Invalid Portals - remove portals unless general public has free access

I am personally very disappointed with Niantic allowing several portals to remain in the game. Many of the portals I would report as invalid exist on private property and thus you would need to trespass to gain access. I recently reported a portal of this type on a private island and it remains per Niantic reply.

I would prefer to see all portals that have restricted access to the general public to be removed. Including many portals on restricted government locations. It is just not fair to the normal players without access. I consider Niantic totally negligent for allowing these types of portals. Some of you consider it strategic. I say it is unfair. I have encountered way to many of these types of portals over the years. These are the types of portals that cause people to break laws or game rules. So just allow them to be removed. I view this as Niantic causing the issue and Niantic has the ability to solve the issue.

What are your thoughts?

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Comments

  • mortuusmortuus ✭✭✭✭✭

    it says when u start game, do not trespass.

  • I find it pretty amusing that talk about trespassing when some of you favorite anchors are on private property that you have to trespass to deploy on (not destroy). And some of the government facilities you are complaining are legitimate portals that you have been to, and as you know you just have to go when the museum is open.

  • @lumbergank What anchors would you be talking about that I use on private property? Get your facts straight. More like anchors your team has used over the years? I have attempted to get on several government facilities only to be denied access. And you know some I am referencing, others in the Chicago area. So you are admitting to using them, right? It is not fair to the average player, so eliminate this from the game. Nice to see you here.

  • mortuusmortuus ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited July 2021

    But niantic says not all portals are for everyone so goverment portals for example like it or not are valid if go by the criteria

  • This policy of not having all portals being available to the general public is exactly the issue I am addressing as not fair and should be changed for fair play,

  • KonnTowerKonnTower ✭✭✭✭✭

    I would rather see them go into a farm-only status. You can pin and hack them for gear, but can't link out or in. New class of portal.

  • MirthmakerMirthmaker ✭✭✭✭


    1. Duh, that has to go

    2. You earned it.

    3. Open question, ( there are ren faire portals that come to mind immediately that fall in this area )

    4. Case by case basis.

    5. Leave it for now unless the piece is truly gone and not coming back.

  • AzhreiaAzhreia ✭✭✭✭✭

    1) So portals that have seasonal access should go? Like portals at nature parks or entertainment parks that only open to the public for a limited time of the year? Portals on mountaintops that can only be accessed in Spring/Summer. Portals at Winter holiday resort; portals in places like Botanical Gardens, etc, that only open to the public from 8am to 5pm? Nope?

  • ToxoplasmollyToxoplasmolly ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited July 2021

    @Azhreia:

    Consider all of the following:

    Areas that allow seasonal or other datetime-dependent access only

    @Mirthmaker:

    1. Duh, that has to go

    So, every city and state park where I am is "datetime-dependent access only", because they're all closed over night, with hours that can change with the seasons. They are excellent examples of places that are not open 24/7/365, yet generally considered fine for portals.

  • ZeroHecksGivenZeroHecksGiven ✭✭✭✭✭

    I’m curious what you think about folks who might be physically limited to going to places. If they can’t access portals, then why should anyone else? Level playing field right?

  • InDogeWeTrustInDogeWeTrust ✭✭
    edited July 2021

    Exactly. I've had people complain about hiking or park portals because they physically don't want to get out of their car and walk to the portal. I guess those could be "restricted access" as well.

  • gazzas89gazzas89 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Think there's a difference between physically not being able to, and just being lazy lol

  • KonnTowerKonnTower ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Azhreia

    This is pretty straightforward. General public's legal access to the area is what should be criteria.

    "Areas that allow seasonal or other datetime-dependent access only"

    Portals already aren't supposed to be seasonal. Niantic does, however, already have code for disabling POIs in pokemon go. Perhaps this is a good idea to implement based on the dates.

    "Areas where access requires specialised equipment (boats, hiking/climbing gear, BGANs, etc.)"

    We're talking about legal access to the general public, not equipment required. If you are allowed to get there via boat, meaning your boat is allowed to beach/dock/etc., fair game.

    "Areas that are pay-walled, like zoos, entertainment parks, conventions etc."

    Depends. Can a general member of the public go there legally without paying an exorbitant amount of money? Amusement park for the day? Sure, leave as a portal. $10,000/year private country club? Mmmmm, that's a hack-only.

    "Areas that require an invitation, appointment, permit, etc."

    Prime candidates for hack-only portals. General public (meaning anyone in the world) can't get there regularly because it's a military installation, housing complex, behind a gate/fence, etc? 100% hack-only.

    "Areas that are temporarily off-limits due to construction, safety concerns, etc."

    This doesn't really fit the topic. This would be better left off this discussion and considered a separate topic.


    @Toxoplasmolly

    "I’m curious what you think about folks who might be physically limited to going to places. If they can’t access portals, then why should anyone else? Level playing field right?"

    Wrong. Just because the agent can't reach it, doesn't mean their legal right to reach it has been denied. There are many instances of people with physical limitations overcoming them either alone or with assistance. Many of them are fantastic stories too. 😎

  • ......howsabout removing portals from private campgrounds with a 20 year waiting list available only to employees of the local utility companies? I mean, if I go in there (as a trespasser) I am not only breaking a law but risking my life (I could be shot by a hunter). Yet, some players on the opposing team utilize said campground to the point of flaunting links attached to it, in order to block my team... And I am 100% certain that they aren't an employee of the electric company - they got in there as a hand-me-down from a relative. And now sneak their compatriots in any chance they get.

    "One good turn deserves another."

    "All's fair in love and war."

  • I appreciated the comments made here. My focus is simple. Is it open to the general public or not? I know of some portals open to the public only a few times a year. I guess that is fine, not ideal. We have several on government or other restricted access locations that make it very unfair. Government locations for example. Several examples sited above could be reached with effort, but getting onto a Government facility is not so easy. I have made it on some, but I have been turned away by many. This concept needs a review and revamp by Niantic, who has the ultimate responsibility.

  • AzhreiaAzhreia ✭✭✭✭✭

    @KonnTower

    Portals already aren't supposed to be seasonal. Niantic does, however, already have code for disabling POIs in pokemon go. Perhaps this is a good idea to implement based on the dates.

    I was specific when I said "Areas with seasonal or datetime-dependent access". Areas, not portals. We have several areas that are only open either for events, or certain times of the year. The portals in those areas are valid. Sculpture parks, National park boards, etc.

    Now, you mentioned the possibility of disabling them during these times... what does that mean? You can't hack it, create links from it, recharge it, attack it, upgrade it? Can you link TO them? What happens to existing links that were thrown when it was accessible?

    Disabling Pogo stops/gyms is easy, as there isn't anything more to do at a stop than spin it, or raid it (ignoring the remote raid option). The game impact is minimal. In Ingress, however, you don't need to be at the portal to do big things with it.

    "Areas that are pay-walled, like zoos, entertainment parks, conventions etc."

    Depends. Can a general member of the public go there legally without paying an exorbitant amount of money? Amusement park for the day? Sure, leave as a portal. $10,000/year private country club? Mmmmm, that's a hack-only.

    "exorbitant amount of money" is subjective. For one person, even $10 might be considered exorbitant. You would need to be very specific here, as this would need to be applied globally. Who gets to decide what should be allowed and what shouldn't?

    "Areas that require an invitation, appointment, permit, etc."

    Prime candidates for hack-only portals. General public (meaning anyone in the world) can't get there regularly because it's a military installation, housing complex, behind a gate/fence, etc? 100% hack-only.

    Here as well, who gets to decide which portals should be set to hack-only and which not? Keep in mind the abuse-factor this will invite.

  • MirthmakerMirthmaker ✭✭✭✭

    To cite your examples, entertainment parks with limited seasons absolutely go. Mountain tops can stay. Hours of operation can stay. Nature parks the front gate stays anything inside goes.

  • MirthmakerMirthmaker ✭✭✭✭

    Let's simplify. Majority of the amusement parks in North America any deployment between November 1 and April 1 goes into a "this smells"department and requires humans to go through and adjudicate spoof, or maintenance man with an account. Can't get around the following Ingress NEEDS more humans patrolling the logs looking for odd or curious.

  • What you are proposing would be the **** of the game. There would be no strategy any more, just fields and portals that die on a daily basis. Eventually, people will decide the game is pointless and stop playing.

  • mortuusmortuus ✭✭✭✭✭

    so u think its better with fields that covers huge areas so nobody under them can play leads to less agents that stop play or ?

  • 1valdis1valdis ✭✭✭✭✭

    In some sense, the game is already pointless. Because you can't win it, it is a forever fight - or forever stagnation in areas with no opposition. Green captures blue, blue captures green, so on and so forth. So you just do what you enjoy doing, be it playing only at some events, microfielding, missions, blankets above huge rural areas, or just chatting in your community and not opening the app at all for weeks.

  • KonnTowerKonnTower ✭✭✭✭✭

    I'll generically answer your question as: Niantic and the general playerbase consensus.


    This appears more like an attempt to create an endless back/forth of what-ifs, rather than say yes/no. While it generates more posts, it doesn't move the conversation forward, just sideways.

  • Whoever said the game is pointless... lol... I agree... hahahaha... is true for most games perhaps... that said... I was hoping to get a more balanced game... I personally see Ingress as one of the most Unbalanced games I have encountered.... and this is a topic for a different thread....

  • The game is pointless and stupid to you, but that is only because you do not understand it. No one is going to get excited about a game where everything is the same. The portals have different strengths, and security is a big part of that. Managing secure portals is how you get players excited enough to get involved in a big op. It requires finding players with special access or knowledge and getting them involved, which encourages people to work together and gives them a chance to feel important. If you enjoy games that are pointless (and apparently you play a lot of them), then you are in the wrong place.

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