Pokemon GO update: 3 things you need to know

Forget big, splashy content additions for the time being. Pokemon GO received an update over the weekend, and it mostly came with a whimper instead of a bang.

That's not to say it wasn't welcome. The update, which hit both iOS and Android, fixed one of the more annoying things that didn't work with the game for most of its existence, made a key activity simultaneously easier and more difficult, and introduced some unintentional humour (we think) into the mix.

While we're sure you've probably been logging in every day to get your daily egg-hatching walk in if nothing else, it's possible you didn't see what's new. Here are the three things you need to know about the first semi-significant PokeUpdate:

The footsteps are gone

One of the cooler aspects of hunting down Pokemon in your area was supposed to be the 'Nearby' box that showed off their silhouettes. The number of footsteps under the monsters was intended to give a relative idea of how far away they were -- three prints for not that close, one for pretty darn close -- and the best part of all was that if there were zero footprints, you could simply tap on the portrait and the Pokemon would appear immediately.

In practice, it never worked out that way, and Niantic admitted at Comic-Con that the whole thing was broken. The update removed that feature entirely, meaning you'll only have a vague idea how close the Pokemon in that window might be. Since that's all we've ever had, it's no big loss.

Transfer was moved to a menu

Tired of scrolling all the way down through a Pokemon's whole profile just to transfer it back to the professor for candy? You're in luck then, because Pokemon GO has moved that function to a menu you can access as soon as you tap on any character's portrait in your collection.

The issue, as with many things in the game, is that it isn't explained to you, and you might miss it if you don't know where to look. You'll find the 'Transfer' function in the menu accessed via the hamburger icon in the bottom-right corner of a Pokemon's profile. Simply tap it and tap 'Transfer' to heartlessly send your Pokemon away for a single piece of candy. Savage.

Incidentally, the developers seem to have removed the small map that shows where you caught each Pokemon. It was a fun idea, but likely took up too much memory to be practical with the amounts of monsters each player is catching.

Words of caution

It's quite possible Niantic and Nintendo have more faith in human nature than most of us, or that they honestly thought people would just stick to going places they are legally allowed to be while playing Pokemon GO.

Since it hasn't exactly worked out that way since launch, there are now a variety of warnings that pop up on a rotating basis every time you launch the game. Pokemon GO now advises against you trespassing, going into "dangerous areas," and playing while driving.

Was it a "cover our butts" move by the devs or a subtle form of making fun of the silliest players? We're thinking it might be both, but it's unintentionally hilarious regardless.