New caches appearing all at once or in dribs and drabs?

[+hobgoblinkiteflier]

A new cache appears and you find it within a few days only for another one to appear nearby. It can be a little bit frustrating to go back to the same area.

 

On the other hand, is it a good thing to give different cachers a chance at the FTF? It would avoid the "FTF again - TFTC" in the logs.

 

Which would you prefer?

[+paulbarratt]

A new cache appears and you find it within a few days only for another one to appear nearby. It can be a little bit frustrating to go back to the same area.

 

On the other hand, is it a good thing to give different cachers a chance at the FTF? It would avoid the "FTF again - TFTC" in the logs.

 

Which would you prefer?

 

Unfortunately, whatever anyone prefers we are at the mercy of the reviewers and the fact that they are volunteers with their own lives and quite a large queue of caches each to review.

 

From what I've been told by the 2 that I know personally, they pretty much work down the queue as best they can.

 

The only way I can see to solve the problem is, if it's the same person setting the caches, that they put a reviewer note saying that there's more than one cache in that area to be reviewed and can they please review them at the same time.

[+Gushoneybun]

If one or two appear and we go and find them, not normally as an FTF these days, then another pops up and another that does annoy me if the place is a little off the beaten path or you have to go past the previous ones to get the new ones. If the CO says something along the lines of part of a series, that is fine we wait till they have popped up before considering the series.

[team tisri]

A new cache appears and you find it within a few days only for another one to appear nearby. It can be a little bit frustrating to go back to the same area.

 

On the other hand, is it a good thing to give different cachers a chance at the FTF? It would avoid the "FTF again - TFTC" in the logs.

 

Which would you prefer?

 

Depends how far away it is.

 

Usually I won't travel a huge distance on the bike to get one or two caches, unless I really need to burn off some energy and it looks like a fun ride.

 

If I travel a few miles for a couple of caches and then some more go live, well that's just the way it goes. If that kind of thing bothers you then don't go caching more than once every couple of weeks, to give all the caches a chance to get published. Then if a new one appears right after you get back sit on it for a couple of weeks before going out to find it.

 

If what was already there was enough to entice you out, why should it suddenly become a bad thing if you get a reason to go back there?

Edited October 1, 2010 by team tisri

[+keehotee]

A new cache appears and you find it within a few days only for another one to appear nearby. It can be a little bit frustrating to go back to the same area.

 

On the other hand, is it a good thing to give different cachers a chance at the FTF? It would avoid the "FTF again - TFTC" in the logs.

 

Which would you prefer?

 

It must be terrible to be in the situation where somebody's forcing you at gunpoint to go and find a cache as soon as it's published. You have my sympathy.....

[I!]

It must be terrible to be in the situation where somebody's forcing you at gunpoint to go and find a cache as soon as it's published. You have my sympathy.....

No, I think the OP has your sarcasm

 

Which would you prefer?

I prefer groups of caches to be laid down together where possible, and I don't particularly relish going back to the same place over and over and over again as has been the case for example on Chosen Hill.

[+Graculus]

I was asked by an owner if I could publish their new series one cache per day. I was happy to do this. I published the caches at various times when I happened to be logged on . It did cause some surprise to the local FTF hounds

 

Otherwise I just work through the queue. If two owners have caches near to each other one may get published in the evening the the other one may be published the following morning. It just depends when I log on and when the caches appear in the queue.

 

Chris

Graculus

Volunteer UK Reviewer for geocaching.com

UK Geocaching Information & Resources website www.follow-the-arrow.co.uk

Geocaching.com Knowledge Books

[+Amberel]

Unfortunately, whatever anyone prefers we are at the mercy of the reviewers and the fact that they are volunteers with their own lives and quite a large queue of caches each to review.

I took this to mean whether the caches should be published at the same time or in dribs and drabs as a deliberate policy of the cache setter (with the intention of spreading around the FTFs).

 

I don't see that it matters one way or the other, PROVIDED that if publication is staggered it is made clear on the cache page. That way people can choose if they want to make several trips and grab the FTFs, or wait until the series is complete and do them all together.

 

Rgds, Andy

[Deceangi]

Personally if I see a CO has a group of caches in the queue, or the first cache indicates that it's No x in a series. I'll Batch Review the caches. And Disable all of them if there is a issue with just one. Even if not asked to do so by the CO.

 

But that is dependant on either spotting that the CO has more than one cache (not always possible especially if the Regions queue, runs to multiple pages) or it's clear that the caches are a series (some are just stand alones in the same area)

 

I have when asked released caches in a series on a 2 day spread between each one, with the Last cache being 4 days later just to break up the chain (the CO wanted the Final cache to go out on a specific day. So we juggled the Starting date and spread to suit )

 

I've yet to have a CO ask for a 2/3 hour spread on publication of a series, but if asked I'd happily do it. Now that would upset a few FTF Ho's (anyone with a series going out, up for that )

 

Deci

[+currykev]

I've been know to publish caches a few days apart, yet in the same area.

I like to see those FTF hounds work for it.

[+Pharisee]

.... PROVIDED that if publication is staggered it is made clear on the cache page.

 

Why... ? The setter of a cache series is under no obligation to put them all out together or, indeed, state anything on the cache page to indicate that there may or may not be any more to come. It's entirely up to him/her/them.

If someone goes charging off the instant the first cache gets published and then finds a couple more in the series go out a few hours/days/weeks later... tough. It was their choice to go and they shouldn't get annoyed with the cache setter.

I recently set a few caches on a circular walk and in this instance, I did state that the caches wouldn't be placed in any logical order nor would they be published at the same time.

Although they were all actually placed at the same time, publication was deliberately spread out over two or three weeks, submitted on weekdays rather than weekends and in pretty much a random order. I got a real chuckle out of knowing that one local cacher would be cycling around the circuit more than once, passing caches he would have to come back to later, if he wanted a First To Find on all of them. In fact, someone else beat him to a few of them... Brilliant!

Ok... so I have a warped sense of humour

[+keehotee]

It must be terrible to be in the situation where somebody's forcing you at gunpoint to go and find a cache as soon as it's published. You have my sympathy.....

No, I think the OP has your sarcasm

 

No no - anybody actually in that situation would have my genuine, unreserved, sympathy.

[+Alibags]

I've yet to have a CO ask for a 2/3 hour spread on publication of a series, but if asked I'd happily do it. Now that would upset a few FTF Ho's (anyone with a series going out, up for that )

Deci

 

LIKE!!

 

I do not see that either setters or reviewers are under any obligation to make life easy for "FTF Hos"

 

Mind you, I did once set a cache in the middle of a series because I knew some chums would be doing that series the next day. I delayed submitting the cache until after the time I knew they would have run their PQ. It had the desired effect as they rang me and abused me upon, having got home and logged their caches, sitting back to admire the map full of smilies and discovering an unfound trad right in the middle. Job done!

[+ratcliffe]

 

It must be terrible to be in the situation where somebody's forcing you at gunpoint to go and find a cache as soon as it's published. You have my sympathy.....

 

With your injury record Kehotee, I reckon you would manage to fall over and shoot yourself in the foot

[+Amberel]

.... PROVIDED that if publication is staggered it is made clear on the cache page.

 

Why... ?

Courtesy, plus it gives the best of both worlds.

 

It still permits the FTF hounds to go after their FTFs if they are prepared to put in the extra work. But it helps their planning if someone who is not bothered about the FTF knows when the series is complete.

 

Other than spreading out the FTFs I can see no point in deliberately and unnecessarily taking people over the same ground a second time - in general I would prefer to see somewhere new rather than repeat the same walk a week later.

 

Rgds, Andy

[+Lovejoy and Tinker]

There is clearly a new side game I wasn't aware of. Plan the publishing of caches in order to make people visit a location twice (or more), and if possible time things so that new caches are published a few hours after someone has walked round the others in the series.

 

OK. I suppose the FTF fans have their little side game set up, so why not cache owners have their little side game also which lets them sit at home and laugh at the people who like to keep their maps full of smilies.

 

At the end of the day you don't have to clear all the smilies from the map. If I do a series or cache in an area then when I get home a new one has popped up right in the middle, I don't go back for it.

Sooner or later a few more will be published in that area to make it worth a second trip - if the area itself is worth a second trip that is

 

Not sure though whether this new (is it new?) aim of deliberately setting out to mess people about and 'watch' them run around is particularly sporting, but then many find the FTF race not very sporting.

 

Thinking "ha ha ha, that'll mess them about and make them frustrated" is not in my mind when I set a cache or a series of caches. I want people to enjoy them not get frustrated by them in any way. That's why our 1 puzzle cache has an alternative way of finding it without having to solve the puzzle.

 

On the other hand there was a series published recently where 3 or 4 were right at the top of some local tors (you know who you are ) and their publication was spread out over a week or more.

To this day I don'tknow if it was a deliberate ploy or not but it led to several evenings walking up the same/similar/nearby tors and 3 instances of meeting fellow cachers at the top of various hills.

That was a good week, I enjoyed it. Because the location is one of our favourite places anyway.

And we still have the rest of the series to do at our leisure (if we ever get any).

 

So to sum up, I haven't got a clue what I think about this as I like it, I don't like it, I think it's mean, I think it can be fun, I think it's not in the spirit of the game but can see why some would want to do it.

 

Don't know why I bothered to post really, but by the time I wrote my thoughts down and concluded that I hadn't got a clue it was all to late so I pressed ....

[+hobgoblinkiteflier]

Thanks a bunch for your sarcasm, keehotee

 

I am not an FTF enthusiast, I prefer others to do the beta testing before I go on the hunt. But I had a few caches pop up a couple of miles from me over the period of about two weeks. For most of them, I waited a few days before going, but I did get an FTF on one. It wasn't too much bother returning later, but I ended up visiting the same woodland three or four times in total. Maybe, as suggested, if I just waited a bit longer before going for the first one, I could have made a more efficient sweep of the area.

 

My reason for asking is that I have a number of caches ready to hide. No series planned, just a couple here and there. Perhaps I will hide them all first, then try and get a couple close together published at the same time as some on the other side of town. (With the help of my friendly local reviewer, of course.)

[+Graculus]

I think some FTF'ers try to work out their reviewers habits. For example I work during the day so start reviewing about 6pm during the week. I'll be publishing caches anytime on from then during the evening. May stop early, may do some more later in the evening. Weekends I usually do the queues in the morning on Saturday and Sunday. I do though sometimes have some time spare at work and will do a few during the day at odd times just to throw people off the scent

 

We don't work to an agenda or try to 'annoy' the FTF hounds when reviewing. Caches are reviewed/published as they come into the queue. As my colleague Deceangi has said, if an owner asks for a whole series to be published at the same time or for a cache to be published on a specific date we try and do this if we can. Sometimes there will be one cache in a series that is holding up the rest. The owner may ask for the rest to be published now and the problem one later when it is sorted out. It is up to them.

 

Chris

Graculus

Volunteer UK Reviewer for geocaching.com

UK Geocaching Information & Resources website www.follow-the-arrow.co.uk

Geocaching.com Knowledge Books

[+The Other Stu]

Chris,

 

It's 3.26 in the afternoon and you're posting here. How are we supposed to guess what time you are reviewing?

 

Stu

[+smstext]

i have asked my reviewer in the past to break up caches i have placed out, even put out a third of them in one go to look like a nice cache loop only for odds and ends to be added over the coming days. Even had one FTF hound coming from quite far to try and do them as and when they got published.

 

Why you might ask, well i rather give a few people the chance of getting a FTF than someone who sits at home all day doing nothing the chance of bagging a dozen (or whatever number i have placed out) in one go.

 

As for being a FTF er i dont class myself as one, if at work (and i work very unsociable shifts) a cache gets published i might have a go on the way home or leave it for the weekend. I only tend to get this FTF on caches out in the middle of nowhere that no one wants to drive out and walk to.

[+Palujia]

This is beginning to "Out Weird" me ! The hobby is beginning to take on so many plots, sub plots and counter plots. A friend told me about this great "souped up" treasure hunt game. Where you get hold of a GPS, log on to a web site, down load co-ordinates and go looking for tupperwear boxes in the woods. If you happen to log on and there is a "new" cache put on you can sometimes be the first one to find it ! This has happened a few times to me. For no other reason than I happened to log on and the caches were local. Had a couple of free hours to went and did a few. Idid not realise then that there were FTF hounds that have e mails sent direct to their mobile phones (I am pretty sure my mobile brick makes phone calls - although I haven't tried it recently - battery probably flat ??) I enjoy the exercise, and the pleasure I get from navigating to the location and puzzling out where the CO hid the thing - the only fly in the oinkment is that I am now in possession of several travel bugs attached to fairly large objects and all I am finding recently are micros !

Ah well - hols in the Peak district at half term- will try and unload the bugs in Ashbourne !!! The idea of people making others run round in circles by deliberately staggering publication is mind boggling ?? Still, whatever floats your boat as they say. Don't think I want to play that game thanks I'll stick to downloading, going looking and (hopefully) finding a few now and then

[team tisri]

One other consideration where new caching trails are laid is how long it takes the setter to actually place them all.

 

Once a cache is placed you might as well have people looking for it, but with a larger series it means either a trail of endless micros stuck under benches or on signs, or a significant amount of space required to carry lots of sandwich boxes. If the CO can't carry all the caches with them to set them all in one go, it seems inevitable that unless they make a specific request to delay release the caches will have staggered releases.

 

I see the point about letting people know what's happening but I'd still maintain that if three caches were enough to entice me to visit an area then I've got no reason to complain if another three are published within an hour of my return (or indeed 30 seconds after I leave home). Sure it's frustrating to get home after a long caching run to find I went within 100 yards of a newly published cache but it seems pointless getting worked up over it. If the area is nice enough I can plan another trip to get the straggler, or I can leave it until some more caches appear, or I can ignore it completely.

[+Original A1]

How topical! I didn't see this thread before my latest series was submitted and published, but I did put a note to the reviewer asking that they all got published together (or rather, if there was any problem with any of them, not to publish the others till it had been resolved - luckily there weren't!). The reason behind that was that they are a fair way from where I live and I wanted to be sure they were all in order, rather than trogging up and down the road, with the side effect I suppose of muggling cachers finding the others, or vice versa.

 

We have some very keen FTF hounds in my area and it's inevitable that one of 3-4 names are likely to be the first there, which can be a little annoying for everyone else, but I don't think I'm mean-minded enough to make them hare back and forth bit by bit. If it were for something more strategic, perhaps I'd think differently, but at the end of it all, it's a game and I want them to enjoy finding them, and am glad that they bother. (I nearly put them off with the previous set which are rather on the sneaky side!)

[+thesearchdog]

I suppose I must be one of the ftf hounds then, having just ftf'd Original A1's series of five this morning, although in my defense I have to say that I had already planned to drive down that way to a specific cache(GC1VECB Gameshope Burn) then visit four more on the return, so this series popping up was just a short detour along some lovely scenic roads.

I've only placed one cache series and waited until they could all be published together trying to encourage cachers to do them all as a linear walk or cycle although no-one seems to have done this, instead they all just do short walks or cache n dash.

Publishing caches all at once or staggered out isn't going to cause me any nightmares because as has happened on a couple of occasions, I then revisit the area for a walk or cycle without the caching distracting me from the usually lovely surroundings, the only problem I've got is finding space around here to put a cache which introduces fellow cachers to something of significance rather than the seemingly endless round of micros in laybys "just because they can"