I HAVE to ask - is anyone playing Pokemon Go?

I hope not. Worse than the selfie stick.

As I've been looking into the app to know what the rage is about, I can let you know that it won't keep kids occupied while on the train unless it is stopped. The game is entirely developed around the concept of interacting with the terrain around you, and you'll be moving too fast for the app to keep up and provide them with much of anything to do. It could be great for your kids as you're walking around, though.

If you're trying to find a particular Pokemon by the Eiffel Tower, etc, there are threads on Reddit where people share where they've found the best stuff in various towns and cities. I'm not sure you'll want to introduce Reddit to your kids, though, unless they're older.

Monique,

I'm not travelling at the moment, but you most certainly won't find me playing Pokemon Go. It's not something that interests me in the least (I won't bother posting my usual acerbic comments about it).

It's kind of sad to think that the Eiffel Tower and the Pantheon wouldn't be interesting enough on their own. I'm old, but if I were traveling with my grandkids, I'd try to get them involved with planning our visit, photographing things that interest then, and keeping a journal. I'd rather they came home remembering what they saw and did, rather than some pretend thing on their device. But, again, I'm old😊.

I am considering it. My daughter attends a Japanese immersion school and has been into Pokemon for several years (she is in second grade). It may be a fun way to keep her engaged while we are in Paris for 3 weeks this summer. I will not be playing! :)

edited Thanks webmaster for removing the snark! Also thanks to all who mentioned the app requires significant data; I will only be using wifi in Paris so guess my kiddo will be out of luck!

It could be neat if you have a lot of data to spare while traveling.

The "pokestops" where you collect free in-game items are often interesting landmarks or statues. So you could potentially find historical sites you didn't know were just around the corner. Or you could go a mile out of your way down a dead-end just to get some digital game items. :)

No. Our oldest son used to play with Pokemon cards twenty years ago, and that was great-he and his friends interacted and did not peer at screens for hours on end. And, they played with them in the car. I do fear for the massive changes to the world with this stuff. I use technology but...well maybe I should stop before I get acerbic!

Sorry Monique for my mini rant.

Here is a fascinating look at a world without cellphones:

http://www.removed.social/x498rt0m6yeqjxzfcef30vv9cp964t

@sarah_atx that's sort of what I was thinking. I actually don't have kids, but if I did I would con them into going to a certain site on the premise that they can find a rare Pokemon there lol! And yes, the Eiffel Tower and Colosseum and all of that are much more interesting on their own - to us adults. But really, some kids don't as yet appreciate what they are seeing and a little coercion might work. I have seen so many disinterested kids playing on their phones and tablets while their parents ooooh and aaaaah over something. At least with this they can be looking up :)
I actually had the app on my phone (have since deleted it) to see what all the hoopla was about, and I found myself roaming from the deli to the frozen section of a grocery store looking for a Pokemon....

The issue with the new Pokemon game, or just about any other captivating, attention grabbing app or game on your mobile device that literally requires you to move about in order to use it, is that it distracts you from everything else. No sooner than the reports came of the game maker Nintendo's stock soaring due to the success of the game did we hear of people running into things, wandering into private property, getting ambushed and mugged, and yes, even walking off cliffs, while playing the game.

"I hope not. Worse than the selfie stick." Why is Pokemon Go worse than a selfie stick? As far as I can see all Pokemon Go does is make people walk around looking at their cell phones more.

I find I am little bit of a rebel. If everyone says, "this is the latest craze", I usually avoid it as much as possible.

I did read an interesting article today in the paper discussing how upset some museums and sites are (the example given was the Holocaust Museum) because they felt the very act of introducing this character into a solemn and serious location was viewed as very disrespectful. I can't say that I disagree with that feeling.

@Carol I saw that article also, and the type of Pokemon located there added insult to injury. I've also read of people bombarding churches and cemeteries.

I have three kids and if, when they were little, we had the chance to go on a trip to Europe (we were lucky to afford our annual Disneyland trip) I would really want to be engaged with them 100% of the time. They can use devices to help navigate, find a yelp or help with the trip planning (I use my phone a lot when I am out and about traveling) but the use would be for the benefit of the family and the trip. So no, no games when we are having family time. Back at the lodgings (where we have wifi) they can use their device for anything they want, since it is down time. I also want them aware of their surroundings and to make sure they are able to see us, and us them at all times. Growing up in the 90's and 2000, somehow my kids (now adults) all got through family outing and vacations with no devices, not even a DVD player in the car on a 23 hour road trip (had 5 kids in the car on that one). We still talk about that one!

I'm not so sure "kids" are the primary demographic for this game. There is a major tourist site near my house (Walkway over the Hudson), was crossing it last weekend and there were about 100 people on the middle of the bridge playing the game and socializing. All of them 20somethings. Seems pretty harmless to me, what's the big deal....

I agree w/ Monique & Emma. My only real concern is the safe usage of such devices/activities. As with the mass hatred against the selfie stick, it's the misuse of it that is the offense. Otherwise, it is a fairly useful tool, especially when you wan to take a photo of yourself and/or your partner/group in front of a sight and you either do not have a tripod or do not trust a stranger w/ your camera. Like any game, PGO can be relatively safe with parental moderation.

I removed a few overboard insults here along with a few replies that came as a result. If you purely dislike the topic at hand, you are reminded that the golden rule of any forum is to move on to the next topic. If you have reasonable opinions for or against the use of this app which may be useful to some travelers, you are welcome to share them in a respectful manor.

Thanks everyone.

It's a bad idea for European travel solely based on the huge data requirements. As for the game itself...if it gets kids off the couch and walking around how bad can it be? Of course we only hear about the extreme cases of trespassing and accidents but of the millions of people playing I'm surprised we don't have many, many more.

There seems to be both positive and negative aspects to this craze.

On the negative side.....

• two inattentive morons that walked off a cliff in California while playing the game. Fortunately they will survive.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/15/health/pokemon-go-players-fall-down-cliff/

• a young lady assaulted when meeting another player at a park....

http://www.abbynews.com/news/387344161.html

And these examples don't include the numerous reports of people tripping / falling / walking into trees / etc.

On the positive side.....

• I've seen several reports about people suffering from Agoraphobia and similar anxiety disorders being helped by Pokemon. One mother reported that her daughter missed school on a regular basis as she was afraid to go out. However after starting the game, she has been much more outgoing, cheerful, etc.

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/pok%C3%A9mon-go-mental-health-impact_uk_5784ae01e4b0e9f338cbee58

Go figure!

Not at all interested in such games. I did read that Auschwitz asked Niantic to block usage of the app there, because you just know there are idiots who would be that disrespectful.

As a level 9 Pokémon Go player, I can say I almost certainly will be playing it next time I'm travelling and walking around exploring a city. As noted previously, the "Pokéstops" are created based on local landmarks and artwork. Playing in the neighborhood where I live we discovered some pieces of art and historical buildings that we had never noticed before in unusual places. 👍

Pokemon Go just became available in Canada this week. I downloaded it to see what the fuss is all about. Very clever little app. If you have ever geocached, you will like this app. I don't have a data plan and was only able to capture a few Pokemon within the limits of my wifi. The GPS mapping is excellent.

In addition to walking off cliffs, bumping into poles, being hit by cars and being chased off for trespassing on private property, be aware that there has been a report of possible pedophile(s) stalking kids at known pokemon hotspots. I would be wary of your young child wandering off chasing Pokemon while on vacation.

@Nikky I love your honesty!!

Good question. I'm not the least bit interested. I am already totally engaged when I travel. I also have zero interest in any video games. That said, I understand its appeal, and if people can play it safely, why not?

I do not mean this to be a negative statement, I think the game is interesting and has some merit, but I did see where the Bosnian government has pointed out that wandering the countryside may have some dangerous outcomes... http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-36841828

A few more negative examples from today.....

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/jul/20/pokemon-go-accidents-robbery-police-car-crash

It was fortunate that the guy in the RAV-4 only hit a police car, as he could have very easily struck a pedestrian. What a moron!

The link posted above by Paul not only applies to Bosnia but also other countries that have been heavily mined.

I would play it if I could.

It is very popular here but when I try to run the app all it ever says is that the servers are all busy ...

I would also play if I had the time! I love video games (especially RPG) but between working full time, running a family, researching travel, exercise class, personal bible study and taking courses to advance my career I am tapped! I would not have my kids do it on vacation, but if it was an outdoor activity we could do together as a family in our hometown or take a day trip as a family to another town close by and pack a picnic lunch, I would be all for it. Outdoors, exercise, family time, exploring...ticks off all my boxes for a fun family day.

No.

I am with Nancy on this, i didnt take my kids to europe to keep them busy playing a video game. They all enjoyed their first trip to europe because we had them invest time in contributing some trip planning ! The youngest was 11.

Also i think its horribly tacky that where i live a poor mother has been horrified to discover the memorial plaque for her dead toddler is a Pokemon stop. Disgusting really. It was a quiet place for her and family members to visit, now its a zoo.

There are online games the kids could play while on a long cartrip or train trip, its obvious Pokemon would not work for those situations.

And the points raised about younger kids being tracked to pokestops by pedophiles , or just getting lost is one to consider.

No. Stories of folks not using common sense when playing are too frequent. Example: two kids inadvertently crossed our northern border the other day while fully absorbed in doing whatever this game offers. Common sense not so common. Enjoy your surroundings rather than thinking such are an insignificant part of a giant synthetic game.

Next up, Pokemon Go + marijuana tours?

Finally got on and love it.

I was walking around a lovely National Trust property which has lots of statues and memorials in the grounds yesterday and I found PokéStops at many of the monuments.

It made me walk around parts I haven't previously visited and I had a great time. It also meant that I could navigate to possible PokéStops by memory without using the phone.

I just wish that I had had an egg before I started all that walking.

It even worked when the 4G ran down to 3G and even to Edge. Good enough on Edge.

Thank you, Nigel. I have no idea who you are, but it's comforting to hear an affirmation from one of the go-to people for all things England seeing value in a game that encourages exploration. I'm not a player myself, and yet I am astounded at the level of cane-shaking and eye-rolling toward the game, here and other places. Yes, there are inappropriate places to play. Yes, some over-zealous people forget about safety concerns. Doesn't discount the fact that many people are getting out, enjoying their surroundings, and interacting with people.

A few years ago, people were telling kids, "read more." They read Harry Potter and the response is "you're doing it wrong."

People tell kids, "get outside." Now they're outside and people are telling them "you're doing it wrong."

Lighten up, folks. It's just a game. Let them play.

A few years ago, people were telling kids, "read more." They read Harry Potter and the response is "you're doing it wrong."

Really? People actually said that? I bet now that kids are glued to their ipads and other mobile devices, they must be kicking themselves for judging what kids were reading.

http://www.torontosun.com/2016/07/25/newmarket-woman-charged-with-shooting-at-pokemon-go-players

I agree with the person who mentioned data requirements—anything with a mapping function is going to be a major data hog. If they had it on Windows phone I would probably try it out of curiosity, but no way on vacation would I play this game or encourage other to.

According to most internet sources, data usage for PG is about 2-10 MB per hour depending upon how much battling etc is done.

I do not use a data plan and can only use the app if i have wifi. Very restricted that way, so i am not going to be addicted to this game anytime soon.

tl;dr version: I expect Pokémon Go uses very little data for mapping.

Longer version: There are two main types of map rendering technologies: raster and vector. Raster maps are the more traditional option and rely on a huge set of pre-rendered images at various zoom levels. They work, but they're kinda clunky and suck up tons of data because they're lots of images. When you zoom in and out or scroll around, it has to download a whole new set of images from the server.

The past few years have seen a lot of the mapping technology turn into vector maps. These aren't traditional images, but instead (more or less) a group of polygon coordinates and their relationship with each other. Vector maps allow you to store an order of magnitude of more data than they do with raster maps, have more flexible zoom levels, and allow on-the-fly styling of the maps. This is how the game has different colors depending on the time of day. Pokémon Go, along with Google Maps, use vector graphics to render their map tiles. An entire city of vector maps is around 100MB of data, and I expect Pokémon Go uses very little data for mapping.

While raster maps are essentially unusable on a 2G/EDGE connection, vector maps are very workable at that level of data.

Thank you, Hamlet's Shrink. My thoughts exactly.

I don't play, because I don't have data on my phone. (I'm too cheap.) However, it sounds like fun, to me--a virtual scavenger hunt!

Years ago, there used to be a newspaper promotion whereby the cartoonist would draw clues every day, and people would use those clues to go hunting for a hidden ticket. The finder of the ticket would get a cash prize. It was fun and funny. I'd go out to where I thought the location was for that day and see dozens of others doing the same. Sometimes, we'd stop and compare notes.

From what I've heard of Pokemon Go, this seems like a similar activity. I don't understand all the tut-tutting and pooh-poohing about it.

I appreciate your comment Nigel. Not that I disagree with anyone who opts not to use it or allow their kids to use it, but I do think when used appropriately and in moderation, there is the potential to enhance what would normally be a casual walk around a city, even your own city. It does sadden me to hear of it's misuse, such as rowdy gaggles of people, child predators or when Pokemon can be found in the most inappropriate and insensitive places, but with proper use and precautions, it doesn't have to be dismissed.
I was born in 1980 so I remember the family rides to the south (grandparents lived in Alabama) in the back-back of a station wagon with no a/c and only my Mad Libs and Barbies and license plates games to keep me occupied for 16-hour road trip. Did I love it? Yes I have super fond memories!!!! But I'm also about trying new things and creating new kinds of memories.

We just returned from an Oregon road trip. On our last night, we stayed in Bodega Bay, CA, and when I "Yelped" for a dinner spot I was surprised to see that this restaurant has Poke'Stop Nearby-Yes as part of their profile. Now that's great marketing! The food was great too, by the way.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/fishetarian-fish-market-bodega-bay

"I was born in 1980 so I remember the family rides to the south (grandparents lived in Alabama) in the back-back of a station wagon"

I was born a handful of years before you but have also spent my fair share of time in the back of the family station wagon on road trips (i.e., no seat belt, no real seat, just wedged in a space next to the cooler). We'd look out at the changing landscape, sleep, and chat. One activity we'd enjoy was making the "pull" gesture with our arms at passing big rigs to see if the drivers would honk their horns. Oh boy that was great fun back then. And then I realize now, in the age of digital entertainment (including the new pokemon game app), that whenever we did that back then, there was no telling what the truck driver's reaction would be, their reaction could have been anything from honking their horns to giving us the finger! ha ha, in other words, these interactions were not based on any pre-programmed algorithm, computer code, etc., it truly was, completely and utterly unpredictable.