How does the Nearby Menu in Pokemon Go work?

[iMore Question]

I don't understand this Nearby Menu in Pokemon Go. How does it work? Do I have to travel to the places to get characters?

 

[Just_Me_D]

I don't know, but the helpful guide via the iMore Blog might shed some light on it. Check it out via the following link.

Beginner's guide: How to play Pok?mon Go! | iMore

 

[metllicamilitia]

It shows you what Pok?mon are nearby. Ranging from 0-3 footprints. The more footprints the more farther away the Pok?mon is. Zero means it should pop up by you and catch it. If you click on a Pok?mon in the nearby menu you can track that specific Pok?mon, the nearby menu will change to show only that Pok?mon and how far away it is from you. There is no way to tell what direction the Pok?mon is in though.

 

[Ron7624]

I've seen the types of Pokemon change as I walk, and I see them change position, but have never seen less than three footprints under each Pokemon. I have decided that little box is useless to me. Even when I find a Pokemon that is in the box, it still has 3 foot prints. Maybe future updates will refine whatever it is supposed to do

 

[metllicamilitia]

I've seen the types of Pokemon change as I walk, and I see them change position, but have never seen less than three footprints under each Pokemon. I have decided that little box is useless to me. Even when I find a Pokemon that is in the box, it still has 3 foot prints. Maybe future updates will refine whatever it is supposed to do

That's because you are not moving in the direction of those particular Pok?mon, it changes the Pok?mon in the box because the area you have moved to has different Pok?mon available. The nearby box probably won't change, it does what's it's supposed to do. You just have 360 degrees plus 300 meters to figure out where the Pok?mon are.

 

[Ron7624]

I do understand that that is how it is supposed to work, but for me it just doesn't happen. Also when I'm sitting still, after a few minutes the Pokémon within the box rotate and change. I will keep trying and figure it out LOL

 

[metllicamilitia]

I do understand that that is how it is supposed to work, but for me it just doesn't happen. Also when I'm sitting still, after a few minutes the Pok?mon within the box rotate and change. I will keep trying and figure it out LOL

Pok?mon move around, just like real animals in the real world.

 

[Ron7624]

It all makes sense and thank you for taking the time. Still, the box has not helped me in this game. It does let me know what is close by but I have never been able to find one of the critters that I have not caught yet. You know the ones that are grayed out.

 

[robertk328]

There are some that I'd like to get that have the 2 or 3 footprints under them, but I do wish it would at least give a hint somehow of which direction to go I've had them at 0, 1, 2, 3 footprints and seems to be about right. Though I can have all 3 and something will pop up, which is fine (as long as I can capture it!)

 

[Billieebeee123]

You are correct...somewhat, the box did originally update correctly, showing a range of one to three footprints (telling you your range in regards to each Pokemon) up untill the day before yesterday, now the box will only show you which Pokemon you are close to,
and not how far you are in regards to them, all the people I've played with have agreed that all the Pokemon they see nearby in the box have three footprints, making in it useful only in the slightest. Hopefully they will fix the bug soon, but in the meantime, I'm just glad most of the server bugs got fixed so we can play!

 

[metllicamilitia]

You are correct...somewhat, the box did originally update correctly, showing a range of one to three footprints (telling you your range in regards to each Pokemon) up untill the day before yesterday, now the box will only show you which Pokemon you are close to,
and not how far you are in regards to them, all the people I've played with have agreed that all the Pokemon they see nearby in the box have three footprints, making in it useful only in the slightest. Hopefully they will fix the bug soon, but in the meantime, I'm just glad most of the server bugs got fixed so we can play!

Yeah, one of the updates broke this particular function, much to the disdain of the users.