Jump to content

FTF for challenges


Recommended Posts

Just wondering what others do. I've been congratulating the FTFs for the challenges I've created.

 

Anyone else doing that? Should it be FTF or maybe First-to-Complete?

 

I have a similar question about Earthcaches. They're not really finding anything, are they, are they still FTF?

 

Please no jokes about quarters and pop. :P

 

OK. FTF and a buck fifty will get you a cup of coffee.

Link to comment

I think that congratulations for any kind of first find or completion is a little annoying, even if I am the one who is being congratulated. It us simply a matter of time, geography and circumstances - hardly something to note. But for a challenge where Groundspeak attaches no responsibility for maintaining the logs, it makes less sense. The good thing about challenges is that it would not be in the main listing and easily ignored

Edited by geodarts
Link to comment

I think that congratulations for any kind of first find or completion is a little annoying, even if I am the one who is being congratulated. It us simply a matter of time, geography and circumstances - hardly something to note. But for a challenge where Groundspeak attaches no responsibility for maintaining the logs, it makes less sense. The good thing about challenges is that it would not be in the main listing and easily ignored

 

Isn't pretty much everything a matter of time, geography and circumstances?

Link to comment

I like the FTF. I just think its nice. I had never been FTF so I went out in a rain storm to be FTF and no one noticed. I know its not a big deal I mean really its just tubberware right but to me it was an accomplishment. Whats wrong with telling someone good job and thanks for doing my cache, challenge,etc. (yes I practice random acts of kindness)

Link to comment

I like the FTF. I just think its nice. I had never been FTF so I went out in a rain storm to be FTF and no one noticed. I know its not a big deal I mean really its just tubberware right but to me it was an accomplishment. Whats wrong with telling someone good job and thanks for doing my cache, challenge,etc. (yes I practice random acts of kindness)

 

I agree with you. Being First to Find can be a really fun adventure! FTFs on the caches I hide are usually generously rewarded. It's really nice to get congrats emails on FTFs I worked really hard on.

 

I'm just pointing out that first to log doesn't necessarily mean first to physically complete the challenge. With a cache, you can refer to the log sheet to see who signed first, but with a challenge, you just don't know.

Link to comment

Isn't pretty much everything a matter of time, geography and circumstances?

 

A lot of things are. One of my neighbors down the street just won a Genius Award -- that seems like it is based on other factors. In terms of this game, I have probably signed around 300 blank logs, but (with a few exceptions) have never gone particularly out of my way to do so. It is simply that I had the time, I was close by and looking for something to do, and have a relatively poor sense of delayed gratification. Anybody similarly situated could have done the same and I would have found them all regardless of whether I happened to come across it before anyone else. So it has never seemed like a particular accomplishment to me and I never use the three initials or expect that it will be recognized on the web page.

 

I have a cache series involving a lengthy hike up and around a mountain, and I recognize everyone who completes it on the same day. With another cache, I have recognized the 1000th and 2000th to find, but perhaps that is more of a milestone for that particular cache than anything else. If one of my friends was chasing down a particular goal (a certain number of finds, the first time they have signed a blank log, an extremely difficult cache), I would send them a personal note but that is a different matter.

 

With challenges it seems even more attenuated. I have seen many people "take a hike," explore certain areas, go to certain locations, or complete other challenges based on things that they have done in the past - is logging first an accomplishment? The challenge creator has no responsibility (and no specific capability) of even monitoring the logs to ensure that the challenge has actually been completed. So if a person wants to write a note on the challenge page, that is fine - I probably would never read it in any event.

Edited by geodarts
Link to comment

I like the FTF. I just think its nice. I had never been FTF so I went out in a rain storm to be FTF and no one noticed. I know its not a big deal I mean really its just tubberware right but to me it was an accomplishment. Whats wrong with telling someone good job and thanks for doing my cache, challenge,etc. (yes I practice random acts of kindness)

 

+1 Adrenaline rush! If there's $ in the cache, even better!

Link to comment

I think its up to the cacher themselves to decide. I usually try to congratulate the FTF because I know that its kind of a fun aspect of the game. To try and find it before anyone else can. or in the case of very difficult caches they were the first to stick it out and get the find. I do know it can be a bit much to read some logs that go overboard with the flaunting of getting a FTF too. But, to each his (her) own. As for the challenges, it is a bit hard to say who completed first, as there is no log. Depending on the challenge, I would possibly congratulate all who finish if it is particularly hard, or not congratulate anyone if its a simple task such as use this trail system and take a pic of yourself at the trail-head sign. But then again, to each his own. If someone wants to congratulate me for nothing really special then I'm fine with that, who doesn't like compliments and the like? Also if I get a super hard cache and no congrats, then oh well, I wont lose any sleep over it. Because odds are that I got enough gratification for the hunt itself.

Link to comment

My opinion: FTF congratulations are questionable even for real caches. For earthcaches they just do not make any sense. For challenges I couldn't care less.

What Fizzy said.

Also remember that Challenges are a different ballgame. They now allow the creator to be listed (which I feel is important), but there is no owner, no start date, few/no guidelines. If you've done it, you've done it. If you want to make guidelines/rules/requirements for the challenge you can do it, just put it in text when you create the challenge. There is no first to find, only first to list a completion. I think to make Challenges work we really have to disconect our thinking from caching, and create what "you" want when you create the page. Want requirements, list them. Want no pre-completions, say that. Its wide open to interpetation unless you state it. I'm sure things will evlove as we go.

Link to comment

My opinion: FTF congratulations are questionable even for real caches. For earthcaches they just do not make any sense. For challenges I couldn't care less.

What Fizzy said.

Also remember that Challenges are a different ballgame. They now allow the creator to be listed (which I feel is important), but there is no owner, no start date, few/no guidelines.

 

When I read the OP I immeididately assumed Challenge Cache, you know, like to Delorme, the Counties, the WSGA COTM challenge... Now I'm not so sure. Are we talking about Geocaching Challenges, the new thing released by GS last month, or about Challenge Caches?

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...