What do you want Wayfarer to bring in 2025? šŸŽ†

Consistency. Especially decisions made by Niantic reviewers, machine learning, and appeals regarding nominations. This is my #1 issue from 2024. Cyndieā€™s post about neighborhood signs is a good example of this. I have seen decisions go both way from Niantic for nominations of neighborhood signs. There should not be inconsistency like this from anyone at Niantic reviewing appeals or machine learning.

8 Likes

In addition to what Gendgi says here, footbridges along a trail often serve as a scenic outlook as well making them a great place to explore in addition to being a useful landmark to meet, or helping users continue their exercise and exploration of a trail.

2 Likes

As was mentioned earlier, a map of all wayspots. That is officially accessible to everyone. :pray:

15 Likes

very broadly speaking, itā€™s when you attempt to change the ā€œthingā€ a wayspot represents. sometimes itā€™s malicious or abusive, but many times itā€™s simply a good faith effort to keep the way spot up to date.

examples include a restaurant closing and a new restaurant opening in the same location, a church changing denominations or branding, an art installation being replaced, etc.

unfortunately it can Also be used to try and skirt the standard review process which is why Niantic has mostly disallowed it. but there are a few exceptions, and Iā€™d like to see that list grow and become more nuanced.

2 Likes

Yeah, I was thinking more like, how do you suggest that we get local people involved? People submitting does not mean that they are reviewing. You mentioned Campfire, but that is aligned with individual games while Wayfarer is game agnostic. Reviewers who only play Ingress canā€™t be reached through a Campfire Pokemon GO group and vice versa. I love the idea of getting local people to review, so Iā€™m always looking for ideas on how to make that happen.

2 Likes

Totally agree that Campfire is PokƩmon Go based, but if you can get one part of a local group to start reviewing it can help. I know we have players of multiple games in our area including Go that would love to use Campfire as a resource to get people involved.

I think itā€™s better to consider that anyone from anywhere could potentially see your nominations especially when we have country-specific challenges.

Two examples I can think of would be:

UK Postboxes - I would need to ensure I had enough detail in my supporting information to explain why I believe this meets criteria, along with any relevant links. To someone from the US, who doesnā€™t visit this forum/interact with other Wayfarer groups, they wouldnā€™t know the significance so itā€™s on me as the submitter there.

The other one, is one thatā€™s been mentioned in other threads

Barber shops - I go to a great Turkish barbers. Itā€™s great because they donā€™t speak a word to me, after asking how I want it cut, and then at the end for payment. Bliss. So to me, theyā€™re not a great place to be social as I speak about ten words in total during my time there.

However in some communities these are very much social spots for people to come together. So then the onus is on that submitter to make sure itā€™s explained to anyone who may review.

I would say you have to consider the world beyond just your locals.

3 Likes

Challenges are different, if you choose to be apart of the challenge then you know what you are getting into.

Your points about the barbershop is completely correct. In my area those are great places for socializing. That is why I think be more local is the good option, if that doesnā€™t mean anything as to what you will see then why do we have to enter a home location and bonus.

I dunno, I donā€™t feel like doing wayfarer in 2025. They took away incentives to review with the ML and they have become increasingly sloppy with their Niantic reviews so I think Iā€™m just going to chill. Not done any submissions for a while anyway because of waning motivation.

1 Like

100 miles is approximately the radius of the ā€œlocalā€ area square. If youā€™re reviewing nominations from farther away than that (I assume youā€™re in the USA because of the ā€œmilesā€), those nominations are likely ā€œupgradedā€ by submitters to show them to a wider audience. And vice versa - if you use ā€œupgradeā€, your nominations will be reviewed by reviewers from farther away in addition to local ones.

If you want some nominations to be reviewed by ā€œlocalā€ reviewers, then basically donā€™t upgrade them.

1 Like

Maybe if i would be Kevin McCallister; [gleefully ] I made my family disappear.

Just some of my imaginations

  1. In the Wayfarer web page, ā€œNominationā€ and ā€œEditā€ divided into two different columns.
  2. Cancel the restriction that typing is required in ā€œDescriptionā€ and ā€œSupplementary Descriptionā€
  3. Cancel the ā€œPauseā€ function
  4. Remove the inexplicable Powerspots from the Nominated map :roll_eyes:
  5. In the Wayfarer Challenge or when you reach certain qualifications, you can get rewards for breaking through grid restrictions.

I donā€™t understand 2 or 3. Can you explain what you mean?

Broadening your horizon beyond fudgeā€¦

Sorry I could not remember so wrote what came to mind.

I think the fudge - Was a brill idea!!!

1 Like

re - 2. I think SeaPrincecess it maybe PGO based. When I nominate in PGO if I leave description blank or the additional blank PGO says no so I have to put something in. Makes sense.

Me. I just put rubbish in. Select later. Upload at home and put on hold straight away. Where I spend time on ensuring I have all the juicy supporting stuff.

@EONloveu be good to know why you want no restriction?

Actually makes me think - and if only to reduce risk of Niantic AI/Systems grabbing my nomination on upload before I have edited. I kinda always wanted an option to auto hold my nomination on upload. In my settings. But probably only suits me :slight_smile:

As some have already mentioned, updating the criteria clarification page will be one of the goals for 2025. Categories that exist and are nominated worldwide, such as bridges, should show the teamā€™s opinion.
And will the team look back at 2024 in 2025?

1 Like

Iā€™d like submissions to have more mandatory description and the ability for them to have a short video attached, or guidance to submitters during the submission process to include proper surround area photos ie: that include the footpath. Perhaps there could be quick refresher training when somebody hasnā€™t nominated or reviewed a stop in a while too. If submissions could be reviewed in an app or via campfire that would be great too.

What do you see as the difference between reviewing in an app vs in a browser on your phone? To me, they are the same thing, but those may be different to you.

I want the Niantic community to stop rejecting everything. I was so excited about the prospect of contributing Pokestops and have been nothing but discouraged by endless rejection. A 6 foot steel art installation rejected for being ā€œtemporaryā€, an ice cream parlor with no other stops nearby rejected for reasons unknown, the walking/bike path that our entire community uses rejected for not being interestingā€¦ itā€™s disheartening and detrimental to the game. The players on here need to stop rejecting everything and trust that the people who live in the areas they are nominating Pokestops have good reason. Yes, there should be checks so people arenā€™t nominating their own house or a rock outside the door or something. But other than that, err on the side of believing that other players contributions are worthwhile.

2 Likes

Please post the nominations you feel were rejected unfairly in Nomination Support for advice. You can appeal these rejections, which is a great addition Niantic has made.

All of these things you mention could go either way. Often sculptures are part of a temporary exhibit, ice cream parlors are chain businesses, no other stops is not part of criteria, random spot on a walking path is not a distinct place to mark a wayspot, for example.

6 Likes