<div dir="ltr"><div dir="auto">There was a video uploaded to YouTube a couple of days ago that claims to show some possible evidence that Pokemon Go uses data from OSM to determine good spawn locations for Pokemon. There are also several threads on reddit under /r/TheSilphRoad that have similar claims. It is amusing to see their speculation and methods of testing their "evidence" which include adding a footway to OSM and then going out and playing Pokemon Go a couple hours later so see if it affected anything. </div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">Anyway, the theory being proposed is that highway=footway features in OSM lead to increased Pokemon spawn activity. Also, nests are supposedly located inside of recreation type landuse areas (golf course, park, play ground, etc) This has led to some players attempting to influence the game mechanics by, for example, adding a bunch of footways around their house. While that is a relatively benign change, some others have taken to retagging paths, cycleways and even residential roads to highway=footway.</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">I have been watching any changesets that come in with the word "pokemon" in the changeset comments and have reverted a bunch of them. However I am worried about users who may not be using changeset comments so I thought I would at least let the wider community know that this is happening and if you see any odd reclassification of features to highway=footway, this is probably why. I have also seen some legit and useful edits so it isn't all bad.</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">Some places where these discussions are happening:<br><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiJ000T8GbE">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiJ000T8GbE</a><br></div><div dir="auto"><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/TheSilphRoad/comments/5jfnrm/how_to_find_the_new_rural_spawn_points/">https://www.reddit.com/r/TheSilphRoad/comments/5jfnrm/how_to_find_the_new_rural_spawn_points/</a><br></div><div dir="auto"><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/TheSilphRoad/comments/50ni6g/osm_data_spawn_points_relation_confirmed/">https://www.reddit.com/r/TheSilphRoad/comments/50ni6g/osm_data_spawn_points_relation_confirmed/</a><br></div><div dir="auto"><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/TheSilphRoad/comments/54sy36/osm_query_to_identify_possible_nests/">https://www.reddit.com/r/TheSilphRoad/comments/54sy36/osm_query_to_identify_possible_nests/</a><br></div><div dir="auto"><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/TheSilphRoad/comments/5jw4ep/new_spawn_points_in_my_area_align_with_osm/">https://www.reddit.com/r/TheSilphRoad/comments/5jw4ep/new_spawn_points_in_my_area_align_with_osm/</a><br></div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div>I would call their evidence circumstantial at best.</div><div><br></div><div>Toby</div></div>
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