Jump to content

Questions on Travel Bugs


Guest arffer

Recommended Posts

Guest arffer

1) Could we get a new forum just for travel bug questions?

 

2) On regular caches, either the creater of a log entry, or the owner of the cache, can delete logs. I don't see any way to delete logs made on travel bugs. In playing with mine, I made some test logs, now I can't get rid of them.

 

3) Doesn't the finding and retrieving of a travel bugged item count as a Found It? Those of us that had hitchhikers prior to the bug allowed folks that retrieved and moved the hitchhiker to count it as a find. I don't see that travel bugs count as finds. A person can enter a retrieved log or an info only log, but I can't see that a retrieve gets a smiley face or counts as a find.

 

4) There should be a means to archive a hitchhiker with a bug. I would suggest that travel bugs not be reused after archinving the original hitchhiker as it would make it too difficult to retain the original found its and logs during its first incarnation. After all, they are pretty cheap.

 

5) How do you get a picture in the gallery?

 

Thanks!

 

------------------

Team CacheCows of Wisconsin

 

[This message has been edited by arffer (edited 02 October 2001).]

Link to comment
Guest bunkerdave

I have a question also:

 

I got the pictures in okay, and everything seems to be okay with the bugs and the postings, but I can't figure out how to get the bug icon to show up on the cache list. I guess Jeremy might have to answer this one.

Link to comment
Guest Markwell

I was wondering this too. Not having access to entering in a new bug, do you as the owner (dave?) have the option of entering which cache the bug is currently in? Or is this done automatically somehow? (I can't imagine how...).

 

I'd still like to see something akin to a map of the travels, or at least calculating the distance between caches and totalling up the total distance travelled, predominant directional vector, etc. This stuff shouldn't be that hard to calculate.

Link to comment
Guest Choberiba

I ordered the eight pack and it hasn't arrived yet so this is strictly a guess.

 

They must have some sort of tracking number. When you want to include one in a cache, isn't there a seperate travelbug area where the number and misc info can be added?

 

Clicking on the bug icon, list current movement of bugs. Since I see evidence of items in motion there must be a way...

Link to comment

the travel bugs idea is cool but they seem a little pricey in my opinion..

 

i hope travel bugs wont put an end to hitchikers. i think the hitchiker idea is cool because it allows for something personal instead of a "me too" metal ornament.

 

------------------

"urbo"

robert ke4mcl

Link to comment
Guest bunkerdave

quote:
Originally posted by Markwell:

I was wondering this too. Not having access to entering in a new bug, do you as the owner (dave?) have the option of entering which cache the bug is currently in? Or is this done automatically somehow? (I can't imagine how...).

 

I'd still like to see something akin to a map of the travels, or at least calculating the distance between caches and totalling up the total distance travelled, predominant directional vector, etc. This stuff shouldn't be that hard to calculate.


 

As the owner, I have not seen anything that allows me to dictate which cache the bug is placed in. As a finder, I have also not seen anything. I don't know how the website knows where the bugs are currently, but I will find out (I hope).

 

I was actually planning on doing a map and "travel-log" for all my bugs. (Markwell knows how much I LOVE doing them). I will be sure and include the things you suggested. I am mostly just hoping they keep moving and some schmuck doesn't give them to his/her kid(s) and discard the tag. They were not easy to find, especially the plastic dogs.

Link to comment
Guest arffer

I can answer a couple of these questions.

 

When you go to log a normal cache, there is a new option at the bottom that asks if you dropped off a travel bug while at this cache. There is a drop down box that lists all the bugs that are currently listed as bing in your possesion.

 

If you so indicate that you have dropped off a bug, it will no longer be listed in your possesion. Rather, the bug icon will now automatically show up next to the cache icon where you deposited it, and will also show up on that cache's details page.

 

When someone picks up the bug and enters its tracking number to log their pickup, it is automatically removed from the cache it was in, the icon goes away, and it is then registered as being in that person's possesion. They now have the ability to log it as being dropped somewhere else.

 

------------------

Team CacheCows of Wisconsin

 

[This message has been edited by arffer (edited 02 October 2001).]

Link to comment
Guest bob_renner

Each Travel Bug is stamped with a unique 6-digit number. When you find one, you go to the track page and enter this number beneath the icon for the travel bug. This gets you to the track page (similar to the cache page) for this travel bug. There you enter a log that you "grabbed" the traveller.

 

When you want to place a travel bug in a cache, you enter a log into the cache page where you are placing it. Whenever you have a travel bug in your possession, and you are entering a cache page log, there is a field at the bottom where you can select the travel bug you have and it is then "deposited" into that cache.

 

It looks like Jeremy put quite a lot of thought into this feature, so THANKS JEREMY.

 

(He can correct me on the facts above if I'm wrong).

 

Bob

Link to comment
Guest arffer

Urbo,

 

I can almost guarentee that Jeremy is NOT!going to mandate that only hitchhikers with travel bugs will be allowed.

 

This is just a great way he developed for those that CHOOSE to use it to easily track hitchhikers.

 

However, and this is just my personal opinion, if picking up and logging as retrieved a travel bug does not count as a Find, then I'm afraid I'm not going to use them, despite all the neat features.

 

I want those picking up and moving my hitchhikers to get credit as the normal incentive to do so. Otherwise they will just rot in whatever cache they are in. Right now there is a lot of gee-whiz about bugs, but it will wear off if folks don't get credit for picking them up.

 

But like I said, I might just be missing something and they DO get credit.

 

[This message has been edited by arffer (edited 02 October 2001).]

Link to comment
Guest bob_renner

quote:
Originally posted by arffer:

... Note that any cache that ever HAD a bug in it appears to retain a comment in the upper left corner of that cache's detail page listing bugs that have passed through. SOrt of like a trail the bugs leave behind. COOL!

 


Arffer,

 

I checked a couple of caches that used to have travel bugs in them and I don't see this feature. If there is a bug currently listed as being in a cache, it says "Travel bugs have been seen in this cache". Is that what you are referring to? I think the wording is that way because Jeremy can't guarantee the bug is still there (it might have been removed but not yet reported), but can only say that someone once put one there.

 

Bob

 

 

[This message has been edited by bob_renner (edited 02 October 2001).]

Link to comment
Guest Markwell

Nifty stuff. Not having been in the possession of a travel bug, I wouldn't see the stuff like the drop down at the bottom, etc.

 

Arffer, I can't see how Jeremy would mandate that all hitchhikers be travel bug hikers. That's too much like "pay to play" which Jeremy specifically outlines here in #4 that he would NOT do. Not everyone will want to pay $6.50 to place an item in a cache to make it travel.

 

Not knocking the ingenuity of Jeremy's Travel Bugs (because I will be attaching mine to my guys), unless the map, travel log and distance traveled comes up similar to what I have on my page, I won't be archiving that cache to exclusively use a travel bug page. I know it's double work, but hey, what else am I gonna do when I'm not caching during the week?

Link to comment
Guest AZMark

Arff;

 

I'm sure J. will "allow" hitchhikers without bugs, just be like before you'll have to track them yourself. And if you want credit for the find, just log both the bug page and the cache page.

 

AZM

Link to comment
Guest arffer

DOH! Please ignor the blabbering idiot...

 

That reply to Urbo was supposed to say NOT GOING TO MANDATE.

 

Gotta learn to proofread.

 

AZMark,

In retrieving a typical non-bugged hitchhiker, one already logs both the cache the hitcherhiker was in as well as the hitchhiker's page (if it has one). Hence TWO finds result; found the cache, found-took-moved the hitchhiker.

 

So, logging both the bug page and the cache page will still only result in one find, if I'm seeing things right. It should (IMHO) result in two: the normal one for finding the cache containing the bug, and a second when you log that you retrieved the bugged item.

Link to comment
Guest gnbrotz

Perhaps the bug/hitchiker count could be seperated from cache finds? You only have to find one "place" for both cache and hitchiker, so I think you should only ba able to count one "find". The hitchiker is kind of like a bonus. Should a 4-stage multi-cache count for four finds?

 

------------------

Greg

N39°54.705'

W077°33.137'

My geocaching page

Link to comment
Guest arffer

quote:
Originally posted by gnbrotz:

Perhaps the bug/hitchiker count could be seperated from cache finds? You only have to find one "place" for both cache and hitchiker, so I think you should only ba able to count one "find". The hitchiker is kind of like a bonus.


 

While indeed only one place had to be found, the cacher is taking on the effort to take the hitchhiker, enter the log, hopefully take and upload some pictures, take the hitchhiker on to another cache and leave him, and finally log the both the new cache and the fact that the hitchhiker was left there, maybe with more pictures.

 

I for one think this warrants an additional found it for the hitchhiker itself.

 

quote:
Should a 4-stage multi-cache count for four finds?

 

Topic for a different thread tongue.gif , but perhaps yes.

 

[This message has been edited by arffer (edited 02 October 2001).]

Link to comment
Guest Eoghan

quote:
Originally posted by arffer:

In retrieving a typical non-bugged hitchhiker, one already logs both the cache the hitcherhiker was in as well as the hitchhiker's page (if it has one).


 

I'm confused. Where can you currently make a page for a traveller/hitchhiker at geocaching.com? I can't find it. Are you using a standard cache page with bogus coordinates?

Link to comment
Guest arffer

Eoghan,

 

Take a look at my Puff hitchhiker.

 

It is a standard geocaching cache page that I set up to handle a hitchhiker of mine. Because it is a standard cache page, anyone who logs that they found this cache get a point added to their Found It! tally.

 

Now, if I switch over to a travel bug format, which you can see on my Larry Boy hitchhiker, you will see that is basically the same format. BUT, if you retrieve this hitchhiker, you will not get a Found It! point added to your score.

 

That's what I don't like. I want folks to get a Found It! added to their score for picking up and moving my hitchhiker. I know that they will get one point for finding the cache he was hiding in, but I want them to get a second point for finding & moving the hitchhiker.

 

That's how it works on my Puff hitchhiker cache, and I desire my travel bugged hitchhikers to work that way too.

 

Please????

------------------

Team CacheCows of Wisconsin

 

[This message has been edited by arffer (edited 03 October 2001).]

Link to comment
Guest martinp13

quote:
Originally posted by arffer:

I want folks to get a Found It! added to their score for picking up and moving my hitchhiker. I know that they will get one point for finding the cache he was hiding in, but I want them to get a second point for finding & moving the hitchhiker.

 

That's how it works on my Puff hitchhiker cache, and I desire my travel bugged hitchhikers to work that way too.

 

Please????


 

So, just because you want people to get extra points for finding a non-cache, you create an extra bogus cache page just for the hitchhiker, thus circumventing the system. Ah! icon_smile.gif

 

Why aren't you giving three points? One for the cache, one for finding the hitchhiker, and one for moving him to another cache???

 

IMO, there should be separate tallies for caches found, and hitchhikers found/moved. They're totally different animals. I think Jeremy is right to create a new type of "cache" page for hitchhikers.

 

------------------

> Martin

Magellan 330 (1.56/WAAS enabled!)

Don't have time to program and record your shows while geocaching? Get a TiVo !

Link to comment
Guest martinp13

quote:
Originally posted by arffer:

I want folks to get a Found It! added to their score for picking up and moving my hitchhiker. I know that they will get one point for finding the cache he was hiding in, but I want them to get a second point for finding & moving the hitchhiker.

 

That's how it works on my Puff hitchhiker cache, and I desire my travel bugged hitchhikers to work that way too.

 

Please????


 

So, just because you want people to get extra points for finding a non-cache, you create an extra bogus cache page just for the hitchhiker, thus circumventing the system. Ah! icon_smile.gif

 

Why aren't you giving three points? One for the cache, one for finding the hitchhiker, and one for moving him to another cache???

 

IMO, there should be separate tallies for caches found, and hitchhikers found/moved. They're totally different animals. I think Jeremy is right to create a new type of "cache" page for hitchhikers.

 

------------------

> Martin

Magellan 330 (1.56/WAAS enabled!)

Don't have time to program and record your shows while geocaching? Get a TiVo !

Link to comment
Guest arffer

Martinp13,

 

Why do you call hitchhikers a "non-cache"? Why are hitchhiking Caches not caches in your opinion?

 

They have co-ordinates, you have to find them, sign their log book if they have one etc.

 

The cache page I created for my hitchhiker was done months before travel bugs existed, so it couldn't have done it to circumvent the system.

 

Its not a bogus cache page either, because its a real cache, albiet it a hitchhiking cache. It even has a log book to sign.

 

And it wasn't I that so much wanted to give an extra point, this system for hitchhikers was designed and used by many before me. Since those that have hunted-found-moved hitchhikers in the past got to count them as finds, the Travel Bugs are a step backwards (but ONLY in this aspect) in that something that used to be there is now gone.

 

I also think Jeremy is right to create a new type of "Cache" page for hitchhikers, and I greatly appreciate and thank him. But at present, those that retrieve these hitchhikers get NO credit counted towards them. Your proposal for a seperate tally is fine, all I'm asking for is a tally of some type. It would be simplier to just make it a normal Found It! tally, but I really don't care how its counted, as long as its counted.

 

quote:
Why aren't you giving three points? One for the cache, one for finding the hitchhiker, and one for moving him to another cache???

Thankyou for correcting me, you are right, it is three points. When a hunter logs the cache that the hitchhiker was in, they get a point, then when they log the find on the hitchhiker's page they get a point, and finally when they find a new cache to put the hitchhiker in they obviously log that one as a find for a point. The finding of three caches were involved, three points awarded.

 

------------------

Team CacheCows of Wisconsin

 

[This message has been edited by arffer (edited 03 October 2001).]

Link to comment
Guest AZMark

If a hitchhiker is not in a cache, maybe get a point.

 

But hey I found a cache, found a used golf ball in it, moved it to another cache, do I get 3 points too?

 

Bugs are fun, points are silly.

Link to comment
Guest Cach-U-Nuts

quote:
Originally posted by AZMark:

If a hitchhiker is not in a cache, maybe get a point.

 

But hey I found a cache, found a used golf ball in it, moved it to another cache, do I get 3 points too?

 

Bugs are fun, points are silly.


 

I think you misunderstand the point concept as well as the bugs!

 

If you take a look at www.cachunuts.com and see the leader board you'll see that some find the game of finding & placing our nuts (which are similar to the travel bugs) very addicting. We have players racing out at midnight to find a nut they need before the next guy. The "points" they get are part of the "FUN" the only prize of course is having the title of being "The biggest NUT of all" but for ole Yogi the Bear, it's a title he's proud of, and one Brownbag and Utah Jean are hot after! Maybe Jeremy should set it up like we have so there's even more incentive to move the bugs around! Just my thoughts!

Link to comment
Guest arffer

s from the entire geocaching site. If there silly, then you nor anyone else should care, right?

If they are silly, then why are you entering into this discussion? You shouldn't care if bugs have points or not.

 

Considering that people constantly are requesting or suggesting changes and features to Jeremy's site, and they don't pay anything for using it, I don't see why I get abuse from some for asking for a feature that I actually DID lay out cash for.

 

Look, I said earlier, if bugs don't get counted for retrieving them, then I'll just not use them. No big deal. But I can't honestly think why any cache hunter would be bothered to retrieve a travel bug, be bothered to log it, or be bothered to move it somewhere else if they don't get some kind of credit/recognition for doing so.

 

This is my last post on this topic. Debating it will get nowhere. Jeremy has seen the request, its his site, he can do as he thinks best. I'm leaving it at that.

Link to comment
Guest tedoca

Points, shmoints... who's counting? Not me, that's for sure. It's a game, it's supposed to be there for your own enjoyment, not for competition amongst ourselves! If (IMO) you gain your satisfaction solely from your point totals, you're missing out on the real fun of just taking a pleasant/peacefull/tranquil/enjoyable/challenging/etc/etc/etc... walk in the woods with your family/friends/self/pet/etc/etc/etc...

 

Stop and smell the roses for goodness sake!

Link to comment
Guest Markwell

OK - so you guys aren't in it for the points. I'm glad you have found your true calling for Geocaching. Some people (not me) are in it for the points, as evidenced by the forums in which they're talking about logging finds if they got to the right spot and the cache wasn't there. They STILL want to log that as found.

 

I'm not drawing a comparison, just indicating that there are all kinds of people in Geocaching. If you don't count your points, fine. Then it doesn't matter to you whether the Travel Bugs count as finds. Why slam someone who does care, or at least wants his hitchhiker to count like any other cache?

Link to comment
Guest martinp13

arffer:

 

Hitchhiker caches (where the whole cache is moved) ARE caches. Hitchhikers (items in caches) are not caches.

 

If I take a random item from one cache, and put it in the next cache I find, do I get an extra point for the "hitchhiker"? I sure HOPE not, cuz that's plain silly.

 

------------------

> Martin

Magellan 330 (1.56/WAAS enabled!)

Don't have time to program and record your shows while geocaching? Get a TiVo !

Link to comment
Guest Markwell

quote:
Originally posted by martinp13:

If I take a random item from one cache, and put it in the next cache I find, do I get an extra point for the "hitchhiker"? I sure HOPE not, cuz that's plain silly.


 

Be sure to read ALL THE WAY down this post. The last paragraph is crucial...

 

I think I can speak for arffer 'cause he and I have talked in the past, and he doesn't really want to change your minds anymore (not that I would be much more successful).

 

First, what you call hitchhiking caches, I call traveling caches (just a difference in names). "Hitchhikers" have been specifically listed as the little doo-dads that go cache to cache. Of course there's a difference.

 

Likewise, there's a definite difference between taking a random item from a cache and moving it into another cache, and a moving a purposeful hitchhiker. I spent a lot of time and effort coming up with my hitchhiker, which was based on the Mars Rover (which you'll note has an original release date of 5/16/2001 long before ANY talk of travel bugs). If arffer wants to have his people get "bonus credit" for serendipitously finding a hitchhiker, what's the harm? It's like extra credit points. Some people take great time and effort in the thought of transporting these trinkets (for example, look at the photos from Scooby Doo uploaded by photojon and ibnekid).

 

So far the biggest nay-sayers to awarding found points for hitchhikers have used the argument that "points don't matter." If points don't matter, why not err on the part of generosity and give people credit for moving a hitchhiker, especially if they go to all the effort that some people do?

 

Now - and here's the important part - I couldn't care less about awarding points for finding a hitchhiker. Because I truly don't care about my points or anyone else's. I built my Scooby Doo page because I wanted some way to track the travels. If enough of the promised features come to fruition, I'll probably archive the original Scooby page in favor of the travel bug version, but until then I'll probably double update.

 

(Edited for formatting issues)

 

[This message has been edited by Markwell (edited 04 October 2001).]

Link to comment
Guest Markwell

s, speeds, etc., we'll pay the $6.50 and log it as a new traveler.

 

Actually, thanks for the discussion everyone. It really helped clear our minds on what was important.

Link to comment
Guest martinp13

That's what we're here for! If you want another spirited discussion, hop on over to the AVS/TiVo forum and mention the words "Free-Space Indicator". icon_biggrin.gif

 

Arffer and I talked offline too... I really have no heartburn over what awards points, and what doesn't. I just don't want the system to get too "point-happy". Fewer points, more fun. And I agree, this discussion has helped me see more of what's important. Now if the free-space indicator discussion would help me in the same way!!

 

------------------

> Martin

Magellan 330 (1.56/WAAS enabled!)

Don't have time to program and record your shows while geocaching? Get a TiVo !

Link to comment
Guest martinp13

That's what we're here for! If you want another spirited discussion, hop on over to the AVS/TiVo forum and mention the words "Free-Space Indicator". icon_biggrin.gif

 

Arffer and I talked offline too... I really have no heartburn over what awards points, and what doesn't. I just don't want the system to get too "point-happy". Fewer points, more fun. And I agree, this discussion has helped me see more of what's important. Now if the free-space indicator discussion would help me in the same way!!

 

------------------

> Martin

Magellan 330 (1.56/WAAS enabled!)

Don't have time to program and record your shows while geocaching? Get a TiVo !

Link to comment
Guest arffer

Now, lets discuss putting Travel Bugs onto treasure chests full of geotrash, and releasing them into either a National Park or a DuPage County Forest Preserve.

 

We'll base the co-ordinates using an auto-averaging Magellan 315, but post them in NAD-27 UTM format.

 

Alternatly, for precision, decimal degrees for Lat/Long could be used.

 

The cache will be buried 3 feet into cryptobiotic soil, so a shovel should definatly be brought along.

 

We will not use the GCRS as we don't believe in standards, the terrain should probably be rated a 6.23 and the difficulty rated as a Q (above M results in three points plus $50 for a find.

 

We will list them as having a log book, but forget to put it in so hunters will be unclear if they can log a Found It! or not.

 

To increase the difficulty, we will declare that SA is again turned on, and require all hunters to use Etrex's with patch antennas.

 

Those that swear by using a compass will not be allowed to use one, those that don't have a compass will be required to purchase one (hence "Pay to play").

 

Did I miss anything?

 

[This message has been edited by arffer (edited 04 October 2001).]

 

[This message has been edited by arffer (edited 04 October 2001).]

 

[This message has been edited by arffer (edited 05 October 2001).]

Link to comment
Guest arffer

Okay, I updated that post with the suggestions, plus added another couple of my own.

 

Remember that hit, "Writting the perfect country western song"? This is something like that.

Link to comment
Guest Moun10Bike

I'm picturing those long ago days as a child at the dentist, reading the tattered copy of Highlights:

 

"Gallant asks the ranger for permission to place his geocache under a fallen log in the park.

 

Goofus buries his geocache 3 feet down in cryptobiotic soil on private land."

 

icon_smile.gif

 

------------------

Jon (Moun10Bike)

29H/101F

N 47° 36.649', W 122° 3.616'

www.switchbacks.com/geocaching.html

 

[This message has been edited by Moun10Bike (edited 04 October 2001).]

Link to comment
Guest Moun10Bike

I'm picturing those long ago days as a child at the dentist, reading the tattered copy of Highlights:

 

"Gallant asks the ranger for permission to place his geocache under a fallen log in the park.

 

Goofus buries his geocache 3 feet down in cryptobiotic soil on private land."

 

icon_smile.gif

 

------------------

Jon (Moun10Bike)

29H/101F

N 47° 36.649', W 122° 3.616'

www.switchbacks.com/geocaching.html

 

[This message has been edited by Moun10Bike (edited 04 October 2001).]

Link to comment
Guest martinp13

quote:
Originally posted by arffer:

We will not use the GCRS as we don't believe in standards, the terrain should probably be rated a 6.23 and the difficulty rated as a Q.


 

Well, at least you get three EXTRA points for any caches of difficulty M or better. icon_biggrin.gif

 

------------------

> Martin

Magellan 330 (1.56/WAAS enabled!)

Don't have time to program and record your shows while geocaching? Get a TiVo !

Link to comment
Guest martinp13

quote:
Originally posted by arffer:

We will not use the GCRS as we don't believe in standards, the terrain should probably be rated a 6.23 and the difficulty rated as a Q.


 

Well, at least you get three EXTRA points for any caches of difficulty M or better. icon_biggrin.gif

 

------------------

> Martin

Magellan 330 (1.56/WAAS enabled!)

Don't have time to program and record your shows while geocaching? Get a TiVo !

Link to comment
Guest Eoghan

Arffer, I assume these all also apply to Boulder Open Space....

 

I get how the travelling caches work now - you're just editing them so that the coordinates show the current location. That keeps them as legitimate caches(instead of the dummy values I'd thought you were using.) I like the idea a lot. I think I'll set an Austin traveller cache loose this weekend to explore the town.

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...