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Rikitan

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Posts posted by Rikitan

    Bring back "Needs Maintenance" for COs

    in Website

    Posted

    I'm using my wife's account to log NM at my own caches. 

    It also adds extra sense of urgency, psychologically :ph34r:

     

     

    I remember those days when I was testing new log flow - and this is one the issues I've addressed back then. Didn't understood this re(move) of important CO tool/option.

    • Funny 3
    • Love 1

    Found a trackable but it’s just a laminated color copy

    in Trackables

    Posted

    I'm releasing "proxies" for years. I'd love to see original geocoins and tags still traveling .. unfortunately all of them have been lost or stolen :(

    I use to wait couple of years, then create and release batch of laminated copies, always attached to some little souvie. 

     

    As example .. this is one of my latest batch. 

     

    537561100_TBlabelprint024x.thumb.jpg.1fbb5bc1e6306429be8707aa45364a5b.jpg

     

    I spent lot of money to buy originals, so I'd like to see them alive and moving. I'm sorry that originals are stolen, that's how the world works and we can't change it. This is the best I can do to fill the geocaches up and show my geocoins to others - how they looked before they were taken by someone.

    It's better than nothing.

     

    Oh, by the way - it is yet to happen should original trackable to resurface after years. 2 copies traveling at the same moment - this never happened to me yet. If it will, I will just contact geocacher who is holding the copy to keep it, or discard it.

     

    IMG_20200410_154629.thumb.jpg.082ad0038535181fcdf064e7181077ea.jpg

     

     

     

    • Upvote 1

    Suggestion: new, more useful attributes

    in General geocaching topics

    Posted

    23 minutes ago, IceColdUK said:

    The more I read of this thread, the more I think that if there is a problem, it's that we have too many attributes.  As a CO, I always find it a struggle to know which ones to pick...

     

    I live in a suburban area, of course there's fuel, food, telephones, public transport and restrooms 'nearby', but how close is 'nearby'?  And do I need to tell people?  I'm sure I could even find a campsite that allows campfires within a few miles.  Thorns (well, brambles) are pretty much a likelihood on every footpath in the country.  Do I need to add a warning?  And we seem to get ticks here more now than I remember (at least, I do!), but how do I decide which of my caches should have that attribute?  I've never seen one, but we get adders here too.  What does tourist friendly actually mean?  What's the difference between a long hike and a significant hike?  Should night caches also be recommended at night?  If a cache requires a boat, could I also swim or wade?  Why is a cache recommended for kids - has it been designed with kids in mind, or is it because there's a playground nearby?  Etc., etc.

     

    (These are all rhetorical questions!)

     

    The result is that there is so little consistency in the way that many of these attributes are assigned, that they're practically useless, especially for filtering purposes.  Maybe we should be looking at streamlining the list rather than expanding it?

     

    Good points. I agree with you.

    Website is not helpful either, it does not provide any explanation when some attribute should be used, and when not. 

    Most often I see it with Seasonal cache attribute, so many local owners understand it as available in all seasons. Just from top of my head. 

    There's more important work to do, not only expanding the list, but as you said, streamlining, get to common understanding, etc.

    Release Notes (Website: Public Profile displays total Favorite points received) - February 10, 2020

    in Geocaching HQ communications

    Posted

    10 hours ago, Gill & Tony said:

    Why can't we have both?

    Why can't we have DNF count as well?

    Why can't we configure what we want to show?

     

    I'm glad TB log count is not longer displayed there.

    This is step right direction. FP% would be nice to have, good comment.

     

    Back to above questions ... Why? Just my opinion:

    Because in general, measurements motivate people* to do something what is measured and presented.

    * not all the people, and not the same way - of course!

     

    • Number of trackables logged.

    Sadly, this measurement (besides other numbers and rankings) motivated many people to share lists of trackable codes with others and mass-log everything what had 6 digits, no matter if they ever seen that trackable. Sorry - but having discovered as many trackables as possible is not a point of their existence. Stats are making people to do silly things.

     

    • Number of DNF logs

    I'm proud of my 1386 DNF logs (you may see your own count here). I have no problem to display it to others in my profile. 

    But what would happen, if DNF logs count will be added as new profile statistics?

    We are back to motivation - there are players, who would take it as a challenge to break all the records. You only need few ill-motivated players who will start to log inappropriate DNFs, just because of some ranking, or number. How much harm it can do to others, you can surely imagine.

     

    • Number of FPs

    Compared to 2 measurements above, I can't see any significant harm, or ill-motivation here. I'm absolutely sure there are many players, who will look at their number and start their quest to make it raising. Either they will try to hide more quality geocaches, or more popular ones - both are good for the game. Or they may ask friends to exchange FPs - I admit this would be wrong and I hope there won't be many such owners. Overall, it will have positive impact on the game for all of us.

    • Why can't we configure?

    I tried to explain my opinion, why it is important to think about motivation of players - why they are doing some actions and if are those actions healthy for the nature of the game. Of course you may have different opinion, I just explained why I think this is step right direction.

    • Upvote 2

    An old hidden container turned into an old geocache

    in General geocaching topics

    Posted

    On 1/27/2020 at 7:31 PM, CheekyBrit said:

    While on holiday as a kid, some friends and I hid an ammo can container as a sort of time capsule. This was before any of us knew geocaching existed. Looking back to it, this container is set up just like a geocache since there is a half blank notebook in there that would function as a log, and a bit of SWAG from our childhood (so it's mostly junk kids didn't mind leaving behind).

     

    What are your thoughts on turning this into a geocache and using our original hide date as the hidden date? That would make it one of the oldest caches in the county.

     

    Another point of view:

    If I was you, I would keep my time capsule resting in safety for the future (generations). It's so valuable now, imagine what a treasure it will become for your kids and for kids of your kids .. If you'd get it published as geocache, you'll invoke a lot of risks:

    • Frequent visits of strangers will expose its hideout.
    • Game is not played by honest people only, someone may steal it. If there is only 1% risk of bad intention, after 100 finds it is multiplied to 64% (formula: 1 - (0.99 ^ 100)).
    • Players may trade your valued items out, even if you ask them don't to do so. Many don't read anything. Many read only hint.
    • They may close capsule slovenly and humidity will finish the damage. Happens so often with geocaches.

    Sorry for skepticism - turning your capsule to geocache is sort of bye-bye.

    • Upvote 5

    An old hidden container turned into an old geocache

    in General geocaching topics

    Posted

    I don't know the right answer, there are so many good points raised above. 

     

    If it would land in my queue, I would probably discourage the cache owner from using original hidden date. More or less due to Hangup #2.

    Hangup #1 is possibly not 100% considerate to others, but in reality - irrelevant.

    In case CO would push on, I would need to check with others, what's the best approach.

    What's for sure - you won't be able to go back beyond May 2nd 2000, technically impossible now.

     

    I also do have a cool story, not so cool as yours, but:

    • On 21st Nov 2010 I hid a cache.
    • While I was working on the listing (and doing other procrastination stuff), another cache in proximity was published on 3rd December 2010
    • I didn't get any favor (rightly so) from my local reviewer, but decided to stick with original place.
    • I kept listing in "waiting" mode and took cache back home, so nobody could be confused by random find. 
    • Now, after 9 long years, I have the place finally free - conflicting cache has been archived recently.

    You're guessing right, I was thinking of keeping the original hidden date .. 

    • Upvote 2
    • Love 1

    Online map filters

    in Website

    Posted

    On 1/5/2020 at 2:01 AM, ras_oscar said:

    Each time I long onto the cache map I have to re enter my preferred filter set. Is there a way to have my profile hold them and load them each time I log on?

     

    When you are zooming, filtering and sorting on the cache map, URL address in your browser is changing. 

    Just bookmark your preferred view - or as many as you need and it's done!

     

    I agree this is core browser functionality that does not need to be replicated by website.

    • Upvote 2

    Cachers not answering questions

    in EarthCaches

    Posted

    Has anyone mention this recommendation yet?

    https://www.geocaching.com/help/index.php?pg=kb.chapter&id=51&pgid=292

     

    Quote

    Assume no prior knowledge of geology, and write at age 14 reading level. Some geocachers use GPS devices with a limited amount of text. If your cache page is long, place the logging tasks near the top.

     

    You may want to consider and use a bit simplified language in description.

     

    Disclaimer:

    • I think that logging tasks of your Earthcache are interesting and attractive to solve.
    • I think the math Q is good integral part of the lesson and it should not be beyond capability of 14 year old to understand and solve it.
    • If someone "does not like the math" or can't answer these question, they may log Note or DNF, or ignore this EC completely.
    • Invalid log deletions belong to standard owner maintenance tasks.

     

    • Upvote 1

    My Blacklist of Categories

    in General Waymarking Topics

    Posted

    1 hour ago, Torgut said:

    Honestly, I see no reason for not "being applicable", but more than that, I see no reason for someone to decline without a proper explanation. 

     

    I can see some reasoning behind "not applicable", but they should definitely explain it to you. 

    Just guessing .. story of those door is quite interesting and unique,  worth to visit, however I would not describe them as "appealing to the eye and make you want to stop and take a picture". 

    Number of cache types allowed in challenges

    in General geocaching topics

    Posted

    On 9/17/2019 at 1:22 PM, Deepdiggingmole said:

    I have submitted my idea with 11 and it has been rejected - I also ensured there was a checker, it isn't a hard one to create a checker for
    The reason for the rejection seems to lean on having to find 'mega events' however I feel the argument is weak and can justify why.
    I gave a list of 10 cachers who have already qualified and of course I do to - when I submitted the cache

    I am waiting on a reply to my appeal to the reviewer


    Your idea with 10 would be OK without any major doubt.

    The only realistic additional type to make it 11 is Mega Event, yes. Other types are even more rare, but lot of them are available choices too.

    Now. The key question can be reduced to this one: 

    "Are there plenty of caches (from pool of rare type Mega, Giga, Maze, etc) available at time of publication? Let's say, now?"

     

    If I believe quick search on Project-gc.com, there 51 of them at the moment:
    https://project-gc.com/Tools/MapCompare?profile_name=Deepdiggingmole&nonefound=on&onefound=on&bothfound=on&ownfound=on&type[]=GPS+Adventures+Exhibit&type[]=Giga-Event+Cache&type[]=Groundspeak+Block+Party&type[]=Groundspeak+HQ&type[]=Groundspeak+Lost+and+Found+Celebration&type[]=Mega-Event+Cache&type[]=Project+APE+Cache&submit=Filter

     

    Are 51 "plenty" of options?

    My personal opinion is YES and I would guess that your Appeal have chance to be successful.

    If not, we have to accept it. Borders are blurry and interpretations are different, sometimes.

     

    • Upvote 1
    • Helpful 1

    Archiving Someones Abandoned Cache

    in How do I...?

    Posted · Edited by Rikitan

    Although I agree that initial NM log would be more appropriate, based on your experience with unresponsive owner - NA log is also right action to do. There is no reason for apology from your side. There's string of 5 DNF logs from May, June, July and August on D1.5 cache - with no reaction from cache owner. 

     

    I suppose cache need attention of reviewer. Now it is posted, ok. Wait for further actions.

    • Upvote 1

    The biggest jewel heist in history!

    in General geocaching topics

    Posted

    „Kto chce hľadá spôsob. Kto nechce, hľadá dôvod.“ —  František Vláčil

     

    Transl. 

    „If you want, you're looking for the way. I you don't, you're looking for excuses.“

     

    To be fair - low density area can really be problem, especially when there are only few owners caching.

    Still, there are ways ..

     

    • Love 1

    Lock caches

    in Website

    Posted

    12 hours ago, The A-Team said:

    If there isn't a container anymore, then any finds would be bogus and you'd have a good case for locking the listing if people kept logging it.

     

    This is rare. If it happens, CO can delete those logs, or contact reviewer or HQ for additional help.

    I agree it would not come good if COs would have possibility to lock the listing on their own. 

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