Feature Request List

[+SFTX]

I just started looking at Adventure Lab tonight, and I have a few suggestions for adventures, so I'm starting this thread of suggestions. Perhaps add your own suggestions, and we may end up with a "master list" of suggestions and features.
 

• Option: require completion of a (traditional, virtual, etc) cache to start the Adventure Lab
• Option: allow completely hiding the Adventure from view until the player finishes another Lab (or traditional, virtual, etc Geocache)
• Option: allow linking to, recommending, or prompting to start another Adventure Lab if the player succeeds (or an alternate option if they fail)

The above options would allow us to create much more compelling stories. This would enable things like creating a series of adventures for a location or character. For example, we could start the user at the beginning of a character's story, and they could follow them around town as they complete each adventure. This would also allow creation of things similar to the old "choose your own adventure" books, where each decision unlocks a different story or path forward. We could also have stacked stories in the same location -- complete adventure A, and the story continues in adventure B (same general location).

 

• Option: allow "pinning" VR elements to a specific location (X, Y, Z coordinates)
• Option: allow proximity triggers for VR elements

 

This would allow far more compelling stories, especially since placing physical items is not allowed. Lab authors could then add items relevant to their story - clues, context, or even simply characters that narrate a story in the natural environment.

 

• Allow more than 5 locations
• Allow more complex expressions of non-sequential and sequential content.
• Option: allow setting a minimum score to consider the Adventure Lab "complete", even if there are more steps/stages
• Option: allow setting bronze, silver, gold levels for completion (ex: 5/9, 7/9, 9/9 completed)

These changes would allow stories that have a mix of "required" and "optional" content, and would allow storytellers to really engage with participants that wanted to go for gold (which may be harder than a "standard" completion).

 

• Option: allow regular expressions or the ability to accept multiple correct answers

• Option: allow adventure owner to see wrong answers (if desired)

• Option: allow multiple language packs for an adventure (support multi-language)

This would allow us to catch common mis-spellings and edge-cases when asking questions, and seeing wrong answers might help them understand how adventurers are going off track. This would also allow more engaging content for regions (ex: tourist attractions), that are multi-language.

 

• Option: allow setting a maximum time, or timer, between waypoint X and Y

This would allow more immersive stories, like: Defuse the bomb! It's set to go off in 5 minutes, and to stop it you must ....

 

• Allow pre-loading content or adventures

 

Depending on the location of the adventure, internet may be spotty or slow. Allowing users to pre-load Adventure content could create a more enjoyable, seamless experience.

 

• Allow creation of and tracking for Adventure Lab souvenirs

 

Example: completed XX of type YY Adventure Labs in ZZ days or whatever would be fun. I'm sure the community could help come up with some ideas here.

 

• Allow separate cover (initial square image) and banner (click-through, up top) images.

 

The app tries to do a reasonable job here, but it'd be nice to have the option to set unique images here.

 

• Allow setting a difficulty level

 

There is the "For kids" theme, but it'd be nice to set an actual difficulty level (even if the adventure is for kids). Maybe even the ability to set a target age range..

 

• Support use of 360/panoramic images

 

This is another way to make stories and clues more immersive.

 

• Allow pre-configured, date-based automated activation/deactivation of an adventure

 

This allows creation of holiday-themed (Christmas, Easter, etc) and seasonal (Summer, Winter, etc) adventures, with tailored content specific to that time or holiday.

 

• Allow adventures to "give" the player virtual items based on where they are in the story (or what steps they have completed)

 

This would allow an adventure to equip the player with virtual items they could use to solve "mysteries" or other challenges. This idea could obviously become quite powerful, but even a simple inventory add/remove/check option could add immersion to an adventure.

 

 

 

 

Edited March 22 by SFTX
Typos

[+CAVinoGal]

Sounds a lot like a Wherigo cache....

[+Max and 99]

On 3/20/2024 at 8:44 PM, SFTX said:

• Option: require completion of a (traditional, virtual, etc) cache to start the Adventure Lab
• Option: allow completely hiding the Adventure from view until the player finishes another Lab (or traditional, virtual, etc Geocache)

Not a fan of these suggestions at all!

[+HHL]

17 hours ago, Max and 99 said:

Not a fan of these suggestions at all!

So am I. Adventures should convince with their location. @HQ Please keep the AdLabs as simple as possible

On 3/21/2024 at 2:44 AM, SFTX said:

Allow pre-loading content of adventures

This is the one and only suggestion I liked to be realized.

Edited March 24 by HHL

[+nachtmusik]

On 3/20/2024 at 9:44 PM, SFTX said:

 

• Allow more than 5 locations
• Allow more complex expressions of non-sequential and sequential content.

• Option: allow setting a maximum time, or timer, between waypoint X and Y

This would allow more immersive stories, like: Defuse the bomb! It's set to go off in 5 minutes, and to stop it you must ....

 

• Allow pre-loading content or adventures

 

Depending on the location of the adventure, internet may be spotty or slow. Allowing users to pre-load Adventure content could create a more enjoyable, seamless experience.

 

• Allow adventures to "give" the player virtual items based on where they are in the story (or what steps they have completed)

 

This would allow an adventure to equip the player with virtual items they could use to solve "mysteries" or other challenges. This idea could obviously become quite powerful, but even a simple inventory add/remove/check option could add immersion to an adventure.

 

 

 

 

These particular suggestions are all possible with Wherigos. 

[+AutoMagicGeo]

On 3/21/2024 at 2:44 AM, SFTX said:

Allow more than 5 locations

To get more than five locations in an Adventure Lab, you need to partner with Geocaching HQ. I don't think HQ wants to give everyone more than five locations, because their partners needed to pay (with real money) to get access to more than these five locations.

 

Best regards
AutoMagicGeo

[+Max and 99]

1 hour ago, AutoMagicGeo said:

To get more than five locations in an Adventure Lab, you need to partner with Geocaching HQ. I don't think HQ wants to give everyone more than five locations, because their partners needed to pay (with real money) to get access to more than these five locations.

 

Best regards
AutoMagicGeo

I wish that were true in my area, but it is not. There are quite a few independent adventure labs with 10 locations. I have a theory how they got them and I don't consider it ethical. 

[+JL_HSTRE]

On 3/20/2024 at 9:44 PM, SFTX said:

• Option: require completion of a (traditional, virtual, etc) cache to start the Adventure Lab
• Option: allow completely hiding the Adventure from view until the player finishes another Lab (or traditional, virtual, etc Geocache)

 

This is basically daisy chaining, which is prohibited for geocaches and has been for a long time.

 

The closest thing is Bonus Caches, which can only go one level deep and require multiple caches. Even then a bonus cache can be located with partial coordinates plus deduction (or other means) then logged. 

 

As is, requiring completion of AL steps in a specific order is frequently more of a nuisance to the seeker.

 

Ultimately, other than the stages within single multistage cache you can't force seekers to follow your series or story in the order you want them to. Much like the description of a Traditional, which can be very interesting and educational, you can't force seekers to participate in what is essentially an ALR. You can make it clear how people who want to follow the story in order can do so, but they can chose not to.