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Please explain the new "Souvenirs" feature


BlueGerbil

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I really want to get excited about it but I just can't muster the excitement. Feels too much like a facebook game or iphone app. I like geocaching because I just get my smiley and move on with life. That's my goal. It's simple. I don't have status stuff cluttering up my profile. Just my smilies.

That's actually the beauty of souvis having their own page on the profile. They won't clutter up the main page and those that aren't interested in them never, ever have to click on the souvi tab.

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Hmm.... can I ask something? If there is a souvenir zone near us... but we already found all the caches there?? do we get a souvenir or not??

Yes. TPTB have stated that these will be made retroactive to cover those already cached zones and geocaches. It's just not part of the initial rollout.

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This is what I dont get:

 

There are two ways to discover a souvenir. The first is to log a geocache within the souvenir zone.

 

I get that, you find and log a cache in the zone and get a cool little picture.

 

The second is to search for a geocache using the Geocaching Application for iPhone or Android when you are within the souvenir zone.

 

So I actually have to find the cache in a zone, but the dude with the crappy smart phone can just drive to that zone, do a search and get the same picture?

 

Am I reading this wrong?

As I understand it, the souvenir is for geocaching in a certain area. searching, but not finding is part of geocaching, so they get credit. However, they couldn't simply give credit for posting a DNF because that would make it too easy for someone to rack up souvenirs from their couch.

 

Its just as easy to airmchair a find as it is to armchair a DNF. Its just harder to disprove the DNF.

 

But that wasnt my point. If non-smart phone users search for a cache in an area and DNF, do they get a souvenirs? Or is this just an incentive to get one of the apps?

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This is what I dont get:

 

There are two ways to discover a souvenir. The first is to log a geocache within the souvenir zone.

 

I get that, you find and log a cache in the zone and get a cool little picture.

 

The second is to search for a geocache using the Geocaching Application for iPhone or Android when you are within the souvenir zone.

 

So I actually have to find the cache in a zone, but the dude with the crappy smart phone can just drive to that zone, do a search and get the same picture?

 

Am I reading this wrong?

As I understand it, the souvenir is for geocaching in a certain area. searching, but not finding is part of geocaching, so they get credit. However, they couldn't simply give credit for posting a DNF because that would make it too easy for someone to rack up souvenirs from their couch.

Its just as easy to airmchair a find as it is to armchair a DNF. Its just harder to disprove the DNF.

 

But that wasnt my point. If non-smart phone users search for a cache in an area and DNF, do they get a souvenirs? Or is this just an incentive to get one of the apps?

Non-smart phone users apparently do not get a souvi for DNFs, for reasons already discussed.
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From what i can tell you either have to log a find in a zone (city, state, park, country, ect) or attend a event.

 

Or search with a Groundspeak app.

 

"There are two ways to discover a souvenir. The first is to log a geocache within the souvenir zone. For instance, if there were a souvenir for Hollywood, CA and you logged a geocache in Hollywood, you would be awarded the souvenir. The second is to search for a geocache using the Geocaching Application for iPhone or Android when you are within the souvenir zone. Text on your profile page will indicate whether the souvenir was discovered by logging or through an application."

 

So will the apps have to be updated to accommodate souvenirs through a check-in process or will the Frog at Groundspeak sense that you are using an app to search for a cache within the zone and automatically add the souvenir? And although I have seen some souvenirs on a privileged profile page, should I feel left out or grateful that mine remains blank?

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Interesting... Quite a few UK country parks on the list. I've done caches in "Flitch Way Country Park?" It's not a country park though so I guess they are slightly unsure as to what they are doing. I wonder if I'll get a souvenier when they make one. I shall also hopefully be at "Hadleigh Castle Country Park" on Sunday. Seems like these may be related to some Geocaching projects that have been set up. Certainly the UK country parks ones are...

 

Hmmm... the mysteries of Groundspeak :rolleyes:

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Dear Groundspeak,

 

You may use these as a souvenir, just credit me.

Cambodia-Thumbnail.png

cambodia_souvenir.png

 

Your welcome!

 

Respectfully,

Releasethedogs

 

P.s. Yes, I made these images from scratch. The Photos I took my self.

Want me to tweek it a bit, just ask.

 

Nice. That's pretty much what I was thinking of when I suggested a Beijing souvenir. Although GS will likely establish the bounds for a souvenir zone opening up souvenir artwork to anyone with an account seems to be a good idea. If GS accepts your souvenir you should be proud of being the official artist for the "Cambodia" souvenir.

 

Since the list of souvenirs posted earlier seems to include zones that are state wide, country wide as well as some that are tied to specific events (even multiple souvenirs for different locations for the same event like the GEOCrush...frankly, I think that's going a bit far) I wonder if souvenir categories will be created.

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So will the apps have to be updated to accommodate souvenirs through a check-in process or will the Frog at Groundspeak sense that you are using an app to search for a cache within the zone and automatically add the souvenir?
I suspect that a future update of the apps will create such a functionality, if it is needed. I'm not sure that it is, however. It may be as simple as querying the dbase using the smartphone while inside the zone. We shall see.
And although I have seen some souvenirs on a privileged profile page, should I feel left out or grateful that mine remains blank?
For myself, I am going with neither. I'm slightly anxious to see what souvis that I've earned and interested in earning future souvis, but I am neither jealous nor grateful that my profile page hasn't yet been updated.
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souvis

 

If this becomes the accepted abbreviation, I might just have to give up caching.

 

(For Snoogans: :rolleyes: )

You got a better one?

 

Working on that. Souvi sounds too much like Nuvi. Souvs sounds too much like SUVs. Nears sounds too much like my neighbors giving directions ("it's nears the bait-un-tackul shawp").

 

Maybe... "veeners"? As in, "Ya, da veeners go goot wit da crrrrrrrowt."

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We've got all these new features for trackables, how about adding a "solved it" feature for puzzle caches? I've got a dozen I've solved but haven't found and it would be great to show off that I solved them.

This combined with the "Personal Cache Note" so that you can note the coords right on the cache page for your own use, and download the corrected coords via a PQ.

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Granted, I haven't read enough about this new item to completely understand it, but my first thought is that it's lame. They stopped allowing well thought out virtuals that got you up and out and doing some actual searching and thinking for this? Too bad.
Virts have been gone for years, so I doubt that these two things are cause and effect.

 

Also, it should be noted that they are working on a way to bring virts back, in some fashion. Be happy.

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Granted, I haven't read enough about this new item to completely understand it, but my first thought is that it's lame. They stopped allowing well thought out virtuals that got you up and out and doing some actual searching and thinking for this? Too bad.
Virts have been gone for years, so I doubt that these two things are cause and effect.

 

Also, it should be noted that they are working on a way to bring virts back, in some fashion. Be happy.

 

Exactly! Not to mention there are still plenty of Earthcaches to get "you up and out and doing some actual searching and thinking".

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Granted, I haven't read enough about this new item to completely understand it, but my first thought is that it's lame. They stopped allowing well thought out virtuals that got you up and out and doing some actual searching and thinking for this? Too bad.
Virts have been gone for years, so I doubt that these two things are cause and effect.

 

Also, it should be noted that they are working on a way to bring virts back, in some fashion. Be happy.

 

Yes, of course, I know the timeline. However, I thought the reasoning behind not allowing virtuals was because they wanted geocachers searching for physical caches. So, are these souvenirs physical?

 

It would be nice to have virtuals returned. We have a few and always have nice comments made on them.

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Granted, I haven't read enough about this new item to completely understand it, but my first thought is that it's lame. They stopped allowing well thought out virtuals that got you up and out and doing some actual searching and thinking for this? Too bad.
Virts have been gone for years, so I doubt that these two things are cause and effect.

 

Also, it should be noted that they are working on a way to bring virts back, in some fashion. Be happy.

 

Yes, of course, I know the timeline. However, I thought the reasoning behind not allowing virtuals was because they wanted geocachers searching for physical caches. So, are these souvenirs physical?

 

It would be nice to have virtuals returned. We have a few and always have nice comments made on them.

The souvis won't ba something you search for per se. Thay are just icons to show where you have geocached.

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Think of it as sending your profile a postcard

 

My profile is a representation of me and I know where I've been. Why would I send me a postcard?

 

"Having a wonderful time! Wish I was here!" :blink:

Don't you sometimes forget?

 

Maybe its just me. :)

 

Forget what? :)

I don't remember. I must have had something in mind when I posted that.
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Think of it as sending your profile a postcard

 

My profile is a representation of me and I know where I've been. Why would I send me a postcard?

 

"Having a wonderful time! Wish I was here!" :blink:

Don't you sometimes forget?

 

Maybe its just me. :)

 

Forget what? :)

I don't remember. I must have had something in mind when I posted that.

:D Posted what?

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Think of it as sending your profile a postcard

 

My profile is a representation of me and I know where I've been. Why would I send me a postcard?

 

"Having a wonderful time! Wish I was here!" :blink:

Don't you sometimes forget?

 

Maybe its just me. :)

 

Forget what? :)

I don't remember. I must have had something in mind when I posted that.

:D Posted what?

See? This is why we collect souvenirs. Like, "Oh yeah!! I went to the Badlands back in '87, didn't I? I think I had a great time!!" Of course, garage sales can bring some confusion to the issue when you pick up that Statue of Liberty ash tray for fifty cents.
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Think of it as sending your profile a postcard

 

My profile is a representation of me and I know where I've been. Why would I send me a postcard?

 

"Having a wonderful time! Wish I was here!" :blink:

Don't you sometimes forget?

 

Maybe its just me. :)

 

Forget what? :)

I don't remember. I must have had something in mind when I posted that.

:D Posted what?

See? This is why we collect souvenirs. Like, "Oh yeah!! I went to the Badlands back in '87, didn't I? I think I had a great time!!" Of course, garage sales can bring some confusion to the issue when you pick up that Statue of Liberty ash tray for fifty cents.

 

Are you trying to tell me I have never been to NYC?

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Think of it as sending your profile a postcard

 

My profile is a representation of me and I know where I've been. Why would I send me a postcard?

 

"Having a wonderful time! Wish I was here!" :blink:

Don't you sometimes forget?

 

Maybe its just me. :)

 

Forget what? :)

I don't remember. I must have had something in mind when I posted that.

:D Posted what?

See? This is why we collect souvenirs. Like, "Oh yeah!! I went to the Badlands back in '87, didn't I? I think I had a great time!!" Of course, garage sales can bring some confusion to the issue when you pick up that Statue of Liberty ash tray for fifty cents.

 

Are you trying to tell me I have never been to NYC?

Carlstadt, NJ. I could see the Statue of Liberty from my motel room. The ash trays were lame, though. They were just advertisements for Motel 6.
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Think of it as sending your profile a postcard

 

My profile is a representation of me and I know where I've been. Why would I send me a postcard?

 

"Having a wonderful time! Wish I was here!" :blink:

Don't you sometimes forget?

 

Maybe its just me. :)

 

Forget what? :)

I don't remember. I must have had something in mind when I posted that.

:D Posted what?

See? This is why we collect souvenirs. Like, "Oh yeah!! I went to the Badlands back in '87, didn't I? I think I had a great time!!" Of course, garage sales can bring some confusion to the issue when you pick up that Statue of Liberty ash tray for fifty cents.

 

Are you trying to tell me I have never been to NYC?

Carlstadt, NJ. I could see the Statue of Liberty from my motel room. The ash trays were lame, though. They were just advertisements for Motel 6.

 

Actually, I don't think anything could get me into that city. Too many people. I've been through it on a bus once. That was enough.

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Think of it as sending your profile a postcard

 

My profile is a representation of me and I know where I've been. Why would I send me a postcard?

 

"Having a wonderful time! Wish I was here!" :blink:

Don't you sometimes forget?

 

Maybe its just me. :)

 

Forget what? :)

I don't remember. I must have had something in mind when I posted that.

:D Posted what?

See? This is why we collect souvenirs. Like, "Oh yeah!! I went to the Badlands back in '87, didn't I? I think I had a great time!!" Of course, garage sales can bring some confusion to the issue when you pick up that Statue of Liberty ash tray for fifty cents.

 

Are you trying to tell me I have never been to NYC?

Carlstadt, NJ. I could see the Statue of Liberty from my motel room. The ash trays were lame, though. They were just advertisements for Motel 6.

 

Actually, I don't think anything could get me into that city. Too many people. I've been through it on a bus once. That was enough.

They had a shrub. I had to look twice, but I swear to gawd, it was a shrub. Right outside the Motel 6.

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Think of it as sending your profile a postcard

 

My profile is a representation of me and I know where I've been. Why would I send me a postcard?

 

"Having a wonderful time! Wish I was here!" :blink:

Don't you sometimes forget?

 

Maybe its just me. :)

 

Forget what? :)

I don't remember. I must have had something in mind when I posted that.

:D Posted what?

See? This is why we collect souvenirs. Like, "Oh yeah!! I went to the Badlands back in '87, didn't I? I think I had a great time!!" Of course, garage sales can bring some confusion to the issue when you pick up that Statue of Liberty ash tray for fifty cents.

 

Are you trying to tell me I have never been to NYC?

Carlstadt, NJ. I could see the Statue of Liberty from my motel room. The ash trays were lame, though. They were just advertisements for Motel 6.

 

Actually, I don't think anything could get me into that city. Too many people. I've been through it on a bus once. That was enough.

They had a shrub. I had to look twice, but I swear to gawd, it was a shrub. Right outside the Motel 6.

 

Why don't you two just get a room and spare the rest of us?

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Actually, the content is spot-on. Consider yourselves formally warned.

 

6. Private discussions: Sometimes, a discussion thread strays off into a friendly dialogue or a heated debate among a very small number of users. For these exchanges, we ask that you please use the Private Message feature that is provided through the Groundspeak forums, or the Geocaching.com e-mail system. Public forum posts should be reserved for matters of interest to the general geocaching community.
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I wonder if they started doing this because of how much people have liked the different icons.

 

I know when I started caching I wanted to make sure I had more than the standard icons.

 

One of the things that make them special though, is that there are so few of them.

 

Will they become cheap and tawdry when there are a lot of them to be had?

 

Will it be like the silly cache badges on some of the cache statistics sites?

 

I wonder if this is going to lead to Groundspeak having cache statistics.

 

that would sure make GSAK VERRWY unhappy

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