Specify location editing restrictions in the app.

tp235-INGtp235-ING Posts: 1,383 ✭✭✭✭✭
edited November 2021 in General Discussion

Dear Niantic Wayfarer Team


It may not be appropriate to write this here, but please listen to it as a suggestion for improvement.


Due to a series of abusive location edits in the past, location modification using the app is currently limited to within 10m of the current location in wayspot.

This is something that all wayfinders here know.

However, many regular gamers who are not here don't know this, so when wayspot itself moves and the fix is longer than 10m, they tend to nominate a new wayspot instead of submitting a location fix here.

This will of course result in duplication or rejection.

But they don't understand what this means.


Can you please make this clear on the wayspot location correction screen in the respective language?

We'll need to discuss this with the teams of each game app, but it's not a change to the system itself, it's just something we'd like to see on the corresponding screens of Ingress and Pokémon GO, where you can currently modify your location.


"You cannot fix your location more than 10 m."

”If you want to modify your location more than 10 m, please report it here.”


This is the only way to reduce the number of unneeded nominations.

Thank you in advance.

Comments

  • VladDraco-PGOVladDraco-PGO Posts: 560 ✭✭✭✭

    "the only way" is a bit overselling.

    Still, it's a really great idea of improvement !!

    If you can, can you add it to the next AMA questions ?

    Thanks for trying to improve the quality of Wayfarer.

  • PhoenixOmicron-PGOPhoenixOmicron-PGO Posts: 57 ✭✭✭
    edited November 2021

    I think this is the form you're looking for. Make photospheres nearby to help indicate location change or make sure it is visible on satellite view before filling out the form. At the bottom where it asks what you're reporting put "Location Edits over 10km"

    https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeXTFKKkhHmapgsLN7VuhKHkT7qWj9bJjH9I2UWPf2qwo20UQ/viewform

  • PhoenixOmicron-PGOPhoenixOmicron-PGO Posts: 57 ✭✭✭

    I have had several stops moved this way. Two churches placed in a wrong spot, another was a historic sign that got moved to another location. The form is very efficient and I have found Niantic tends to take these requests up promptly. Which I admit is unusual. The downside is that they will not respond and tell you if they agreed with your request or rejected it. Knock on wood all of mine they agreed with.

  • WheelTrekker-INGWheelTrekker-ING Posts: 3,387 ✭✭✭✭✭

    It's good that you know the existence of that form and that it has worked for you, although I thought that the most common way to request those locations edits were in these forums.

    The fact that there are currently two ways to request location edits over 10 meters shows that it would be possible to still allow requesting any distance in the app and then filter who reviews them based on the distance after the request has been sent. For most of the people it would be great because they don't understand what's going on and they might not know how to find that form that you've linked.

  • tp235-INGtp235-ING Posts: 1,383 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @VladDraco-PGO

    "the only way" was too much of an oversselling, for sure.

    As a resident of a non-English-speaking country, I use automatic translation to write sentences and then roughly proofread them before posting, so sometimes the meaning is different or the expression is too exaggerated.

    Still, thanks for liking my idea.


    @PhoenixOmicron-PGO

    There is certainly a way to do that.

    However, many people don't know how to do it.

    If you swipe through Google Maps, why does it come back? That's all.

    So it would be better to put a warning and show that this is another entrance.


    @WheelTrekker-ING

    Hmmm, maybe Niantic won't lift the restriction in the current situation.

    That's how much the unlimited location modification has been abused by some bad players. (For example, moving a wayspot in Africa to Spain.)

    And while it would be cool if we could do what you're talking about automatically, I think the current restrictions are in place because it's not feasible.

    Also, in my experience, location corrections beyond a certain distance are often not made without street view, multiple photos, or information from the web indicating that wayspot has moved.

    This is the same reason why Wayfarer can't determine the exact location of a location correction request submitted before the restriction.

  • MargariteDVille-INGMargariteDVille-ING Posts: 2,848 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Yes, if you edit the location, then move the pin too far - it just pops back without telling you why. The average user has no idea why, or what to do about it.

    Some users don't even realize the pin was returned to its original location., They press submit thinking they did a good thing, when their edit actually left the pin on (or very near) where it was in the first place. And they're clogging up the review process with a non-change. No message warns them.

  • WheelTrekker-INGWheelTrekker-ING Posts: 3,387 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I don't see why it wouldn't be feasible. Remove the restriction from the app and whenever an edit request reach the server measure the distance from the original point. If it's less than 10 meters send it to the current queue, otherwise send it to an internal queue for Niantic.

    If anyone wants to move a PoI kilometers away, it doesn't matter if they request it through the app or through a Google form or the forum, Niantic should review it the same way and detect if there's abuse. And if there's not enough evidence, then they can send the rejection mail and include there a link to the forum stating that the user can create an appeal by providing geotagged photos and other proofs to show the real location of the PoI, so new users can learn how to do it.

  • tp235-INGtp235-ING Posts: 1,383 ✭✭✭✭✭

    It would be nice if we could implement the system you have in mind.

    The unification of the Lightship database may make it possible to do what you have in mind.

    However, I think it will take some time to build it.

    The first step is to add text to the screen so that many players can understand the problem they see in front of them.

    After that, it would be best if we can eventually move to the system you have in mind.

  • VladDraco-PGOVladDraco-PGO Posts: 560 ✭✭✭✭


    Totally agree with you. Great idea.

    But for now, as @tp235-ING said, we're just asking for a small change, easy and fast to do.

    On the location edit page it needs to be added "Location edit of less than 10 meters. For location edits over than 10 meters, please contact us on the Wayfarer forum/Location edits."(link?)

    Just a small change, but I think it can really help people understanding what they can do, instead of the actual no message with the pin who rubberband and you don't know why.

  • tp235-INGtp235-ING Posts: 1,383 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I'm submitting this as an example because the nomination that inspired me to come up with this proposal has come up again for review with a new nomination (unfortunately for the nominator).

    This nomination is an example of a Japanese post office that is already a wayspot, but has been rebuilt and moved, and the new building is nominated as the new wayspot.

    The nominator complains a bit in the supplementary information.


    ”This is the relocated Katsuramachi Kani Post Office that used to be there.It doesn't show up on Google Maps aerial photos, but it's definitely there, and a Google Maps search will take you right to it.I've heard that Niantic is a division within Google that was originally engaged in the development of Google Maps, but I think it's their fault that they can't identify it from aerial photos.I know you are busy at the end of the year, but please update Google Maps as well.”


    The only way to do this is to duplicate the existing wayspot, as it currently exists.

    This player mixes up various stories and thinks he understands them subjectively, but he doesn't understand them at all.

    Of course, the player doesn't understand the limitations of positioning.


    @NianticGiffard

    If it's possible, could you send some kind of message to this recommender, along with a reply to the duplicate answer?

    This recommender is Japanese, so it would be best if you could send a message in Japanese via Niantic's Japan office.

    Alternatively, it would be nice to be able to reposition the existing wayspot to the location that the recommender has set.

    The Japan Post website seems to be correct as well.


    I think there are many similar cases for position correction over 10m.

    As in the first suggestion, could you please display a notice on the app's location correction request screen that informs the user of the restrictions on location correction, and a link to correct the location by more than 10 meters?

    This would reduce the number of needless nominations with sad consequences for nominators who don't know about this.

  • tp235-INGtp235-ING Posts: 1,383 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I have submitted an appeal to correct the location of this post office, which I gave as an example, although it is not the regular procedure.

    This matter itself will probably be resolved, but since we expect similar recommendations to continue in the future, I wish to ask you to create a form that players can understand.


    https://community.wayfarer.nianticlabs.com/discussion/26155/location-edit-over-10m-moved#latest

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