OpenCycle Maps - yes or no?

[+Stucuk & TT]

So does anyone know - will the Open CycleMap, as available in the paid for app, be available on the 'new' App or not? The 'street' maps, as available in the new app, are useless for the countryside and footpaths.

Without a map that at least gives us some idea of the footpaths it will make the new app practically useless, Open CycleMap isn't brilliant but at least it gives you a start, 'street' maps simply does not show them - well not in the UK anyway!

Thanks, Stucuk

[+nkroy]

Its definitely something we have been talking about . We are trying to evaluate different options . Like the release notes mentioned , Keep looking forward to more newer and better done features getting introduced in this app

[+Murazor]

Yeah, the possibility od having OSM / OCM maps like in the Classic App are most welcome here as well as the possiblility of saving them to offline. When caching a lot abroad it is essential to have the pre-prepared map on the device before going caching - otherwise roaming data costs are a kill.

[+team brida]

Same for me…I really miss Open Cycle Map…99% of my GC Time I use it…if there is no OCM or smth similar I won't use the new app…Sorry for that comment because I like the appearance of the app.

 

Street View…standard

OCM…I REALLY MISS IT!!!

SATELLITE…very useful when looking for special obstacles or buildings.

HYBRID…I don't use it at all

 

Thx for all your effort.

I'm looking forward to some improvement.

Team Brida

[+thebruce0]

For now you could try the mAPP - offline mapping app (by Looking4Cache UG).

You can put waypoints by coordinate onto the map and it's pretty good and lightweight. I have it linked in to geosphere (which also doesn't have openmaps) so I can quickly view a specific cache's location by importing the coordinates directly into mAPP.

(oh that app also does tracklogs, side benefit, though I use Ramblr for that)

[+GrezzoR]

So does anyone know - will the Open CycleMap, as available in the paid for app, be available on the 'new' App or not? The 'street' maps, as available in the new app, are useless for the countryside and footpaths.

Without a map that at least gives us some idea of the footpaths it will make the new app practically useless, Open CycleMap isn't brilliant but at least it gives you a start, 'street' maps simply does not show them - well not in the UK anyway!

Thanks, Stucuk

I completely agree. Most of my geocaching take place on footpaths, not streets, and the footpaths aren't shown on the "street" map in the new app (at least in the UK).

 

I really like the interface on the new app, and it was one of the inspirations for me to go premium, but I haven't been able to use it properly yet because I keep having to switch back to the old app so that I can use the Open Cycle Map view to see the footpaths.

Edited May 5, 2016 by GrezzoR

[+NiceDayOut]

As I understand it, there should be no question that Open Cycle Maps will be supported in a future release. From the new app's FAQ:

 

I use the Geocaching Classic app because the Geocaching® app doesnt have all the features I like. Why would I want to switch?

 

All those features are either already included or coming soon in the Geocaching® app!

 

Since you need OCM to see footpaths in the UK this is a deal-breaker for me and I will wait until OCM is supported before switching.

Edited May 6, 2016 by NiceDayOut

[+ZeppelinDT]

As I understand it, there should be no question that Open Cycle Maps will be supported in a future release. From the new app's FAQ:

 

I use the Geocaching Classic app because the Geocaching® app doesn’t have all the features I like. Why would I want to switch?

 

All those features are either already included or coming soon in the Geocaching® app!

 

Since you need OCM to see footpaths in the UK this is a deal-breaker for me and I will wait until OCM is supported before switching.

 

Agreed. OpenCycle maps is hugely important to caching in the woods. It's saved me from unnecessary bushwhacking and getting lost many times.

 

Call me skeptical but I'll believe the promise of integrating "all" of the features of the current app when I see it.

[+NicolasN]

For me this is the main reason why I still use the old app.

Without OCM the new app is useless.

[+LHBfans]

It should not even be a question - yes or no. The obvious answer is YES. OCM or OSM have become essential to cachers in remoter or unusual locations where the bog-standard road maps are not at all helpful. I am also an enthusiastic bush-walker and always take the time to trace my steps with my GPSr and then download the trace to OSM/OCM. There is a long distance Geocaching trail around here and the traces I've contributed to OSM are the only way parts of it can be logically followed, unless you are poring over a paper topo map. The tracks are unavailable on the "new" App but can be found on the "classic" App with its OSM/OCM option. Which is why I and many others stick with the classic App. It's surprising to me that something so half baked as the "new" App can be launched and to add insult to injury the "classic" App is no longer available nor do links point to it.

[+nick.nic]

It should not even be a question - yes or no. The obvious answer is YES. OCM or OSM have become essential to cachers in remoter or unusual locations where the bog-standard road maps are not at all helpful. I am also an enthusiastic bush-walker and always take the time to trace my steps with my GPSr and then download the trace to OSM/OCM. There is a long distance Geocaching trail around here and the traces I've contributed to OSM are the only way parts of it can be logically followed, unless you are poring over a paper topo map. The tracks are unavailable on the "new" App but can be found on the "classic" App with its OSM/OCM option. Which is why I and many others stick with the classic App. It's surprising to me that something so half baked as the "new" App can be launched and to add insult to injury the "classic" App is no longer available nor do links point to it.

wher I live in Itly most of the caches are offroad amd wirhout a map wtith paths an trails we are lost

[+Allonym&MrsAllonym]

One more vote from the UK for OCM or OSM maps. The current options are useless in the countryside (where we do nearly all of our caching) as they don't have footpaths. Most of the caches we do are placed with footpaths in mind (as you would!) and without them on the map the app is essentially useless. Thank heavens the old one still works!

[+Antscroff]

Hi. I'm in the UK. I've been geocaching for 6 or so years using an iPhone with the excellent Griundspeka app. During this time I have seen the app go from strength to strength. I was very surprised to see OSM and OCM gone in the new app. I was wondering why this is.

I recall a friend in the USA telling me there is pretty much no such thing as public footpaths over there. For those US folk not familiar with UK history, we have historically had many public rights of access over land for centuries, even over private land in many places. These exist not just within the countryside but within towns. They don't show up on Google/Apple maps. The countryside is littered with public footpaths and OSM//OCM are fantastic at detailing these. A large percentage of caches are on or close to these footpaths. You absolutely need a map with footpaths to stand any chance of finding one of these caches, otherwise you would be trespassing on private land. You also simply find your way blocked by thick hedges. A smartphone geocaching app without such maps is useless for anything but urban caches. So the new app has, for UK cachers, got its priorities completely wrong. This is a real shame because there are other nice features present. But without the fundamentals - i,e, proper maps - these features will never be used as the app is near useless without these maps.

 

I do hope Groundspeak can rectify this. The original app is so good and the new app has such great potential. I am of course using the old app unless and until it ceases to work or until the new app catches up.

[+a token of smiths]

Another vote for including the Open Cycle Maps within the new app as a matter of urgency. I am in agreement with most of the posts above;, without being able to download these maps for the caches, geocaching becomes a lot harder and a lot less fun.

[+bteamuk]

Its definitely something we have been talking about . We are trying to evaluate different options . Like the release notes mentioned , Keep looking forward to more newer and better done features getting introduced in this app

 

Hi - can you provide an update on this? Is cycle map integration on the roadmap and if so when? This is absolutely mandatory for caching here in the uk. I regularly take 30 teens caching (girl guides) and we cannot continue without this. It would be sad if we had to stop this come September when classic becomes unsupported. Many thanks in advance!

[+Team DEMP]

Cachly current supports Open Cycle maps. Cachly is an iPhone app ~$5 USD and for me is a huge improvement in user experience and functionality over the free GC.com app. I'm not indicating GC shouldn't consider support, but if you need this now, it's available in Cachly.

 

** I have nothing to do with Cachly and I'm just a satisfied user of the app.

[+geodarts]

Cachly current supports Open Cycle maps. Cachly is an iPhone app ~$5 USD and for me is a huge improvement in user experience and functionality over the free GC.com app. I'm not indicating GC shouldn't consider support, but if you need this now, it's available in Cachly.

 

** I have nothing to do with Cachly and I'm just a satisfied user of the app.

 

It's a common feature with third party apps. Looking4 cache and Geobucket supports them. I use OSM maps with Geosphere .

[+bteamuk]

Thanks both - that's really useful to know. I'd prefer not to pay for another app though if possible.

 

Groundspeak- can you advise on your roadmap?