Game breaking bug on some explorer rides

[emalafeew]

We hope to address both of your issues with new path loading code in the next Explorer release. It's working well already but needs more testing and bug fixes so looking like it'll be out next week.

The old path loading code sat on top of our "ride anywhere" code that you get when creating a ride with no destination. It simply restricted what dots where along the specified google directions, but didn't ensure that those directions led you to a valid dot. The new path loading code looks up dots along the google directions, and is guaranteed to find the next dot available along the path.

Regarding restarting rides, yes just select "Ride Forward" instead of "Resume Ride" to start again at 0%. You can also choose "Ride Reverse" to start at the end and ride back to the beginning.

[Puychaud]

I previously had trouble with Explorer, no dots, blue screen, no moving forward etc. but I have now solved it, and I thought it worth sharing my experience just in case it helps someone else. My cycle is in a separate room to my router, and I used a wifi range extender to improve the signal in that room. It seemed that the signal strength was fine, but I still was unable to complete a ride due to the aformentioned problems. I did a little research on the web and found out that wifi extenders halve your maximum download speed (they don't tell you that do they?), and so I bought a reasonably priced wifi mesh "Tenda MW3(3-PACK) - NOVA MW3 HOME MESH WIFI SYSTEM" - there are I am sure plenty of others out there. I now get the same download speed in the cycle room as at the router (15Mps), and all my problems have gone - I can now complete rides - fantastic.
Another thing to look out for is the orientation of the pedal sensor. If it is not lying flat to the pedal bar, but has been knocked to a different angle you will find the bike moves slowly or not at all. I have a habit of knocking it when I dismount so I always check now. Anyway, hope I can help someone.

[Puychaud]

Well it turns out that was a false dawn -back to the BSOD, no white dots, BSOD with white dots no scenery, dots coming to an end. I had to restart the programme 6 times to cycle for 5 minutes - sigh. Please fix this fast or I will cancel my subscription.

[jwarburg]

Hi Keith,

It's likely that the fixes we've described regarding path loading will be out by the end of the week, very beginning of next week at the latest. Hope you'll stick with us long enough to see how it works!

[emalafeew]

The new path loading logic is nearly ready, but am still finding and fixing bugs in it. Could be ready as early as tomorrow.

[emalafeew]

Okay the new build is up, see the change notes.

This should fix all cases we know and have heard about people getting stuck without white dots, but the new loading algorithm could have its own bugs we'd like to hear about. Note the new algorithm only applies to rides with directions--the old algorithm is still used when creating rides without a destination, where you decide where to turn at intersections.

We also fixed a number of "white dots not following road" cases. We can only do so much with the data provided, but at this point we're processing for continuity better than Google themselves. ;->

[billydwolf]

Hi Kevin,
Yes the Explorer app is newer and still being improved.  It relies on external dynamic data that we’ve been handling better every release, and are also researching ways to look better.  That said it should be working better than you describe—those routes are well traversed as you can see from the number of times they’ve been finished at vzfit.com/stats.  You seem to be having two types of problems.  The first is when the program stops loading “white dots” which allow you to move forward.  We have a new method for next build that should eliminate that kind of problem entirely along precreated rides.  Until then, restarting the app typically fixes the issue, note you’ll start at your last location. Your second problem is blue screens even when you can load dots. That is far more rare, and may indicate a network issue.  In the location you are having the problem, could you open the web browser in your headset and load fast.com?  That’ll give you a bandwidth report that should be at least 3 Mbps for Explorer to function properly, and about what Netflix needs to stream standard def video.

On the explorer app, after about 5 miles the app stops working.   My on screen bike stops.  I can begin the ride later and it picks uip where I left off, but again it will stop working after some time.  This sequence of events has happened reliably since I began using it.  Suggestions?

[emalafeew]

This week's build should have fixed such problems, but we have a special build to help diagnose them. Can you please contact support@virzoom.com and ask about that?

[surfous]

I've had a better experience with the newer builds so far as getting stuck. There are some new side effects I've noticed, though I'd say the game breaking nature of my initial report has been addressed.

When "Proceeding to the next location" while riding with a trainer, the trainer doesn't make the jump along with me. I have to go to the menu & Options, then turn the trainer off and on again. This resets the trainer's cycle in the type of interval I've chosen, though.

Sometimes my Quest and my router have an argument, and my Quest drops off the WiFi. It'll either resolve in a bit, or I'll have to go to the Quest's settings and toggle WiFi off and on again. It seems that Explorer may jump ahead many times as I'll find myself at or near the end of the ride when I resume the app. I think that I did not pause the ride by opening Explorer's menu before dropping back to the Quest menu when I did this, though.

Great work, though. I'm happy to see Explorer keep getting better at dealing with whatever oddities are in the Google data in the various places we might ride!

[emalafeew]

Thanks surfous! We’ll address the trainer issue and look into jumping too far ahead due to network troubles. Maybe they produce different error codes than missing streeview locations.