Geocaching CSI

[+brennan7]

Been thinking about making a CSI multicache. Had the basic outline of using local geocacher names as suspects of muggling a geocache. (With permission, of course!) but when i try to make it as short as possible to find the clues, and relitively easy to solve, there are no decoys or split-descisions. Its obviously one person. Any ideas on how to make this better?

[+Fianccetto]

I love the idea! Not sure how to help, as I don't really understand.

Sounds as if you might have some extra writing to put in the embelish the basics. Do you have some red herrings thrown in? You could try giving each character the means, motive and opportunity (maybe a few other aspects involving forensics )but then take away one of the big 3 for all except the culprit. (Or does that make it too complicated?)

[+brennan7]

What I was going to do was make it more of a multicache, and give clues at each stage with the next set of coordinates, and also give fake "cache logs" of people in order that they logged the cache page. Then at the stage before the final, it will give coordinates for different suspects, only one of whick is correct. This is just my thinking.

 

What Im basically asking, how would other people set this up if it was their cache?

 

*You guys are welcome to use the idea, just not in Colorado Springs, where Im setting it up. Cache name: "CSI: COS"

[+kunarion]

What I was going to do was make it more of a multicache, and give clues at each stage with the next set of coordinates, and also give fake "cache logs" of people in order that they logged the cache page. Then at the stage before the final, it will give coordinates for different suspects, only one of whick is correct. This is just my thinking.

 

What Im basically asking, how would other people set this up if it was their cache?

 

*You guys are welcome to use the idea, just not in Colorado Springs, where Im setting it up. Cache name: "CSI: COS"

The fake cache logs need to be specially set apart from any actual log sheets. Probably laminated, along with photos of some "clues", etc. The coords can lead to stages with time-line of the "logs" being important (but you don't necessarily find them all in sequence).

 

Rather than cachers' exact names, try similar names instead. Like instead of "brennan7", use "baccon7". I also think some names should have titles like "Professor", "Doctor", etc. Well, that's what I'd do.

 

Edited August 7, 2011 by kunarion

[+Fianccetto]

You could merge the caching names with CSI character names.

[+brennan7]

Love the video!

[+Fianccetto]

What I was going to do was make it more of a multicache, and give clues at each stage with the next set of coordinates, and also give fake "cache logs" of people in order that they logged the cache page. Then at the stage before the final, it will give coordinates for different suspects, only one of whick is correct. This is just my thinking.

 

What Im basically asking, how would other people set this up if it was their cache?

 

Had to think about that for a bit. That sounds as if it would work well, but if I understand right, you want to make sure that it's only when they have all the clues together that the finders can tell which set of coordinates are correct. So going from last to first, the last stage would be well hidden so it can't be found by accident, and only found when the puzzle is solved. The second to last holds the final clues to work out who the suspect is (and where they are hiding/live/have hidden the cache, or however the story unfolds, depending on whether the finders are acting as detectives.) So would there be a list of suspects at this cache, with a set of coordinates for each one, and they have the information to know which character is guilty, and that corresponds to the correct coordinates?

 

So...you need to pick coordinates which are all possible (or even have dummy caches planted at the wrong ones, so they can be ruled out - though some people would want to try to log a find at them instead of the real one, so up to you how you play that one.) Is the problem that you don't have enough different coordinates to put on the list, so it is obvious from just looking at them on a map where the cache is and so it can just be done as a simple multi without engaging in the puzzle, or is there something else that makes it too easy?

 

Continuing on, assuming that isn't the problem, the cache before this should have the last clues in it to work out which was the suspect. So this one rules out one suspect, and you could have one cache set before this one for ruling out each of the other innocent suspects with their logs, plus the first one which introduces the whole thing and has a log sheet just introducing the characters and a bit about them.

 

Am I understanding it right so far?

 

So as to how I would do that...I would have to give it a lot of thought. It could be as complicated as writing a crime novel yourself, or as simple as a cluedo game. I'd probably pull a few ideas from some Agatha Christy with a bit of CSI type forensics thrown in, if I could, but it would need some logical reasoning in it too (e.g. Miss Scarlett always leaves her red rose pin signature item in every cache, and Mr Plum always collects them up if he sees one...So someone said in their log they one in a cache, Mr Plum hadn't been there yet.) If you use this method to give the clues, you need to be clear that this is what is expected and during the dates concerning the 'crime' nothing happened that the detectives didn't find out about, and all the information needed to solve the puzzle is in the logs. (Otherwise you get someone overthinking and saying 'but Col. Mustard could have picked up the pin in another cache and dropped it in there later')

Edited August 8, 2011 by Fianccetto

[+Bouts777]

Very nice idea. Take a look at this puzzle cache, Stoddard's Demise

[+CanDMan47]

I like your idea. This cache isn't exactly like what you are describing, but it may give you some ideas or help. It is based on the board game Clue.

 

Whofoundit-Case Closed

[+niraD]

So...you need to pick coordinates which are all possible (or even have dummy caches planted at the wrong ones, so they can be rules out - though some people would want to try to log a find at them instead of the real one, so up to you have you play that one.)

I've seen decoy containers acquire "replacement" logs, even though they were clearly labeled "not the cache - keep looking". I think the safest approach when using decoys is to use something that is not a container (e.g., a metal tag, or a block of wood), and that is clearly labeled.

[+Coldgears]

There is an amazing series of caches near me, called "murder in bucks county". You go to the main cache (traditional), and it tells you the story, and gives you coordinates to all the possible murderer's. Each of the murderer is a mystery cache (Because the only way to know the coords is via the traditional). Inside each one it gives even more story, if it isn't the murderer it tells you what really happened, and if it is... well... That's the big reveal!

 

Sadly, these caches are unmaintained and many have gone missing, so I may never know the full story, but it is a great starting point for your idea.

[+brennan7]

..

[+Cachebusters777]

My husband and I had a real CSI while geocaching the other day. It was in the woods, off the path and the description told us the cache was buried. We started digging, did not find the cache, BUT we found a disintegrated women's blouse, a shot gun shell and there was a big black plastic bag kind of buried. It was large and full of something. We could not dig it out for lack of tools. We took the blouse and the shell to the police and they are going to investigate. I got the creeps so bad that we left without further looking for the cache.

 

Debi & Joe

Edited August 18, 2011 by Debi & Joe

[+MonkeyCakes]

My husband and I had a real CSI while geocaching the other day. It was in the woods, off the path and the description told us the cache was buried. We started digging, did not find the cache, ...

 

Debi & Joe

 

But caches are NOT allowed to be buried.

[+The_Incredibles_]

I find it hard to believe a cache would be published if it instructed people to dig.

 

Back on topic, I adopted a CSI multi-cache. It's basically a nightcache where you drive to different place in town and follow trails of firetacks. Each stage has some fake body parts and instructions to get to the next stage. It's alot of fun.

[+TeamRabbitRun]

My husband and I had a real CSI while geocaching the other day. It was in the woods, off the path and the description told us the cache was buried. We started digging, did not find the cache, BUT we found a disintegrated women's blouse, a shot gun shell and there was a big black plastic bag kind of buried. It was large and full of something. We could not dig it out for lack of tools. We took the blouse and the shell to the police and they are going to investigate. I got the creeps so bad that we left without further looking for the cache.

 

Debi & Joe

 

Ummm, wait a minute -- you picked up the blouse and the shotgun shell, took them away from the potential crime scene and brought them TO the police????

 

Nothing personal, but I can't help but think that you've never actually SEEN "CSI"....

[+JL_HSTRE]

CSI cache could make for an interesting Wherigo.

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

My husband and I had a real CSI while geocaching the other day. It was in the woods, off the path and the description told us the cache was buried. We started digging, did not find the cache, BUT we found a disintegrated women's blouse, a shot gun shell and there was a big black plastic bag kind of buried. It was large and full of something. We could not dig it out for lack of tools. We took the blouse and the shell to the police and they are going to investigate. I got the creeps so bad that we left without further looking for the cache.

 

Debi & Joe

 

Ummm, wait a minute -- you picked up the blouse and the shotgun shell, took them away from the potential crime scene and brought them TO the police????

 

Nothing personal, but I can't help but think that you've never actually SEEN "CSI"....

My thoughts exactly. You had the coordinates... don'tcha think that would be best to give THEM to the police?

Actually, kind of surprised that you would have tried to dig up the bag at all.

LARGE and FULL of something, with the addition of a blouse and shotshell should have been enough to say, 'DO NOT TOUCH'!