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Introducing Virtual Rewards 2.0!


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Well, that was easy - one button click and I'm entered!  I thought, for some reason, there was a form to fill out, or an "application" of some sort, but apparently not.

 

I was happy to see this promo; I'd love to create a Virtual cache.  All of my caching activity (hides, finds, logs) has been since March 2017, and I've collected a fair number of favorite points on my handful of hides.  It would be awesome to be selected, so we'll see what happens!

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2 hours ago, arisoft said:

If you really are so busy with your old hides that you can not make any new caches, why would you even think about a new virtual cache? It takes even more time to maintain than a traditional cache.

Do you not understand why this is called a reward?

 

(By the way, this isn't about me, in case you were confused about that. I'm on the other end of the spectrum: I don't deserve a reward at all, but, by chance, I qualify.)

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3 hours ago, dprovan said:

I'm not complaining, since, as you say, nothing's going to make everyone happy, but it makes me wonder why that clause requiring a hide in the last few years was added.

 

I'm thinking perhaps so that people who qualify are up to date on / aware of / familiar with current cache hiding guidelines.

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1 hour ago, dprovan said:

Do you not understand why this is called a reward?

 

I have the same question in my mind. This is a reward for what?

 

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Virtual Rewards 2.0 ! We are inviting all qualified cache hiders to sign up for a chance to create a new Virtual. We plan to randomly select up to 4,000 qualified geocachers (with geographic distribution).

 

It seems to be a reward for being a qualified cache hider. If you are not qualified you can not be rewarded for that. :D

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2 hours ago, thebruce0 said:

I'm thinking perhaps so that people who qualify are up to date on / aware of / familiar with current cache hiding guidelines.

It doesn't really insure they're up-to-date, of course. It might just mean that what they're in the habit of doing doesn't happen to violate any guidelines. But even to the extent it does, it reflects knowledge of the current guidelines for traditional caches, and there's very little overlap between that and the guidelines for virtual rewards. So, as I said, it seems more a way of making sure they couldn't be called "inactive" then a way of improving the chances that they're virtual reward will be any good.

 

1 hour ago, arisoft said:

I have the same question in my mind. This is a reward for what?

It's a reward, so that's why someone that has decided they have enough normal caches would, nevertheless, want to take on the addition burden of maintaining a virtual one. It doesn't matter whether you understand what it rewards.

 

(Although I'm really just stipulating your argument for the purposes of discussion. There's not really any validity to your premise that someone that has plenty of good caches is not planting more caches because they're too busy. There are any number of reasons someone might decide to stop hiding caches, and being too busy to support additional caches strikes me as one of the least likely. Most likely is that they've done all they want to do with normal caches, and if that's the case, there's every reason to expect them to want to tackle the novel challenge of a virtual cache.)

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10 hours ago, MBFace said:
22 hours ago, Corp Of Discovery said:

Do events count for the caches hidden part?

 

21 hours ago, niraD said:

"Ownership: You must own at least two active non-event geocaches."


Hidden doesn't have the non-event condition (or active either).  My only hides over the specified time period were events and my entry has been accepted.  I gather from elsewhere that I would have got a rejection at this stage if I didn't qualify.

This is what I meant. I too have only 'hidden' events in the last 4 years. I don't hide many caches so have to have a good reason or be greatly inspired to. I applied and did not get anything saying I wasn't eligible so will keep my fingers crossed and hope for the best. :)

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2 hours ago, CelticShoresTrails said:

Joined 1/3/2018, caches hidden 140 (63 traditional,  1 multi, 2 events, 70 mystery, 3 earthcache and 1 Wherigo) favorite points earned 143, finds 0.

 

Disqualified for not logging any caches. LMAO, publishing 140 caches in 16 monthes, nope not active.

 

Where does the criteria say you have to post a Found It?  Does your hiding account post any logs for your owned caches?

 

Activity: You must have posted a log on a geocache within the past four months

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13 hours ago, dprovan said:

Do you not understand why this is called a reward?

 

my opinion is that this is not a reward at all, it's just very controlled release of 4000 virtual caches..

you don't get rewards by random chance for meeting minimum criteria,

if that would be the case medals in olympics games would be given away randomly to athletes who are good enough to enter olympics

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 @CelticShoresTrails  the requirement is for a log in the last 4 months,  not a Found it!  You archived a cache of yours recently. That  log meets the requirement.

 

Sad that yours was one of a handful of caches where the reviewer note logs remained on the page on publish that April weekend.  Puzzle spoiled. 

Edited by palmetto
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2 hours ago, ashtri_ said:

 

my opinion is that this is not a reward at all, it's just very controlled release of 4000 virtual caches..

you don't get rewards by random chance for meeting minimum criteria,

 

 The word reward implies the thing given is in return for something: fulfill a task, get a reward. The dog sits up  and begs, it gets a biscuit reward. If the  criteria the giver chooses to reward are low, that's up to them, but it's  still  a reward.

 

Award, on the other hand, is the word for a gift which does not imply set criteria , so although it's a less accurate term here, given there actually is a bar to entry, perhaps  it would be a better choice because once the criteria are fulfilled, we are told most of the recipient selection will be made randomly.

 

Inaccurate vocabulary aside ( souvenir moments anyone ?) I'll guess little thought was given to doing anything other than calling these "rewards" simply because the last lot were called rewards.  At least the flawed algorithm which handed out 4000 opportunities to make virtuals but only resulted in 2,668 of them actually being set has been discarded, and some of the suggestions given here in the forum have been implemented (specifically the opt in, and requirement for recent activity . ) No, de nada, don't thank us for the good advice, we know what we did  ...

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21 hours ago, p0cy said:

But those virtuals caches should be reserved for places where it is not allowed or impossible (impossible >< difficult) to place a physical container and not be the virtual equivalent of a "micro at the foot of a tree".

 

I could have placed a physical cache in the location I opted to put mine but maintaining it would have been too time consuming as the drive down was the big deterrent.  That's why I opted for my virtual placement.  It's such a cool spot, I wanted others to see it, but the maintenance expectations I place on myself would render it untenable.

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4 hours ago, ashtri_ said:

my opinion is that this is not a reward at all, it's just very controlled release of 4000 virtual caches..

you don't get rewards by random chance for meeting minimum criteria,

if that would be the case medals in olympics games would be given away randomly to athletes who are good enough to enter olympics

My point was that it's a reward -- an extra perk -- so obviously most people will try for one and want to hide it if they get it. I was saying that to counter the suggestion that people maintaining lots of caches should be ho-hum about getting special permission to hide a virtual. Whether the reward is valid or deserved or the correct term doesn't change the fact that it will have a special value to those that receive one.

 

But, in fact, I do get rewards for meeting minimum criteria. Going to a coffee shop once in a while, for example.

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6 hours ago, GrateBear said:

Applied, but with a less than 8% chance of success, not making any plans......

At least an 8% chance. Potentially more if not all of the qualifying cachers decide or are able to sign up to receive one. Best not to count one's eggs before they are hatched, but it is nice to fantasize about some of the more fantastic locations for a virtual. Good luck to you!

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6 minutes ago, TheLimeCat said:

At least an 8% chance. Potentially more if not all of the qualifying cachers decide or are able to sign up to receive one. Best not to count one's eggs before they are hatched, but it is nice to fantasize about some of the more fantastic locations for a virtual. Good luck to you!

 

Yes, I suspect a lot of those who qualify but don't visit the forums or subscribe to the newsletter won't know about the offer or, if they do, might not be interested in applying. We'll find out soon enough, I guess. My main hope is that someone in my region might get one (it looks like we have about ten qualifiers), as last time we missed out completely (there were only 23 new virtuals in my whole state and 9 of those were in Sydney).

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Just now, barefootjeff said:

 

Yes, I suspect a lot of those who qualify but don't visit the forums or subscribe to the newsletter won't know about the offer or, if they do, might not be interested in applying. We'll find out soon enough, I guess. My main hope is that someone in my region might get one (it looks like we have about ten qualifiers), as last time we missed out completely (there were only 23 new virtuals in my whole state and 9 of those were in Sydney).

Truth be told, my area got far more than our fair share in the past event. Something like 24 within 50 miles. I do hope areas like yours are treated preferentially, and it seems that they might be. That said, I have still applied in the hopes of introducing a new one somewhere near Mount Rainier. I saw your proposed location and it looks quite nice. I would rather see 1 unique remote virtual than 5 in a major city, though that's just my preference. 

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1 minute ago, TheLimeCat said:

I would rather see 1 unique remote virtual than 5 in a major city, though that's just my preference. 

 

I agree. I did a few old virtuals around central Sydney during the recent creative cache promotion and wasn't all that impressed - most were just "take a photo of yourself with X in the background" where X is some object of interest around the harbour. No doubt very popular with tourists, but for someone who grew up in Sydney, not so much.

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5 hours ago, barefootjeff said:

 

Yes, I suspect a lot of those who qualify but don't visit the forums or subscribe to the newsletter won't know about the offer or, if they do, might not be interested in applying. We'll find out soon enough, I guess. My main hope is that someone in my region might get one (it looks like we have about ten qualifiers), as last time we missed out completely (there were only 23 new virtuals in my whole state and 9 of those were in Sydney).

I don't subscribe to any e-mails and hadn't read the forums for a few weeks, but still got an e-mail - which was a slight surprise.

 

I don't know how many people actually read their e-mails (or, at least, the e-mails from Groundspeak), but this does seem to being publicised fairly directly.

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1 hour ago, barefootjeff said:

 

That's puzzling because the email I got had an "unsubcribe from receiving these messages" link in it.

Oh yes, so it does. But then in the e-mail preferences bit I've got all the e-mail options unticked.

 

Perhaps they felt this was relatively important and would send it to everyone anyway, I don't know. But if I got it then I would imagine that everyone did so. That's fine by me for this - I obviously get log notifications but I really don't recall the last time I got a general e-mail from GS (and a quick inbox search suggests not since 2014 at least).

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On 5/17/2019 at 6:30 PM, Harry Dolphin said:

 

I had to make my plan before I decided to apply.  I think it would be a good one.

Well, I actually do have a plan, but I'm not planning the actual details yet.  Well, maybe a little, but not a lot.  Chosen or not, I'm still pleased that they are doing this again.  The ones I've found from the last time have been quite nice and interesting.  

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On 5/17/2019 at 12:14 PM, ashtri_ said:

my opinion is that this is not a reward at all, it's just very controlled release of 4000 virtual caches..

 

And you've made that clear twice.  Duly noted.

 

Make sure not to apply for one to avoid having the ignomy of owning a virtual cache thrust upon you.

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I'm happy to see another round of Virtual Rewards being released.

 

I was lucky enough to have received a Virtual Reward 1.0 and while I was elated with my luck, I also understood why some cachers chose not to place a new Virtual. I treated it like a reward AND a responsibility. That was my choice, of course, but with one chance at placing a new Virtual, I felt a duty to publish something that wouldn't make a finder wonder why I would choose what I did.

 

Maybe the difference for some cachers who have wanted to place new virtuals was that they already had (have) the perfect place in mind. I did not. With Virtual caches already grandfathered when I started caching, it never crossed my mind to even contemplate where I would place a virtual if I had the chance. So, when I was notified that I had the opportunity to place a new virtual cache, I felt some stress along with lots of joy. With how much cachers have begged for virtuals to be returned, I thought finding a location for one wouldn't be that difficult but it turned out to be tougher than I first imagined.

 

While a year is plenty of time to plan and create a virtual cache, I had also set some personal rules for myself. I wanted a location that had something "special", I wanted it to be within an hour of home and I wanted it to be in a location where physical caches either weren't allowed or there just weren't very many placed. In the end, I had to expand my distance rule to two or three hours from home. Finding a location that had no/few caches and was worthy (in my mind) of a virtual cache was the toughest part. So many areas already have physical caches, it's pretty tough to find a spot that someone hasn't already placed a cache nearby...at least near me. One of the Virtual Rewards near me was placed at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, WI.  That was the first location that came to mind when I thought about placing a new virtual. But, it already had physical caches nearby, so I followed my own rules and tried to find somewhere else. When the Virtual placed there got published, one of the physical cache owners did get a little sore because they felt the virtual was taking away from their cache. I didn't agree but it opened my eyes a bit and made me even more sensitive to placing a virtual near other caches.

 

Finding a location that suited my ideals was a challenge, but once the Virtual was published, I was glad I stuck to my guns and I'm just as happy with the results today as the day it went live.

 

For those opting in and are lucky enough to get a Virtual Reward 2.0, have some fun with it. If you have something already in mind and are just waiting for the email stating your one of the fortunate ones, then get it written up and published as quickly as you can. If not, don't sweat it. Take some time, explore and when you happen across the perfect location, you'll know it.

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Like Crow-T-Robot I also started caching after Vs were grandfathered and never gave much thought as to where I would have placed one if the opportunity arose.

With the possibility of V2.0 I have started to give it some thought. As a cruiser (ocean and river) I have often visited ports where time and opportunity for caching can often be limited,  so, as I live near a city which is becoming a popular  cruise port, I thought of a virtual being in an interesting, historical and scenic spot that would be of interest to visiting cruisers with time constraints (usually caused by having to find a cache or two before, after or in between tours). Our city here has many historical places of interest and many scenic spots (coast, beaches, port) so I think I'll start checking out some places  if I'm fortunate enough to score a V2.0.

One thing I will need keep in mind is to not over complicate it as I found in some European cities with many  V1.0s, while interesting, had multiple waypoints, taking far to long to for a short term visitor to contemplate doing.

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1 hour ago, colleda said:

As a cruiser (ocean and river) I have often visited ports where time and opportunity for caching can often be limited,  so, as I live near a city which is becoming a popular  cruise port, I thought of a virtual being in an interesting, historical and scenic spot that would be of interest to visiting cruisers with time constraints (usually caused by having to find a cache or two before, after or in between tours). Our city here has many historical places of interest and many scenic spots (coast, beaches, port) so I think I'll start checking out some places  if I'm fortunate enough to score a V2.0.

 

You raise an interesting point about it appealing to visitors. My region doesn't get any cruise ships, apart from the ferry across the bay from Palm Beach but that probably doesn't count, so our visitors are mainly day-trippers driving up from Sydney (or coming across on the ferry) or families staying here during the school holidays. As Sydney already has plenty of virtuals, old and V1.0, I don't think they'd be a major consideration for me should I be lucky enough to have my geoname drawn from the hat. If I did get one, it'd likely be the only one on the Central Coast so I'd want it to be somewhere pretty special where a traditional, multi or EC wouldn't easily fit, and something that would appeal to the locals, so I'd be canvassing ideas on the local FB group as well as looking at whatever spots I come up with (so far Spion Kop or the Maitland Bay shipwreck).

 

2 hours ago, colleda said:

One thing I will need keep in mind is to not over complicate it as I found in some European cities with many  V1.0s, while interesting, had multiple waypoints, taking far to long to for a short term visitor to contemplate doing.

 

Actually I quite enjoyed the Newcastle Coastal Tour V1.0 virtual with its eight waypoints, even though I had to go back up a second time as I got one of the answers wrong. I doubt I'd have made the trip up there if it was just a P&G virtual. Likewise for the Whatarippavista!! one just across Broken Bay on West Head with two waypoints and a bit of a steep hike between them (I made it even more of an adventure by going to Palm Beach and then Mackerel Beach by ferry and hiking up onto the headland from there), and the Figure Eight one down south of Sydney which was a long hike that could only be done at low tide with flat seas and required immersion in the figure-8 rock pool for the log photo. Ones where you just rock up at the location and either take a selfie or answer a simple question don't appeal as much.

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2 hours ago, barefootjeff said:

 

You raise an interesting point about it appealing to visitors. My region doesn't get any cruise ships, apart from the ferry across the bay from Palm Beach but that probably doesn't count, so our visitors are mainly day-trippers driving up from Sydney (or coming across on the ferry) or families staying here during the school holidays. As Sydney already has plenty of virtuals, old and V1.0, I don't think they'd be a major consideration for me should I be lucky enough to have my geoname drawn from the hat. If I did get one, it'd likely be the only one on the Central Coast so I'd want it to be somewhere pretty special where a traditional, multi or EC wouldn't easily fit, and something that would appeal to the locals, so I'd be canvassing ideas on the local FB group as well as looking at whatever spots I come up with (so far Spion Kop or the Maitland Bay shipwreck).

 

 

Actually I quite enjoyed the Newcastle Coastal Tour V1.0 virtual with its eight waypoints, even though I had to go back up a second time as I got one of the answers wrong. I doubt I'd have made the trip up there if it was just a P&G virtual. Likewise for the Whatarippavista!! one just across Broken Bay on West Head with two waypoints and a bit of a steep hike between them (I made it even more of an adventure by going to Palm Beach and then Mackerel Beach by ferry and hiking up onto the headland from there), and the Figure Eight one down south of Sydney which was a long hike that could only be done at low tide with flat seas and required immersion in the figure-8 rock pool for the log photo. Ones where you just rock up at the location and either take a selfie or answer a simple question don't appeal as much.

ATM I'm leaning towards something involving the Newcastle Christ Church cathedral. Interesting building/architecture, history and magnificent setting. I've been neglecting finding others in the area due to my recent hiatus.

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Love the idea, and I even have a cache that would be the perfect to qualify (I submitted as an Earthcache, but was rejected because it's more about biology/ecology than it is geology). The only problem is that I fit all of the criteria EXCEPT the "Quality" portion, because I don't have 25 favorites... Any chance you'll let me have the virtual anyway?? My pending cache is Tidelands Park (GC88F17)... pretty please? with a cherry? for the children?

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It's now mid morning on the 4th here but I guess, with the time zone differences, it'll still be another 24 hours or more of nervous waiting before the draw. I'd be curious to know how many of the 50,000 eligible COs opted in.

 

The possibility of receiving a virtual reward has had me spending the last couple of weeks poring over maps and hiking guides for my region, with another interesting spot called the Emerald Pool in Popran National Park catching my attention, it rating highly on the various "Best spots on the Central Coast" websites...

 

EmeraldPool.jpg.893230b354d04a755a28ecc790c551da.jpg

 

The Bouddi Coastal Walk through Bouddi National Park from Putty Beach to MacMasters Beach also offers some stunning coastal scenery and secluded beaches...

 

BouddiCoastalWalk.jpg.1b83bc0a1fd0ea4f78af7c8e9faa43c0.jpg

 

That one could also possibly be worked into a multi with virtual waypoints at the points of interest in the park and a physical cache outside the park boundary, so either way I'll need to do a bit more exploring.

 

All that led me to thinking that, for me at least, this virtual rewards thing has had me looking for interesting out-of-the-way places and even if I don't get one (the most likely outcome if a high percentage of eligible COs have opted in) there may be other ways I can create caches (multis, mysteries or ECs) to incorporate those places, so it ought to have a positive outcome beyond just the appearance of new virtuals.

 

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10 minutes ago, barefootjeff said:

The possibility of receiving a virtual reward has had me spending the last couple of weeks poring over maps and hiking guides for my region, with another interesting spot called the Emerald Pool in Popran National Park catching my attention, it rating highly on the various "Best spots on the Central Coast" websites...

 

EmeraldPool.jpg.893230b354d04a755a28ecc790c551da.jpg

 

Okay, that's a very-cool spot.       :)

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2 hours ago, J Grouchy said:

 

Well, unless they are sending out in batches, I guess I'm not one of them.  ?

I'm in the same boat it seems. I won't say that I held onto too much hope being in the most cache-heavy country on earth, but I can't say I'm not disappointed. That said, I do have the solace of being able to get out and find some new virtuals. I just wish folks in my area were less interested in urban features and more on the wilderness areas where caches would not otherwise be allowed. 

 

I also wonder if we'll get some information about how many applicants there were of the 50,000 and perhaps also an estimate for each country. 

Edited by TheLimeCat
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Which would make sense, IF the linked cache were owned by a volunteer who joined "the club" since round one of Virtuals.  It isn't.

 

I had advance notice that I'd be getting a virtual reward in the first batch, and it *still* took me nearly the whole year to get it published.  Agonized over details.

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2 hours ago, TheLimeCat said:

I just wish folks in my area were less interested in urban features and more on the wilderness areas where caches would not otherwise be allowed. 

Thanks for saying that.  I was lucky enough to be awarded a virtual cache, and have started thinking about what it should be.  One possibility is a unique cave that is a good distance from any town, and no paved road going to it, just dirt.  Any cache is allowed out there, but it's high desert, so no real hiding spots.

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1 hour ago, barefootjeff said:

I missed out, but three of my friends from the Hunter region just north of here got them so I'm looking forward very much to seeing what they come up with.

I received my winning email this morning. Wow! Got some serious thinking to do now.

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2 hours ago, Harry Dolphin said:

Oh, well.  Mine would have been at the Weehawken (NJ) 911 Memorial, where 60,000 people were brought across the Hudson River by ferry.  

911.jpg

 

I lived in Weehawken from 1997-2000 and moved to a fly over state.  I haven't been back but once and don't remember seeing this the last time I visited.  When was it built?  I need to make a trip back out east to the area again.  It's been too long.

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Congrats to the lottery winners! To those who didn't win: it was a chance of 1:8. Much better than every lottery, but there are still more losers than winners. Sorry. Me, I'm looking forward to a few new virtuals, hopefully at great locations that can't hold a physical cache :)

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1 hour ago, terratin said:

To those who didn't win: it was a chance of 1:8

According to a swiss reviewer the actual chances were much better:

 

Quote
  • 18,527 geocachers opted in 
  • 22% of opt-ins received a Virtual Reward
  • 75 countries are represented  
  • 27 community volunteers 
  • Most countries received *more* Virtuals, compared to Virtual Rewards 1.0 

 

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1 hour ago, terratin said:

Congrats to the lottery winners! To those who didn't win: it was a chance of 1:8. Much better than every lottery, but there are still more losers than winners. Sorry. Me, I'm looking forward to a few new virtuals, hopefully at great locations that can't hold a physical cache :)

 I hadn't placed a new cache in the past four years so I wasn't even able to buy a ticket.

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