#pkmnph

[archivalderic]

Sword & Shield Release Party! #pokemontcg #pkmnph #playgroundhobbycafe (at PlayGround Hobby Cafe) https://www.instagram.com/p/B8Y0974J5aF/?igshid=167orbo2rj987

[pkmn-ph]

ON BEING THE BEST THERE EVER WAS: TIES BETWEEN THE PHILIPPINES AND POKÉMON

The Pokémon franchise has been in the Philippines for about 17 years as of 2015 and its effect or influence on Filipino recipients is brought about by multiple interrelated factors.

Generally speaking, Pokémon was well-loved and had a good reception when the first season was aired in the country by a local TV station around late 1999. At that time, the idea of Pokémon that encompasses creatures of varying species (then 151, now 721) that have special powers, abilities, forms of vast kind, and can evolve, battle, and befriend humans (commonly termed as trainers) is considered novel and entails adventure set in a different world with similarities as of the real earth. Fans since then ranged from young children (most were born in the 90’s) to teenaged individuals and even including but to a lesser extent, adults.

Popularity rose even more with the advent of the video games which started in the Game Boy console with the Red, Green, and Blue versions followed by a remake with the Yellow version (first generation). Much loved features of the games include battling and trading on top of following the main storyline. Trading Card Game together with its collection is also widespread at this time.

With the succeeding generations in the game line and in the anime series, Pokémon fame in the Philippines continued to rise until an apparent decline in the mid 2000’s during the time when the games which used to be played mainly in the Game Boy shifted to the Nintendo DS and the anime runs in the local television were poorly updated and were just replayed. Newer generations are released in a pattern-like manner every 2-3 years and the inability to adapt of a number of fans lead to unfamiliarity with the Pokémon species from later generations. With this, it can be deduced that possession of the handheld game devices Game Boy and Nintendo DS together with the copies of the games (which is the more common avenue for avid fans) and up-to-date viewing of the anime series are big factors for the continued Pokémon knowledge of fans. This can be affected by factors such as socioeconomic or just the mere loss or unsustained interest of fans.

From Generation I to VI, many changes have already been made and seen in the games which includes the graphics, gameplay, storyline, activities to be done, and many more. Anime series also seem to be made for younger children viewing with untoward effects for fans who have grown up and got tired of the slow progressing and repetitive storyline.

At present, Pokémon in the Philippines continues to strive and with PKMN-ph having thousands of members with common interests and goals, the future of Philippine Pokémon is bright! As a vibrant community where Filipino trainers gather, PKMN-ph is one of its greatest legacy in the country in terms of impact and influence and through this, the Philippines is geared to become the best there ever was in terms of Pokémon competence.

Photo Sources 1. http://www.laikabawse.com/gaming/pokemon-oras-mega-stone-locations/

2. http://sa-dui.deviantart.com/art/Pokemon-VI-New-Adventure-347568227

3. http://tsaoshin.deviantart.com/art/Springtime-Fletchlings-451170948

[pkmn-ph]

SerPol’s Diary – Episode 2: ORAS NA!

  DISCLAIMER: Ang inyong mababasa dito ay ang opinyon, kuru-kuro, haka-haka, hasa-hasa, lapu-lapu, at maya-maya lang ng may-akda at hindi ng PKMN-ph sa kabuuan. 

Kumusta? Sabi ko na nga ba’t isang siglo ang bibilangin bago masundan ang unang episode ko. Para sa mga tamad mag-scroll down (at busy pa rin sa paglalaro ng Pokemon Omega Ruby at Alpha Sapphire, makikita ninyo ang unang part ng diary ko sa link na ito. 

NOVEMBER 21, 2014 – Big Time na si SerPol (pero nanlumo pa rin pagkatapos)

Maaga akong sumibat galing sa trabaho para makipagkita sa pamunuan ng Click Licensing Asia. 4:30 PM ako lumabas pero kahit 6:30 PM na, naghihintay pa rin ako ng bus sa BGC. Anak ng Poochyena talaga, oo.

Tinext ko si Powao para mauna na sa opisina at nang makuha na ang mga ‘epektos’ dahil baka abutan na ako ng remake ng Diamond and Pearl sa terminal. Ginagamitan ko na ng Scary Face at Leer ang mga kundoktor dito pero mukhang naligo sila ng Safeguard kaya walang epekto ang ginagawa ko.

Hindi na ako dumerecho sa Click; bagkus, nag-text na lang ako kay Powao na magkita kami sa Megamall para makipag-usap sa pamunuan ng SM MegaTrade Conference Center. Hindi ko akalain na dun na magaganap ang contract signing (limang kopya, na tig-sampung page na hindi ko na binasa dahil English)…at dun na rin pala ako maglalabas ng pambayad.

Hindi ko na muna sasabihin kung magkano ang kabuuan ng ibinayad namin. Pero sa sobrang laki ng kinuha ko sa ATM e bina-block na ako ng machine dahil na-exceed ko na raw ang allowable amount na pwedeng i-withdraw sa isang araw. Akala yata siguro nito e kriminal ako na gumagamit ng skimmer para makapang-nakaw.

Iniabot ko na ang “partial” na bayad sa magandang staff na nakausap namin, at pumayag naman siya na ihabol ko bukas ang natitirang balanse (at ang puso ko. Joke lang). Kung hindi lang sana kasing mahal ng dalawang bala ng 3DS yung renta sa LCD projector nila, e di sana nabayaran ko na lahat ng balanse nung araw na yun. Pfft.

Umuwi na kami pagkatapos. Binabantaan na si Powao ng girlfriend niya (dahil nagseselos na sa Pokemon) at ako naman ay nanlalata na dahil sa stress at dahil hindi na ako makakabili ng Wii U. 

NOVEMBER 22, 2014 – Ang araw ng Paghuhukom

10:00 AM, sa tapat ng MegaTrade Conference Center

 Hindi naman ako masyadong excited. Ako lang naman ang nauna.

Pero ayos lang din dahil isa-isa nang dumarating ang mga volunteers. Kailangan kong kapalan ang mukha ko para makapag-initiate ng conversation dahil kung hindi, aabutin sila ng tanghali kaka-tingin sa kisame ng MegaMall.

Ipinakita sa amin ng isang babaeng empleyado ang venue, pero parang nainis yata sa amin dahil ilang beses kaming naglabas-pasok sa loob dahil ala-una pa ang ingress. Fully-paid na ang venue sa mga puntong ito. Burol ko na lang ang kulang.

Maya-maya ay nag-text na ang Marketing Officer ng DataBlitz. Naghihintay na lang sila ng go signal mula sa amin para ipasok ang mga gamit nila sa venue. Isa ito sa mga highlights ng araw na ito, dahil bigla akong napatingala at napabulong sa sarili ng “Sy**, Pol. Totoo na ito.”

*****

1:00 PM, Ingress sa loob ng Function Room B

Simula na ng setup. Takbo rito, takbo doon. Utos dito, utos doon.

Dumadami na ang mga tao sa labas. Kailangan naming makapag-simula on time dahil may ultimatum kami na hanggang 7:00 PM lang. Dumating na rin sila DataBlitz at tuwang-tuwa ang crew sa dala nilang Pokemon OR/AS standees at posters.

*****

2:30 PM, Simula ng program

Opening remarks ako, badtrip. Hindi ako nakapag-handa. Kung napaghandaan ko lang sana ito, e malamang binasa ko na ang buong blog entry na ito.

Hindi ko na pinatagal ang spiel at mag-mula dito e naging variety show na ni Powao ang buong event. Nag-ikot ikot pa rin ako sa venue para kumustahin ang DataBlitz (na mukhang hindi masyadong bumenta dahil nakabili na ang mga players natin ng game bago pa ang event) at ang mga ticket boys namin sa labas na hindi na na-experience ang kasiyahan dahil naka-pako sila sa puwesto nila doon.

Mga technical glitches na malamang e hindi napansin ng mga tao:

Nasira ang audio ng laptop ni Jeff. Ayaw niyang tumunog kaya yung background music ay pinatakbo na lang sa iPhone ni John.

Tinoyo ang pocket wi-fi ni Powao. Nataranta kami dahil online yung tournament software na ginagamit niya. To the rescue naman ang Data Plan ni Gelo at naisalba naman ang biglaang krisis sa pamamagitan ng mahiwagang tethering.

Trial version lang ang camera application na ginamit para i-broadcast ang championship match sa big screen. LOL

Muntik na kaming mag-bayad ng additional na POR TAWSAND PAYB HANDRED PESOS (para lang sa 30 minutes na extension) dahil 6:30 PM na at hindi pa rin tapos ang championship.

Speaking of extension, dito kami sobrang nataranta dahil kulang na kami sa budget at hindi rin napunan ng ticket at merchandise sales yung kabuuan ng inilabas namin para sa venue. Gusto kong sisihin dito ang move na Protect dahil humaba nang humaba yung laban. Nung kapanahunan namin, tirahan na lang ng Hyper Beam sa mukha, ayos na! Ngayon, may mga ek-ek pang nalalaman na Follow Me at Belly Drum. Suskopo! Umabot pa tuloy ng Round 3 *reklamo pa more*

Pero walang katumbas ang kasiyahan na naidulot nito, lalo na kapag sumisigaw ng “WHOA!” ang mga tao sa tuwing sasampalin ni Gothitelle ang sarili niyang mukha dahil sa confusion. Wala kaming capture card or mala-sine sa laking screen, pero na-replicate naman namin kahit papaano yung experience na parang nasa VGC Regionals ka.

Kahit ang mga staff ng DataBlitz at SM mismo ay napatayo sa mga upuan nila para kuhanan ng video ang championship match.

Sa kasamaang palad, itinuloy na lang sa lobby ang ikatlong laban (ng best of 3). Kapos na sa oras at kailangan na naming mag-egress.   

Para makita kung ano pang naganap sa event na ito, pakibisita ang album na ito.

*****

Natapos na rin ang pinaka-malaking event sa kasaysayan ng PKMN-ph. Sobrang laki ng effort na itinuon namin para matupad ito -- mula sa pagpapadala ng proposal letter sa mga potential na sponsors (na walang nangyari hanggang sa mailagay sa pwesto ang kapwa-fan natin na si Mr. Jungie Gumiran ng Click), hanggang sa pagsasagawa ng kaliwa’t kanang meetups at tournaments para mas lalo tayong mapansin. Hindi biro itong nagawa natin, at wala pang independent na Pokemon group dito sa bansa ang naka-gawa ng ganitong kalaking accomplishment!

Gusto kong pasalamatan, sampu ng mga adik sa Pokemon, ang buong pamunuan ng Click Licensing Asia at DataBlitz sa pagbibigay nila ng suporta sa atin. Halos tatlong taon ang binilang bago tuluyang matupad ang plano ng PKMN-ph. Nawa’y hindi kayo magsawang tumulong para mas lalong mapalaki ang community ng Pokemon dito sa bansa.

Sa mga volunteers na ang tanging natanggap lang ay isang pirasong Chickenjoy -- maraming salamat sa tulong ninyo. Sobrang kulang ang Ranger Team, at malaking bagay para sa amin ang pag-v-volunteer ninyo para sa kapakanan ng event. Mabuhay kayong lahat!

Salamat din sa mga cosplayers na pumunta. Sana makita pa natin sa susunod na event si Gym Leader Roxanne at ang kanyang mga sidekick (biro lang). Kung pwede lang sana akong mag-cosplay bilang Geodude…

At higit sa lahat, ang buong PKMN-ph community! Napuno natin ang Function Room ng MegaTrade, at kapos pa sa pwesto. Ipagdasal natin na sa susunod na event, nasa MegaTrade Hall na talaga tayo at 2-day event ang mangyari! Para naman sa mga members natin na nasa malayong lugar, ipag-paumanhin ninyo at hindi namin maidala sa inyo ang experience. Pero malay natin, isang araw e makapunta ang PKMN-ph sa Davao, Cebu, Iloilo o kung saan mang lupalop yan! Tiwala lang. Hindi naman masamang mangarap.

Dahil sa pangarap nabuo ang PKMN-ph. Sa pangarap din tayo magtatapos.

Maraming salamat sa inyong lahat. Nagiging ma-drama na naman ako. Pakiramdam ko, pwede na akong mag-resign…

[pkmn-ph]

“Notice us, Senpai!” -- The Philippine VGC Community’s Plea to the Big Bosses

According to a popular saying, “Two heads are better than one”. But when you put in 96 others, then it will be a whole new different story. This is what happened during the last VGC 2014 tournament held at Courtside, Robinsons Galleria last September 28, 2014, wherein we witnessed the biggest VGC tournament of the country so far. It was a jam-packed main event which saw the best battlers in Manila compete against each other in a grueling test of wits and strategy.  But then, there’s nothing new, right?

It’s just the same old “tourney” -- just BIGGER.

Recently, the VGC scene has started to gather more interest from the local Pokémon community. This began a couple of years ago when PKMN-ph started participating in international Wi-Fi tournaments against other Asian countries like Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan and many others. Although unsuccessful in each campaign, the trainers (and even the spectators) became even more motivated in polishing their skills; hoping that one day, they can beat the heck out of the opposing parties.

The September VGC 2014 participants at Courtside Galleria

But everything is STILL futile without the support of big-name companies here in our country.

We have reached out to several other institutions already for support (including the licensing company responsible for bringing in the franchise to our country; and our local “Gamestop” -- who earned big bucks last year when we organized a meetup during Pokémon X and Y’s global launch day) but to no avail. Mails and Facebook messages were sent but were always “seen-zoned”/ignored.  Frustrating, eh?

Fortunately, Masuda-san of GameFreak has already noticed our existence -- thanks to one of our members who is persistently tagging the director in his Tweets.

Wow! RT @arajakevin: #PokemonTeamPhilippines @Junichi_Masuda @Pokemon #PokemonXY #ItsMoreFUNinthePhilippines pic.twitter.com/AaBoRNNPXJ

— 増田順一@GAME FREAK inc. (@Junichi_Masuda)

October 13, 2013

What’s worse is that the Philippines has already become a DotA country (sometimes with a dash of LOL and Clash of Clans, for the wannabe hardcore Android gamers). Why is this such a big hit and not Pokémon is a huge question mark for me. Maybe because it caters to the “big boys” or the “astig” ones (or the delinquent ones who were always cutting classes just to play at their nearest internet shop)? I don’t know. I can’t even imagine myself playing in a dark room with many others while screaming “YOUTUBE PA!” (a gamer’s tirade to the other users when a network lag occurs)

And this could probably be the reason why TPCi is still not bringing in VGC support to our country (TCG is already OFFICIAL, by the way). The video gaming community still has to get the backing of the higher ups and the big bosses, and without them, we will just have to rely on crowd-funded tournaments until the eventual help comes.

When all the chairs are already in use -- COMPROMISE!

But we’re not giving up. As long as there is a single Pokémon player out there, whether it be TCG or Video games, we will give our best efforts to not let this fandom die. Let’s keep on opening the eyes of Juan dela Cruz and make him realize that there’s more to DotA, GTA V or even CANDY CRUSH (for Omanyte’s sake!).

We are PKMN-ph. Let’s make this official.