Collapsing caches in map view

[+rragan 2]

The latest update to the Geocaching app has further degraded the usability, in my opinion. If you are viewing by map, when there get to be a fair number of caches in the view, suddenly hides are collapsed into a numbered circle showing how many there are in that area. Now you don't know the types of those N hides without zooming in. It's not the collapsing I mind so much as how aggressive it is. Why collapse 3 dots to a large circle? Geosphere also collapses but is way less aggressive about doing so.

 

See these recommendations from UI experience studies on mobile map views which recommends against aggregating. https://www.nngroup.com/articles/mobile-maps-locations/

[+koselig 0]

You also can't identify how many of the caches in each circle you have already found without expanding it. Really wish I had not updated the app.

[+Mockingbird559 9]

Really don't like the numbered circles, either. They don't really help with anything. Just makes you wonder what it not being shown.

[+Littlegrami 0]

I do not like these new collapsing congregating of caches into other circles. I like to look at the whole picture of caches so I can make a choice. The only way to look at the new circles is to zoom.

And then you lose the other surrounding caches you are interested in also. I prefer not to have these circles in with the caches

This upgrade is not very friendly.

[+tim.devos 1]

I also don't like the option. In my opinion they should make a settings screen where you can turn switch this off.

[+barefootguru 8]

Or if you select a cache, then zoom out, the marker for the currently selected cache disappears.

[+ZeppelinDT 19]

I have to at least give them credit for their consistency in structuring the app in a way to make it frustrating and unusable.

[+barefootguru 8]

I have to at least give them credit for their consistency in structuring the app in a way to make it frustrating and unusable.

Lol! It's awful… they need a proper iOS designer on the team, not some ex-Windows programmer. Or at least listen to feedback.

[+Legomango9 0]

Dad and I prefer the old display where the caches were stacked on top of each other. It gave you a better view of where the caches are rather than picking a random point to add a number. There is one power trail of 130 caches that we did that collapses to numbers and we can't see the other unsolved nearby caches without zooming in.

Can't there be an on/ off switch

[+lavzfun 0]

Anyone else also found that cashes you looked at previously and the ones you found disappeared from the map after the new update?!?

Also the filter makes no difference on the cashes displayed?

Using latest app and iOS on iPhone 6

[+go.warcat 4]

I very much do NOT like this option either. It makes it very difficult to see when all you get is circled numbers. This doesn't help me out at all. Wish it was an option. If you like this display, you can select it. If you don't like this display, you can disable it. The more I use this new app the easier it has become for me but I will never get used to these circles.

Edited July 25, 2016 by go.warcat

[+Annie Organ 0]

Yesterday I contacted HQ about this issue, as follows:

Earlier this summer I started seeing green circles enclosing numbers (indicating the number of caches in a given area) on the mobile app. You have to zoom in quite close to not see these numbers displayed, and at an overview they cover up a lot of regional info. It's distracting and negatively affects my map view, especially because the info isn't even relevant because these numbers include caches I've already found. I've attached a screenshot example of this; in the area included in this photo there is a power trail where I've found at least 50 caches already - these numbers thus mean nothing and to get to the point where I can accurately see what's still available to be found I've lost the overall sense of where this is. This was not an enhancement to the program and I can't find anything about it online. None of my caching friends has this feature, and they all say "ugh" when I show it to them. Please please please...how do I get rid of these "number circles"?

 

They responded:

The UX team who worked on this feature implemented it to enhance the loading process of geocaches. Without segmenting them out that way, there are issues with speed. At this time, we do not plan on switching back to the dotted map but I will share your feedback with the team.

 

My response to that:

Thanks for taking my opinion into account. In addition to the scorn heaped upon this by geopals at events, I also see that there were loads of negative comments posted about the collapsing feature on the Groundspeakforum. If we cached with an 11" iPad it probably wouldn't matter, but with a phone...what a bummer!

 

And they responded:

Yeah that team reads the forums :-). Appreciate the feedback!

Edited September 30, 2016 by Annie Organ