Treasure Hunters

June 19, 2006

Anyone else been watching this show? Anyone have any new found inspiration for puzzle caches? Any thoughts on the show?

1.6k · June 19, 2006

Where can we buy some of those rust colored ammo cans from the final stage?

Wulf

Edited June 19, 2006 by Team Tigger International

June 19, 2006

Yeah, been watching it. I'm not going to be skipping any of these episodes.

Anybody figure out how those combination ammo boxes work? Those are way cool!

I also liked the umbrella keys for the boxes at the plane crash site.

Edited June 19, 2006 by teamharris

June 19, 2006

just started to add a post about it. Great game show.

3.9k · June 19, 2006

Very inspiring to say the least. Each player even used a Garmin 60CS.

4.8k · June 19, 2006

I was amused when the woman couldn't figure out how to open the ammo can underwater. I also enjoyed seeing the Nebraska State Capitol since my current office is there.

1.4k · June 19, 2006

While I was entertained I have spent the two hours counting guideline violations. From digging to going off trail in a National Park and not observing CITO I think I'm glad there isn't a geocaching team.

Edited June 19, 2006 by Team Misguided

June 19, 2006

The really sad part of it... is that someone out there (and more than likely reading this very forum now to get feedback on the show) ran across the Groundspeak site some time ago. Then he got the idea... sold it (made mass amounts of money) to a production company and then that company sold it to NBC (even more money.)

With all that money exchanging hands... Where is the credit for Geocaching? It was amazing.. ammo cans, Gps's, Muli-stage hunts... hum...

Oh well.. I found it entertaining.. but as with Misguided.. I found SOOO many No-No's that it took away from the experiance. Not to mention, nothing was ever explained while they were there of any history of the location.. just hurry hurry.. find unlock, swim, ride plane, land, run run..

My 2 Cents!

Baralak

www.nelageo.net

3.5k · June 19, 2006

Yes. Clearly Geocaching WAS the inspiration for the show... not the otherway around.

Hollywood got more pull with the NPS than we do. But, still, Hey, its our kind of show. I'll be watching!

June 19, 2006

NBC is lucky they didn't ask anyone of us to form a team. We would've run circles around any and all comers. It would have made for a pretty boring show. "Team Groundspeak solves the puzzle first again. They're way out in front now!"

How many dolts does it take to figure these puzzles out? My favorite is Team Mullet...you've got to give them credit. :laughing:

7.2k · June 19, 2006

Here's my take on the show.

It thought the pace was too slow, it didn't seem to flow for me. I got bored a lot. Maybe the editors will get into a rhythm soon. I was really looking forward to the show and being a fan of the Amazing Race, Survivor, and others, maybe my expectations were too high.

The feel of the activities was a cross of The Amazing Race and the movie National Treasure with Nicolas Cage. If the show copied anything it was those two things. Heck, it felt like the National Treasure movie was turned directly into the a reality game show.

We immediately thought geocaching at a couple of points in the show, but then though letterboxing on others. The verbal clues really had a letterboxing feel.

What it did feel very much like was the description of the Groundspeak's ? project found elsewhere in the forums.

It was neat the way they did the final stage ammo boxes. It appeared they used a cypher door lock to hold it closed. I've got a feeling something like that would need to be protected from the elements a little bit more than most caches for it to last.

As for the teams, I've not yet gotten any clear favorites, but I can tell you I already despise the Fogal Family because of the way they act. It's a lot of integrity to steal a clue out of a box that another team just opened.

All that said, "Treasure Hunters" is at the top of our TiVo's Season Pass.

June 19, 2006

I loved the show....I was thinking a geocaching team would do well on this...

Yes, the show was slow paced at first, I was actually able to work on my taxes, and not miss much if any of the context. If given a second season, I think you'll see some good changes.

Why, or why, do they cast an obviously unfit team????? Grrrr......

I am a reality TV nut...so this is great. And the movie, National Treasure hooked me for geocaching. Perfect fit for a Sunday evening.

Take care

Faith

3.9k · June 19, 2006

...Oh well.. I found it entertaining.. but as with Misguided.. I found SOOO many No-No's that it took away from the experiance. Not to mention, nothing was ever explained while they were there of any history of the location.. just hurry hurry.. find unlock, swim, ride plane, land, run run..

My 2 Cents!

Baralak

I agree with Baralak on thse points. Like many human beings, I love a good treasure hunt, particularly one which takes me to interesting, odd and strange places, and that is one reason why I geocache. And, this show does largely provide that "treasure hunt" element. However, the entire atmosphere of the show, with the rushing, the running, hurrying, and the attendant generalized anxiety, disconnectedness and alienation from really experiencing and connecting with the various sites and settings, well, no thanks! Not my cup of tea!

20.7k · June 19, 2006

...Oh well.. I found it entertaining.. but as with Misguided.. I found SOOO many No-No's that it took away from the experiance. Not to mention, nothing was ever explained while they were there of any history of the location.. just hurry hurry.. find unlock, swim, ride plane, land, run run..
I agree with Baralak on thse points. Like many human beings, I love a good treasure hunt, particularly one which takes me to interesting, odd and strange places, and that is one reason why I geocache. And, this show does largely provide that "treasure hunt" element. However, the entire atmosphere of the show, with the rushing, the running, hurrying, and the attendant generalized anxiety, disconnectedness and alienation from really experiencing and connecting with the various sites and settings, well, no thanks! Not my cup of tea!

I agree. The show was too frantic.

One of the best things about The Amazing Race is the travel between challenges. Treasure Hunters basically removed the entire issue of travel. The team completes a challenge and is taken to the next one. They complete that one and are taken to the next one. The entire show may as well have been filmed on a soundstage.

I got bored after watching the first half. I recorded the rest. Maybe I'll come back to it.

1.7k · June 19, 2006

I agree. The show was too frantic.

One of the best things about The Amazing Race is the travel between challenges. Treasure Hunters basically removed the entire issue of travel. The team completes a challenge and is taken to the next one. They complete that one and are taken to the next one. The entire show may as well have been filmed on a soundstage.

I got bored after watching the first half. I recorded the rest. Maybe I'll come back to it.

I agree with sbell about how all the tasks seem disjointed. The whole time I was watching, I was wondering how they got to each location and if anyone had any difficulties with each challenge. Part of the story was missing. Like when the Hawaii teams had to dive down and retrieve the can or whatever it was. On The Amazing Race, you'd see teams diving down a dozen times trying to find the can. On Treasure Hunters, it looks like everyone found the can on the first try. Another thing: At least on TAR, the excellent host Phil Keoghan at least shows up at each location. On this show, the host only appears on the cell phone.

The second hour of the show was better in my opinion. I got bored enough during the first hour that I almost changed the channel. Glad I stuck with it though. The second hour was more dramatic than the first and made the show worth watching. The hillbilly Texas team showed some caching skill, looking under benches, trash cans, rocks, sticks.

Oh, there was too much product whoring. Motorola Razr shown every 5 mins, Ask.com t-shirts on a team, Genworth Financial sign on the highway. I'm sure we'll see lots of plugs for Orbitz in the next episode. But I'll be tuning in anyway.

June 19, 2006

While I've was entertained I have spent the two hours counting guideline violations. From digging to going off trail in a National Park and not observing CITO I think I'm glad there isn't a geocaching team.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who was taking notice of that!

June 19, 2006

How many noticed the big ribbons (trash bags) tied to the trees where the teams left the path at Mt. Rushmore? I would be inclined to CITO those, but then the other teams wouldn't know where to go. :laughing:

2.1k · June 19, 2006

I had less geocaching-related issues with the show and more just bland and crappy tv issues.

Like some mentioned, there was no continuity...it felt like attention-deficit theater. 2 Teams introduced at one site...jump to another site....3 teams introduced....back to the other 3 on the boat...etc. On top of that, we're not privy to some of the stupidity that makes it a TV show and not just a race...like why 6 people couldn't jump off the boat together so one team defered to the other? Huh?

Then, as mentioned, the in-game commercials were obnoxious. NBC has never done these well ever since the Dog Eat Dog scoreboard brought to you by CIRCUIT CITY!

Finally, it seemed like everything was spoon-fed to the teams. It's supposed to be better than the other shows in that it's all a mystery, right? Well, other than the Geniuses ignoring the plane wreckage trying to jump out of the jungle at them and the Mullets searching a cave while every other team turned up the hill at the right place (and then attempting to solve the combination with 4 digits "maybe it's on your ask.com shirt!" when it's clearly a 6 digit lock because it dings after 6 numbers...that made me laugh)...but other than these glimpses of stupid, the show handed them everything (then reset everyone with a night's rest!).

This is why I tend to give The Amazing Race more credit. They really just let those people lose on a foreign city and tell them...up to you to figure out where we put a mailbox with our name on it. Those people actually have to solve puzzles and get completely lost from reasonable attempts at the puzzles. It's like a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure while Treasure Hunters feels more like Chutes-n-Ladders (up a ladder, down a chute, doesn't matter, it all ends at square 100 anyways).

7.2k · June 19, 2006

Excellent observations.

Was. Anyone. Else. Annoyed. By. The. Way. The. Host. Spoke? That. Drove. Me. Up. The. Wall!

I think the overall premise is good. The production team that put this together is not up to par with The Amazing Race or Survivor.

June 19, 2006

Those ammo cans in the final leg where really cool with the electronic combo locks. Wouldn't mind having those for a few hides it would make it interesting. I am thinking those might be custom jobs made by hollywood prop people. Since I have never seen them online before.

Storm180

1.7k · June 19, 2006

When is the show on. According to the NBC website it doesn't start airing until June 26.

June 19, 2006

How many dolts does it take to figure these puzzles out? My favorite is Team Mullet...you've got to give them credit.

I laughed out loud when they used subtitles for Team Mullet's dialogue.

June 19, 2006

When is the show on. According to the NBC website it doesn't start airing until June 26.

The show begins airing in its regular time slot on Monday the 26th, but the premier episode was on last night.

I really enjoyed it, despite some of the negatives mentioned on this thread. I also thought that I know several good geocachers that would kick butt in this. I think I've run across harder puzzles while caching too!

7.2k · June 19, 2006

I laughed out loud when they used subtitles for Team Mullet's dialogue.

I'm probably going to embarrass myself but I didn't notice any subtitles at all. Maybe I could understand them with no difficulty at all. :laughing:

2.1k · June 19, 2006

Was it just me or did anyone else see the coordinates given by the morse code for Hana Bay and think, "Yeah, ok, *that's* not a square mile of ocean to search or anything"...yet, amazingly, they boated right to the dive spot!

June 19, 2006

I missed the first half of the show. Anyone have a copy thay could send me. What I did see was great, and would like to get a ammo can like the one at the end of the show with a combo.

Richard

1.7k · June 19, 2006

looks like they are running it again tonight at 8pm EST.

June 20, 2006

Well, I believe the teams couldn't jump from the first vessel simultaneously because the team vessels could only come alongside one at a time (to make the swim equivalent for each team). The final ammo boxes appeared to use a lock similar to a keypad Supra lock, with a beeper added. The product promotion seems a repetitive drag on the flow of the action - is there anyone who doesn't realize the benefits (and limitations) of a cell phone or a wi-fi internet access? They should get extra brownie points for finding the caches along the way - I've found the two at Wainapanapa...

1.7k · June 20, 2006

I missed the first half of the show. Anyone have a copy thay could send me. What I did see was great, and would like to get a ammo can like the one at the end of the show with a combo.

Richard

Right now, they have the first two hours available for viewing online. Go here and click Play on the left side. It'll also be rerun Fri and Sat at 8/7c.

1.4k · June 20, 2006

I laughed my butt off that 'The Genius' team headed off to Mount Theodore Roosevelt when the first team to figure out Mount Rushmore was 'Team Miss USA'. That's irony!!!!

So for fun who do you think would make up the ultimate geocacher team?

7.2k · June 20, 2006

I laughed my butt off that 'The Genius' team headed off to Mount Theodore Roosevelt when the first team to figure out Mount Rushmore was 'Team Miss USA'. That's irony!!!!

So for fun who do you think would make up the ultimate geocacher team?

I seems to me "The Geniuses" are far too linear and literal thinkers. They very well may have a problem keeping up. I really could not believe those six people stood right there staring at the anamorphic image and the cylinder that reflected the image, and not see the similarity of the cylinder they had. Who else here saw it within seconds?

June 20, 2006

I laughed my butt off that 'The Genius' team headed off to Mount Theodore Roosevelt when the first team to figure out Mount Rushmore was 'Team Miss USA'. That's irony!!!!

So for fun who do you think would make up the ultimate geocacher team?

I seems to me "The Geniuses" are far too linear and literal thinkers. They very well may have a problem keeping up. I really could not believe those six people stood right there staring at the anamorphic image and the cylinder that reflected the image, and not see the similarity of the cylinder they had. Who else here saw it within seconds?

My thoughts exactly... As soon as I saw the cylinder, I knew they'd put it together and figure it out... but they had to get a phone call from someone else to find out where to go. Unbelievable.

2.3k · June 20, 2006

Where can we buy some of those rust colored ammo cans from the final stage?

Wulf

Those would make for a great ending to a multi

June 20, 2006

Where can we buy some of those rust colored ammo cans from the final stage?

Wulf

Those would make for a great ending to a multi

I like the cylinder and map image they used for the Mt. Theodore Rosevelt clue. I'd love to incorporate that into a puzzle/multi.

June 20, 2006

I thought the show was a huge disappointment!

June 21, 2006

Anybody figure out how those combination ammo boxes work? Those are way cool!

I'm sure the NBC props dept. custom made those but they wouldn't be too hard to duplicate. It's basically a cheap cypher-lock doorknob welded into the lid and a catch of some kind inside to give the doorknob something to catch. The lock they used probably runs in the $300 range but they can be had for as little as $80 that I know of for sure.

The major flaw with them is that 90% are battery powered and if the battery dies there is no backup plan to open them. I wasn't looking too closely but I think the knob on the ones they used had keyholes (lockpicks anyone?)

A much simpler thing to do would be to attach a d-ring through an ammo can handle with the attaching nuts on the inside of the can like this one:

then use a comon combo lock for $3

AR_kayaker

Edited June 21, 2006 by ar_kayaker

5.7k · June 21, 2006

I was amused when the woman couldn't figure out how to open the ammo can underwater. I also enjoyed seeing the Nebraska State Capitol since my current office is there.

You might find this shocking, but I have seen several people have difficulty opening them on dry land even without a fogged over diver's mask on. Then when they do get it open, they can't figure out how to get it closed again. Some people...eh? Most of them WERE women though.........huuuuummmm? :huh:

7.2k · June 21, 2006

A much simpler thing to do would be to attach a d-ring through an ammo can handle with the attaching nuts on the inside of the can like this one:

then use a comon combo lock for $3

I was thinking about another scheme similar to the above. A regular combination lock has four digits. (The dial types generally don't have configurable combinations.) But with a key safe you can set any length of permutation of the 10 single digits. There is the limitation of the not being to repeat a digit, but you can have more.

Cut out the back and pop rivet to the handle over the hasp. Place a clip through the hasp and close.

BTW, this looks very similar to the locks used on the show. Pricey!

20.7k · June 21, 2006

... A much simpler thing to do would be to attach a d-ring through an ammo can handle with the attaching nuts on the inside of the can like this one:
<snip>

then use a comon combo lock for $3

I'm not a big fan of the locks that require drilling through a perfectly good water-tight ammo can. An option like this is better, in my opinion.

June 23, 2006

I just watched the Mt. Rushmore episode, my mom taped it for me because even she was able to see how much like geocaching it is! I had difficulty watching it, though. It moves so fast that on a big screen tv it starts to make your head hurt! And that guy on the cell phone video... I got tired of him pretty quick, but they played his message 4 or 5 times anyways.

The Mullets would do well if they took up geocaching! They caught the Unnatural Pile of Sticks pretty quickly, too bad there was no geocache there. Right, National Park.

How come we can't geocache in a National Park but they can do the show?!?

So who is making the Groundspeak superteam to win the next season?

1.7k · June 24, 2006

Bump. Its rerunning tonight.

1.4k · June 24, 2006

As someone who generally dislikes reality shows but curious about the subject, I've seen in bits and pieces. Although I did like the movie "National Treasure" despite doing lousy in the movies and being panned by critics.

3.2k · June 28, 2006

Here's my take on the show.

It thought the pace was too slow, it didn't seem to flow for me. I got bored a lot. Maybe the editors will get into a rhythm soon. I was really looking forward to the show and being a fan of the Amazing Race, Survivor, and others, maybe my expectations were too high.

The feel of the activities was a cross of The Amazing Race and the movie National Treasure with Nicolas Cage. If the show copied anything it was those two things. Heck, it felt like the National Treasure movie was turned directly into the a reality game show.

We immediately thought geocaching at a couple of points in the show, but then though letterboxing on others. The verbal clues really had a letterboxing feel.

What it did feel very much like was the description of the Groundspeak's ? project found elsewhere in the forums.

It was neat the way they did the final stage ammo boxes. It appeared they used a cypher door lock to hold it closed. I've got a feeling something like that would need to be protected from the elements a little bit more than most caches for it to last.

As for the teams, I've not yet gotten any clear favorites, but I can tell you I already despise the Fogal Family because of the way they act. It's a lot of integrity to steal a clue out of a box that another team just opened.

All that said, "Treasure Hunters" is at the top of our TiVo's Season Pass.

Yes this sums it up pretty well for me as well. There are some reeeeeeally slow parts, so I kept a Sudoku puzzle book on my lap to keep me occupied and out of the refrigerator. And yes some of the teams are reeeeeally slow thinkers but somehow they get it together "off camera" and catch up. This is not close to the qulity of Survivor or Amazing Race, but for mindless summertime fluff it wins it's time slot.

July 1, 2006

Just got a chance to watch the show last night. Imagine my surprise when the Alaska portion opened at the Independance Mine. Last Sept I took 8 other cachers to Alaska and the Independance Mine was one of the high points of the trip. M10B dropped one of his last V2 coins there, planted the 1st Terracache in Alaska with Prying Pandora, and globalgirl placed Bucket 'O Gold cache at the mine. Every one of the cast members ran right by it between the buildings and the waiting helicopters. :laughing: Lots of pictures from the mine are HERE and M10B's pix from the mine made the GC.com banner.

Back on topic: I thought the show was alright and my wife even enjoyed it. As previously stated there were too many RAZR and ASK.com plugs and "The Preacher" (and family) are sure making their flock proud.

July 3, 2006

So as far as anyone knows, you can't buy those cool combination ammo cans anywhere? Something you have to make. Our noses were literally glued to the screen to figure them out... :laughing:

14.3k · July 3, 2006

I laughed my butt off that 'The Genius' team headed off to Mount Theodore Roosevelt when the first team to figure out Mount Rushmore was 'Team Miss USA'. That's irony!!!!

So for fun who do you think would make up the ultimate geocacher team?

I seems to me "The Geniuses" are far too linear and literal thinkers. They very well may have a problem keeping up. I really could not believe those six people stood right there staring at the anamorphic image and the cylinder that reflected the image, and not see the similarity of the cylinder they had. Who else here saw it within seconds?

I agree! I think you need both right-brained and left-brained people in the group to be successful. I also wish they didn't tell us what the puzzle answers were right away so we could have a chance to try to solve them too!

July 10, 2006

The Combo Ammo Cans appeared to be Standard Ammo cans fitted with modified combination door locks of the type used in computer rooms and medical labs.

BTW I spotted the anamorphic image when the geek ...er.. genuises were looking at it on the bus. the decoder cylinder was just the right size for view it... Duhhh!

Edited July 10, 2006 by GClouse

July 27, 2006

I just got around to watching this weeks episode (VCR) and I can't believe no a single one of those people couldn't figure out the old invisible ink trick sooner than that.

As soon as I saw them pull out the parchment I was thinking "My that's a big blank spot below the text." And once they got the video message about secret messages the jig was up. The only question then was lemon juice or a lighter.

I'd have found someone with a lighter and tested that option on the way to the church. Didn't any of these people even see "National Treasure?"

August 10, 2006

Fun show. I would say it was inspired by the film National Treasure, but took most of the practical parts of the hunt from geocaching. When compared to what Mark Burnell did (morphing hard core adventure racing into the tv show Survivor), I'd say it does a pretty good job.

I would like to see a bit more of the struggle to figure out the hard clues but that might not make the most exciting viewing. Maybe the caches could contains stink bug milkshakes that they have to eat? No,... wait,... that has already been done.

Treasure Hunters

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