Icon for Night Caches

[uintahiker]

I'm a mid-level cacher (over 100 found) and I absolutely LOVE night caches. Is it possible to get a unique icon for these caches? They're few and far between, but definitely a distinct category of caches.

[+The Leprechauns]

There is already an attribute for "recommended at night."

 

 

Attributes are searchable by premium members via pocket queries. Unfortunately, due to lack of definitions for attributes, you'll get "scenic view of the city skyline at night" types of caches along with "follow the firetack trail" types of caches. Still, it's a good start.

 

Apart from that attribute, a night cache is just a variation on a multicache or mystery/unknown cache. Not really a separate cache type.

[+Nuwati]

I think it would be a great idea to add an icon to the list for night caches. Not all night caches are the same where all you do is follow the fire tacks.

 

Nuwati

[+eagletrek]

I agree that there should be an icon for night caches. The attribute "recommended at night" doesn't tell the whole story. There have been some night caches that I've been able to do during the day as they were not that well thought out. There are others, to include my only night cache, which you could try during the day but would probably never find until the sun went down based of the type/style of the markers used.

[+GreyingJay]

I've seen different cache owners use different interpretations of "recommended at night", too.

 

If a cache is hidden in an area that's open 24/7, then the cache is "available at night". As opposed to a cache in a park that closes at 11:00pm, which would not be available at night. Whether or not this cache is very fun to do at night, whether there's a good view, is unknown.

 

I have seen cache listings use the "recommended at night" attribute when really what they meant to say was "available at night".

 

I would have taken "recommended at night" to mean that this cache SHOULD be done at night. Maybe it only uses fire tacks so I won't be able to do it during the day. Maybe there's some kind of view or surprise or something that I won't get to experience if I do it during the day.

 

Yes, you could use other attributes to convey the same (i.e. uncheck "recommended at night" or "24/7"). A good cache listing would hopefully detail all this as well ("This cache is meant to be done at night. You may try to do it during the day, but it will be much harder, and not as fun...")

Edited August 28, 2006 by GreyingJay

[+Nuwati]

The sport is number based, and icon based. I think that more people would search and hide night caches if they had their own icon. How many times do you look at your finds and count how many you have found from each icon?

 

Nuwati

[+ibycus]

I do not think we need another icon for "Night Caches". The attribute more than does it for me. (although I'm almost positive TPTB would never implement something like this, so I'm not sure why I'm replying)

 

Why won't they? Because where does it end? There are plenty of 'unique style' caches out there, and they don't each need their own icon.

 

Sure maybe people mis-use the "recommended at night" attribute on occaision, but I'd bet your signal to noise is still pretty good. If you do a search for "recommended at night" I'm betting at least 75% of what you come up with are going to be night caches. Also I'm betting that nearly all of the caches that are night caches will be returned by this kind of query.

 

What's next an icon for 'day caches', 'mountain caches', 'scuba caches'? What about multi caches that are night caches? Oh and scuba caches that are recommended at night, located near the top of a mountain. Sounds like we need some kind of system whereby one can set attributes for a cache, and have things searchable based on any one of those attributes. Oh wait, that's just what we do have! Thanks Jeremy et al.

[+briansnat]

What's next an icon for 'day caches', 'mountain caches', 'scuba caches'? What about multi caches that are night caches? Oh and scuba caches that are recommended at night, located near the top of a mountain. Sounds like we need some kind of system whereby one can set attributes for a cache, and have things searchable based on any one of those attributes. Oh wait, that's just what we do have! Thanks Jeremy et al.

 

Agreed! If everybody who came here asking for special icons for this or that kind of cache actually got them, we'd probably have a few hundred by now. It would only make things more confusing.

 

The current system is simple and provides all the information needed, provided its used properly. Any system is dependent on people to use it correctly. Heck, there are enough caches improperly labelled with the simple system we have now. Imagine how bad it would be if things became more confusing.

[+Team GPSaxophone]

There are types of geocaches (Traditional, Multi, Puzzle, etc) that are of varying sizes (micro, small, regular, etc) and that can be hunted at varying times. Just because your cache is best at night, or only at night, doesn't change the type.

 

If you want to restrict your cache for night only, make it a puzzle or multi where you have to find a hidden reflector at the starting coords. Finding the reflector during the day would be nearly impossible. Make that much clear on your cache page. Some people might take it as a challenge to find it furing the day, but most cachers will probably do it the right way.

[+tozainamboku]

There are types of geocaches (Traditional, Multi, Puzzle, etc) that are of varying sizes (micro, small, regular, etc) and that can be hunted at varying times. Just because your cache is best at night, or only at night, doesn't change the type.

 

If you want to restrict your cache for night only, make it a puzzle or multi where you have to find a hidden reflector at the starting coords. Finding the reflector during the day would be nearly impossible. Make that much clear on your cache page. Some people might take it as a challenge to find it furing the day, but most cachers will probably do it the right way.

 

I believe the OP is probably trying to find night caches not hide one. Right now only premium members can search for a cache based on attributes and only in a pocket query. In addition, since attributes are voluntary, some night caches (older ones in particular) may not have "recommended at night" set. Premium members can do a service here by starting a public bookmark list for night caches in their area. Then when someone finds a night cache they can click a link to find others in the area. People who know of other night caches could email the bookmark list owner to get them to add these other caches.

[Clan Riffster]

Personally, I think the issue should focus on supply & demand. Obviously, night caches are their own, special breed of critter. If enough folks ask for a night specific icon, maybe it'll happen. I think the PTB could really round off their icon list with the addition of a couple more boxes.

[+ibycus]

Personally, I think the issue should focus on supply & demand. Obviously, night caches are their own, special breed of critter. If enough folks ask for a night specific icon, maybe it'll happen. I think the PTB could really round off their icon list with the addition of a couple more boxes.

 

What makes them special? Because you have to hunt them at night? The cache itself is still the same darned thing when you get to it.

 

One could make a similar argument for Micros, or Scuba Caches, or Mountain caches or [insert favorite attribute here]. They don't need their own icon.

 

The seperate icons themselves were a poor substitute for a cache attribute system, I don't see a need to enlarge the problem (For example what do you call a multi-puzzle-with a regular cache at the posted coordinates?)

[+eagletrek]

Personally, I think the issue should focus on supply & demand. Obviously, night caches are their own, special breed of critter. If enough folks ask for a night specific icon, maybe it'll happen. I think the PTB could really round off their icon list with the addition of a couple more boxes.

 

What makes them special? Because you have to hunt them at night? The cache itself is still the same darned thing when you get to it.

 

One could make a similar argument for Micros, or Scuba Caches, or Mountain caches or [insert favorite attribute here]. They don't need their own icon.

 

The seperate icons themselves were a poor substitute for a cache attribute system, I don't see a need to enlarge the problem (For example what do you call a multi-puzzle-with a regular cache at the posted coordinates?)

 

Nothing makes them special! However an icon/category denoting a night cache would make easier to quickly find versus opening up pages to check attributes. Personnally, I have no problem with other icons to denote other types of hides.

[geo-froggie]

i totally agree that there should be a icon for night caches

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

The sport is number based, and icon based. I think that more people would search and hide night caches if they had their own icon. How many times do you look at your finds and count how many you have found from each icon?

 

Nuwati

 

Um, never?

 

I want an icon for blue caches. I really like blue caches. More people would hide blue caches if we had an icon for blue caches.

 

If more people hid a blue cache I could get a blue cache icon for my stats. I don't have a blue cache icon and that makes me blue.

 

Ed

[+The Leprechauns]

Personally, I think the issue should focus on supply & demand. Obviously, night caches are their own, special breed of critter. If enough folks ask for a night specific icon, maybe it'll happen. I think the PTB could really round off their icon list with the addition of a couple more boxes.

 

What makes them special? Because you have to hunt them at night? The cache itself is still the same darned thing when you get to it.

 

One could make a similar argument for Micros, or Scuba Caches, or Mountain caches or [insert favorite attribute here]. They don't need their own icon.

 

The seperate icons themselves were a poor substitute for a cache attribute system, I don't see a need to enlarge the problem (For example what do you call a multi-puzzle-with a regular cache at the posted coordinates?)

 

Nothing makes them special! However an icon/category denoting a night cache would make easier to quickly find versus opening up pages to check attributes. Personnally, I have no problem with other icons to denote other types of hides.

I just did a test and set up a pocket query to return all caches with the "recommended at night" attribute that I have found. Out of my 1900 finds, 18 have this attribute selected. (Interestingly, none of them were true "night only" caches.)

 

I then modified the query to return all caches with the "recommended at night" attribute that are within 100 miles of my home zipcode. Out of 3673 total caches in that 100 mile radius, there were 62 caches with the attribute, and some are true night caches.

 

In both cases, I was looking at the relevant online preview results in less than one minute. Each cache page that I then might choose to open is far more likely to be a night cache.

[+Team GPSaxophone]

The sport is number based, and icon based. I think that more people would search and hide night caches if they had their own icon. How many times do you look at your finds and count how many you have found from each icon?

 

Nuwati

 

Um, never?

 

I want an icon for blue caches. I really like blue caches. More people would hide blue caches if we had an icon for blue caches.

 

If more people hid a blue cache I could get a blue cache icon for my stats. I don't have a blue cache icon and that makes me blue.

 

Ed

I thought I was the blue one

[+edscott]

I think it would be a great idea to add an icon to the list for night caches. Not all night caches are the same where all you do is follow the fire tacks.

 

Nuwati

 

A night cache using fire tacks does not have to be as simple as "follow the fire tacks". I used an area with a relatively dense trail network and only put tacks well after the junctions, so several options need to be explored at each trail junction before one is sure which trail is correct. Miss one tack and the trail stops.

 

.....but I don't see a need to have night caches as a separate category.