What is Good about Pokeman Go that could enhance your Geocaching Experience?

[+Manville Possum]

I'm not paranoid but i don't feel the need to make it so easy for google or anyone else to keep up with my travels.

 

I use Fake GPS when the spooks are following me, but that app don't work for fooling the Pokemons.

 

Not paranoid? You should be paranoid! Google wants to know *everything* about you. Everything!

 

Google is our friends.

[+Understandblue]

So when someone is sitting on their couch typing TFTC on a cache 100 miles away the app could say - sorry - the cache is too far away, and prevent logging.

 

This is an interesting proposal. However, I am not sure how it would work for those who do not log in the field.

 

I went out yesterday and did a bit of unplanned caching in the Adirondacks. For some of the finds, finding the cache I went back to my car and entered a found it log on my phone before driving to the next spot. On a couple of them I didn't have cellular access and couldn't log it through the app. In once case, I lost the connection before I got to the trailhead for the cache, and because I hadn't started navigating toward the cache it didn't even show up on the map.

 

I could see how the app could capture waypoints, so it would know that if one tried to armchair log a cache, it would know if one was ever near GZ. One could still log the cache from afar as long as the app had captured a waypoint near GZ (which wouldn't require a data connection).

 

Right, and if a person is trying to use a phone in a surprising number of places, there's no signal. And just being near GZ doesn't prove you found the 3.5/3.5 cache.

 

If the goal is to eliminate all armchair logging than this, by itself, would not be the ultimate solution. It could, however, make it a little bit harder to armchair log a cache from the app. Once again an idea which might provide a small improvement is dismissed because it's not a perfect solution.

 

Perfect is the sworn enemy of good.

[+wmpastor]

I'm not paranoid but i don't feel the need to make it so easy for google or anyone else to keep up with my travels.

 

I use Fake GPS when the spooks are following me, but that app don't work for fooling the Pokemons.

 

Not paranoid? You should be paranoid! Google wants to know *everything* about you. Everything!

 

Google is our friends.

 

Ha-ha! You trust the info-gathers, huh?! They're out to make money, and knowing every habit, preference, health issue, hobby, viewpoint, etc. about you is a saleable item.

 

Why do marketers need access to your photos??? This isn't tin hat stuff, it's in the fine print. It's not a rumor I heard - I *read* the fine print! That's one example.

 

I use one fitness monitor, an established but slightly older one. I looked at the newer ones. They've got good bells and whistles, but they share your fitness info and habits. Not hearsay - I *read it* in their materials.

 

I didn't get the device. Okay, the marketers already have most of my financial info. Sorry, guys, you're not getting my health info too!

[+wmpastor]

So when someone is sitting on their couch typing TFTC on a cache 100 miles away the app could say - sorry - the cache is too far away, and prevent logging.

 

This is an interesting proposal. However, I am not sure how it would work for those who do not log in the field.

 

I went out yesterday and did a bit of unplanned caching in the Adirondacks. For some of the finds, finding the cache I went back to my car and entered a found it log on my phone before driving to the next spot. On a couple of them I didn't have cellular access and couldn't log it through the app. In once case, I lost the connection before I got to the trailhead for the cache, and because I hadn't started navigating toward the cache it didn't even show up on the map.

 

I could see how the app could capture waypoints, so it would know that if one tried to armchair log a cache, it would know if one was ever near GZ. One could still log the cache from afar as long as the app had captured a waypoint near GZ (which wouldn't require a data connection).

 

Right, and if a person is trying to use a phone in a surprising number of places, there's no signal. And just being near GZ doesn't prove you found the 3.5/3.5 cache.

 

If the goal is to eliminate all armchair logging than this, by itself, would not be the ultimate solution. It could, however, make it a little bit harder to armchair log a cache from the app. Once again an idea which might provide a small improvement is dismissed because it's not a perfect solution.

 

Perfect is the sworn enemy of good.

 

Recently I was in an area outside of good phone access. No device registered my presence. When I logged the cache under this proposed verification system, what red tape would I have incurred to prove my presence?

 

I know very well that the perfect is the enemy of the good. But let's not forget the law of unintended consequences. Northern New York state, for example, has spotty phone coverage. Places one to two hours from San Francisco have spotty phone coverage. Now the vast majority of honest cachers will be put to the trouble of extra verification of their finds?? Gee, I'm glad I'm a low-numbers Cacher!

 

Edit: and in fact I have several times logged caches from an armchair 100 miles from GZ - generally caches I found earlier that day.

Edited September 4, 2016 by wmpastor

[+Harry Dolphin]

So when someone is sitting on their couch typing TFTC on a cache 100 miles away the app could say - sorry - the cache is too far away, and prevent logging.

 

This is an interesting proposal. However, I am not sure how it would work for those who do not log in the field.

 

Ah. Hmm... My brother gave me a laptop that I can use to log caches from motels with WIFI. But I drove more than a hundred miles on my last trip for PA Counties. Logged them when I got home. Yup. That was 253 miles away. Logged when I got home. Yes. That was a long drive.

Edited September 4, 2016 by Harry Dolphin

[+wmpastor]

So when someone is sitting on their couch typing TFTC on a cache 100 miles away the app could say - sorry - the cache is too far away, and prevent logging.

 

This is an interesting proposal. However, I am not sure how it would work for those who do not log in the field.

 

Ah. Hmm... My brother gave me a laptop that I can use to log caches from motels with WIFI. But I drove more than a hundred miles on my last trip for PA Counties. Logged them when I got home. Yup. That was 253 miles away. Logged when I got home. Yes. That was a long drive.

 

Here is another example of how an honest Cacher could be burdened by the proposed verification system.

 

Now yes, I realize that most caches are within areas of phone coverage and even more (virtually all?) within gpsr signal coverage, so that physical presence at GZ can often be verified.

 

However, I have several finds that I know are in areas of spotty phone coverage, and so presumably I would face extra challenges under the proposed verification system.

 

I vote against it - not because it isn't perfect, but because it is net-negative to the game.

[+Tassie_Boy]

I'm not paranoid but i don't feel the need to make it so easy for google or anyone else to keep up with my travels.

 

I use Fake GPS when the spooks are following me, but that app don't work for fooling the Pokemons.

 

Not paranoid? You should be paranoid! Google wants to know *everything* about you. Everything!

 

Google is our friends.

 

Ha-ha! You trust the info-gathers, huh?! They're out to make money, and knowing every habit, preference, health issue, hobby, viewpoint, etc. about you is a saleable item.

 

Why do marketers need access to your photos??? This isn't tin hat stuff, it's in the fine print. It's not a rumor I heard - I *read* the fine print! That's one example.

 

I use one fitness monitor, an established but slightly older one. I looked at the newer ones. They've got good bells and whistles, but they share your fitness info and habits. Not hearsay - I *read it* in their materials.

 

I didn't get the device. Okay, the marketers already have most of my financial info. Sorry, guys, you're not getting my health info too!

 

Meh, if they can help me find what I'm looking for then awesome. Recently needed to buy a pram and an ad for a pram review came up, helped me decide.

 

It's like fishing, they offer the bait but it's up to you to take it. Don't want what they are selling, don't buy it.

[+niraD]

However, I have several finds that I know are in areas of spotty phone coverage, and so presumably I would face extra challenges under the proposed verification system.

And then there are those of us who have found geocaches with no GPS or data-enabled devices whatsoever:

https://www.geocaching.com/blog/2011/12/geocaching-com-presents-geocaching-without-gps/

[+wmpastor]

 

...

 

It's like fishing, they offer the bait but it's up to you to take it. Don't want what they are selling, don't buy it.

 

Sure, I can say no to 100 ads (some people can't!). But getting those 100 ads is in and of itself an annoyance and a waste of my time!

 

Fortunately I've figured out how to do routine research without the marketers getting my contact info.

 

Here's an absolute truth that I will personally guarantee. If you look up an answer to an insurance matter online without blocking your contact info, etc., you'll be inundated with insurance ads for 3 months. Then it will taper off. If you don't mind that, then be my guest and enjoy!

 

Have you provided adequately for your loved ones? Call now for a free analysis.

[+wmpastor]

However, I have several finds that I know are in areas of spotty phone coverage, and so presumably I would face extra challenges under the proposed verification system.

And then there are those of us who have found geocaches with no GPS or data-enabled devices whatsoever:

https://www.geocaching.com/blog/2011/12/geocaching-com-presents-geocaching-without-gps/

 

I haven't got heavily into that, but tried it a couple of times. Here's an excerpt from my log on 12/12/12:

 

Passing close by and know the area; looked at map and satellite photo; knew what I needed to know; drove into crowded lot; bumper of car was two feet from GZ; had no GPS along (no need); found it fast.

[/Quote]

[+NYPaddleCacher]

So when someone is sitting on their couch typing TFTC on a cache 100 miles away the app could say - sorry - the cache is too far away, and prevent logging.

 

This is an interesting proposal. However, I am not sure how it would work for those who do not log in the field.

 

I went out yesterday and did a bit of unplanned caching in the Adirondacks. For some of the finds, finding the cache I went back to my car and entered a found it log on my phone before driving to the next spot. On a couple of them I didn't have cellular access and couldn't log it through the app. In once case, I lost the connection before I got to the trailhead for the cache, and because I hadn't started navigating toward the cache it didn't even show up on the map.

 

I could see how the app could capture waypoints, so it would know that if one tried to armchair log a cache, it would know if one was ever near GZ. One could still log the cache from afar as long as the app had captured a waypoint near GZ (which wouldn't require a data connection).

 

Right, and if a person is trying to use a phone in a surprising number of places, there's no signal. And just being near GZ doesn't prove you found the 3.5/3.5 cache.

 

If the goal is to eliminate all armchair logging than this, by itself, would not be the ultimate solution. It could, however, make it a little bit harder to armchair log a cache from the app. Once again an idea which might provide a small improvement is dismissed because it's not a perfect solution.

 

Perfect is the sworn enemy of good.

 

Recently I was in an area outside of good phone access. No device registered my presence. When I logged the cache under this proposed verification system, what red tape would I have incurred to prove my presence?

 

I know very well that the perfect is the enemy of the good. But let's not forget the law of unintended consequences. Northern New York state, for example, has spotty phone coverage. Places one to two hours from San Francisco have spotty phone coverage. Now the vast majority of honest cachers will be put to the trouble of extra verification of their finds?? Gee, I'm glad I'm a low-numbers Cacher!

 

Edit: and in fact I have several times logged caches from an armchair 100 miles from GZ - generally caches I found earlier that day.

 

As it turns out I am sitting in an armchair right now in Northern New York (Adirondacks) and can't get a cell signal on my phone (good wifi, though). A couple of days ago I found 5 caches. A couple of them were in spots without a cell signal. The idea proposed was *only* for logging from a phone (which I usually don't do anyway) so wouldn't prevent someone from logging using the web site. Currently, the app allows one to post a Found It log even if you haven't hit the Start button to start navigating to the cache. I can bring up a cache anywhere in the world and the "Log Geocache" screen is available. Sometimes I do find the cache just by zooming in on the map, but the app already knows when I'm close to the hiding spot (it brings up a pop up screen telling me so), so disabling the "Log Geocache" screen until that event occurs might reduce the number of bogus armchair logs using the app. No, it won't prevent someone from posting bogus found it logs using the web site, but it might have an overall reduction of bogus logs.

[+wmpastor]

Thanks NYPaddleCacher and others for the info on what I'll call the auto-verification proposal. It doesn't seem so bad, in that if you're using the phone to find the cache, you've got a signal, the app has established your presence near GZ, and if you log later, far from GZ, the app presumably remembers that you were at GZ and therefore permits you to log.

 

I like to log with the phone because I usually post at least one photo, and that's more efficient than first transferring the photos to the computer.

 

I guess that takes us back to the thread's theme, Pokemon....

[ohgood]

Thanks NYPaddleCacher and others for the info on what I'll call the auto-verification proposal. It doesn't seem so bad, in that if you're using the phone to find the cache, you've got a signal, the app has established your presence near GZ, and if you log later, far from GZ, the app presumably remembers that you were at GZ and therefore permits you to log.

 

I like to log with the phone because I usually post at least one photo, and that's more efficient than first transferring the photos to the computer.

 

I guess that takes us back to the thread's theme, Pokemon....

 

Location spoofing...

[+Manville Possum]

Thanks NYPaddleCacher and others for the info on what I'll call the auto-verification proposal. It doesn't seem so bad, in that if you're using the phone to find the cache, you've got a signal, the app has established your presence near GZ, and if you log later, far from GZ, the app presumably remembers that you were at GZ and therefore permits you to log.

 

I like to log with the phone because I usually post at least one photo, and that's more efficient than first transferring the photos to the computer.

 

I guess that takes us back to the thread's theme, Pokemon....

 

Location spoofing...

 

Yep. I use it here as a very useful tool. I'm not saying Pokemon GO can't be spoofed, but my spoofing app don't work on that site.

[+thebruce0]

However, I have several finds that I know are in areas of spotty phone coverage, and so presumably I would face extra challenges under the proposed verification system.

And then there are those of us who have found geocaches with no GPS or data-enabled devices whatsoever:

https://www.geocachi...ng-without-gps/

 

Or, you know, field notes, or website, even for those of us who exclusively use data-enabled devices.

It's a mindset. If you're going to log live, it's sort of expected you do it from the field, no? And if not in the field but still posting logs immediately from the phone, is it such a burden to take the extra step - as a verification precaution - to submit it by field note?

I agree that if the feature were to restrict posting live find logs to a cache while using GPS in order to reduce couch logging, that would be a decent tradeoff.

The question now would be, though, how many people use the app and couch-log in that manner, than use the app properly (though, still posting Finds live while not at gz) who would be adversely affected, and what's a reasonable ratio?

[+jellis]

Once they clean out the area, they are done and I lost track how many people just stop caching because they cleaned out the area. Its over two dozen people! Just think how many people that will be in the whole USA! I asked a few of them over the years since I know a few of them personal and they all said this... we dont have the money to travel. Its a rich man hobby an another person told me.

So, this discussion is not gonna be honest about how much the "not rich" people actually pay into IAP?

I'm not rich but I find ways. Like having friends to help cut the costs of traveling. I flew last year on a flight $73 each way from California to SLC for just a day. Some friends came with and we shared in the cost of a car rental and gas (they actually paid the whole thing because I came up with the idea). You don't have to travel far to find more caches.

 

I don't see any competition. It may just be another hobby to fill the time like the Munzees. I go Birding which is silly but I find some comparisons to caching. Except placing. When a rare bird shows up, birders race to refind it. I DNFd many birds. Birders sometimes compete to have a big day or year. So I can do it all. Fish, geocache, bird, and pokemon go all at the same time. It's just another past time

Edited September 6, 2016 by jellis

[+kunarion]

Forget It: (Pretty cool article)

[+Ben0w]

Forget It: (Pretty cool article)

Quote from that article: "Geocaching ... is essentially the same thing as “Pokemon Go.”

 

What? Just because both are played outside using GPS technology? Where the use of GPS is totally different...

 

No. PokemonGo isn't (essentially) the same thing as Geocaching and vice versa. It's a total other game concept.

Edited September 18, 2016 by Ben0w

[+Understandblue]

I don't see any competition. It may just be another hobby to fill the time like the Munzees. I go Birding which is silly but I find some comparisons to caching. Except placing. When a rare bird shows up, birders race to refind it. I DNFd many birds. Birders sometimes compete to have a big day or year. So I can do it all. Fish, geocache, bird, and pokemon go all at the same time. It's just another past time

 

Birding isn't silly - actually 100% of the birders I've met I've met while geocaching. Otherwise they're a bit elusive. All of these feed that same urge we have to be collectors, and "catch em all" and clear a list - and in the case of these three in particular - enjoy being outside while doing so.

[+thebruce0]

Conceptually similar, sure, but practically - no, very, very different.

Birding and PGo have more in common than GC does with PGo.

[Luckless]

Pokeman is in my mind similar to Wherigo. I couldn't wait to try Wherigo when it came out. The potential for incorporating fantasy and virtual clues into a hunt for an actual geocache was cool. I could surely make some really cool caches. When I tried Wherigo I found it to be very lame. The first Wherigo cache I did was one you made up on the spot involving a virtual trip to the moon. You took 10 steps forward and 4 steps back in a supposed fantasy world on the surface of the moon, maybe to escape a monster (I don't exactly remember) and there you go. You got a smiley. Guess I wanted a real cache and a real hunt to an actual location. Unlike pokeman which anyone could use with a smart phone, and many people have smart phones, Wherigo involved getting a special GPS which few people had. The second Wherigo cache I did had actual locations to go to where I think you then received another waypoint on your GPS to go to (like a multi without the hunt for the clue in a container). Maybe it even even had a real cache at the end, but it still seemed lame.

Edited September 22, 2016 by Luckless

[+redsox_mark]

Regarding Wherigo caches: Wherigo caches are required to have a physical cache container and log. You can create a Wherigo (on the Wherigo.com site) which isn't linked to a cache on geocaching.com; in which case there doesn't need to be a physical cache (but then there isn't a smiley on geocaching.com either). Like all cache types, Wherigos are created by individual cache owners. And like all other cache types, some are great and some are not. These days Wherigos can be played on smartphones (and most often are, as only older Garmin models support it on a GPSr).

 

What Wherigo has in common with P-Go is you interact with the device based on you moving to a location.

 

Wherigo survives based on enthusiasts keeping it going. It is currently difficult to create them. There are improved tools which make it easier, but even finding out about them is difficult. If Groundspeak supported it properly, with updated tools and documentation, they would be more popular. But nothing will stop a cache owner creating one which some others may think are "lame".

[+Manville Possum]

My first Wherigo experience is along the same street where we play Pokemon GO, and is a historic tour of the downtown area. Sadly it ends up with magnetic nano under a park bench. I thought it was quite lame.

 

My WIG cache has a custom container well stocked with swag and trackables in a really cool location... still it seldom ever gets any visits.

[+hzoi]

My WIG cache has a custom container well stocked with swag and trackables in a really cool location... still it seldom ever gets any visits.

It's on my list for when I go back to the western tip of VA for county and city challenges. Maybe I'll even make the top 5 list for finders!

[+dprovan]

My first Wherigo experience is along the same street where we play Pokemon GO, and is a historic tour of the downtown area. Sadly it ends up with magnetic nano under a park bench. I thought it was quite lame.

I've only done a few Wherigo's, but more than once I almost forgot to look for the final container since the destination seemed almost incidental compared to the journey.

[+wmpastor]

Well, Pokémon Go can be played in Parliament, while it's difficult to do with caching (unless you run PQs in Parliament to, say, load 50,000 caches into your device).

 

The initial frenzy for Pokémon Go has cooled off somewhat, but the addictive app's devotees are still hard at work trying to catch 'em all. And you know that a woman of true ambition—like, say, Norwegian prime minister Erna Solberg—won't quit until she does.

 

Which may explain why the head of state was caught tossing PokéBalls during a debate in the Storting, Norway's parliament.

[+Minyakano]

I actually tend to do both at once. Once I realised I was getting out of the house each day to chase Pokemon anyway, I've got a decent geocaching streak going, which gives me new places to find Pokemon at. A bit cyclical, but works. It helps when I'm prepared enough to bring the gps along, otherwise I just switch back and forth on the apps on the phone.

 

Since the real world is going to interfere and break my streak in a couple of weeks anyway, I'll take a break from finding and start hiding. Planning a Pokemon themed set of caches in the local area...

[Keystone]

Make sure that your Pokemon themed cache series focuses solely on things like individual characters (which are part of "pop culture") and does not mention or promote the Pokemon Go game anywhere on the cache listing.