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[Izayoi]

I got Zekrom with that QR code posted earlier, and... He's the grey shiny version. Does everyone who scans that QR code get Shiny Zekrom?

I think it's just the texture that makes him look that way. Everyone has received the same one, so yeah.

Got Whimsicott finally too. You can tell a fuckload of work went into this. The animations are really great, and incredibly smooth. The models are very detailed. I'm impressed.

 

[CornBurrito]

Doing the trick to get all of them now.

Is the trick just changing your DS date back and forth?

 

[Izayoi]

Is the trick just changing your DS date back and forth?

Change the clock ahead one day, get your three Pokemon for that day, rinse and repeat.

 

[Wichu]

I was bored, so I reverse-engineered the AR marker encoding. I made an Excel spreadsheet that generates the AR marker for any Pokémon (including ones not in the Pokédex app yet).

XLSX download
XLS download

I made it using Excel 2008 for Mac, but it should work with any version of Excel. Just select a Pokémon from the drop-down menu (or type its name in the box), and it will display the marker.

Pokémon before Victini and after Kyurem won't work (they're not programmed in to the Pokédex), but I'm fairly certain their codes will work once they're added. Also, I haven't checked the order of the alternate forms, so they might be a bit off.

If you want to know how it works, the marker encodes a 10-bit number (0 - 1023). The lower 9 bits are encoded around the outside, using white as a 1 and black as a 0 - starting from the lower left and going anticlockwise, the bit order is 036147258 (i.e. corners first, then anticlockwise from the corner pixel). The last 3 pixels of the outside are checksums (for each group of 3 bits in the 9 encoded bits). The inner 4 pixels take 1 of 2 possible configurations depending on the 10th bit of the number (bit 9); the middle lower left is always white, and the middle upper right is always black. I assume the lower right encodes the bit, and the upper left is a checksum, but I'm not certain (there is no need to encode an 11th or 12th bit, as there are only 728 Pokémon/forms).
The base form of each species is encoded by its national dex number - 1 (from 0: Bulbasaur to 648: Genesect). Alternate forms follow (from 649: Unown B to 724: some form of Genesect), and finally, the 5th gen gender 'alternate forms' (725: Unfezant, 726: Frillish, 727: Jellicent). The numbering works out exactly.

As a final note, has anyone noticed that the backgrounds of the stickers all depict the same AR code (rather than that of the Pokémon on the sticker)? Try drawing/printing the code and scanning it in!

If you can't be bothered, it's

Spoiler

Victini's code

 

[Izayoi]

That's fucking incredible. Well done!

 

[Wichu]

Also, the fact that there is exactly enough space for all the older Pokémon (as well as the 5th gen events), including alternate forms, suggests that it will eventually be updated with them. That will be pretty awesome; all it will need then is accurate stats for Pokémon (Nintendo's 'official' stats don't actually correspond to in-game stats).

 

[hirokazu]

I was bored, so I reverse-engineered the AR marker encoding. I made an Excel spreadsheet that generates the AR marker for any Pokémon (including ones not in the Pokédex app yet).

XLSX download
XLS download

I made it using Excel 2008 for Mac, but it should work with any version of Excel. Just select a Pokémon from the drop-down menu (or type its name in the box), and it will display the marker.

Pokémon before Victini and after Kyurem won't work (they're not programmed in to the Pokédex), but I'm fairly certain their codes will work once they're added. Also, I haven't checked the order of the alternate forms, so they might be a bit off.

If you want to know how it works, the marker encodes a 10-bit number (0 - 1023). The lower 9 bits are encoded around the outside, using white as a 1 and black as a 0 - starting from the lower left and going anticlockwise, the bit order is 036147258 (i.e. corners first, then anticlockwise from the corner pixel). The last 3 pixels of the outside are checksums (for each group of 3 bits in the 9 encoded bits). The inner 4 pixels take 1 of 2 possible configurations depending on the 10th bit of the number (bit 9); the middle lower left is always white, and the middle upper right is always black. I assume the lower right encodes the bit, and the upper left is a checksum, but I'm not certain (there is no need to encode an 11th or 12th bit, as there are only 728 Pokémon/forms).
The base form of each species is encoded by its national dex number - 1 (from 0: Bulbasaur to 648: Genesect). Alternate forms follow (from 649: Unown B to 724: some form of Genesect), and finally, the 5th gen gender 'alternate forms' (725: Unfezant, 726: Frillish, 727: Jellicent). The numbering works out exactly.

As a final note, has anyone noticed that the backgrounds of the stickers all depict the same AR code (rather than that of the Pokémon on the sticker)? Try drawing/printing the code and scanning it in!

If you can't be bothered, it's

Spoiler

Victini's code

That's crazy, man, how do you even work out something like that?

 

[ShinNL]

I was bored, so I reverse-engineered the AR marker encoding. I made an Excel spreadsheet that generates the AR marker for any Pokémon (including ones not in the Pokédex app yet).

XLSX download
XLS download

I made it using Excel 2008 for Mac, but it should work with any version of Excel. Just select a Pokémon from the drop-down menu (or type its name in the box), and it will display the marker.

Pokémon before Victini and after Kyurem won't work (they're not programmed in to the Pokédex), but I'm fairly certain their codes will work once they're added. Also, I haven't checked the order of the alternate forms, so they might be a bit off.

If you want to know how it works, the marker encodes a 10-bit number (0 - 1023). The lower 9 bits are encoded around the outside, using white as a 1 and black as a 0 - starting from the lower left and going anticlockwise, the bit order is 036147258 (i.e. corners first, then anticlockwise from the corner pixel). The last 3 pixels of the outside are checksums (for each group of 3 bits in the 9 encoded bits). The inner 4 pixels take 1 of 2 possible configurations depending on the 10th bit of the number (bit 9); the middle lower left is always white, and the middle upper right is always black. I assume the lower right encodes the bit, and the upper left is a checksum, but I'm not certain (there is no need to encode an 11th or 12th bit, as there are only 728 Pokémon/forms).
The base form of each species is encoded by its national dex number - 1 (from 0: Bulbasaur to 648: Genesect). Alternate forms follow (from 649: Unown B to 724: some form of Genesect), and finally, the 5th gen gender 'alternate forms' (725: Unfezant, 726: Frillish, 727: Jellicent). The numbering works out exactly.

As a final note, has anyone noticed that the backgrounds of the stickers all depict the same AR code (rather than that of the Pokémon on the sticker)? Try drawing/printing the code and scanning it in!

If you can't be bothered, it's

Spoiler

Victini's code

You're like one of those scary math geniuses

 

[Izayoi]

Also, the fact that there is exactly enough space for all the older Pokémon (as well as the 5th gen events), including alternate forms, suggests that it will eventually be updated with them. That will be pretty awesome; all it will need then is accurate stats for Pokémon (Nintendo's 'official' stats don't actually correspond to in-game stats).

Yeah. I'm worried about the alternate form thing. I've got all 151 that I can currently get without having access to another 3DS, but what if my friends end up with the same ones as me? Will we just be fucked out of the alternate forms forever? Will someone have to erase his save data over and over again in order to try and get all of them? God damnit, Nintendo. I hope they add in some kind of online functionality later.

 

[Wichu]

I looked for patterns in consecutive codes (for example, the bottom-left pixel alternates between black and white, and the bottom-right pixel goes B, B, W, W). The checksum pixels didn't have a clear pattern, but codes like this usually have some sort of checksum, so I managed to pin down how they worked.

Also, codes 988 to 999 display a copy of a marker that's currently visible (if no other markers are visible, it displays a blank Pokéball symbol), and codes 1000 to 1011 display a random Pokémon you already have. Not sure what these are for (debugging?).

 

[mrklaw]

I was bored, so I reverse-engineered the AR marker encoding. I made an Excel spreadsheet that generates the AR marker for any Pokémon (including ones not in the Pokédex app yet).

XLSX download
XLS download

I made it using Excel 2008 for Mac, but it should work with any version of Excel. Just select a Pokémon from the drop-down menu (or type its name in the box), and it will display the marker.

any chance you could see if you can get it to work in numbers? not working here.

 

[Wichu]

any chance you could see if you can get it to work in numbers? not working here.

Not sure what you mean - do you mean type in a national dex number and have it produce the code, or have it produce a numerical representation of some sort?

What exactly is not working, anyway? Does it not show you the AR marker or something? Note that only Pokémon between Victini and Kyurem will work, and it will only display Pokémon you already have registered (other than Victini, Cobalion, Terrakion, Virizion, Reshiram and Zekrom, markers for Pokémon you haven't got yet will appear as silhouettes).

 

[Toki767]

How are people getting 3 a day? I seem to only be getting 1.

 

[PigSpeakers]

How are people getting 3 a day? I seem to only be getting 1.

Are you opening and reopening the software multiple times? I only got one for each time I opened it.

 

[Toki767]

Are you opening and reopening the software multiple times? I only got one for each time I opened it.

Ah, that might be it. I only open it once and see that I get one new pokemon, then wait for another Spot Pass notification to check again.

 

[PigSpeakers]

Ah, that might be it. I only open it once and see that I get one new pokemon, then wait for another Spot Pass notification to check again.

Yeah, I did that the first time. Then I opened it a little later and was surprised to find another pokemon.

 

[Fuzzy]

any chance you could see if you can get it to work in numbers? not working here.

Here.

They'll stay as a shadow with ? marks until you actually get them from spotpass or other people. At least this way you won't have to take a picture of the AR code in order to get the stickers since you can just scan these again.

EDIT: Really big picture.
http://i.imgur.com/VVLMh.jpg

 

[gimz]

So, there's no way to use the Pokemon as part of augmented reality without having a printed/drawn code? I was hoping you just tell the app which Pokemon you wanted to show up. That's kind of a hassle.

EDIT: I had time to think it through.

But evidently, Pokemon do not appear in 3D when doing AR. Kinda defeats the whole purpose, dunnit?

maybe they dont want kids too young to look at 3D?

 

[ColtraineGF]

If you want to know how it works, the marker encodes a 10-bit number (0 - 1023). The lower 9 bits are encoded around the outside, using white as a 1 and black as a 0 - starting from the lower left and going anticlockwise, the bit order is 036147258 (i.e. corners first, then anticlockwise from the corner pixel). The last 3 pixels of the outside are checksums (for each group of 3 bits in the 9 encoded bits). The inner 4 pixels take 1 of 2 possible configurations depending on the 10th bit of the number (bit 9); the middle lower left is always white, and the middle upper right is always black. I assume the lower right encodes the bit, and the upper left is a checksum, but I'm not certain (there is no need to encode an 11th or 12th bit, as there are only 728 Pokémon/forms).

Well, after what you said, I went and looked at the codes, so I'll summarize again, just because:

  1 2 3 4
a|x 8 5 2
b|y p d 7
c|z c p 4
d|0 3 6 1
Numbers stand for the bit number in the Pokémon's Nat. Dex. No. /Index No.
~~~
I = index number
I[n] = bit n of I
...
x = ((I[0] xor I[1]) xor I[2]) xor 1
y = ((I[3] xor I[4]) xor I[5]) xor 1
z = ((I[6] xor I[7]) xor I[8]) xor 1

p = Possible 10th bit, as you said. Maybe both are suposed to be the same.
c = 1?
d = 0?

Maybe the app works by converting the AR code seen by the camera into a number (with checking), then looks up the number in an internal table that can be updated later on. So the camera could see "643", look it up, and return Zekrom.

 

[BooJoh]

How are people getting 3 a day? I seem to only be getting 1.

When you load it up and get your first one for the day, press the home button to get to the 3DS menu, then press it again to resume the app, a button that says "New Pokemon Data!" should appear onscreen and you can click it to get your second. Repeat for the third.

 

[CornBurrito]

Elgyem, Darmanitan (Standard Mode), and Panpour.

 

[Busaiku]

Heatmor, Mienshao, and Galvantula.
WHEN WILL I GET WHIMSICOTT

 

[SmithnCo]

Pawniard, Druddigon, and Cinccino

Pretty good, I want Galvantula (badass electric spider) eventually though.

 

[Wichu]

Well, after what you said, I went and looked at the codes, so I'll summarize again, just because:

stuff

Maybe the app works by converting the AR code seen by the camera into a number (with checking), then looks up the number in an internal table that can be updated later on. So the camera could see "643", look it up, and return Zekrom.

OK, there's something more going on with those middle pixels. This code, for instance, is recognised:

If the middle bottom-left and middle top-right pixels encode bit 10, this would be 1880.

EDIT: I'm pretty sure it's not that simple - 1881 and 1879 using the theoretical encoding don't work.

EDIT2: Nevermind, it's just one of the known ones upside-down. I feel so stupid now.

 

[Small Mailman]

I've just remembered these:

I'm still sad that I never got one

Now we're talking! I need to find one of these again.

 

[Izayoi]

Heatmor, Mienshao, and Galvantula.
WHEN WILL I GET WHIMSICOTT

I knew that feel.

And then I used the clock trick.

EDIT2: Nevermind, it's just one of the known ones upside-down. I feel so stupid now.

That seems to display a random Pokemon, except they're facing the wrong way.

Weird.

 

[mrklaw]

Not sure what you mean - do you mean type in a national dex number and have it produce the code, or have it produce a numerical representation of some sort?

What exactly is not working, anyway? Does it not show you the AR marker or something? Note that only Pokémon between Victini and Kyurem will work, and it will only display Pokémon you already have registered (other than Victini, Cobalion, Terrakion, Virizion, Reshiram and Zekrom, markers for Pokémon you haven't got yet will appear as silhouettes).

sorry, just meant it didn't work in 'numbers' - the mac's iwork spreadsheet app. That image above will do though

I find it a bit silly that you get the pokemon, but to get the stickers for that pokemon you have to scan an AR code that it gives you, but clearly is internal to the game and not photographable. Its an odd hoop to have to jump through.
Having AR codes that let you discover new ones would have made more sense.

 

[Wichu]

That seems to display a random Pokemon, except they're facing the wrong way.

Weird.

Yup, apart from the standard Pokémon codes, there are 24 markers that have odd effects - #988-#999 display a copy of another visible marker, and #1000-#1011 display a random Pokémon you've already got. The marker above is #1010 upside-down (scanning in rotated markers rotates the Pokémon).

 

[ColtraineGF]

Actually, from what you just said, I think I figured out what the meaning of the ones in the center are:

  1 2 3 4
a|x 8 5 2
b|y p d 7
c|z c p 4
d|0 3 6 1
Numbers stand for the bit number in the Pokémon's Nat. Dex. No. /Index No.
~~~
I = index number
I[n] = bit n of I
...
x = ((I[0] xor I[1]) xor I[2]) xor 1
y = ((I[3] xor I[4]) xor I[5]) xor 1
z = ((I[6] xor I[7]) xor I[8]) xor 1

p = 10th bit. Same color to differentiate from orientation squares.
c, d = Orientation. Bottom left (c) is white, top right (d) is black.

 

[GeekyDad]

maybe they dont want kids too young to look at 3D?

Yeah, fair enough.

As an aside, I really hope this is what Pokemon will look like in battle for the whatever new Pokemon RPG ends up on 3DS. I'm ready to move into the 21st century now.

 

[Akainu]

Pokemon look horrible in 3d not 3D but just 3d in general.

 

[Neiteio]

Yesterday I got Mienfo, Gothita and Amoonguss... Who will I get today?

 

[Wichu]

Actually, from what you just said, I think I figured out what the meaning of the ones in the center are

Yup, I figured that out too. It got me thinking about orientation stuff, which was quite interesting - keeping the 3 checksums in the corner, the system could be expanded to represent 1536 different numbers without losing orientation information. There are 3 different layouts of 4 bits that preserves orientation:

00
10

10
11

and

00
11

Any other arrangement is just a rotation of one of those, or has rotational symmetry. I don't think they'll use the third pattern though - 1024 is enough, unless they want to make codes for shinies too.

Pokemon look horrible in 3d not 3D but just 3d in general.

With the stereoscopic 3D on the 3DS, I'd say they look better than 2D sprites. Take a look at B/W's pixelated backsprites and sprite rotation/scaling, and tell me that using 3D models instead wouldn't look better.

 

[Santerestil]

How are people getting 3 a day? I seem to only be getting 1.

Close the 3DS for some seconds after you downloaded the first in the Pokedex. You would receiv another notification.

Pokemon look horrible in 3d not 3D but just 3d in general.

Worst for you.

 

[Wichu]

I find that going back to the Home menu and resuming lets you get the 2nd and 3rd notifications. No need to close the 3DS or the app.

 

[CornBurrito]

Pokemon look horrible in 3d not 3D but just 3d in general.

I disagree. The 3d models used in the app look amazing even with stereoscopic 3d turned off.

 

[GeekyDad]

I disagree. The 3d models used in the app look amazing even with stereoscopic 3d turned off.

Agreed. I have to take his/her comment as blind fanboyism toward hand-drawn art. To me, the Pokemon in this app are a promising taste of what games can look like on this system. I'm delighted.

 

[BooJoh]

Agreed. I have to take his/her comment as blind fanboyism toward hand-drawn art. To me, the Pokemon in this app are a promising taste of what games can look like on this system. I'm delighted.

I have a thing for pixel art myself, but I have to be honest, these models are great. I love how BW's battle system felt so alive compared to the old ones, but the sprites just looked terrible with all the scaling going on. I'd happily take these models over scaled sprites or the old static camera battles.

And if Pokemon RPGs go 3d, maybe we'll finally get a customizable trainer, beyond just "boy" or "girl."

 

[Hex]

I am loving this.
I refuse to do the clock thing, between my gf and i we are getting six a day and it is good enough for us and makes it fun to look forward to.

 

[Shoogoo]

This makes me want to play Pokemon Black or White but I never played any Pokemon games (yeah I know) and I need some meat for my 3DS.

My concern about pokemon games was that the gameplay combat-wise is too slow. Is it quicker in these?

 

[ColtraineGF]

This makes me want to play Pokemon Black or White but I never played any Pokemon games (yeah I know) and I need some meat for my 3DS.

My concern about pokemon games was that the gameplay combat-wise is too slow. Is it quicker in these?

With attack animations off, battles are super-quick compared to Diamond/Pearl/Platinum/HeartGold/SoulSilver, and even the GBA ones. Even with them on, it's still pretty fast.

 

[SmithnCo]

This makes me want to play Pokemon Black or White but I never played any Pokemon games (yeah I know) and I need some meat for my 3DS.

My concern about pokemon games was that the gameplay combat-wise is too slow. Is it quicker in these?

Once you're in a battle I'd say it isn't that slow. The transition from overworld to battle can be annoying though, but you can use repel items to stop random encounters. And as mentioned, battles can be sped up significantly if you don't care about attack animations.

If you've never played a Pokemon game, Black or White certainly have a ton of content that will be new for you so I say go for it.

 

[ColtraineGF]

Today, got Garbodor, Liepard, and Swanna. Swanna's animation is pretty lol (does a little pirouette).

Oh Wichu, I turned the idea into a Windows application. Primarily so that I could scroll through the list quickly

http://www.mediafire.com/?hcwkyuawca5mj32 (6/17/11)

 

[Gravijah]

Close the 3DS for some seconds after you downloaded the first in the Pokedex. You would receiv another notification.

If you're afraid of messing up your hinge like me, you can just press the home button and then go back in.

 

[Santiako]

Got Zoroark, Whimsicott and the zebra (can't remeber the name). It's going to be so slow to get them all.

 

[brucewaynegretzky]

Does the pokedex do ALL of them or just Black/White?

 

[Gravijah]

Does the pokedex do ALL of them or just Black/White?

BW only for now. All but confirmed to have the rest at some point, though.

 

[JazzmanZ]

Today I got Vanillish, Deerling and Rufflet.

Rufflet is the most <3 in 3D

 

[Busaiku]

I knew that feel.

And then I used the clock trick.

AHHHHHGGGGGGGGG
I'm gonna try and be patient a little while longer

 

[Brazil]

That "Update" button in the settings menu basically confirms that we'll get the remaining Pokémon eventually. Yay.