What happened to the beta maps?

[team tisri]

I just checked the *NEW* Beta maps and found that the OpenStreet and OpenCycle maps have disappeared from the options. And with it the whole point of using the beta maps disappeared for me.

 

If I can't identify the caches I've already found and can't see the caches overlaid on a map showing footpaths and cycle paths, as far as I'm concerned GS might as well scrap the beta maps completely.

 

I can get around the problem by downloading ever-more pocket queries and putting them into the OpenStreetMap module in MapSource, it just seems mindboggling that GS are determined to waste their own bandwidth.

[+MartyBartfast]

And with it the whole point of using the beta maps disappeared for me.

 

I pretty much agree, it was the OpenStreet and OpenCycle maps that was the big draw for me. I'm hoping they've been taken down while something is being fixed and have fingers crossed that they'll be back.

[+dfx]

The cache map also still hasn't been updated since it was released. Just checked a cache that was published on Dec 28 and it's still not on it.

[+Cornell Finch]

That's kind of annoying. It's the best thing about the new maps.

 

I note that the "guide" still mentions them:

 

New map types including OpenStreetMap and OpenCycleMap

[+BaconAndTofu]

I just noticed this also and was really disappointed.

 

I wonder if Groundspeak ran into some licensing issues with OpenStreetMap. I'm not an expert in the OSM usage policy, but I wonder if closed, commercial usage is forbidden.

[+Andalusite]

It is a temporary glitch. They should be back soon.

[+MartyBartfast]

Well the OpenStreet and OpenCycle maps are back. There's also the option to filter by cache type and found/my hides However :-

 

• 
   
  
• There seem to be hardly any caches on the map.
  
• Selecting any single filter seems to hide all caches.
  
• It's incredibly slow.
   
  

 

 

I'm hoping this is a teething problem as the site has only just come back online, so I'm hoping it will be working as expected by tomorrow

[+MartyBartfast]

Just had another go, and all three issues I noted above are resolved now, and the filtering by cache type/found/my hides all seems to work well

[+rutson]

The maps look great and I'm pleased the filtering is there but they are Sooooooooooooooooooooo slooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooow :-(

[team tisri]

It all seems to be working again for me, although why it has to drop all the caches from the map and then put them back on when I change the filters is something of a mystery. Must be something to do with graphics layers or some such.

 

It's a little sluggish when the map is zoomed way out, but then at that kind of zoom all I want is an overview rather than lots and lots of detail.

[+Misty and Minou]

Goodness knows what's happening for me then!

 

I can only see caches when I am zoomed all the way out to 20 mile to 1 inch which while pretty is also useless. Playing around with the filters doesn't help either.

 

Update - the site is just soo sloooooooooooooooow that it's taking a very long time to load up and it seems to be doing it a zoom level at a time. Sitll not enough detail after 15 min of loading.

Edited February 2, 2011 by Misty_Minou

[team tisri]

Now they are broken for me too. I can see the map, just no caches.

 

For good measure if you zoom out far enough to make relocating the map some distance workable and then zoom in a lot of the settings don't survive and it falls over (again).

 

I know it's a beta but come on GS... this is silly.