bonus caches

[+hukilaulau]

I want to place a mystery cache where you have to find parts of the coordinates in two or more other caches. I know this used to be OK but has that changed? I thought I remembered something in a recent discussion that implied these will no longer be allowed. I hope my memory is defective.

Comments?

[+Isonzo Karst]

No problem with this design that I'm aware of.

[AZcachemeister]

I do not recall any proscription against such a cache.

I would, however, not recommend using just anybody's cache to hold your partial co-ordinates.

 

We have had a few like this in Arizona, and when the co-ordinate caches were archived, the puzzle/challenge/multi based on them also went away.

Probably using one or more of your own caches would be best.

[+ecanderson]

I want to place a mystery cache where you have to find parts of the coordinates in two or more other caches. I know this used to be OK but has that changed? I thought I remembered something in a recent discussion that implied these will no longer be allowed. I hope my memory is defective.

Comments?

We've got them here. One of the meaner ones is the Boulder County Puzzle Tour (GC1E4GY). Took me a while to nail that one down! Seven puzzle caches. Each of 6 finals contains a clue to the coordinates of the 7th "final final" in the series.

[+Minimike2]

We had a cache locally that had a 'bonus cache' associated with it. The bonus wasn't logable, but was a fun seek. There were 2 Decoys and the Bonus - all within 1 foot of the cache and they made it a very fun cache to find. Sadly, the cache only lasted a couple of days. Somebody out there ripped it off within 24 hours and then destroyed the cache in another 24 hours.

[+DENelson83]

I want to place a mystery cache where you have to find parts of the coordinates in two or more other caches. I know this used to be OK but has that changed? I thought I remembered something in a recent discussion that implied these will no longer be allowed. I hope my memory is defective.

Comments?

We have one of those cache series in our area.

[+Sol seaker]

We've got a TON of these in this area. More than I can count.

 

I've never heard of any problem with them.

[CoyoteRed]

Actually, that is an interesting question. I know they used to be published, hence the large number of them in the wild now. However, since the relatively new requirement that challenge caches have the actual location listed on the cache page it does beg the question does this new requirement also apply to the bonus caches?

 

I would hope that is does not. I think one of the primary reasons most challenge caches have the actual location listed to reduce the interaction between seeker and owner. It's pretty much an honor system type thing and the owner can delete a bogus log. The interaction is because there is not a way to provide clues in the wild that fits the challenge criteria. Therefore, the seeker is required to send a list of caches that shows that he completed the challenge.

 

This need not happen with a bonus cache. There's no "proving" you completed the series. Either you have enough clues to find the bonus or you don't. Classic example of putting your name in the logbook to claim the prize--no need for "approval" from the cache owner. (Main problem I have with Challenge caches, BTW.)

 

So, hopefully, the ability to provide bogus coordinates and the clue being "find this series of caches" will continue to stand for bonus caches.

[+vegaschick]

They're allowed. I have 18 caches and in 15 of those 18 is a number. You collect all those number and you get the coordinates to the mystery cache. No issues with publication at all.

[+smstext]

i put one out a month ago with no problems.

[+hukilaulau]

Thanks for the replies and interesting examples! Mine is actually fairly simple. Two new halloween themed small caches, one a regular, pretty easy find and one a more difficult night cache. Each has half the coords to an ammo box well stocked with halloween items.

[+Harry Dolphin]

What I understand a 'bonus cache' to be is a second find for the same cache for also finding the local (fountain/plaque/sign). That's two finds for one cache.

What you are talking about is a mystery cache where the clues are in other caches. These are fairly common, and accepted as far as I know.

[+paleolith]

since the relatively new requirement that challenge caches have the actual location listed on the cache page

There is no such requirement. Challenge caches are subject to the same coordinate requirements as other caches. I suspect that what is misleading you is that new challenge caches are (like all other caches) not allowed to include an "email me for information" component, as some early challenge caches did.

 

Non-grandfathered challenge caches exist where the coordinates of the final are as listed, and also where the final is itself a mystery or multi cache.

 

Edward

[+SaltercreaseRangers]

However, since the relatively new requirement that challenge caches have the actual location listed on the cache page it does beg the question does this new requirement also apply to the bonus caches?

 

I set a Multi - the final is the Bonus - and the only person who gets to see the actual coords is the Reviewer as they are a Waypoint only visible to TPTB and the CO, I hadn't thought you had to disclose them in clear text ??

[CoyoteRed]

since the relatively new requirement that challenge caches have the actual location listed on the cache page

There is no such requirement. Challenge caches are subject to the same coordinate requirements as other caches. I suspect that what is misleading you is that new challenge caches are (like all other caches) not allowed to include an "email me for information" component, as some early challenge caches did.

 

Non-grandfathered challenge caches exist where the coordinates of the final are as listed, and also where the final is itself a mystery or multi cache.

By reading the rest of my post it should be clear I have a grasp of the subject at hand.

 

I've not heard of any challenge caches that where, themselves, a puzzle cache or a multi. Therefore I was speaking from that perspective. The only challenge caches I've seen are traditionals (meaning a single stage, not necessarily listed as a traditional) that you can't log until you've completed some sort of criteria. It would be interesting if you could point out some "non-traditional" challenge caches. TIA

[CoyoteRed]

However, since the relatively new requirement that challenge caches have the actual location listed on the cache page it does beg the question does this new requirement also apply to the bonus caches?

I set a Multi - the final is the Bonus - and the only person who gets to see the actual coords is the Reviewer as they are a Waypoint only visible to TPTB and the CO, I hadn't thought you had to disclose them in clear text ??

Bonus caches and challenge caches are two similar, but distinct types of hunts.

 

Bonus cache: a type of hunt that is generally listed as a mystery, the listed coordinates are bogus, and you retrieve clues from a clearly set list of caches. A typical bonus cache is one where is you find all of a series of caches--say, all of the planets in the solar system--then the owner places a bonus cache--in this case, the Sun. You have to gather all the clues from the planets in order to have enough information to find the Sun.

 

Challenge cache: type of hunt that is generally listed as a mystery, the listed coordinate (now, typically) the actual cache, and you are allowed to log online after you have a defined sub-set of caches.[/i] I think the first defined subset is one cache on each page of one state's Delorme map book. I believe these challenges and one other are the only challenge caches that TPTB allow the email-the-owner component generally prohibited. Some other prime example of challenge cache sub-set criteria is one cache in each county of a state, one each of every difficulty and terrain combination (Fizzy), one each of every cache type, both of the last two subsets (Well-rounded).

 

The similarities between the two is you have to find a defined set of other caches.

 

The major differences is with a bonus cache the defined set of caches is rigid--you find a cache owner-set list of caches to find clues to the bonus. With challenge caches, you make your own list. Your list must fit the challenge cache owner's criteria.

 

Another difference is as a bonus cache owner you can put your clues in the caches on your list. With a challenge cache the owner doesn't know which individual caches will be on the list so he can't place clues in the wild.

 

What I'm finding interesting that your reviewer allowed you to list your multi as such. The stages of the multi is actually two other listed caches and the coordinates are bogus. Generally, this type of cache is listed as a mystery and, like you've done, simply tell folks in which caches to find the clues.

[+Corp Of Discovery]

since the relatively new requirement that challenge caches have the actual location listed on the cache page

There is no such requirement. Challenge caches are subject to the same coordinate requirements as other caches. I suspect that what is misleading you is that new challenge caches are (like all other caches) not allowed to include an "email me for information" component, as some early challenge caches did.

 

Non-grandfathered challenge caches exist where the coordinates of the final are as listed, and also where the final is itself a mystery or multi cache.

By reading the rest of my post it should be clear I have a grasp of the subject at hand.

 

I've not heard of any challenge caches that where, themselves, a puzzle cache or a multi. Therefore I was speaking from that perspective. The only challenge caches I've seen are traditionals (meaning a single stage, not necessarily listed as a traditional) that you can't log until you've completed some sort of criteria. It would be interesting if you could point out some "non-traditional" challenge caches. TIA

 

Here you go. There are others out there too, altho they are few & far between.

[CoyoteRed]

Here you go. There are others out there too, altho they are few & far between.

Cool! Thanks!

Edited October 13, 2009 by CoyoteRed

[+paleolith]

It would be interesting if you could point out some "non-traditional" challenge caches. TIA

Here's two multis, the San Diego County history challenges:

 

San Diego County "Historic" Cache Adventure GC15D0N

 

San Diego "Historic" Cache Adventure -- V.2.0 GC16RQ0

 

That was pretty easy, since they are linked in the description of the first challenge I placed. (The other two linked there are of the grandfathered "email me for coords" variety.)

 

In any case, the issue was whether it's a requirement that the final be at the listed coordinates. It's not. I agree, however, that this is a fairly small part of the overall issue.

 

Edward