It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 3:00 pm



This topic is locked, you cannot edit posts or make further replies.  [ 28 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next
 Pokéwalker Ethics, among other things 
Author Message
Pokemon Trainer
Pokemon Trainer
User avatar

Joined: Mon Nov 16, 2009 6:54 pm
Posts: 38
Location: Born in Kanto, schooled in Johto, settled in Hoenn
Hey guys!

What's your viewpoint on "cheating" the pokéwalker? I feel that if you have the means to be more efficient, then why not? Sure, it's intended to get people fit...but if you're already fit and work out/play a sport every day (as I do), why bother taking the chance of losing the pokéwalker during said activity?

I've built myself a simple rig that gets 2 steps per second by getting a tiny motor, attaching a propeller (I had one lying around, it's about 3.5 inches in diameter), and tying a dismembered headphone's earbud to a propeller. Then I turned it upside down, to minimize the force needed from the motor to spin the pokéwalker (Right round, like a record baby, right round right round~). To finish it off, I added a pillow so the pokéwalker hits that during its circular path (because just attaching it to a motor would mean one constant force inwards, which would gain no steps at all. It would be the same as leaving the pokéwalker on a table all day). When the pokéwalker hits the pillow, it gets an additional force that jars it, and it counts that as a step. A pillow is also quiet so the rig can be left out overnight. I first powered it with a 9v battery, but those ran dry after one night, so I replaced the battery with a constant power source: I used an old cell phone charger, (with the thing that attaches to the phone that looks like this http://img.elec66.com/photo/offer/5200/big-cell-phone-charger.jpg), and that supplies 10-12 volts.

See, after my friends heard about this (after seeing my pokéwalker have 43,000 steps at 6 in the morning), we launched into a debate about the ethics of cheating the pokéwalker.

~PowerPeanut

PS: Why was I awake at 6:00 AM, you ask? For me, it's unusual (especially during the summer) to be awake before noon. I had pulled an all-nighter, and I had planned to meet my friends that morning.

EDIT: Since this topic is facing failure, I'll widen the parameters of my inquiry:
-How many steps do YOU average per day?
-Do you have any interesting stories on your experiences with the pokéwalker?
-Did you find the tamagotchi-esque peripheral any use?
-What's your overall strategy for finding items?
-What about for finding pokémon?

_________________
I play Pokémon. I like physics.


Last edited by PowerPeanut on Sat Jul 10, 2010 8:05 pm, edited 2 times in total.



Thu Jul 01, 2010 7:58 am
Profile
Bug Catcher
Bug Catcher
User avatar

Joined: Sat Mar 17, 2007 4:42 pm
Posts: 12
Location: somewhere probably...
i dont think its cheating. how else are we supposed to get 10k steps in ONE day!
we'd be walking from dawn into the late night hours! and even then we'd have to sit there and try to catch the little boogers before midnight when the steps reset! x.x
although, its totally fun to carry it with you :3
i like having my pokemon with me during my days ^^

_________________
Image


Thu Jul 01, 2010 9:05 am
Profile YIM
Pokemon Ranger
Pokemon Ranger
User avatar

Joined: Wed Jul 08, 2009 8:50 am
Posts: 889
Location: Nova Scotia. Yeah, It exists.
I usually get 14000 steps everyday. You must just be really lazy pomnabo. I don't think it's good to cheat, but o a pokemon walker, I don't care. I just give it to a friend and tell him to shake it for me, unless I actually go for walks, I which case I get a lot of steps.

_________________
[img]http://i43.tinypic.com/15p4jle.png[/img]
FC: Ryan 1462-9617-6058
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cmq4lPe6KoI
friends FC black:0261 0441 3891


Thu Jul 01, 2010 9:16 am
Profile
Pokemon Trainer
Pokemon Trainer
User avatar

Joined: Mon Nov 16, 2009 6:54 pm
Posts: 38
Location: Born in Kanto, schooled in Johto, settled in Hoenn
Getting 10k steps a day (after a quick google search) is recommended for most people, apparently... My step count per day varies around 11k (those days I go to the gym) and as much as 18k (those days I play tennis), and I do one or the other each day.

Oh, I forgot to mention:
-The Pokéwalker is ingeniously designed, because just shaking it like you would a regular pedometer doesn't work. It doesn't have the small ball bearing (or a pendulum) that makes a connection as most pedometers do, otherwise it'd make an annoying clicking sound every time you take a step. I haven't taken apart my pokewalker yet, but I *think* it uses a small magnet that moves in and out of a solenoid, inducing a current. I'm not sure though.
-About 2000 steps is a mile for the average person, and said person can walk a mile in 15 minutes.

_________________
I play Pokémon. I like physics.


Thu Jul 01, 2010 10:12 am
Profile
Pokemon Master
Pokemon Master
User avatar

Joined: Mon May 03, 2010 5:43 pm
Posts: 1312
pomnabo wrote:
how else are we supposed to get 10k steps in ONE day!

you walk, no offense....
P_P, you've got this figured out.... i was thinking about making a rig, but i honestly just don't care enough about the pw to actually take the time to make one.... plus i play diamond more. and i noticed the thing about the pw not working by shaking it :frustration: but for some reason, mine racks up steps twice as fast (i.e., instead of 2500, it puts 5000) i think this could be to account for both legs, but i'm not sure if it's just me, just me being stupid, or the pokewalker actually counting funny....

_________________
Image


Thu Jul 01, 2010 1:10 pm
Profile
Dragon Tamer
Dragon Tamer
User avatar

Joined: Thu Feb 25, 2010 6:38 pm
Posts: 164
I pretty easily get 10k+ steps a day w/ pokewalker but only when i work. The only times i ven ever tried cheating it were some days i wasnt. Ive tried shaking it tapping a desk, and " the dog method" which i dont recomend because your dog could: A. Eat it, B. Step on it/ carry it into thewoods or C. bury it in the dirt outside, it would probably make more sense if you put it on a cat collar, but some if not most cats are very lazy and wont walk with it, or an inside only dog. i havent tried the washing machine or taping it to a fan yet but i want to. I have no problem waking with them at work or something, but at home they are useless, so i might try taping it to a washing machine and see if its more effective than walking, i think its better to walk with it mainly and " supplement it" by cheating the walker, but thats just me. i find the thing immensely useful for getting rare items and Pokemon, in HeartGold i already have Clefairy, and ive barely started the game, today I got a Blue and Yellow shard, and a Rare Bone, so im mainly using the walker in HG to get a ton of pokemon before I've made it to Violet City

_________________
I am a shiny collector.
I have many shinies that are too may to list here

Current Shiny Projects: {tepig} {eevee} {foongus}


Fri Jul 02, 2010 7:49 pm
Profile
Dragon Tamer
Dragon Tamer
User avatar

Joined: Thu Apr 15, 2010 9:34 am
Posts: 226
Location: Arizona, USA
Having learned a little bit about inertial navigation systems while I was in the Navy, I would say that the Pokéwalker probably uses a solid-state or piezoelectric accelerometer. These would sense the acceleration/deceleration the Pokéwalker undergoes while you walk.

As for "cheating" with it . . . well, the only person you're really cheating is yourself I suspect. As for me, since my work has me mostly sitting for 8 hours (sometimes up to 12 hours) a day, I have a bit of trouble getting it up past about 5000 on a normal work day. Though I do more if I'm out & about on my weekend. I had thought of attaching it to my dog's collar - but I think she'd tend to pull it off and eat it. LOL

And no, simply "shaking" it doesn't seem to work for me either. However, if you hold it and kind of swing it (simulating your thigh movement during walking) it does register "steps".

_________________
Yes ... I'm 55 years old and only began playing Pokémon in '09. I may have to grow old, but I do NOT have to grow up!

3DS FC (Y and X): 0834-1199-3647

See my photos and paintings on deviantArt at: http://barn0wl.deviantart.com/

MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/grumpydispatcher

FaceBook: http://www.facebook.com/FlagBarnOwl

"FlagBarn0wl" Blog: http://flagbarnowl.blogspot.com/


Sat Jul 03, 2010 6:52 pm
Profile
Lite Four
Lite Four
User avatar

Joined: Sun May 29, 2005 6:21 pm
Posts: 3471
pomnabo wrote:
i dont think its cheating. how else are we supposed to get 10k steps in ONE day!
we'd be walking from dawn into the late night hours! and even then we'd have to sit there and try to catch the little boogers before midnight when the steps reset! x.x
although, its totally fun to carry it with you :3
i like having my pokemon with me during my days ^^


Before I lost my Pokewalker I averaged at least 25k steps per day. This was all from daily life too, not taking random walks to increase the counter.

I don't have anything against "cheating" with the Pokewalker, but if someone can't walk at least 10k steps a few days a week I...feel sorry for them. Really, it's not hard to walk around and function. Pretty much everyone I've talked to with a Pokewalker was amazed at how many steps they took every day.

Does anyone remember Pikachu 2 GS? I still have mine somewhere; it was basically a Pokewalker with Pikachu only and he couldn't be transferred off. I remember getting it for my birthday one year and shaking it and the step counter would go up. It was really weird, when you shake it you could feel something rattling around inside!

_________________
Image


Sun Jul 04, 2010 3:55 pm
Profile WWW
Ace Trainer
Ace Trainer
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jun 29, 2010 2:26 am
Posts: 281
Location: A blue police box somewhere near the Medusa Cascade
I just keep mine in my pocket as I walk around in the daytime, transfer it from pants pocket to pants pocket depending on what I'm wearing. Don't really have anything against people "cheating" with the walker, but it's just how you play I guess...

A friend of mine actually did attach it to his dog's collar because his dog is really hyperactive... he ended up with like 50k steps from the dog running all over the backyard, lol.

_________________
Image


Sun Jul 04, 2010 7:00 pm
Profile
Pokemon Master
Pokemon Master
User avatar

Joined: Mon May 03, 2010 5:43 pm
Posts: 1312
Krisp wrote:
Does anyone remember Pikachu 2 GS? I still have mine somewhere; it was basically a Pokewalker with Pikachu only and he couldn't be transferred off. I remember getting it for my birthday one year and shaking it and the step counter would go up. It was really weird, when you shake it you could feel something rattling around inside!

yes!!! i got one for my birthday when i was in like kindergarten (what, so i'm a bit young). i never could navigate it very well, tho, due to the fact that i had little idea on how it worked. i just played games like the slots on it a lot (this is that one, right??). eventually, i didn't play with it a lot, so the poor pikachu wound up hating me. after that, i couldn't get it to do anything even when i tried, so i just pretty much gave up on it altogether....

_________________
Image


Sun Jul 04, 2010 7:39 pm
Profile
Bug Catcher
Bug Catcher
User avatar

Joined: Sat Oct 28, 2006 11:25 am
Posts: 22
Location: Washington
Cheating isn't wrong, imo, because it takes being crafty to do it. Its either go for a walk and get exercise or be creative and intelligent - both of which are pretty important things in life.

The set-up described in the OP is pretty cool. haha

But yeah, I just go for a couple walks, which admittedly lasted an hour or two [but they were slow lazy walks] and I got about 900 watts. So it definitely doesn't take anything drastic to rack up the points.

_________________
-Cirque
Soul Silver [1376 - 9467 - 2558]

Image


Tue Jul 06, 2010 3:35 pm
Profile WWW
Pokemon Ranger
Pokemon Ranger
User avatar

Joined: Mon Jan 11, 2010 10:51 pm
Posts: 617
Location: hiding in my hoenn secret base
i havent bothered to unpack mine from the wrapping becaUSE i see no need to.

_________________
Veni Vidi Vici



I post AoE 3 on YouTube. Look up BigThunderMan.


Tue Jul 06, 2010 9:59 pm
Profile
Psychic Trainer
Psychic Trainer
User avatar

Joined: Thu Mar 11, 2010 1:50 pm
Posts: 57
Location: noitacoL
I don't cheat it, partially because I like to see how I've been doing in a day.

I average 4000 steps on a moderate day, but if I spend an hour outside I can get up to 10,000 steps per day.

_________________
Image

Shameless Self Advertisement?


Fri Jul 09, 2010 4:17 pm
Profile
Ace Trainer
Ace Trainer
User avatar

Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2009 8:30 am
Posts: 308
I was doing about 12K steps a day, just from my training. haven't been doing much the past month or so due to an injury tho. I'm just starting up my training again, it'll be a while before I can hunt my fly-chus again >.<
i guess i dont really care if people cheat, but i tend not to. i find its less fun if you cheat.

_________________
Heart Gold FC: Paz - 3739 3468 9193
White FC: Sandra - 3095 7612 5390


Tue Jul 13, 2010 7:32 am
Profile
Dragon Tamer
Dragon Tamer
User avatar

Joined: Thu Feb 25, 2010 6:38 pm
Posts: 164
has anybody ever noticed when you are walking with more than 1 pokewalker that the step counts are different. Ive notice that when i walk with both of them my step counts are off by like 100 sometimes

_________________
I am a shiny collector.
I have many shinies that are too may to list here

Current Shiny Projects: {tepig} {eevee} {foongus}


Mon Jul 19, 2010 6:00 pm
Profile
Dragon Tamer
Dragon Tamer
User avatar

Joined: Fri Dec 07, 2007 3:25 pm
Posts: 211
Location: Orre
I've heard a few ways to cheat...

I've heard setting it on a turntable works (which supports the accelerometer theory, and would imply that you do not need the pillow PP, probably just need to slow the blade down a bit)

While i haven't tested that, i have put mine in my son's thomas train set.

Another way similar but (somewhat) safer way than the dog method is the small child method... they take more steps to walk the same distance, and are less likely to just sit around. Just tell them they'll get points for walking, but they have to leave it in their pocket. lol

I am in line with most people here in saying that living life (and working) should get you a lot of steps quickly (i average around 20,000 steps when i work)

does anyone else hate yellow forest... it took 3 days to get all the pokes from winner's path... still can't get a flying pikachu, even on my 30k-40k days with an electric on there

_________________
Image


Fri Jul 30, 2010 6:32 pm
Profile YIM
Dragon Tamer
Dragon Tamer
User avatar

Joined: Fri Jul 16, 2010 4:55 pm
Posts: 192
I found the yellow forest annoying because I now have far too many regular Pikachus and only one flying one (now a Raichu which later became my HM slave)...

_________________
Image Image Image

I completed the Nuzlocke Challenge,give it a go!
FC (Rackham): 2751 3755 8475 (HG)


Mon Aug 02, 2010 9:55 am
Profile
Ace Trainer
Ace Trainer
User avatar

Joined: Mon Aug 24, 2009 8:45 am
Posts: 370
Location: United States
Actually, circular motion seems to work. I tied a string to mine and sit at my desk and swing it around. In ten solid minutes I've gotten 1000 steps. It takes lees to remember to do it than to sit there and shake your arm for an hour of watching tv or putting it on your sock. Since I bounce both feet, I always seem to bounce the one that doesn't have the little guy on it.

_________________
Check out my Gen IV -- Trading and Breeding Shop where you can get special breed requests or just pick something out of the ever growing list!
~DeviantART Account~Dapple - Art Portfolio~Tegaki-E 1~Tegaki-E 2~
"I believe in angels. The ones heaven sends. I'm surrounded by them every day, but I just call them friends."


Wed Aug 04, 2010 1:40 pm
Profile WWW
Psychic Trainer
Psychic Trainer
User avatar

Joined: Wed Apr 08, 2009 7:45 pm
Posts: 83
Quite frankly the point of it is to walk. I don't reach 10000 steps daily but on certain days, like the ones you go walking in a park or going on a photo run as I have frequently done, I have gotten to 15k. though i have noticed the technology is highly imperfect being that going over a speed while bump sitting in car can set the thing off.

If it cheating to use other methods yes and no. You still have just as much chance, no more or less, to get the pokemon as any one else, you just wont have gotten the exercise.

_________________
"I am neither of the light nor the dark that's what makes me unpredictable"


Fri Aug 06, 2010 7:54 pm
Profile
Bug Catcher
Bug Catcher
User avatar

Joined: Fri Aug 06, 2010 8:31 am
Posts: 2
Location: Longmont, CO
I can easily average 10k steps at work... I'm constantly walking or sometimes just pacing, easy as pie.

@AlphaArcheus: I've noticed that myself, although I don't pay much attention to it, as you can only get the steps off your primary one anyway (the one you first registered to the game) The second one I have only gives me Watts/Pokemon/items, no steps. Probably the positioning of them has something to do with it.
I keep finding WAY too many Goldeems on my second one, since only one Pokemon can be out at a time, something has to join me on the second.

_________________
SoulSilver Friend Code: 4856-1160-7882
Platinum Friend Code: 1033-5913-2996


Sat Aug 07, 2010 10:38 pm
Profile
Bug Catcher
Bug Catcher

Joined: Mon Aug 09, 2010 3:59 pm
Posts: 24
I'm thinking of making a fan rig to get lots of steps cause my dad has 3 9v batteries directed to one epic source being charged by 3 9v chargers


Mon Aug 30, 2010 8:59 am
Profile
Pokemon Trainer
Pokemon Trainer
User avatar

Joined: Sat Aug 07, 2010 2:40 pm
Posts: 25
Location: On the Back of Lugia~!
I think the pokewalker is a very important item if you want to complete your pokedex before trading to get the ones you don't have. I don't trade until I have tried every other way to get the pokemon in the game. Some pokemon you can only get on the pokewalker would be....

{skitty} {delcatty}
{carvanha} {sharpedo}
{wailmer} {wailord}
{feebas} {milotic}
{castform} {kecleon}
{tropius} {snorunt}
{glalie} {shellos}
{gastrodon} {spiritomb}
{finneon} {lumineon}
{snover} {abomasnow}
{froslass}

_________________
Love Can Not Be Measured.


Mon Aug 30, 2010 3:37 pm
Profile
Bug Catcher
Bug Catcher

Joined: Wed Aug 11, 2010 5:51 pm
Posts: 23
freezdeath has a point. there are many pokemon you can only get in the pokewalker/ find late in the game without it.

i used to use my pokewalker once or twice, got tons of steps, and now its sitting forgetten somewhere. . . . but its really not that hard to rack up steps.


Sat Sep 04, 2010 11:54 am
Profile
Dragon Tamer
Dragon Tamer
User avatar

Joined: Fri May 09, 2008 7:48 am
Posts: 111
Location: Right behind you. BOO!
When I had stuff to do over the summer, I got about 18000 steps a day, but even on my days off, when I don't leave the house and do almost nothing inside the house I'd get about 3000 steps, just from doing things like going to the bathroom or getting food etc etc.

My friend usually shakes hers.
I can't be bothered to shake mine, that seems far more bothersome than walking.

xox

_________________
Image


Wed Sep 08, 2010 10:50 am
Profile
Bug Catcher
Bug Catcher

Joined: Wed Sep 29, 2010 8:33 pm
Posts: 1
I don't think there's anything wrong with "cheating" (if you want to call it that). Some people don't have the time/ability to actually walk to gain the steps. I shake/swing/whatever mine, because I would hardly get any steps if I didn't (I think I get maybe 1500 at most a day going about my usual tasks and that's on a good day); I'm at a computer for a minimum of 10 hours a day during the week for work and due to a bad knee injury a couple months ago, I can't walk around a whole lot without pain/muscle spasms/my knee locking up. For the foreseeable future, exercise is out of the question.

*shrug* I'd be more than happy to actually walk if I could, personally, but that's just me. That rig is a really cool idea, though...


Fri Oct 01, 2010 10:23 am
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
This topic is locked, you cannot edit posts or make further replies.   [ 28 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 29 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Jump to:  
cron
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group
Designed by STSoftware for PTF.