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Jeremy

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If it's not counted as a number, it might not necessarly have/require a log.

The log would exist on the travel bug page and won't be deleted (unless the cache owner deletes it). For it to "count" it will need to be an active, undeleted log entry on the travel bug page. HTH

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Jeremy, I need a little clarification on something I do here at the cache at my house which is a travel bug cache. I usually retrieve the bug from the cache and give it the once over and post that the bug is in for example "good condition, or the tag was missing etc. This gives the bug owner some info on the condition of the bug. The majority of the bugs I redrop into the cache. With this new feature, How would I log this bug so the owner gets the info and the bug stays in the cache?

 

Another thing I am not sure if it is worth while noting.........after a bug sits in the cache with no takers, my intention is to move it to another cache......I see no ill effects by doing this with the possible new feature, but is there anything I am missing that could happen?

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I usually retrieve the bug from the cache and give it the once over and post that the bug is in for example "good condition, or the tag was missing etc. This gives the bug owner some info on the condition of the bug. The majority of the bugs I redrop into the cache. With this new feature, How would I log this bug so the owner gets the info and the bug stays in the cache?

I didn't say that you couldn't pick it up and drop it back off in the cache. What I'm saying is the new feature will accomodate those who just want the icon on their stats page. You could continue to do the same thing you do now. Or you could simply post a note which would accomplish the same goal.

 

Another thing I am not sure if it is worth while noting.........after a bug sits in the cache with no takers, my intention is to move it to another cache......I see no ill effects by doing this with the possible new feature, but is there anything I am missing that could happen?

 

Moving it from one cache to another is the basis of the activity. If you move it to another cache there will be great rejoicing.

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I usually retrieve the bug from the cache and give it the once over and post that the bug is in for example "good condition, or the tag was missing etc.  This gives the bug owner some info on the condition of the bug.  The majority of the bugs I redrop into the cache.  With this new feature, How would I log this bug so the owner gets the info and the bug stays in the cache?

I didn't say that you couldn't pick it up and drop it back off in the cache. What I'm saying is the new feature will accomodate those who just want the icon on their stats page. You could continue to do the same thing you do now. Or you could simply post a note which would accomplish the same goal.

 

Another thing I am not sure if it is worth while noting.........after a bug sits in the cache with no takers, my intention is to move it to another cache......I see no ill effects by doing this with the possible new feature, but is there anything I am missing that could happen?

 

Moving it from one cache to another is the basis of the activity. If you move it to another cache there will be great rejoicing.

Thanks for the scoop :rolleyes:

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Another vote for "spotted".

 

Could we change past logs? I went to an event a few months ago and in the excitement of seeing all those beautiful coins in a binder, I took the proffered slip of paper with all the tb numbers and grabbed and dropped them. Now I wish I hadn't because when I look at the list of tb's I've found, all those coins come up and I don't feel like I really had anything to do with them except looking at them. So I would love this feature, and would like to change my past "spots" to reflect that.

 

Also, on the Travel Bug Logs page of My Details, would the text on the right side read, List travel bugs you own or have found or have spotted?

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Spotted or pinged.

 

Off the topic some, but as others have suggested, I would like to see the bugs and coins moved to a different tab.

 

Also as brought up by others, reward movement. Besides the number of coins/bugs 'found' list the grand total of miles the person has moved them.

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I see another use for the new proposed TB log type. Many times when I visit a cache I leave the TBs. If the cache is not visited often, I could see myself using this log type to verify that the TB was present. In cases where it later disappears, this could help the owner narrow down when the disappearance occurred.

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Ok, I think the majority think that this is a good idea. Granted it has only been on the site for a few hours, however...

 

What is this best called? Do we make up a new name?

 

The log entry would mean:

 

<user name> swatted <travel bug name>

<user name> touched <travel bug name>

<user name> pinged <travel bug name>

<user name> waved at <travel bug name>

<user name> collected <travel bug name>

<user name> tapped <travel bug name>

<user name> spotted <travel bug name>

 

I don't like the word "collected" since it sounds like the person kept it. "Swatted" is cute but doesn't work for geocoins (though technically I could have a different log name for coins and bugs).

 

Spotted seems like the best one so far.

<user name> sighted <travel bug name>

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Of the suggested words, the ones that appeal to me are "spotted" or "touched". I think the latter is the least ambiguous.

 

The suggested "tagged" is probably not such a good choice because the word "tag" is already used for something else with regard to TBs.

 

Some other ideas for the verb to use: "examined", "verified presence", "saw". In many cases "saw' is probably the more accurate description that fits most situatoins (just a guess). "Sighted" seems good too, but "saw" would be simpler and mean the same thing.

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Ok, I think the majority think that this is a good idea. Granted it has only been on the site for a few hours, however...

 

What is this best called? Do we make up a new name?

 

The log entry would mean:

 

<user name> swatted <travel bug name>

<user name> touched <travel bug name>

<user name> pinged <travel bug name>

<user name> waved at <travel bug name>

<user name> collected <travel bug name>

<user name> tapped <travel bug name>

<user name> spotted <travel bug name>

 

I don't like the word "collected" since it sounds like the person kept it. "Swatted" is cute but doesn't work for geocoins (though technically I could have a different log name for coins and bugs).

 

Spotted seems like the best one so far.

I would refrain from "touched" with the use of this TB

 

otherwise...

<user name> marked <travel bug name>

<user name> handled <travel bug name>

<user name> saw <travel bug name>

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I like the verb "spotted" or "saw".

 

If we are going to implement this feature, we should also consider a new stat, "Travel Bugs or Geocoins moved" for people like MaxB and bthomas who tirelessly help the hitchhikers along.

 

Yes, there will be "cheaters" who'd move a TB to another cache, then back again, but that is somewhat tedious, and I'm not sure if they want the negative publicity, especially when TB owners can delete the logs at any time. :rolleyes:

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I love the idea!

 

I'd go with spotted over touched. It seems to cover most bases. You can log a TB without touching it if it's sitting on a table. I suppose you could log it without spotting it if someone told you the TB number, but in both cases you still haven't touched it. Also, you'd need a pretty small can of spray paint to tag the bug, so that's out!

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In the OP, this topic strays into the area of dictating how people can play their own game. It seems to have progressed more positively, but the lines of discussion are becoming fragmented to me. (Maybe, because it's 3AM) :rolleyes:

 

Let me give you my perspective, because I haven't seen it shared in quite the same way on this thread, but there are plenty who would agree with me.

 

I'm a geocacher, an icon hunter, and a travel bug enthusiast. I play my game my way and I make no apologies for how I play it.

 

To log a geocache, I must first find it and sign the log. I need an APE cache to have a full set of cache icons. I'll hafta go wayyyy outta my way to get it too. But I WILL. It's not about cache numbers for me. I try for quality in several ways: To make a road trip more fun, or for an individual hunt that I know from other's logs and word of mouth to be truly worthwhile. I don't look up in envy to folks with thousands of finds, nor do I look down on them. They play their way and I play mine.

 

To me, travel bugs are different. They are a game within the game. To me, a travel bug is a game piece. As such I want to find as many as I can. In this case it IS about the numbers. I move every bug that I can, but I will also "Count Coup" if I feel like it. This means physically handling the bug and getting the number. (I don't do this very often, unless I won't have the opportunity to move it. In most cases because I've traded for it at an event and someone else says they can get it closer to a goal, or the TB's goal is to STAY within a certain area that I will be leaving.) I won't take credit for a bug I've never touched unless the owner of the bug has set it up to be virtual. (Honestly though, virtual bugs were fun when there were only a handful and the goal was thoughtful and fun.)

 

All the new geocoin icons are exciting to me. I can't wait to find them all. I won't personally log a coin unless I touch it and get the number myself.

 

I have encountered over 870 travelers since I started. I have moved most of them at least some distance, but I'd be ticked to be stripped of some of these "finds" because someone decided that the way I played the game was wrong.

 

When the find total was stripped from tb notes, I lost fewer than a dozen "finds" on my TB total. I believe Centris lost quite a few and she had been using the note feature to keep from causing confusion as I and many others had.

 

The result of stripping the find count from TB notes is the clutter and confusion that you see today.

 

Personally, I think the note change was a good move, because it gives cachers the ability to inform on a bug's status without needing the tb number.

 

My solution:

 

Just add a "Counting Coup" log to the selection menu. (Call it what you want) Those that wish to use it will get their find and/or their new icon without the tb being added to their inventory causing the inevitable drop log. If a TB OWNER wishes to delete those logs it's their prerogative.

 

Onward, I am someone else's personal TB. I was tagged and released by lgops because he WANTED those “seen it” logs at events much the same as I want them on my Cujo TB. The solution posted in the OP would eff that up royally.

:unsure:

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Yes please jeremey i watched an event cache recently 83 tb pick ups and drops 52 attended logs which are way down the list. I actually took a tb home to have it grabbed out of my inventory after i put it in a cache. grrrrrrr.

 

A saw it log would be great now if you can sort out these virtual tb's even better.

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I like this idea. I used to keep local events on my watchlists to see who was attending without opening the cache page. I stopped doing so due to the volume of TB/coin logs. I recognize that there may be a few instances like the traveling Snoogans that would be adversely affected, but it sounds like a good solution.

 

What is this best called? Do we make up a new name?

 

The log entry would mean:

 

<user name> swatted <travel bug name>

<user name> touched <travel bug name>

<user name> pinged <travel bug name>

<user name> waved at <travel bug name>

<user name> collected <travel bug name>

<user name> tapped <travel bug name>

<user name> spotted <travel bug name>

I'd like to suggest "fondeled" or "caressed" since that seems to be the behavior I have observed :ph34r: with regard to these items and the collection of said icons, myself included. :rolleyes: But since this is supposed to be family friendly some will object to those terms, and it would be just plain wrong for some TBs in circulation. :ph34r:

 

Perhaps "handeled" best describes this activity? :unsure:

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Edit-After reading Snoogans post and seeing his point of view I agree with him on the TB part of it.

 

As a person who owns close to 350 coins with more coming-please leave them alone. I have invested over 3,000 in my coins and frankly would be P***ed if they became unloggable when seen at events. They are something I am VERY proud of. I think logging geocoins as a find from an event is fine. I also think if you do something to stop the geocoins, GC.com will lose money since they charge for the coin to be trackable and have a icon. Why would I want to buy a coin that is unloggable because I chose not to place it in a cache and lose my money by it being stolen.

 

At least leave the geocoins where they can be logged at events there is no harm in that.

Edited by Ladycacher & Boys
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I've witness more than a few cachers trading lists of TB numbers at events -- folks 'grabbing' TBs they've never even touched but which are there at the event. For those, I think

 

<user name> has been in the same approximate location as <travel bug name>

 

is appropriate. :rolleyes:

 

Seriously, I vote for

 

<user name> looked at <travel bug name>

 

or

 

<user name> spotted <travel bug name>

 

if I have to choose from the list.

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What is this best called? Do we make up a new name?

 

<snip>

 

Spotted seems like the best one so far.

How about

 

<user name> flipped <travel bug name>

 

in the context of someone buying a house without ever having the intention of living in it and reselling it on the market awhile later for personal gain? Could work for TBs and coins and be a fun play on words.

 

"Spotted" and some of the other verbs infer that the cacher actual saw the coin (I know, "flipped" inferred they might have "touched" it), yet some cachers are e-mailing coin lists around and logging them without actually having seen or touched a given flavor of coin.

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I like the "tagged/collected/seen it" log type for trackables, but I would also make them only work if a trackable is either checked into an event-type listing, or in someone's hands.  I hate seeing a bug that's supposedly in a cache out in the woods getting logged 50 times by people saying "checking in bugs from such-and-such event."  If I want to go get that bug, I have no idea if it's actually in the cache.

I agree.

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Oups, I just found the flaw to that theory:

People would simply drop these TBs in any cache they have already found,

and then grab it from there again. Darn,... :(

Yeah, that's pretty much what I thought about in the original post (which is buried in there). The ultimate reason why people do it now is to collect icons. By just giving them a new log type to mark them on their stats page would reduce the common clutter on Travel Bug pages. It seems like a win-win situation to me.

Please don't disgard that idea though. Although it isn't the solution for your OP, it is a GREAT IDEA. I've seen it in other threads.

 

Credit for moving a TB should be when it is dropped off vice picked up.

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What is this best called? Do we make up a new name?

 

The log entry would mean:

 

<user name> swatted <travel bug name>

<user name> touched <travel bug name>

<user name> pinged <travel bug name>

<user name> waved at <travel bug name>

<user name> collected <travel bug name>

<user name> tapped <travel bug name>

<user name> spotted <travel bug name>

 

Spotted seems like the best one so far.

"Spotted" sounds OK to me too...unless someone starts taking that literally and (like a former NFL wide receiver named T.O.) whips out a Sharpie and starts addings "spots" to someone's precious geocoin (hopefully still encased in plastic).

 

Maybe we borrow a term from our bird-watching brethren...

 

<user name> observed <travel bug name>

 

Say it with an uptown London accent (with optional nose in the air). :(

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Although this would have added clutter to logging, I would think two options would be ideal maybe one "virtually tagged" and another "observed". Leaving "Grabbed" and "Retrieve/Placed" as they are. I think this would adequately cover all of the current games people use travellers for.

 

By leaving "Retrieve/Placed" you are simply keeping things the same for the majority of bugs that simply want to travel as they were meant to. If logging as a retrieve you only get "credit" if placed in a different cache.

 

Leave "Grabbed" as it is also, as I know people who pass of bugs to fellow cachers because they are better at accomplishign their "missions".

 

These two would cover those of the philosophy of "I will only log something if I actually find it in the cache and move it along"

 

Now onto the additions...

 

...it seems aside from the traditional notion of the TB's as stated above two other philosophies have popped up: 1) "I only log things that I actually touch" (covering those finds at events and those that see it in cache and don't actually take it) and 2) "If I have the number I'm logging it." (emailing, trading tracking #'s, stolen coins/TB's, virtual travellers)

 

I think by placing an option for "observed" you will cover those in the first school.

 

Have a "virtually tagged" you cover those in the second. For those, that use their virtual TB's to travel to interesting caches, the people who "virtually tag" it could simply put a link or cite to the cache page and a description.

 

I think these options would make everyone happy, would solve the problems to cache pages; but do have the downside of creating the added clutter.

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I have some ideas. First, picking up and dropping off a travel bug in the same cache will error and effectively delete both your pick up and drop off logs, or simply change the pickup log to a note. I can, however, see someone circumvent this by just picking it up, dropping it into some arbitrary cache and dropping it back in the original cache.

 

Therefore I propose that there be a new log type that counts as a "find." It could be called "tag" or "collect" that would just add a log saying you saw it and logged it but that's pretty much it. No miles will be marked nor will they be used for anything else but collections.

 

Please offer feedback and any alternatives you come up with. Obviously a code will be required to use the log type.

You could change the name from 'found' to 'moved' and set up the error thing. I'd be ok with that... but it would almost certainly cause more compliants :( than it would be worth.

 

Reducing unneeded emails and reducing site strain both seem like the good goals.

But how will you get people to use the new log instead of logging them in/out? Or is the thinking once they figure out they can save themselves some loggging they'll use it just for that reason (and if that reduces email in the process, good)?

 

For a name, I'd suggest 'fingered' since hopefully if they claiming it they've actually phyisically touched/handled the traveler (or at least as much as possiable in the case of the encased coins).

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:( Fingered sounds a bit...ummm.....I don't think I want to log that I "fingered" a coin or TB, it just doesn't sound right to me being a women and a mother.

 

(although it may get a chuckle once in awhile depending on what the TB is).

 

Log:

Ladycacher & Boys Fingered (blank) Travel Bug

Edited by Ladycacher & Boys
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What word can't be distorted by someone's thinking?

I still think something that involves physical touch would be better than something related to vision. Otherwise it sounds like its ok to find the ones i've seen seen/spotted/sighted on the internet.

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Personally my feeling is that people should be rewarded for moving the Travel Bug, not just tagging it.

I feel the same way. I suggest that when people "touch" something, then it adds the icon to their profile but does not affect the count. People could still collect icons by touching them at events. If you just touched or grabbed a Moun10Bike coin, you'd get the icon but your count would be 0. If you dropped a Moun10Bike coin, you'd be rewarded with the icon and it would count.

 

Together with your suggested restriction on not being able to drop back into the same cache, this would be an incentive for people to actually move bugs and coins.

 

Also, since you are locking down virtual bugs and coins, wouldn't it make sense to not allow people to drop bugs and coins in virtual caches? After all, they have no physical containers to drop stuff in.

 

Finally, I vote for "touched". Travel bugs already have a tag attached, so tagging a tag would be confusing. Seeing, spotting, etc. seem to imply that looking is good enough, which might encourage people to exchange pictures of bugs and coins so they can log them.

 

Lloyd

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Counting Coup is the best term I could ever come up with for the practice being discussed. It's the most accurate. I have several TBs/coins that are set up just to be "seen/counted coup upon" at events and I plan to release several more which is why this topic interests me. There are hundreds more like mine that other cachers have released.......

 

Just FYI: Most of my TB activity occurs around events and a few TB hotels when I'm not on the road. (I go to a lot of events. 45 events in 5 states so far and that explains my TB stats.) Thus, I almost never count coup, because I can keep TBs moving. If a TB sits too long in one spot, I'll pick it back up and take it to another event or move it to another TB hotel.

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All of the loggable coins I have, whether they were paid for or traded for, I keep on me for the sake of letting people log on the trail or wherever I may meet them. I have allowed a few people to log virtually, although I have no clue why you would want to log something that you have never seen or touched. It only cheapens your own statistics which is nothing more than a record of what you have done. I hope that people can still get the icon by logging the coin as touched or whatever term is used, and not by having to place it in a cache somewhere. People that just virtually log a coin now will just go the extra step of running it through a cache virtually also. I have always been in favor of a sub page since the icon list is getting longer daily. I do not want to have to drop my coin in a cache in order to chare it's icon since that's not what the intent of buying the coin was. This is my online diary of sorts.

 

To reduce the load on GC, what about an option on the TB/Coin page of opting out of receving the emails of OWNER. I know who has logged my coins and check them frequent enough to know a false log. I do not need the emails telling me this. Would this help GC at all?

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To reduce the load on GC, what about an option on the TB/Coin page of opting out of receving the emails of OWNER. I know who has logged my coins and check them frequent enough to know a false log. I do not need the emails telling me this. Would this help GC at all?

Or a daily/weekly digest e-mail.

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I think the best thing would be, if you log a bug you didn't acutally find in a cache and move to another cache then a hit squad should visit your house and remove your head.

 

I'm new to caching (not quite 4 months) and perhaps I'm just naive but I just don't get what this whole thing with the virtual bugs is all about. I also don't understand folks "dropping" bugs into micro caches. I like numbers and icons and such but what is the point of them if you don't actually earn them? It strikes me as akin to buying a bogus degree online. I thought geocaching was about going out and finding the things.

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I also don't understand folks "dropping" bugs into micro caches.

Sometimes it has to do with the bugs mission. I did one that wanted to be placed in Cemetery caches. I found one in a cemetery but it was a micro. I took some pictures, logged it into the micro, uploaded the photos and grabbed it again.

 

Some people like me have a personal TB they carry with them and log into every cache they find (and don't find). They don't stay in the micro but are there to be logged in and used for tracking purposes.

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I also don't understand folks "dropping" bugs into micro caches.

Sometimes it has to do with the bugs mission. I did one that wanted to be placed in Cemetery caches. I found one in a cemetery but it was a micro. I took some pictures, logged it into the micro, uploaded the photos and grabbed it again.

 

Some people like me have a personal TB they carry with them and log into every cache they find (and don't find). They don't stay in the micro but are there to be logged in and used for tracking purposes.

The same thing can be said about virtual caches. I logged a TB into the virt that was one of it's goals, then grabbed it again and moved it to a 'real' cache.

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The phrase used in the log doesn't bother me, but I do like the idea of a seperation between "seen" bugs/coins and "moved" bugs/coins. I would really like a stat that tells how for I have moved bugs. That way it's a win-win situation: you can have all your nice icons and you can see how active a cacher is at moving bugs/coins around. To each its own. :lol:

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