In the cases I’m talking about it’s not about the otherwise generic sign itself, it’s just a placemarker (the same as trail markers, etc) for an important connection for exploration and socialising.
The regional centre I live in has significantly fewer public transport stops than metro areas, but I still wouldn’t want them approved unless they were artistic or historic (there is one I was sure used to be a Wayspot that I think should be because of the historic shelter structure)
It comes back to these concepts:
Niantic’s mission is to build products that encourage us to explore the world, exercise and be social with each other, so we’ve reframed the criteria around that.
As Explorers, we need to consider the cultural context and local meaning of the Wayspot first. This moves us away from discriminating against nominations categorically, and asking us to think more holistically about what we consider as interesting and important to our local communities
We know this will introduce more possibilities … for seemingly common objects like benches or phone booths, which if out of context/rare within it’s landscape, are actually pretty cool objects to explore.
When I was growing up in a very rural city located in the middle of no where before moving to a mid size city in middle school we loved hanging out near the 2-3 public, generic, mass produced telephone booths you’d see at every corner in a large populated city. Were they great gathering spots? No because people like their privacy especially on the phone. What if fifteen people role up to one of two or three phone booths within miles and need to make a phone call and they can not because a group of people are paying no attention to them and only want a mewtwo? What if I just lost my job and had to travel out of town to move back in with my parents and that group surrounded me at a 2-3 person bench inside a bus shelter? I have helped a local who submitted around nine bus shelters in my town that included artwork from high school student winners of a contest. They are really cool and unique and designed by local artist and there is even a website that shows them on a map and details their creation. As for the rest of the bus stops no one cares when they pass by one and they are generic and consist of four metal posts with glass to look through while hearing the rain pelt off the tin roof with zero uniqueness except the occasional local lawyer poster that is barely hanging on the back of it with 0 historical value. You are better off allowing every small town locally owned gas station to be accepted than a mass produced shelter. You start accepting every bus shelter in a small rural area you might as well accept all the generic benches located next to a field under a tree while you are at it. A transit station for a city that usually includes a locally historic persons name on it that has large gathering spots that more than three people can occupy without being crammed or disturb the people nearby is a totally different scenario. I bet you if I hopped on google maps I could find 15+ acceptable things within 3 miles of your bus stop within 30 minutes. Plus nominate another 10 poi I stumbled upon on my route and knock them all out plus another 5-10 historical markers no one knew existed while checking the internet occasionally all within 3 to 4 hours of getting up, out and exploring. I nominated around 15 things today in a rural area I had never been to while nominating a mural in a local gym for a friend that was having trouble getting it accepted. Yes it hurts when something is awesome to you and no one gets it but I promise you there are plenty of other things nearby that are acceptable. I made and had poi accepted while at GoFest in NYC that made both it into both games and they had been there forever like the Museum for Broadway that was literally less than 100 yards from Times Square.
I love this statement! Sometimes it is hard to look objectively at a poi important personally and realize how other reviewers will see it. Sometimes I need to resubmit with more information, and sometimes I need to just step away from that nomination.
That’s just gratuitously rude, but ok…
Sorry if you object to discussion and sharing of ideas, but I’m not sure why you felt the need to post at all without actually having anything to really say other than to suggest I shut up?
I have a local player that nominates a lot like me. We DM daily and he is as harsh on his criticism as they come but I need that and love it. No one cares or even likes that place. no chance." or “That is an awful picture. Blury, crooked, terrible angle and looks like my two year old took it.” “Your title is way too long and your description is weak at best. No chance it is accepted”. Should people do this to newbies that have nominated less than 50+ poi or reviewed less than 7500-10k nominations? Or someone new to the system asking questions on here? Absolutely not but be honest with them "FYI that nomination has less than a 5% chance but go for it. It doesn’t hurt to try. Take veterans advice. They know the system and don’t get upset when something you love keeps getting denied. Try 1-2 more times but approach it different every time then try appealing and move on if that doesn’t work. Never argue with someone you asked for advice from. Listen and try what they say. I have had close to 700 poi accepted and added to pogo and still love people helping me out and need it. Thats my 2 cents and hope this helps the ones that are really frustrated with their results. Oh one more thing. If you came on here because you are struggling with a nom then please listen to peoples advice and do not argue with them. Just try it. These are the hardcore reviewers on here and are the ones voting so if you ignore their advice your results will not change. Even if you disagree or hate it you need to try it. After all they are the judge and have the final say.
And that is not you basically telling me to shut up? Uh-huh…
Pretty sure if I started chiming in on threads where you’ve responded a few times exclusively to stamp my judgement over how many comments you’ve made and imply that they aren’t required or valued, that you’d feel the same way. It’s belittling, debasing, and totally uncalled for and rude
Just as a reminder - please treat each other with kindness and respect. Everyone should feel welcome to post their earnest thoughts and feelings about Wayfarer topics. If one doesn’t want to see the contributions of a particular forum member, I’d definitely recommend using the Mute/Ignore functions. I like to see multiple points of view, so I appreciate conversations that are allowed to progress on topic! “Be curious, not judgmental” where possible.
I tried to do something similar with a bus stop/landmark (international and company flags)/parking spot (for both visitors of the national park i.e. public AND for the company) and it got rejected. First with no comment, and second with “using coercive words to increase likelihood of acceptance” or something like that. Granted, there are a few more pokestops in the nearby area, but it would just have been perfect to meet up there and start a route or something through the national park… But try to explain that to a bot…
That rude. It a safe space for everyone to express themselves. Mutual respect to other users and players are important in this community.
Its important that we embrace the users to express.
Yes retivetive expressions is for some annoying. But not needed to be rude about it. There a different ways to deal with it. And you have choice to read it or not.
There was a post on the old forum that saying why something would be helpful for the game in the supporting could be considered influencing reviewers, so I wonder if that is what happened to you. I know the prompt asks you to explain why your nomination would be a good pokestop, but just say why something is a great place for exercise, exploration or being social.
Hard agree. I lived in Homeworth, Ohio. We had no art or bus stops.
Almost everyone in this forum seems so bougey. I’m sorry that the cool bus stop wasn’t interesting enough for your champaign tastes. I would have accepted it. It is lovely, it promotes moving about the city to explore, and it meets Niantics’ criteria.
I submitted a bus stop that had a bike rack, but the bike rack was shaped like scooters and bikes. The reviewer thought it looked too generic.
For one moment, please try to see nominations in the eyes of someone who comes from rural upbringing. Put your brain in the head of someone who actually thinks Walmart is an important waypoint.
I will reject trail markers as generic, but bus stops? If they’re more than a street sign, I’m accepting it. A place to sit? Perfect. Some art? Absolutely. Local routes that are taped inside? Accepting it.
One thing I like to keep in mind is - is the place I’m nominating a true DESTINATION for the proposed criterion? Like, if I’m choosing a great place to be social, is this a place I’d go to for that purpose? For typical bus stops, this is not the case: they’re just a piece of infrastructure. I don’t explore the bus stop, I don’t propose it as a great place to meet up and chat with friends (yes, chatting can happen there, but that’s usually a by-product of waiting for a bus), and it’s not a great place to exercise. However, some bus stops have customized art or architectural enclosures that make them explore-worthy. Those would be the ones I accept. Trail markers differ, in my opinion - many times I’ve gone for a walk on a trail and due to physical limitations have said stuff like “I’ll walk to the one-mile marker and back to get my required steps in and check out the wetlands for migrant songbirds” which makes the marker a destination for my exercise and exploration both.
I stopped reading after