Awards, Achievments, leaderboards & badges (The future of Geocaching?)

July 25, 2010

HI, I am relatively new to the community but thought I would start off by creating a topic about a feature I am suprised is missing from the community as a whole. I use the iphone 4 geocache app. Maybe iv just been consumed by geotagging and GPS based social networking apps but I think achievments and awards based on caches found, finding cache in a certain state, all states, etc will add a great deal of depth to this already amazing game. Using forumlas similar to "checking in" from yelp where you have to be within a certain range of a cache in order to log it or "check in" and getting achievments based on that. It will not only encourage people to go out and cache hard but to be more involved in the community. Awards and badges for creating and hiding your own caches etc. It will add another level to the expirience. Some of you will say, "this was not meant to be a competition etc" but if you dont want to strive for awards/leaderboards you dont have to. You arent forced to, but you can. I hope and wish this becomes a feature. If anything for the Iphone app. Please post your ideas and opinions. (post some badges/awards you can think off)

Some award Ideas -

Find a cache in California - 10 Pts

Find 10 Caches in California - 10ts

Find a Cache in all 50 states - 50 Pts

Place your own cache - 20Pts

1.4k · July 25, 2010

I'm mixed on this. It shouldn't be about competition, however many make it so. There are legitimate issues with at least one of your ideas though. Encouraging people to hide caches for points could be bad for the game. If they're not willing to maintain the caches they place and they just throw out some garbage container in some garbage location and leave it there, it becomes garbage.

I'd not care about points if this did happen, as I'm sure will be the consensus on this forum. To each his own, but please don't encourage generating more trash.

7.4k · July 25, 2010

How would this improve the game?

7.7k · July 25, 2010

Any point system would be too arbitrary and it will be difficult to find consensus.

If it is stats you're after, check out GSAK's FindStatGen, LogicWeave's cachestats, mygeocachingprofile.com. The last one does show badges for various achievements.

For leaderboard of find counts by state, country, global, check out cacherstats.com

There are also many challenge caches that require you to, for example, find a cache starting with each letter of the alphabet, complete all map squares of the delorme map of your state, complete the entire 9 x 9 matrix of difficulty / terrain.

7.7k · July 25, 2010

How would this improve the game?

What you really mean is, I assume, how would this improve the game for you?

For the OP, it improves the game for him by making it more interesting.

I don't care for it either, but unless this is one of ashnike's socks, cut that guy some slack on his first post.

1.4k · July 25, 2010

How would this improve the game?

What you really mean is, I assume, how would this improve the game for you?

For the OP, it improves the game for him by making it more interesting.

I don't care for it either, but unless this is one of ashnike's socks, cut that guy some slack on his first post.

Word.

7.4k · July 25, 2010

How would this improve the game?

What you really mean is, I assume, how would this improve the game for you?

For the OP, it improves the game for him by making it more interesting.

I don't care for it either, but unless this is one of ashnike's socks, cut that guy some slack on his first post.

Settle down. I asked a question. Don't attack me for whatever it is you've erroneously read between the lines.

3.3k · July 25, 2010

I get a point for each cache I find and that is enough for me. I get pleasure from each log on the caches I hide (unless the cacher hates my cache) and that is enough for me. :lol:

7.7k · July 25, 2010

Settle down. I asked a question. Don't attack me for whatever it is you've erroneously read between the lines.

Settle down, that wasn't an attack, whatever you've erroneously read between the lines.

8k · July 25, 2010

We now have challenge caches. Cachers can place a cache for those that meet a specific geocaching related challenge. If you want to foolishly look at find count as points, they are essentially giving you a point for meeting the challenge (and then finding the cache).

It would make more sense to me to get rid of challenge caches and instead organize a system of challenges that give awards or badges (instead of the "privilege" of logging one more cache). I'd find it much more easy to ignore some challenge if it only meant not getting an icon on my profile than I do when there is a a mystery cache half a mile from my house that requires I find some ridiculous combination of caches in order to log it. However, cachers who are motivated by challenges could still find ones to do and when they complete the challenge will have an additional icon on their profile to show for it.

2.3k · July 25, 2010

Please post your ideas and opinions.

My opinion is your idea might pull a little more weight if you hadn't created this account just to start this thread.

If you're really serious, then post under your real account.

2.3k · July 25, 2010

I don't care for it either, but unless this is one of ashnike's socks, cut that guy some slack on his first post.

I don't know whose sock it is, but it there's cotton fibers all over it.

8.3k · July 25, 2010

I guess my opinion is if this is what floats your boat then start some thing like this up and other folks that groove on this will happily flock to that activity. I hope you don't mind that I could care less.

7.7k · July 25, 2010

I don't know whose sock it is, but it there's cotton fibers all over it.

I'm not disputing your pirate erm, whatever sense, but how did you determine this one is a sock? Inquiring minds want to know.

July 25, 2010

We now have challenge caches. Cachers can place a cache for those that meet a specific geocaching related challenge. If you want to foolishly look at find count as points, they are essentially giving you a point for meeting the challenge (and then finding the cache).

It would make more sense to me to get rid of challenge caches and instead organize a system of challenges that give awards or badges (instead of the "privilege" of logging one more cache). I'd find it much more easy to ignore some challenge if it only meant not getting an icon on my profile than I do when there is a a mystery cache half a mile from my house that requires I find some ridiculous combination of caches in order to log it. However, cachers who are motivated by challenges could still find ones to do and when they complete the challenge will have an additional icon on their profile to show for it.

Its people like you that I cant stand. The nose in the air, hippy, niche type, iv been geocaching longer than you brats. You think I cant have my own ideas cuz im new here? The fact that you think I have the time or the desire to make a nother profile to post this thread already speaks of the quality of person you are. I know this game is too family friendly for me to say what I really want but if you want to flame soemone for an idea than go ahead. Your probably some fat ugly nerd whos opinion I could care less about. The kind that flame someone for the slightest grammatical error. But Im going to defend my thread here. I like some of ya'lls opinions and ideas. Sure I could keep a pen and paper score sheet of my caches for myself. But I guess groing up with interfaces and mediums to show off and and compete for awards (xbox 360) (yelp) etc I would like to see an actual interface for this. At least among iphone 4 uesers. Oh and Bain, u really are retarded, albeit creative.

Edited July 25, 2010 by Passmeabuurr

July 25, 2010

I don't care for it either, but unless this is one of ashnike's socks, cut that guy some slack on his first post.

I don't know whose sock it is, but it there's cotton fibers all over it.

...says Chuck Norris in Groucho glasses & a cheap wig :lol:

Account was made before he needed socks & spelling is too good. A lot of socks are being called lately that could just as well be WunderFone users who have actually discovered that there is a real website.

July 25, 2010

I don't care for it either, but unless this is one of ashnike's socks, cut that guy some slack on his first post.

I don't know whose sock it is, but it there's cotton fibers all over it.

...says Chuck Norris in Groucho glasses & a cheap wig

Account was made before he needed socks & spelling is too good. A lot of socks are being called lately that could just as well be WunderFone users who have actually discovered that there is a real website.

Edit: that post that I didn't see while I was slowly typing has me rethinking...

2.3k · July 25, 2010

I don't know whose sock it is, but it there's cotton fibers all over it.
I'm not disputing your pirate erm, whatever sense, but how did you determine this one is a sock? Inquiring minds want to know.

Just a guess.

Its people like you that I cant stand. The nose in the air, hippy, niche type, iv been geocaching longer than you brats.

2.3k · July 25, 2010

Its people like you that I cant stand. The nose in the air, hippy, niche type, iv been geocaching longer than you brats. You think I cant have my own ideas cuz im new here? The fact that you think I have the time or the desire to make a nother profile to post this thread already speaks of the quality of person you are. I know this game is too family friendly for me to say what I really want but if you want to flame soemone for an idea than go ahead. Your probably some fat ugly nerd whos opinion I could care less about. The kind that flame someone for the slightest grammatical error. But Im going to defend my thread here. I like some of ya'lls opinions and ideas. Sure I could keep a pen and paper score sheet of my caches for myself. But I guess groing up with interfaces and mediums to show off and and compete for awards (xbox 360) (yelp) etc I would like to see an actual interface for this. At least among iphone 4 uesers. Oh and Bain, u really are retarded, albeit creative.

I have no comment to make. I'm just documenting this in case this sock decides to delete its posts as well.

July 25, 2010

What the hell is a sock? More magical harry potter references. Geeze gimme a break.

July 25, 2010

What the hell is a sock? More magical harry potter references. Geeze gimme a break.

Sockpuppet

Ah, that was my next guess. If you're for real, dial it back a bit & most around here aren't too bad...

7.7k · July 25, 2010

Edit: that post that I didn't see while I was slowly typing has me rethinking...

Its people like you that I cant stand. The nose in the air, hippy, niche type, iv been geocaching longer than you brats.

OK, your pirate / Chuck Norris / whatever senses are good. Sock or no sock, I'm outta this thread.

2.3k · July 25, 2010

What the hell is a sock? More magical harry potter references. Geeze gimme a break.

Did you raid the entire sock drawer back in May and June? Just how many of these did you create?

DumpsterWorld.com not keeping your interest enough?

Kudos on managing to put together one full post that almost fooled everyone, though.

July 25, 2010

What the hell is a sock? More magical harry potter references. Geeze gimme a break.

Sockpuppet

Ah, that was my next guess. Active or retired?

If you're for real, dial it back a bit & most around here aren't too bad...

#$%^&@* forum timeout. I didn't even refresh.

Edited July 25, 2010 by Jumpin' Jack Cache

1.4k · July 25, 2010

Its people like you that I cant stand. The nose in the air, hippy, niche type, iv been geocaching longer than you brats. You think I cant have my own ideas cuz im new here? The fact that you think I have the time or the desire to make a nother profile to post this thread already speaks of the quality of person you are. I know this game is too family friendly for me to say what I really want but if you want to flame soemone for an idea than go ahead. Your probably some fat ugly nerd whos opinion I could care less about. The kind that flame someone for the slightest grammatical error. But Im going to defend my thread here. I like some of ya'lls opinions and ideas. Sure I could keep a pen and paper score sheet of my caches for myself. But I guess groing up with interfaces and mediums to show off and and compete for awards (xbox 360) (yelp) etc I would like to see an actual interface for this. At least among iphone 4 uesers. Oh and Bain, u really are retarded, albeit creative.

Hippy? What's that got to do with it?

Your spelling is horrid, but I've been accused of the same thing...

No, my spelling isn't close to that bad

Insulting those of us who wasted out time to answer your question? Ya, that's a good way to get taken seriously.

I'm with the Mullet sporting spy in hiding. Nice Hitler 'stache by the way :lol:

July 25, 2010

Its people like you that I cant stand. The nose in the air, hippy, niche type, iv been geocaching longer than you brats. You think I cant have my own ideas cuz im new here? The fact that you think I have the time or the desire to make a nother profile to post this thread already speaks of the quality of person you are. I know this game is too family friendly for me to say what I really want but if you want to flame soemone for an idea than go ahead. Your probably some fat ugly nerd whos opinion I could care less about. The kind that flame someone for the slightest grammatical error. But Im going to defend my thread here. I like some of ya'lls opinions and ideas. Sure I could keep a pen and paper score sheet of my caches for myself. But I guess groing up with interfaces and mediums to show off and and compete for awards (xbox 360) (yelp) etc I would like to see an actual interface for this. At least among iphone 4 uesers. Oh and Bain, u really are retarded, albeit creative.

Hippy? What's that got to do with it?

Your spelling is horrid, but I've been accused of the same thing...

No, my spelling isn't close to that bad

Insulting those of us who wasted out time to answer your question? Ya, that's a good way to get taken seriously.

I'm with the Mullet sporting spy in hiding. Nice Hitler 'stache by the way

Mullet? I thought somebody took advantage of him because he was blind & told him he was getting a Dolly Parton Wig

July 25, 2010

You all are like little girls with this sock thing. This is geochaching.com not the Marine corps. I shouldent expect to be hazed upon my first legitimate post. You all are so high an mighty with your 1000 + posts that you think "your" forum is being invaded by people who have the time to just mess around with you. Get off your high horse. This was a legitimate, intellegent discussion about a feature, forthcoming or not, that I PERSONANLY would like to see. Thats all. You had to turn it into a flame fest. If anyone else can read past the BS and continue the discussion that would be great. As for the suggestions Id hate to create another login for the 3rd party stat recording sites but ill check them out.

And J the goat, Really? I didnt attack anyone but bain. AND HE SURE AS HELL, did not answer my question. I rest my case

Edited July 25, 2010 by Passmeabuurr

3.3k · July 25, 2010

:lol:

To the max so far.

2.3k · July 25, 2010

I didnt attack anyone but bain.

I'd respond, but I'm all out of bleach. I'll come back tomorrow after I make a run to the supermarket. Maybe you'll have a full load for me by then.

15.4k · July 25, 2010

It would make more sense to me to get rid of challenge caches and instead organize a system of challenges that give awards or badges (instead of the "privilege" of logging one more cache). I'd find it much more easy to ignore some challenge if it only meant not getting an icon on my profile than I do when there is a a mystery cache half a mile from my house that requires I find some ridiculous combination of caches in order to log it. However, cachers who are motivated by challenges could still find ones to do and when they complete the challenge will have an additional icon on their profile to show for it.

I agree that challenges make more sense as some sort of badge, rather than as our current challenge caches. But it would need to be automatic, with the badge system automatically giving you the Fizzy badge when you complete your terrain-difficulty grid, a DeLorme badge when you complete all the pages of a state DeLorme map, and so on. That way there would be one Fizzy badge, rather than a bunch of Fizzy challenge caches.

I don't think assigning points to the various badges would be useful though.

July 25, 2010

I'd like the idea of an integrated campaigns/awards feature whereby the web site automatically detects completed challenges and gives you an 'award':

Could be tricky to manage though. I mean, there'd need to be an extra level of quality control to ensure that the campaigns/awards had lasting interest.

1.4k · July 25, 2010

I didnt attack anyone but bain.

I'd respond, but I'm all out of bleach. I'll come back tomorrow after I make a run to the supermarket. Maybe you'll have a full load for me by then.

While you're washing, I've got some dirty....ummmm......unspeakables that need some tending to. Help a brotha out?

6.7k · July 25, 2010

What the hell is a sock? More magical harry potter references. Geeze gimme a break.

Why does my post say ashnikes? :lol:

Edited July 25, 2010 by TheAlabamaRambler

1.4k · July 25, 2010

AAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

Beetlejuice

5.3k · July 25, 2010

Ok, everyone. Let's ratchet back the vitriol and personal attacks.

Play nicely or don't play at all.

From the Forum Guidelines: "Personal attacks and inflammatory behavior will not be tolerated. If you want to praise or criticize, give examples as to why it is good or bad. General attacks on a person or idea will not be tolerated."

July 25, 2010

Not that I really care about awards and achievements, but if you go to mygeocachingprofile.com they have a "geoachievements" badge section that you can activate on your profile based on your geocaching achievements. I personally deactivate them, prefering just on regular stats.

But as you can see everyone plays the game differently and has a different opinion on this and many other aspects.

7.3k · July 25, 2010

You all are like little girls with this sock thing. This is geochaching.com not the Marine corps. I shouldent expect to be hazed upon my first legitimate post. You all are so high an mighty with your 1000 + posts that you think "your" forum is being invaded by people who have the time to just mess around with you. Get off your high horse. This was a legitimate, intellegent discussion about a feature, forthcoming or not, that I PERSONANLY would like to see. Thats all. You had to turn it into a flame fest. If anyone else can read past the BS and continue the discussion that would be great. As for the suggestions Id hate to create another login for the 3rd party stat recording sites but ill check them out.

And J the goat, Really? I didnt attack anyone but bain. AND HE SURE AS HELL, did not answer my question. I rest my case

:lol:

July 25, 2010

Assuming for a moment that this was not a sock on a trolling mission it never ceases to amaze me when someone comes in to the forums saying 'I'm new here and just wanted to say your doing it all wrong'.

6.5k · July 25, 2010

But I guess groing up with interfaces and mediums to show off and and compete for awards (xbox 360) (yelp) etc I would like to see an actual interface for this.

So we'll give you the benefit of the doubt and you really are new here, and not the creation of someone else who created this account to stir the pot on a favorite subject. Let me ask you this-how well received would one of us have been in the xbox360 forum you frequent if we had posted "I'm new here and wonder what all the fuss is about with badges and scoring? Can't we just play for fun?"

5.7k · July 25, 2010

Assuming for a moment that this was not a sock on a trolling mission it never ceases to amaze me when someone comes in to the forums saying 'I'm new here and just wanted to say your doing it all wrong'.

It is better when they say my doing it, isn't it?

I think that it is and I'm quite certain that you will agree.

6.1k · July 25, 2010

cut that guy some slack on his first post.

Yeah!

Oops, nevermind, I just noticed his 2nd post... :lol:

Edited July 25, 2010 by 4wheelin_fool

2.3k · July 25, 2010

Ok, everyone. Let's ratchet back the vitriol and personal attacks.

Play nicely or don't play at all.

But, I just bought a brand new bottle of bleach.

I guess I'll have to go do my own laundry. :lol:

July 25, 2010

Not that I really care about awards and achievements, but if you go to mygeocachingprofile.com they have a "geoachievements" badge section that you can activate on your profile based on your geocaching achievements. I personally deactivate them, prefering just on regular stats.

But as you can see everyone plays the game differently and has a different opinion on this and many other aspects.

Could not have said it better, its nothing but a game and what you make of it. You wanted to start a discussion but then attacked those that did not agree with you. If your into achievement badges and such try a different caching site. There is one in particular that you can pay to play. The owner will take and pocket your money and never update the site. BUT you can get gold stars and chess pieces :lol:

July 25, 2010

HI, I am relatively new to the community but thought I would start off by creating a topic about a feature I am suprised is missing from the community as a whole. I use the iphone 4 geocache app. Maybe iv just been consumed by geotagging and GPS based social networking apps but I think achievments and awards based on caches found, finding cache in a certain state, all states, etc will add a great deal of depth to this already amazing game. Using forumlas similar to "checking in" from yelp where you have to be within a certain range of a cache in order to log it or "check in" and getting achievments based on that. It will not only encourage people to go out and cache hard but to be more involved in the community. Awards and badges for creating and hiding your own caches etc. It will add another level to the expirience. Some of you will say, "this was not meant to be a competition etc" but if you dont want to strive for awards/leaderboards you dont have to. You arent forced to, but you can. I hope and wish this becomes a feature. If anything for the Iphone app. Please post your ideas and opinions. (post some badges/awards you can think off)

Some award Ideas -

Find a cache in California - 10 Pts

Find 10 Caches in California - 10ts

Find a Cache in all 50 states - 50 Pts

Place your own cache - 20Pts

Personally I don't think this will add little to my personal enjoyment of the game, and probably lead to more annoyances. If something like this happens I hope it will be voluntary, and completely invisible to those who don't want to participate.

I cache for the enjoyment of exploration. I set some goals for myself, but normally they are more along the lines of covering geography (caching in as many states as possible, for example), and not for any seemingly arbitrary numbers. I would rather spend all day hunting a single cache in an interesting area instead of 100 caches in non-interesting areas. Most talk of numbers and find counts annoys me.

What I would like to see is a better stats system based on geography. I would like to know the geographic areas I've cached in to a finer level. i.e. state and county level. There are third party sites that do this but they normally involve more work than I am willing to put into using them.

Another thing may be defining quests or missions: "find 5 caches near farms", "cache in 10 new counties" etc. That may add a little spice to the game. Pure numbers don't do it for me.

Having said all the above, if others find the idea worth while then by all means go for it. Just do it in a way that doesn't affect those of us that like the game the way it is.

Cheers

8k · July 25, 2010

Assuming for a moment that this was not a sock on a trolling mission it never ceases to amaze me when someone comes in to the forums saying 'I'm new here and just wanted to say your doing it all wrong'.

I don't understand why newbie can't make suggestions. Assuming this is not a sock puppet, it doesn't sound like a troll at all. There are other sites now supporting geolocation play- e.g. Gowalla, Foursquare. These sites offer points or rewards for visiting locations others have marked and sometimes for doing some activity from that location. Some people seem to enjoy this style of geolocation play. A newbie to geocaching who has seen these other sites might feel such a system would add something to Geocaching. Who knows, it might even work to get people to use Waymarking.

Geocaching developed with a different approach. Before Jeremy created the Geocaching.com website, there was no way to track your find count. The game was completely non-competitive and no one worried about bogus logs. I think Geocaching.com tries to keep this early view of geocaching being light an fun and non-competitive. Aside from the find count, there are no official statistics. Logging of finds is still based primarily on an honor system (only a few cache owners will check the physical log - and even then only in certain situations). Yet with all that, the OP's suggestion of awards and badges for certain achievements is not far from what we have with challenge caches. There does seem to be a part of the geocaching community that will be obsessed with statistics and challenges. Challenge caches have proved popular with people running around to find a cache in every county in their state, or a cache that starts with each letter in the alphabet.

I responded that I actually like the OP's idea better than the challenges we have now because those that don't want to participate don't have to. (With a challenge cache, you can't log a find on the cache till you meet the challenge which sounds too much like an ALR to me). The OP (feeling under attack from those accusing him of being a sock puppet) didn't even realize I was supporting his idea and attacked me as a "nose in the air, hippy, niche type, iv been geocaching longer than you brat". Whatever.

This thread became a train wreck much faster that most. Unfortunately, because it could have been a discussion on ways to make geocaching more interesting to those who need a little extra incentive to go find caches with out interfering with those who take a laid back approach non-competitive approach to geocaching. Of course, you will get those who believe that any competition degrades the game, but I haven't been convinced by any of those arguments.

July 25, 2010

Wow this is preatty frustrating. I didnt attack those who didnt agree with me. IF you actulley read the thread and see where it all went sour, it was when high and mighty geocacher bain came thru and bashed me for being a "sock". Thats all. I havent been anything but accepting of everyone opinions on the awards and badges. Thats what this thread was started for. Based on the general opinions here I can say its probably not a feature thats going to be coming soon, if Groundspeak takes the communities opinion as a whole into consideration. Which I PERSONALLY, would love to have. Will it ruin the fun for me? No, not in the slightest. Just being able to log caches is a cool feature. But with the advent of the iphone 4 app with social network tethering it would be nice to have an award system since, like yelp, software could be written to only be able to check in or log a cache if you are within 10 feet of it or so. So again, read the thread again and see that I attacked nobody untill I was attacked. Not the best welcoming to the community. I wont lose sleep over it though.

And boku, deff did not mean to attack you. I may have accidentally put your name in a post but edited it when I saw it was bain who posted the attack. And yes to everyone who is actulley participating legtiamately, even if its not about numbers, detailed stats about where you've found caches is great idea. That would already add to the depth. How many near farms, how many on hills, how many submerged caches. For example, you find 5 submerged caches and you get a badge called "1000 leagues under the sea" its simple and fun and shouldent hurt the game at all. Besdies remember that, while many geocachers may be in there 30s-50s that if the sport is to continue on into fture generations it will have to evolve, even if slightly. My generation is obsessed with social networking and interfaces like foursquare and such. It will help to bring people into the community.

Edited July 25, 2010 by Passmeabuurr

July 25, 2010

There are no shortage of challenges out there. Most states offer delorme and/or all counties challenges. I think that I'll be a lot more proud when I find a cache in all 67 Pennsylvania counties (some day. lofty goal for me) than I ever would being awarded some arbitrary award.

3.6k · July 25, 2010

I just wish people dont jump in conclusion like they did in this thread. I assume the OP is not a sock puppet. I do feel that sometime a newbie can bring in new idea and excitement into the sport. Why shutout people that are trying to open up our closed minds?

Back on the OP, I think an awards and badges for certain achievements will be better than those annoying challenge cache thats taking up a good spot that only see a few logs a year.

Edited July 25, 2010 by SwineFlew

1.7k · July 25, 2010

<snip>

Back on the OP, I think an awards and badges for certain achievements will be better than those annoying challenge cache thats taking up a good spot that only see a few logs a year.

Methinks I detect some sour grapes. Or maybe "good spot, I came too late" envy.

3.6k · July 25, 2010

<snip>

Back on the OP, I think an awards and badges for certain achievements will be better than those annoying challenge cache thats taking up a good spot that only see a few logs a year.

Methinks I detect some sour grapes. Or maybe "good spot, I came too late" envy.

You are wrong, far from it. I see some spots that are like... come on, more people will love this spot and know about it if there wasnt a challenge cache there. Its the same way of many people in here feel about putting a macro where its a good spot for an ammo can. (I dont hate macro, in fact, I like them)

Awards, Achievments, leaderboards & badges (The future of Geocaching?)

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