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Virtual Cachecards?


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I've been playing with an idea, and wanted to run it by the esteemed posters of this board for feedback.

 

The idea is to create a series of Virtual Caches in neat locations. Each location would be turned into a "trading" card. To log the virtual cache, a cacher would need to first possess one of the cards for that location. Next, they would visit the location and take a photo of themselves holding the card at the location (for solo cachers, simply photographing their hand with the card infront of the location would be sufficient).

 

The backside of each card would have instructions for completing the virtual cache, and would indicate that the card should be placed in anouther geocache if the holder is unable to complete the virtual. Those who do complete the virtual would be welcome to keep the card as a collector item, or redistribute it.

 

Here's a mockup of what a card might look like:

 

trading_card_1.jpg

 

Thoughts???

 

snazzsig.jpg

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Shouldn't be any logistical problem, can use the existing virtual cache type on the site. If I go ahead with it, I plan to print up a bunch of cards (with permission for >25 logo items from Groundspeak first, naturally) and stick them in caches that I visit. Of course, that's sorta oregon-centric, but nothing stopping other cachers from doing the same icon_smile.gif

 

snazzsig.jpg

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Shouldn't be any logistical problem, can use the existing virtual cache type on the site. If I go ahead with it, I plan to print up a bunch of cards (with permission for >25 logo items from Groundspeak first, naturally) and stick them in caches that I visit. Of course, that's sorta oregon-centric, but nothing stopping other cachers from doing the same icon_smile.gif

 

snazzsig.jpg

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Although once again I must self-discount my own opinion, since I am so darned new...

 

I think this is a GREAT idea! (and very creative) I can tell you that if I came across one of those cards in a cache, and it was at all feasibly possible, I would be quite psyched to seek out that virtual cache.

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How about similar to the Pokemon cards? We could have an initial run of 150 caches, each with their own card. I know this has been proposed with cachers before, but not with caches. I would rather have a trading card about the real caches that I visited rather than a trading card that was for a virtual cache.

 

I think I could make 100 copies of 150 caches, or 1500 cards for the first run. Anyone interested in collecting these? Anyone got a system to pick the first 150 caches? One cache from each of the top 150 cachers? Nominations and voting? Most found? Best logs? Best photo locations?

 

I like your card design, but I picture it with a photo of a real cache (or a view from the cache) and the details, GPS coords, owner, date placed, difficulty etc.

 

Then how about a system for distributing them? Place them in their namesake cache? Sell them to cachers (by first come order/ by random order). Many things to think about. How about like Pokemon cards themselves, where you buy a pack of 5-10 and get a random assortment. Some rares, some commons etc.

 

stealyourcache.jpg

Talk about your plenty, talk about your ills

One man gathers what another man spills - St. Stephen (on caching)

-Dru Morgan www.theheavenlyhost.com/dru

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I found a site (first in a google search, so I'm sure there are many more) that will make a run of 1000 trading cards ala Pokemon for $150.

Each cache owner who is interested could collect their own funds and then make a run of cards for their favorite cache. If we get 100 or so cache owners to participate in a mass order, then we can get a great discount and then release them together like thought of before. Hmmm, we would have to ask about the logo, of course. If we weren't making a profit on them, then it might work, if they were exclusive trading/collecting items.

 

Or, if there is enough interest, I could front the capital and sell sets myself. Cache owners would not have to pay anything, just donate the pics and stats of their caches.

 

(I am doing some serious one sided brainstorming here, somebody jump in and help me)

 

Hmmm, maybe if to have your cache included, you donated your cache info and pre-ordered 10 cards.

 

I don't know... Am I getting worked up over nothing?

 

stealyourcache.jpg

Talk about your plenty, talk about your ills

One man gathers what another man spills - St. Stephen (on caching)

-Dru Morgan www.theheavenlyhost.com/dru

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It's probably cheaper to have the same card printed many times then to have many different cards, so first finder could be more expensive. I do like the idea though of whenever you visit the cache you get the card. This way you could keep track of caches you've visited. Maybe a spot on the card to write what you exchanged for memories too. I'm really starting to like this idea. Does anyone have any sort of a template started? I wish I could do that, but I'm not very creative or artistic. Things I do think that should be included on the card are: who hid it, its coordinates, date hidden, difficulty, picture of cache in hiding spot, anything else?

 

jhwf4

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I have asked what the protocol is for using the logo on a card like that, and I don't want to prematurely advertise for something like this here without their blessing. But, I am curious, what is the deal with geocoins? Do they sell them? Or can they use the logo because they are specifically NOT for sale, i.e. trade only?

Would getting cache owners to 'pitch in' for the expense of the cards for their specific cache count as 'selling'?

 

stealyourcache.jpg

Talk about your plenty, talk about your ills

One man gathers what another man spills - St. Stephen (on caching)

-Dru Morgan www.theheavenlyhost.com/dru

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quote:
Originally posted by jhwf4:

Things I do think that should be included on the card are: who hid it, its coordinates, date hidden, difficulty, picture of cache in hiding spot, anything else?

 

jhwf4


 

This reminds me of those 'animal kingdom' cards that they used to sell through the mail as a kid. They had maps of the regions that the animal was found. And all sorts of symbols for 'mammal' 'reptile' etc. We could include different symbols for 'handicapped access' Time of year available would be good (for frozen ones or caches that are too hot to find in summer)

 

stealyourcache.jpg

Talk about your plenty, talk about your ills

One man gathers what another man spills - St. Stephen (on caching)

-Dru Morgan www.theheavenlyhost.com/dru

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yeah I like the idea of a symbol categorizing them...like well what categories could there be? I mean normal cache, but what else. If it was virtual or locationless I guess the person that hid the cache would have to mail it to you...the same goes for micro too. What state it's in could be included. hmm, what else...

 

jhwf4

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Stealing MrSnazz' design I worked up this sample...trading1.jpg

I used a cache I found recently as the sample. Would these be what you are looking for?

 

I found a place that will do 500 for you for $150. Are cache owners willing to go in for that amount to have their cache included?

 

stealyourcache.jpg

Talk about your plenty, talk about your ills

One man gathers what another man spills - St. Stephen (on caching)

-Dru Morgan www.theheavenlyhost.com/dru

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I like your idea, but think of a few con things too. 1. Not everyone has a camera (digital) to do this or say the money or the time. 2. Why would people wait to get a card for a virtual cache that might be like 15 minutes down the road from them when they can go down answer what ever they have to and log it, instead. We have a bunch of geocachers waiting for cards instead of geo caching. I think they would be neat to collect... especially if you have been to that area and might keep a scrapbook with your cache finds and hides. I'm not bashing your idea. I too like it. But someone had to put some cons in there but if we can work out the kinks it would be a very good idea. (Especially if you found, lets say a virtual cache card from CA in NJ, you keep it and maybe in the summer time you take a trip to find that and document it and keep the card for memories.) icon_biggrin.gif

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I like your idea, but think of a few con things too. 1. Not everyone has a camera (digital) to do this or say the money or the time. 2. Why would people wait to get a card for a virtual cache that might be like 15 minutes down the road from them when they can go down answer what ever they have to and log it, instead. We have a bunch of geocachers waiting for cards instead of geo caching. I think they would be neat to collect... especially if you have been to that area and might keep a scrapbook with your cache finds and hides. I'm not bashing your idea. I too like it. But someone had to put some cons in there but if we can work out the kinks it would be a very good idea. (Especially if you found, lets say a virtual cache card from CA in NJ, you keep it and maybe in the summer time you take a trip to find that and document it and keep the card for memories.) icon_biggrin.gif

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quote:
Originally posted by jhwf4:

Wow, that's really good. What's on the backside though?


 

Turn your monitor around icon_wink.gif

 

quote:

I haven't really thought about that yet. It would be nice if there was a way so we didn't have to order so many.

 

jhwf4


 

I'm still waiting to hear from Geocaching about the use of their logo. But, whichever way that goes, I could afford to do a run of 5-10 caches as cards. Then I could sell 10-packs for $10 ($1.00 each) and people could purchase as many or as few as they could afford.

 

If successful and enough interest is generatad, I could keep releasing sets of 5 or 10.

 

Now we need some nominations for the first 5 lucky caches. (Oh, and take a look, the GC1234 code is on there already)

 

stealyourcache.jpg

Talk about your plenty, talk about your ills

One man gathers what another man spills - St. Stephen (on caching)

-Dru Morgan www.theheavenlyhost.com/dru

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quote:
Originally posted by jhwf4:

Wow, that's really good. What's on the backside though?


 

Turn your monitor around icon_wink.gif

 

quote:

I haven't really thought about that yet. It would be nice if there was a way so we didn't have to order so many.

 

jhwf4


 

I'm still waiting to hear from Geocaching about the use of their logo. But, whichever way that goes, I could afford to do a run of 5-10 caches as cards. Then I could sell 10-packs for $10 ($1.00 each) and people could purchase as many or as few as they could afford.

 

If successful and enough interest is generatad, I could keep releasing sets of 5 or 10.

 

Now we need some nominations for the first 5 lucky caches. (Oh, and take a look, the GC1234 code is on there already)

 

stealyourcache.jpg

Talk about your plenty, talk about your ills

One man gathers what another man spills - St. Stephen (on caching)

-Dru Morgan www.theheavenlyhost.com/dru

Link to comment

quote:
Originally posted by SunCrush & Traumajunkie21:

1. Not everyone has a camera (digital) to do this or say the money or the time. 2. Why would people wait to get a card for a virtual cache that might be like 15 minutes down the road from them when they can go down answer what ever they have to and log it, instead.


 

I understand and respect that not everyone has a digital camera - but then again, not everyone has access to a boat either, or other special equipment...

 

One way around the digital camera requirement is to use traditional Virtual Cache methods, where the user has to find information at the site. The twist here would be that the information to obtain would be specified on the card (on the back, perhaps? icon_wink.gif ), not on the site. So they'd still have to see the card to log it. icon_biggrin.gif

 

snazzsig.jpg

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quote:
Originally posted by SunCrush & Traumajunkie21:

1. Not everyone has a camera (digital) to do this or say the money or the time. 2. Why would people wait to get a card for a virtual cache that might be like 15 minutes down the road from them when they can go down answer what ever they have to and log it, instead.


 

I understand and respect that not everyone has a digital camera - but then again, not everyone has access to a boat either, or other special equipment...

 

One way around the digital camera requirement is to use traditional Virtual Cache methods, where the user has to find information at the site. The twist here would be that the information to obtain would be specified on the card (on the back, perhaps? icon_wink.gif ), not on the site. So they'd still have to see the card to log it. icon_biggrin.gif

 

snazzsig.jpg

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Once again, I love the idea of the ACTUAL cache cards as much (if not more) than the virtual cache cards. I'm already planning a cache of my own, just so I can get in on the action!

 

I know others have created cache cards - but I think organizing it so that a bunch of different caches have similar cards (and thus, creating a "series" of cards, much like for baseball) is cool. I can guarantee I would work extra card to collect any of these in my area...

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quote:
Originally posted by unclerojelio:

If I'm understanding this correctly, the original idea sounds like a multi cache. Except that you get to log two finds instead of one.


 

Just one find - the virtual that requires the card to log. You don't get to log the card seperately, not on this site anyway. If I do this, I do plan on setting up a logging area on my own website, where you could then see thumbnails of all the cards you've "collected".

 

snazzsig.jpg

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