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Challenge cache

The-Eaves

By The-Eaves
in South Africa

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The-Eaves

The-Eaves

Posted
Posted

While undertaking Frodo's Journey with Zambesiboy and company I discovered that other local cachers have also pondered the idea of a challenge cache! Although I doubt such a radical addition would be embraced by GC.com I think a discussion could be fun (and perhaps yield something in future)...

 

A challenge cache, perhaps the symbol could be a trophy, would be a physical cache hidden in the vicinity of the listing location (something like a mystery cache), the exact coordinates to which you are only able to unlock once you have found caches which meet certain statistical criteria...

 

Those who design a challenge cache would have some tools with which to define the criteria for challenge. Some examples:

1) A demarcated area - find x number of caches in Table Mountain National Park - The CO would use a tool to draw a line around the park.

2) Number of caches per unit time - find more than 5 caches within the center of Cape Town in 24 hours - CO would specify the center of Cape Town and a radius...

3) Altitude - Find the 5 highest caches in the Western Cape - Altitudes for each cache could be read off the Google Terrain map and used for these statistics

4) Complete the Shipwreck Series - CO can specify specific caches which must be completed to unlock the challenge

 

I'm sure more can be thought of...

 

How the interface could look:

You see a challenge cache listed on the map in a location you are willing to visit (as with a mystery cache)... The criteria for the cache are displayed, and perhaps even your progress towards completion of the challenge. E.g You have found 14 of 92 in the Shipwreck Series (4 disabled)... The statistics generating capabilities of the site are displayed on many cachers' profile pages already!

 

When you have met the criteria it would unlock the cache which could be any of the cache types...

 

Possible problems:

You would need to use the caches placed by others to satisfy your challenge criteria... If a cache were to be disabled it could perhaps just fall away from the criteria? / or the challenge could be disabled?

 

The tools may be difficult to use...

 

Ok this is all I have thought of....

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MnCo

MnCo

Posted
Posted

Caches along these lines do already exist, particularly in the states. Most often the "tools" uses are a bookmark but there are plans to introduce a specific cache type for this (see here)

 

The SS series is a prime example of a local flavour of this cache type and while its not actually necessary to find ALL the caches in order to do the final, you also don't know which ones contain the information you need and will end up doing most of them.

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The-Eaves

The-Eaves

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Thanks for the link MnCo... It does however just suggest a new icon for a subtly different flavor of a mystery cache.

 

I mad a suggestion for an entirely unique challenge cache - as described above - and posted it on the suggestions board:

 

http://feedback.geocaching.com/forums/75775-geocaching-com/suggestions/2039841-challenge-cache-as-a-completely-unique-cache-type

 

If you like the idea above please cast some votes - three votes is a good number ;)

 

***P.S. Re-installed Testing your Chemistry last night - it is in the publication queue again... :)

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chingha

chingha

Posted
Posted

I have recently published a Challenge cache in KZN.

 

You may want to look at it - see

 

GC30HEH - KZN Nature Reserve Challenge Cache

 

Also see the KB reference.

 

KB Ref

 

PT

 

I would love to but I'm afriad that it has been limited to Premium Members only, keeping the lowly riff raff out.

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TechnoNut

+TechnoNut

Posted
Posted (edited)

I have recently published a Challenge cache in KZN.

You may want to look at it - see

 

I would love to but I'm afriad that it has been limited to Premium Members only, keeping the lowly riff raff out.

 

Premium Membership is less than R20 per month ($30 p.a.). And if you have a Garmin, you can get 30 days FREE membership by registering your device. See this link.

 

The main reason this cache is PMO is because the logging requirements require a Bookmark List.

 

PT

Edited by TechnoNut
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cincol

+cincol

Posted
Posted

Fair enough, if there is a technical reason for it. I just see a bit red when I find caches I'm not allowed to do because I am not a Premium Member!

 

I am pretty much the same as you chingha - even though I am a Premium Member I still do not do PMO caches. I feel it is against the general spirit of the game. Why am I a Premium Member you may ask? I got the initial membership as a gift and there are a few nifty benefits, but PMO caches are not one of the ones I use. But once again, whatever floats your boat or blows your hair back! That's what is so great about this game - we all are in it for different reasons.

 

Happy caching! B)

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Carbon Hunter

+Carbon Hunter

Posted
Posted

Fair enough, if there is a technical reason for it. I just see a bit red when I find caches I'm not allowed to do because I am not a Premium Member!

 

I am pretty much the same as you chingha - even though I am a Premium Member I still do not do PMO caches. I feel it is against the general spirit of the game. Why am I a Premium Member you may ask? I got the initial membership as a gift and there are a few nifty benefits, but PMO caches are not one of the ones I use. But once again, whatever floats your boat or blows your hair back! That's what is so great about this game - we all are in it for different reasons.

 

Happy caching! B)

cincol - I thought there was a simpler reason that you dont do PMO caches - there are NONE in the Gulf :)

 

I have done 1 up the West Coast of SA - and agree they seem a little pointless in a lower cacher density region.

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Hesamati

+Hesamati

Posted
Posted

I would love to but I'm afriad that it has been limited to Premium Members only, keeping the lowly riff raff out.

 

Interesting point raised. I never use to even think about this but after a spate of "lost" TBs, abused hides and now even moving a hide to a different location (all of which make me see red) it actually crossed my mind... especially for fragile hides. Not because I think premium members are above all this but just to limit the numbers. Think it might make a difference...?

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TechnoNut

+TechnoNut

Posted
Posted (edited)

Is there a Bookmark list - or a table with all the Challenge Caches in South Africa and their requirements?

 

Based on the fact that Challenge caches must have "Challenge" in the cache name, and be listed as a Mystery Cache, I did a quick lookup in GSAK, threw out the obviously incorrect ones. and was left with these 44.

 

There "may" be one or two that do not conform to the rules above, but apart from checking through 11000 caches, I have no idea of how to find them.

 

Here is the bookmark list - SA Challenge Caches

 

Hope that works :)

 

An image is here - Image

 

PT

Edited by TechnoNut
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Carbon Hunter

+Carbon Hunter

Posted
Posted

Is there a Bookmark list - or a table with all the Challenge Caches in South Africa and their requirements?

 

Based on the fact that Challenge caches must have "Challenge" in the cache name, and be listed as a Mystery Cache, I did a quick lookup in GSAK, threw out the obviously incorrect ones. and was left with these 44.

 

There "may" be one or two that do not conform to the rules above, but apart from checking through 11000 caches, I have no idea of how to find them.

 

Here is the bookmark list - SA Challenge Caches

 

Hope that works :)

 

An image is here - Image

 

PT

 

Awesome - now you leave me the task of trolling through them and making a Word document with their requirements [;)] :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:

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TechnoNut

+TechnoNut

Posted
Posted

Is there a Bookmark list - or a table with all the Challenge Caches in South Africa and their requirements?

 

Based on the fact that Challenge caches must have "Challenge" in the cache name, and be listed as a Mystery Cache, I did a quick lookup in GSAK, threw out the obviously incorrect ones. and was left with these 44.

 

Awesome - now you leave me the task of trolling through them and making a Word document with their requirements [;)] :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:

 

I can print out a html file of the caches - and email it to you :) :)

 

Say "pretty please" :)

 

PT

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