Guest MTBguy Posted August 4, 2001 Share Posted August 4, 2001 What if you could rate a Cache (difficulty & terain) after you find it and that rating would be averaged with the other ratings of other logged visiters. That would be the rating displayed on the "seek a Cache" page instead of the rating the cache hidder aplied to it. That would give a more accurate rating for each geocache. What do you think? Is it possilble? ------------------ Todd (MTBguy) Quote Link to comment
Guest bwware Posted August 4, 2001 Share Posted August 4, 2001 I think that is a wondeful idea! I always get so scared that I rated my cache wrong or I plan on a trip being a 1/1 or 2/2 and I take the kids when it turns out that the kids should have stayed at home! I would like a user rating scale! Ever Onward, Bill Quote Link to comment
Guest gstrong1 Posted August 4, 2001 Share Posted August 4, 2001 Somewhere on one of these threads is a pretty universal cache rating system that works rather well.Takes into account a lot of variables & gives you a set of numbers that are reasonable.I don't have a link to it in front of me, but it is a nice set-up.I'm sure someone will post the link here. I'm back. Try this! http://www.cordianet.com/snd/GCRS.zip ------------------ Gary "Gimpy" Strong Rochester,NY [This message has been edited by gstrong1 (edited 04 August 2001).] [This message has been edited by gstrong1 (edited 04 August 2001).] Quote Link to comment
Guest Havasu Desert Rat Posted August 4, 2001 Share Posted August 4, 2001 Try this: http://www.clayjar.com/gcrs/ Quote Link to comment
Guest gstrong1 Posted August 4, 2001 Share Posted August 4, 2001 Thats very nice HDR. I must have missed that one.Thanks. . ------------------ Gary "Gimpy" Strong Rochester,NY Quote Link to comment
Guest gstrong1 Posted August 4, 2001 Share Posted August 4, 2001 Thats very nice HDR. I must have missed that one.Thanks. . ------------------ Gary "Gimpy" Strong Rochester,NY Quote Link to comment
Guest k2dave Posted August 4, 2001 Share Posted August 4, 2001 Maybe there should be 2 ratings - the owner and the ave seeker rating. Quote Link to comment
Guest Markwell Posted August 4, 2001 Share Posted August 4, 2001 Jeremy had said that he had monitored the forum on cache ratings, and indeed liked the work the community did. Jeremy, didn't you say you'd adopt these guidelines as "official?" I think the best way to do that would either be to link to ClayJar's site on your "Hide a Cache" page with an icon for "Cache Rating Calculator" or to create your own ASP version (which some people offered to help with). Where standest thou on this subject? Quote Link to comment
Guest celts Posted August 4, 2001 Share Posted August 4, 2001 I just hid a cache using clayjar's link and it worked easily and seemed to cover all the bases. Quote Link to comment
Guest ClayJar Posted August 4, 2001 Share Posted August 4, 2001 And remember, if it's decided that ASP-ing it and putting it up on Geocaching.com proper is preferred, you can get at the source by asking for it ( http://www.clayjar.com/gcrs/?source ). Quote Link to comment
Guest jeremy Posted August 4, 2001 Share Posted August 4, 2001 It's pretty cool. Is this what everyone wants as a rating tool? Any options to add to it before I make it a geocaching.com official cache rating? Looks pretty straightforward to convert to ASP. I'll definitely add recognition for all who contributed if it's a go. Jeremy Quote Link to comment
Guest Havasu Desert Rat Posted August 4, 2001 Share Posted August 4, 2001 I'll stand up and be counted. I like it and think it's a great idea to have a universal rating system attached to the site. Quote Link to comment
Guest arffer Posted August 4, 2001 Share Posted August 4, 2001 Yes, I would really appreciate you adding it to the site. No additions needed. Many of us are already using it by going off site. Thanks Quote Link to comment
Guest brokenwing Posted August 4, 2001 Share Posted August 4, 2001 Well, I'm certainly for it, but you probably already knew that... brokenwing Quote Link to comment
Guest brokenwing Posted August 4, 2001 Share Posted August 4, 2001 Well, I'm certainly for it, but you probably already knew that... brokenwing Quote Link to comment
Guest brokenwing Posted August 4, 2001 Share Posted August 4, 2001 quote:Originally posted by jeremy:Looks pretty straightforward to convert to ASP. I'll definitely add recognition for all who contributed if it's a go. Jeremy, in case you want the original VB source, it is below. This was posted before, but I thought I'd go ahead and post again so you'd have it if you need or want it. To those that didn't need the source, I apologize for the long post. Be advised that, for brevity, I left out any non-critical code like splash and about windows, exit and about button code, as well as most of the form load stuff. This is the meat... ----Start code---- modMain: Option Explicit Public strEquip As String Public strNight As String Public intLength As Integer Public intTrail As Integer Public intOvergrown As Integer Public intElevation As Integer Public intDifficulty As Integer Public intMax As Integer Public sglTerrain As Single frmTerrainQ: Private Sub cmdContinue_Click() If optEquipYes.Value = True Then sglTerrain = 5 intMax = sglTerrain Load frmDifficulty Unload Me frmDifficulty.Show Exit Sub End If If optNightYes.Value = True Then sglTerrain = 4 intMax = sglTerrain End If Load frmTerr2Q Unload Me frmTerr2Q.Show End Sub frmTerr2Q: Private Sub cmdContinue_Click() Dim intIndex As Integer Dim sglVL As Single Dim sglVT As Single Dim sglVO As Single Dim sglVE As Single Dim sglDec As Single For intIndex = 0 To 3 If optLength(intIndex).Value = True Then intLength = optLength(intIndex).Index + 1 End If Next intIndex intIndex = 0 For intIndex = 0 To 3 If optTrail(intIndex).Value = True Then intTrail = optTrail(intIndex).Index + 1 End If Next intIndex intIndex = 0 For intIndex = 0 To 3 If optOvergrown(intIndex).Value = True Then intOvergrown = optOvergrown(intIndex).Index + 1 End If Next intIndex intIndex = 0 For intIndex = 0 To 3 If optElevation(intIndex).Value = True Then intElevation = optElevation(intIndex).Index + 1 End If Next intIndex If intMax = 4 Then sglDec = sglDec + 0.25 computeDecimal Exit Sub End If If intLength > intTrail Then intMax = intLength Else intMax = intTrail End If If intOvergrown > intMax Then intMax = intOvergrown End If If intElevation > intMax Then intMax = intElevation End If computeDecimal End Sub Private Sub computeDecimal() If intMax = intLength Then sglVL = 0.25 If intMax = intTrail Then sglVT = 0.25 If intMax = intOvergrown Then sglVO = 0.25 If intMax = intElevation Then sglVE = 0.25 sglDec = sglDec + sglVL + sglVT + sglVO + sglVE sglDec = sglDec - 0.25 If intMax = 1 Then sglDec = 0 sglTerrain = intMax + sglDec Load frmDifficulty Unload Me frmDifficulty.Show End Sub frmDifficulty: Private Sub cmdContinue_Click() intIndex = 0 For intIndex = 0 To 4 If optDiff(intIndex).Value = True Then intDifficulty = optDiff(intIndex).Index + 1 End If Next intIndex Load frmResults frmResults.Show Unload Me End Sub frmResults: Private Sub Form_Load() Dim strTerrReason As String Dim strTerrRLvl As String Dim strTerrR1 As String Dim strTerrR2 As String Dim strTerrR3 As String Dim strTerrR4 As String Dim strTerrR5 As String Dim strDiffReason As String Dim strDiffRLvl As String Dim strDiffR1 As String Dim strDiffR2 As String Dim strDiffR3 As String Dim strDiffR4 As String Dim strDiffR5 As String txtTerrRate.Text = sglTerrain intTerrlvl = Int(sglTerrain) strTerrRLvl = "A level " & intTerrlvl & " terrain ranking is defined as: " strTerrReason = strTerrRLvl strTerrR1 = "Handicapped accessible. (Terrain is likely to be paved, is relatively flat, and less than a 1/2 mile hike is required.)" strTerrR2 = "Suitable for small children. (Terrain is generally along marked trails, there are no steep elevation changes or heavy overgrowth. Less than a 2 mile hike required.)" strTerrR3 = "Not suitable for small children. (The average adult or older child should be OK depending on physical condition. Terrain is likely off-trail. May have one or more of the following: some overgrowth, some steep elevation changes, or more than a 2 mile hike." strTerrR4 = "Experienced outdoor enthusiasts only. (Terrain is probably off-trail. Will have one or more of the following: very heavy overgrowth, very steep elevation (requiring use of hands), or more than a 10 mile hike. May require an overnight stay. )" strTerrR5 = "Requires specialized equipment and knowledge or experience, (boat, 4WD, rock climbing, SCUBA, etc) or is otherwise extremely difficult." Select Case intTerrlvl Case 1 strTerrReason = strTerrReason & strTerrR1 Case 2 strTerrReason = strTerrReason & strTerrR2 Case 3 strTerrReason = strTerrReason & strTerrR3 Case 4 strTerrReason = strTerrReason & strTerrR4 Case 5 strTerrReason = strTerrReason & strTerrR5 End Select If sglTerrain <> intTerrlvl Then stradddec = " The decimal value represents the fact that you selected multiple items that would account for a level " & intTerrlvl & " Rating." strTerrReason = strTerrReason & stradddec End If txtTerrReason.Text = strTerrReason txtDiffRate.Text = intDifficulty strDiffRLvl = "A level " & intDifficulty & " difficulty ranking is defined as: " strDiffReason = strDiffRLvl strDiffR1 = "Easy. In plain sight or can be found in a few minutes of searching." strDiffR2 = "Average. The average cache hunter would be able to find this in less than 30 minutes of hunting." strDiffR3 = "Challenging. An experienced cache hunter will find this challenging, and it could take up a good portion of an afternoon." strDiffR4 = "Difficult. A real challenge for the experienced cache hunter - may require special skills or knowledge, or in-depth preparation to find. May require multiple days / trips to complete." strDiffR5 = "Extreme. A serious mental or physical challenge. Requires specialized knowledge, skills, or equipment to find cache." Select Case intDifficulty Case 1 strDiffReason = strDiffReason & strDiffR1 Case 2 strDiffReason = strDiffReason & strDiffR2 Case 3 strDiffReason = strDiffReason & strDiffR3 Case 4 strDiffReason = strDiffReason & strDiffR4 Case 5 strDiffReason = strDiffReason & strDiffR5 End Select txtDiffReason.Text = strDiffReason End Sub ----End code---- Thanks, I can't wait to see the rating system up on the web site! brokenwing Quote Link to comment
Guest mav Posted August 4, 2001 Share Posted August 4, 2001 BLOCKQUOTE> Count me as one who is VERY grateful to brokenwing, clayjar and anyone else who worked on it. Had a very frustrating time last week with one rated 1.5- should have been a 3 or so... 2 hot, sticky, hungry babies and one frustrated hubby did not make for geocaching fun! Please, please make it official! ------------------ ~~Smiles~~ Mav Quote Link to comment
Guest faithwalker Posted August 4, 2001 Share Posted August 4, 2001 Works for us. Go For It...And thanks to all involved. ...Faithwalker & DaMama... [This message has been edited by faithwalker (edited 04 August 2001).] Quote Link to comment
Guest Markwell Posted August 5, 2001 Share Posted August 5, 2001 Please, Please, Please, Please, Please put it on the site. I'd like to make sure there's a link and adequate descriptions on the Hide a Cache Page - something like "Please use the calculator 'here' (include link) to verify that your proposed ratings take into account the standards that we've all..blah, blah, blah, blah" If we just say "Here's a calculator" people think "I don't need a calculator to rate my cache" and they'll never even try it. Until they get used to the standards we hammered out in the other forums, we all should be using the calculator to verify. In the ideal world people would either use the calculator to suggest a rating and tweak it if necessary (which is what I do), or rate the cache and verify that they're in the ballpark with the calculator. Whichever way, I would want to encourage (but not mandate) it's use for all caches for at least a short time. Quote Link to comment
Guest MTBguy Posted August 5, 2001 Share Posted August 5, 2001 WOW! My first and I've actually sparked a change on the best site on the internet! The GCRS works better than what I suggested because you do not have to wait for seekers to find and rate it to get the average. LOVE IT! ------------------ Todd (MTBguy) Quote Link to comment
Guest Markwell Posted August 5, 2001 Share Posted August 5, 2001 Thanks Todd for spurring us on. We had originally talked about the difficulty and terrain ratings here, and brokenwing and clayjay tweaked through the software version here but we needed someone to come along and indicate that they didn't know about it to bring it back to the front burner. Thanks! Quote Link to comment
Guest Peter Scholtz Posted August 5, 2001 Share Posted August 5, 2001 I vote YES. Jeremy, please send a bulk email to all cache owners to update their cache ratings. ------------------ Peter Scholtz www.biometrics.co.za Quote Link to comment
Guest brokenwing Posted August 5, 2001 Share Posted August 5, 2001 quote:Originally posted by k2dave:Maybe there should be 2 ratings - the owner and the ave seeker rating. k2dave has an excellent point here. As others have said, we should not make the rating system mandatory. But by not doing so, the possiblity still exists that cache placers will rate their caches off. With a second cache finders rating, this might give folks a feeling of the accuracy of the posters rating. I envision averages from all finders for difficulty and terrain listed right next to the posters rating, along with each finders individual ratings listed with their log entry. This would require that the rating standard be listed on the seek portion of the website as well as the hide portion. Obviously, This is a future step, after getting the initial standards listed on the site. Consider this another of the wishlist items... Thanks, brokenwing. Quote Link to comment
Guest dwr50 Posted August 6, 2001 Share Posted August 6, 2001 I just spent all day writing up a cache level system guideline... and NOW I find this thread! What I have written might have some value. How do I forward it to the group for comments? It's three pages long. ------------------ dwr50 "Full-Time RV'ers can REALLY cachin" Quote Link to comment
Guest EyezOfTheWorld Posted August 7, 2001 Share Posted August 7, 2001 Post it here and see what others think! All good ideas can be blended into a final result one of these days. Quote Link to comment
Guest dwr50 Posted August 7, 2001 Share Posted August 7, 2001 The question was How do I send it.Zip file,ascii,cut & paste... it's 3 pages long. I've never sent something this log to a group. ------------------ dwr50 "Full-Time RV'ers can REALLY cachin" Quote Link to comment
Guest Scaphites Posted August 8, 2001 Share Posted August 8, 2001 I just did a test rating no no 1/2 to 2 miles no trail light overgrowth basically flat in plain sight 1/4 was the calculated rating, isn't the 4 kinda high? It is not a 10 mile hike, no thick overgrowth, no steep elevation, and you wouldn't have to stay overnight. Would we have to live with the calculated rating or could we change it? Kevin Quote Link to comment
Guest ClayJar Posted August 8, 2001 Share Posted August 8, 2001 trail" is what got you. For example, if it's in the middle of a pasture, I'd consider that a very wide trail, instead of "no trail". Now, as to whether you can say that a "4" is way too high and needs to be a "3" or a "2.5", just remember that we're humans and have more sense than computers, but do have a reason for changing it. Quote Link to comment
Guest ClayJar Posted August 8, 2001 Share Posted August 8, 2001 trail" is what got you. For example, if it's in the middle of a pasture, I'd consider that a very wide trail, instead of "no trail". Now, as to whether you can say that a "4" is way too high and needs to be a "3" or a "2.5", just remember that we're humans and have more sense than computers, but do have a reason for changing it. Quote Link to comment
Guest aldarion Posted August 8, 2001 Share Posted August 8, 2001 Another thought... The difficulty rating of caches may change over time. One site I visitied was 1.5/1 with "no bushwhacking needed". The cache was left early in the season. When I got there the weeds had grown over my head, requiring significant whacking to get there. 2 sets of ratings (one averaged over time) would help in this scenario. ------------------ To strive, to seek, to find and not to yield. Quote Link to comment
Guest ClayJar Posted August 8, 2001 Share Posted August 8, 2001 Okay, I think it's about time to point out that the rating is not the be-all and end-all of the thing. Could a "finders' rating" be useful? Perhaps. Would it be neat to take into account the fact that a cache may get more overgrown as the season progresses? Probably. Would it be interesting to keep a geographical database of rainfall estimates and long-period time/temperature profiles in order to automatically adjust ratings for estimated growth patterns? Eh, maybe, I guess. What's my point? There are a lot of things that would be neat to add, some of which will be very useful. Other things would be really neat ideas, but they're probably much better served by leaving the simple system in place and merely noting it in the write-up. I already read the logs to see what people have to say about the cache. (Oh, and that's why I think people should definitely submit at least a small log on the site, since it is very useful to see if, say, a cache has become harder/easier since being placed, or if I should carry extra DEET.) But as to actually displaying a numeric "finders' rating", that would be on the edge between usefulness and effort/complexity. Quote Link to comment
Guest PharoaH Posted August 8, 2001 Share Posted August 8, 2001 I would love to see the GCRS as an official part of this site. I trust what the group came up with for the GCRS and I think that's enough. As far as averaged ratings, I'll pass. There just is no substitute for a good cache description. If the cache description isn't good enough, you can e-mail the cache owner (or even a previous cacher) to further assess the terrain. Finally, if the rating is really that far off, other cachers will say so in the log. Quote Link to comment
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