Corporate Virtual Cache

[+Random13]

We have regular "outings" at work and at the last one I offered to demonstrate geocaching by doing a basic hunt.   However, now that it has come up they would like me to do something a little over my head.  They want me to set up virtual geocaches with clues that lead everyone to our "happy hour" site.   

 

I've never set up a physical cache, so am a newbie on that front, but this seems like a great opportunity to get 50+ people involved in our community.  This event will take place in downtown Seattle, so I don't plan on hiding an actual cache, but will instead try to get people to navigate from one point to another picking up clues along the way.  So it's kind of like my own geotour(?)

 

Can anyone point me to a topic on this or brainstorm the best approach?

 

I think I need to find waypoints for the locations where the clues will be hidden and then have a way for people to enter the waypoints successively.  I don't think I want to post a permanent geocache or call this a geocaching event because it is private.  Though if the clues are fun enough I suppose I could post them for the general community as a multi-cache?

 

I'm wondering if perhaps I shouldn't even try to use the Groundspeak geocaching app for something as basic like this but instead use some other app like GPS and Maps?

 

Thanks in advance for any advice and sorry for the "newbie" question.

[RuideAlmeida]

Today, is not possible to create new virtual caches... and the cache you may create (mystery and/or Multi) have to be available to everyone, not just your fellows.

The official app will do just fine.

[+niraD]

I've created a number of "puzzle hunts" where one clue leads to another leads to another and so on, until everyone ends up at a big group gathering. I've had the best results when I ignored geocaching entirely. Then again, my audience was families, with the goal of keeping everyone involved as much as possible, including the young kids. But I wouldn't try to use coordinates as parts of puzzles; people will use smartphone navigation systems that take them to the nearest street address, rather than to the actual coordinates. And I'd keep the puzzles easier than I thought necessary; think more of the puzzles in kids magazines rather than 4-star geocaching puzzles.

 

For a teambuilding event, I'd start with more groups, and then use the puzzles to merge groups. For example, the groups have to make the sounds of various animals, and the groups making the same sound find each other and merge into a new larger group. Then they work on a puzzle together, for example, a word search where one small group had the letter grid and the other small group had the word list. The combined group solves the puzzle, which leads them to the next stage. Or maybe they merge with another large group to solve the next puzzle.

[+hal-an-tow]

How about a Wherigo cartridge - people could run the Wherigo apps on smartphones and you can ask questions at locations , steering them along the route you want.

A really simple cartridge builder is available on the excellent http://Wherigo.rangerfox.com/Default.aspx site where you can use a map to drop circles (right click and 'create zone here' )and add questions with either radio button choices or enter the answer fields.

 

To avoid crowds at locations, or having to arrange a staggered start , you could use more than one cartridge and route: maybe less able folk could have a shorter walk, or you could give choices like ski slope ratings to challenge any competitive types with a longer route ... expect some people to turn it into a race, whatever you intend ! I'm assuming here that the trail is on foot rather than by car.

 

As others have said, an official cache would need to be open to all, and could not be virtual, but wherigos were intended for pretty much what you want , not just caching.

[+noncentric]

I wouldn't suggest the official app, since that would require everyone to first create a Geocaching.com account.  Even though the accounts are free, it seems like an unnecessary hurdle.

 

I have entered coords into the Google Maps app on my smartphone, so if you did something with coords, then most participants should be able to proceed without needing an app that isn't already installed on most (or all) of their phones.

 

If your co-workers want an 'actual' geocaching experience, then you might consider  THIS  multi-cache.  It's around the Market and I'd suggest doing the stages yourself first, so you can be an effective guide to your co-workers when they run through it.  You could potentially visit the final right before your event and put your HH location on a piece of paper in the cache - and hope that someone else doesn't find it and remove it before your co-workers find it.  But, if searching for an 'actual' geocache, then at least some of your co-workers would need to create a geocaching.com account.

[+niraD]

4 hours ago, noncentric said:

I have entered coords into the Google Maps app on my smartphone, so if you did something with coords, then most participants should be able to proceed without needing an app that isn't already installed on most (or all) of their phones.

When I tried this on a puzzle hunt, people ended up trying to navigate to the nearest street address, rather than to the actual coordinates I provided them. It didn't work very well.

 

4 hours ago, noncentric said:

But, if searching for an 'actual' geocache, then at least some of your co-workers would need to create a geocaching.com account.

Not necessarily. The county parks system's intro geocaching classes provide handheld GPS receivers that have been preloaded with the actual geocache data for the actual geocaches being used for the class. Only the organizer needs a (premium) account to preload all the devices.

[+cerberus1]

On ‎10‎/‎30‎/‎2018 at 7:08 PM, Random13 said:

We have regular "outings" at work and at the last one I offered to demonstrate geocaching by doing a basic hunt.   However, now that it has come up they would like me to do something a little over my head.  They want me to set up virtual geocaches with clues that lead everyone to our "happy hour" site.   

 

Sounds like something you could pull off with a simple scavenger hunt.

Explain geocaching to those interested when they aren't on their way to "happy hour"...

 

 

Edited November 8, 2018 by cerberus1
deletification :D

[+L0ne.R]

Try a search for: scavenger hunt app.

You might find a iphone/android free app you can use for the day. 

[+kunarion]

On ‎10‎/‎30‎/‎2018 at 7:08 PM, Random13 said:

I'm wondering if perhaps I shouldn't even try to use the Groundspeak geocaching app for something as basic like this but instead use some other app like GPS and Maps?

 

Modern smartphones tend to have some form of map such as Google Maps.  Save time instead of installing and signing up.  If you can "message" everybody, you can send the address or coordinates to their phones.  Unless you're sure everyone will do this individually, not everyone needs their own "App".

[+noncentric]

6 hours ago, niraD said:

10 hours ago, noncentric said:

I have entered coords into the Google Maps app on my smartphone, so if you did something with coords, then most participants should be able to proceed without needing an app that isn't already installed on most (or all) of their phones.

When I tried this on a puzzle hunt, people ended up trying to navigate to the nearest street address, rather than to the actual coordinates I provided them. It didn't work very well.

I haven't had any problems entering coords into Google Maps, on web or Android app, and having it show the pin at the coords.  There was a time a couple years ago where it would go to the address closest to the coords, but then that stopped happening and I haven't seen the issue crop up again.  Not sure if there was a setting that I changed to 'fix' it, or if Google Maps changed something on their end.  Their online docs say that you can enter coordinates, so maybe they changed.

 

Plus, if the OP is doing something in downtown Seattle, then nearest street address may be just as effective.

 

 

6 hours ago, niraD said:

10 hours ago, noncentric said:

But, if searching for an 'actual' geocache, then at least some of your co-workers would need to create a geocaching.com account.

Not necessarily. The county parks system's intro geocaching classes provide handheld GPS receivers that have been preloaded with the actual geocache data for the actual geocaches being used for the class. Only the organizer needs a (premium) account to preload all the devices.

Getting GPSr's into the hands of the co-workers seems like an even bigger hurdle.  The city parks system local to the OP does not have such resources and there aren't any city parks that would be in the area the OP mentioned.

 

 

 

 

 

[+Calypso62]

Each year, I run something called "GEOTREK". Basically, participants navigate to various locations (waypoints) and look for the answer to a question. To keep it simple, I give three answers and all participants have to do is circle the correct one. I do this as a car activity covering somewhere around 40 to 50 miles, however, there's no reason it can't be done on foot in a city environment. It's meant to be an easy activity highlighting interesting places (a lot like what geocaching does.) Most people have either Google Maps or the Apple equivalent on their phone and you can enter coordinates (like geocaching does) to navigate to the various locations. The final set of coordinates would be your "Happy Hour" site. The idea is to get as many teams as possible achieving 100% correct answers. Those that do go into a random draw for some prizes.

At some of the waypoints, I placed a container with some laminated pictures of various types of GPS units or geocoins. participants had to count them and come up with the total. At another waypoint, I placed a card with a simple puzzle in it for people to solve.

I've run this event each year since 2013 and always get a great number of participants. Earlier this year, I was asked to run GEOTREK as an activity for a Mega Event. It was a huge success.

[+Random13]

Thanks everyone!  And particularly Calypso62 for reaching out...I didn't realize I wouldn't get notifications when people replied!

 

I ended up going the Google Maps way for now.   Funny thing...GPS doesn't work really great around a lot of tall buildings (go figure).  I think that's why some folks have had the poor experience of it trying to find a street address to lock on to.  I'm going to try to supplement with descriptions like "NE corner of the intersection" etc.

 

I logged 31 locations and will be guiding people to some of them using math problems and then some will lead to others etc.    I'll let you guys know how it goes in a couple weeks.

 

Thanks again for all the great ideas.  I'm going to try out some of them (like the GEOTREK and the linked cache for sure.  I'll have to look up Wherigo to see how that works...sounds like a blast.

[+Random13]

Just wanted to post an update for posterity.  The party was a smashing success!  One team found all 31 locations but the median was around 15-17 or so (in the time allotted).   Unfortunately, I can only upload jpegs and I don't want to screen shot and upload 12 pictures if I'm not sure anyone will use it, but if you are interested I can e-mail it to you or even load them up.  I did save a couple just so you could see the flavor of it...

 

Thanks again everyone!

 

 

[+Max and 99]

Wow, fantastic!