Recursive Multi-Cache?

[+hobosapien]

An idea came up tonight when we were introducing the local robotics team to geocaching - a recursive infinite loop cache. Simply, a multi-cache that point A has coords for B, and visa versa.

 

Just was curious if anyone had ever heard of this being done, and how bad it would irritate cachers. Kinda reminds me of those "How to keep an idiot busy" t-shirts... I think I would find it funny personally, but that might just be my inner programmer laughing.

Edited July 24, 2009 by hobosapien

[+gof1]

Cut back on the Dew, dude.

 

Seriously though, be prepared to get a bunch of Needs Maintenance logs.

[Dinoprophet]

Give it some thought. Pondering what a "reverse multi" would be eventually led me to place this cache. A workable recursive multi may not look like your first idea.

 

How about a fractal multi?

[+9Key]

Give it some thought. Pondering what a "reverse multi" would be eventually led me to place this cache. A workable recursive multi may not look like your first idea.

 

That sounds like a really cool cache!

[+Chrysalides]

An idea came up tonight when we were introducing the local robotics team to geocaching - a recursive cache. Simply, a multi-cache that point A has coords for B, and visa versa.

 

...but that might just be my inner programmer laughing.

Your inner programmer should be chastised - that's clearly an infinite loop cache, not a recursive cache. Recursion, as you should know, is point A having coordinates for point A

 

Anyway, it is one of those things that's good to talk about and laugh over (especially after a lot of alcohol), but would not translate very well into real life placement.

[+The Jester]

There was one around here for a while that used a similar idea: Pocket Park Pool Parlor. Very well liked, but a pain to maintain.

[+hobosapien]

Your inner programmer should be chastised - that's clearly an infinite loop cache, not a recursive cache. Recursion, as you should know, is point A having coordinates for point A

After trying to explain to another cacher right after my post I realized it - good catch! Agreed on it just being something fun to talk about, hence why I'm here rather than making it .

[+mchaos]

If you had a long trail, something that was visually confusing, and you had 3 or 4 caches, you could have cache A lead to B, B lead to C and C lead back to A. Then possibly trick the cacher into looking for the same 3 caches all over again. NOW, what to do to keep them from looking at their track lol.

 

Wait even better! If there was a way to make stage 3 LOOK like stage 1. Like the same looking container, buy a similar looking tree etc. Then inside it could have something that basically looks like the note from stage one. something like "congratulations you have found stage 1! What would be different is where it says the coords for stage 2, its really stage 4 and the the final stage where the cache is. Only cacher's who could figure out that it was a trick would find the actual cache.

 

That would be a fun cache.

Edited July 24, 2009 by mchaos

[+Chrysalides]

If you had a long trail, something that was visually confusing, and you had 3 or 4 caches, you could have cache A lead to B, B lead to C and C lead back to A. Then possibly trick the cacher into looking for the same 3 caches all over again. NOW, what to do to keep them from looking at their track lol.

 

Wait even better! If there was a way to make stage 3 LOOK like stage 1. Like the same looking container, buy a similar looking tree etc. Then inside it could have something that basically looks like the note from stage one. something like "congratulations you have found stage 1! What would be different is where it says the coords for stage 2, its really stage 4 and the the final stage where the cache is. Only cacher's who could figure out that it was a trick would find the actual cache.

 

That would be a fun cache.

For some value of fun, I guess

 

If you're going ahead with it, call it "Déjà Vu"

[+niraD]

If you're going ahead with it, call it "Déjà Vu"

Or maybe "Groundhog Day"...

[+BigFurryMonster]

Simply, a multi-cache that point A has coords for B, and visa versa.

 

Where would you put the final cache/logbook?

[Dinoprophet]

How about: two containers at the same starting point -- maybe at different levels of a tree or a bridge. One is the final, the other has coordinates to another stage elsewhere (if there are multiple decoys, they all have the same second-stage coordinates). The coordinates in the second stage send you back to the original coordinates. People might get lucky and find the final right away, or they might get caught in the loop. Hopefully they catch on and look for the final at the original point instead of assuming it was a mistake.

 

For extra "fun", you could have the same two container setup at the second site, so you have two final stages. Some people will find the first final and never enter the loop; some will find the second final; and some will go to the second point, then back to the first for the final there.

 

You could name it "break;" As has been pointed out, this would be a loop, not a recursion.

 

Give it some thought. Pondering what a "reverse multi" would be eventually led me to place this cache. A workable recursive multi may not look like your first idea.

 

That sounds like a really cool cache!

Thanks! It was well-received, but stages went missing way too often. I'd like to do a follow-up but need a good area for it.

[+Snoogans]

If you're going ahead with it, call it "Déjà Vu"

Or maybe "Groundhog Day"...

 

I was STF on a Groundhog Day themed multi cache on terracaching.com. The closeness of the individual waypoints wouldn't be allowed here. It was a 6 or 8 leg multi that took you back and forth to 2 different parks. I had fun and it demonstrated CLEARLY how arbitrary the waypoint rules are for multis on GC.com.

[+BigFurryMonster]

The closeness of the individual waypoints wouldn't be allowed here.

 

Why not? Within a cache, waypoints can be close together.

[+va griz]

If there's no log it isn't a cache, just a way to irate people.

[+BBWolf+3Pigs]

There is a local cache where when you get to the Starting Coordinates, you find a tag with the next set of coordinates. However, they are the same as the ones you just went to.

 

Several people contacted the owner wondering if there was a mistake. I guess they are not thinking in 3 dimensions.

[+Castle Mischief]

Sounds like a way to generate frustrated cachers and DNF logs.