TRAINER'S EYE #92 - "Pokemon GO in Australia" ft. Pokemon GO Brisbane

In this Pokemon interview, we are joined by Zanzaid, a Community Ambassador for Pokemon GO Brisbane in Australia.

Zanzaid shares his initial experience with Pokemon starting with the anime where he watched Ash's journey to become a Pokemon Master. It wasn't until Pokemon GO where he experiences more of the gaming side of Pokemon.

Zanzaid shares insight in uniting and building up his community with the Niantic Ambassador Program for Pokemon GO Brisbane. He shares what he loves about hosting events and bringing people together! 

Sources
Opening Song: "Forget You" by Alex_MakeMusic from Pixabay

Transcript

Pokemon GO Brisbane: 0:00

Zanstate and this is my Pokemon story.

David Hernandez: 0:42

Welcome to, As the Pokeball Turns, where we interview people about their experience with Pokemon. Today, I'm joined by a community ambassador from Brisbane, Australia, Zanzade. Welcome to the show.

Pokemon GO Brisbane: 0:54

Thank you. It's good, it's good to be on here.

David Hernandez: 0:56

Without a doubt, and one thing I got to ask, so what is it like to kind of live in Australia? What is it like to play over there?

Pokemon GO Brisbane: 1:02

Yeah, it's pretty good. I mean, I've been in Brisbane for 10 years now. previously I was in Perth but Brisbane is really good. We all have a big major, park to play in, just near the city. So, playing days are quite popular, especially on the big event ones. and it's really chill. Everyone's happy to get along, ask questions, have others join with them. It's really chill. I really enjoy it.

David Hernandez: 1:20

So where would people go for like, say, uh, raid day or for community days? Like where are y'all's

Pokemon GO Brisbane: 1:25

Yeah, so our main hotspot is Southbank Parklands, which is just across the river from the city. it's got a ton of raids, it's a massive open park, the spawns are out of control and if you get, some lures and stuff going it's pretty crazy. So pretty much any big event you'll see people around, Southbank. We do have the city which is kind of popular too for raids, but there's a lot of people and traffic and stuff. So the Southbank, yeah, 100%. If you even, if you're ever coming to visit Brisbane. Yes,

David Hernandez: 1:52

Bank. Okay, so have you ever been playing on vacation anytime soon? You're going to Brisbane. South Bank, right? I said it right, right?

Pokemon GO Brisbane: 1:57

yes, 100%. We do have a couple, a couple other hotspots around, but, for most people I'd say South Bank and that's where you'll see most people.

David Hernandez: 2:04

Well, maybe we're getting a little bit ahead of ourselves because people don't really know like how your start with a Pokemon Go. I just can't help jumping into geography. But, you know, for Pokemon Go, because that's what we're talking about here today. When did you first start playing?

Pokemon GO Brisbane: 2:15

So I'm a Day 1 player, so I think for Australia it was July 6th, it's going back a bit now. Um, 2016, so I've been playing since Day 1. I'm pretty sure I've played every single day except maybe like 2 or 3 and even they were pretty light days. so yeah, pretty much a Day 1 player.

David Hernandez: 2:30

Wow, so you never missed a day at all? You just played throughout the entire time?

Pokemon GO Brisbane: 2:33

Yeah, pretty much, yeah. I mean, it goes up and down depending on the year and what's going on and what's happening and where I am, but yeah, pretty much day one.

David Hernandez: 2:41

When it came to playing the first couple days, where would you go and where were the mass of people?

Pokemon GO Brisbane: 2:46

Yeah, so Southbank, again, was our popular place. I think that's where a lot of the Pokestops were because of Ingress. So, I think people just went over there and that's, you know, that just became the big thing. major point to play and that hasn't really died off since. we do have the city again. I think people were running after Dragonites and Snorlaxes and stuff but obviously with the traffic that got a bit crazy so I think we, cemented South Bank as our major point.

David Hernandez: 3:10

before Pokemon Go, did you have any familiarity with Pokemon at all?

Pokemon GO Brisbane: 3:14

Yep, so I, played Pokemon, um, Red on the Gameboy. I think I got a Gameboy a couple years after release or something. But Pokemon Red and then Pokemon Silver was my Johto game. And then I kind of died off because I didn't have a Gameboy Advance and didn't get a DS until really, really late. So I didn't really pick up again to Pokemon XY. But obviously I've watched the shows pretty much throughout and the movies throughout. But yeah, I just had a bit of a gap there with the games, but otherwise I've played pretty much everything. Well, I played X and Y, I missed Sun and Moon, and Ultra Sun and Moon, then picked up again with Sword and Shield, I think that's right, yeah. So, that's my experience, but you know, pretty much lifelong Pokemon fan, but just missed a few games in the middle there.

David Hernandez: 3:51

You talked about how you stuck with the anime and the movies, so what's your favorite, arc when it comes to the Pokemon anime?

Pokemon GO Brisbane: 3:57

X, Y, and Z, or Zed, specifically the Zed, um, or third season, when Zyga and stuff, I thought that was really cool. And, with the Pokemon League at the end. So basically from the Pokemon League onwards in the X, Y, Zed series. it was just the, the animation, the art, and just had like a bit of an epicness to it. saying that I'm still. Currently getting through the journeys. it's taking me a lot longer than I planned and the availability is a bit sketchy. So that one's taking me a bit longer, but I haven't minded it so far. And from what I've seen, it's pretty cool

David Hernandez: 4:25

Now you said you prefer Pokemon Zed. Is Zed also your favorite generation of Pokemon to play? Just game wise, specifically? Yeah,

Pokemon GO Brisbane: 4:33

one. Cause I haven't really gone back and played a lot of the older ones. I probably Silver. I feel like Silver was my, like, you know, that's the one I always, jolt to, but XY, XY was pretty cool. That was a good, like coming back game.

David Hernandez: 4:44

Yeah, I love Pokemon Silver. That was the one I wanted to get because I like Lugia over Ho just

Pokemon GO Brisbane: 4:48

Yes. I hear you.

David Hernandez: 4:51

I want to make sure I got Lugia.

Pokemon GO Brisbane: 4:53

Yes, I hear you. I

David Hernandez: 4:55

Would you play that game a lot? you know, growing up, would you have like a lot of friends who would play or were you kind of a solo player?

Pokemon GO Brisbane: 5:00

Yeah, no, I mean, I have a twin brother, so he got gold and I got silver. I was at school at that perfect time, so there was quite a lot of people playing, but it probably hadn't quite taken off fully yet. so we had a lot of, you know, trading days and whatnot. But yeah, that was, definitely my childhood.

David Hernandez: 5:15

What would you and your brother battle? And I assume y'all would trade as well.

Pokemon GO Brisbane: 5:18

Yeah, pretty much. Yep. Yep. I think we were probably still a little too young to quite understand a lot of that side of things, but you would do the cross training and that's probably about it. But, more into it now.

David Hernandez: 5:30

Pokemon silver, before we continue, if you're going to do a playthrough for Pokemon silver, what six Pokemon would you bring?

Pokemon GO Brisbane: 5:37

Ah, gee. Donphan. I love Donphan. Lugia. Uh, who's the starter again? That's my problem. There's so many Pokemon these days I've lost. The starter fire.

David Hernandez: 5:49

mag. Oh, it'd be Meganium, Typhlosion, Feraligatr..

Pokemon GO Brisbane: 5:52

Yes, that one. that's probably all I can remember right now, if I'm honest. Despite favourite gen, Donphan has always been one of my favourites, randomly though. So I'm got I don't know, I think it just had a kind cool look to it. And now that it's got the Paradox forms, I'm pretty happy.

David Hernandez: 6:09

So is Don fan your favorite Pokemon?

Pokemon GO Brisbane: 6:11

Snorlax is probably my favourite, but that's from Kanto. But Donphan will probably be my favourite Johto Pokémon.

David Hernandez: 6:16

No. So let's come back to Pokemon Go. You know, you talked about how the game was released in 2016, you know, it's craze. How did you play the game? Like you were you into catching shiny hunting?

Pokemon GO Brisbane: 6:26

Yeah, I think at the time it was just catching. I lived a little bit out of the city in like the, in a different direction. So I didn't quite make it to South Bank all that often. And I would pretty much just play like after work or during, lunchtime break. And then once I moved closer to South Bank on the other side of the city, I definitely picked up in terms of, how much more I played because I would just go for the casual walk, around and catch.

David Hernandez: 6:48

How do you still play the game now? Do you, I mean, I know you mostly do community, but do you still like try to catch? Are you shiny hunting

Pokemon GO Brisbane: 6:53

my, my gameplay has definitely dropped a bit. I don't quite enjoy some parts of the game as anymore. I will generally have my Pokemon Go catching things. raiding, if I'm out, I'll do some raiding. And like a raid hour or raid event, I'll go out. But I generally won't do sort of day to day raids much anymore. Same with Team Go Rockets, I used to hunt them like crazy when they came out, but now I just don't see much interest in them outside of sort of a boosted event. so I generally prefer to play the events more than anything, specifically the weekend ones and sometimes the, Tuesday and Wednesday ones, but It's sort of a bit down. So, yeah, up and down per the year and what's going on. I really do like to grind new Pokémon when they come out, but unfortunately this year's been a bit quiet on them, outside of raids and eggs. So, yeah, that's been a bit disappointing, but still in it, still happy to keep playing, but, for now, not as much as I used to.

David Hernandez: 7:45

It sounds like the new Pokemon are kind of what motivates you to play the game.

Pokemon GO Brisbane: 7:49

Yeah, a little bit. I really like to grind a thousand candy when it releases. That's sort of like my mini gold that keeps me going for that week.

David Hernandez: 7:55

So whenever a Pokemon would drop outside of eggs and raids, of course. So just in the wild, you would literally go out and hunt them to try to get the thousand candy every

Pokemon GO Brisbane: 8:02

Yep, yep, pretty much. definitely if it was like a boosted rate. If it was a little bit, lacking, I'd be like, Oh, well, I'll give it a go. But yeah, something new and fresh, I'll be out there. before work, after work, during lunch, weekends if I can really grind in them. I do happen to live in quite a lucky spawn place, so I'm quite fortunate for that, at least. But yeah, that's my, that's one of my mini goals that keeps me going.

David Hernandez: 8:23

I'm guessing you would do like pineapps and silver pineapps as well

Pokemon GO Brisbane: 8:26

Yep. Yep. Definitely pi apps. Silver pin apps if it's like a little bit more rare or like chances are I'm like I'm probably not seeing this again for another year so let's get that done. But I'll mega revolve. definitely pin apping every chance I get.

David Hernandez: 8:39

I'm guessing silver pineapps would be like for the pseudo legendaries You think of like maybe Axew or Fridgeback is probably more recent stuff like

Pokemon GO Brisbane: 8:44

Yes. Yes. Frigibax and Jangmo mo a little bit.

David Hernandez: 8:48

Now would this also apply for well, I guess you don't raid anymore so this doesn't apply to raiding Pokemon like the legendary raids

Pokemon GO Brisbane: 8:54

no, not really, no. I mean, when a new one does come out, you know, I like to do a little bit, but I just sort of see it as like, oh, they'll be back and I'll have a raid day or there'll be some sort of, boosted raid session for them. but otherwise I don't, I don't worry about the candy for them. They'll come back.

David Hernandez: 9:10

So what's funny is, so I'm the opposite. I used to do the raids. I tried to get a thousand candy for each raid Pokemon.

Pokemon GO Brisbane: 9:16

Yep, yep.

David Hernandez: 9:17

yeah, now I wouldn't pay money for each one. Well, I pay money, but I would pay the money, but I would also use the rare candy that would come with it.

Pokemon GO Brisbane: 9:23

Yep, yep. I get you. Yep.

David Hernandez: 9:25

Have you ever thought about doing that for the XL candy as well, or is that too difficult? Mm hmm.

Pokemon GO Brisbane: 9:29

was definitely doing it quite a bit like when that sort of first release came out. Maybe like the first year I was sort like, Oh, I've got to get like 296 of this one before it disappears for the event. But I think now that it's sort of been out a while, it's just kind of like, it's just going to build up anyway. So, I'm not too stressed about that, but if it's something that has like some sort of PvP relevance or, raid relevance, I'll definitely give it a go, put that mega on, make sure I've got all my megas level 3 in case I never need them, but yeah, these days it's a little bit, not so much.

David Hernandez: 9:58

I did want to go off topic real quick before we get into the community, just real quick. So, the Pokemon Company just announced they're going to have a Pokemon Center in Australia. On a scale of 1 to 10, how excited are you that that's coming to Australia?

Pokemon GO Brisbane: 10:10

Ooh, like, oh, nine? I realise it's not a ten, but I do have quite good access to Japan, and I do try to go pretty frequently, so it's sort of like, well, it's nice to have it here anyway, but Japan is also pretty close, and they have a lot of cool stuff too, so, nine. Let's go with a nine.

David Hernandez: 10:28

A 9. Okay, are you going to go there the first day? Are you going to try to be one of the first people to go in there?

Pokemon GO Brisbane: 10:32

I think it's just online, I'm afraid. I think it's online store. Yeah, it's not physical.

David Hernandez: 10:37

Oh, I thought it was a physical store.

Pokemon GO Brisbane: 10:39

No, just online. So, still pretty cool. But, yeah, wait to see what the prices and availability are like.

David Hernandez: 10:45

Dang, Australia still gets the shaft, even from Pokemon Company.

Pokemon GO Brisbane: 10:47

Yes, that's true. But I do, I do like visiting Singapore and they have a physical store. So, that's pretty sweet, at least.

David Hernandez: 10:54

You've been listening to As the Pokeball Turns. We're going to take a quick break. We'll be right back. So, you know, going back to Pokemon Go and trying to build the community up.

Pokemon GO Brisbane: 12:12

I mean, I've been running our group for, gee, what is, what are we into now? Six, six years? Six, oh, seven years I think now. Um, and I started on Facebook, um, because

David Hernandez: 12:21

No, eight. We're going with eight. Okay.

Pokemon GO Brisbane: 12:23

oh, we're going to tell you. So I think I started around seven years ago or a little bit more, um, on Facebook. So I've helped build up the Facebook group there. And then obviously with Discord, becoming more popular, another member, Picked up on that and then, later last year we decided to sort of more combine our efforts sync our, announcements and discussions and pictures and whatnot. And so yeah, I think, once they announced it, I wasn't quite fully into it because, it was. related with Silph Road and I didn't really fancy that sort of system. the discord owner, Andrew picked it up and he eventually got on boarded earlier, in the year, last year as an ambassador. And then in November, last year, I was finally accepted as the second ambassador for a community. And from there, it's pretty much taken off, like crazy, you know, with COVID happening. Our messenger chats died off, group chats died off, rating kind of died off with our remote rating. But, ever since, you know, this year, like, every month is bigger than the last one. And I think, our recent one had over a hundred, attend our Southbank meetup, which is pretty crazy compared to even just a few months ago when it was probably, you know, you would always find people around, but people would just kind of stick to the little mini groups or, on their own, but now they come to our meetup. It's a big meetup, and kind of cool to see everyone come back together again, like, sort of that pre COVID time.

David Hernandez: 13:36

Do you feel like a lot of that's because of the Ambassador program?

Pokemon GO Brisbane: 13:39

Yeah, I mean, I think, a lot of our players previously played on their own, but then they just see this group of Pokemon players and like, well, I can join that too. and they know that, we're all there to play the same game. There's no discrimination. So, they just come along. They might hang around at the back of somewhere. and then next thing they know someone's talking to them about, what they've got. If they've got something. what shinies they've caught and they slowly start to integrate with the group a little bit more, which I've definitely noticed. and families who didn't even know there was a group out there to begin with suddenly walk past our group one day and go, hang on, what are you here for? And they're like, Oh, we're here for Pokemon Go. And you're like, what? That's still a thing. the next thing you know, they're coming with next, next meetup, they come with, just two of them. And the next meetup after that, it's the family of them. So it's like, Oh, that's so heartwarming.

David Hernandez: 14:19

What kind of stuff do y'all do to do the community days? Like, do y'all do like raffles or contests

Pokemon GO Brisbane: 14:23

Yeah. So. It sort of varies a little bit, so most standard comm days will have like a trivia. So another member will do is sort of like 10 questions or 15 questions. He may split it up into like teams, so Valor, Mystic and Instinct, but that sort of depends on the day and what's going on. previously I've run like a mini sort of Almost a treasure hunt, I think I've called it, where they basically get a list of tasks they have to go and have to do. So they might be like, trade with somebody, go and get a, um, AR snapshot with pool Pokemon or something, or beach Pokemon. just little things like that that get them having to interact with others and also have to explore the park a little bit. And then basically, um, I had sort of like three tiers, so Pokeball tier, Great Ball tier, Ultra Ball tier, and basically if they did a tier, they got a prize. So I've been buying up prizes like, sort of like Pokemon related cards or items, cups, mugs, stickers, things like that. so that was one event I ran a few months ago, which I'm currently hoping to do again soon. I've got a bunch of, stuff I need to give away. But yeah, that's, what I really enjoy is, finding ways to make people come together and do little things. And then, we have more people now, I've been experimenting sort of like little lucky bags, so they might get like a code card, or like a little keychain that we get or, some sort of like team wristbands or stickers or something. I sort of got a couple ideas in my head, in terms of what else give away, but slowly getting there. So yeah, I'm pretty excited what the future will hold, for our community.

David Hernandez: 15:42

You mentioned earlier how, you know, as a community ambassador, one of the things you enjoy doing is bringing people together. Is that kind of your favorite thing to do and why you do what you do?

Pokemon GO Brisbane: 15:50

yes, definitely, especially after building my community on Facebook for, you know, seven or so years, now bringing those, together and, you know, we're all there to play together. I think that's the best part, seeing, players play for the first time, you know, showing me what they've just caught, what shiny they just got, you know, we all started that at that point too. So it's just, that's what keeps me going.

David Hernandez: 16:11

And it's kind of cool to see how the different stuff you give to people and how it kind of does bring people together. We're starting over here, trying to build that stuff up. And we're start with a little wristband here and people so excited for it. It's like, really? just a wristband, but they like it. They're looking forward to it. So it kind of gets me pumped up too.

Pokemon GO Brisbane: 16:27

Yes, definitely. I hear that.

David Hernandez: 16:29

Well, you know, for those who may be on the outside looking in, you know, they're trying to build the community. They're trying to kind of, you know, bring people together. What advice would you give them?

Pokemon GO Brisbane: 16:37

I would say probably don't press them too hard because they'll come together at some point. make sure you, as they come to each meetup, say, hey, how they're going, what they, like about the community, what they like about Pokemon, and just sort of help them naturally integrate with the group. But definitely don't go too hard on them at the start. But I think, if you can keep your consistency in running events, they'll eventually come out and, play and it will just build from there, no doubt.

David Hernandez: 17:01

Thank you for listening to As the Pokeball Turns. If you want to support the show, consider becoming a Patreon by either clicking the link in the description or going to patreon. com slash as the pokeball turns. Now, if you aren't able to support the show financially, you can always support the show by sharing it with your Pokemon community, because this show wouldn't exist without listeners like you. Now, here's a sneak peek for the next episode of As the Pokeball Turns.