Jump to content

Multicache How Many Legs Is To Many???


AtoZ

Recommended Posts

I have a multicache with 6 legs in it and then the final cache. Each of the legs is a 35mm film can and the final a rubbermaid box. Only one person has done it and he said he really enjoyed it, thought he was swaring at me a few times. But folks don't seem to have much interest or so it seems.

What I am wondering is should I make each of the legs its own microcache so the bean counters will feel like they are getting something out of it. It would take a little work but not much to make it different. Or just leave it for those folks that have some gumption and like this kind of thing. I want to make caches for folks to enjoy and use.

Cheers

Link to comment
I have a multicache with 6 legs in it and then the final cache. Each of the legs is a 35mm film can and the final a rubbermaid box. Only one person has done it and he said he really enjoyed it, thought he was swaring at me a few times. But folks don't seem to have much interest or so it seems.

Don't do it. Take a deep breath, and walk away. Leave it as a multi.

Link to comment

I believe this is a Surprise not a multi. And should be listed as a multi if it has more than one step. I took your only finder on a hike last week and your cache was discussed as we walked thru the woods.

 

And my reply was that it was up to the cache owner to either allow smileys for each waypoint so the bean counters can be happy. Or one smiley for those that just want a cache. Its your cache and you can set the requirements as you see fit, as long as they follow the guidelines.

 

My personal preference is for one cache one smiley, and out of all the caches I've hidden there is only one cache that gives two smileys, and that is due to some unusual circumstances that relate to that cache.

Link to comment
I have a multicache with 6 legs in it and then the final cache. Each of the legs is a 35mm film can and the final a rubbermaid box. Only one person has done it and he said he really enjoyed it, thought he was swaring at me a few times. But folks don't seem to have much interest or so it seems.

What I am wondering is should I make each of the legs its own microcache so the bean counters will feel like they are getting something out of it. It would take a little work but not much to make it different. Or just leave it for those folks that have some gumption and like this kind of thing. I want to make caches for folks to enjoy and use.

Cheers

You're right, the more involved the cache is, the fewer people you will have look for it. You can't force people to search for your cache, but you can give them an incentive. Place an easy cache in the area (make sure it's more than 0.1 miles from any of the multi stages). More people will consider doing your multi if there is another cache in the area.

 

If you don't like the impression of "baiting" people, get another cacher to place a cache nearby instead.

Link to comment

That is funny Sax as I do have a cache just across the street from where this cache starts, that people seem to love. But then again it is a 5 gallon bucket and not a 35mm film can LOL. I had not even thought of that of baiting but the cacehs are in some what jusxapositon because I am some what lazy they are within a mile of my house and because the area is a great area.

Link to comment

To answer your original question-it depends on the terrain and location. I think most multis are best at 3-6 stages. If there is a lot of driving between stages you might want to break it up, but otherwise leave it be for those who want to find it as is. Who cares if it doesn't get a lot of hits as long as those who do find it have a great experience.

There is one local multi that has over 12 stages, but it takes you on a full lap of a large lake with nice views and trails. Any fewer stages would either put a long 2-3 mile hike between stages, or leave you half way around the lake at the end of the search.

Link to comment

Leave it as it is. It's a challenge and it will get few takers, but thats no reason to change it. If you want caches that get more traffic, put a few easy ones out there.

 

As far as how many legs is too many, I think if you go beyond 3, you will drastically cut down the number of people who will look for it. There is a segment of the geocaching community who won't go after ANY multis. I have several, very easy multis. In some cases, the entire walk is less than a half mile and most are 2 stages. They get about 1/2 the visits of my traditional caches, even though in most cases, it would probably take the searcher less time to do the multi than to do a lot of my traditional caches. But some people see the multi icon and automatically cross it off their list.

 

Personally, I'd proably not bother with anything more than 3 stages unless it was a cache in an extraordinary area. Six stages in a dog poop park doesn't do anything for me.

Edited by briansnat
Link to comment

I'd leave it as a multi. I also have a multi with 6 waypoints, plus the cache itself. It's located on a paved easy trail system in the middle of a lava flow. The waypoint markers are identical and simple to find (once you find the first that is), making the whole process a bit easier than looking for 6 film cans hidden differently.

 

While I do get fewer visitors, the ones that took the time have all seemed to enjoy the hunt, a few even remarking that it's one of their favorites.

Link to comment
You're right, the more involved the cache is, the fewer people you will have look for it. You can't force people to search for your cache

Absolutely. Someone placed a several-stage multi in a small park near here. I think three or four people completed the multi. Then the cache owner changed the final stage to a stand-alone cache, and more people flocked to it. Shows how lazy people are.

Link to comment
You're right, the more involved the cache is, the fewer people you will have look for it. You can't force people to search for your cache

Absolutely. Someone placed a several-stage multi in a small park near here. I think three or four people completed the multi. Then the cache owner changed the final stage to a stand-alone cache, and more people flocked to it. Shows how lazy people are.

Which cache was that? I want to find out if I'm lazy or not. Ormaybe I didn't get to any caches in that area yet and it's why I didn't do it before it got switched (or if I haven't even gotten to it yet if I didn't log a find yet).

 

As for multi's, I don't mind them at all and in fact did a 9 mile or so multi within the past month. What concerns many about the multi is if they don't find one stage, they are done and can't continue. Imagine going on a 8 mi multi loop and you're out 4 mi and can't find stage 3? That means you end up hiking back the 4 mi to the car without being able to cache.

 

Contrast a large/long multi with the same number of regular caches and if for some reason you can't find a stage, you can continue on searching for other other caches.

Edited by Team DEMP
Link to comment
What concerns many about the multi is if they don't find one stage, they are done and can't continue. Imagine going on a 8 mi multi loop and you're out 4 mi and can't find stage 3? That means you end up hiking back the 4 mi to the car without being able to cache.

Isn't that great? ... people want "guarantees." Where, oh where, is their "sense of adventure?"

Edited by BassoonPilot
Link to comment
You're right, the more involved the cache is, the fewer people you will have look for it. You can't force people to search for your cache

Absolutely. Someone placed a several-stage multi in a small park near here. I think three or four people completed the multi. Then the cache owner changed the final stage to a stand-alone cache, and more people flocked to it. Shows how lazy people are.

I see multi's being most interesting in place of a single traditional cache where you need to do something interesting to get to the next stage. If all you are doing is finding micros before you get to the final stage, why not hide traditional caches there or provide the coords for the final cache?

Link to comment
What concerns many about the multi is if they don't find one stage, they are done and can't continue. Imagine going on a 8 mi multi loop and you're out 4 mi and can't find stage 3? That means you end up hiking back the 4 mi to the car without being able to cache.

Isn't that great? ... people want "guarantees." Where, oh where, is their "sense of adventure?"

Who (besides you) said "guarantees"? I'm out there to have fun.

 

Imagine going to a baseball game and after 3 of the 9 planned innings they call the game and tell you to go home. Not very fun now is it.

 

Maybe you can come up with a good analogy referencing something fun where you don't get to finish and are left not able to continue.

Link to comment
I see multi's being most interesting in place of a single traditional cache where you need to do something interesting to get to the next stage. If all you are doing is finding micros before you get to the final stage, why not hide traditional caches there or provide the coords for the final cache?

I agree ... if all you are out for is "prizes" and "smilies," it would probably be a good idea not to waste your time doing multicaches. And by all means, avoid "mystery" caches like the plague.

 

Edit: This just brought back to mind a multicache I did a couple of years back. It was a relatively long 5 or 6 stage multicache, but the owner had logbooks in both the final cache and stage 3 so that lazy cachers could opt-out at that point and still claim the find. I don't think anybody did opt-out ... but if that cache were still active today, I'd wager that:

1. very few people would continue on past stage 3, or

2. most of those who did complete the cache would want to claim two smilies because they signed two logbooks.

Edited by BassoonPilot
Link to comment
Imagine going to a baseball game and after 3 of the 9 planned innings they call the game and tell you to go home. Not very fun now is it.

More fun ... you'll get to come back for the "rain date." It'd also be just fine if the team I was rooting for was declared "the winner."

Edited by BassoonPilot
Link to comment

A friend and I hid Snakes and Ladders. We intended it as an epic or milestone cache but its amazing to see cachers with only 10 caches completing it. It has 16 waypoints if you do it right, more if you make wrong turns. Obviously the numbers junkies wouldn't care for it.

 

Another local cache series is Triwizard Tournament - The Goblet of Fire. There are 4 separate caches that you can log as finds, then another 4 waypoints that lead to the final cache. Its very well done and has been well recieved.

Link to comment

I agree with briansnat that a long dull multi in a poop park would be tiresome...but if the stages were unique hides or showed me interesting sights than a long multi would be great. The 'Spin the Wheel' cache comes to mind as a very fun multi to do. Quality in a cache makes all the difference. Cachers like Tahosa, Jim Reeb and

Sparrowpi come to mind that know how to make a multi a very entertaining and rewarding experience.

Link to comment

I've only done a few caches so far, but the multi cache I did was the most fun, it had 5 virtuals and a physical cache. A sport like this needs a variety of multi, trad, and virtual just as it has to keep everyone happy. The more kinds of caches you have, the more people will participate. As for how many people visit it, I would say don't worry about it. If only one person actually does it, then you've provided some serious entertainment for another human being. Plus, they get to feel more proud of their find!

Link to comment

I have been plugging away at a multi for a couple of weeks that is titled A-Z Canberra Tours which has (you guessed it!) 26 waypoints! I thought it would be fun to begin with but when I got to WP25 I was concerned that the final was around 10kms away from where the car would be parked.

 

I contacted the owner and confirmed the final location and he also confirmed that I would have to hike 10kms round trip - hopefully having found the cache along the way. I like multi's and don't really consider myself a number cruncher but after having racked up over 450km (300mi) to get the 25 waypoints, I don't believe I am inspired to hike (uphill) for 5km and then back again.

 

I am needless to say quite disappointed that I had no warning of the distances involved until it was 'too late'. I (and I am sure most others) wouldn't even hike 10km for a traditional cache ... :lol:

Link to comment

Today at lunch, MonkeyBrad was talking about a 17 stage multi cache that drove you a total of about 40 miles from one end to the other. He also said he loved it.

 

 

Multis basically come out this way... The lazier someone wants to be, or the more they focus on numbers, the less likely they are to go to your multi. Plain and simple.

 

How many are too many? Well, how many are too many to maintain regularly in case something goes missing?

Link to comment

Maybe the problem is six film canisters in the woods.I there are allot of people that aren't really crazy about micros in heavily wooded areas.If the final cache isn't very big then that also could make someone choose not to look for it.If you intend for it to be a difficult cache then you should leave it as it is.

Smtycolt

Edited by smtycolt
Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...