Please explain the new "Souvenirs" feature

[+NYPaddleCacher]

They've released a ton of details, but I guess that's not good enough for those who are looking for agendas around every corner.

LOL! So funny.

I look for caches around every corner (and under every log). Agendas, not so much. Again..I was just stating my opinion. There weren't a "ton of details" when they began the souvenir pixels. Perhaps there are now...I wouldn't know...I'm happily ignoring them.

.

 

I got to agree with TrimblesTrek. I haven't seen a ton of details either about souvenirs and sbell111's assertion that there are a lot of details isn't going hold any credibility with me without some supporting evidence.

 

There *has* been a lot of speculation about souvenirs from forum participants but, at least so far, when lackeys have provided information it's been vague and sometimes flippant.

 

I asked for clarification on how the iPhone/Android geocaching app would work for awarding coins and the question was not answered. Instead, I got a "the 10/10/10 souvenir was a gift. Thanks for using the geocaching app" response.

 

I asked if virtual finds using using the mobile app could be done from ones living room, while driving around, on a train or airplane and didn't get a response.

 

I asked for clarification on what the policy was going to be on retroactive souvenirs; if that only included pixels for the triad caches in the pacific northwest and got a vague answer about wait to see if the infrastructure could handle it.

 

I made several suggestions about souvenir categories and establish souvenir zones in other countries with political boundaries.

 

I asked what would happen if it was determined that the GS infrastructure could *not* support a lot of souvenirs. Crickets chirping.

 

It seems to me that there are still a *lot* of unanswered questions, and at this point the significant majority of souvenirs are effectively available for those that happen to live within a stones throw of Groundspeak HQ.

You keep asking questions about issues that have already been addressed trying to legelese everything rather than simply accepting the answers given and you are shocked that the answers stop coming to you. Perhaps the results you are getting speak more about you then TPTB.

 

You keep asserting that a "ton of details" have been made available and that all the questions have been answered without a shred of evidence. I haven't "legalesed" anything. I've just asked some fairly basic questions, hoping for a straight answer, and have been so far been pretty dissatisfied with the customer service. If it were just me asking these questions I would think it might just be me, but the fact that we're on the third page of a "Please explain the new souvenirs feature" thread and it's still going would imply to me that the features have still not been fully explained.

[+Team Taran]

I'm not sure what detail we need. It's not as if receiving a few pixels is going to change my caching pattern. I personally would be perfectly happy to be surprised. I see these as a minor extra which was probably pushed ahead of schedule a bit to be ready for 10/10/10. I know all I need to know. If some pixels appear on the tab, it will be a nice surprise I think I know everything I need to know.

Team Taran

'

[+TrimblesTrek]

Saw a fake souvenir hunter (and/or icon hunter) today when I checked my email.

 

The latest loggers on the Brazilian A.P.E. cache "found" it the same day they "found" the A.P.E. cache in Washington State, the cache at Lennon's Wall in Prague, and somehow went back in time to "attend" 10/10/10 events in Wisconsin, North Carolina, and Wales.

 

Ah, yes, and also claim to have "found" the A.P.E cache in Australia six and a half years after it went missing and was archived, "attended" a 10 Years! event nine days after it occurred, "attended" GeoWoodstock a month after that event, "attended" the GPS Adventure in Washington three months after it closed...I'm sure I could go on.

 

Perhaps it's time they "find" a new hobby.

 

This stuff matters somehow? People who cheat themselves aren't hurting me, so I don't care. If they want to fill up their profile with unearned souvenirs, let 'em have at it...it's not affecting my caching in the least.

[+TrimblesTrek]

...which was probably pushed ahead of schedule a bit to be ready for 10/10/10.

Can anybody explain why a cache found on 10/10/10 deserves any kind of a souvenir at all? Suddenly dates with pretty patterns are important or interesting somehow? (Aside from those who are Hitchhikers Guide fans...and even that's a pretty big stretch). Are we going to celebrate 9/10/11 the same way or will we let Oct 9 next year (or Sept 10 if you read it that way). I can hardly wait!

[+hydnsek]

...which was probably pushed ahead of schedule a bit to be ready for 10/10/10.

Can anybody explain why a cache found on 10/10/10 deserves any kind of a souvenir at all? Suddenly dates with pretty patterns are important or interesting somehow? (Aside from those who are Hitchhikers Guide fans...and even that's a pretty big stretch). Are we going to celebrate 9/10/11 the same way or will we let Oct 9 next year (or Sept 10 if you read it that way). I can hardly wait!

Another reason to celebrate the 10th anniversary of geocaching? At least, that was a theme at the event I attended.

 

Next year, it will probably be 11/11/11 for the 11th anniversary.

[+GeoGeeBee]

I'm trying to lose some weight, and I just joined a website that allows me to track what I eat every day. Every day I get another -- well, they don't call them "souvenirs," but it's the same thing. I got one for joining, one for logging two days in a row, one for logging THREE days in a row, one for logging on Halloween...

 

I don't see the point, but I don't see any reason to complain about them, either. I just click the red "x" and keep going.

[+Harry Dolphin]

From what I see, veneers are mostly for Seattleistas, with an occasional crumb thrown to the rest of the world. They promised a veneer for anyone who logged an APE cache! Then only gave them to people who found one particular one. Made me feel that I'd been lied to. Oh, well. Not interested.

Isn't there only one APE cache left?

 

They said that they would get around to adding them retroactively, do you have reason to believe that those who logged APE caches in the past won't eventually get one?

 

Then we shall just have to consider it poor consumer service. If you make promises, be clear on what is being offered. "A special graffito will be available for those who have found Tunnel of Light" would have been clear. "A special graffito for APE Cache finders" is misleading, and a false promise. Otherwise, you raise people's expectations, and dash them. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

I have lost any interest on this waste of band width.

[+TomLovesBacon]

I don't know where else to post this, but all I want to know is why there isn't any love for BlackBerry users? I have logged all of my 52 cache finds on my black berry using the Groundspeak app, but it is not listed on the update. Just iphones and androids.

[+MissJenn]

There is a new Lost & Found video about Souvenirs. Enjoy!

http://blog.geocaching.com/2010/11/souveni...st-found-video/

[+releasethedogs]

And this tells us... nothing new.

[+TrimblesTrek]

And this tells us... nothing new.

 

SO untrue!

 

This tells us quite clearly that Groundspeak...

- wasted more money on yet another fluff video.

- still haven't figured out how to make their ill-conceived pretty-pixel idea make any sense or provide an iota of real value.

 

[+michigansnorkelers]

...which was probably pushed ahead of schedule a bit to be ready for 10/10/10.

Can anybody explain why a cache found on 10/10/10 deserves any kind of a souvenir at all? Suddenly dates with pretty patterns are important or interesting somehow? (Aside from those who are Hitchhikers Guide fans...and even that's a pretty big stretch). Are we going to celebrate 9/10/11 the same way or will we let Oct 9 next year (or Sept 10 if you read it that way). I can hardly wait!

 

42'nd find

 

420'th find

 

4200'th find

 

4242'th find

 

So long, and thanks for all the fish!

[+releasethedogs]

Early on, there was a post in this thread that had a link to all the Souvenirs, but that doesn't seem to work, anyone know of a working list?

That was me that posted/discoverd the list, but miss Jenn the moderator at Groundspeak told me she was taking down the list and told me not to post it back up.

[+JYoungman]

The awarding of the Delaware and Baden-Wüttemburg souvenirs was the result of a bug that has been corrected. Thanks for bringing it to our attention!

[+escondido100]

just used the iphone for search...... got two souvenirs....delaware and badenwurttemburg....

does that mean i win a trip to those places? anyway as of this posting bug not fixed.

[+sbell111]

just used the iphone for search...... got two souvenirs....delaware and badenwurttemburg....

does that mean i win a trip to those places? anyway as of this posting bug not fixed.

I assume that when he stated that the bug has now been fixed, that he meant that the fix will be included in today's scheduled update.

[+Ambrosia]

Well, I see that I have a Delaware souvenir, even after the update. But I have done a cache in Delaware, so I'm not complaining. Perhaps since it was already there, they decided to leave the souvenir for those who officially can have it.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

Well, I see that I have a Delaware souvenir, even after the update. But I have done a cache in Delaware, so I'm not complaining. Perhaps since it was already there, they decided to leave the souvenir for those who officially can have it.

 

I posted this in one of the other souvenir threads.

 

The Delaware souvenir is the first U.S. State to be awarded retroactively (it's the first state to achieve statehood). If that's the rationale used we should be seeing Pennsylvania next. I have no idea why the the B-W souvenir also showed up but I suspect it was part of testing.

 

Groundspeak was able to remove both souvenirs for those that hadn't cached in those areas from the souvenir tab in your profile because that page is likely rendered based on profile information dynamically. There are a couple of ways to do that but basically it's comparing your list of finds with the bounding coordinates for a souvenir. If there is a match, it renders an image with links on the page in your browser. Although a web browser can cache the images temporarily the souvenir are not really stored on your computer so inadvertently award caches could be flushed then added back in as a retroactive souvenir.

 

In the case of the mobile apps (I can only conjecture about the iPhone as that is what I have) it uses a "saved" area to display the souvenirs (the saved area is also used to download pocket queries). Since it's a native application and not a web page it *can* store the images on the phone. More accurately, it probably pulls the images from GS to the phone. When the Search feature is initiated in the app, in addition to the search results, the response is probably also telling the phone what souvenirs it can download (rather than pushing the images to your phone.) Once the images are on the phone it can't delete them (you really don't want external sites deleting data on your phone).

 

When the Groundspeak lackey posted that it was fixed it probably meant that the code was fixed but not yet deployed to the server (which they do as a "hot fix" or an update (which makes the system temporarily unavailable). Even after a hot fix or update is deployed it might not look like it took until the cache in your browser has been flushed.

[+Ambrosia]

That makes sense.

[+Catpie]

I'm trying to lose some weight, and I just joined a website that allows me to track what I eat every day. Every day I get another -- well, they don't call them "souvenirs," but it's the same thing. I got one for joining, one for logging two days in a row, one for logging THREE days in a row, one for logging on Halloween...

 

I don't see the point, but I don't see any reason to complain about them, either. I just click the red "x" and keep going.

 

GeoGeeBee, I wonder if we're on the same site - the Livestrong site? I recently started doing that and noticed the same thing (gosh, just got my "Logged in 14 days in a row" badge).

 

On the plus side, I've lost 6 pounds in 3 weeks.

[+Harry Dolphin]

Well. I've got three state veneers so far. And they all look the same. That is going to get very boring very quickly. Especially when I get the other 18. No creativity??? I hope New Brunswick at least looks different!

[+JYoungman]

Earlier today, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Bayern were released, and granted retroactively! Enjoy!

[+NYPaddleCacher]

Well. I've got three state veneers so far. And they all look the same. That is going to get very boring very quickly. Especially when I get the other 18. No creativity??? I hope New Brunswick at least looks different!

 

Although the state *thumbnail* images look very similar, the full artwork (when you click on the thumbnail image or the name of the souvenir) looks quite different.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

Earlier today, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Bayern were released, and granted retroactively! Enjoy!

 

Thanks for the notification about the souvenirs. I wasn't sure where Bayern was until I did a Google search.

 

I don't know if an issue has been filed on this but I'm not seeing the new retroactive souvenirs on my iPhone. Is there a fix planned for this or is that just the way it's going to work?

[+FamilyDNA]

I just noticed I have the souvenir for Delaware. Knowing I have never cached in Delaware, I scrolled through my finds, and found I logged a locationless Delaware cache.

[+Harry Dolphin]

Meine Großmutter war aus Bayern. Can I get a retroactive one? (Of course, that was two centuries back...)

[+Wooden Cyclist]

I don't know where else to post this, but all I want to know is why there isn't any love for BlackBerry users? I have logged all of my 52 cache finds on my black berry using the Groundspeak app, but it is not listed on the update. Just iphones and androids.

 

Where did you find a Groundspeak Blackberry app?

[+L0ne.R]

I don't know where else to post this, but all I want to know is why there isn't any love for BlackBerry users? I have logged all of my 52 cache finds on my black berry using the Groundspeak app, but it is not listed on the update. Just iphones and androids.

 

Where did you find a Groundspeak Blackberry app?

 

Is it BlackStar?

[Mr.Yuck]

I don't know where else to post this, but all I want to know is why there isn't any love for BlackBerry users? I have logged all of my 52 cache finds on my black berry using the Groundspeak app, but it is not listed on the update. Just iphones and androids.

 

Where did you find a Groundspeak Blackberry app?

 

Is it BlackStar?

 

We must not speak the names of anything but the official ipone and Android apps.

 

They fixed Delaware, and are awarding that New Jersey and Pennslyvania. Got NJ and Pa today.

[+dfx]

i got lucky with the bayern one, i found exactly one cache there and it was just across the border

 

bayern is better known as bavaria in english btw.

Edited November 12, 2010 by dfx

[+GeoGeeBee]

 

We must not speak the names of anything but the official ipone and Android apps.

 

 

We may also speak the name of Geocache Navigator by Trimble, since they pay Groundspeak to advertise the app on the geocaching website. But it's still not an "official" app like the iPhone and Android apps.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

 

We must not speak the names of anything but the official ipone and Android apps.

 

 

We may also speak the name of Geocache Navigator by Trimble, since they pay Groundspeak to advertise the app on the geocaching website. But it's still not an "official" app like the iPhone and Android apps.

 

There is also an "official" Windows Phone 7 application available.

[+k-lord team]

How many souvenirs are you gonna release every day? And can you tell us (approximately) how many souvenirs you have now for awarding retroactively? if it is not TOP secret.

[+niraD]

We must not speak the names of anything but the official ipone and Android apps.

We may also speak the name of Geocache Navigator by Trimble, since they pay Groundspeak to advertise the app on the geocaching website. But it's still not an "official" app like the iPhone and Android apps.

You can also speak the name of apps that comply with the Groundspeak TOU, such as GeoBeagle and GeoHunter.

[+JYoungman]

How many souvenirs are you gonna release every day? And can you tell us (approximately) how many souvenirs you have now for awarding retroactively? if it is not TOP secret.

 

We are not presently planning on daily souvenir releases. Presently, there are 5 geographic souvenirs that have been granted retroactively, and can be gained moving forward by any user who goes geocaching in the region: Delaware, Baden-Württemberg, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Bayern.

[+k-lord team]

Thank you.

 

Another question: Is it possible to fix the order of souvenirs according to date they were given to us? Now, every time I click the souvenir folder in my profile, the order of souvenirs is different. If it is not a big deal to fix it, it would be nice to know which I got first, which second and which 45th.

[+hukilaulau]

 

We must not speak the names of anything but the official ipone and Android apps.

 

 

We may also speak the name of Geocache Navigator by Trimble, since they pay Groundspeak to advertise the app on the geocaching website. But it's still not an "official" app like the iPhone and Android apps.

Geocache navigator can be purchased through the blackberry app store or directly from your phone provider. navigator works in real time connection to the GC website. It works great!

[+Mikkozzz]

i got lucky with the bayern one, i found exactly one cache there and it was just across the border

 

bayern is better known as bavaria in english btw.

I got lucky, too. I have never been in continental Americas, but logged a Delaware based locationless cache some 7 years ago. Let's see if I'm allowed to keep my souvenir after this post

[+GeoGeeBee]

 

We must not speak the names of anything but the official ipone and Android apps.

 

 

We may also speak the name of Geocache Navigator by Trimble, since they pay Groundspeak to advertise the app on the geocaching website. But it's still not an "official" app like the iPhone and Android apps.

Geocache navigator can be purchased through the blackberry app store or directly from your phone provider. navigator works in real time connection to the GC website. It works great!

 

It does work great, and I love it! But if you have Sprint as your provider (as I do), don't buy it from the Sprint website. If you buy GC Navigator through the Blackberry app store, you pay a one-time fee. If you buy it from Sprint, you pay a monthly fee.

[knowschad]

How many souvenirs are you gonna release every day? And can you tell us (approximately) how many souvenirs you have now for awarding retroactively? if it is not TOP secret.

 

We are not presently planning on daily souvenir releases. Presently, there are 5 geographic souvenirs that have been granted retroactively, and can be gained moving forward by any user who goes geocaching in the region: Delaware, Baden-Württemberg, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Bayern.

 

Can you say anything about the reasoning behind granting souvenirs simply for searching with a smartphone vs. physically finding and logging with a standard GPS?

[+bflentje]

From what I see, veneers are mostly for Seattleistas, with an occasional crumb thrown to the rest of the world. They promised a veneer for anyone who logged an APE cache! Then only gave them to people who found one particular one. Made me feel that I'd been lied to. Oh, well. Not interested.

 

[knowschad]

From what I see, veneers are mostly for Seattleistas, with an occasional crumb thrown to the rest of the world. They promised a veneer for anyone who logged an APE cache! Then only gave them to people who found one particular one. Made me feel that I'd been lied to. Oh, well. Not interested.

 

Those poor Alaskans and Hawaiians are going to have to wait a long time to get their "veneers"

[+Castle Mischief]

Those poor Alaskans and Hawaiians are going to have to wait a long time to get their "veneers"

 

You owe me a nickle.

[+boatchick]

Hi, I'm James, a Groundspeak Lackey. I'd like to answer a couple of the common questions that have come up in this thread.

 

1) We will be granting souvenirs retroactively.

2) We will also be providing "opt-out" functionality for those users who don't want to receive souvenirs.

 

I'm happy to answer any other questions or address other comments that you all have.

 

Thanks!

 

Has the "opt-out" functionality been implemented yet?

[+JYoungman]

The opt-out functionality is not presently implemented.

[+Avernar]

I just noticed I have the souvenir for Delaware. Knowing I have never cached in Delaware, I scrolled through my finds, and found I logged a locationless Delaware cache.

Locationless and grandfathered travelling caches are going to make the souvenir thing interesting.

[+Chokecherry]

I'm not super interested in this development and would consider opting out. But then I looked at how slowly they are retroactively rolling in the things and realized it's irrelevant anyways because it will be months before it catches up to where I've been.

 

But this is just something that some people aren't interested in it. It reminds me of phone apps I've tried and didn't care about or various other websites that have little rewards. I don't need the extra rewards in my geocaching experience. I'm happy with it as it is now.

[+Avernar]

Why would anyone want to opt-out?

As a protest for the souvenirs taking development time away from their pet feature request.

 

I can't think of any other reason. I don't by the "I'm not interested in souvenirs so I'll just opt out" excuse as they could simply ignore them.

Edited November 17, 2010 by Avernar

[knowschad]

There are plenty of people who wish they could even opt out of having their find counts displayed. The souvenirs are really just another type of find count to them, I suspect. To me, its just foolishness. I will neither opt out, nor pay much attention to them. I am, however, one that thinks the development time could have been spent much more productively.

[+sbell111]

Why would anyone want to opt-out?

As a protest for the souvenirs taking development time away from their pet feature request.

 

I can't think of any other reason. I don't by the "I'm not interested in souvenirs so I'll just opt out" excuse as they could simply ignore them.

Isn't it ironic that those that are jealous of development time being used for something other than their preferred projects are demanding that more development time be used on the project that they resent so much?