Exception Request - Daily Cache Challenge

[+hostanut]

I have been informed by a reviewer that "Only the All Counties and DeLorme are given an exception that allows them to require e-mailing for final coords. "

 

I like to request that another kind of hide be added to this exception.......Daily Cache Challenge (requires cacher to make a find on all 366 days of the year....not necessarily in 1 year).

 

I would like to place this challenge in the state of Delaware.....and require that the cacher make a find on every day of the year in the state of Delaware. I would like to do the same thing for the state of Maryland in the future. I'm sure other states may also have a similar cache created. (A Cache Every Day.....GC1N2Q6

was created in New Hamshire but did NOT require the finds to be in NH.)

 

Because of the magnitude of the challenge I have already purchased swag with a value between $8 and $10. With swag of this value, I don't want to list the correct coords and leave the possibility of any cacher going to the cache and taking the swag. I believe that allowing the CO (me in this case) to email the final coords to only those that have completed the challenge, will increase the likelihood that good swag will remain for future cachers who complete the challenge.

 

-Preston (hostanut)

[+mtn-man]

I am for removing the "email me for final coordinates" for all challenge caches and removing the grandfathering part and requiring that all challenge caches post the actual coordinates.

 

For example, what if the owner goes into the hospital for an emergency. The cache is then unsolvable. It's happened. I would be totally against adding any more to this and wish the owners would have to change the older ones so they can be solved no matter what.

[+ZSandmann]

Two things.

 

1) I agree with MM that caches should be able to be solved/coords available from the listed page. If you clearly state the cache is at coords but no smilies are allowed without meeting the reqs, I believe 99% of the caching population will abide by that.

 

Going a bit further I could see a bit of script added to Gc.com that would obscure the final coords until a "Requirement Completed" log or some such would be posted to a challenge cache. But they are such a small fraction of the total caches I could see this being very very low on the priorities list.

 

2) You said all 366 days, I assume you are including Leap Day. You do know that means your cache will only be findable every four years correct? Nothing wrong with that per se, but its mighty exclusive.

[+DavidMac]

I haven't seen a cache a day challenge yet... and I think it's an interesting idea.

 

Going a bit further I could see a bit of script added to Gc.com that would obscure the final coords until a "Requirement Completed" log or some such would be posted to a challenge cache. But they are such a small fraction of the total caches I could see this being very very low on the priorities list.

 

I'll take it even further...

 

I'd like to see certain types of challenges listed separately from other caches, either as a separate cache type or on a separate page. Preferably on a separate page; for now it's hard to find out about many challenges without resorting to bookmark lists that may not be up to date. And for the different approved challenge "types" to be listed out (county, delorme, fizzy, etc) with a mechanism for people to suggest new and creative possibilities (topo quads, for example). I've also thought it would be interesting to do away with the "final cache" after completing a challenge in lieu of a Waymarking-style system where cachers could volunteer to manage certain geographic areas and verify that others have met the requirements. I'd also like for challenge rules to be standardized for each challenge type, so as to do away with state-to-state differences between otherwise identical challenges (for example, virtuals count in one state's challenge but not in another, subject to the whim of the challenge hider). Oh, and I also want a pony . But I realize that such a system would be low priority and would cause quite the uproar from those who like the system as-is if implemented.

[+Delta68]

I placed two challenge caches last August on for '9 Square' and one for a 'cache per day'

 

Rather than have the cachers list all their completed caches, I wrote a web page where the cacher simply uploads their 'My Finds' pq and the web page parses the file and displayed the final co-ordinates if the requirements were met.

 

I tested it with a pq of 12000 finds and it worked well.

 

However, the idea was rejected by the reviewers.

 

Never mind I decide it was a duff idea anyway.

Why?

 

An awful lot of people don't even log one-day events on the correct day!!!

So it would be very easy to fiddle the system...

 

 

Mark

[+Stunod]

Because of the magnitude of the challenge I have already purchased swag with a value between $8 and $10. With swag of this value, I don't want to list the correct coords and leave the possibility of any cacher going to the cache and taking the swag. I believe that allowing the CO (me in this case) to email the final coords to only those that have completed the challenge, will increase the likelihood that good swag will remain for future cachers who complete the challenge.

 

 

Suggestion: don't put the swag in the cache. Put in certificates good for the items upon logging. Offer to mail or meet the cacher to exchange the item.

This would solve not only the "early" finders problem, but also a common muggling.

Edited February 26, 2010 by Stunod

[Brad_W]

Suggestion: don't put the swag in the cache. Put in certificates good for the items upon logging. Offer to mail or meet the cacher to exchange the item.

This would solve not only the "early" finders problem, but also a common muggling.

Stunod read my mind - or got up before I did this morning.

 

I have been seeing a number of cases where cache owners (and not just challenge cache owners) are making arrangements for conveying FTF prizes privately. In cases where the FTF prize is unique, collectible or of significant monetary value, it's a good idea.

[jholly]

I placed two challenge caches last August on for '9 Square' and one for a 'cache per day'

 

Rather than have the cachers list all their completed caches, I wrote a web page where the cacher simply uploads their 'My Finds' pq and the web page parses the file and displayed the final co-ordinates if the requirements were met.

 

I tested it with a pq of 12000 finds and it worked well.

 

However, the idea was rejected by the reviewers.

 

Never mind I decide it was a duff idea anyway.

Why?

 

An awful lot of people don't even log one-day events on the correct day!!!

So it would be very easy to fiddle the system...

 

 

Mark

 

I can see why it was rejected. Without specific approval from Groundspeak uploading a MyFinds PQ is a direct violation of the TOU. Both INATN and MyGeocaching stats have received and display on their web pages that the approval was granted.

[+hostanut]

Thanks for all the replies......I hope that many more reply.

 

I quess that I supplied too much info....some replies seem to be off topic.

 

This topic is about whether Daily Cache Challenges should be added to the exception that allows them to require e-mailing for final coords.

 

Having said that let me try to address some of the issued raised:

 

mtn-nam's example of "what if the owner goes into the hospital for an emergency."

 

My reply:

That is valid for regular caches that have gone missing so I don't think your example is a valid reason to not allow this exception. It may have happened and may happen again but I'll bet the percentage of times it happens is VERY low.

 

DavidMac said "I'd like to see certain types of challenges listed separately from other caches, either as a separate cache type or on a separate page. Preferably on a separate page; for now it's hard to find out about many challenges without resorting to bookmark lists that may not be up to date."

 

My reply:

I'd also like to see challenges listed separately...it would definitely made them easier to find. The problem may be defining "challenge" caches.

 

Pony......would that be a live pony that you want???

 

Stunod and Brad W comments about using certificates were appreciated.

 

My reply:

Certificates and especially conveying the prizes to the caches would, IMHO, be cost prohibitive if mailing of the prizes were involved. Yeah, I know I could just mail $10 to the each cacher that found it BUT I won't! I would hope that it would be more fun to open a cache with decent swag and be able to select your prize.

 

In general: I know that I can place this challenge cache with the correct coords listed and have people go to a regular cache with normal swag or even to a micro with only a log......but I was looking for a way to take people to a cache with $8 to $10 swag while trying to keep the cache safe from cache thieves by not listing the final coords. I thought that emailing the correct coords to cachers that had completed the challenge was a good way of limiting the cachers with access to the cache.

 

-Preston (hostanut)

[+luckycharmer]

Here's one in Illinois.

Cache- a -Day Every Day in Illinois

[+DeRock & The Psychic Cacher]

This topic is about whether Daily Cache Challenges should be added to the exception that allows them to require e-mailing for final coords.

-Preston (hostanut)

 

The simple answer - NO

 

The long answer - Your asking for an exception to the guidelines to protect your swag. Not because it is a "Daily Cache Challenge". Using your reasoning any cache with great swag would qualify for an exception.

 

Deane

AKA: DeRock & the Psychic Cacher - Grattan MI

[+Markwell]

mtn-nam's example of "what if the owner goes into the hospital for an emergency."

 

My reply:

That is valid for regular caches that have gone missing so I don't think your example is a valid reason to not allow this exception. It may have happened and may happen again but I'll bet the percentage of times it happens is VERY low.

 

But in a traditional cache it's when the CACHE goes missing, which would then be temporarily disabled by the owner. In the example above that mtn-man gave, the OWNER goes missing, making a cache that is out there in the wilderness, perfectly ready to be found, unavailable. And forgetting when people end up in an emergency, when owners just stop caching. From the way I've seen people get out of caching, they usually stop finding because they get busy, then they eventually stop maintaining any of their hides, then they get out of caching, then they change e-mail addresses or start ignoring all of their notes on their caches. Cache boxes placed well, but left and ignored by missing owners are usually viable for quite some time after the owners stop paying attention. A Challenge Cache with an e-mail component would be un-findable once the owner stopped responding.

 

I agree with mtn-man on this one.

[+Isonzo Karst]

This topic is about whether Daily Cache Challenges should be added to the exception that allows them to require e-mailing for final coords.

 

Another no. Indeed there shouldn't be any "email me" for coords caches. Including no new DeLorme or county challenges.

 

I do understand your concerns about having swag degrade if the cache coords are on the page. I'd suggest doing "email me" for an UNLISTED cache where the primo swag is. The listed cache is at the coords.

 

While I'm at it, I too would like to see some changes to Challenge caches (I own a couple, and like them, just a front end disclaimer here). I'd like to see them become traditional caches with the Challenge becoming entirely optional. Kick 'em out of the Mystery cache category, kill the review of whether the challenge meets any standard, but also make the whole part challenge optional. People who are interested will meet the challenge, and people who aren't can find another cache. Seems win win to me.

[+Harry Dolphin]

I like the grandfathering for the County and DeLorme Challenges, and think that should continue. (Though I know someone who almost missed out in the final for one, because the CO did not answer the e-mail quickly enough. Three vacation trips to finish the challenge, and got the final on the way to the airport...)

No, I think you should meet the requirements to be able to log it.

No. I don't think A Cache a Day qualifies for the exalted status of 'Challenge Cache requiring e-mail from the cache owner.'

When the local County Challenge came out, we had a week's vacation, and went for it. I never got the confirmationfrom the CO. Fortunately, my caching partner did. FTF!! If my cching partner hadn't received the e-mail, we would only have been third and fourth. Oh, well.