Kids' playgrounds

VarjohaukkaVarjohaukka ✭✭
edited October 2021 in General

I think all portals located in kids' playgrounds should be removed. It's quite creepy for grownups to appear in places like that to play the game. Many of these playgrounds are also in private apartment areas, and they are definitely only for people living in those apartments, not for outsiders.

Comments

  • HosetteHosette ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited October 2021

    A while ago I looked at playgrounds and interaction ranges and learned something interesting.

    Most playgrounds are small, maybe 10-15 meters from one side to the other, which means a radius of 5-7.5 meters (assuming a theoretical perfectly round playground, as one would do in physics class.) The interaction circle for Ingress is 40 meters. I hunted down a whole bunch of playgrounds in the San Francisco bay area and worked pretty hard to include a couple of large ones, then drew an interaction circle around each one assuming that the pin was on the center. For nearly every playground I could find there was a huge interaction area for the portal where you didn't even need to get close in order to play. So, while I sort of agree with you in theory in practical terms it should be no big deal to avoid being creepy.

    You can find my images with interaction circles here: https://community.wayfarer.nianticlabs.com/discussion/12994/study-where-should-you-place-the-pin-for-safe-access-to-a-playground-from-outside

  • EngrishEngrish ✭✭✭✭

    Playgrounds and any equipment used to not be a part of the criteria back in the Beta days for that fact. Once out of beta there was an influx of players with families and NIA changed the criteria to add playgrounds.

  • MargariteDVilleMargariteDVille ✭✭✭✭
    edited October 2021

    I'm OK with playgrounds in a public park.

    The others... seem to be a matter of time before someone is arrested, and Niantic sued.

    Especially playgrounds designed for parents to leave their kids in the care of others, like a church playground. The teachers are often trained to call the cops on someone suspicious (like wandering around looking up and down at their phone).

  • PkmnTrainerJPkmnTrainerJ ✭✭✭✭✭

    If I’m using a playground Portal, I’m not exactly hanging around for 5-10 minutes.

    I’ll hack/attack it as I walk past. I don’t need to be super close to any portal, or wait at one for anything.

  • Jo0LzJo0Lz ✭✭✭✭✭

    I think the official guidelines state that if the playground is within 50 meters of a residential building, it's not allowed.

    Also I think originally the guideline for playgrounds stated 'when located in a park or interesting surrounding' or something, can't find it anymore.

  • Never seen that anywhere in the official guidelines. Go to Wayfare for the "Official Guidelines" of what makes a portal valid. The link provided gives you the requirements for Eligibility Criteria, Acceptance Criteria, Rejection Criteria, and Content Guidelines.


  • KarM3LKarM3L ✭✭✭✭

    Stems from the pogo-lawsuit that should of rended all portals within range of residential property null and void, but I don't recall seeing any changes to the acceptance criteria...

  • Jo0LzJo0Lz ✭✭✭✭✭

    Originally, this was the guideline: "ACCEPT if the candidate is in a park or community gathering place; falls under the criteria of public spaces that encourage walk and exercise."

    This makes almost all playground portals in the Netherlands not qualify. In no way are playgrounds 'community gathering places', but hey, who cares. Right now, all you need to do is paint a tile and you've got yourself a portal, it's ridiculous.

  • mortuusmortuus ✭✭✭✭✭

    Never had a problem with this, i think most just asume u play pokemon go lol.. but it depends if u stand like a **** it can look suspicious to parents maybe.

  • PkmnTrainerJPkmnTrainerJ ✭✭✭✭✭

     i think most just asume u play pokemon go lol

    That’s what I say if I am wandering around a village submitting stuff and the locals comment. “Oh, just a Pokémon GO thing.” I laugh, they laugh, and I go back to planning out the murders the fielding.

  • MoogModularMoogModular ✭✭✭✭✭

    Ingress notes to be aware of your surroundings. If you feel uncomfortable being somewhere, don't stay. Common sense should trump other motives.

  • Didn't know there was legal action of the sort. Where was the lawsuit filed if I may ask?

  • I agree, only playgrounds that are part of public parks should be allowed. Small private ones not. Currently it seems like over half of the portals that exist in Finland are small private-residence playgrounds with one swing or a single sandbox meant for children under 5-years-old, at that age they should not be playing even pokemon, so there is no reason to keep this sort of locations in game. Having a portal per every private housing also defeats the point of needing to go out and be active, the core point of a location based game.

    It's a poor counter argument to not play if you feel uncomfortable, because unlike in pokemon, any ingress portal can be significant. It depends how daring your opponent is. If all available portals are ****-tier private residence areas or military restricted ones, everyone sensible would just stop playing. There needs to be some kind of sensible filtering against poor quality portals.

    Also Ingress is a game for adults, we could easily do with removing all playground portals, there is no reason for adults to go into kids areas while playing a game. Adults with kids should focus on their kids and not the game.

  • Jo0LzJo0Lz ✭✭✭✭✭

    Agreed. But seeing the downvotes to my post, I guess people also disagree? Don't know why, it's an official guideline, albeit superseded.

  • EvilSuperHerosEvilSuperHeros ✭✭✭✭✭

    It really doesn't matter what is allowed and what is not allowed. Portals happen from people who submit cr4p that isn't within the guidelines anyway. Saw this one over the weekend. Its named "P8". https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=38.677563,-90.647696&z=15&pll=38.677563,-90.647696

  • Jo0LzJo0Lz ✭✭✭✭✭

    Well the wayfarer people are suckers for signs, that's for sure.

  • HosetteHosette ✭✭✭✭✭

    We can all voice our opinions on what should and shouldn't be allowed to be a wayspot and Niantic may actually pay attention to our feedback, though I doubt they will change their mind about playgrounds. My understanding is that playgrounds were added to the acceptance list to facilitate play in suburban and rural areas that often have very few things that qualify.

    Currently playgrounds in public spaces are allowed (though I think not McDonalds-type ones, but I'm not sure), as are playgrounds on common ground of residential areas like apartment complexes. Playgrounds on private residential property don't qualify. It's hard to follow all of the nuances and amendments and employee forum comments about this, but I believe the current guidance is that we're to give extra attention to anything within 40 meters of private residential property to ensure that it won't encourage people to trespass.

    Private residential property is mostly defined as single-family homes, but the best definition I've heard is one where there is land that is private to a residence. That is mostly single-family houses but it could also be duplexes, townhouses, and similar properties. If the residence has a private yard then that yard is clearly off-limits. A shared playground in the common space is acceptable.

  • GrogyanGrogyan ✭✭✭✭✭

    You need to realize that Ingress isn't the only game, some games are more focused on younger audiences who prefer going to the local playgrounds to play.

    Ingress is fine to play in playgrounds.

    Parents are sometimes Ingress players

  • DSktrDSktr ✭✭✭✭

    I agree that kid's playgrounds are not a good idea to be a POI. Especially now,when PoGo players can make three(!!) portals from one playground. The same thin edge as to define nice mural from bad graffity,imo. And,in post-soviet countries 90% of portals are playgrounds(even my home one). This game needs some interesting places not Горки&Плащатки or trachcan's.

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