What Do People Want?????

[+AtoZ]

What do people want when it comes to a multi or puzzle cache. I have apuzzle cache that is made up of 6 micros and a final regular container. But I have seen where each micro is a regular cache with its own page but with this cache each micro points to the next, so that want an oprion. But it seems that folks just want NUMBERS. I don't know I am just wondering what is best. I mean there are multis that have you run from sign/plaque etc... to sign/plaque etc... and glean some info off of them to input into a subsutution coordinate scheme.

I guess the folks that are in the NUMBERS game will just want to do the grab and dash caches and some other probable a smaller number may want the challenge of a harder multi. I try to make a cache so it has more enertainment value then just finding the cache. Thanks for your input.

cheers

[+RPW]

Make caches that you would enjoy.

 

Personally I have one multi-cache that is a really nice hike. My daughter and I created it together and it took several trips out to the park to get it right. The number of people looking for it? Very few. On the other hand I have a cache that I unofficially adopted. It is right off of the road. The number of people for this cache? Lots. I have had to switch out the log book once already. But to me it is a boring cache. Does this bother me? Not much. A little because I wish everyone had my taste. But I understand that many people do not and so I especially enjoy the cachers who do have the same taste for caching adventure and thus look for my harder caches.

[+YodaDoe]

In my opinion, a multi-cache should have some point or reason for it to be a multicache or a series of connected caches. For instance, there is one here on NC State's campus that takes you from one sign/plaque to another, like you said. But the point of the cache is to get a nice tour of the campus. This idea seem to be a fairly common reason for setting up a multicache. I have seen others that have some sort of theme. There is a Harry Potter series in town where you have to find the four "house" caches in order to get clues to finding the final cache, which is "Hogwarts" (the wizarding school in the book). Each "house" cache's location has something to do with that particular house in the book, though each is only a micro.

 

What I don't like to see is a series of caches or a multi-cache who's only point seems to be to make you go to several different places that are not altogether interesting. If they involve nice views, pretty scenery, or some exceptional hiding location, I will enjoy them. But some of them seem to be designed as a multi only because the cache placer wanted to place a multi. If all you have to do is go to each nondescript location to get more coordinates, that is boring to me. This kind of cache should have some more interesting puzzle involved with it to entertain my brain.

 

Consequently, the first and only cache I have placed is rather boring. It's a single stage cache in a nice little treehole in my front yard. I really placed it so that I could have a cache that would be easily maintained. But a lot of people seem perfectly happy with a simple, easy, drive-up cache, so I'm not worried. And likewise, there will always be people to come find your multi, even if it is boring.

 

Yodadoe

[+mcon1]

people appreciate being able to log a find. I found this especially true when they have already found all of the local caches. I'm thinking if I make a 3-4 stage multi, I'm just going to make all of the steps its own cache. That way they can try to get to the goal of finding the last cache, but they will also be able to log the hard work they went through to get to it.

 

Also, that way instead of taking up a good "possible cache location" with a marker. I'll have a cache there

 

As for me searching for them, for an easy multi I don't mind either way, but its more fun for me if I can log 3-4 founds for finding all stages of a tough multi.

 

hope that helps!

mcon1

[+flask]

i want a grab and dash. i want hidden clues that make me go back to the first stage twenty-two times. i want locked boxes. i want micros in the woods. i want urban comouflage. i want hard decryptions. i want trick questions. i want geometry puzzles. i want graphic puzzles. i want ammo cans stashed in relatively obvious locations near great views. i want caches that point out urban decay. i want caches where you have to figure out where the tools are and how to use them.

 

i know i have helped you.

[+4 Mountain Pirates]

I like nice easy caches when I have the kids with me or if caching with friends we choose the mulit-cache or longer hiking caches. I have found that I learn something new every time I go caching.

[+shunra]

I hate it when multis just appear to be meant to give you the runaround, *even* when the places you get to see are interesting (but particularly when they're not). Those waypoints might as well be micros in their own right, which I could hunt at my convenience and in the order of my choosing. I do such caches only when they're on my nearest list. If they're farther from home, I skip them.

 

To me, the only justification for a multi is it when it makes you take a specific route, to make you access the final cache from a specific direction, avoid an illegal shortcut, etc.

 

It's not about the numbers, but about manipulation. Showing someone a better way of access is not manipulation. Giving them the runaround for no good reason is.

 

Which is not to say that there aren't pleasant surprises sometimes.

[+evergreenhiker!]

I have a series back home in Washington. I could have made this into a 3-stage deal ending at a cool spot and only one point. But I decided to make each stage a cache and you need the first two in order to find the final. All share a common theme...cache hid at a lake.

 

I like the idea of using multis to guide one in a certain direction. Never thought of doing them that way.

[+planetrobert]

i want a grab and dash. i want hidden clues that make me go back to the first stage twenty-two times. i want locked boxes. i want micros in the woods. i want urban comouflage. i want hard decryptions. i want trick questions. i want geometry puzzles. i want graphic puzzles. i want ammo cans stashed in relatively obvious locations near great views. i want caches that point out urban decay. i want caches where you have to figure out where the tools are and how to use them.

 

i know i have helped you.

you forgot that you want you TBs tagged and bagged

 

Kidding, all in all those are my types of caches too

[+SixTen]

What do people want when it comes to a multi or puzzle cache.  I have apuzzle cache that is made up of 6 micros and a final regular container.  But I have seen where each micro is a regular cache with its own page but with this cache each micro points to the next, so that want an oprion.  But it seems that folks just want NUMBERS.  I don't know I am just wondering what is best.  I mean there are multis that have you run from sign/plaque etc... to sign/plaque etc... and glean some info off of them to input into a subsutution coordinate scheme. 

I guess the folks that are in the NUMBERS game will just want to do the grab and dash caches and some other probable a smaller number may want the challenge of a harder multi.  I try to make a cache so it has more enertainment value then just finding the cache.  Thanks for your input.

cheers

As long as you use that word in there you will get hundreds of different responses...the term people refers to many many types..

 

Some will like the puzzle caches that require intense research to figure out the code...while others will frown at that...

 

Some will love hunting for micros because "they could be anywhere!"...others will frown at that...

 

Some will love multis because "You never know where you will end up!"...others will frown at that...

 

Some want P&G's (Park & Grabs) because "you can park so close to it!"...others will frown at that...

 

Some want to hike for 10 miles because "the view was so great!"...others will frown at that...

 

Get the point?

 

You will NEVER make a cache that EVERYONE likes...do it according to what you like...the point is for you to get something out of it...just don't make a micro multi P&G that you have to hike 10 miles to get to...because people will not like that!

 

Have fun!

[+Kit Fox]

What do people want when it comes to a multi or puzzle cache. I have apuzzle cache that is made up of 6 micros and a final regular container. But I have seen where each micro is a regular cache with its own page but with this cache each micro points to the next, so that want an oprion. But it seems that folks just want NUMBERS. I don't know I am just wondering what is best. I mean there are multis that have you run from sign/plaque etc... to sign/plaque etc... and glean some info off of them to input into a subsutution coordinate scheme.

I guess the folks that are in the NUMBERS game will just want to do the grab and dash caches and some other probable a smaller number may want the challenge of a harder multi. I try to make a cache so it has more enertainment value then just finding the cache. Thanks for your input.

cheers

When I created my first Mystery Multi, I used the same idea that Team PerkyPerks did. I created six different micro caches, throughout the community in which I live. On the log of each micro is a letter that equals a number. You plug in the numbers on the cache page of my Msytery multi to find the true starting point.

 

Take a look at my cache page to see how I made it work. Fox Den Mystery Multi

 

My reasoning behind the great effort was to make people "work" to find the Mystery Multi. I invested a almost $40.00 in the container and the trade items, and did not want it too easy to find. I don't get as many logs as other caches, but the condition of the cache and the trade items is still very nice.

 

Bill,

[+FtMgAl]

Some will like the puzzle caches that require intense research to figure out the code...while others will frown at that...

 

Some will love hunting for micros because "they could be anywhere!"...others will frown at that...

 

Some will love multis because "You never know where you will end up!"...others will frown at that...

 

Some want P&G's (Park & Grabs) because "you can park so close to it!"...others will frown at that...

 

Some want to hike for 10 miles because "the view was so great!"...others will frown at that...

 

Love puzzles. Love long hikes. Seriously dislike micros. Am indifferent to multis. I'll hike one way through 2 miles of knee deep water for a good view and full sized cache. I'll do a micro if it's within a mile of me and not in a very public area. I'll drive to a garbage dump 50 miles away for a good puzzle. No one in their right mind enjoys the same type of caches that I do.

 

So do your cache your way. If lots of people log it and that is what you are looking for then you win. If lots of people find it too easy and that isn't what you wanted, make it harder (archiving and starting over if necessary). If you make it too hard to begin with and no one finds it, just change the description to add more clues. Make a single 6 micro to full multi. If it doesn't attract the clientele you want you can always archive it and put out 7 individual caches. Personally I wouldn't do a single 6 to 1 because the loss of any of 7 different caches blocks the entire cache. But if you want to do the maintenance go for it.

 

I certainly haven't figured out what people want yet. Around here we have busy P&Gs and busy mosquito infested swamps. We've got a busy micro near an ignored micro. Just do the best cache you can. If people don't log it that's their loss.

 

P.S. I forgot one thing - NO HYDROS!!! At least if you want me to try it.

[+fly46]

People want caches that will take you to good locations. Regardless of the type.

 

The best thing about caching is that there is something for everyone or every mood. Place a good, well thought out cache, and people will come to it.

[BassoonPilot]

I want puzzle/mystery caches to be worthwhile in terms of the quality of the location(s) selected for elements of the cache. In other words, I would hope that the owners of puzzle/mystery caches would put as much effort into selecting a worthwhile location for their cache as they put into their puzzle/challenge.

 

The same goes for multicaches. I recently did a two-stage multicache where the car-to-car distance "hiked" totaled around 400 feet. The first stage was stuck to a guardrail and the second stage was a small tupperware container tossed into a hedge. Why bother? Were those the only or the most suitable locations on the property? Not a chance.

Edited September 4, 2004 by BassoonPilot

[+voyager54]

People want caches. All kinds of poeple, all kinds of caches. My area has many caches with astonishing variety. I've enjoyed all that I've found, except one. Just planted my first, the Handle with Care Cache, a three stage multi in a lovely and interesting park that hardly anyone knows about. Who will come? I'm looking forward to the logs.

[GeoWorms]

People who like each stage to be it's own cache aren't necessarily obsessed with numbers.

 

I've found all the caches within an hour or so's drive of my home. If I'm gonig caching nowadays it's a bigger investment of time, gas and energy. So if I get to stage six of your multi and get stumped, I've invested 4 or 5 hours for one DNF. If each stage is it's own cache, I can at least come away with some feeling of accomplishment.

 

You could say "If it's not about the numbers, did you have any less fun hunting those six caches, just because you can't log them?" And truthfully, no it wouldn't affect the experience of looking for the caches. But all people need a little positive reinforcement every now and then, and I think people are more likely to finish a series of caches than long multi.

 

Having said all that, I agree with the previous posters that you should place caches that you yourself would like to hunt.