Cache Coolness Critique Needed

1.2k · March 1, 2004

Here are the plans for my next cache. Please let me know from one to ten as to it's potential coolness, if it is creative enough for ya, some suggestions for improving the idea even before I start, etc.

Goes like this: Say you are in my locale. My new cache appears on your screen. It's a puzzle cache. You have to find a local travel bug which holds the coords to the cache.

You chase down the bug in whatever local cache is is currently placed in. But this bug does not give up those coordinates quite so easily!

Turns out the thing is a CD-ROM full of rockin' female vocalists, ranging from instrospective new age to far eastern influenced stuff to "I don't know WTF it is, but it seems pretty cool" to blast-out-the-neighborhood hard rock and everything in between. There's an emphasis on artists who are undiscovered and independent, as much of that as could be included in this collection. 4-5 songs per artist. 8 hours of music and 2 videos.

The final location is recorded in 2 different tracks in this collection. They are sung in harmony; one track each for lat, the other for long.

In order to find the cache, you are to listen until you hear those harmonic coords (no kidding)

The final cache is looking to be a nice exercise in "you're looking right at it!" type of camo job with a pretty decent-sized container. Can't reveal my plans on that part of it, of course, but the location is nicely scenic.

Sooooooo... is this creative enough a cache idea? I will be having this in place within a few weeks. Any neat ideas to make the basic idea extra cool would be appreciated. Is it good enough as it is already planned? That is THE question I hereby ask of the really experienced cachers on this forum. Thanks in advanced for any feedback.

1.6k · March 1, 2004

I think it's very creative, but I don't quite understand what you mean by having the coords hidden in the chords on the song?

Forgot to rate it, I'm giving it a 7.5 until you explain it better, once you explain it, I'll upgrade to a nine probably...

Edited March 1, 2004 by TeamK-9

March 1, 2004

Wow, pretty cool. 9. What if the travel bug gets moved to another state or country along the way? Would this only work for the FTF?

1.3k · March 1, 2004

Sooooooo... is this creative enough a cache idea?

I think it's bordering on too creative if that's possible!

It definitely sounds cool though. I know if it was in my area, I would give it a shot. Make sure there is a cool FTF prize though, if the person will have to go thru a lot of work!

What if the travel bug gets moved to another state or country along the way?

I wouldnt worry about that, as long as the TB's mission is clear. There is a cache around here, and it's locked. To open it, you have to find the TB with the key on it. It hasnt been taken away anywhere far yet.

Edited March 1, 2004 by SBPhishy

1.2k · March 1, 2004

I think it's very creative, but I don't quite understand what you mean by having the coords hidden in the chords on the song?

I was being punny. The coords will be sung in english, in harmony. You don't have to decode any musical notes... I don't wanna make it THAT frustrating!

Edited March 1, 2004 by Sparrowhawk

1.6k · March 1, 2004

In that case definately a 9/10 but for difficulty rating, I'd give it a 10/5, that's gunna be confusing as heck...

March 1, 2004

Just make sure the cache description gives a good explanation of what's involved. Also make sure there is an explanation attached to the travel bug. Personally, I wouldn't bother with it. I don't want to have to go home and listen to a CD full of "some punk kid's music choices" in order to find a cache. I'm being sarcastic with the punk kid comment but that's what a lot of older cachers and families are going to think. Personally, I think you're limiting your field too much.

March 1, 2004

I'd worry about the CD getting broken. That is a lot of music to listen through. You might want to cut it down. Also, how about 2 TB's. one for lat and the other for long? just be sure the TB has a note on it to keep it in the area or state. If you don;t want to do music, make 4 TB's. One can have Lat degrees, lat minutes, Long degrees and finally long minutes. Too make it more fun you could not list if the minutes are for the Lat or th elong, making them have to check out one bad location. You could add a consolation cache at th ebad coordinates (the place with mixed up lat & long minutes).

March 1, 2004

Just make sure the cache description gives a good explanation of what's involved. Also make sure there is an explanation attached to the travel bug. Personally, I wouldn't bother with it. I don't want to have to go home and listen to a CD .

i agree with matt1344 and i don't have a cd player in my rover.

March 2, 2004

Cool factor? To those who don't like the music: 0 To those that do: 8

I'd make multiple CD's and TB's so if one or two go missing there's no harm done and so multiple people can go after it.

I'd explain what's involved clearly on the cache page, so everyone knows what to expect.

I'd shorten the duration of music, or give hints to the important track so those who don't want to listen can save time.

You might consider an alternative finding method, preferably more difficult/challenging for those who don't want to jump through your chosen hoops and won't do the cache at all.

Those are all my ideas to make it a 10...

hth,

Randy

3.1k · March 2, 2004

Now that you clarified, I really like it. You could go really hardcore and not even list the cache here. Just leave the CDs as sig items in many caches. Or list a mystery cache with false coords like you said, but only a vague explanation as to how to find it. You could include the waypoint number in with the coordinate lyrics.

Just a few different ideas. I like it and would enjoy checking out the music.

Edited March 2, 2004 by Dinoprophet

1.3k · March 2, 2004

Too make it more fun you could not list if the minutes are for the Lat or th elong, making them have to check out one bad location. You could add a consolation cache at th ebad coordinates (the place with mixed up lat & long minutes).

I think that's a cool idea.

March 2, 2004

I am going to be the bad Hacker here

0

I will tell you why....

To easy for someone to break the TB, keep the TB to long, and after they find you cache....they would have to go find another cache to but the clue back so someone could try for you cache again.

Multiple TB's in the area that could not break with the cords listed on each of them would be a more practical idea. I would give that a 8.5

There is also a big problem with the idea someone had where you would have to have multiple tb's in your possession to find the location. Many people would be holding on to one of them trying to get the other.

March 2, 2004

Seems like some of the "complaints" are that the CD could get broken. Y

ou could make the TB a key to another cache. In this cache are multiple copies of the same CD. At about 10¢ a piece, you could drop a bunch in that cache.

You could also have the TB carry a riddle on where the songs are. Have the songs available on-line and the TB hints at the URL without actually giving it away.

I also like the idea about leaving a CD as your sig item for a while. Not list the cache and on the label of the CD allude to the cache coordinates being in the songs.

I think that this thing could be extremely cool and a real mystery with some planning.

F_M

5.3k · March 2, 2004

If you lose the TB part, it's not too bad. I hate caches that require you to chase down a TB, though, so for that part it gets a zero.

March 2, 2004

Sounds complex, the part about the co-ords in the music I mean. I am sure it is not as hard to figure as I am thinking but if you say more it will give it away - or something!

We have one where the cache location is on a CD that has ben placed in a few local caches. The CD has a request that, after doing the cache, the CD be placed in any local cache for someone else to find. The co-ords in this case are hidden inside a small, old style, adventure game which you need to complete to get them. It's not too hard to play and I think it's a bit of fun too.

So far the cache has only had 4 finds and the last one was 120 days ago.

I am not trying to put you off placing your cache, just letting you know my experience in a slightly similar vein..... This is the one I am talking about.

1.6k · March 2, 2004

Lose the TB part. Just distibute some cdr's with 75 mins of tunes with the coords voiced over somewhere, and you'll have a tenor no prob

March 2, 2004

There are several caches in my area that require you to find a TB before you can get the cache. One TB is the key to unlock the cache. One has the coords written on the TB in invisible ink. Another... well I haven't tried that one yet.

They all seem to do quite well and have been very enjoyable.

If you are going to go ahead with the coords recorded onto the cd idea, I would suggest you have to coord songs be the first 2 tracks, that way if the cachers don't want to listen to the rest, they won't be forced to listen to 8 hours of music that they might not enjoy.

I would suggest having at least 2 identical cd TB's out at the same time. Don't make people have to track down 2 TBs to get one cache.

Since I have a cd player in my car, I would probably even listen to the cd on the way to the cache just to set the mood. If your main purpose is to showcase these unsigned bands, it might simply be a better idea to just leave the cd as swag in the cache.

I'll give it a 9, partly because I like the TB caches :rolleyes: I would just warn you that time between finds could be quite lengthy. But if you don't care about that then its not a big deal! I say go for it and see what happens. The worst that could happen is the cds break and you have to track down the TBs yourself to replace the cd, disable the cache for a while, or rework it.

Good luck!

1.2k · March 2, 2004

These are some interesting thoughts. One thing that makes it a good point is the risk of CD breakage, folks hanging onto the CD too long, etc. So I think I will have some fun with this... create 5 local-wandering CD travel bugs all with the same number. Lots of chances to grab the TB key to the cache, and if one CD breaks, hey, no loss, really. The others take up the slack, and I can replace the missing one at my leisure.

I will have to create a backup way to find the coords for the really impatient folks. Some sort of clue to the correct tracks with the coords. But not a too-easy method! That has to be a fun and creative way too. OK, semi-easy fun and creative... sheesh.

(5 minutes later) AHA!!! One of the CDs will be the "cheater's version" where the tracks in question will be NAMED 'latitude' and 'longitude" nice and obvious! Watch that thing get chased! All the others would take actual WORK to get the coords! Cool.

Thanks, folks... I will continue reading this thread and refining my idea. :rolleyes:

The feedback is MUCH appreciated! I want to create a high-class cache experience.

Edited March 2, 2004 by Sparrowhawk

1.2k · March 2, 2004

Sounds interesting and quite intensive. I am not sure I would chase this cache personally but some would love it.

This would be an either you love it or hate cache.

1.2k · March 2, 2004

Personally, I wouldn't bother with it. I don't want to have to go home and listen to a CD full of "some punk kid's music choices" in order to find a cache. I'm being sarcastic with the punk kid comment but that's what a lot of older cachers and families are going to think.

This is the artist whose work inspired this whole thing to begin with.

Hee-hee! REALLY punk.

Yup, a Sarah Brightman-style punk artiste! Whatta concept! :rolleyes:

Hey, yknow, mixing punk with pop-opera WOULD be rather cool, come to think of it...

Anyway, my goal here will be overwhelming folks with just too much sonic beauty. If you know who Sarah McLachlan is, you've got a good starting idea of the general style and idea of what I am creating.

I also realise that since I have access to some good sound editing software, I could create a really cool mp3 which knits together snippets of a few of the the songs as a sample of what to expect. That would be posted on the cache page. If you don't like the idea of the music, you get to at least know what it is you are avoiding.

THIS is gonna be fun.

Edited March 2, 2004 by Sparrowhawk

1.3k · March 2, 2004

I would definitely hunt that one. Go for it!

1.3k · March 2, 2004

What if the travel bug gets moved to another state or country along the way?

I wouldnt worry about that, as long as the TB's mission is clear. There is a cache around here, and it's locked. To open it, you have to find the TB with the key on it. It hasnt been taken away anywhere far yet.

I have a TB that you have to find to find one of my caches. Mission clearly stated. Boundaries clearly stated.

It ended up 300 miles south of the boundaries. So it's a possibility. I released two TBs to mitigate the risk, one is still where it's supposed to be.

March 3, 2004

I really like the idea of doing something a bit different. I'm still not sure about the CD. I'd give it a shot if I'm in the area. I agree that it will limit your finders a bit, but as with micros, if you don't like it, don't look for it.

Good luck with this and post a link to the cache when it is approved.

F_M

Cache Coolness Critique Needed

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