Adventure Lab flaws

[+Rustynails]

I enjoy finding Adventure Labs and have created one. There are two things GS refuses to add. Why?

 

1. Owner notifications. Notification are used for all other types but not labs.

2. Map of Adventure Lab locations that can be seen from your PC. Just adding them to the existing geocaching map would be an easy solution.

 

[+TmdAndGG]

This should probably go in to the Play or Create Adventure Labs sub-forum. https://forums.geocaching.com/GC/index.php?/forum/221-adventure-lab/

By the way, these are great suggestions!

Edited June 6, 2020 by TmdAndGG

[+Rustynails]

1 minute ago, TmdAndGG said:

This should probably go in to the Play or Create Adventure Labs sub-forum. https://forums.geocaching.com/GC/index.php?/forum/221-adventure-lab/

 

I don't want it buried there.  This is also a caching topic. Are you a mod? If not do you have an answer for my question ?

[+TmdAndGG]

10 minutes ago, rustynails. said:

 

I don't want it buried there.  This is also a caching topic. Are you a mod?

No, just saying. I might be put there anyways just letting you know.

10 minutes ago, rustynails. said:

If not do you have an answer for my question ?

Adventure Labs are still in the beta stage. They're still working on the making them better!

Edited June 6, 2020 by TmdAndGG
Grammar bad...

[+Isonzo Karst]

2 hours ago, rustynails. said:

There are two things GS refuses to add. Why?

 

Where did they say that they "refuse to add" those features?   Often when suggestions are directly refused, some kind of reason is given.

 

[+dprovan]

5 minutes ago, Isonzo Karst said:

Where did they say that they "refuse to add" those features?   Often when suggestions are directly refused, some kind of reason is given.

You've made a very good point. I agree the OP's combative stance is uncalled for and not useful.

 

But, on the other hand, I can sympathize. The two suggestions in the OP seem so basic that it's not clear what the point was of releasing the feature without them. I'm willing to accept that this is still a trial even though it's getting to the point where I'm more likely to trip over a adventure lab waypoint accidentally than discover it through the system. But I can understand owners getting a little frustrated when they put a lot of effort into creating a wonderful AL, but then no one notices it.

[+Lynx Humble]

33 minutes ago, Isonzo Karst said:

 

Where did they say that they "refuse to add" those features?   Often when suggestions are directly refused, some kind of reason is given.

 

It's been over a year now that then released those adventures labs and we are still waiting for those pretty basic features. I fully understand the OP frustration. It's not normal to still be in the beta stage after that long.

 

Also I never really saw Groundspeak accept or refuse any suggestions on this forum. Can you give me some examples please? It's been years that I am waiting for Groundspeak to say something about if they will introduce or not a Challenge cache type.

[Keystone]

I moved this thread from the Geocaching Topics forum.

[+Isonzo Karst]

On 6/6/2020 at 11:28 AM, Lynx Humble said:

I never really saw Groundspeak accept or refuse any suggestions on this forum

 

I've seen both.  Look at changes in search, many of them requests - placed date, favorites, keyword. If suggestion is accepted, you find out when it hits the site.  Jeremy once said on these forums that he was preparing a new feature, it would be ready in May.   Joke became May of what year.  Keystone likely remembers the year, it was before my time. I think that was the end of stating that new features were coming, suggestions would be used. 

 

Refuse with direct commentary is rare but I've seen it.  Request for PQ by "publish"  rejected, reason: caches prior to late July 2005 have no publish log.

Have the percentage favorites auto load on every cache page rejected, reason: it's a  server hit to do the calculation. It's available by pull down if you want it.

 

 

Edited June 8, 2020 by Isonzo Karst

[+Rustynails]

GS has not answered my questions or other similar questions I've seen posted. This speaks volumes.

[+TmdAndGG]

3 minutes ago, rustynails. said:

GS has not answered my questions or other similar questions I've seen posted. This speaks volumes.

Just because they don't answer doesn't mean their not watching or they're refusing...

[+Rustynails]

6 minutes ago, TmdAndGG said:

Just because they don't answer doesn't mean their not watching or they're refusing...

 

Then, what does it mean?  I'm of an older generation where answering a question is considered polite and considerate  If not public a private email would be nice.

 

I may be traveling soon so seeing ALs on my computer would help. Scanning and refreshing on the tiny phone screen is annoying.

[+TmdAndGG]

3 minutes ago, rustynails. said:

If not public a private email would be nice.

Well then you should send them a private email. Simple as that.

[+OusKonNé & Cétyla]

On 6/6/2020 at 8:12 AM, rustynails. said:

Map of Adventure Lab locations that can be seen from your PC.

 

Such a map is certainly a need for several geocachers. I actually decided to create and share my own map of the Adventure Labs of Quebec (Canada).
 

As the process is completely manual, I limit the map to the province of Quebec.

[+Rustynails]

On 6/8/2020 at 7:37 PM, TmdAndGG said:

Well then you should send them a private email. Simple as that.

 

Not so simple. I sent them my questions and was told they are not currently available, nothing more.  We already know they're not available so more detailed information would have been nice. I guess scanning and refreshing on the tiny phone screen is all we have for now.

[+Lynx Humble]

4 hours ago, OusKonNé & Cétyla said:

 

Such a map is certainly a need for several geocachers. I actually decided to create and share my own map of the Adventure Labs of Quebec (Canada).
 

As the process is completely manual, I limit the map to the province of Quebec.

That would be a good improvement from the actual map that only cover a small area at the time and is only available on phone. I hope someone at Groundspeak is taking notes.

 

Would it be possible to put each location of the adventures on that map that doesn't need to be completed in a specific order? That would be useful for spread one like the Pont Couvert adventures that only show one of the destination.

[+OusKonNé & Cétyla]

On 6/10/2020 at 6:41 PM, Lynx Humble said:

Would it be possible to put each location of the adventures on that map that doesn't need to be completed in a specific order? That would be useful for spread one like the Pont Couvert adventures that only show one of the destination.

 

Great minds think alike and the Ponts couverts exceptionnels du Québec Adventure Lab is a good example with hundreds of kilometers between each destination.
 

To answer your question, yes it would be technically possible, but since the process is completely manual, this would require too much time for me to do that for all nonlinear Adventure Labs. But at least, in the example of the "Ponts couverts", the CO has specified the coordinates of the five destinations as additional waypoints within the Bonus Cache. These additional waypoints can therefore be automatically added into our GPS.
 

I hope this need will be considered by Groundspeak when developing a possible automated Adventure Lab Map. ?

[+thebruce0]

Oh and additionally, for labs with nonlinear waypoints, if each waypoint can be done on their own AND gives a smiley (like a virtual cache), then why not show individual non-linear waypoints on the map as well?  If you're traveling around, you might pass by a lab waypoint you are able to complete then and there. I'd definitely support a map showing such waypoints.

[+TheTowerOfSong]

On 6/10/2020 at 11:59 AM, OusKonNé & Cétyla said:

 

Such a map is certainly a need for several geocachers. I actually decided to create and share my own map of the Adventure Labs of Quebec (Canada).
 

As the process is completely manual, I limit the map to the province of Quebec.

How difficult is this to implement? 

I have little to no web experience, but with the bones already created, could this easily be ported to another province?  I understand you need to manually add each new Adventure Lab listing and the initial work would be quite taxing, but once it is up and running, it would be easy to add each new one that came to your attention.

I know people would love to have this in Alberta and I absolutely love what you have created.

[+Lynx Humble]

5 minutes ago, TheTowerOfSong said:

How difficult is this to implement? 

I have little to no web experience, but with the bones already created, could this easily be ported to another province?  I understand you need to manually add each new Adventure Lab listing and the initial work would be quite taxing, but once it is up and running, it would be easy to add each new one that came to your attention.

I know people would love to have this in Alberta and I absolutely love what you have created.

Yeah I really don't understand why Groundspeak still haven't done it. It's getting more and more ridiculous every day.

 

Here in Nova Scotia someone add every lab cache manually on a Google Map so it's doable :

 

https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=13024v8a5Xih2cwx3FDnziPVKbZ1nLFco&ll=45.1799527305125%2C-62.588817535888666&z=8

[+TheTowerOfSong]

24 minutes ago, Lynx Humble said:

Yeah I really don't understand why Groundspeak still haven't done it. It's getting more and more ridiculous every day.

 

Here in Nova Scotia someone add every lab cache manually on a Google Map so it's doable :

 

https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=13024v8a5Xih2cwx3FDnziPVKbZ1nLFco&ll=45.1799527305125%2C-62.588817535888666&z=8

Oh, that is interesting too.  It has much less in the way of description and no screenshot of the Adventure Lab or waypoints, but it is a start.  Thanks for the groundwork on looking that up for us to discuss.

I like the version from Quebec for the reason that it has so much information.  You can have multiple pages open for planning if you want to hit multiple labs in a day.

[+Lynx Humble]

45 minutes ago, TheTowerOfSong said:

Oh, that is interesting too.  It has much less in the way of description and no screenshot of the Adventure Lab or waypoints, but it is a start.  Thanks for the groundwork on looking that up for us to discuss.

I like the version from Quebec for the reason that it has so much information.  You can have multiple pages open for planning if you want to hit multiple labs in a day.

If you click on the icon on the map I provided it gives the name of the Adventure.

 

I prefer this one instead of the Quebec one because we have a bunch of spreadout adventure here so I need to know where are the finals. Also a lot more useful in big city when multiple adventures overlap.