Help me do science for the benefit of all Pokémon players!

[PokewalkerProf]

Hi all, I decided to join after talking with Bulbagarden admins about featuring some upcoming scientific work on Bulbapedia/Bulbagarden.

I'm PokewalkerProf, and I'm doing some science for fun...but I need everyone's help to do it. After receiving multiple reports that PokéWalkers around the world vary slightly, and that the PokéWalker's software doesn't simply convert every 20 steps to 1 watt as the HeartGold/SoulSilver manuals suggest (it's true!), I decided to further delve into the matter using the utmost scientific methods possible.

As many already know, to unlock all of the PokéWalker's routes you must accrue 100,000 watts. Assuming you actually maintain the maximum efficiency of 1 watt every 20 steps, you would have to walk two million steps to unlock every route. It goes without saying that this is a lot of walking. Some of you may already be wondering how in the world you'll ever accumulate that many watts -- I manage to average 10,000 steps per day, but I like to spend my watts catching Pokémon and looking for items...even I have no idea how long it will take to reach 100,000 watts.

One question on everyone's minds when asked how they'll manage 100,000 watts is efficiency: how can I earn the maximum possible amount of watts? Do I shake my PokéWalker wildly? Do I jog five miles every day? Do I just...give up? This problem of step and watt efficiency is what I intend to solve, but I need your help to do so.


In order to analyze the PokéWalker's efficiency ratings, I need data from all willing participants. You must currently own a PokéWalker to participate, and your participation requires only that you fill out a survey after giving us at minimum five minutes of your time. After enough data is collected, we will begin to analyze the data to confirm or refute our numerous hypotheses. We hope that our data will serve to educate everyone as to how to get the most from their PokéWalker by finding efficient ways to accumulate steps and watts.

You do not have to do something boring like walking. In fact, I highly encourage everyone do non-standard activities in an attempt to accumulate steps and watts. We need plenty of data from people walking, but I also want to know how efficient the PokéWalker is if you attach it to your dog, a large clock, a paint mixer...anything! We welcome creativity and consistency alike. :banana:

If you would like to participate, please click the link in my signature. Thank you all for participating!


...and as for me personally, I look forward to posting here with you all in the future!

 

[Captain Falcon]

I'm in. I won't be able to do much besides walking with it and shaking it right now, but I wonder what would happen if I stuff it into the receiver box of one of my RC cars, right behind the receiver, before a race.

Spoiler

 

[TTEchidna]

My Pokéwalker seems to play nicely with my fan.

 

[System Error]

My Pokéwalker seems to play nicely with my fan.

Yeah. Another guy tied it to a ceiling fan, put on some padding in case of failure, and turned that bad boy on. As mentioned in my blog, it was a great success, maybe too great, because he discovered there's a limit of 99999 steps a day, and after that, you can't gain any more watts until the next day.

 

[Magmaster12]

No one has seen this video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoQiVUPT6mA

Although I dought how many people have a phonograph.

This also proves that the pokewalker detects motion circuely and not up and down.

 

[revolvingscott]

The moment I get it I will be helping!​

 

[IslandWalker]

My friend puts it in his pocket in the morning and every thing he does at school (recess, soccer, etc.) gives him a lot of watts.

 

[Gnizmo]

Yeah. Another guy tied it to a ceiling fan, put on some padding in case of failure, and turned that bad boy on. As mentioned in my blog, it was a great success, maybe too great, because he discovered there's a limit of 99999 steps a day, and after that, you can't gain any more watts until the next day.

This is not entirely accurate. For reference I used the ceiling method fan at first, but I was not fully satisfied with the results. My girlfriend also has a pokewalker, and putting two on a ceiling fan taxes the motor a touch too much. I have been using a box fan and plastic bag to get both of ours shaking at a quick rate.

The step limit is 99,999 for a given day. I have hit it more than a few times. This does not stop you from getting watts though. I woke up with around 6300 this morning, and maxed out steps. I shook it for a few more watts just to upload an even number after trying to get a Castform.

There is a limit of 9,999 watts on the pokewalker at any given moment admittedly. If you upload those watts though you can earn more. I haven't found a hard limit on the number of watts per day, but I haven't really tried to find it.

On topic more directly, I submitted my findings for the day so far. I will do another report later when I upload the watts again. Fans seem to be the key to getting the most from the least work.

 

[Juuchan17]

Hmm, this does sound interesting. Although I've been wearing both my Pokewalker and my Pokemon Pikachu 2 recently, just to compare them on my own.

Strange how the Pikachu 2 calculates more steps than the Pokewalker, I've noticed... usually a difference of a few hundred steps. D8

 

[Optimatum]

I've just walked with 3 items, so my pokemon find watts (usually 50).

 

[Flame_]

I hooked my pokewalker onto one of those mini-blind turning things, they are pole like. I shook the stick at a steady rate for approximately 5 minutes, it gave me 285 watts. if this help

 

[Hunter Blade]

I can hold mine and rock my hand to the beat of the route and battle music in HGSS and I'll average between 60-110 "steps", depending on how often I run into a battle or change routes.

For mine, it's about 20 steps or so per watt, although it will sometimes be between 15-30. It tries to keep it equal so that you can divide your steps and watts evenly, although it might take a little time to even out.