission of St. Martin's Press.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Table of Contents

Contents

Title Page,
Copyright Notice,
Introduction,
Chapter 1: Are you out catching Pokémon?,
Chapter 2: Ready, set, Pokémon GO! How to download, set up, and start catching,
Chapter 3: Gotta catch 'em all,
Chapter 4: Tracker hacker,
Chapter 5: Pokémon types and where to find them,
Chapter 6: Get up, get out, and Pokémon GO,
Chapter 7: Evolve! Power-Up with Candy,
Chapter 8: Pick your team,
Chapter 9: Level up! Tips and tricks to be the best Trainer you can be,
Chapter 10: Gym Training & tricks,
Chapter 11: Battle stations,
Chapter 12: Caring for your Pokémon,
Appendix A: Complete Pokémon GO Pokédex,
Appendix B: The Pokémon story (the game behind the app),
Glossary,
About the Author,
Copyright,

Editorial Reviews

"A great companion book to the mobile game. . . . Pokémon Go! fans will love this book." —BioGamer Girl

From the Publisher