Movement within zones

[+Bubblegummers]

Is there some way to program the Wherigo so that as a cacher enters a zone, they are directed to a certain coordinate within that zone to get information they need to move on to the next zone? I am new to this programing stuff, but think I have figured out how to give them character and media information, but like them to have to go to a specific coordinate within the zone to access this information, other than just entering the zone.

[matejcik]

i'm not sure why you want that, but it is generally a very bad idea - see, unlike geocaching, where you're free to walk around and look for container even though your GPSr doesn't show "distance: 0", in Wherigo, you would literally have to run around like a fool until you hit just the right place. which would change depending on weather, solar activity, EM interference, the kind of GPSr you're using, stuff like that. GPS is not accurate enough for this to work.

 

that's pretty much why zones were invented: instead of looking for a point, you can walk into an area, so there is a greater chance that you manage to "hit the right spot"

 

you -could- make a smaller zone within a zone, but still, zones smaller than 20m in diameter are hard to hit and tend to drop people out.

 

if you still think that this is the way to go, you might tell us more about what you want to do (in terms of player experience), and we can tell you either how to do it, or why it wouldn't work ;e))

[+Bubblegummers]

i'm not sure why you want that, but it is generally a very bad idea - see, unlike geocaching, where you're free to walk around and look for container even though your GPSr doesn't show "distance: 0", in Wherigo, you would literally have to run around like a fool until you hit just the right place. which would change depending on weather, solar activity, EM interference, the kind of GPSr you're using, stuff like that. GPS is not accurate enough for this to work.

 

that's pretty much why zones were invented: instead of looking for a point, you can walk into an area, so there is a greater chance that you manage to "hit the right spot"

 

you -could- make a smaller zone within a zone, but still, zones smaller than 20m in diameter are hard to hit and tend to drop people out.

 

if you still think that this is the way to go, you might tell us more about what you want to do (in terms of player experience), and we can tell you either how to do it, or why it wouldn't work ;e))

 

Thanks for the information. I see now that it may not be a good idea.

Edited December 11, 2010 by Bubblegummers

[Ranger Fox]

You could also accomplish this via a zone's Proximity and Enter events. When the player gets close to a zone, you can fire the Proximity event. The Enter event can fire when a player gets to within a few feet or a meter or two of the zone's center.

 

For Garmin Players:

There's a problem with Garmin Wherigo Players you can exploit. The Garmin Players only fire Enter when you zero out.

 

For other Players:

To get it to work for everything else, make the zone really small, close to a three feet or one meter radius. Set the zone's proximity to, perhaps, twenty-one feet or seven meters and use Enter normally. This'll be close enough.

 

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Now, I'm just mentioning the possibility. I do agree with matejcik, though. Wherigo is about being in the general area, not forcing someone to zero out. Besides being difficult, at times, to do, if you force someone to zero out and the person is close to a building, cliff, or fence, zeroing out might be impossible based on satellite signal interference. I hate being forced to zero out, though; it's so tedious and, in my opinion, completely pointless. If you're within twelve feet or four meters, you should be close enough.

[+wunnibald]

Is there some way to program the Wherigo so that as a cacher enters a zone, they are directed to a certain coordinate within that zone to get information they need to move on to the next zone?

Instead of making lot of words i uploaded a little cartridge to show you how i would do this.

 

Everything can be done in the builder. Have a look at it.

 

If you would like to adopt it you have to make sure that the OriginalPoint of the (invisible) 'PenaltyZone' is set to the coords you want the player to go to fetch his information. (In my example the item 'Ball' ist placed exactly on the penalty point when the player is entering the playing field).

 

Hope you can replay this in the emulator.

 

PointInZone.zip