Good day and welcome!
It is nice to see that the game has encouraged you to go out and it is frustrating to hear that some areas are still devoid of game objects. The occurrence of game objects does drive a player to interact with a particular object even when it seems incredulous outside of that. However, through Wayfarer, we can only mirror the gameboard based on the real world. The notion is to drive an object’s particular merits towards socialization, exercise, and exploration home so it can become a game object or a wayspot.
It is important to encourage socialization, exercise, and exploration; what comes first is making the real world to realize that. This comes in the form of amenities that are tied to the three core leisure aspects. The presence of these objects/place determines the playability of the gameboard of specific areas.
I would like to ask how specific examples are used in real life, exclusive of Pokémon GO or any AR game. This has to be discussed through the submission and that is where the eligibility criteria is assessed. The differences in usage, function, and novelty of a particular object may be different from another; which is why it is important to highlight these differences within the submission.
It is not discouraged to walk through the neighborhood. The problem is the lack of objects that would encourage people to walk through the neighborhood (outside of AR games) and would be eligible. When people ask “go play outside”, there may be cases where we think “but where? there’s literally nowhere and nothing to do out here.” That’s still the issue with such places.
As for its usage as trails and running markers, I recommend reading through Trails & Markers where it is highlighted that the presence of an official route is the key to the acceptance of trail markers.
I think it is good that we yearn for things related to exercise, exploration, and socialization (even when there is a perverse incentive for us). Now, we can go back and forth, stretch this Wayfarer criterion. Or use this motivation to make changes out there.