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Challenge Caches


Frau Potter

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I'm new to geocaching so I've never done a challenge cache, but here are my thoughts anyway. The concept of challenge caches reminds me of achievements in video games. I wonder whether integrating some challenges into the site, in a similar fashion to video game achievements, might work.

 

'Challenges' could be a tab on the user's public profile. Attainable achievements are initially greyed out, and the achievement is actually awarded upon completion of the given criteria. The achievements could include milestones (100 caches, 500 caches, 1,000 caches etc), fizzy challenges, location-based challenges, etc. Nothing overly complex.

 

I'm sure this must have been suggested before, but actually I was surprised the site doesn't already incorporate a similar system. The closest it comes are souvenirs, milestones under the 'Stats' tab, and the flashy gifs and badges some people post on their profile bios.

 

Just my thoughts as a humble newbie.

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  1.  
  2. What do you like most about challenge caches?
  3. What do you not like about challenge caches?
  4. What would you like to see changed about challenge caches?
  5. If you could describe your favorite challenge cache type, what would it be?
  6. What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

 

Seeing if my stats will qualify me and if not, setting goals to meet or exceed the requirements.

 

When the CO sets an arbitrary date in which all finds must be before. We have a cache here where the CO says all finds must be before a date more than six years ago. Most active cachers in our area hadn’t started the game yet, making it impossible to achieve.

 

Nothing.

 

One that drives me to achieve a goal, milestone or achievement.

 

I wouldn't say I avoid them as much as I ignore them. I’ll probably never join the “three mile high club” or “find all the caches in two countries” so I’m not going to kill myself to try and claim them. But I don’t expect to find every active cache either.

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One extra thing, only indirectly related to Challenge caches:

 

I have three challenges where the challenge is to find two caches on the same day which meet certain criteria. If someone logs a find and says that they qualified on, say, 16th June 2013 I need to be able to view their finds on that date to verify their claim.

 

At the moment I have to wade through their logs, page by page to find the right date. If someone has lots of finds this can be very time consuming. Would it be possible to add a "filter by date" or "go to date" option when viewing another persons finds? That would make life much easier.

 

Thanks

 

Tony

Edited by Gill & Tony
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Please let us know:

 


  1.  
  2. What do you like most about challenge caches?
    I enjoy different 'goals' for geocaching other than sheer finds. They can spark interest in caching when we've encountered a 'lack of motiviation' to cache.
     
  3. What do you not like about challenge caches?
    I HATE puzzles, so that they are sort of mixed in with them sucks for me as I like to search by cache type. I DO wish they had their own cache type. I have already read the various pro and con messages on Facebook groups and some here in this forum page... and I would vote they get their own type. I think it works better with the search filter logic from a software standpoint as well.
     
  4. What would you like to see changed about challenge caches?
    That they have their own type.
    That they have a 'wizard' for creating them as to make the requirements more consistent.
    That there be a way for the 'system' to determine if you have fulfilled the requirements.
     
  5. If you could describe your favorite challenge cache type, what would it be?
    Well, from a Groundspeak perspective I don't think this is a challenge... but the Earthcache master requirements have been my favorite challenges.
    I also have enjoyed pursuing Jasmer, although it is getting awful hard to find 15 year old caches, especially with the 'agressive' tack the reviewers have taken with caches having a NM flag. At times it is clear the CO is no longer reachable, and many of us do field maintenance and cannot reach the CO to adopt the cache... so old, perfectly functional caches, are getting archived.
     
  6. What types of challenge caches do you avoid?
    Things that require 'solving' like puzzles do.
     

 

* Please note: This thread will be open for 3 weeks, until May 12, 2015.

Edited by Ys One
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What do you like most about challenge caches?

 

They are fairly easily avoided in the wild.

 

What do you not like about challenge caches?

 

Jumping through hoops to claim a find. The entire concept has never appealed to me. I'm also nonplussed by any cache style that seems to be a magnet for angst and Reviewer fatigue.

 

What would you like to see changed about challenge caches?

 

A cache type created so that I can easily filter them in Pocket Queries. An attribute will not do as they are optional and frequently abused/disregarded/ignored by cache owners. You have to select a cache type, there's no way around it.

 

If you could describe your favorite challenge cache type, what would it be?

 

I'm just not going to have a favorite.

 

What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

 

All of them.

 

 

They don't appeal to me, but I don't think they should be eliminated altogether. I know there are people that love them and that's fine. What I would like to see it Groundspeak finally really add the robust features of the Pocket Queries that folks have wanted for years, increase the required descriptors for cache listings and let us have better tools to hunt what we want to hunt.

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What do you like most about challenge caches?

I personally don't care for them.

My other 2/3rds at one time attempted our State's Delorme, but now on days and on call every-other weekend, she's little time to play.

- We figured it'd take around three grand to complete now (gas and all...) anyway, and we could use that for something around the house.

 

What do you not like about challenge caches?

The fact that nearly all would change the way I cache, to meet requirements of another.

- That's not happening...

ALRs, when ALRs are verboten everywhere else.

It's your challenge, but I have to spend hours doing homework for you?

- Not happening...

 

What would you like to see changed about challenge caches?

I'd like to see them get their own cache type with icon.

I can't ignore 'em any longer, but I can not look with no problem. :laughing:

 

If you could describe your favorite challenge cache type, what would it be?

Sorry, I haven't found one yet.

High terrain multis are a good challenge for me, and other than thanks on a log, there's no other hoops to jump through to satisfy another's ego.

 

What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

All of 'em.

 

Thank you for your time. :)

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1. What do you like most about challenge caches?

 

If you're feeling rather stale about geocaching, it lends a new focus. Not only that, certain caches will take you out of your caching comfort zone and expose you to caches you might not otherwise thought you would or could get. At times, that means collaborating with other cachers. That's a good thing.

 

2. What do you not like about challenge caches?

 

They're hard to find when they are published. Not all challenges have the word "challenge" in them.

 

3. What would you like to see changed about challenge caches?

 

Give them their own icon.

 

4. If you could describe your favorite challenge cache type, what would it be?

 

D/T grid filling challenges, DeLorme or county challenges, anything that I think is fun

 

5. What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

 

Streaks, large numbers of caches of certain icons, benchmarks, more than 1 cache a day for the entire year, X number of geoart, X number of power trails, caches obtained within a certain time period. Basically, I just avoid challenges that start to make caching feel more like work than fun.

 

So, I would like to keep challenges and perhaps use an icon separate from the puzzle icon. If people don't like the challenges, then they don't need to do them. By and large where I am, there are plenty of caches out there.

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  1.  
  2. What do you like most about challenge caches? -> It is generally a unique way to go about geocaching.
  3. What do you not like about challenge caches? -> The unique way it makes you geocache. Sometimes you have to skip certain caches (find 100 traditionals in a row, find 100 Large geocaches in a row, etc. When I go geocaching I like to get every single possible geocache and it is really lame when i start making the list that I have to exclude this one or that one because it is a challenge cache because either I do not qualify or because I never will (find geocaches in 4 different countries in one day)
  4. What would you like to see changed about challenge caches? I would take the "best of the best" and make souvenirs of those challenges (a souvenir for finding 100 geocaches, finding 100 traditionals, finding every D/T combo, finding a cache on every day or the year, etc. Also as much as I like getting another find, when I came upon a challenge cache that was EXACTLY like another one, it then became like like another traditional, just go and find the cache because you have already done everything for it. At that point it wasn't a challenge cache any more.
  5. If you could describe your favorite challenge cache type, what would it be? Ones that I actually qualify for, lol. I feel the best were ones for geocaching milestones (finding 100 traditionals, finding 100 multis, finding 300 geocaches total, finding a cache every day or the year(not in a row), ect.
  6. What types of challenge caches do you avoid? I didnt like the ones where you had to cache every single day without fail for more than a month time (real life happens like having a baby and you just cant leave to go get one cache). You happen to miss one day and with the bigger ones, like a year+, you're are screwed to ever finish it. Mostly because the area you were finding those caches in, being careful to which ones you picked, is now wasted. Now you have to find a new area to start the streak over. I also did not like the ones where you had to find a cache that started with a certain letter/number or find caches that were hidden by a username that starts with a number/letter. It is too easy to change any of this information where one day you qualify and the next you don't because someone changed the name of their cache or changed their username.

 

For me: I take pride in the challenge caches that I have accomplished/completed, but at the end of the day, no one knows that I have done it unless they go through either my find list to see which ones I have done, or to go to the specific cache page and look at the people who have finds there. No one is going to do that.

 

As much as I hate to say this, stop publishing challenge caches and make souvenirs to take their place. You can even do polls of which ones people want to be able to achieve.

Edited by lookout.
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What do you like most about challenge caches?

 

I like the fact that I don't HAVE to complete them....or any cache for that matter. Moreover, I like the idea of having something to strive for. I like that there are difficult challenge, easy challenges, confusing challenges, lame challenges. I simply like the fact that they exist. They add flavor to a hobby that is losing more gusto by the day. I like that there is an option outside of your normal "find the cache, sign the log" routine. Many believe that challenges encourage the numbers game. For some that may be true. For myself it's the opposite and that's another reason why I like challenges. Before I came about challenges, I found every stupid traditional lpc and guardrail I could get my hands on. Just because. Then I discovered challenges. These gave me a reason to check out more puzzles, learn how to climb, take more time to plan out a caching day. Basically, they turned me onto many other aspects of the hobby and took me away from that "have the most finds that you can have!" attitude.

 

What do you not like about challenge caches?

 

-The review process. You might see an impossible challenge published in Georgia while a totally plausible challenge isn't published in Idaho because the reviewer thinks it doesn't appeal to everybody. I dislike the fact that even though a challenge may coincide with the guidelines, the reviewer has the ability to deny it.

 

-Inflated terrain ratings that don't coincide with the actual cache.

 

-The ability to sign the log of a challenge cache before qualifying and then log it on a later date.

 

What would you like to see changed about challenge caches?

 

-The review process. I'd like to see more structure with the review process as opposed to getting an email back from a reviewer saying that "this is too hard". It's a challenge. It's not meant to appeal to EVERYBODY but to those that want to go the extra mile and complete the challenge. That point aside, if a challenge adheres to the challenge guidelines then it should be published without hassle.

 

-As most others have stated, I'd like to see some way to distinguish challenge caches from ordinary mystery caches.

 

-Although I know it's not possible, quality control. Too often I spend a ton of time and work qualifying for a challenge just to find a nano on a bench. It would be nice to be rewarded with a find in a cool area that ties nicely together with the challenge. This is a challenge in and of itself, though.

 

-D/T regulations on challenges. I'd like to see the difficulty rating reflect the hide and the challenge while the terrain rating reflects the ACTUAL cache terrain.

 

-I'd like to see the "pre sign" guideline removed or a guideline that states that a cacher can only log the find for the actual date they found the cache, not the date they qualified.

 

-I'd like to see restrictions on caches placed specifically to qualify for a challenge. If it's made obvious by the cache title or description that said cache is being placed to help folks qualify for a certain challenge, I'd like to see a guideline saying that it would have to be changed before that cache is published.

 

If you could describe your favorite challenge cache type, what would it be?

 

Challenges that take you outside of your caching comfort zone. Those that have you hunt types of caches that you didn't particularly go after previously. I also enjoy extreme challenges that require you to hunt 5T caches. Unique challenges that have an interesting set of qualifications that I had not come across yet. Most of all, any challenge that appeals to me that I DON'T already qualify for. The best part of a challenge to me is actually completing the challenge itself.

 

What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

 

There are very few challenge caches that I'll avoid. That being said, I do not bemoan the following types of challenges at all. I like the fact that the diversity exists, I just don't actively seek the following. Those few include streak challenges (I hate caching everyday like it's a job), out of country challenges (I don't have the ability to travel abroad) and challenges with a confusing set of qualifications that make it difficult for the average individual to understand.

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What do you like most about challenge caches?

 

I think that challenges are, for the most part, an excellent thing. It not only gives me incentive to grab caches that I may not go after otherwise, but it also can show off the creative side of cachers. I like taking part in unique challenges. I also like coming up with unique challenges for my fellow cachers. I have even put an event together for them to elect what challenges I would put out next.

 

What do you not like about challenge caches?

 

There are some that require way too much bookwork to find out if you qualify that don't give you enough of a payoff (i.e. a higher D/T combo). I'm not going to search to see if I have a certain combo of 100 caches if the rating is only a 2/2.

 

What would you like to see changed about challenge caches?

 

I would definitely be in support of a new cache type that starts with all cache finds made after the moratorium ends and leaving the challenge finds before that remain as unknowns.

 

If you could describe your favorite challenge cache type, what would it be?

 

I like many different varieties of challenges. I like challenges that have you go after certain kinds of caches, whether it be by type or size. I also like putting challenges out for the more experienced cachers. Sure, some people don't like this concept, but if you want to keep the majority of people happy, you gotta have a little something for everyone. People with high cache counts need something to strive for, too.

 

What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

 

I typically avoid streak challenges, but that's because I don't like feeling I have to go out and get a cache when I don't want to. I love geocaching, but I'm not in the mood to do it every single day. But, that's me and what I like.

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1. What do you like most about challenge caches?

Helps to set geocaching goals, which aids in determining where to cache next

 

2. What do you not like about challenge caches?

N/A

 

3. What would you like to see changed about challenge caches?

Nothing, just reactivate, as is, asap.

 

4. If you could describe your favorite challenge cache type, what would it be?

My favorite are unique challenge caches, ones that are not your basic, run-of-the-mill challenges - for instance, X# of caches containing the word "park". This is not a standard statistic, which makes it unique for me.

 

5. What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

I don't avoid challenge caches. I believe that there are plenty of options for mystery caches. There is nothing that requires any of us to choose to go after a specific cache. Some people will not climb trees, dive, or go after D5/T5, therefore, there is no need to change challenge caches.

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1.What do you like most about challenge caches?

 

They give us a goal or something to work towards.

 

2.What do you not like about challenge caches?

 

The paperwork required to prove you qualify for some of them.

 

3.What would you like to see changed about challenge caches?

 

I would like to see a MANDATORY attribute. A different icon would be nice, but that's probably going to cause more trouble than it's worth. Drop all found/placed before/after date requirements on all challenges (yes, existing as well). No grandfathering... Make the challenge comply with current rules or archive it.

 

How about this: Make the requirements "optional", anyone can get a smiley if they log it, but those who qualify could also get a CO created "Souvenir".

 

4.If you could describe your favorite challenge cache type, what would it be?

 

My Favorites are the geographical/map/place based (delorem/county/100 parks/50 islands/ect..), and historical (Jasmer, 50 Oldest Caches in State/County/ect.)

 

 

5.What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

 

Anything that makes me wander back through all my caches to find titles, words, letters, ect... Just not worth the smiley if it takes hours to prove we qualify. If it requires a certain percentage of types or a minimum DT. If you need to only log certain types, or avoid certain type (ie. 30 day Microless challenge) While I'm not a fan of Micros, seems a stupid challenge, give them a souvenir instead.. :)

 

Not a big fan of D/T/Fizzy or Streak type challenges personally as that's not our style, but wouldn't suggest dropping them unless they have some really whacked requirements...

 

 

-TWT

Edited by TheWinterTrio
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What do you like most about challenge caches?

They add something different to the Geocaching adventure.

 

What do you not like about challenge caches?

The fuss some people make about them.

 

What would you like to see changed about challenge caches?

I might like a separate icon, but I can see how that might complicate things for older changes and GPS hardware, so it's probably not feasible.

 

If you could describe your favorite challenge cache type, what would it be?

I like that they are all different; why play favorites?

 

What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

I tend to avoid those with high terrain final locations, but that's due to my somewhat m limited mobility. Don't change them!

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What do you like most about challenge caches?

Accomplishing a goal setup in the particular challenge.

 

What do you not like about challenge caches?

When they are not economically feasible to the average day cacher such as continent challenges, streak challenges. And my biggest pet peeve is when you complete the challenge and the final is a nano stuck in the dirt or a lamp post.

 

What would you like to see changed about challenge caches?

An icon would be nice. The challenge should be set up with easily attainable guidelines for the average cacher. Final container should be rewarded with a large container.

 

If you could describe your favorite challenge cache type, what would it be?

Delorme, counties within a state, grids, icons in a day, alphabet, word challenges

 

What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

Streak challenges.

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Please let us know:

 

1.What do you like most about challenge caches?

 

-I like that they provide motivation to go out and geocache in a different way. Often times, challenges are what provide the incentive for me to travel to new and interesting locations.

 

2.What do you not like about challenge caches?

 

- I do not like challenges that require finds on caches published before a certain date -- particularly the "true" fizzy challenges. I understand the thinking that it prevents people from publishing bogus fizzy qualifiers, but this entire game is based on the honor system in the first place. It is a huge limitation against finding newer caches that legitimately meet the criteria and spirit of the challenge. I also despise challenges that require you to post a note before starting a challenge and give you a limited timeline to complete it from the date of the posting.

 

3.What would you like to see changed about challenge caches?

 

- The mystery icon has been used a kind of a "catch all" for cache types that don't fall into other categories. Challenge caches are sought after enough and common enough to rate their own icon. Though I admit this might cause problems with people counting there "puzzle" stats using challenges, I think it will be better in the long run and much easier for people who seek out challenges when traveling.

 

4.If you could describe your favorite challenge cache type, what would it be?

 

- My favorite challenge cache types are the big ones -- County, DeLorme, Jasmer, Fizzy, and Interstate challenges. I travel far and wide, motivated to find all kinds of caches in locations I would never have traveled to otherwise, just to find the qualifiers I need to complete these types of challenges.

 

5.What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

 

- I avoid any challenges that require finds before a particular publication date (with the exception of Jasmer, of course). I also don't want anything to do with challenges that allow only a certain window to complete them.

 

Good job Groundspeak! Though the moratorium on challenges was an unpleasant surprise, I fully support your reasoning for putting it in place. I hope that you are able to make challenges more accessible and easier to find for the geocaching community at large. Good luck!

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What do you like most about challenge caches? I like challenge caches for a number of reasons. First, my best caching memories have been made while I was working on some tough challenges. Next, they have encouraged me to get out of my rut and go someplace new. If I didn't do challenges I wouldn't be seeing so many great new areas. Third, I like that they give me a common goal to discuss with other cachers who are also excited about a certain challenge. Finally, I like that they encourage me to be a more well rounded cacher in order to qualify for new challenges.

 

What do you not like about challenge caches? I don't like grey areas in the requirements. I don't like challenge caches that are way over-rated as far as difficulty but even more so those that are over-rated for terrain. I'd like to have the terrain rating of a challenge be based on the actual hide location, not the difficulty of the terrain for caches that may or may not have been needed to complete the requirements.

 

What would you like to see changed about challenge caches? I don't think a new category is needed. A new attribute could be useful. Provide clear guidelines for establishing the difficulty and terrain rating of a challenge (there are too many overrated challenges). Define when the found log should be dated (date of completing the requirements and signing the physical log OR dated when whatever information necessary to prove a challenge has been met is posted to the cache page).

 

If you could describe your favorite challenge cache type, what would it be? I prefer challenges that challenge me to do something interesting. I like challenges that encourage me to go find caches at some place scenic, historic, educational, entertaining, or in some other way memorable. I like to travel so I like challenges that I can combine with traveling.

 

What types of challenge caches do you avoid? Blackout challenges where I have to find all the good, the bad and the ugly caches in an area. A challenge that I can log with caches that I have already found is a bit of a disappointment because there is no new adventure to be undertaken. That isn't a challenge, at least to me, but might be fun for someone else. I don't like challenges that appear to just be a way of driving more traffic to a certain group of caches.

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I for one like challenge caches since they provide a challenge. My first ten thousand or so finds were almost all traditionals, but that started to get boring. So I decided to look into the other types of caches and now I enjoy finding earthcaches, challenges, multis, and all the others.

 

The biggest problem I have with some challenges is that some are so poorly worded that even after reading the requirements several times I still have to e-mail the cache owner (CO) to get clarification of what is required. (I pity the poor reviewers that had to work with these COs.) This usually happens when the CO tries to have a multitude of requirements and is not articulate enough to state them in a clear and concise manner. The best challenges follow the KISS principle (Keep It Simple Stupid) and only have one or two requirements to complete.

 

The only challenges that I avoid are ones that after reading the requirements I know that I will not enjoy doing. But that is the same criteria I use for all types of caches.

 

One comment about a new icon for challenges from an old database developer. The time to create new icons is when a new cache type is created. Now is too late since it will be very disruptive to do a retrofit. I always tried to design my databases to be as flexible as possible for new developments, and most of the time I was able to handle what the future threw my way. But nobody, myself included, is capable of anticipating everything the future will throw your way.

 

The mystery or other category is the miscellany category of geocaching. Groundspeak was wise to split off Waymarking from geocaching since it was too different to handle it and geocaches all in one database. I hope that they do not abolish or split off challenges from the rest of geocaching.

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I haven't read everyone's comments, so mine may be duplicates of others' points:

 

  • What do you like most about challenge caches? Absolutely Nothing - most are about recognizing an achievement that has already been acomplished - x number of icons in a day, Fizzy or Jasmer, or searching your finds list to match some asinine listing requirement, like alphabet, or caches which start with certain characters, or placed by certain cachers.
  • What do you not like about challenge caches? I dislike everything about them. They violate the Prime Directive: 'Sign the physical log, then log on line'
  • What would you like to see changed about challenge caches? I would love to see them abolished, and replaced with Achievement Awards for certain caching feats or list completions.
  • If you could describe your favorite challenge cache type, what would it be? None
  • What types of challenge caches do you avoid? ALL. I have NEVER searched for a Challenge Cache. On my own ideas of a challenging Geocaching activity, I have accomplished some things that would make a good Challenge - more than 25 FTF in one day, All seven container types, each with a different icon, in one day.

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Please let us know:

 


  1.  
  2. What do you like most about challenge caches?
  3. What do you not like about challenge caches?
  4. What would you like to see changed about challenge caches?
  5. If you could describe your favorite challenge cache type, what would it be?
  6. What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

 

[*]What do you like most about challenge caches?

Some of them push you to do something you might not have done otherwise. Local to me is a 17 days of mystery challenge. Seems easy enough right? My family situation doesn't work well with streaks. 17 days is a bit of a stretch for me LOL. Also, puzzles are not my thing, but I am trying to solve more puzzles. In my small state of Massachusetts, we have a cache were people grab one in every town. I think it is great. It gets people exploring. County and delorme challenges do the same thing.

 

[*]What do you not like about challenge caches?

Some are a bit out there. I haven't seen any real nutty ones near me, but I've certainly heard about them online.

[*]What would you like to see changed about challenge caches?

Nothing really. I suppose an attribute would be good as it would allow people to see or not see them in a PQ. Not all caches are for all people. Most of us will never see the inside of the space station, but there is a cache up there.

 

[*]If you could describe your favorite challenge cache type, what would it be?

The kind that encourage you to go out an cache

 

[*]What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

I avoid ones that say you have to have logged a 100 geocoins (or something like that). That could be done on facebook, in ten minutes. But I do not care if these caches exist. To each their own.

 

I keep hearing people say, "play this game, how you want to play". I can easily ignore caches I don't want to find.

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What do you like most about challenge caches?

The Challenge caches that we go after have a specific goal or theme. You need certain caches in order to fulfill the qualifications.

What do you not like about challenge caches?

Having problems getting Challenges approved by reviewers that have voiced their anti-challenges opinions.

What would you like to see changed about challenge caches?

I would like to see Challenges separated from Puzzle/Mystery caches. Challenge caches should have its own icon making them easier to find.

If you could describe your favorite challenge cache type, what would it be?

My wife and I love completing any All Four Grid Challenges (Fizzy Challenges, Jasmer Challenges, Find a Cache on all 366 Days of the Year, Find a Cache Placed on all 366 Days of the Year).

What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

Challenges that require a lot of work/time/gas to qualify for but the D/T is set too low. For example if the challenge is to find a cache for all 81 different D/T ratings then I would expect a D/T rating of 5/5 rather than 1.5/1.5.

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I am not a Challenge Cache fan. I avoid them, though ironically friends talked me into going along and logging a 50 miles of hiking Challenge this weekend (actually one of very few not objectionable Challenges in my opinion). All I want from Groundspeak is an Attribute to filter them OUT of my PQ's. No Attribute? Then don't threaten to delete my find if you provided coordinates, and I happen to stumble on it in the field.

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What do you like most about challenge caches? I have over 250 challenge finds and have signed another 45 that I am working on. What is like about challenges it "challenges" you to go out and find caches you would have never gone after. Would I have flown into Las Vegas a day early for a business trip, rent a car, drive 7 hours to Potters Pond to finish the Jasmer challenge had it not been for a challenge? Would I go after caches that have not been found in over a year if it were not for challenges? They are better than yet another lamp post hide in a parking lot.

 

What do you not like about challenge caches? those that I don't qualify for or unrealistic to find say 500 large cache type when the owner that placed it themself only have found 5 large.

 

What would you like to see changed about challenge caches? Have there own icon. Back at the 2011 Block Party HQ brought out challenge caches that I though was going to be for challenges but it had nothing to do with caching and those finds were wiped off of our cache pages

 

If you could describe your favorite challenge cache type, what would it be? Road trips with caching friends. Driving up to Seattle and stopping to find 3 oldest active caches for Jasmer, finding 7 icons in a day while caching with my son, finding non traditional caches over a 20 day period. Over the last two years I have been trying to get my difficulty and terrain over two each. I'm almost there I enjoy that this is how I choose to play the game.

 

What types of challenge caches do you avoid? Caches I know I probably will never qualify for: visit 10 countries, find 100 caches with "home" in the title etc.

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1. What do you like most about challenge caches?

Challenge caches have helped me to try caches that I would not normally have gone to. I enjoy the creativity behind a variety of them. It helps to level the playing field for some cachers that can do one kind of cache but maybe cannot do another i.e. multiple countries, states, etc. For some of us, Challenges give cachers something to shoot for that won't be a normal cache and not an impossible to solve puzzle!

 

2. What do you not like about challenge caches?

The next to impossible challenges or those that require tons of research to figure out to be able to log the cache.

 

3. What would you like to see changed about challenge caches?

A different icon or attribute to identify the challenge.

 

4. If you could describe your favorite challenge cache type, what would it be?

Jasmer, Fizzy, Alphabet challenges are examples that challenge cachers to try different caches they normally wouldn't go out and try to find.

 

5. What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

I tend to avoid the challenge caches that require a lot of logging or research to figure them out. ie. Lonely caches not found for a year, 6 months or so, etc.

 

Hopefully these will come back after time goes by, but if not I know that there will always be other caches to go find!

Happy Caching!!

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1. Like most about challenge caches: I often have to visit other caches or interesting places I wouldn't have, if not to meet the challenge requirements.

 

2. Like least about challenge caches: If the requirements include consecutive days/finds or assigned days. It's not always ideal caching weather once I get off work, or often my weekend daylight time is already scheduled for something else.

 

3. Changed about challenge caches: Keep it open -- no designated days or times to make the required finds. Have the final be worth the work put into "earning" it. Not difficult terrain or nanos. A small to regular size find for the final for trackable/tradeable items. A nice area (not just a guardrail MKH) to enjoy after the work you put into making it to the end!

 

4. Favorite cache challenge type: If I have to visit other caches or interesting locations to be eligible for the final. Not just quantity, but quality. Five different State Park caches would definitely be more appealing than five guardrail hides. I also like the challenges based on mileage from your home or counties in a state.

 

5. Challenges I'd avoid: If the terrain is difficult. I've already done the footwork of visiting other caches, historic locations, or road trips, to earn the right to find the final. I don't want to break my neck getting my "reward". Also. I'd avoid challenges that required spending a lot of money -- multiple caches I have to travel a distance to (probably over 3 hours radius) involve gas and often a hotel/motel for the night, meals, etc.

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What do you like most about challenge caches? - I love challenge caches. I most like that some have required me to find types of caches or benchmarks that I thought I would not like, and I turned out to love them. I like that I find specific caches for a challenge and the caches seemed like they would be dull and I would not have sought them otherwise, and they turned out to be good or great caches. I like having a double reason to find each cache when I'm working on a challenge.

I also love looking through my past finds. It's kind of like looking through a photo album: "Oh, I remember that cache..." and it's fun to look at a cache name and find something dog-related, or holiday-related, or whatever the challenge is looking for.

What do you not like about challenge caches? Love them!!!! Nothing that I don't like.

What would you like to see changed about challenge caches? Love them the way they are.

If you could describe your favorite challenge cache type, what would it be? Multiple requirements such as, find 50 benchmarks, have 50 caches in 15 different diff/terrain grids, etc.

What types of challenge caches do you avoid? There are a few things I doubt I will ever do, such as long streaks or finding more than 52 caches in a day (my current max).

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Another reminder:

 

For general feedback, aside from answering the questions below, please post in the ‘General Geocaching Discussions’ thread. This User Insights thread was started so we can get specific feedback about what you like and don’t like about challenge caches. Please keep the conversation on topic and constructive. Any off-topic or non-constructive posts will be removed. If you haven't read the User Insights Forum Guidelines, please take a moment to do so, as they differ from the general forum guidelines.

 

Please let us know:

 


     
  1. What do you like most about challenge caches?
  2. What do you not like about challenge caches?
  3. What would you like to see changed about challenge caches?
  4. If you could describe your favorite challenge cache type, what would it be?
  5. What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

 

Thanks!

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1.What do you like most about challenge caches?

 

They are what have challenged us to keep going, try new things, visit new places, revive old caches, etc. Without the Fizzy challenge we would've known only the LPCs & lame-o urban caches in our area. Most likely our cache adventures would've stopped cold after a couple months. We found ourselves traveling a bit more to seek out tougher caches until we were hooked. At the same time we discovered the 2 star average challenges & lonely cache challenges changing our point of reference. Thanks to all three of these we now climb high trees, hang off ledges, reach high heights, crawl in culverts, carry TOTTs of all sorts, solve complex puzzles, network with others for hard ones, attempt crazy night multis, go kayaking, mountain hiking & rappelling off cliffs. All this just to finish a couple challenges. It brings variety & a "Challenge" to caching. It gives us something to accomplish more than just another found it.

 

2.What do you not like about challenge caches?

 

The focus on streaks, speed, rushing about for a huge count in a day or month. Not a fan of these. Quality & more challenging hides are not favored with this method. Sadly challenges don't currently offer both quality & quantity methods, as the star challenges were discontinued leaving only streaks we cannot even attempt. We don't complain but it does feel unbalanced.

 

3.What would you like to see changed about challenge caches?

 

a. A separate icon but one that can still count as a mystery for existing challenges (ex: a red question mark with a separate attribute & "Challenge" in the title). We don't need this but others seem to.

 

b. Loosen the requirement of 10 cachers in an area must also qualify...once the challenge exists & the CO can prove he/she qualifies, then others will start working on it once it publishes. This is why we appealed ours, we easily qualified but others in the area had yet to see a reason to even try to. If you build it, they will come. Ex: Without a CITO souvenir, less people care to hold CITOs that weekend. Same effect.

 

c. Have other challenges be exempt from the "10 miles cleared" challenges & such. Doesn't affect us but others may find these 'never met' challenges on their map limiting.

 

d. Bring back star challenges as optional on streak challenges to balance them out.

 

e. Easy to click Challenge cache checker. Do I qualify? % completed.

 

f. Lessen this 1 yr hiatus, as ours was in appeals already awaiting only a few others to qualify. It would've been published if they checked only our stats. We did it as we created it, so yes it is possible.

 

4.If you could describe your favorite challenge cache type, what would it be?

 

Loved the D/T grid, 2 star D/T average, alphabet, get 200 total mystery, lonely cache challenges. Either they were challenging to accomplish (minus the rush) or simple to qualify for. The 2.0 challenge that offered either a quality or an equally difficult quantity track was super awesome. Gave you a choice as to how to do it. Actually many many others not counting streak/time limit caches unless less than 50.

 

5.What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

 

Streaks, more than 50 in a day, anything requiring a tight time constraint or more than 400 mile spread. Most others we at least consider.

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What do you like most about challenge caches? Its a challenge, it gives me a reason to go and do something different, it keeps me setting a new goal and reaching for it. Challenges are not some peoples thing but I love them. If you modify or limit the challenge with to many rules/guidelines you kill the inspiration. Some don't do multis, some don't do puzzles, some don't do 5/5 caches. In fact this is the whole point for Groundspeak to keep in mind I am a premium member because of a challenge cache, I cache because of a challenge cache. At around the 5/6 month of caching I had almost quit but a friend and a challenge to find a cache for 366 days in a row, one everyday, got me going and kept me going.

 

What do you not like about challenge caches? They are not enough of them, they need there own icon as do puzzles. I most of all don't like you Groundspeak, reviewers getting hung up so intently on the requirements of the challenge. Caching is a personal thing, it for my piece of mind knowing that I did something. For me if you want to lie about having done something then quite caching and run for political office. In 3 years I have yet to not understand any of the requirements for any challenge. I have yet to meet anyone who had trouble understanding the requirements for any challenge.

 

What would you like to see changed about challenge caches? Give it an icon

 

If you could describe your favorite challenge cache type, what would it be? That is easy "The Olympic Decathlon Challenge", a challenge of challenges. The mark of a champion. A decathlon has 10 events we have 10 challenges each of which in its on right is a great geocaching achievement. 1- The Jasmer Challenge, 2- The Fizzy Challenge, 3-Everyday in the year 366 days Streak Challenge, 4-The Delorme Challenge, 5- The County Challenge, 6- 366 day Grid by date placed challenge, 7- 366 day grid by date found challenge, 8-The 13% challenge, 13% of find non-traditional, 13%-regular sized container, 13% mystery cache, 13% earth/virtual/events, 9-Alpha Numeric Cache name challenge, 10- Alpha Numeric Hider Name challenge. It however does not exist because Groundspeak wont let me post it.

 

What types of challenge caches do you avoid? NONE, there are only ones I haven't got to yet. I have bookmark list of challenge caches I need to go find and sign.

 

If you need someone to explain any challenges to any cachers and make sure the results can be verified I would be most happy to help you. That might be an idea have a challenge cache reviewer. They only do challenges and to be a challenge cache reviewer you have to have done and love challenges.

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What do you like most about challenge caches?

I love challenge caches because they do just that, they challenge me to get out of my armchair and extend my geocaching beyond finding traditionals. As a result of challenges we have travelled much further afield and spent much more time together exploring way beyond our expectations to complete them.

What do you not like about challenge caches?

I do not like completing a complicated and exhilerating series of finds only to find that the cache to be signed to claim it is 25 metres up a gum tree and we are beyond climbing trees. I also don't like the ones that are designed by mathematical geniuses that us ordinary folk don't understand.

What would you like to see changed about challenge caches?

I think some challenge caches are designed never to be solved, if they are limited to a select few it is rather sad for the everyday cacher to be unable to complete them. If a cache has been unfound for over a year purely because of it's difficulty hints should be added to help people solve it.

If you could describe your favorite challenge cache type, what would it be?

I love the ones like alphabet challenges that encourage you to find 26 caches to achieve the final, ones that ask you to find a cache in every locality in your state to encourage us to explore new areas, Milestone ones to encourage further caching so you don't become complacent, Variety challenges that get you to try each different type of unique cache that you may otherwise ignore, and the best ones are the social geocaching challenges that encourage you to attend events where you meet so many wonderful people with a similar interest to your own.

What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

Those that expect you to be able to find information hidden within pictures on the screen which is then written in a code which you may have to decipher if you can find the information in the first place. How the average person is supposed to work out what is in the mind of the person who put these together, with no hints at all as to how you are supposed to know what to do, which make you wonder if the person who devised them ever wanted them to be solved in the first place.

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What do you like most about challenge caches?

I like that it gives you a goal. With all the caches that are out there witch one should I look for today. With a challenge cache in mind I have a direction to go in.

 

What do you not like about challenge caches?

 

Challenge caches have a tendency to cause false logging. like finding a cache today but logging it as a find for tomorrow because you need a find for that day.

 

What would you like to see changed about challenge caches?

 

I think any CO that publishes a challenge cache should meet all the qualification for that cache. How are you going to challenge me to do something you haven't even done yet.

 

If you could describe your favorite challenge cache type, what would it be?

 

Challenge caches that cause me to find something that I would not normally find.

 

What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

 

Challenges that are so hard that the casual cacher will never qualify for. Challenges that require extremely long streaks or great distances to complete. have a geo streak of 2 years, find all the webcam caches in the state. etc.

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Quick read of the responses so far shows there are a lot of different opinions, some love challenges others dislike them very much. Regardless, I would hate to think the opinions of a small vocal minority impact the experience of the whole.

 

What do you like most about challenge caches?

 

Without challenges, I would have to invent them myself and in fact have started to do so. I enjoy caching, but desire to find creative and fun caches instead of yet another Wal-Mart lamppost which seems to dot the landscape all too often. Every one caches differently, but without challenges, I would probably pull way back and possibly even quit caching altogether. Periods where I am working on a fun new challenge are much more active than when I dont have a challenge to work on.

 

What do you not like about challenge caches?

 

Logging requirements to get coordinates - We completed the Oklahoma County Challenge to find a cache in all of Oklahoma's Counties, but the CO refused to allow us to log and find the cache prior to his verification of our completing the challenge. The point is we completed the challenge, but we did not get the smiley because a CO gets to decide when/if they will share the coords. Easy enough to delete a log if I think someone has not fulfilled the requirements. No other cache type has this. Challenges should be hidden at posted coords...

 

Requirement for a database to prove qualification - Project-GC is great and I am a paying member, GSAK is powerful as well. But I should not need either to verify or research challenge eligibility - this is more a limitation of your website than anything else. If they can get this data using your API, you should be able to produce it without need for a third party.

 

Lack of uniformity in requirements - Oregon and New Jersey County challenges disallow micros, Oklahoma County challenge disallows virtuals, Louisiana Delorme and County Challenges exclude any caches found for completion by the other... Way too much fine print required to log or prove qualification.

 

What would you like to see changed about challenge caches?

 

Standardized challenge types - There should be a single Jasmer Challenge, a single Fizzy challenge, a single date found grid, uniformity in state county and jasmer challenges etc. A new challenge should not just be a variation of a current one with a lot of disclaimers on how to redeem. I like geographic challenges, but hate when I see "complete this challenge entirely in the state of..." (common with fizzy) - if you are going to allow those, then recognize the people who complete multiple states - someone is probably trying to finish the fizzy grid in all 50 states - they should be recognized for that accomplishment - and while they are on the journey.

 

Claim without signing - With very few exceptions, these caches tend to be letdowns. You work hard to get the requirements then you get a lamppost or buffalo tube that has little or no thought put into it. Check out the log for the Texas County Challenge for the counterpoint. You spend literally days (took us 18) driving around the state and then you sign a log that has got to be one of the best logs I have ever seen. It is shaped like the state of Texas, with counties marked on it (all 254 of them) and you sign in the county where you finished, it weighs about 15 pounds and is probably 3 feet by 4 feet in size.... Contrast that effort and special recognition for that accomplishment (there are reunions for finishers and they are working on t-shirts to recognize the accomplishment) and a lamp post cache seems to be a let down when you finish other states that are still in themselves accomplishments and may have taken hours of dedicate effort.

 

D/T all over the board - Seems like there is huge inflation of D/T on challenges. I have seen 5/5s that are lampposts that require finding 10-15 caches and 5/5s that require significantly more effort to log. They also ignore the true difficulty of achieving the challenge. If I live in Europe and complete the Jasmer grid, then I deserve a lot of recognition, if I live in Georgia it is significantly easier since many of the rarer months are available nearby. The dificulty to complete is not always the same. Finishing the Rhode Island Delorme is nowhere near the same the same as finishing the New York or California Delorme in terms of time, effort and planning.

 

Leaderboards and recognition - As mentioned earlier who knows if anyone is trying to complete the Fizzy grid in each state. I would love to watch their progress. It would encourage others to follow suit and maybe make it a competition. I am trying to find a cache in all 3142 counties in the country... Project-gc has a leaderboard but nobody but me will know when I complete it... You should celebrate the crazy nuts doing impressive things, that inspires others to also get passionate. How many people have completed the Fizzy gird in a single day? Ive thought about planning it. But ultimately since I have no idea if I would be first or 500th to complete I just keep putting it off. If you want caching to be seen as a sport then there needs to be some recognition of those who are doing special things and a competition aspect to it.

 

If you could describe your favorite challenge cache type, what would it be?

 

I love geographic challenges. We have found a cache in every county in 13 states with more on the way. These are what keep us caching - all the other challenges are just ways to keep it interesting when we are not out county caching.

 

I like the 360 degree challenges that Magnus at project-gc created - these take me to new areas.

 

I think there should be more emphasis on favorite point challenges but my plan to place some is now on indefinite hold. Incentivize people to use their favorites on worthy caches. That leads others to seek out (or create) creative and noteworthy caches. I am tracking how many counties I have found the most favorited cache (over 150) but there is no way for me to do that within geocaching.com, I have to go outside databases to track and find these noteworthy caches. There is no easy way to identify promising new caches that maybe only have 4 or 5 favorites but a huge percentage of finders favorite them - feature them more prominently on search. Highlight them in the app...

 

 

What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

 

Streaks - I dont like being penalized for something I have already done (say found all the caches near me). That said others love them. I can ignore them no problem.

 

Silly stats - Find more than 1/2 your caches more than 500 miles from your home coordinates - so either I can only cache on vacation or I have to move my home coordinates to the north pole. Dont make a disincentive to participate and find caches.

 

Absurdities - get rid of the silly challenges that are just bookkeeping. Is it really a challenge to find GC codes that contain all of the elements and now I need to hope a cache with a code that contains UUT or UUV gets published near me. or Find caches that have 30 different flavors of ice cream in the title or find caches that were published on a sunday beginning with each letter of the alphabet - you must find them on different days and the hide dates must be in order ABCD etc, and your order of find must also... Say what? I made that up, but someone somewhere thought about making that.

 

Neat ideas with no way to verify - Cemetery cache challenges are a great example- Do I need to review all 2000 or so finds to figure out which ones were in a cemetery?

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What do you like most about challenge caches?

Challenge-caches has for me been the main goal for geocaching the last two years :)

Beeing an experience geocacher they do now serve as an inspiration for still go geocaching.

Hide and publish my own challenges has also brought new life to that side of my geocaching life

 

What do you not like about challenge caches?

The aspect that I have to do some serious and diverse geocaching in order to fullfil their requirement

I can aim towards them and then log them as a "reward", just like an icecream after dinner

 

What would you like to see changed about challenge caches?

Challenges caches should have had their own icon from day one!

I know that could be tricky now so long time after, statistic-wise and so on, but from the day you hopefully allow them again, you can alter this from that specific date.

But please do make some proper, and easily understandable rules to what kind of challenges, how close to similar and so on.

Do not allow silly non-caching activities (like the previous challenge type you tried out)

Make this rules official and easily accesable to all concerned, not only the reviewers.

Allow all kind of challenge requirements, as long as it has to do with geocaching, and is possible to measure and prove, also by using third party companies like project-gc, gsak, and so on

 

If you could describe your favorite challenge cache type, what would it be?

A challenge that makes me go the very last mile

Try something new, make me reach out, high in the sky or down under sea, whatever that makes me aim for something I never would have done otherwise.

 

What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

None. But the one I do not like as much as others is those concerned with speedcaching. Like so and so many during 24 hours.

 

My own challengcaches are published with two very easy basic rules:

1: The CO should himself have fulfilled the recuirements asked for in the challenge

2: All owned caches as a CO should count as much as those found.

 

BRING BACK CHALLENGES :smile:

Edited by Jarun
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1- What do you like most about challenge caches?

 

They add an interesting element to the hobby and give you a goal to accomplish.

 

2- What do you not like about challenge caches?

 

Streak and what I call 'one up' challenges- double Jasmer, double Fizzy etc. Both of those, IMO, actually violate the current guidelines for challenge caches. Streak challenges make one alter their normal caching activities while 'one ups' aren't really significantly different than the originals to warrant publication. Random list making ones (find 100 caches with an animal in the name) are also somewhat irksome.

 

3- What would you like to see changed about challenge caches?

 

A separate cache type, either stand alone or a sub-category of mystery/unknown. More consistent publishing, perhaps in conjunction with better reviewer training/guidance/oversight.

 

4- If you could describe your favorite challenge cache type, what would it be?

 

Ones that encourage me to see different places, learn something new or make me see things from another perspective.

 

5- What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

 

Streaks. Other than that I don't avoid any, but don't like some as well as others.

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1.What do you like most about challenge caches? I liked the ones about D/T because it gets out there and challenge your self.

 

2.What do you not like about challenge caches? The originals ones were a challenge. Not it is no longer a challenge for yourself but competition between COs to see how difficult you can make a challenge and not be able to qualify or more difficult for most of us to qualify.

3.What would you like to see changed about challenge caches?

Make the rules fair for a everyone but still be a challenge.

 

4.If you could describe your favorite challenge cache type, what would it be? Ones involving different types of caches

 

5.What types of challenge caches do you avoid? One involving having to visit other countries because I can't afford to go there. Ones asking for words in the title caches that are obsure or where most are now archived. State only caches. Cachers travel. They don't have time to stay weeks or months to qualify for a challenge in another state.

Edited by jellis
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What do you like most about challenge caches?

They add an element of fun to the game. I'm not a numbers cacher and I use challenge caches to help me plan my caching targets and set caching goals. I've had many memorable caching days as a result of seeking caches that meet challenge requirements. The sense of accomplishment upon achieving a particular challenge can be thrilling.

 

What do you not like about challenge caches?

It's sometimes difficult to search for them. Most challenges have the word "challenge" in their name, but for those that don't, it's had to find them. I don't like challenges that disallow prior finds. Some challenges are silly; those are ones that I can take or leave.

 

What would you like to see changed about challenge caches?

Make an attribute for challenge caches.

 

If you could describe your favorite challenge cache type, what would it be?

I like challenges that require specific feats - all the terrain levels in a day, find caches beginning with each letter of the alphabet, etc.; challenges about quantity of caches aren't especially interesting.

 

What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

Ones that are exceptionally complex to determine qualifying finds. One example I can think of is called "one hit wonders" - you have to find 100 caches that were placed by active cache owners who placed only 1 cache. I'm certainly not going to dig through my finds to see which ones meet those criteria.

 

FWIW I think that challenge caches make a lot more sense in the game than do puzzle caches. With challenges, we have to actually go out and find caches in order to qualify for them. Puzzles require non-geocaching skills to first solve. (Field puzzles are an exception, of course - you do have to go out caching to solve them.)

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What do you like most about challenge caches?

Well, I don't really do them but if I did, it would be for the C H A L L E N G E.

 

What do you not like about challenge caches?

They should not be actual caches

 

What would you like to see changed about challenge caches?

1. Challenges are no longer physical caches, remove them from the map.

2. Create a system that manages challenges outside of the cache paradigm. Reduce duplicates of the same type of challenge.

3. Create a badge or achievement system that recognizes challenge completion.

4. Future challenge completions do not count as finds. Move these to their own stat.

 

This is not the same as the other Challenges that was killed by Groundspeak. It is the same thing we have now, just without an actual container or real estate taken up on the map. Local specific challenges are still allowed. Those get a marker that ties them to the area so they can be searched for

 

If you could describe your favorite challenge cache type, what would it be?

Lonely caches

What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

Streak types

Edited by fbingha
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What do you like most about challenge caches?

A good challenge motivates me to go out and get caches, takes some time to accomplish, the better ones introduce something new to my normal cacching experience

What do you not like about challenge caches?

Simple challenges where you only need a half dozen or so caches and I'm already qualified the day the challenge comes out

What would you like to see changed about challenge caches?

Challenge caches deserve their own icon - they are completely different from unknown caches and have been developed from the ground up

If you could describe your favorite challenge cache type, what would it be?

I like the Fizzy and Jasmer challenges and there is also a great bingo challenge http://coord.info/GC214Y4, 100 FTF http://coord.info/GC2GYRT, 10000 Caches (can be done individually but meant to be a group effort) http://coord.info/GC3J9F5

What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

consecutive day caches - I did one for a hundred days from dec to mid march in Quebec and I'm sorry but I've got a life outside geocaching so I won't be doing 365days, 1000days, or 3600 caches in one year (when I average just over 800)

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1.What do you like most about challenge caches?

 

Challenges are often a long term motivation for me. Things like "filling the grid x times" are a great reason to travel to areaes I would normally not go to.

 

2.What do you not like about challenge caches?

 

I don't like challenges with short time limits for stupid things. Why shall I travel through all german states in 24 hours? That's about 1500km on the road. Or 50 multi caches in one day. A good multi needs 3 or more hours for completion. But that's only my opinion. If someone likes to do such things, just do it.

 

3.What would you like to see changed about challenge caches?

 

Challenges should represent a long term motivation for those who want to compete.

 

4.If you could describe your favorite challenge cache type, what would it be?

 

I like grid challenges and those that tell me to find 1000 mystery caches or 500 multi caches over the years.

 

5.What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

 

As written before, I dislike those short time challenges "do this or do that within 24 hours". That's not a challenge from my point of view.

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1. I like the challenge. Just finished one today that I've been working on for over a month. Others challenge caches in my area may take me years to complete and I'm fine with that. Feels good to set and achieve a long term goal.

 

2. Nothing. No one is forcing me to complete a challenge.

 

3. A stand alone icon would be nice but that would cause too many issues to arise. Like others have said, maybe an attribute or a ? cache subcategory same as CITO is listed under event.

 

4. The 1000ft elevation gain hike was perfect since caching is my daily exercise. Didn't even think my old body could do it.

 

5. Since I cache alone, I'll never get the 100+ finds in a day. I just scroll past it on the map and don't give it a second thought.

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What do you like most about challenge caches?

So far - nothing. I've only seen challenge caches which would have me grinding though my finds to find out if I'd meet the requirements, using special tools like GSAK which I'd have to buy.

 

What do you not like about challenge caches?

There is no easy way to filter challenge caches out of pocket queries.

 

What would you like to see changed about challenge caches?

A specific attribute would be nice. It would allow for interesting combinations of tradi/challenge, multi/challenge, mystery/challenge without breaking too many things. Meeting challenge criteria should be easy to prove with the data provided by the geocaching.com website.

Better: make challenge caches virtual, so they don't take up any real estate. After meeting the criteria an online log should suffice. Or turn them into a badge system.

 

If you could describe your favorite challenge cache type, what would it be?

It would be a clever container in an interesting location. ;) It is really hard to think of a worthwhile challenge. Something not related to geocaching would be interesting... pick up some trash, donate blood...

 

What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

So far - all.

Edited by ElchMeister
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What do you like most about challenge caches?

 

The sense of achievement when you qualify for one.

 

What do you not like about challenge caches?

 

Ones that are not a set goal like 'earn x points in a day when trad=y etc...)

 

What would you like to see changed about challenge caches?

 

The abolishment of the type mentioned above as they are just a task to trawl through your stats.

 

If you could describe your favorite challenge cache type, what would it be?

 

Ones with a set task like find x in a day.

 

What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

 

Ones that require you to travel.

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1. What do you like most about challenge caches?

 

They challenge me! They set some goals I would not otherwise have tried to reach.

 

2. What do you not like about challenge caches?

 

When people, who are not qualified for a challenge log it anyway, either ignoring the documentation demand or ignoring that it is a challenge. It devalues the challenge for me. This is not a big issue. A new log type "challenge completed" with documentation that should be filed at any time before the actually “found it”, would solve it most of the that.

 

3. What would you like to see changed about challenge caches.

 

Widen the possibilities. Allow FTF-challenges, lonely cache challenges and ownership challenges again.

 

4. If you could describe your favorite challenge cache type, what would it be?

 

Long term goal that does NOT need action every day and preferably not on specific dates. The number required is relatively small (50-100) but of a very specific type.

 

I like this one a lot: Challenge: Own 5 Active Cache Types http://coord.info/GC2HW60

 

Really enjoyed this one

Challenge: Finds by Placed Date http://coord.info/GC355ND

Many extra biked kilometres on that account.

 

Creative challenge that makes you visit new places

Kraks Challenge: København http://coord.info/GC2NXH6

 

Eartch Caching Challenge with a cache at a remarkable stone:

Challenge Earthcaching - Spiralstenen by 1lollik http://coord.info/GC44N14

 

Great one – my main goal for 2015.

Meta-Challenge L- 100 Challenges http://coord.info/GC5BCZK

 

5. What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

 

All sorts of streak challenges and to some degree all sorts of XXX on one day.

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What do you like most about challenge caches? Challenges add variety and goals to the game which I find motivating.

What do you not like about challenge caches? Some Challenges do appear to be overly complicated. My main bugbear is proving qualification. Groundspeak may wish to look at the tools that Project-GC offer. Also some Challenges are open to cheating for instance manipulating Found dates to qualify for a Streak.

What would you like to see changed about challenge caches? An attribute/icon would help sort the Mystery from the Challenge.

If you could describe your favorite challenge cache type, what would it be? Ones that I know that with some effort I can qualify for.

What types of challenge caches do you avoid? I don't avoid any specific type of challenge. I appreciate that the game is played in different ways by different cachers. What floats one persons boat doesn't necessarily do anything for others. I accept that I will probably never solve certain puzzles, find certain caches and qualify for certain challenges. That is down to my abilities and choices.

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Effective April 21, 2015, a one-year moratorium is in place on all new challenge cache submissions. It does not impact previously published challenge cache listings.

 

 

Please let us know:

 


  1.  
  2. What do you like most about challenge caches?
  3. What do you not like about challenge caches?
  4. What would you like to see changed about challenge caches?
  5. If you could describe your favorite challenge cache type, what would it be?
  6. What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

 

1. The opportunity to check out other caches that may not be that interesting without a challenge to complete. Motivation to put it simple

2. Number of days in a row, or other that will mean that i "have to" find caches

3. Not much - maybe an attribute, or maybe a new cache type (rather than banning challenge caches)

4. A challenge that I have to put in some effort to accomplish - either by travelling, finding caches with special attributes or cache types.

5. Days in a row...

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What do you like most about challenge caches?

I love how they help to keep caching interesting for me and give me something to strive for or focus my caching activity towards. I have set some of my own personal caching goals that will probably never be recognized as challenges, but they define the type of caching that I like to do, the same way that challenge caches do. Keeping my D and T average above a certain value weeds out many caches that don't interest me, keeping my puzzle percentage at a specific level does the same. When I see a challenge that I haven't qualified for yet but that's my style of caching it makes the game that much more fun and interesting for me. I can always choose which challenges to work on and which to ignore.

 

What do you not like about challenge caches?

I don't like challenges that require someone to find all caches in a certain area, or within a radius, that would require one to find some caches that are of no interest to them.

 

What would you like to see changed about challenge caches?

CO must qualify. The less complicated the better - one task.

 

If you could describe your favorite challenge cache type, what would it be?

I love challenges that get me to try something new. I enjoy D/T grid challenges, calendars, DeLorme,

 

What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

Streaks, x amount of caches in a day, anything with earthcaches.

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What do you like most about challenge caches?

 

Nothing really.

 

What do you not like about challenge caches?

 

I feel they are elitist

They get in the way of "proper" caches

They incur a *lot* of expenditure of tuime and money to do them

 

What would you like to see changed about challenge caches?

 

Abolish them entirely

Move them onto a seperate website like Waymarking

Bring back the old "geocaching challenges" so they don't interfere with "proper" caching

At the very least give them a different icon/status and teh option to put the entire lot onto ignore lists

 

If you could describe your favorite challenge cache type, what would it be?

 

In all honesty I do not have any I really like. The only ones i go for are ones for which I already qualify through pot luck.

 

What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

 

All of them (realistically)

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I enjoy challenge caches provided they are achievable. I do not agree that they need to have a physical cache container as well. These are often in nondescript places because the object is the challenge not the cache log. In other words they should be more like the old virtuals. Provided the objective of the challenge is met then the cache can be claimed.

This will allow others to place multi,s or traditional caches with a physical cache container in the same locality.

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1.What do you like most about challenge caches?

They help to give an objective for when I'm planning a caching trip, in addition to just "let's go here and find stuff".

 

2.What do you not like about challenge caches?

That a lot of them require ridiculous amounts of travelling or huge numbers. I get that they're for more "hardcore" players, but casual players shouldn't feel like they're entirely left out of a part of the game. I wouldn't consider myself "casual" but I haven't had much success finding challenge caches here which I feel that I can qualify for in a reasonable amount of time. Also, sometimes it sucks that I might qualify to log a challenge cache but it's in another state or on the other side of the country. I haven't actually ever logged a challenge cache yet but I qualify for a couple of them in other states.

 

3.What would you like to see changed about challenge caches?

I would like to see them changed to user-created achievement badges, which you can qualify for and earn for your profile from anywhere in the world.

 

Somebody on the first page of this thread suggested "team" qualifying with combined finds, which I also think is a good idea, if the virtual achievement option isn't workable. 3 different players splitting up to, say, each log 20 mysteries in the same day for a 60-mysteries challenge (as long as everybody logs different ones) isn't really different from 3 people playing under a single team username splitting up to do the same thing.

 

4.If you could describe your favorite challenge cache type, what would it be?

I prefer those which are a bit more like achievements or milestones, which you slowly work towards over the course of your caching "career". Also those that require a small number of finds in a day that fit some criteria (eg. different types, different difficulties, etc).

 

5.What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

I have limited means to travel, so I generally skip those that pretty much require a motor vehicle (eg 100/day) or travelling through many countries in a limited amount of time. I also don't like streak challenges which require finds on some number of consecutive days because that alters my usual caching habits (I did a 33-day finds streak on my own initiative, and it isn't the kind of thing that I would be able to do again now that I have cleared out most of the caches in my town.)

 

----

 

I want to add to my post that in my country, the rules as currently listed by Groundspeak are enforced very well by the reviewers. (Eg. Owner must prove that they have achieved the requirements; logs must also include proof of meeting the requirements.) Some of the complaints I'm seeing in this thread so far involve caches that contravene the numbered guidelines. If they were grandfathered, maybe they need to be put on a timeline for archiving (especially those no longer achievable).

Edited by kyrasantae
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