Challenge cache difficulty ratings

[+peyton_lamb]

I'm working on creating a series of challenge caches. I am in the process of creating the listings for the challenges, but am struggling to determine appropriate difficulty ratings for them. I wanted to see if anyone has some input they could share on this. Thanks!!

[+peter-tvm]

One way is too see how many of the local cachers there are that already fulfill each challenge.

About 10 = D5

About 500 = D1

 

Or if there are an series with the same task but different amounts the one with the lowest amount get D1-2 and the highest D4-5.

 

 

 

[+CAVinoGal]

11 hours ago, peyton_lamb said:

I'm working on creating a series of challenge caches. I am in the process of creating the listings for the challenges, but am struggling to determine appropriate difficulty ratings for them. I wanted to see if anyone has some input they could share on this. Thanks!!

 

From the guidelines: "Challenge cache pages must include a link to a web-based challenge checker."

Project GC's challenge checker rates difficulty of the challenge on a scale of 1-100, 1-20 would be a Difficulty 1, 20-40 = 2, etc.  So I would try to find a challenge similar to each in the series on Project GC, and use the rating on that checker as a guide.

Edited January 17, 2021 by CAVinoGal

[+lee737]

A bit like a puzzle - it must be the most absolutely trivial challenge around to justify a D1 rating..... and a trivial hide as well.... IMO puzzles/challenges should begin at D2 and go up from there...

[+barefootjeff]

8 minutes ago, lee737 said:

A bit like a puzzle - it must be the most absolutely trivial challenge around to justify a D1 rating..... and a trivial hide as well.... IMO puzzles/challenges should begin at D2 and go up from there...

 

The guidelines say "We recommend that the difficulty rating be based on the challenge, the terrain rating on the challenge cache location" so the D rating should be all about the difficulty of qualifying for the challenge rather than the hide itself. Something like MV's Found Cache Challenge is rightfully a D1 since it'd be hard for even a muggle-with-app fresh out of muggle school not to qualify.

 

The checker's 1-100 difficulty rating is probably the best guide but it's only available after publication so it doesn't help in setting the D-rating beforehand unless there are other very similar challenges to compare it against. My two were pretty unique (20 finds with the takes-more-than-an-hour attribute and the Nemophilist Challenge with its mix of attributes and terrain ratings) so I just stuck a finger in the air and made them D3 because they'd be tough for a newbie or someone who'd only done urban caches but would be fairly easy more the more seasoned higher-terrain cacher. The checker has since rated them 59 and 64 respectively so I'm probably not too far off.

 

It would be nice if the Help Centre provided a bit more guidance than just saying to rate it on the difficulty of the challenge because, except for extreme cases that are clearly D1 or D5, a challenge's difficulty is very much in the eye of the beholder.

[+lee737]

6 hours ago, barefootjeff said:

should be all about the difficulty of qualifying for the challenge rather than the hide itself.

IMO the difficulty of the hide should be factored into the overall D-rating as well, a bit like mysteries are (often badly!)....

[+barefootjeff]

1 minute ago, lee737 said:

IMO the difficulty of the hide should be factored into the overall D-rating as well, a bit like mysteries are (often badly!)....

 

Yeah, personally I'd like to see the checker rating used for the qualification difficulty and leave the D-rating for its normal use in rating the sneakiness of the hide.

[+niraD]

18 minutes ago, barefootjeff said:

Yeah, personally I'd like to see the checker rating used for the qualification difficulty and leave the D-rating for its normal use in rating the sneakiness of the hide.

I like the idea of an additional rating that would apply to all caches. That way terrain could be how hard it is to get to GZ, difficulty could be how hard it is to identify the cache once you're at GZ, and struggle (or whatever we call it) could be how hard it is to do whatever else is required.

 

For challenge caches, struggle could refer to how hard the challenge is. For puzzle caches, how hard the puzzle is to solve. For gadget caches, how hard it is to work the gadget. And so on...

Edited January 18, 2021 by niraD

[+thebruce0]

12 hours ago, niraD said:

I like the idea of an additional rating that would apply to all caches. That way terrain could be how hard it is to get to GZ, difficulty could be how hard it is to identify the cache once you're at GZ, and struggle (or whatever we call it) could be how hard it is to do whatever else is required.

 

...dare I mention discussion about providing a 3rd rating for something related to this has been held and pointed to consistently over the years? If such a 3rd rating is as vehemently scorned by some as this other suggestion, it's unlikely there'll be a "struggle" (or whatever) rating  

 

ETA: That said, I'm in agreement that having the D be for the cache difficulty, T for the terrain, and a 3rd rating for 'whatever else' (ie, ALR) so that there's less confusion, would be of benefit. YMMV. 

Edited January 18, 2021 by thebruce0

[+lee737]

2 hours ago, thebruce0 said:

a 3rd rating for 'whatever else' (ie, ALR) so that there's less confusion, would be of benefit.

Imagine it.... the DT grid would become the DTX cube.....  

 

[+niraD]

1 hour ago, lee737 said:

Imagine it.... the DT grid would become the DTX cube.....  

[+sernikk]

17 hours ago, lee737 said:

Imagine it.... the DT grid would become the DTX cube.....  

 

Filling this D/T/X rating would take forever, 729 combinations instead of 81 - wow, and would provide very experienced cachers with a lot of fun

Edited January 19, 2021 by sernikk

[+thebruce0]

I wouldn't complain

[+frinklabs]

There has been talk of a system that would fulfill this requirement.

 

 

[+Vooruit!]

It would be nice if Project GC's calculated difficulty rating for a checker would be available on the fly.