Wayfarer app?

Roepaf-PGORoepaf-PGO Posts: 8 ✭✭
edited April 2021 in General Discussion

I have noticed how there is no wayfarer app (yet?), at least on iOs there isn't. I think it would be cool and handy to have a wayfarer app that would be compatible for iOs and android. This would make reviewing easier and more accessible for many players. This could be beneficial for increasing the number of wayfarers and reviews. Increasing the speed of the reviews. Let me know what you think! :)

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Comments

  • WheelTrekker-INGWheelTrekker-ING Posts: 3,388 ✭✭✭✭✭

    How could an app be any improvement over the current system?

    I think that even in iOS you're able to create a shortcut to a website from the main screen of your phone, and any layout improvements can be applied to the current site without the requirement to create an app, so there must be something else that you have in mind that I don't know.

  • Reddwarf4ever-PGOReddwarf4ever-PGO Posts: 3 ✭✭

    The system is so "GREAT" as it is. Why would you like an app? After my experience it would be a "REALLY GOOD" app.

  • Thor3381-INGThor3381-ING Posts: 220 ✭✭✭

    An app for the nominations would be better than having nominations flow in from (currently) 3 different games.

    In that app they could, in the nomination part already mention that not all wayspots appear in all games.

    Avoiding forum topics "why can't I see my pokestop"

    It would also cut the direct link between the games and the wayspots, avoiding the "because there is no wayspot close by" as additional info in the nomination.

    Having the submitting and the voting part in one app might enforce the reviewing team

  • ikaros02-INGikaros02-ING Posts: 54 ✭✭✭

    The Wayfarer mobile site is already a lot better than most websites on mobile. I don't see why there should be a separate app.

    I agree that it'd be convenient to see other live Wayspots when submitting but I think that could be implemented in the games.

  • Roepaf-PGORoepaf-PGO Posts: 8 ✭✭

    Well, the wayfarer site is not really wel known by a lot of players. Especially the younger players. Having an app available will probably increase the awareness of the rating system.

    But I see you all disagreeing so never mind me.

  • TWVer-INGTWVer-ING Posts: 792 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I agree that an app could increase awareness. My problem with it is that I think reviewing should not be done on a telephone.

    When you review on a computer screen, you get all info about the nomination on one screen without the need to scroll. You'll be able to more easily see details in the photo's. It is easier to work with tabs to look up information. I can't imagine review quality on phones is on par with review quality on a computer screen.

    I agree with @Thor3381-ING that an app for nominations would be better. The experience to nominate should be the same for all Niantic players. Maybe just allow players to take picture in their game of choice, and later use that picture to nominate in a dedicated Wayfarer app. No need to implement code to nominate in all their apps. With the announcement of a Pikmin game last month, they'll have eventually have 5 games where people will eventually be able to nominate.

  • WheelTrekker-INGWheelTrekker-ING Posts: 3,388 ✭✭✭✭✭

    But that would require that the people learn about that app and install it.

    In the same way that they learn about the app they can learn about the Wayfarer website (and recently Niantic sent a message to tons of players about the website).

    A wayfarer app to send new nominations would be a totally different matter and it would be very interesting to explore as it would be forced to use game-neutral language and so it would avoid many of the current issues in the Pokemon's UI.

  • Maxyme99-PGOMaxyme99-PGO Posts: 954 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I think Wayfarer App might be a good idea, even if I know I personally won't use it.

    I always review on my computer because it's much easier for me and I can check nominations on other sites very fast like that, but I know that many people review on they phones. In real life I only know two other players except me that also review on computer, all other I know review on they phones - and some of younger players don't even have computer as they don't need them (they just do everything on phones and play on consoles like PS4, no need for computer here), so they only can review on they phones.

    I know how annoying can be using some websites on phones, and how apps helped for these sites to be much easier to use, so I think app might help some reviewers. And maybe encourage some more to review too, who knows :)

    But I also see big issue for this app - how Niantic works on they other apps, how much problem they have with fixing anything in them and how much annoying is using them for many users. We all use at least one Niantic app, and I'm sure anyone found at least one weird/annoying error that wasn't fixed in they app for a long time (or ever), and how much problem is to get any information from Niantic regarding these apps. I can imagine similiar issues with Wayfarer App, especially about RAM use - Niantic has a big problem with balancing they apps so they won't take too much phone's RAM and CPU, we can clearly see it in PoGO (problem with nominations on many phones) and if I remember correctly, HP:WU also have/had problems with working on some phones (I remember some friends complaining about it when game started, I'm not sure how it is now as I don't play HP:WU).

    I think making functional Wayfarer App might take really long time now, as there might be more problems with each game players added to nomination and review community. In my opinion App like that should had been made some time ago, before even PoGo players were granted nomination/review options. App like that still have a chance, but it definetly must be really well written and it should definetly be created before players from HP:WU or other future Niantic's games (like Catan) would be granted nomination/review option too - Wayfarer App just need good testing from current players before any new game will be added to wayfarer, or it will be a big mess.


    TLDR: I think Wayfarer app might be a good idea as many people review on phones and many more will be in future too, but with current Niantic's ability to create applications and many problems it makes for everyone I'm not sure we will get functional app like that soon. And it definetly should be created before players from other games will get possibility of nomination/review on wayfarer - if it won't be created to this time I think it will be too late for any app.

  • WheelTrekker-INGWheelTrekker-ING Posts: 3,388 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I've read your message, but I don't see any answer to my previous questions:

    How can an app be an improvement over the current website?

    It's already optimized for mobile, What are the features that a native app would bring that are not available at the moment (and that can't be achieved by adjusting the website)?

    In order for Niantic to agree with this idea they would need detailed data explaining why that investment (huge investment) of resources is worth, what are the features that aren't available right now and that could be possible with an app.

  • Maxyme99-PGOMaxyme99-PGO Posts: 954 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Sorry, my post wasn't an answer to your post, it was just my opinion for this thread :) I started writing it before your post appear for me, so I didn't saw your opinion before ;)

    As I wrote earlier, I don't use my phone for Wayfarer, I must say I never used it for Wayfarer, so it's hard for me to tell how good mobile version on Wayfarer website is, but I know that often Apps make it's much easier that using website. Many people use different browsers on they phones, and there might be some issues on any of them, making App will make using site easier as everyone will get it the same way, no matter what browser they use. And I think app could also allow making nominations from it, without need to use PoGo/Ingress/other game app, it would be amazing to make Wayfarer app that would allow nominating and reviewing at the same time :)

    I also agree that making app like that might take much money (and a lot of time), but with so many new Niantic games that will get nomination/review option in the future Niantic really should at least think about app like that, it really can be usefull app in the future :)

  • WheelTrekker-INGWheelTrekker-ING Posts: 3,388 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I fully agree that using the PC is the best option to review in Wayfarer, and we also agree that more and more people only use their phones and that leads to a worse experience.

    I haven't seen any issues reported related to the different browsers used on different phones, and that could be fixed on the website if people report them.

    You're stating that there are some websites that don't work as well as their apps, but there are also many apps that work much worse than their websites, even something as basic as copying text doesn't work in most apps, so when people get a review in another language they might not be able to understand it at all unless specific options are added related to this (and everybody would be grateful if they added right now translations in the website).

    The current trend for many developers is to use a single source, a web-app that serves all the people without the need to maintain different apps for each situation, look at https://mobile.twitter.com/ in your phone and PC for example.

  • sogNinjaman-INGsogNinjaman-ING Posts: 3,313 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 2021

    Submission App - sensible idea provided it shows all the existing POI on the map, so people submitting know the thing they are contemplating might be in game already. It could do more along those lones, but that would require Niantic to confirm the "20m radius" etc, which might lead to a spate of misplaced submissions as people try to squeeze more things in.

    For reviews, no. A phone screen is too small to review properly, I do all mine on a PC and you can see som much more detail in photos and maps on a large screen.

    Post edited by sogNinjaman-ING on
  • Lechu1730-PGOLechu1730-PGO Posts: 537 ✭✭✭✭

    I review almost exclusively on my phone and I don't think it really affects the quality of the review. Anything I can do on the computer I can do in the phone as well and sometimes it's even simpler. It's, however, a little bit slower due to all the scrolling and changing apps, but it has the advantage you never get cool downs. What use has being faster if you then need to make sure you spend 20 seconds per nomination?

  • AlexJokelFin-PGOAlexJokelFin-PGO Posts: 5 ✭✭✭

    It would be a good idea in the sense that you get:


    - Notification directly from the app that you have redeemed a Wayspot upgrade, your edit, image, deletion or suggestion has approved or rejected also challenge events.

    - automatic login.

    - Suggest Wayspot directly from the app without PoGO, Ingress or other Niantic games.

    - And much more, what will happen then in the future.


    Also considering, the app can be web based as long as it works with basic functionality just like this I have understood from one app developer for Android or a completely 100% based app depending on which one is more performance oriented.

  • ynfct-INGynfct-ING Posts: 8 ✭✭

    I'm agree with your opinion very much bro!

  • CipherBlakk-PGOCipherBlakk-PGO Posts: 309 ✭✭✭✭

    I agree with this. My phone may have a lot more space than the first phone I ever had, but I still dislike pointless apps just for the sake of it being an app, when website functionality works fine and is accessible through common browser apps. I don't need to download something extra.

    If an app is ever produced, I sure hope the regular website retains all functionality and that the app never replaces it.

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