While testing the map functionality in Google Maps, one interesting finding has been that the searches returned are not deterministic. That is, if I set the default location to my home address, enter specific search terms (e.g. "coffee+shop"), and click Search, the results vary from search to search.
Go ahead, try it yourself. Go to Google Maps, set your default location, search for "coffee+shop", and then after searching once just hit the search button again. I don't know if Google Map's search algorithm is somehow adjusting the search criteria from inquiry to inquiry, maybe under the assumption that the first search didn't yield good results because you're searching a second time?
I don't know what's going on here, but I find it a bit strange. I was a bit worried about the case in my game where the player searches for points of interests, locates one at a particular address, then closes the app and goes to the address. Upon arriving, they open the app back up, repeat the search, and then find that location is no longer being produced. That would lead to very frustrated players, and would suck. I may prompt the player to repeat the search if this happens, because I don't particularly want to mess with persisting locations if I don't really have to.
Anybody got any ideas on why results change from search to search on Google Maps? Google's regular search engine doesn't work this way.
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