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Challenge Caches


Frau Potter

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I dont care about challenge cache that much but i guess i find out good compromise to all.

Make a special icon for challenge cache, this challenge cache will be virtual (same as earth cache).

 

All the people who wants to hunt challenge can do it and its not necessary to search for a cache anymore. They can do the challenge.

 

All the people who dont want to hunt challenge cache can simply filter it or use ignore list.

 

There is on good point why to do it virtual. You dont block people to make another cache (collision) and because its challenge (you hunt another cache) you dont need to search another cache.

 

All the challenge cache, which already works outside gonna have changed the icon but the cache will be still physical exist (because its unfair to destroy someones work because of changing the rules ot at least the owner should decided, what he wannts to do with the cache)

 

Sorry about my bad english i am a foreign.

Edited by Tholy & Eve
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What do you like most about challenge caches?

It gives the geocaching experience new edge. It helps me to set new goals and overcome myself.

 

What do you not like about challenge caches?

More often people create challenges so extreme that only few people can meet the conditions. I wish they would think more before creating a new one.

 

What would you like to see changed about challenge caches?

I would like for the challenge caches to have their own icon so they can be separated from mysteries. Then people can choose whether they want to look for them or not. Or have an own atribute so they can be filtered.

 

I wish there would be some rules e.g. I think everyone who is creating new challenge should meet the conditions to be an example for others. But I guess its not easy to generalize this.

 

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

I guess I don't have a favourite type. I like that every challenge is different.

 

What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

I avoid the challenges that have some time frame e.g. found x caches in one day/month etc.

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

 

The fact that you must fulfill some interesting request. I'm also writing the challenge checkers on project-gc.com to allow the geocachers to check our status and to avoid checking it manually. I'm also owner of two challenges and just now I've wont to public another challenge. Hopelessly it's no more possible [:(].

However, I like that you must plan the fulfilling of the chalenge, you must think about, it's not "park&grab". And when you finally have fullfilled the request, this is big satisfaction.

 

What do you not like about challenge caches?

 

Not well defined or nonsense rules and lack of challenge checker. However about 52% of challenges have the checker (statistic of project-gc.com).

 

What would you like to see changed about challenge caches?

 

Maybe add new attribute for challenge cache or add new type of cache, however as someone already wrote, this can create some problem with some devices and third party programs (i.e. challenge checkers [:)])

However, the idea of Tholy & Eve to make the challenge cache virtual is not bad. I'm voting for it!

 

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

 

My favorite challenge was "find 6 types in one day" - in this zone the number of types lacks, so I've plan the fulfill for about half year.

 

What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

 

I've not had the possibility to avoid any challenge, here are only few challenges and I'm searching to fulfill them all.

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

 

just to see if I am able to fullfil the requirements. If not I am going to work on that. Not to be competative but jyst for the fun.

 

What do you not like about challenge caches?

 

if they are high in trees and you need all kind of equipment to get there. A little tree climbing is no problem.

 

What would you like to see changed about challenge caches?

 

that these kind of caches get there own icon. Now it us a mystery unknown icon while most of the times the cache is hidden as a tradi.

 

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

 

challenges that require you found x amount of this type or have a spevific word. Or an alfabet list.

 

What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

The 5/5 challenges.

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What do you like most about challenge caches? Give me motivation in the daily geocaching.

What do you not like about challenge caches? Missing Challenges as own Icon.

What would you like to see changed about challenge caches? New Icon, cache-type

If you could describe your favorite challenge cache type, what would it be? Something I can find in my Profile statistics or in Project-GC

What types of challenge caches do you avoid? Those I am not qualified for.

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What do you like most about challenge caches?

 

They make me look at my caches I have found and set up a goal to try and achieve. which makes me target areas I would not normally go to. I reckon without them I probably would have seriously reduce the amount of time I would spend on the hobby.

 

What do you not like about challenge caches?

 

The silly ones which are near impossible to complete.

 

What would you like to see changed about challenge caches?

 

The rules to become standard. Too many reviewers seem to put their own slant on how they should be achieved.

 

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

 

Challenges that take planning and time to complete, not just go through your past caches and find out you have met the conditions.

 

What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

 

The silly ones like do 200 caches in a day which really needs a team to completed.

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Hello,

 

Please let us know:

 

1. What do you like most about challenge caches?

 

It is a Challenge, what else? New motivation, new experiences, new skills.

 

2. What do you not like about challenge caches?

 

Technically - they cannot be simply filtered or selected.

Personally - nothing. If there is a Challenge I don't want to meet its conditions, I won't do it. It is simple.

 

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

 

Only a new attribute for easy filtering.

 

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

 

I like Challenges with conditions which can be filled during any period of time, for months even years.

And when they show me a new aspect of caching it is extraordinary.

 

5. What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

 

I avoid Challenges their rules are based on speed hunting, in other words Chellenges limited by time.

But I am not agree to ban any caches I avoid, there are many people they like such Challenges.

To each hid due.

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1.What do you like most about challenge caches?

Some are fun, some are not my type to complete. I like the normal challenges, like finding 100 caches in a day, or finding 8 different types on one day. These are for most cachers achievable.

 

2.What do you not like about challenge caches?

Some absurd challenges, like finding 2000 caches in foreign countries or finding some other goals which are difficult to reach (finding caches on every month, eversince geocaching started).

And most of the cahllenges are about how good someone is with geocaching. It is more about the statistics than about the fun you can have with this hobby. Checking if you meet the requirements is sometimes hard, without tools (like GSAK or Project-gc)

 

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

A free to use checker for everyone, so its easy to see if you completed one.

 

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

One which is not to easy, but also not to absurd to fullfill. It should be a challenge, which can be fullfilled by anyone who caches on normal base. One like: completing the D/T matrix is ok, but one like: finding the 9 different difficulty caches in one day is not fun in my opinion.

 

5.What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

Absurd challenges, as described above.

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1) What do you like most about challenge caches?

- It is good motivation to reach some goals (etc. complet D/T matrix, complete table of month cache was published (jasmer challenge), find several icon in a day etc.). It is diversification of this game, something different than just finding geocache. This motivation can last for weeks, months or even year(s). I can plan caches also how they can help me to fulfill some challenge. It does not have to be finished immediately, although occasionally I like to reach also some day record (x caches a day, x types of caches a day etc.)

 

2) What do you not like about challenge caches?

- actually nothing, there is nothing I would say I do not like.

 

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

- the only thing I would see changed is something people can filtrate challenge caches easily. It does not have to be icon (although it would be the best to separate them from mystery caches that are completely different type of caches) but at least some attribute. I think the title is just not enough as many other caches can also have "challenge" in their title but have nothing common with what we are discussing here now. Guidelines about caches are ok now. Every task of challenge caches must be proved either by owner or by other cachers and is accepted or refused by reviewer. It is same as with other types of caches.

 

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

- a challenge cache that needs some time to finish it, at least couple weeks of traveling and caching. :-)

 

5) What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

- only challenge caches that belongs to caches I cannot/will not do in general. I mean T5 caches. But it is because of terrain rating not because of challenge itself.

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1. What do you like most about challenge caches? I like how they encourage me to venture beyond my caching comfort zone, beyond my usual caching habits, and beyond my usual caching neighborhoods.

 

2. What do you not like about challenge caches? Many in my area seem to be designed with higher and higher hurdles for cachers to have to jump over, and all just so the CO can see how high he/she can make the cacher jump.

 

There are 228 challenges within 20 miles of my home. 31 of them have 3 or fewer finders, and all but 2 of those are owned by the same CO.

 

Yes, I can always just "ignore" the ones I don't like, but each one takes up a plot of space that disallows any other cache from being placed within a tenth of a mile from it.

 

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

- I would dearly love a separate icon (not just an attribute) to distinguish them from puzzle caches.

- Please make it a requirement that the CO must first personally completed the challenge.

 

4. If you could describe your favorite challenge cache type, what would it be? I enjoy many different types of challenges, but my favorites focus more on going out and getting caches rather than searching through my database of finds.

 

My favorites encourage me to cache in different areas and to go after different types of caches. For example, I tend to avoid multi-caches, but I discovered many fun and interesting multis while completing a challenge to find 100 of them. The Fizzy challenge encouraged middle-aged me to go for caches with tough terrain ratings. (I kayaked for the first time while going after a cache for a specific Fizzy box.) A local history challenge and the Jasmer are encouraging me to find some of the classic, older caches.

 

5. What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

- Ones that require a "streak" of caching a set number of days in a row.

- Ones that require an onerous amount of effort to document.

- Ones that require an onerous amount of effort to complete (one here requires travel to Hawaii).

- Ones that are designed so that you find a predominance of the challenge owner's own caches.

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1.What do you like most about challenge caches?

They are challenging me to a more wide range of geocaching activities. Set up targets and influence me to take different types of geocaches, new places, in many cases better caches. It´s funny to do some of the challenges together in a small group for example to log 100 mystery caches in 24 hours, but also to have some challenges to work with during 2 years, for example 360 degrees of Skåne.

 

2.What do you not like about challenge caches?

That they are mixed with "real" mystery caches I think is the only negative about challenges. I think it is important to realize that all challenges are not for everyone, as with many other geocaches.

 

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

A separate icon so it would be easy to search for them. D-rating should be set according to how hard it is to achieve the challenge. T-rating should be set according to the actual cache.

 

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

Challenges that requires me to add something to normal geocaching. For example finding 5 different type of caches in 5 different countries. Finding a cache in all degrees of a county, fulfill D/T matrix, are also very good challenges. In general challenges that requires more various geocaching.

 

5.What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

Challenges requires to log caches every day for long time (more than 30 days), challenges that requires powertrail caching. In general challenges that only focus on volume and not quality at all.

But I know other people that are challenged by that so I have no problem that they also exist, as written above, all challenges are not for everyone - as with many other caches!

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Please let us know:

 

What do you like most about challenge caches?

 

It is part of the reason I cache so regularly, I estimate that 2/3rds of all the caches I do are 'qualifiers' for one challenge or another. Indeed there's a certain sense of elation if I do one cache that I might be able to use in two (or more!) different challenges. It's definitely a major part of why I cache.

 

What do you not like about challenge caches?

 

Sometimes I think they can be a bit too easy and therefore not really a 'challenge' (although others will also say they can be too convoluted). The sense of achievement at what can be many months work at times is palpable.

 

You can get a fair bit of duplication and I do have some sympathy with those who say the containers are taking up space when it's the challenge that you're qualifying for rather than signing a physical log

 

What would you like to see changed about challenge caches?

 

A new attribute would perhaps be useful but with good reviewers (which we definitely have) then I'm not of a mind to change anything.

 

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

 

It would be something that I have to very deliberately work towards, something difficult but the requirements being clearly stated and not ambiguous. Something that is not easily checked for via one of the Geocaching tools - i.e. if I have to use paper and a highlighter pen whilst pulling my hair out all the better.

 

What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

 

I generally avoid ones that have to do 'so many in a day' - I'm not interested in sheer weight of numbers but others are. There should (as there is now) be something for everyone. I do the challenges I want to do and others do those they want to do. I also don't really go for ones I immediately qualify for as there's no sense of real achievement.

Edited by liberal giraffe
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What do you like most about challenge caches?

 

The motivation to stretch my boundaries as a geocacher. Having a set of varying caching goals helps to keep it interesting.

 

What do you not like about challenge caches?

 

Some of them can be too cumbersome to keep track of. Others are just too extreme without reward (1000 in a day. Sure I could do it, but it generally requires a monotonous, exhausting experience.) Sometimes, a veteran cacher must travel quite a distance because all local qualifying caches have already be found. (Ex: "All 7 sizes in a day.".)

 

The WORST thing about (some) challenge caches is that (some) COs prevent prefindning/presigning the logbook before qualifying. (I have a particular CO in mind who deleted my Write Note log when he should be happy that I visited his cache container.)

 

What would you like to see changed about challenge caches?

 

First, an icon. A blue exclamation mark. It's not an unknown ?, it's an achievement ! Second, instead of just a Found It log, have an Achieved It log WHICH THE CACHE OWNER CHOOSES TO UPGRADE FROM FOUND IT. That is, anyone should be allowed to get the +1/smiley for finding it, but then the cache owner has the responsibility to upgrade it. Granted, built-in API checkers could be set up to allow auto-upgrading the log to Achieved It to take the CO out of the equation.

 

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

 

My favorites allow me to decide when and how to achieve it. Example: I have a 365+ "consecutive day" cache. But the catch is that one needs to find 365+ caches over 2+ days. If someone wants to work slow and steady, they can spread it out for a whole year, even if that means winter caching. If someone else hits the E.T. highway in a single day and then one more cache the next day, they qualify too. That's like Stars in a Day challenges. One can do lots of little easy ones or one can hit a hard terrain to do fewer caches.

 

DeLorme challenges are good. County challenges are good. Fizzy challenges are good. Jasmer challenges are almost too hard with the limitation of year 2000 caches. Alphabet challenges are good. Icon challenges need to hit the Goldilocks spot. Consecutive day challenges need to hit the Goldilocks spot.

 

What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

 

Ones that are difficult to verify because they are cumbersome to keep track of. Ones that are only for the extreme cachers. (Ex: "10 icons in one day." 6-8 is reasonable.) Ones that limit the caches that I might do. (Ex: "having more than 20% nontraditional finds overall" or "your next 100 finds are unknown type." Finding a nontraditional everyday for a month would be reasonable as traditionals could be found too.)

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Hi,

 

first off. Just three days ago I have posted in a challenge cache log, that the time has come for me to delete all my Challenge PQs as

* The number and demeanor of more or less nonsense conditions has reached levels I deem as "too much" to be interested in achieving

* The associated caches are the worst power trail like LPCs I have ever seen

I just collect them as by-catch now.

 

Please let us know:

* What do you like most about challenge caches?

 

The get you to log caches that you don't normally log. They make you collect caches which you have avoided for reasons you don't have really rationalized about and don't really understand afterwards.

It's fun to work towards a goal.

 

* What do you not like about challenge caches?

 

Challenge Caches get thrown into the woods in s***ty containers with very particular conditions just to show how great the own statistics are. They may require logging specific caches in order to do able to do them at all (e.g. collect an 81 matrix in one day). They are not about achievement anymore but about showing off one's profile (or a particularity of it). Also it encourages fake logs (wrong dates for a streak, bogus TB logs). The rating often is a fake just to be attractive. This is true for D and in particular for T ratings.

 

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

 

They need to be distinguishable.

 

If you keep an as a cache you do not have a lot of choice: Give them an own Icon. Make all owners who would like to keep their caches as a challenge cache to switch over or lose logging requirements.

 

OR

 

Consider making them a global container-less category like lab caches. This way you can make cool challenges available to everybody world-wide and get rid of s***ty containers in s***ty places just for the sake of a challenge. Also it reduces the bogus D/T ratings which keep people going for the wrong reasons. They might/will be less attractive to some/most cachers. But if they are not on the map with the other caches that might reduce the do-or-die attitude and fighting of some cachers over them.

 

If you keep them, you still need to give the owners flexibility about the conditions though. A "collect "20.000" (!) traditional caches" challenge cache should be publishable. Geocaching is still in its infancy. 20.000 is 500 traditionals a year over 40 years. There will always be beginners and advanced conditions. It's very observable with the looping of the 81 matrix at the moment. You will never get rid of this perspective problem of what is challenging, what is a piece of cake and what is just too much. What I am saying: It's hard to limit the excrescence of some caches without limiting creativity. You will not get rid of discussions without killing what a challenge cache is.

 

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

 

It's challenge cache that makes me do crazy stuff or keeps me going without forcing me to do it.

http://coord.info/GC300W7 kept me collecting T5 caches for quite a while. It was a great container as well.

It has a lot of options, it is tough yet achievable if you really want it.

Yet, it is not for everybody and I know people who find it absurd.

 

A lot of people liked my time travel challenge: http://coord.info/GC35VCF

You have to time travel through a timezone barrier or daylight savings time to fulfill the condition. Everybody can do it. But it needs some preparation.

Some people disliked it (mostly before they did it) because they found it absurd.

 

* What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

 

I do not collect challenge caches that force me into collecting many caches in a short time or streaks. I collect caches whenever I feel like it (and mostly in the order I feel like - unless it's a dozen or so).

Yet, I know people who love streaks.

 

I hope this helps. It's a topic that I have thought about for a while already as I used to really like challenges caches...

 

famerlor_dragon

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What do you like most about challenge caches?

To be honest: Nothing special.

 

What do you not like about challenge caches?

Almost every challenge cache I saw is about some statistic stuff. Boring.

 

What would you like to see changed about challenge caches?

Don't continue to publish them again after the moratorium. ;-)

 

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

I don't remember an interesting challenge cache I visited.

 

What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

At the moment there is no challenge cache I am interested in. The only caches in my ignore list are challenge caches.

 

The support area says:

A challenge cache needs to appeal to, and be attainable by, a reasonable number of geocachers.

What is a "reasonable number"?

 

The challenge caches I saw exclude the vast majority of Geocachers. It seems that some of the owners published them to say: "Look what I've achieved."

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

I enjoy the challenge of it. You are encouraged to work towards something and can feel like you have accomplished a goal at the end. There have been times in my caching career where if I had no been participating in a challenge I may not have gone caching for weeks on end. Challenges have kept e active in the sport.

 

What do you not like about challenge caches?

I do not like how complicated they can be and the amount of planning that some require. This is totally up to the CO of course, and as a person I know it is up to me to decide which challenges I am up for and which ones I am not.

 

What would you like to see changed about challenge caches?

I think an additional icon would be great so you know at quick glance whether it's a mystery or a challenge, however I agree that it could cause more issues than it's worth. An attribute would be great, but I find a lot of cachers do not utilize the attributes properly. I don't think there is a fool proof way to keep track of challenges since it is really up to the CO how their cache is listed.

 

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

I like challenges that do not require a lot of planning. I enjoy challenges along the lines of "x number of x caches found" or "x number in x period of time." I find it very difficult to find a certain number of multiple kinds of caches, sizes of hide, and on different days all of which is then converted into points to hit a specific number.

 

What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

As the above says, challenges where you need to earn a number of points. It requires too much planning and thought ahead of time for me.

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1. What do you like most about challenge caches?

Challenge caches that are possible for the large majority of geocachers. Challenge caches that are related to geocaching.

 

2. What do you not like about challenge caches?

Challenge caches that force you to do certain cache types (T5) or specific location (New York). challenge caches based on performance, ## caches in a day. Challenge caches within challenge caches are my all time most frustating caches.

 

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

Challenge caches should be possible for any geocacher within a certain range and time of his home location.

 

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

Reanimate a cache challenge, where you find caches that are not recently found to aquire a certaion amount of points.

 

5. What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

Challenge caches which require you to do a number of caches in 1 day.

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What do you like most about challenge caches?

Good challenge caches can be a motivational factor.

 

What do you not like about challenge caches?

Possibly the fact that you have to already qualify for your own cache encourages showing off a bit too much. Some can be tedious (but you don't have to log them all).

 

What would you like to see changed about challenge caches?

They should be separated from other caches so you can easily list them, eliminate them from lists and see which ones you've done. An icon (separate cache type) would be best, not unlike Earthcaches - which they slightly resemble in that it's not about finding a container but about qualifying to log the cache.

The cache logging web page should be quite different to reflect this. Perhaps build in a link to a separate web page where the cache owner can be given details of your qualifying achievement (rather than the clumsy posting of lists in the log). Then the CO can tick off your submission and the log is accepted. The same mechanism could improve the Earthcache logging experience too. It would be a bit like submitting a new cache to a reviewer: in effect the CO for challenges and earthcaches is a reviewer of log submissions. The CO could post a note under the submission to give congratulations (or to point out shortcomings). You could then be sure that all logs for a cache have been checked, and it's therefore a genuine challenge. I know that you can do this via e-mail and deleting unqualifying logs but it's all rather clunky.

 

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

Where a lot of people would ALMOST qualify but have to pick up a few more to complete the set (e.g. caches starting with different letters of the alphabet). Gives people an inducement to go out and find a few obscure caches.

 

What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

Ones where the admin is onerous, e.g. making a list of 500 caches that demonstrate that I qualify.

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What do you like most about challenge caches?

I like the challenge in itself, which makes me rethink the way I do geocaching. If I didn't have some of these challenge caches to strive for, the periods where I'm sick and tired of searching for pieces of plastic in the woods or behind dumpsters would be longer and more frequent. With all the substandard geocaches showing up all the time, challenges is a way to be more focused on the game itself instead of just roaming around everywhere.

 

What do you not like about challenge caches?

Sometimes they make the game a bit too intense for me, i.e I spend too much time on planning and thinking instead of just doing it in my own time and way. But that is my problem, not the caches. It's also a problem to remember the caches I have signed but not qualified for. But I rather forget some than not allowing me to find a cache abroad that I will qualify for in a short time.

 

What would you like to see changed about challenge caches?

I am happy with the way things are. There are several challenge caches I will never find or qualify for, but there are lots and lots of those elsewhere too.

 

If you could describe your favorite challenge cache type, what would it be? Anyone that adds something positive to the way I do geocaching and gives me something to strive for. I also quite like the D/T-possibilities :-)

 

What types of challenge caches do you avoid? All that makes the game too much of a hassle for me. For me, that is long streaks (boring), too many earthcaches +++. But I just avoid them. There is a problem though, when finding other challenge caches depends on me finding those I want to avoid. I.e all caches in a county.

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What do you like most about challenge caches?

 

Challenge Caches are what have kept me in the game for 3 years. It's the feeling that they provide 'extra value' from the finds already gathered, in that they can be (mentally) revisited as I try and decide whether they will count towards the requirement for a challenge cache. They have pushed me far beyond what I would have ordinarily done, longer walks, including scrambling up Mt Ngaurahoe and overnight trips. Each challenge is different, some are great, some are 'not for me thanks' and some require planning.....I'm currently working towards one challenge which I anticipate will take me another 4 years to qualify for (it's a 5/5 for a reason!).

 

What do you not like about challenge caches?

 

Some caches have what I consider to be 'bloody stupid requirements' - despite the impression to the contrary, I do have a life outside geocaching, so the find loads of caches in a short time leave me cold, as do the ones involving overseas travel. However, I respect the right of others to place them. The most frustrating ones for me are those where it's unclear whether you qualify or not & I guess that a good reviewer would help clarify things. There are several caches in my area where I've needed to ask questions to try and work out whether a cache I've already found can be used.

 

What would you like to see changed about challenge caches?

 

Clarity on how to qualify for them, and also some consistency around Difficulty ratings assigned.

 

 

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

 

Ones that push me out of my comfort zone (in a good way), but are achievable, with a bit of thought.

 

What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

 

The ones I call "Bottom Trawling challenges" requiring large numbers of finds in a very short time. I like to savour the journeys, not dash around like a mad thing.

 

Please, please do not get rid of challenge caches!

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1.What do you like most about challenge caches?

R: they are a true challenge for myself to get the objetives, so i can make it accomplished and can go find and log it.

 

2.What do you not like about challenge caches?

R: there are some challenges that make no sense, too much challenges that are too easy and just for numbers.

 

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

R: A new type of geocache, and some of the challenge created by Groundspeak

 

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

R: The one i like more is Challenge 81 (Terrain/ Difficult) board, and all days find board too

 

5.What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

R: Challenges that say for exemple, more than 2000 caches found/ 100 caches in a day... dont avoid, just dont go there on purpose, just if i pass there nearby, dont make me interest

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Survey answers:

 

What do you like most about challenge caches? I like having a new goal to work toward. It encourages me to get out there and find other caches that I might not have noticed before.

What do you not like about challenge caches? There are a few challenges that require finds on a given day in a specific order, which don't really make sense to me, but I can ignore them just like a really difficult puzzle or super high tree climb cache.

What would you like to see changed about challenge caches? If a challenge requires you to find a 5/5 cache as part of the requirements, then I think it should be rated as a 5/5. . or rated at least as hard as the hardest required find.

If you could describe your favorite challenge cache type, what would it be? Find a cache in every park in a central area. . . gets you out hunting nice areas. . . or find a combination of difficult things like complete your calendar, fizzy grid, Delorme grid, A-Z grid. . . to earn the smile.

What types of challenge caches do you avoid? Find 15x the fizzy grid. . .too hard for me-but they are good for others, so keep them!

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Hi

 

I do like challenge caches as they give you something to aim for and we will go the extra mile to pick up one specific cache to qualify. Too many of them seem to want you to climb high trees or do something equally difficult/dangerous and that does rule out quite a lot of geocachers. I do think there should be a different icon as they sometimes get lost amongst the puzzle caches. I do think that the challenge should be achievable by all/most cachers if they put their mind to it. There is one cache GC564FA Unknown Cache I ♥ Mysteries Challenge that requires you to find a Mystery cache with 300 favourite points - but it appears that the only one in the UK was an American Travelling cache that went to the Kent Mega so unless you were there it gives you less choice. The challenges that we avoid are those that require you to find multiple caches in one day as we don't just doing drive/cycle around picking up boxes without enjoying the location. We would rather get 10 church micros and go inside and enjoy the church than rush round finding 100 caches and not remembering any of them.

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  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?

 

  1. I see them as any other cache. I don't go out doing anything special to qualify. If I do qualify, I might go find it, if not, so be it.
  2. If I don't like it I leave it be. No need to "find them all"
  3. A separate icon would be nice
  4. No preference
  5. We don't do T5's but that doesn't mean they shouldn't be there

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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?

 

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

 

Hello. I am glad that something is finally being done with challenge caches. It has been almost a year since the discussion with Frau Potter at Mega Finland ( http://coord.info/GC4PV4P ) about Challenge Caches.

 

1 What do you like most about challenge caches?

-> I consider challenges to be some kind of achievements, which could be enjoyable if they were separate from geocaches.

 

2 What do you not like about challenge caches?

-> I don't like the fact that some (usually) unrelated condition is blocking normal physical caches from being logged like other normal geocaches. I found a box, logged myself into the logook, but I have to wait with log on gc.com until I find X different cache types in Y different countries? Doesn't make sense.

Also the fact that even though it is the only kind of cache where just signing the logbook is not enough to be allowed to log online, it doesn't even have its own geocache type, own icon, attribute or anything. Simply filtering geocaches with "challenge" in its name does not work well enough, as there are some that are simply not Challenge Caches.

 

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

They way "challenge caches" are done today I like only those that work as some kind of "bonus" cache to a not strictly limited series. For example http://coord.info/GC48FGK or http://coord.info/GC4WK2C

 

5 What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

Simply those that I haven't fulfilled yet (so that I don't forever have field notes for caches that I cannot log online) and have no chance of fulfilling in the near future. Most of those have a time-restricted condition.

 

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

->

I will try to be a bit more constructive here, so I moved this as the last section

 

I think the whole challenge system should be completely separated from Geocaches and they should work more like "achievements".

As I mentioned on Mega Finland, an example of a very well done system of achievements is in Munzee. There if you completely ignore your own statistics and don't care about the achievement system, it will never haunt you or block you when you try to find any Munzees. When you actually fulfil an achievement, you automatically get a "badge" in your profile, which is something like souvenir in Geocaching. On the page of achievements you can actually see your achieved badges and see your current progress on those you haven't earned yet ("42 geocaches remaining to earn the 1000 Challenge", anyone?). The badges have no point on map and do not affect the count of found / created Munzees.

 

In geocaching, project-gc partially covered this with their badge system, so maybe integrating it into geocaching.com could be an option?

 

So I think that an ideal system for challenges of Geocaching would be a separate section of the website (maybe similiar to the old "challenges" section with the photo challenges, that you suddenly deleted with all logs and data?) with achievements not bound to any point on map ("find 100 caches in a day" doesn't really relate to any place on this planet, right?) and maybe also its own map for those achievements that are somehow related to a certain place ("Collect at least 10 caches related to Hitler's Highway"- http://coord.info/GC48FGK , "Find caches in 360° from a certain point", etc.), but no challenge should be bound to any physical cache or create a collision zone.

It might work like souvenirs (earning a badge, like in Munzee), but particular challenges and badges would be created by players and approved by reviewers, each challenge would have its own "listing" and comments/logs section as well.

 

Like the old photo challenges. And if you want to keep it close enough to Geocaching, you can increase number of found caches after each fulfilled challenge. (like it is with Lab caches. They are not really geocaches and they don't have proper listings, but they increase count of found caches)

 

If for some reason Groundspeak insists on keeping the challenges as "geocaches", then there should at least be some rules set to avoid absurd challenges (like the infamous 800 caches / day challenge).

Here are my suggestions for the case that challenges remain as geocaches, bound to physical boxes as well (even if they have different type):

a) Owner of the challenge has to fulfill the challenge requirements before such challenge is published (I think this was already in the rules, but it seems it is not always true)

 

b ) It should be possible to fulfill the challenge for a broader group of cachers than just owner and maybe a handful of other cachers. (If I am the first person in the region to ever find 100 5/5 multi-caches and a friend of mine has found them with me, why should I create a challenge cache that only he has the right to log? If caches are "published", they should as well be at least a bit "public" )

 

c) The challenge should be possible to achieve within a reasonable distance from its cache. Example: I have been to Finland and found 35 T5 caches during one day on an island - http://coord.info/GC53XPA (the island is only accessible by own boat, so all caches there have to be T5, even though after getting to the island it is basically a simple T2 walk) and I create a challenge that requires 35 T5 caches during a day and I place it in Czech Republic, where most T5 caches are on trees or some abandoned objects and even if there was a trail made of them, hurrying up to find 35 of them in 24 hours would be close to imposible.

 

d) Only incremental challenges where progress cannot be lost should be created. That means that if I fulfilled just part of the challenge, I can pause and continue with it later without the need to start all over again. This would rule out all time-constrained challenges like "cache/day streak" or "do something within X hours/days". For example a challenge "find 4 caches in 4 countries within 24 hours" is void if for some reason the attempt fails before the end. If there is a challenge which requires Virtual or Webcam caches as well (usually those "Find X different types of geocache during one day"), there might actually be just limited number of attempts, as for example in Middle europe there are only a few virtual and webcam chalenges. Trying to fulfil such challenge after finding such caches has probably only solution: pretending that I never found the webcam/virtual, delete my log there and try all over again. Banning time-limited challenges would solve this problem.

 

e) Not allow challenges that, since a certain point in geocacher's game progress, cannot be achieved. For example i heard that there is a challenge that you have to have 4 cells in your matrix exactly number 4 (though I don't know if this is true and where the challenge cache is). That would mean that someone who fulfills a 5x matrix challenge will never fulfill this challenge again without deleting his FI logs.

 

f) Not allow challenges that a geocacher can fulfill only temporarily and after some time he will not meet the challenge requirements anymore. Example: In Slovakia there is a challenge where you have to have all caches within 5 miles from your HC "found". You find all the caches and before logging the challenge cache someone publishes a D5T5 cache almost on your HC. Suddenly you cannot log the challenge anymore.

 

g) Challenge requirements should have same difficulty for different cachers. Example: aforementioned challenge where you have to find all caches within 5 miles from your HC. What if my HC is in Siberia? Challenge fulfilled, gimme the cache. What if I have HC in hte middle of Prague? dadgum, there are some other absurd challenges there, almost impossible to fulfil. That makes this challenge also almost impossible. Also, what if I move? Suddenly I don't meet the challenge requirements. See suggestion f)

 

h) Challenge requirements should relate only to Geocaching. No Waymarking, no non-geocache Wherigos, no Munzee, no Ingress, no Geospy!

 

x) In these suggestions I don't count in the fact that sometimes even the "fixed" values change when for example difficulty, terrain or location of a geocache changes. It can also impact a challenge requirement, but fortunately such events occur quite rarely.

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What do you like most about challenge caches? - There are so many Caches out there - it is a nice idea to decide on the next one to find

<li>What do you not like about challenge caches? - We all have our preferences and there as many different challenge Caches as different Cache owners

<li>What would you like to see changed about challenge caches? - A way to identify them in the listing / gpx file - Icon or attribute

<li>If you could describe your favorite challenge cache type, what would it be? - It really depends on the log requirement! My Preference would be a 'single dimension' requirement, either Name, Rating, Location, attribute, placed or found date etc.etc. etc.

<li>What types of challenge caches do you avoid? I avoid Caches that do not fit to my Caching Habits (e.g. 200 finds in a day.) Or that seem to be an arbitrary set of conditions that in no way relate to each other (other than the owner has fullfilled them)

 

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I would like to see some way to differentiate challenge caches from regular caches. I am pleased if they at least fall under mystery caches, primarily because I hate to show up to a cache and find I need to solve a puzzle/meet challenges to log it. Generally I screen mystery caches out from my PQs, and then when I'm interested in solving puzzles I look locally to see what's out there. Challenge caches should be the same...I can ignore them if I'm just caching, and search them out if I'm in the mood. If there is a challenge/mystery cache I don't like, just like any other cache, I ignore it. I would prefer to see regular caches proliferating, and not challenge caches, since the whole idea is to go out and have fun in nature....a difficult challenge discourages it. That being said, when I've qualified for a challenge, I do enjoy finding and logging the cache.

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  1. What do you like most about challenge caches?
    For me and my wife challenge caches are the biggest reason we are still so active in this. If it would be just about the next hundredth or thousandth find things would get really boring really soon. Also challenge caches offer some justification for all of those 9 out of 10 caches that are not showing anything of interest and that you forget already while walking away from the scene...
     
  2. What do you not like about challenge caches?
    Few of the challenges have criteria that makes accomplishing the challenge part more difficult or totally impossible over the time.
     
  3. What would you like to see changed about challenge caches?
    Referring to the previous, challenge should not be allowed to be such that it is not possible to accomplish by everyone even after a long period of time. Besides of that, having challenge caches as cache type of their own would be nice.
     
  4. If you could describe your favorite challenge cache type, what would it be?
    Such that can be accomplished over any period of time without restrictions to complete it during 24h our or so. Then again, I've enjoyed vastly challenges requiring me to hunt find 24h straight as well so...
     
  5. What types of challenge caches do you avoid?
    Absolutely none. Aiming to accomplish what ever someone throws at us :)

 

What ever you do, do not dare to remove challenge caches! They are meant to be challenging, if people get frustrated because of that just offer means for filtering them out i.e. own cache type for a challenge caches.

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They give me incentive to try something different,they give me ideas,they(sometimes)give me an excuse to trawl though my finds and relive old memories-and to occupy winter nights when I can't go out geocaching.

2 Nothing-if I don't/can't do one I leave to those who will like it.Live and let live.Though I don't like having to register interest and not being allowed to bout prior finds. Not being able to find the cache once at GZ.

3 Nothing-finding a suitable CHALLENGE is part of the CHALLENGE(the clue is in the name) why make it any easier.

4 One that lets me trawl past finds-exercise a bit of intelligence/sideways thinking to find qualifiers and then still need to find some others to complete the task.

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In my view challenge caches are no different to those that require special equipment or ability to find. There are some caches I cannot do because I don't have the required equipment or skill, some I can't do because I don't meet the criteria of the challenge. Perhaps one day I will.

 

So far there are no challenge caches that I have any issues with. The fact that I don't qualify to find them (yet) doesn't bother me.

 

I enjoy challenge caches because they encourage me to make a point of looking for specific caches that I might otherwise not find. All the challenge caches I have seen have already been qualified by the CO, so they are possible to complete. Maybe difficult, but still possible.

 

I don't think a new cache type is necessary, but an attribute would be nice.

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What do you like most about challenge caches? They give us a reason to find specific caches. We like caching with specific goals, not just finding containers.

What do you not like about challenge caches? We have done many challenge caches. We love them, again, they give us specific goals for our caching adventures.

What would you like to see changed about challenge caches? Some way to filter them, but be able to retain the ones already found.

If you could describe your favorite challenge cache type, what would it be? We like a lot of them, but particularly the ones that get us out of our comfort zone, traveling in new places, seeing things we wouldn't otherwise see.

What types of challenge caches do you avoid? Only those we know we would never be able to get (although we have a few we thought we'd never get, like the Double Jasmer! and the Utah DeLorme). We will skip many that the majority of the finds needed are not in areas we frequent.

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What do you like most about challenge caches?

•The motivational factor and having a realistic goal to aim for.

 

What do you not like about challenge caches?

•There doesn’t seem to be a quick way to filter them from Puzzle Caches.

 

What would you like to see changed about challenge caches?

•I would like to see them given their own Icon, similar to how CITO Events are a sub category of “All Event Cache Types”.

 

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

•Challenges that encourage Cachers to attempt Caches they wouldn’t have bothered with had it not been for the Challenge (e.g. Lonely Caches, Difficulty / Terrain Combinations, Date Hidden etc.).

 

What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

•Complicated ones that are hard to check if you qualify.

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What do you like most about challenge caches?

I enjoy challenge caches and the "reward" of completing the challenge. They give an incentive to search for certain caches, especially those that are out of my usual caching routine.

 

What do you not like about challenge caches?

The difficulty of finding qualifying caches for certain challenges, such as alphanumeric ones.

 

What would you like to see changed about challenge caches?

Be a separate icon from other mystery caches. The Mystery category seems so be a catch-all.

 

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

Finding X number of caches/ types of caches/ certain words in title/etc.

 

What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

Those which require things involving skills I don't have, or travel I can't afford, or more bookkeeping than I am willing to do.

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What do you like most about challenge caches?

 

They give me a goal to shoot for, something to work towards, they take me to places I wouldn't have ordinarily gone. Completing a good one takes planning, organizing, record-keeping (all of which I enjoy), and I feel like I've accomplished something when I finish it.

 

What do you not like about challenge caches?

 

Nothing, really--I just ignore the one I'm not interested in doing.

 

What would you like to see changed about challenge caches?

 

#1 rule: the person putting out the challenge should have completed the challenge already. After all--they're challenging you to do it, too, right?

#2: they need their own icon

 

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

 

Jasmer--ties you to the history of geocaching. My very favorite--find one each of the 20 EarthCache types (though there are now 21!). I guess I like challenges that require travel and learning.

What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

I've completed the Fizzy--but I think it's kind of a joke. 81 DT ratings is way too many (a grid of 25 is a lot more reasonable), I can think of very few caches over 2/2 that I think are rated correctly. Most are too high or too low on D or T, or both.

 

Streaks--I've got everything close to home.

 

Challenges based on GSAK micros that people put out just because they thought of something they could make a micro for.

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  1.  
  2. What do you like most about challenge caches?
     
    I like challenges that give me chance to explore new areas that I probably would not have done. Challenges that give me an excuse to go on a road trip.
     
  3. What do you not like about challenge caches?
     
    Challenges that seem to exist only for the logging of the challenge cache.
     
  4. What would you like to see changed about challenge caches?
     
    That the challenge should be more geographically orientated instead of feat orientated.
     
  5. If you could describe your favorite challenge cache type, what would it be?
     
    Delorme challenges, state county challenges, Thomas Guide challenges, quad challenges.
     
  6. What types of challenge caches do you avoid?
     
    Ones that are not geographical orientated and ones I can't complete out of my already logged caches.
     

-Exactly what my response would be

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

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

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

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

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

 

1. I like that they have a tendency to get me out of my comfort zone. Initially, it was challenges (100 finds of all the types) that made me stop focusing on traditionals (when I first started) and branch out to explore all the other types of caches.

 

2. There's nothing I really dislike about them. I know that some of them I will NEVER qualify for and that's just fine with me. I won't ignore them (in fact, I NEVER have put ANY cache on my ignore list) but I certainly won't go attempting to qualify if I know I can't. You can't find everything, even though people try to, and that's just fine with me.

 

3. I know lots of people want challenges to have their own icon but I hope people realize that will just spawn MORE challenges (new icon, get a certain amount over time, in a day, placed date, etc...) that will take up a 528 ft. diameter that could have contained something they now have on their ignore list. I don't see a need to change anything. I know I can't find/qualify for them all, so I don't worry about changing them at all.

 

4. I liked the ones that got me to explore new types of caches that I previously chose not to do. I found my caching style changing from strictly traditional caches to a leaning toward non-traditional when given the choice. I had a personal challenge to get my D/T up to a 2/2 average so I ended up focusing on higher D/T combos and find that I enjoy the personal challenge just as much as working toward completing a challenge cache.

 

5. I don't avoid any. If I think I might qualify (whenever that might be), I put it in a bookmark list and update it sporadically with my attempts to qualify. If I know I never will qualify, I just push it to the side and move on to the next cache.

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What do you like most about challenge caches?

I love sorting through my list of past finds to determine if I qualify for a challenge. It’s a way of remembering all the fun times I had while geocaching. They also give me a reason to stretch myself to achieve new goals. I look at all challenge caches when I notice a new one. I specifically search for them when I am travelling. I think they really add to my enjoyment of the game.

 

What do you not like about challenge caches?

I don’t like that there is no good way currently to sort on just challenge caches.

 

What would you like to see changed about challenge caches?

Foremost, I would like to see a way to sort for them. I favor a new icon, but I understand there might be some difficulties with this scheme. I’ve always thought that having them lumped with puzzle caches was a little strange.

 

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

As I said, I enjoy sorting through my past finds in new ways, so I really enjoy the challenge caches that require you to have x number of finds with “xxx” word in the title, or something similar. Also, I like a challenge that encourages me to strive for just a little more. I like the challenges that encourage me to go get those older caches, or more difficult caches. I also enjoy the purely stat based challenges like cache on every day of the year, etc. I like them all, even if I may not qualify.

 

What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

I don’t avoid any of them, although I know there are some that I will likely never qualify for. To me, the whole point of a challenge is to make it challenging. Not every cache is for every cacher, and that’s OK. Some people don’t like climbing trees, but it would be crazy to disallow that type of hide. I will likely never find caches that require scuba gear, but I don’t want to disallow those hides, either.

 

I understand that may be an issue of balance. We want most caches to be findable by most cachers, but I think it would be a mistake to disallow the hard ones that are attainable by only a few.

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What do you like most about challenge caches?

 

I like challenges that encourage me to do something fun, in a limited time. It should be a challenge, but be fair, equally hard for all people. Especially, equally challenging for beginners and experienced alike! They can take some time, but a good challenge should be solved in a handful of challenge-specific cache visits.

 

What do you not like about challenge caches?

 

Challenges that can be pre-solved if you have been caching long enough. Example: A challenge that requires a full D/T matrix. All experienced geocachers have that, making it a non-accomplishment. No challenge! Those challenges can be extremely hard for beginners. It is unfair when a challenge is pre-solved or trivial for the experienced but can not be solved in a long time (even several years!) for the beginner! As it is now, most (!) challenges are impossible for the beginner and just a D1T1 for the experienced! Unfair, not fun!

 

What would you like to see changed about challenge caches?

 

Absolutely no more pre-solved challenges! Good challenges should be accepted (a note log is great), and then solved.

 

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

 

The best challenge I have logged was one that required me to list the caches in the region that have been unlogged the longest time, and then find one of them. Specific, can't be pre-solved, does not extend in time. You accept the challenge by listing the current situation and then act on that and solve the problem.

 

What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

 

Unfair ones! Anything that counts what I have already done. Also all challenges that are too extended in time. Typical avoid: "Full calendar with traditionals" (can take 4 years for a beginner - 8 if you happen to be ill on 29th of february - and ten seconds for the experienced). "365 consecutive days" (again ten seconds for the experienced, plus that it is a typical killer for the beginner, who might try for two months and then decide never to log another cache because it became a must instead of fun.)

 

One more thing: I would like some kind of guideline on the D/T rating of challenges. Does it rate the actual hide or the difficulty of the challenge?

 

I find the challenge concept very appealing, can be very fun when done right, but as the rules are now, most challenges are annoying black holes on the map.

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What do you like most about challenge caches?

In general, I don’t like challenge caches. I do not need them as additional motivation to go out caching, frequently they do not offer any new interesting dimension. But at the same I know that a relatively small part of geocachers (at least among my friends) like them, and I do not mind if they continue to exist. It is easy to ignore them.

 

What do you not like about challenge caches?

Many challenges are based on numbers – e.g. find X number of caches of Y type in Z days. I try to avoid numbers in geocaching. I like to maintain my pace, I like caching when I have time and not when the challenge wants me to. I want to control my game, I do not want the game to control me.

I see that some people publish challenge caches because they are unable to come-up with a more interesting idea, or a location for the cache.

 

What would you like to see changed about challenge caches?

They should be a distinct type / icon because they are no mystery caches. Challenge hunters will love them even more, and for the rest of us it will be even easier to avoid them.

The rules should be more specific – if they continue to be as vague as they are today people will continue to fight, and it spoils the game for everyone.

 

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

I can’t recall any that would really stand out.

 

What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

Those that are based on numbers – geocaching statistics.

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

 

They motivate me to cache. They get me out and finding caches that I wouldn't normally find myself doing, and feeling accomplished after I find them. If you guys get rid of challenges, I'm done with caching.

 

What do you not like about challenge caches?

 

Mostly the sheer amount of time that you have to take to prove you qualify for some of them.

 

What would you like to see changed about challenge caches?

 

Please put out a freaking new icon. Like they're not the same as puzzle/unknown caches

 

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

 

Ones that involve difficulty/terrain combinations, because I love finding difficult caches or ones that are difficult to get to, or achieve.

 

What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

 

Just the streaking ones since I'll never be able to find one a day like its my job. Well actually and the ones that make you travel a crap ton where you would have to spend a lot of money

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1.What do you like most about challenge caches?

While they don't appeal to me, I see a lot of my caching friends get a lot of enjoyment and satisfaction out of completing challenges--it makes me happy to see them happy. Also, I like the way challenges can give added purpose to caches that might have lost their appeal for seasoned cachers (when you really need a cache today to maintain a streak, that trite LPC just became your best friend).

 

2.What do you not like about challenge caches?

To be very candid--and trust me, I don't mean for this to sound harsh or condescending--the only "challenge" for a lot of them is simply having a lot of time on your hands. Sure, sometimes there's the mental challenge of figuring out how to meet the goal in an efficient way (e.g., what's the best way to get eight different types of caches during this "busy day"), or a physical challenge of maintaining your endurance during a "century" or other long caching session. Succeeding there can be genuinely satisfying. Still on the whole, it seems like most challenges are just going to make me drive somewhere that I didn't necessarily want to go, at times that I didn't necessarily want to be caching, to find a cache that I didn't necessarily want to do at that time. At the end of the day, the only thing I really have to show for it is that I am willing to put a lot of hours into the hobby. That is the main reason they don't appeal to me.

 

The Frog says while "they account for only ~1% of all geocache submissions, challenge caches comprise the bulk of appeals made to Geocaching HQ." Leading into the next question, I don't like that either.

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

Despite my own distaste, I don't see a huge need to change them... except for the whole "pain to administer" part. If these things are sucking away too much of Groundspeak's time, then that's a problem.

 

To wax theoretical a bit, this entire hobby is built on a very non-competitive framework. "Built" is probably the wrong word... it evolved, organically, based on a whole lot of subjectivity, selflessness, and sheer trust on the part of cache owners and cache finders alike. Challenges introduce new levels of rigidity and substantiation that often is not intuitive or natural. It strains people's honesty and integrity (a test which cachers do not always pass), and it's no surprise that they are a headache for Groundspeak to oversee.

 

As for the icon.... As an avid puzzler, there was a day when I would have really liked a separate icon / cache type for challenges, to distinguish them from typical puzzle caches. Nowadays, I'm used to not knowing if a mystery cache is truly a rewarding puzzle until I open up the cache page and dig in. In particular, the popularity of geo-art--while cool in and of itself--has served to severely dilute any sense of prestige for having a lot of mystery finds under your belt. So, since the Mystery Cache is a bit of a catch-all already, and there aren't many challenge caches, I don't see the justifation for a distinct icon. I do see the merit in a "Challenge" attribute, though.

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

Resuscitation / Lonely Cache challenges. I do think there is genuine sense of accomplishment when you find a cache that hasn't been found in a while, worthy of recognition, and it's healthy for the game.

5.What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

Any for which I don't happen to already qualify for, through just the course of my natural caching.

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Replying as a volunteer reviewer.

 

1. What do you like most about challenge caches?

 

Many members of the caching community like them, owners as well as players.

 

2. What do you not like about challenge caches?

 

Some challenge caches are overly complex for the sake of complexity; some of them attempt to be controlling; some of them are "look what I did - are you as good as me?"

 

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

 

Borrowing elements from other concepts, create a process where a cacher could propose a new challenge cache concept and qualification criteria, submit the concept to Geocaching.com, and have Geocaching.com publish it in each state or geographic area where it is applicable. That means no personal ownership of the challenge cache pages going forward, standardized qualification criteria for each challenge cache, standardized method of demonstrating achievement which is visible to all community members, and a badge or souvenir(*) for cachers demonstrating the achievement. * not necessarily the same as existing badges and/or souvenirs.

 

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

 

Those that I didn't list under item 2.

 

5. What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

 

I avoid most caches that fall under the (?) mystery or puzzle cache type in order to avoid the perception of misusing my reviewing tools.

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

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

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

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

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

 

1. I like the feel of accomplishment it gives me when I complete a challenge cache and logging it is my way to share with other geocachers without sounding overly boastful.

 

2. I like everything about the concept of them. If I don't qualify I just move on with my life.

 

3. I would like for new ones to have their own icon that way you could differentiate puzzles from challenges in your searches.

 

4. A cache that involves high terrain or difficulty (from your stats page) or traveling

 

5. I avoid caches that involve a lot of research where you have to have an app like GSAK or project-gc to find the data. For instance caches that require you to find stuff on certain dates.

 

I think that any proof should count for qualifying for a cache be it a bookmark, picture from your phone, in your log or a screenshot from an app that you use.

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1. What do you like most about challenge caches?

 

I like that a challenge is exactly that a challenge. I like an extra added goal that I can work towards in a game that I enjoy.

The rule "player should not change their style of finding" is ridiculous as that is exactly what every challenge does. I seek challenges that do need me to change my style for a period of time, and maybe hunt down different icons or more finds in a day, or specific series (church micros) or even limit finds to a small number.

I enjoy anything that "challenges" me. Easier ones are maybe not so exciting but if I qualify then great, I see it as a free find!

 

2. What do you not like about challenge caches?

 

I don't particularly like ones that require a lot of travelling in a short specific time. Like 5 countries in 24 hours. But I also believe that others do, so any "reasonable" challenge should be allowed. I simply won't do it. Like another mentioned, I will not be seeking 2.6million caches so I don't need to find every challenge.

I don't however like challenges that require you to set a start time with a "write note" and then have a time period to do xxx things. These should be same as all other challenges that I can do when I wish, and if I already meet the criteria great (I should be able to claim), if not I can work on them if I wish but I shouldn't have to define my start before attempting the challenge.

 

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

 

A challenge should be first qualified by the CO (generally they do) that proves it is possible. Or if they don't. Then they must prove that multiple others have qualified. Some challenges are obviously very hard, and it should be up to the player if they want to attempt.

Also I think it should be available to everyone if they want to attempt it. And everyone should be able to use any past finds. No "only finds after this date count" similarly no "only finds before x date" too.

And time limits like streak should be maximum 1year (well 366 days)

I also think challenges that need you to visit specific countries should not be, rather they should be visit another country than your home, but not a specific country.

 

I would also like a new icon, maybe a new icon going forward, so that people who have found a challenge as a ? should remain as ? Any new challenges from now get a new icon.

But the CO of current challenges would need to archive old challenges and replace if they wished their challenge to have the new icon. All current challenges should be able to remain as "grandfathers"

Attribute is not important.

 

I would also like to mention, that I DO NOT want to change the ease of a challenge. It should still be exactly that A CHALLENGE and maybe specific minimums criterias should also be considered.

 

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

 

Favourite challenges are one that pushes my game to somewhere I wouldn't normally go. Maybe more finds in a day, maybe more icons, maybe a streak. All are considered and I enjoy many many challenges. Any I don't like or don't want to do, I leave them and forget about them. Easy!

 

My favourite ones are ones that seek variety like finding more different icons, I enjoy all the different cache types for different reasons and enjoy challenges that push me a little bit more towards the available variety in the game.

 

5. What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

 

As mentioned already. I avoid challenges that you have to define a start before you complete your qualification, past finds should always be available to count.

And ones that I must visit a specific country.

I should be able to qualify by visiting any other country not the exact specific country.

 

Thanks for the opportunity to have our say.

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What do you like most about challenge caches?

I've heard the phrase "everyone plays the game differently" in our geocaching community many times. I am in agreement with that statement and challenge caches gives ME the opportunity to enjoy another aspect of this multifaceted hobby. Challenges push me outside my comfort zone in the field and encourage me to review my prior finds which brings back a flood of fantastic memories from specific cache hunts and geocaching trips.

 

What do you not like about challenge caches?

I feel that signing the logbook prior to fulfilling the requirements of a challenge should not be allowed. Also, challenge caches have seemed to devolve with strange requirements. I am not fond of challenges that have you spell a certain word with your cache finds. Challenges with "finds after this date" also seem to have crossed a line into the realm of absurdity. There are endless possibilities when "spelling" and "finds after" are used and leads to the category becoming less special.

 

What would you like to see changed about challenge caches?

Give challenges their own category icon. That is the easiest way to clear up the problem of cachers being confused by them. They really are not mysteries anyway since traditionally you need to work out some sort of puzzle to find a mystery cache. Challenges ARE different. No mystery to them.

 

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

I like challenges that have me reviewing my prior finds which sparks memories of past caching adventures.

 

What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

I may not like some of the challenges such as those I mentioned above, but I will do them. The only challenges I avoid are ones that have requirements specific to a state or city when traveling. That is not to say that I don't like them. It is merely the fact that in the limited time that I will be visiting, there is no way that I can visit every area that is required, ie. all counties or Delorme.

Edited by SerenityNow
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•What do you like most about challenge caches?

 

As with many of the other posters, challenges can make me step outside my comfort zone, especially if I’m already close to completing a challenge. They can also encourage me to explore new areas that I just might not have otherwise explored.

 

They can also provide a reason to continue caching. Many times, the challenge itself is a big motivation to find more caches. Without certain challenges, I might think “Naw, I won’t go caching today, I’ll go some other time.” Whereas with a challenge it can be like “Ohhh.. I need to grab a cache today to meet this one challenge.”

 

•What do you not like about challenge caches?

 

While a lot of challenges are rewards, some just seem to be designed so that only a few people are able to complete them. However, this could also be said about certain regular D/T cache.

 

•What would you like to see changed about challenge caches?

 

This could be a long list, depending on how people feel about challenge. In my opinion:

1)The cache owners has to also already qualify for the challenge to prove it is doable

2)You can’t pre-sign the log. Pre-signing the log encourages arbitrary “found it dates”

3)The cache owner is require to verify that someone is qualified for a challenge before a “found it” is allowed.

4)A new cache type for that doesn’t have a 500 foot area restriction. This allows the placement without interference of regular cache types.

5)A physically container that isn’t at the posted coordinates. The cache owner supplies the final cache location to the finder, after the cache owner verifies that the finder qualifies. This is similar to some puzzle checkers. This puts more burden on the cache owner, but could discourage the proliferation of challenges. This would also eliminate arbitrary “found it dates”. By retaining a physical log, this would also prevent people from logging caches in an area that they have never been to.

 

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

 

Any that courage me to travel a little distance. With so many caches in my area, I don’t have to travel far to grab a cache. But with challenges, I might be encouraged to travel to an area I might not have otherwise gone to.

 

•What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

 

I don’t avoid any, but realistically, I know there are several I’ll never qualify for. I just ignore those.

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What do you like most about challenge caches?

That they exist, and are a product of the customer rather then a marketing team.

That they make you look at your caching habits, and attempt to push you past your boundaries

What do you not like about challenge caches?

The idea of removing them from the game. This is a really popular idea, that will once again likely be tossed out in favour of mindless parking lot skirt lifters.

The subjectiveness of the review system.. That there is no guiding force for reviewing them, no set of guidelines, every one seems to have a new "hoop" to jump through to get published.

They are grouped into "Mystery" caches.. which would have been easier to fix 8 years ago, but now it has gotten out of hand.

What would you like to see changed about challenge caches?

A set of rules, an icon (reviewers can bestow a new icon retroactively on the cache if they deem it a challenge rather then a mystery)

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

One's that deal with geographic/physical/location boundaries, unique attributes - ones that push you past your comfort limits.

What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

Ones that require X-day streaks (i can't cache every day, as much as i would like to!), or X-finds in a single day (which guarantees i would have to do crap caches for an entire day), Ones that force you to avoid other caches (Obtain an average terrain rating of 3!)

Edited by Juicepig
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The challenge cache are one of my favorites.

 

1: I like that means overcoming a challenge beyond the simple search for a cache.

 

2: Nothing.

 

3: I would give more freedom to the owner to pose challenges and not only restrict their statistics in geocaching.

 

4: A challenge to make me live a different adventure or allow me to enjoy a cultural experience that you can not get with a traditional cache.

 

5: I think that censoring creativity owner can never be good.

 

Please do not kill the challenges!!!

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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.

 

For more information about the pause, see the Help Center article.

 

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.  
  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?

 

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

 

1. What do you like most about challenge caches?

 

They take you out of the regular, expected way of thinking about a defined (or undefined) group of Caches or actions.

Often they introduce an unexpected way of seeing Caches from a different perspective. Also, they allow a two-for-one-return

on Caches that you have already Found. i.e., you have already Found 25 caches with a different animal named in the Cache

Title/Name and you get to Find a Challenge Cache with a higher D/T rating. Plus, on some of the more difficult Challenges,

you need to spend time going through the Caches that you have previously Found and reminisce over good times with Friends,

places visited or physical challenges met and exceeded.

 

2. What do you not like about challenge caches?

 

I have no problems with any of the Challenge Caches as you can accept the Challenge or ignore it depending on your

resources -- time available, interest, etc.

 

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

 

They are difficult to separate from other caches in the 'Unknown Icon' group because they have no specific identifying Icon.

Also, there is a general feeling that Challenge Caches detract from the value of earning statistics based on the Unknown Icons.

I have previously suggested to Jeremy that Challenge Caches be granted a separate Icon to distinguish them from Unknown

Icon types. A young lady in Southern California, shell1fish, has been maintaining a Bookmark List of acceptable Challenge Caches

(Not just any Cache with "Challenge" in the Cache Name) and offered to provide that information to Groundspeak as a starting basis for

Challenge Cache Icons. However, it is possible that she no longer updates that Bookmark because of the popularity (and explosion

of the numbers) of Challenge Caches.

 

I think that the Geocaching Community can 'Vote' on any form, type, or invention of a new Challenge by simply choosing to 'Find' it

or ignore the Challenge. Even 'Negative Challenges' i.e., "List 50 DNF's" Challenge has its merits because Posting a DNF has definite

value to the Cache Owner in determining the Maintenance Status of his Cache and I do not believe that there is a significant

number of Geocachers that would simply post a DNF to get the number of DNF's to qualify for the Challenge (Besides, from your

own Statistics -- Challenge Caches make up less than 1% of Published Caches.)

 

Many Challenge Caches are innovative and add to the intrigue of Caching!

 

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

 

10 State, 20 State, 50 State, 5 Country, etc., because I love to TRAVEL and that satisfies me! But, that is personal and there are other

Challenges that satisfy different Cachers. I also undertake a lot of other Challenge Caches because I have more than 10,000 'Caches Found'

and therefore qualify for quite a few. The 'Streak Challenges' get and keep a lot of Cachers engaged in Caching and that is GOOD!

 

I always encourage a newbie Cacher to pick a Challenge Cache and work on completing it as they increase their number of Finds. The

'Alphabet Challenge' is one of the best because the first letters come easily but some (Q, X, Z and such) stretch the Cachers capabilities

and requires them to do research on different aspects of the Geocaching.com website and increases their understanding of many additional

aspects of Geocaching plus the Geocache that they need for 'Z' is rarely in the their local neighborhood and a little travel is required

which introduces them to a new neighborhood of Caches -- and that is all GOOD because that keeps them in engaged in Geocaching!

 

5. What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

 

Simple answer -- I pick and choose Challenge Caches based on the same criteria that I choose to look for any Cache. My interests,

the difficulty of the Challenge (1/1's or 5/5's can be interesting depending on the concept of the Challenge), how much time I am willing

to devote to completing the Challenge and many other factors. NANO or Ammo Can? Either can be good or bad. How many Favorites? Do

I do a "5 State Challenge" where you have to 'Find' a Cache in 5 different States in a Day? If I happen to be in the New England area,

I would probably accept that Challenge. If in Seattle, WA, I would be far less likely!!

 

Good Challenges will survive on their own merits -- one being 'Found' once a year could be an outstanding Challenge or a failure however,

generally, the Log Entry or Entries will probably tell the story.

 

Challenge Caches should be Published regardless of whether the Reviewer likes or dislikes the concept as long as it meets Geocaching Guidelines

and whether or not the Cache Owner has completed the Challenge or a significant number of other Cachers could complete the Challenge

should be immaterial to the decision to Publish because if one Cacher accepts the Challenge and works on it -- it proves its value

by keeping one Cacher seriously engaged in the Game of Geocaching! Think of Challenge Caches as Lab Caches (Exploring new ideas).

How many Cachers would have thought that the Fizzy Challenge was 'doable' in the early days of Caching? Probably not enough to get it

Published under the Guidelines. That Reviewer deserves a BIG ATTABOY/GIRL!!!

 

Many Thanks for the opportunity to comment.

 

Enjoy and Appreciate the Great Outdoors,

 

ORNITH

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What do you like most about challenge caches?

 

I actually enjoy the bookkeeping part of the challenges because it gives me a chance to revisit some of my favorite caches, destinations, experiences, etc. I enjoy challenges that make you work for that smiley - caches at different elevations, different parts of the world, different icon types, etc.

 

What do you not like about challenge caches?

 

I don't like being "punished" for having cached out an area. For example, a challenge that requires you to find a non-traditional cache for 30 days in a row would be quite difficult, as I have found most of those non-traditional within 20 miles of my house.

 

I also don't like that challenge cache owners aren't required to validate finders' claims of qualifying. When I published my Forgotten Cache Challenge (GC26395), the Reviewer told me that validating each finders' qualifications would be a condition to which I would have to agree before the Reviewer would publish my challenge cache.

 

What would you like to see changed about challenge caches?

 

These aren't really "mystery" or "unknown" caches in that the physical cache is usually at the posted coords. I think of a mystery cache as a cache where one has to solve a puzzle or find some clues in order to determine where the physical container is. Then again, a challenge cache isn't really a "traditional" cache. Creating a new icon for challenge caches might be problematic for those who would retroactively not qualify for previously-completed challenge caches due to losing a bunch of "mystery" finds. Maybe a sub-category of mystery would be appropriate?

 

I would push for a standard way of verifying compliance. For example, project-gc.com has a collection of scripts that can verify your qualifications. Maybe if everybody who created a challenge cache were forced to create a script to verify compliance, there would be fewer issues. Creating such a script could be a condition of publication, and it would enforce a consistent way of verying compliance.

 

D/T ratings are often based on the caches one has to find in order to qualify, rather than the specific challenge cache itself. That doesn't seem appropriate.

 

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

 

I enjoy challenges where I have to purposely go out and do something different in order to qualify. Find caches at high elevations, at low elevations, in different states, in different counties, with different icons, etc. Although, I also admit to having fun going through old finds to see if I accidentally qualify for challenges such as "find x caches that start with these letters, that contain those words, with y different icon types, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, on a full moon, with a cacher whose names starts with z".

 

What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

 

I don't! I have found 268 challenge caches and look for them wherever I travel - or even where I might travel someday. And, for those people who don't like challenge caches, you can always ignore them. This is just a game, and nobody is forced to find challenge caches - just like you're not forced to climb mountains or dive into the ocean.

 

What I do appreciate are challenge caches that don't require you to find other challenge caches. For example, there are certain challenge caches in my area requiring you to find all caches within the borders of specific freeways. Other challenge caches that reside within those borders are typically excluded from the challenge.

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