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The Good Shepherds
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The Good Shepherds

+The Good Shepherds

Posted
Posted

I've been mulling over a concept for a new GPS-based game (which doesn't involve caches, so I don't think I'm stepping on any toes by posting here). However, one of the pre-requisite items that you'd need to play this (hypothetical!) game is a digital camera. I'm therefore wondering how many people have one at their disposal...

 

Cheers,

 

John TGS.

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GAZ

+GAZ

Posted
Posted

Lets not be negative about this,the game might not be a flash in the pan, and it might need more exposure,so we should'nt shoot him down yet. So, John, give us the format, and we'll try and be focussed icon_biggrin.gificon_biggrin.gif

 

------------------------------------------------------------

I'm SURE I can get the car closer!

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Tim & June

+Tim & June

Posted
Posted

We agree we think the resolution here could be to keep us in focus and zoom in on the purpose.

 

We don’t want people taking a quick shot at your ideas when you are after all using the forum as a viewfinder as it lens itself to that.

 

Were sure, as timelapse(s) people will click on what you are after.

 

June

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Tim & June

+Tim & June

Posted
Posted

quote:
Originally posted by Tim & June:

We agree we think the _resolution _ here could be to keep us in _focus _ and _zoom _ in on the purpose.

 

We don’t want people taking a quick _shot _ at your ideas when you are after all using the forum as a _viewfinder _ as it _lens _ itself to that.

 

Were sure, as _timelapse(s) _ people will _click _ on what you are after.

 

June

 

Oh for heavens sake, will someone shutterup.

 

Tim & June (Winchester)

 

See June, I told you that sign which said 'Unsuitable for Motor Vehicles' was wrong ! icon_smile.gif

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kennamatic

+kennamatic

Posted
Posted

Why don't the moderators filter some of these dreadful puns.

 

BTW did I ever mention the time as a Cub Scout when I used to box Brownies (Now there's one for the older cachers amongst us! icon_smile.gif )

 

And I've got a digi too so bring on the game.

 

Finding your caches - Losing my marbles.

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McDeHack

+McDeHack

Posted
Posted

I have been sitting here in front of this computer for two days now. (Digi camera at the ready) Waiting for the 'Good Shepherd' to reveal this new cache hunting option.

Having had two caches trashed/stolen recently I am game for anything.

SO GET ON WITH IT. REVEAL ALL.

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Morseman

Morseman

Posted
Posted

quote:
Originally posted by McDehack:

For another _SHOT_I did not think that there were _DISPOSABLE _digital cameras on the market yet

 

Perhaps we should consider the image that we are projecting to the rest of the geocaching community?

 

I know, far too over exposed now.

 

--... ...--

Morseman

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The Good Shepherds

+The Good Shepherds

Posted
  • Author
Posted

OK, this is the idea... it's kind of like a cross between virtual caching, geodashing, and "the photographer's cache".

 

The game will be driven by a website. This website will contain a huge database of interesting locations around the UK. The locations will correspond to typical tourist "curiosities" - the kind of thing that makes good virtual cache fodder... standing stones, blue plaques, Follies, public artworks, tombs + effigies, scenic trig points, interesting landmarks, strange buildings, unusual inscriptions ...stuff like that (the more unusual/obscure, the better!).

 

The game will be played on a monthly basis. At the start of each round, the website will randomly generate a list of "targets" for the coming month. Each target on the list will be assigned a points value, based on a number of factors e.g. how close it is to the nearest road (less accessible = more points) and it's proximity to the month's other targets (if a cluster of targets appear in the same city, they'd score lower than an isolated target in the outer hebrides would!).

 

To claim the points, you need to get yourself as close as possible to the target and take a photograph (hence the digital camera pre-requisite!). To prove that it's a new photo, and not something that you took ages ago, you'll need to include a specific object in the shot - e.g. a special "flag" that you download from the website and print out (the design will be rotated so that it's different for each round).

 

The first person to upload a valid photo of the target scores the points. Anybody who manages to upload a photo of the same target within 24 hours of this "first find" will get a lesser amount of points (e.g. 50%) as a consolation prize.

 

Points are totalled on a player-by-player basis, and at the end of each round, winners are declared, a new bunch of landmarks are pulled out of the hat, and the whole thing starts over again. Potentially we could run some kind of "team" game in parallel - e.g. you could pool your points with other nominated players, and winning teams could also be identified in the final reckoning.

 

I think this game would have a very different "feel" to geocaching, but retain many of the aspects that makes geocaching so enjoyable (the whole "finding something interesting that you didn't know existed" and "getting out into the countryside with a GPS" element). Whether it would have the same appeal for younger players is perhaps debatable (since there's no boxes to be found), but conversely, I think there's possibly another audience out there who might find the idea more appealing than "tupperware hunting" (madness, I know... but there's no accounting for taste with some folk!... icon_smile.gif ). Additionally, I guess that at a time when cache trashing seems to be getting more commonplace, it would be nice to have a fall-back game that doesn't rely on the placement of physical boxes icon_frown.gif

 

Any thoughts?

 

Obviously, the first hurdle will be building a database of potential targets... (which is really going to depend on submissions from potential players) ...and the game is only going to work where there's more than one active player in the same part of the country (otherwise it will get boring pretty quickly!) - but if people reckon it'll be a worthwhile enterprise, then I'll get my coding trousers on and knock up a website icon_smile.gif

 

Oh yeah... one other thing... I've been sitting on this idea for a couple of weeks now, and *still* haven't thought of a good name for it. "The Great British Curiosity Hunt" and "Geoquesting" (ugh!) are about the best so far. Any suggestions?

 

John TGS.

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Wood Smoke

+Wood Smoke

Posted
Posted

I like the general idea :-)

 

A couple of points -

 

1. I think initially you would need longer than a month between rounds until you get enough people playing.

 

2. Why not make the points a bit more varied and gettable?

 

10 for 1st

9 for 2nd

.

.

.

.

1 for 10th

 

You get the idea?

 

3. I like Geoquesting :-)

 

WoodSmoke

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Omally

+Omally

Posted
Posted

How about using the old Formula One points system of 10-6-4-3-2-1 or the new one of

10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1? Then you could call it Formula G (G for Geocaching, obviously!), seeing as that's sufficiently different from Geocaching so as to not confuse folks.

 

Neutiquam erro.

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The Good Shepherds

+The Good Shepherds

Posted
  • Author
Posted

My logic on the scoring is as follows:

 

Over a period of several games, it's inevitable that the same targets will probably come into play more than once.

 

Certain players might live particularly close to certain targets. It therefore makes sense to introduce a rule stating that a player can only claim a "first find" on a particular target once. After this "first find", they're not allowed to grab the same target in any subsequent games. That'll stop the same targets always being nabbed by the same players.

 

However, to keep the game balanced (and introduce a major incentive for players who missed the "first find" on a particular site in previous rounds of the game to re-visit the same location), I think there's a need for the first-finder reward to be _significantly_ higher than the reward given to subsequent visitors (in fact, in my first draft of the game, I thought about only giving points to the first finder, and no points to everybody else... but in practice, I fear this might lead to lots of frustrated players who feel angry about making an effort but not getting a reward.. so I introduced the concept of the 24 hour "consolation" period with reduced scoring).

 

Of course, how this all plays out in practice remains to be seen... but I think an underlying game structure that re-inforces the "race" aspect is fundamental to the concept... otherwise the whole thing just turns into virtual caching with photographs. A big part of this game will be about getting there *first* (by any means necessary! icon_wink.gif)

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Lizzzzeeeee

+Lizzzzeeeee

Posted
Posted

Sounds like a great idea for a game - count me in!

 

The arguments for and against points for second and subsequent places are strong. I'm not from the "second place is the first loser" camp but my husband is. When I was playing Celebdaq recently I was over the moon to get to 6th place on the leaderboard, but others wouldn't be so happy. As someone who has many other commitments but frequently goes caching alone on weekdays it needs to be worthwhile for me to play midweek, knowing that I'm unlike to be the first there. I would deinitely be one of the "frustrated players who fees angry about making an effort but not getting a reward".

 

It also needs to be secure from digitally edited photos of the "cache" site and the flag merged together - quite fun to do but hardly the point!!!!

 

Lizzzzzzzzzzzzzzeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

 

Don't you think that sooner or later someone will notice that its a mobile phone not a GPS your using???

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Travers

+Travers

Posted
Posted

quote:
Originally posted by The Good Shepherds:

 

...then I'll get my coding trousers on and knock up a website icon_smile.gif

 

John TGS.

 

First caching trousers, then coding trousers? Will everyone need a special pair of Geoquesting trousers to take part? icon_eek.gif

 

In fact you could maybe use that instead of the flag...to log this as a find, make sure you take a photo wearing the trousers of the day! icon_biggrin.gif

 

Sounds like an interesting idea...do you want submissions for sites?

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McDeHack

+McDeHack

Posted
Posted

First of all I don't like compeditive sports as I always seem to loose.

But the idea of finding and photgraphing items with the use of the GPS is as has been said a good alternative to digging up Tupperware boxes.

It's all to do with the hunt.

You can count me in. Will us (me) old boys get a concession of points for trying icon_cool.gif

Also I would like to suggest that most digital cameras have an option to show the date on the picture. This could do maybe instead of flags or whatever.

P.S. I have geocaching trousers, photographing trousers, gardening trousers, painting trousers, cooking trousers, working trousers, and trousers for any activity. Yes thats right, I only have one pair of trousers.

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Naefearjustbeer

+Naefearjustbeer

Posted
Posted

Hmmmm I like the sound of this but as I am 50 % of the geocaching population up where I live it may not work to well. I would be prepared to give it a go though! Either individually or as a caithness team with my neighbours Sssmokin!! if they are interested that is.

You could always have your team members spread accross the country rather than just a group of friends from one area that might help to even things up a bit for remoter (sp!) people or for the southerners (Almost the entire population are southerners from where I live) if by some chance all the random locations appear in remote areas

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MCL

MCL

Posted
Posted

You know what I think? I think the best game we've had so far is the one where we all try and think up rules to a new game.

 

Much more exciting than actually playing any of them.

 

No trees were harmed during the production of this posting, but a large number of electrons were terribly inconvenienced....

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paul.blitz

+paul.blitz

Posted
Posted

quote:
Originally posted by SimonG:

quote:
Originally posted by jstead:

Cheaters could change the camera date!

With a little more difficulty, cheaters could modify the picture. I don't think there's a lot you can do about this - it would have to run on trust.

 

Anyone else remember http://ubbx.Groundspeak.com/6/ubb.x?a=tpc&s=5726007311&f=4016058331&m=2206006051&r=2706006051?

 

http://www.SimonG.org - now with added blog!

 

I just had a read of that thread. The best one for me was the picture of his hand & GPS with a ship in the background, logged in 2002. The strange thing is that the ship was intentionally skuttled in late 2001!!!! You have entered the Twighlight Zone........

 

 

Paul

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Morseman

Morseman

Posted
Posted

quote:
Originally posted by The Good Shepherds:

OK, this is the idea... it's kind of like a cross between virtual caching, geodashing, and "the photographer's cache".

 

 

Sounds a bit like Geodashing. Except that Geodashing takes place all over the world and, although it's not a requirement, many players do upload photos of the dashpoints they visit each month.

 

But, hey, this month not so many geodash points in my area, and I've visited most trig points in the area as well, so I'm still interested. icon_wink.gif

 

Any news of when the website is likely to be up and running please?

 

--... ...--

Morseman

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Morseman

Morseman

Posted
Posted

quote:
Originally posted by jstead:

"Also I would like to suggest that most digital cameras have an option to show the date on the picture. This could do maybe instead of flags or whatever." - McDehack

 

Cheaters could change the camera date!

 

Also, my little l'espion camera doesn't have the facility to record the date/time.

 

My new HP850 does, but I can't find out how to get it printed on the picture!

 

The bottom line is, as ever, it's easy to cheat, but what would be the point?

 

I come back to my "it ain't the Olympics" point that I keep making. icon_rolleyes.gif

 

--... ...--

Morseman

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Paul G0TLG

+Paul G0TLG

Posted
Posted

There will certainly be a few who cheat the system, we're all gadget nuts here so there are bound to be some who 'adjust' their pictures, not to win but just to prove they can.

 

But hey, who cares? It's only a game, and there's no mention of any prizes being involved. If it comes to that you could cheat at 'traditional' geocaching, claiming to have found a cache that you've really been nowhere near.

 

How about a seperate competition for the most cheeky attempt at an 'adjusted' photo icon_wink.gif

 

Paul

 

So many caches, so little time...

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