Jump to content

Favourites and how they have affected ECs


Flintstone5611

Recommended Posts

Firstly, allow me to apologize for all the "U"s in my typing, I am Canadian!

 

I have noticed (as you probably have) that many of the more "Favourited" caches are either virtual or Earthcaches. This is such an encouraging thing to see. With the effort and research that has gone into the processes surrounding ECs it is nice for them to be recognized (even if it is in a small way) as a large portion of the most favourite caches (proportionally). Does this play a role in the way you search for new ECs to do?

 

When I vacation, I explore the areas that I will be close to and try to see which ECs are close by and priortize them by a number of criteria. The favourites aspect of it has definitely played a role in which caches I will examine in my PQs.

 

Has this been the effect for anyone else? Has it lead to some discoveries for you that you may not have found otherwise?

Link to comment

I too have been pleasantly surprised to see that my Earthcaches having been getting "favorited" so much more than my other caches. However, I don't really think the Favorites feature will affect my finding of Earthcaches. Wherever I cache, Earthcaches are always the first things that I look at, and I decide which ones to do based on the write-ups and the log entries for the most part.

 

Where the Favorites feature helps me the most is in determining what traditional caches to look at. There are sooooooooooo many traditional caches out there that I have absolutely no interest in, and it's very time-consuming sorting through all of them to find the few that interest me. Now the first ones I look at are the ones with the most Favorites votes, and then go from there.

Link to comment

My response would be almost exactly what Arby Gee said, except I would have added the "u"s because I too am Canadian.

 

The fav points help to narrow down which of the hordes of traditional caches to go after, but I have my own set of criteria when chosing which EarthCaches to do. Often that just comes down to how much time I think it's going to take and if we have time for it.

Link to comment

I don't pay attention to the favorite count on ECs because I don't believe they have any meaning. ECs and virtuals get a lot of favorite votes for the same reason that the APE cache, the original cache, all other significantly old caches and everything else that "stands out" for whatever other reason gets a lot of votes: not because the cache itself or the location or the logging tasks or the writeup is particularly good, but simply because there's less of them around, and this is what makes them "special".

Link to comment

I have added several earthcaches (and virtuals) to my favorites primarily because of the location -- which is the main criteria I apply to traditionals as well. With one possible exception, I have not added an earthcache as a favorite because of the logging tasks. I think the number of favorite votes that these kind of caches receive are due to the fact that they often take you to some interesting places, including places (such as national parks) where traditional caching is not allowed. Accordingly, they stand out.

 

When we are traveling I look at the earthcaches near where we are going, whether it is practical to get there, if it requires special equipment, and whether the location might interest us. The favorite votes have little or nothing to do with it. But I am glad that the votes show that there is an interest in these kind of caches, and that the game is large enough to accommodate more activities than signing a log in a container.

Edited by mulvaney
Link to comment

I have noticed (as you probably have) that many of the more "Favourited" caches are either virtual or Earthcaches.

 

It seems to me that what you observe depends on the region. For example, in Austria and Germany multi caches and traditionals with exceptional hideouts have a much better chance for ending up with a high percentage of favourites than ECs. (Virtuals do not play any significant role as there hardly exist any.)

 

What are high percentages for favourite points for ECs in Canada and the US? Are there several that obtain aat least a favourite rate of 60% or even higher while having a number visits in the hundreds?

 

 

Does this play a role in the way you search for new ECs to do?

 

No. Like dfx I do not pay much attention to the favourite system at all. Moreover, as I said, ECs do not stand out in my region by their number of favourites anyway.

ECs have been something special some years ago when the first ECs showed up. This has changed meanwhile. Only ECs at very special places where a cache with a container would obtain even more favourites has a decent chance to end up with a high proportion of favourite points.

 

Maybe it does play a role that hardly any EC in Europe is placed at a location where it would not be possible to place a container as well.

 

 

Cezanne

Edited by cezanne
Link to comment

I think the number of favorite votes that these kind of caches receive are due to the fact that they often take you to some interesting places, including places (such as national parks) where traditional caching is not allowed. Accordingly, they stand out.

 

I totally agree with this criteria since I use a similar method. I think that is the prevailing idea for ECs especially. So by that thought process wouldn't it make sense to be considering the Favourite rating on ECs? If not just a little bit.

Link to comment

I will typically award a favourite (<- ya I am Canadian) point to any EC I visit, as I can appreciate the effort that went into creating it. If its a mundane or oft repeated EC I may not give a fave. I do not look for high favoured EC's though as I like to visit any EC in the area I am caching regardless of its fave score.

Link to comment

I will typically award a favourite (<- ya I am Canadian) point to any EC I visit, as I can appreciate the effort that went into creating it. If its a mundane or oft repeated EC I may not give a fave. I do not look for high favoured EC's though as I like to visit any EC in the area I am caching regardless of its fave score.

 

We share your philosophy and approach to awarding 'Faves' exactly. Very few ECs don't receive a favorite. Thanks.

Link to comment

I've only given out about half of the Favs available to me, and while I haven't found a huge number of ECs I think I've only awarded a Fav vote to a couple of them. I guess I look at them in the same light as regular caches, is this something that I'd specifically point out to somebody or not? Maybe yes, maybe no.

 

As far as using Fav votes to screen which EC I'll visit, that never crosses my mind. If there's an EC nearby, I'll probably go visit regardless of how many Favs it does or doesn't have.

Link to comment

I find it quite interesting that two main reasons for awarding favourites to Ecs have been mentioned so far. One being to offer an award to the cache owner for his effort and the other being be to point out a nice location to others. My own interpretation of favourites is different. A cache belongs to my favourite caches if I enjoyed it very much and not if I think that others would enjoy it. Of course all approaches to using favourites are legitimate as there exists no proper definition for favourites. However, if many EC fans use the approach the approach to award a favourite to almost all EC they visited, the favourite system will not provide additional information to those who are looking for ECs they might enjoy in a certain region. (Finding all ECs in a region does not require any favourite system at all.)

 

Cezanne

Link to comment

Good point cezanne! I find that there is no hard and fast way that I can describe how I choose my favs. There is always the motivating factor that (for whatever reason) I enjoyed the cache. Whether it was the logging reqs, the location, the geological feature, or how I think others may respond to it. Any of those reasons may qualify an EC for a fav point.

 

I do have to admit though that when I see a highly favourited EC it definitely draws my attention. It may not guarantee that I will visit it, but I will definitely go through the description and the logs in my first sweep of a location.

Link to comment

I find that there is no hard and fast way that I can describe how I choose my favs.

 

And this nails down the whole Fav thing nicely, they are ultimately pointless as they mean so many different things and are awarded for so many different reason as to be meaningless. The horse has been whipped to no end in the forums, and it is absolutely true. While they were intended to point out "above average" caches and/or ECs, that is only one of multiple reasons they are given out, and one of multiple interpretations.

 

So, at the risk of being redundant, Fav points on any cache mean nothing to me.

Link to comment

So, at the risk of being redundant, Fav points on any cache mean nothing to me.

 

Not to sound argumentative, but that can't be true. I don't think that people are "faving" (i so hope that catches on) caches they didn't like. People are trying to reflect a positive note about a cache. It is true that since no comment is left as to why it was "faved" (isn't that easier, lol) it is impossible to pinpoint its effect on you as an individual, but a large amount (proportionately) showing something posivtive about a cache should (in general) reflect an insight about it.

 

Please don't tell me that I typed all of that and it still means nothing (I have chubby fingers! :blink:)

Link to comment

I will typically award a favourite (<- ya I am Canadian) point to any EC I visit, as I can appreciate the effort that went into creating it. If its a mundane or oft repeated EC I may not give a fave..........

 

............However, if many EC fans use the approach the approach to award a favourite to almost all EC they visited, the favourite system will not provide additional information to those who are looking for ECs they might enjoy in a certain region. (Finding all ECs in a region does not require any favourite system at all.) .......

 

I guess I typed that in haste. What I meant to say that an EC is more likely to get a favourite point from me than any other type of cache, solely based on the effort that went into creating it. Of course any exceptionally creative traditional, etc will also receive one. In saying that, of the 52 fave points I have to award, I have only given out 18 (6 were for EC's)

 

I do believe that if looking for highly "favourited" EC's within their own cache type will still show a general indicator of quality, whether it be for the lesson, research, cache page, or site itself. I think the favourite system just needs a bit more time to "normalize"' before we can determine the trends. Of course there are flaws to using the favourite system, as you have stated, they can be awarded for any number of reasons. One may fave any cache that they FTF, but that doesn't reflect anything if its just a lame micro under a lamp skirt in a parking lot. An exceptional cache (EC or other type) may have a low fave score just because of very few visits, due to remoteness etc.

 

I think a better indicator is faves/visits. That's still a tough one when the cache has under ~25 visits, but if you see a cache that has 8 visits and 8 favourite points, that has got to mean something, no matter how they points were awarded.

 

Should I be upset that one of my EC's that I worked the hardest on researching has had 61 visits and not a single fave point? I am not. I enjoyed doing the research and learning something myself, whether others find it worthy of a fave or not is up to them. I just hope that at least one or two people said "I didn't know that".

Link to comment

So, at the risk of being redundant, Fav points on any cache mean nothing to me.

 

Not to sound argumentative, but that can't be true. I don't think that people are "faving" (i so hope that catches on) caches they didn't like. People are trying to reflect a positive note about a cache. It is true that since no comment is left as to why it was "faved" (isn't that easier, lol) it is impossible to pinpoint its effect on you as an individual, but a large amount (proportionately) showing something posivtive about a cache should (in general) reflect an insight about it.

 

Please don't tell me that I typed all of that and it still means nothing (I have chubby fingers! :blink:)

Not argumentative at all, but for the sake of a conversation; I agree that in large part, most people aren't favoriting poor caches (although I would bet there are some that are just gaming the system to prove a point). I also agree with your earlier post:

I find that there is no hard and fast way that I can describe how I choose my favs.
and that pretty well describes me, and several others I know, very well. I'm sure I haven't given out any favs on LPCs, and the few ECs I've faved were unique and fun. But I know for sure that I've faved caches that 1) were of high quality, 2) found with family or friends, 3) milestones, 4) found while trying to outrun a hail storm, 5) et cetera. A couple of posters in this thread are also using them to reward COs for getting an EC published; I read that as an award for completing the process rather than the quality of the EC.

 

In my growing experience, I see no rhyme or reason for how favs get awarded and therefore give them very little (no) consideration when choosing caches to visit. But, as in all, YMMV

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...