Passing on saved games/log files

[+Master Mariner]

There are several caches that require collaboration amongst cachers when undertaking a worldwide multi. The usual format is for a cacher to find a cache in one country, that contains the co-ordinates for the next cahe, in another country. Eventually, the final co-ordinates are revealed, the cache found, the log signed and all members of the team log the find on-line.

 

The question is would this be possible with a Wherigo with zones in different countries? I guess that the saved game would have to be passed on, from player to player, but would every member of the team be able to log the Wherigo.

 

Can it be done? Any other comments regarding this concept would also be appreciated.

[+Tequila]

Cool idea.

 

One minor hiccup is that the cartridge contains the name of the player who downloaded it. So, if you wanted to be able to mark it complete on Wherigo.com, you would need to run the cartridge for each player and then email all of the saved copies to the next person.

 

And of course, there is nothing to stop a cheater from signing the log book without actually doing all the work.

 

Count me in if you want to create a worldwide adventure. I am in Canada.

 

T

[Ranger Fox]

That's right: you can't share game saves. But that's fine because only the Garmin GPSrs and Wherigo Player for the Pocket PC have game saves that can be uploaded to and understood by the site.

 

There are several ways I can suggest going about the whole experience. I'll detail the one I like best. So I prevent confusion, let's say this cartridge takes place in America, Belgium, and Canada.

 

Everyone activates their Wherigo Player. At the start, the only active and visible zone is in America; however, the first zones for all three countries are active and invisible. America enters the first zone. Upon entry, the player sees a picture and password. The player must then decide which country has this picture: Belgium or Canada. At this point, America's Wherigo Player deactivates the zone and activates and hides the next one in America. America makes a guess and calls Belgium and relates the information. The object is indeed visible in Belgium. That person walks over to the area (hidden, but active zone) and that Wherigo Player pops up an input box asking for the password. The person enters it and Belgium's Wherigo Player deactivates that zone and activates and hides the next zone in Belgium. Belgium sees a picture and password. The game continues until someone comes across a cache.

 

There was talk before off this forum concerning how to create an adventure like this. However, several people wanted passwords that expired within a set time, such as minutes or a day. The discussion never went beyond this.

[+Master Mariner]

Tequila and Ranger Fox many thanks for your replies both of which make sense.

 

I am intrigued by Ranger Fox's solution but have a question to ask and that is will all the participants be able to log on the Wherigo site, if they so wished and it is working, and how will the Unlock code be displayed to each of them? Obviously I do not want anyone to be able to show the cartridge as complete until all participants have done their bit and the cache is found.

 

I think the best way to test this is find some volunteers in a series of countries and try it out. I guess that for testing purposes a zone could be created near each country's volunteer's home so they don't have to walk too far to trigger their action.

 

I am in the UK, Tequila has volunteered for Canada, anyone else wanting to be an ambassador for their country?

[Ranger Fox]

Yes, all people will be able to unlock the cartridge. The way the Wherigo site is now, you just need to circulate the unlock code and the handle of the geocacher whose game displayed the unlock code. Thus, if I downloaded the cartridge and you were playing with me, you'd go to the cartridge unlock page, look at option #3, and put in you played with me and my unlock code.

 

I liked your comment "and [if] it is working"... Yeah. Just notify me if it's not and I'll continue to bug Groundspeak about it. It does some good half the time.

 

For the final step, the cache, let's say the final is the UK. I'm in the US and finish the last leg where I am. At its least complicated, you could show an input stating I'm done with my journey, so wait for my friends to find the cache; the code I need is on the log book inside the cache. Once I enter the code, the cartridge will be marked as complete and I'll see the unlock code. At its more complicated, the cache log book will have two more pictures, one for each country; the other participants can go there and find a cache or their own (which I think is more fulfilling to everyone involved) or be asked, then, for the code in the cache's log. Having a physical cache in each country gives everyone something to shoot for and some closure.

 

I can participate for my country.

 

Here's a simple cartridge unlocking scenario I'd like to see in the near future:

You log into your Wherigo Player and start the cartridge. There will be an option to select who is playing with you. Those people must enter their Wherigo.com login credentials into the Player (you've already entered yours since it's your Player). At that point, when the cartridge is unlocked, the Player will contact the site and unlock the cartridge for everyone in the group. A save file or unlock code won't be necessary; just get back in cell phone range and the Player will do it all for you.

 

In the far future, this is the optimum scenario I want:

Everyone needs to have a cellular Internet connection at all times for this (cartridge authors will be able to select whether or not a cartridge is "ActivePlay" and/or "GroupPlay"). You start the cartridge and you'll see a list of people who are playing. Select your fiends and they'll be asked if they want to join the group. Once everyone is in the group, the first person can proceed to the first stage. Once the person arrives, his or her Player will send a signal to the Wherigo site, which will then unlock the next stage for everyone in the group. Thus, there won't be any codes to share or international cell phone charges. You will, however, be able to text message everyone in the group (or a single person) from within the Player. Once someone finds the cache, the cartridge will be unlocked for the group. This scenario, of course, uses a Wherigo site API as part of the game and is the direction I'd like to see Wherigo take in the future. It goes without saying the Garmin units will be left behind--and due to the bugs and difficulty updating the Players, I'm fine with that.