Early in August 2016, Niantic Labs has actively been cracking down on third-party services and trackers on "Pokemon Go." The game creator said that these third-party tools, namely PokeVision, violated their terms of service and has been changing the way that the game is meant to be played.
As a result, Niantic Labs has shut down several third-party trackers that previously tapped on "Pokemon Go" servers. PokeVision, which is one of the most popular sites that aid players in locating various types of Pokemon, has been shut down by the game creator. It is still uncertain whether Niantic Labs has resorted to legal action against the site owners. Other similar services and sites have also been closed in the past few days.
The Bitbag revealed that despite the recent shutdown of PokeVision and PokeHound, "Pokemon Go" players are still discovering more tracking tools that basically use the same approach of tapping into the game servers to indicate the exact location of Pokemon, showing the exact distance of the creatures, and the time that these remain available for catching. The approach has been deemed by many players, as well as Niantic Labs, as a form of cheating, because it takes away the fun and general approach that the makers intended for the game to be played.
In the meantime, there are still several alternatives that help trainers complete their Pokedex on "Pokemon Go." Pokemon Go Desktop Map provides a map of Pokemon that appear in the vicinity. Users are required to download and install the software on their computer. They will also need Google maps to receive notifications about Pokemon spawning nearby.
Compass for Pokemon Go shows a small compass that will reveal Pokemon in the surroundings. PokePilot scans the geolocation around the player to indicate Pokemon nearby and how long they will remain there. PokeAlert shows real-time locations of Pokemon, as well as a timer. Skiplagged also displays nearby Pokemon. PokeMap Live can provide the real-time location of the creatures as well.
Reddit also has a thread that discusses the various alternatives to PokeVision. Players can use a custom scanner by using the code on GitHub. They will receive alerts on available creatures on "Pokemon Go." However, this approach may only be ideal for those who have the technical expertise. More updates and details on "Pokemon Go" are expected soon.
