The Countries Visited Achievement needs to be expanded to states/regions to be inclusive
NeuroticNiffler
Posts: 3 ✭
The Countries Visited Achievement, while nice for those who live in smaller countries that offer affordable travel across borders, is not practical for a majority of users who live in larger countries. This isn’t just true for the Americas, but for a large number of countries outside of Europe. Please expand it to include states, provinces, and regions.
This site is NOT mobile friendly.
4
Comments
I am going to disagree. If anything we should assess if countries in the EU should qualify and make it more difficult than less. But, citing life isn't fair, I say leave it alone.
"Our mission is to use emerging technology to enrich the experience of the physical world while encouraging exercise, exploration and social interaction on a global scale."
This achievement goes directly towards Niantic's mission. I am currently thinking about how to travel to another country, probably easier for me than most, but I would not have even been thinking about it without this achievement.
We’re talking about distance and affordability of travel here. You missed the point entirely. Each state in the US rivals the size of an average European country. And that doesn’t touch the sheer size of Russia or even Canada. Saying this achievement should be harder is classist and elitist.
Have to agree with Neuro on this one.
Not everyone has (or can afford) a passport. In addition, not everyone lives in a border state. I'm fortunate to live in a border state but I can afford neither a passport nor an enhanced license that will allow me to cross into Canada.
It is completely classist and elitist to support and defend the closing off an achievement to someone just because they're financially strapped. This game is showing itself to be a cash grab as it is. As much as I love the game, that's just a fact. This requirement to enter another country for the achievement is even worse.
I'm finding that it doesn't re cognize that I'm in another country. I started the game while in England, but have returned home to the US and it still hasn't updated my achievements. I've been home 4 says so maybe I need to be here longer?
@NeuroticNiffler & @Craeft,
I clearly undervalued how strongly you felt about this. Having an achievement that you think is clearly beyond your means to accomplish must truly be frustrating. I hope that you can understand that I have a slightly different point of view. I love the idea of big, hard to achieve accomplishments as an opportunity to dream. I can dream about and even plan to participate at some point in the future, maybe years from now, in an Harry Potter event in a different country.
@Craeft, I am confused how you think this particular achievement is a way for Niantic to profit. Except for selling tickets to international events I am unsure how Niantic would even expect to profit from this achievement. Am I missing something here? I won't argue with your contention that this game is a money grab, though I don't share that opinion. I have not had to spend any money on the game so far. I do believe that different people will have different experiences based on where they live.
I am curious if the existence of this achievement is so onerous to you that it ruins your enjoyment of the game. After all the reward for this achievement is only 100 gold.
@Cerenity Did you return a foundable in both countries? That is the requirement listed on the achievement.
@Osprey1
Thank you for understanding. It is my dream to travel, but as it is now, this achievement is more of a limitation than an invitation for adventure to many. I understand the idea behind it, though.
@Cerenity It could still be buggy. Try messaging support.
@Osprey1 - I totally understand (I'm actually the same way). But there's a difference between "difficult" and physically impossible. I don't think achievements that are absolutely impossible for some should be implemented. I would feel this way even if I could travel.
I don't think Niantic is trying to profit off of this situation, but I see how this game is internally as a cash-grab and then to have such an achievement in place is just one more thing that the vast majority of players would need to spend (a LOT) of money on just to make it happen.
In a way, it does ruin my enjoyment to a degree, but not enough (on its own) to dissuade me from playing. In fact, I won't say it RUINS my enjoyment but it does hinder it. And that's because I am totally a completionist. Same way in all games I play. I'm kinda OCD about that. hehe... So... ruin? No. Hinder? Definitely. It's basically a way of saying, "This achievement is for those in specific locations and/or those who are well off." I think that's inherently unfair to the player base. And again, I would feel the same way even if I could manage the achievement.