City Vs Rural - Double Standards

Nomination Support
62

It isn’t an opinion. Please read this clarification:
https://community.wayfarer.nianticlabs.com/t/seating-benches/12484/2

Memorial benches can only be eligible under the criteria for exploration if they are dedicated to a notable figure and that notability is described in the nomination. Mass produced memorial benches dedicated to friends and family are not eligible unless the nominator provides evidence of the individual’s importance to the community. Just stating that someone was important to the community is inadequate.

63

I had commented on some wayfinders in this community.

I will just give up contributing.

Mod Edit

64

Hello and Welcome @Alchemist86

Please do read the forum guidelines.

A key feature is that we treat each other with respect.

65

I’m still new but…

It’s a mistake to expect consistency or an even application of the rules here. One of the problems with “crowd sourcing” is that there’s no continuity. It entirely depends on who is reviewing. What is rejected one day will be accepted a few hours later by different reviewers. And that assumes you get through the die roll called Emily.

There are very much dual standards for urban vs rural. IMO, it’s entirely political and it’s encoded into the criterion. So the bigotry is very clearly Niantic policy, not the crowd sourced reviewers. Their game. Their rules.

66

Should note that Wayfarer attempts to reflect reality through objects found in real life. The absence of real life objects (or stuff that fall within criteria) do not fall into Niantic to produce IMO, there should be local services that are supposed to do that instead.

The issue is by definition, rural locations would have less points of interests to go by vs urban centers. There is no dual standard, being rural and urban just reflects in the database as is. The consistency would not fall through if there are special exceptions made for being rural.

Recognizing that, if we are concerned with the lack of facilities then people should instead be petitioning this issue to the concerned parties.

But IMO there are necessities to address first before thinking of creating game objects in these locations, but that would be outside Wayfarer and gaming.

67

I think this is less about the double standards of city vs rural but wanting to have a comparable gameplay experience for urban and rural areas.

How would this be addressed if the whole program is connected to real life objects subject to one standard?

68

You’re misunderstanding me.

Rural areas often have many locations that, in the past, would have qualified. However, barring private property or farms pretty much eliminates all of them.

We don’t HAVE “municipal” property. We don’t HAVE multiple family dwellings. In many cases, even businesses are located on single family locations.

We have many suitable locations… all on farms or private property. Barring these effectively bars all new rural portals. This is favoritism.

I don’t mind that rural areas might not currently have enough portals if we can make them. If we can’t then we’re stuck with the old portals… if there are any. Or forced to travel to cities if we want to play.

69

The attempt at basing the gameboard with real life is a double-edged :crossed_swords:. We’ll have to be cognizant that specific locations (as they currently are ) may not have the capacity to suit AR gameplay when real life factors come into play.

As discussed in another thread: checks, risks, and balances between Niantic, players, and the owners. Heavily towards the owners and property management, rightfully so IMO.

The favor for those locations may have fallen due to past problems. If some accounts of how OPR went about, rejections for SFPRPs are already there but not strictly implemented. And then they found out how risky it was, hence the current implementation.

70

For clarity I heard you @teamnoir loud and clear that this is for player benefit, I applied for amboship for a similar reason. It would benefit also me to make it less strict. With further context though, there is no benefit to revert or change the existing guideline for the other parties involved: Niantic and property owners. That is what’s missing.

And if we can’t find a reason putting this forward for them, the only avenue I can think of is to make the change in real life. To ask for these allowable locations to come into existence.

71

Dunno @teamnoir I know some rural areas are worse than others…But there are blank areas in cities. And people there get just as cranky.

But I have been pretty successful across a range of countries in rural areas. Sure you don’t get the numbers that a city would . With everything that comes with that… But they are there. That said you should try outback Oz. Can go for miles without seeking jack. Its hard yakka finding much. My pleasure is going for a walk about to "“back o burke”: (middle of no where - really it is) and discovering a place with nothing and creating something. And often only one thing.

Please don’t take this the wrong way. It is not the end of the world. This is a game. The one thing I learnt when I often got frustrated was being reminded that. Took a breather. Walked away from it. Considered actually what it meant and what I could do. And how much was worth it and under my actual control and what I could do.

I am way more strategic in nominating. I don’t get as frustrated (as some may remember). I have a way higher success rate. And I am way keen in helping people get their noms. Particularly those in rural areas as someone who comes from a rural area and is still often in them.

Is there bias. Probably. Of course there are more people in metros. and this wayfindering (I want that to be a word) is based on how people see the world. But Niantic encourage reviewers to view regional/rural areas differently.

Having farmed. The only POI in an area on a working property not a good look. My family would go ape if people attempted to POI their heritage listed barn or the tennis court. With its cattle, tractors, the slurry pit near by. That is just the UK. And in Australia (where I have farmed - well worked for farmers) it can be a very very long way from the farm to village. And yes many a farm has something that were it not a farm could be a poi. As they have facilities etc to support isolated life. So POIs are precious and would attract attention. As PGO player be great for me. For safety reasons no.

Now are there exceptions. YES. Some farms are very very big. And they have living area where the farm workers live. These often have shared facilities. Now the POI changes. If articulated correctly, evidence shown and so on. But google maps being google maps will not have street view. So the evidence needs to be way tight.

And regarding multiple family properties (in cities). Where I live we have different laws to the US and Niantic game rules don’t count for some of these and are over ridden by Niantics Terms and Conditions of use regarding respecting the law. So again we need to be aware of nuances. What works in one place may not in another.

I want to help. And I will help. Show me the nominations that need help and away we go. Show us the region and let us help see what we can do (not always possible) but can be done.

So with respect. I disagree that it is favouritism or double standards. Do I think that differing Niantic products suit differing markets yes.

I do agree though we should be helping reviewers with understanding the differences between rural, regional and metro so when those nominations come in an appropriate approach can be made.

I know my rural approach is more lenient. And I love the rural noms I get to review. Give me more I say. Often better than the city dross!

And another approach could be to ask everyone - how can we, work out how to get more rural nominations made.

And I am going to put my commercial hat on. I am for profit. I need to make money to support the short and long term sustainability of my organisation. I will invest in those areas that drive most success and where possible will accommodate those areas that are supportive to my organisation. I will create a product with operational ways of working that on a whole suit my entire market and generally work.

That will create tensions. But it is a game. I choose to play. And Niantic ain’t forcing me. So sometimes, as much as it pains me, I take the bad with the good.

I don’t want a fight. I want to help. Good luck @teamnoir I look forward to nominations that need help, reviews that are odd, areas that need more noms.