[UPDATE] Pokémon GO Fest

[jasenyoface]

 

 

Pokémon GO Fest is due to begin today, July 22, 2017, at 10am, CDT and will wrap-up at 7pm.  This event is the most
anticipated one to happen since Pokémon Go’s launch, which was just over a year ago.  There is so much hype behind GO Fest
because we could potentially encounter and catch the first Legendary Pokémon in Pokémon GO.  It will require teamwork
from Trainers all across the World and especially from those attending the localized event in Chicago’s Grant Park for a
successful outcome.

There are three phases to this event.  During Phase 1: Catch Challenge, there will be three Challenge Windows.
The first will be at 11am-11:30am, and then 1pm-1:30pm and finally 3pm-3:30pm.  Within these Challenge Windows,
Trainers in attendance at Grant park will try to catch specific Pokémon-types (e.g., Fire, Water, Grass, Electric) in order
to unlock special perks for everyone else that is concurrently catching as many Pokémon as possible around the global.
The in-game perks vary from an extra Candy bonus, XP bonus, Stardust bonus, faster egg hatching and so on.

 

Overall, the goal is to catch as many Pokémon as humanly possible within the Challenge Windows for two reasons.
One, is to increase the duration of these perks; a Bronze Reward will extend a perks duration by 24 hours and a Silver Reward
will extend a perks duration by 48 hours. The second and most important reason to participate is to collectively catch
enough Pokémon to receive the Gold Reward.  If Gold tier is achieved, it will unlock Phase 2: Mystery Challenge, in Grant Park.

 

After a successful Phase 1, a heavy burden will then fall upon the Trainers in Grant Park. From 6pm to 7pm CDT a new
Challenge Window will open causing a Legendary Pokémon to spawn in the game’s first ever Legendary Raid Battle.
If the Trainers actually defeat the Legendary Pokémon, the rest of the world will be rewarded with Phase 3: Global Reward.
Legendary Raids will begin popping up worldwide the day after Pokémon GO Fest.  Sources say that the Global Reward
Challenge Window will be from July 23 to July 24, 2017.

 

Also:

Quote

Trainers everywhere can tune in to watch the action taking place in Grant Park live and join in the conversation using #PokemonGOFest on social media. Follow the official livestream on Twitch or YouTube for the latest news coming out of Pokémon GO Fest including Challenge Window updates, exclusive interviews, and the reveal of the first Legendary Pokémon!

—The Pokémon GO team

 

---

Source: pokemongolive.com

Update: Words from Niantic regarding today's "technical issues"

Quote

Today at Pokémon GO Fest in Chicago, technical issues created problems for a large number of players attending the event. From everyone at Niantic, we apologize to all of the Trainers who came out to Pokémon GO Fest today. Although we were able to solve many of the technical issues, we were not able to offer every attendee a great experience.

Niantic is taking the following steps immediately:

• All registered attendees will soon receive an email with instructions on how to receive a full refund for the cost of their ticket. These instructions will be sent to the email addresses associated with your Pokémon GO account.
• All registered attendees will receive $100 in PokéCoins in their Pokémon GO account.
• Special Pokémon, Eggs, and check-in PokéStops appearing during Pokémon GO Fest have had their range increased to a two mile radius surrounding Grant Park through Monday morning, July 24. These Pokémon and Eggs will only be visible to Pokémon GO Fest attendees who validated the QR code they received when they entered Pokémon GO Fest. Attendees who were unable to validate their QR code during the event can do so through the special PokéStops through Monday morning.
• All registered attendees will have the Legendary Pokémon, Lugia, added to their account.

We appreciate the patience of all the Trainers who joined us in Chicago this weekend. We will strive to make sure our experiences are of the highest quality going forward.

—The Pokémon GO team

 

 

Edited July 27, 2017 by evandixon
Added update to body

[jasenyoface]

Apparently, this event is’nt going so well.  Lots of sever issues. 

Equals

 

[wrathsoffire76]

2 minutes ago, jasenyoface said:

Apparently, this event is’nt going so well.  Lots of sever issues. 

Equals

 

 

Wasn't it that people had to pay to get in to this? Very unfortunate.

[theSLAYER]

I've been reading about it on twitter.
 

Too many people in a small area trying to connect to data, what did they think would happen. LOL

[Ruby Genseki]

Hm. I just read participants will get their money back plus 100 PokéCoins.

I'd want the money I wasted in the bus to get there as well.

[jasenyoface]

1 hour ago, theSLAYER said:

Too many people in a small area trying to connect to data, what did they think would happen. LOL

 I bet they forgot about bots and spoofers XD

[Holla!]

39 minutes ago, jasenyoface said:

 I bet they forgot about bots and spoofers XD

 

I don't play the game anymore, but is this still an issue?

[theSLAYER]

They actually handled bots and spoofers pretty well.

Apparently, the pokestops & gyms in the area, for the event, requires users to scan a unique QR code, before it can be accessed.
(I think the QR code is tied to your ticket or something)

Spoofing would only be a problem if you get your ticket, go to the nearest Starbucks, sit there and use their Wifi
(which would have been a smart way to avoid the data congestion problem)

[jasenyoface]

41 minutes ago, theSLAYER said:

Apparently, the pokestops & gyms in the area, for the event, requires users to scan a unique QR code, before it can be accessed.
(I think the QR code is tied to your ticket or something)

Spot on!  When tapped, certain Pokéstops would display the Pokémon GO Fest emblem.  Spinning those specific stops would prompt you to scan the QR code or manually enter the code.
I believe that if you paid to attend the event, you were awarded a Legendary Raid Pass upon spinning and scanning the special Pokéstops.  Perhaps, even activating the increased spawn rates/rarities too.  

 

[theSLAYER]

WHOOO! I managed to catch an Articuno in my Neighbourhood!

[jasenyoface]

Pinap Berry plus this candy boost perk = omg! haha

Were all the perks activated?

Edit: Incubators are (x0.33). Buddy distance is shortened also. My buddy, Geodude only requires 0.03km, normally 1km for it's class.

[jasenyoface]

1 hour ago, theSLAYER said:

WHOOO! I managed to catch an Articuno in my Neighbourhood!

 

Hardest Raid ever!

[theSLAYER]

7 minutes ago, jasenyoface said:

 

Hardest Raid ever!

 HOLY CONGRATS!

I WANT ONE TOO,  but I gotta wait till tomorrow

I tried catching Articuno for my sister, but her level is low, so she didn't get much Premier balls (it was a struggle to just stay in battle).
Also she didn't do raids, so pretty much used up the Golden Razz berries T.T

Favorite it, so we won't release it by accident!

edit:
for bragging rights, here's mine:

[jasenyoface]

8 minutes ago, theSLAYER said:

 HOLY CONGRATS!

I WANT ONE TOO,  but I gotta wait till tomorrow

I tried catching Articuno for my sister, but her level is low, so she didn't get much Premier balls (it was a struggle to just stay in battle).
Also she didn't do raids, so pretty much used up the Golden Razz berries T.T

 

Today, I said f it and bought a "Special Box", just for the Raid Passes.  Gains - Lugia, Gengar, Arcanine, and Laparas. Fails - Executor. I was the only one in that battle "(

Edit: Thanks and congrats to you!

[wrathsoffire76]

$100 in PokéCoins? I misread that somewhere as 100 PokéCoins.

[jasenyoface]

16 hours ago, theSLAYER said:

WHOOO! I managed to catch an Articuno in my Neighbourhood!

I failed miserably with Articuno.  Now I’m scrambling around trying to find revives before it goes away! 

 

15 hours ago, jasenyoface said:

 

Hardest Raid ever!

This ^^^ is the second hardest now

[theSLAYER]

55 minutes ago, jasenyoface said:

I failed miserably with Articuno.  Now I’m scrambling around trying to find revives before it goes away! 

 

This ^^^ is the second hardest now

 

I used 100 Pokecoins, got a Premium Raid pass, to attack the Lugia, but couldn't catch it T.T

Its like our luck are reversed.

[jasenyoface]

@theSLAYER Congrats! XD

[theSLAYER]

@jasenyoface yes yes, I finally caught it today!

I will still continue to farm for em, since they're stronger, and may have base STATs capped to a minimum value (the lowest individual stat I've seen between to two of them, is 11).

Also, pokemongohub data mining showed that Shiny Pokedex sprites were in the data.

so far, the only Pokemon that has that, are the ones that can be found shiny.

 

maybe the legendaries can be encountered shiny!

[InsaneNutter]

Someone from the Facebook group for Pokemon Go in my town went halfway around the world to attend this event. I've attached any non identifiable screenshots and photos that were shared, I imagine in years to come such images might be difficult to find info from this event. Apparently Unown spawned quite frequently and you could spell Chicago with the ones which spawned.

Spoiler

 

Edited July 24, 2017 by jasenyoface
Mod Edit: put images in spoiler

[wrathsoffire76]

I wish you put those pictures in a Quote box, it takes ages to scroll

[jasenyoface]

5 minutes ago, wrathsoffire76 said:

I wish you put those pictures in a Quote box, it takes ages to scroll

Done