How do you make a good geocache page

[Coumpter]

How do you make a good cache page and what should it include

Edited February 11 by coumpter

[Johannis10]

For what type of cache?
For a tradi?
Write something nice but don't be sad if you realize that only very few cachers read the listing.
Otherwise don't write "hide the cache as found"
Because if someone hides it incorrectly, it may be hidden incorrectly for a long time. Better write how it should be hidden, then the cache is self-healing.

[+barefootjeff]

My cache concept always starts with the location, which inspires the cache type (traditional, multi, mystery, etc.) and its theme, so my cache description typically begins with a brief overview of what it is I'm trying to showcase. That's then followed by fairly detailed directions on how to get there and what precautions to take, as a lot of them are off the beaten track, and finally a bit of information about the container and its hiding place, with more detail in the hint. For example, see GCAEX05, my most recent traditional published in October.

 

If I can, I try to inject a bit of humour into it as well, such as Pearl Beach Penthouse (GCABG77) which is written in the style of a resort brochure.

[+JL_HSTRE]

What type of container?

 

Any limits on access? Ex: daylight only.

 

If applicable: what park/preserve is it in? What trail is it on within that property? (These things aren't always obvious or accurate on the map.)

 

Why is the cache here? Is it one for the numbers or is there something worth seeing?

 

 

Edited February 15 by JL_HSTRE

[+Viajero Perdido]

• Put the most important stuff first ... before people go TLDR.
• Keep it brief.  (TLDR = too long, didn't read.)
• Skip stuff that could apply to ANY cache (replace as found, etc.)
• Keep it interesting (defense against TLDR).
• Pictures are nice.  Humor is good.

 

PS, if anyone thinks challenge cache boilerplate is too wordy, feel free to borrow this tightened-up version.

 

Edited February 15 by Viajero Perdido
Pushing the edge of TLDR

[Blue Square Thing]

20 hours ago, Viajero Perdido said:

PS, if anyone thinks challenge cache boilerplate is too wordy, feel free to borrow this tightened-up version.

 

Any chance you could post the text here for those of us who don't have premium accounts? Thanks

[+JL_HSTRE]

22 hours ago, Viajero Perdido said:

Pictures are nice.

 

If you use pictures on a cache page, upload them to the cache page. Do not rely on any third-party hosting. 

 

Keep photos to a minimum. Not too big. Preferably not more than one. Only if it really adds something to the description.

[+Viajero Perdido]

4 hours ago, Blue Square Thing said:

Any chance you could post the text here for those of us who don't have premium accounts? Thanks

 

Oops, hadn't thought of that, sorry.  Here:

 

Quote

Cachers know all the coolest places. Have you been to a thousand of them yet?

To log this cache, you must have found 1000 caches with a "Scenic view" attribute.

And, you must have a writing instrument with you.

 

Quote

Simplified challenge cache bumf: You may sign the physical log, and optionally write an online "Note" log, at any time. You may only write an online "Found" log after also meeting the challenge condition:

(↓ If there is a number here, it is the body count. Click it, I dare you.)

 

Quote

[Finally, some least-important stuff, background on the cache location.  Entirely optional.]

 

Substitute the two links with your own checker of course, and note the use of a link to Groundspeak's rules, rather than repeating them here.

 

Edited February 16 by Viajero Perdido
Included the whole thing, for completeness

[+captnemo]

I start with "Please read the description"  as that will appear on the front page of the App.  Doesn't mean any attention will be paid to it.

 

 

 

 

[Coumpter]

On 2/12/2024 at 3:08 PM, barefootjeff said:

My cache concept always starts with the location, which inspires the cache type (traditional, multi, mystery, etc.) and its theme, so my cache description typically begins with a brief overview of what it is I'm trying to showcase. That's then followed by fairly detailed directions on how to get there and what precautions to take, as a lot of them are off the beaten track, and finally a bit of information about the container and its hiding place, with more detail in the hint. For example, see GCAEX05, my most recent traditional published in October.

 

If I can, I try to inject a bit of humour into it as well, such as Pearl Beach Penthouse (GCABG77) which is written in the style of a resort brochure.

Could you send me a picture of the pearl beach penthouse because I can not view it because my account is a basic

[+barefootjeff]

54 minutes ago, coumpter said:

Could you send me a picture of the pearl beach penthouse because I can not view it because my account is a basic

 

Sorry, I'd forgotten that I'd set that one to PMO because of the dangerous location. I've set it back to full access now so you should be able to view it (GCABG77).

[Blue Square Thing]

On 2/17/2024 at 8:20 PM, barefootjeff said:

 

Sorry, I'd forgotten that I'd set that one to PMO because of the dangerous location. I've set it back to full access now so you should be able to view it (GCABG77).

Thanks for doing that Jeff. I particularly like the formatting of the caution notice at the top.

[Blue Square Thing]

What a "good" cache page needs does depend on a) what the cache needs (is it simple or complex) and b) what you like to see

 

In terms of "how", I think an understanding of how the HTML code (and related CSS) works is the most useful thing if you want to make something consistent, well laid out and readable on a computer or in web view (like the one Jeff shared). Others might well argue that they want a basic cache page because they use a device that doesn't use the fancy formatting that's possible. The way you go on this depends, I guess.

 

I *think* copying and pasting from Word can be complex as it might bring across some formatting. I've certainly seen a number of cache pages where the formatting is all over the place.. I'm not quite sure why - I suspect a combination of that and using the visual editor. But you do have to dig in to the HTML and CSS if you don't want to use that.

 

The most influential cache page for me was the now archived One O'Clock Gun cache in Edinburgh. I've used this an inspiration for a number of my more complex multi style cache pages - you can find these via my profile. That cache tells a story of course, which is something I often try to do with mine as well.

 

And read your cache pages lots of times. You won't pick up all of the typos, but you'll get most of them (I found one this morning on a cache that was published this time last year...)

[+BAKO1313]

Is there a way to test a background image appearance before submitting for review/approval/publication?

 

[+Viajero Perdido]

You should be able to see the page, including background image, after you've specified the image during an edit cycle.

 

This applies when viewing the site on a computer.  Some mobile browsers, eg Brave on my huge-resolution Android tablet, even in "desktop" mode, simply refuse to show background images.  So try a proper "computer", eg desktop or laptop style, if you have one handy.

 

Edited February 23 by Viajero Perdido
Clarificationment

[+CAVinoGal]

On 2/22/2024 at 11:53 AM, BAKO1313 said:

Is there a way to test a background image appearance before submitting for review/approval/publication?

 

 

I use the "Save and Preview" option a LOT during the cache page creation process!

[+Viajero Perdido]

Scrolling text should be for emergencies only.

[Blue Square Thing]

On 3/5/2024 at 4:05 PM, CyberTrek23 said:

I have a question I have found caches where in the description the FTF’s name is moving back and forth how can I make a cache like this. Example is: GC5YE8A.

It's called marquee text. There are a whole pile of reasons why you probably shouldn't use it - from a web design perspective it's generally seen as a really bad idea these days and has been depreciated for ever. Different browsers might well fail to display it and I have no idea what on earth the GC app would make of it.

 

Seriously: put a nice message up instead if you really want to. Maybe centre it and make it a little bigger. If you really feel the urge, change the colour. But please don't scroll text.

Edited April 15 by Blue Square Thing

[+BAKO1313]

QUESTION HERE. If the difficulty rating is raised after several finds is it applied to prior finds? Have had some comments about one of my hides recently and I somewhat agree that perhaps difficulty should be higher due to footing aspects. 

 

[+niraD]

2 hours ago, BAKO1313 said:

difficulty should be higher due to footing aspects

Issues with difficult footing sounds like terrain to me, not like difficulty. Just saying..