Pokemon GO AR+ Mode Now Live, Introduces Significant Changes
Niantic is releasing an upgraded version of augmented reality for Pokemon Go: Pokemon Go AR+. What this new version of AR aims to do is deliver an even more immersive experience. You’ll be able to approach Pokemon and see how big they really are. However, you’ll have to be careful, lest you scare them away!
Niantic has released the new, upgraded mode for Pokemon Go AR, called simply AR+. The upgrade piggybacks off of Apple’s ARKit framework to deliver a more immersive experience for trainers. Unfortunately for some, AR+ will only be coming to the iOS version of the app. You’ll need to be running iOS 11 on an iPhone 6 or a newer model. Personally, I enjoy Pokemon GO much more with the AR off. If you like Pokemon Go AR, and own an iPhone 6 or better, you’re probably gonna love this. Let’s get into what Pokemon GO AR+ is bringing to the table, as detailed in the announcement.
The first big change is scale. As the post says, Pokemon will now be fixed in a point in space. This means that you’ll be able to approach a Pokemon up close, and get a better idea of their actual size. Sounds interesting. Next up, AR+ is going to introduce the Awareness Meter for the Pokemon, in the form of an exclamation mark in a speech bubble. In other words, you’ll have to sneak up to them in order to capture them, or attempt from further away If the Pokemon becomes aware of you, it’ll run away. When that happens, you can tap the tall grass nearby, and the Pokemon might reappear. Then again, it may not.
Lastly, there’s the Expert Handler bonus. Basically, to have the biggest chances of scoring Great and Excellent Throws, you’ll have to sneak closer to the Pokemon you’re trying to catch. That’s where the Expert Handler bonus comes in. The post doesn’t detail exactly how to get it, but one assumes it has something to do with sneaking up to the Pokemon as close as possible.
