Categorized conceptual regroup of Pokémon GO elements

[Jeehut]

This is a continuation of #1 and attempts to both categorize and regroup all elements found in #1.

From a motivational perspective:

• Motivation to Start playing the game:
  • Want to become a good Pokémon Trainer (be the user type and dive into the world)
• Motivation to Move (go outside):
  • Earns Points (find Pokestops, fight gyms, catch Pokemon)
  • Brings Star Powder to power up Pokémon (by Catching Pokemon)
  • Brings candy to evolve Pokémon
  • Pokémon appear randomly at any location (except for some due to respect/danger)
  • Nearby Pokémon are shown in radar --> gotta move to catch one you want
  • A given amount of distance has to be walked / ridden by a bike to hatch eggs
• Motivation to Discover (new places / information):
  • Additional information on collected content (learn more about the franchise/community)
  • Different Pokémon appear at different locations more often/regularly
  • Pokéstops are points of interest (currently uncategorized, no additional info, no need to stay)
  • Gyms are points of interest, too (currently doesn't matter if there are opportunities to sit)
  • Visiting Pokéstops brings all kind of items needed for the whole game (random right now)
• Motivation to Socialize (with other players):
  • Gyms can be occupied by multiple players of a team (only 1 Pokemon per player allowed)
  • Gyms can be fought together with other players for a better chance to win
  • Lure modules can be placed at Pokestops which attracts other players (as everybody profits)
• Motivation to Keep playing:
  • Increase the Trainer Level to become a better Trainer (Goal: Being the best)
  • Fill the Pokédex (Goal: Collect them all)
  • Get all badges in Gold Form (Goal: Mini-trohpies for different things)
  • Others from same team needing support (meaning the chosen group at Level 5 by "team")
  • Direct comparison indicators (Level, Pokedex, Badges)
  • Hatching eggs keeps the change to get all Pokémon even when not traveling much

[Jeehut]

From a conceptual perspective (or "what we need to do"):

Note that examples for Harry Potter (HP) are given. The solution in Pokémon GO (PK) is referenced for better understanding.

• The game has to have clear goals:
  • PK:
    • Catch all Pokemon
    • Train your Pokemon to beat all others
    • Collect Badges
    • Defend Gyms
  • HP:
    • Become master for all spells
    • Become master for all potions
    • Train quidditch to become the best player at your position
    • Collect badges
• Motivation to Start playing the game:
  • Make sure the game experience relates to something the community always wished to be a part of
    • PK: Become a Pokémon trainer and "catch em' all"
    • HP: Be a witch or wizard and go to Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry
  • Introduce minimum progress level before fighting is possible
    • PK: Gyms can be fighted at beginning at level 5
    • HP: Spells cannot be cast until first semester over / starts
      • also before school year starts there could be an introduction using the "buying ceremony"
• Motivation to Move (go outside):
  • Introduce a progress tracker system where each action that serves the goals helps progressing
    • PK: Trainer experience points with different Levels that can be reached
    • HP: Magical experience points with different school years at distinct subjects
      • Those subjects could be: Defense ag. the dark arts, potions, etc. + Quidditch
  • Introduce main collection/battling content to be collected for battling against others
    • PK: Pokémon appear randomly at any location and can be captured (with skill)
      • multiple of the same Pokémon can be caught, usually only the strongest kept
      • Pokémon have types that are more / less effective against each other
      • Catching a Pokemon brings both candy and star powder
    • HP: Masters of a specific subject are met at any location and can be learned from (with skill)
      • meeting a character multiple times increases the friendship with that character
      • each character teaches one spell that can be learned (first time) or improved (other times)
      • each training brings the player closer to becoming a master of the spell (spell strength)
      • a character teaches any spell of his kind (randomly) –- multiple characters can be a spells master
        • e.g. Snape teaches different potions spells, could also Defense ag. dark arts – has two types
        • training a spell brings both spell specific instructions (homework?) and chocolate frogs
          • funny details: Snape doesn't give any chocolate frogs, more instructions though
      • spells have strategic concepts behind them (read on for more)
    • Note: While Pokemon are met AND caught in Pokémon GO, those are two different concepts
  • Introduce resources for improving the fighting strength of the main collection content
    • PK: Star Powder & Pokémon specific Candies – needed to make Pokémon stronger
    • HP: Spell specific instructions & Chocolate frogs – can be read to further improve a spell and eaten while learning
  • Introduce jump levels in fighting strength on main collection content
    • PK: Pokemon can be evolved once, twice or not at all and "jump" in their strength
    • HP: All spells have different control levels
      • e.g.: When learning the spell "Wingardium Leviosa"
        • Beginner: Learned the words for a spell (after first collecting it)
        • Advanced: Mastered the correct movement/thoughts/concentration for spell
        • Pro: Mastered the spell nonverbally
  • Introduce concept to find main collectable content nearby (so players have to move)
    • PK: Nearby Pokemon are shown with steps of their distance
    • HP: Marauder's Map shows the teachers nearby with their direction and distance
  • Introduce concept to collect (rare) random main collectable content by walking distances
    • PK: A given amount of distance has to be walked / ridden by a bike to hatch eggs
      • A hatched egg gives the same things as when a Pokemon is caught in the wild
      • Additionally star powder and candy are given more + 500 Points are received
    • HP: Chocolate frogs boxes can be filled with magic by walking / riding by bike
      • Once the magic is filled on a chocolate frog, the frog jumps out
      • The chocolate frog is one kind of currency that can be collected (instead of star powder)
      • Theres a white chocolate frog box which is similar to rarer eggs (10km-eggs)
      • Chocolate frog cards can be collected (similar to the Pokedex)
      • Each chocolate frog box also includes special instructions on spells
• Motivation to Discover (new places / information):
  • Additional information on collected content (learn more about the franchise/community)
    • PK: Each Pokemon has a Pokedex entry
    • HP: Each Chocolate Frog Card provides some information about a known witch/wizard
  • Introduce a rarity for different main collection content and different places
    • PK: Different Pokémon appear at different locations more often/regularly
      • Some Pokemon are only available in a different continent
      • Some Pokemon are only available in a big event with many players (Mewtwo)
    • HP: Different chocolate frog cards appear in different locations more often/regularly
      • Some chocolate frog cards only appear in different regions
      • Some frog cards can only be received by defeating a deatheater attack
  • Introduce points of interest where important items of different kind can be collected
    • PK: Pokéstops are points of interest (uncategorized, no additional info, no need to stay)
    • HP: Port keys are points of interest (the school subject)
      • Visiting a port key earns chocolate frog boxes, additional spell instructions, more
• Motivation to Socialize (with other players):
  • Introduce concept of different groups a player can be part of
    • PK: Players choose either Team Red, Blue or Yellow and can't change for their lifetime
    • HP: Players are sorted into one of the houses Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff or Slytherin
      • the sorting ceremony is the step that really makes the school year begin
      • for sorting the sorting hat asks 4 questions, the player has to make choices
      • an additional question is asked and allows player to exclude one house
  • Introduce points of interest for battling against other players in some way
    • PK: Gyms are points of interest for battling
      • currently doesn't matter if there are opportunities to sit
      • battling is done asynchronously against defending Pokemon
      • more people increase the chance to win when battling at the same time
    • HP: Quidditch pitches are points of interest for battling
      • there should nearly always be opportunities to sit
      • pitches are empty at the beginning, the first house to visit the pitch with 7 players gets it first
      • if no game is started in a pitch, the defending team holds it
      • a game starts at a pitch the moment the seventh player from the same house visits
      • while a game is in progress, up to 7 people nearby can attack / defend
      • each player has a different role, communicates with other players in team
      • the gameplay mechanisms have to be established, basics: quaffle, pludger, snitch appear
      • battling is done continually, a game is won when the snitch is caught
      • everybody from the same team can defend / attack together
      • a new match starts after 7 players of the same team visited place, 7th player leads the team
      • more players should increase the chance to win
  • Introduce item everybody profits from to get people together at specific locations
    • PK: Lure modules can be placed at Pokestops which attracts Pokemon for everyone
    • HP: Fiests can be organized at class rooms / tournaments at pitches
      • TODO: details have yet to be established
• Motivation to Keep playing:
  • Centrally show player overall progress increased on every goal-serving action
    • PK: Increase the Trainer Level to become a better Trainer (Goal: Being the best)
    • HP: Magical Experience with Classes to walk through (Goal: Mastering school)
  • Centrally show main collection content progress
    • PK: Fill the Pokédex (Goal: Collect them all)
    • HP: Get all chocolate frog cards
  • Centrally show different statistics reached
    • PK: Get all badges in Gold Form (Goal: Mini-trohpies for different things)
    • HP: Get all trophies in Gold Form (Goal: Mini-trohpies for different things)
  • Direct comparison indicators with other players / friends to talk about
    • PK: Level of player, Pokemon in Pokedex, collected Badges
    • HP: Class and semester of player, Card collection, Hall of Fame
      • A leader board amongst people in the same region, country and world
      • "you are amongst the 12% best this month" --> show best statistic from all