Cache Page Creation, what are your thoughts?

[+Bloodhounded]

I enjoy many aspects of geocaching and one is to create a nice cache page for my hides. Sometimes I create old lore tales with creepy backgrounds while other times I just add some pics and colored text. Every one of my cache pages though has some “pop” to them as opposed to just text and a description.

Here is my question, do folks like this “added element” and do you know of others that do the same? Or am I alone spending a great deal of time making it look cool?

Here is a link to one of my most recent hides just to get an idea of what I mean - http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...6d-a1ba2efbeda8

[+StarBrand]

While I like a caches with a little more effort put into them - I find that example page to be just a bit too much. Too many fonts, too many sizes, too many large graphics, too much mixed color and text.

 

I do appreciate that you are putting extra effort into creating something different and unique - but I have to be honest as well.

[+JL_HSTRE]

Some geocachers do, some geocachers don't.

 

The local 10th anniversay of geocaching event took place at a park that was also a battlefield during the Seminole Wars. The ranger at the park is also a geocacher and placed several caches for the event. Many talked about historic aspects of the battlefield, of the events and leaders involved. I'm a history buff so I enjoyed reading all of those cache pages for the history lesson.

 

At the same time, many people who download information to GPS units will never see the information. Or they simply wont care even if they do see it.

 

Personally, I hope people will continue to make caches with interesting stories and/or trivia.

 

The example you gave seems neat but possibly a little overkill. Some might find it difficult to read with the fonts & backgrounds.

Edited June 22, 2010 by joshism

[+Bloodhounded]

I hear you.....

 

Let me offer another link to one of the caches from the series, maybe a better example.

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...1f-564427183279

[+Ms.Scrabbler]

Over all it's cool

 

The little red print and where the puzzle pieces are, it's hard for me to read.

 

Pre ipod touch I hated these write ups because I printed everything and would have to cut/paste into a word document so I could clean it up to print without all the colors, un-needed text and pictures.

Now that it's so much easier for me, I don't curse the author.

 

I like some history or other fact included as long as it doesn't get too long, then I lose interest in the story.

[+roziecakes]

I LOVE it when folks put more effort into their cache pages. It makes them so much more interesting and fun! I'm a web designer by trade, so I know how much effort can go into this sort of thing!

 

The main advice I have is that they are a little busy and the fonts are difficult to read. Other than that, they are organized quite well

[knowschad]

I do, but I'm afraid your two examples are way over the top for me. Very noisy. I appreciate the effort, but not the design. Another thing to consider is that putting essential information into a graphic is going to be problematic for many paperless caching methods. My Nuvi, for example, would not have the graphics. If there was anything on there that I needed to know to find the cache or avoid problems, etc, I'd miss it.

[+roziecakes]

I do, but I'm afraid your two examples are way over the top for me. Very noisy. I appreciate the effort, but not the design. Another thing to consider is that putting essential information into a graphic is going to be problematic for many paperless caching methods. My Nuvi, for example, would not have the graphics. If there was anything on there that I needed to know to find the cache or avoid problems, etc, I'd miss it.

 

Yes, the dog with glasses is right! My remedy for this is good simple HTML, enough to make it interesting looking, maybe with a picture or two, and some different colors thrown in, but simple enough for folks with paperless devices to read. Text based is best when you can do it

 

Here's a couple of my caches that have some simple HTML thrown in plus a background image, if you want to see some:

 

Dear Liza, Dear Liza

 

High Pass Road Challenge

Edited June 22, 2010 by nymphnsatyr

[+GeoGeeBee]

Others have already said it, but I'll add that I agree... putting text on the page in the form of a graphic is a very bad idea. Using fancy fonts and a graphic background is not quite as bad, but still makes the page hard to read.

 

A simple font, plain text, and an occasional picture is all you need. Maybe a bold headline to break up a block of text.

 

You have a lot of information to convey. Anything that doesn't help convey that information is just noise.

[+kunarion]

Here is my question, do folks like this “added element” and do you know of others that do the same? Or am I alone spending a great deal of time making it look cool?

It's a fun diversion from ordinary text descriptions, and creative. People will like that, though it's of course not everyone's taste. I'd say have fun trying out your styles, and change things based on the cache logs, or other feedback you get.

 

But be sure that people who have text devices know that they need to view the page using a web browser. If there's something important in the graphics (puzzles, etc.), place the note "Coords above are not the cache coordinates", somewhere near the top, in plain text. The first time I view the cache description, it may be on my "paperless" GPS, with none of the images. So I have to wait til I get back home, and view the page, before I can go back to look for the cache.

 

I'd probably need to print it. Does your page turn out well printed (B/W, etc.)?

Edited June 22, 2010 by kunarion

[+webscouter.]

Here is what I see in my paperless solutions

 

Welcome to the Scooby-Doo Where Are You series as presented by Team Bloodhounded.

 

Five mysteries have unfolded in the area forcing the gang to split up. You have to find all of the members of Mystery Inc. and reunite them so that they can save the day. There is a secret number under the lid of each cache that you will need to find The Mystery Machine which is the final cache in the series.

 

Good Luck!

 

 

 

About the cache: This is a great place with one million hiding places. The cords listed are for parking (if the gate is closed). If the gate is open, drive down to the last parking area. The cords to the final are going to take you down the road further, DON”T DO IT! There is a steep descent and it’s dangerous. Use the path to the left and the steps to the right, then bare right and you’re on your way. A little creek crossing and some rock jumping but not too bad just watch the little buggers. The coords where all over the place here so I'll say +/- 20 feet and part of the difficulty rating. After you find the cache stay, explore and do more caching. There are a few more in the general area.

[+rockymtn8iv]

I enjoy making the cache page "colorful" as well and like "colorful" pages personally.

At a recent event I attended though I caught a lot of flack from a couple of cachers who admonished me because when they try to read the cache discription on their GPS units they have to wade through all the HTML.

I'm hopin' that Garmin (and others) will eventually make a patch (terminology??) for this so that the page will display in the unit like it does on a computer.

 

Personally, I like what you do.

 

Just sayin'................

[+swfirefly]

I think they look great! I wouldn't change a think.

 

No matter what you do, you won't be able to please everyone.

[+Prime Suspect]

I enjoy many aspects of geocaching and one is to create a nice cache page for my hides. Sometimes I create old lore tales with creepy backgrounds while other times I just add some pics and colored text. Every one of my cache pages though has some “pop” to them as opposed to just text and a description.

Here is my question, do folks like this “added element” and do you know of others that do the same? Or am I alone spending a great deal of time making it look cool?

Here is a link to one of my most recent hides just to get an idea of what I mean - http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...6d-a1ba2efbeda8

1. Keep it short.
   
2. Have a point.
   
3. For anything except Puzzles, don't put important text in an image, unless you want the paperless caching community to boycott your caches.
   

[+Mother Wolf]

I love the creativity but I know, from experience, that many of the cachers that use other devices are either not going to see all of the info, art work etc may miss info needed or all the computor language is going to cause them grief using up to much whatever it uses up. (I'm not real pc savvy)

 

I did some caches that had a lot of extra stuff as well as, what I thought, some cool fantasy tales.... Some loved it while others only saw it as a pain for whatever reason.

 

Place the cache for the cachers.

Give them the info they need to find it.

All the other is for you. If you enjoy doing it so be it. Some will love it some wont. But thats what makes the world go round.

 

Here is 1 of mine from my Realm of The Fae Series:

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...11-8f68f402f853

[+Walts Hunting]

I agree it is to busy. I wouldn't get past the second page before leaving. A long time ago I used to do databases professinally and I remember in the classes the instructor's used to warn about making the form to busy.

 

It tires the eyes and detracts from getting the information out.

 

It is not unusual for people who just got a new toy to use every trick of it and that is what is seen here.

[+Kit Fox]

One of my most popular caches is slim on graphics, but heavy on historical facts.

 

The Llano Del Rio cache

[+Hoosier Ranger]

This is an excellent question. I appreciate creative cache pages, but some go overboard with multiple images and text that may be hard to read (as in one of your examples). A few years ago when I searched for a series of cemetery caches in Indiana I had to wade through image after image of headstones, flags, and the CO's "rules," etc. before getting to the important stuff. It became annoying. My preference for regular caches would be one image and a couple of paragraphs about relevant historical or geological information. To direct those interested in more information, a link to another web page is useful. Or, if it is a theme cache, just one or two paragraphs of information with only enough fonts to separate different elements or add color to a cache page.

[+Bloodhounded]

Well, I have to say this has been an education for me.

1. Paperless folks will be at a disadvantage with this type of format and I don't want that.

2. Too busy = information overload.

3. Direct and to the point is best maybe a few photos and some font color.

4. Most folks seem to be more interested in the cache itself and not the cache page.

 

Thanks for the input. Now I'm thinking of a way to add a link to the top of the page for paperless cachers to get the information. Maybe tone things down a little while I work on my HTML skills but, I love to do these pages.

[+Walts Hunting]

Thanks for the input. Now I'm thinking of a way to add a link to the top of the page for paperless cachers

 

Paperless cacher like those that Oregon's will not be helped by the link. You are thinking about smartphone cachers.

[+power69]

I enjoy many aspects of geocaching and one is to create a nice cache page for my hides. Sometimes I create old lore tales with creepy backgrounds while other times I just add some pics and colored text. Every one of my cache pages though has some “pop” to them as opposed to just text and a description.

Here is my question, do folks like this “added element” and do you know of others that do the same? Or am I alone spending a great deal of time making it look cool?

Here is a link to one of my most recent hides just to get an idea of what I mean - http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...6d-a1ba2efbeda8

Too busy. some text is very small[imagine trying to view that on a smartphone!]

[+Ike 13]

I like that you are trying to go above and beyond with your cache page., but overall it's just not working for me.

 

One your font is too small. The fonts you chose look cool, but are hard to read.

 

Others have already stated why the image as text is a bad idea for paperless. I'd like to add that the background image subtracts even more from the readability.

 

Try to follow KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid). I usually leave my font alone, and just try to make it bigger and add a little color.

 

Again I like the effort and the idea behind the series (I would definitely go after them), but I think a simplier design would add even more to it all.

[+BulldogBlitz]

I enjoy many aspects of geocaching and one is to create a nice cache page for my hides. Sometimes I create old lore tales with creepy backgrounds while other times I just add some pics and colored text. Every one of my cache pages though has some “pop” to them as opposed to just text and a description.

Here is my question, do folks like this “added element” and do you know of others that do the same? Or am I alone spending a great deal of time making it look cool?

Here is a link to one of my most recent hides just to get an idea of what I mean - http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...6d-a1ba2efbeda8

 

 

for a puzzle/mystery cache... i love it.

 

for a traditional cache, not so much.

[+kunarion]

Thanks for the input. Now I'm thinking of a way to add a link to the top of the page for paperless cachers to get the information. Maybe tone things down a little while I work on my HTML skills but, I love to do these pages.

Do you print the cache description, cache note, etc., to include in the container? Once it's on paper, there's less worry about compatibility issues. All of the printouts can be fancy, in the theme of the cache.

 

But you can leave your cache description as fancy as you like. Many Unknown/Puzzle caches require viewing the actual page, and can't be done paperless. And people find those caches just fine. Some people block all Unknown Caches from view regardless. There's no need to change things just because it won't show up on a handheld.

Edited June 24, 2010 by kunarion