Thanks to this new functionality, our friend Pokémon will accompany us everywhere on real-world walks.
Many of those who grew up with Pokémon dreamed of having their own friend, a creature that would follow them everywhere and participate with them in many of the daily activities. Although imaginary, Pokémon GO, the video game for mobile devices developed by Niantic, offers that possibility. A few days after its launch, the developers wanted to share their experiences with the entire community.
For Ryuta Hiroi, Niantic product director in this video game, "since the launch of Pokémon GO, this may be the most collaborative function we have had in The Pokémon Company." As he explains, "even with the phone in your pocket, you can feel that your partner is with you."
All Pokémon are important
One of Niantic's technical artists, Lena Verstappen, has revealed that during the process of developing this functionality, the team has respected each of the creatures. The species have been constructed in order to express themselves differently, although they also faced their problems. He exemplifies Exeggcute's animation, which is too high in his Alola field, so it was difficult to feed him. "It's like they were family," says Lena. "Everything was taken into account to create an experience as immersive as possible, from how they eat, how they walk or even where the best companion tape should be placed on the body of each Pokémon."
Laura Warner, director of design for Pokémon GO, has said she is surprised at “the amount of Pokémon” that have “won” her “heart after interacting with them. “Who resists seeing a Spheal rolling to follow you on the map? I am more attached to Pokémon than ever. We really want Coaches to try different partners and see how everyone becomes friends. ”
Trey Williamson is fully introduced to the experience of creating something as complex as Adventures with your partner. “When a function covers so much, it is important to break it down from the point of view of development. What would be the ideal adventure experience with your partner? What defines what is a good experience for a Coach? Without a doubt, we have been learning on the fly ”.
Pokémon GO Adventures with your partner is now available for free for iOS and Android.
