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#Post#: 11422--------------------------------------------------
Virtual Rewards
By: Griff Grof Date: August 24, 2017, 12:34 pm
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Virtual Rewards
HTML https://www.geocaching.com/blog/2017/08/virtual-rewards/
Interesting announcement - new Virtual caches are coming soon!
Has anyone here been selected to place
one?
Thoughts?
#Post#: 11427--------------------------------------------------
Re: Virtual Rewards
By: Griff Grof Date: August 25, 2017, 8:20 am
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The first new Virtual in the UK for 12 years has been published
today!
HTML https://coord.inf
o/GC7B9VA
HTML https://coord.inf
o/GC7B9VA
#Post#: 11432--------------------------------------------------
Re: Virtual Rewards
By: walktall Date: August 28, 2017, 4:41 am
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[quote author=Griff Grof link=topic=788.msg11422#msg11422
date=1503596068]
Virtual Rewards
HTML https://www.geocaching.com/blog/2017/08/virtual-rewards/
Interesting announcement - new Virtual caches are coming soon!
Has anyone here been selected to place
one?
Thoughts?
[/quote]
Well, if wrighty hasn't been selected, no chance for the rest of
us :o
#Post#: 11434--------------------------------------------------
Re: Virtual Rewards
By: Griff Grof Date: August 28, 2017, 2:01 pm
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For me, this was a surprising announcement.
Who remembers when Groundspeak introduced 'Geocaching
Challenges' back in 2011? They had launched a feedback centre
(or something like that) in 2010/11 and someone asked to bring
back Virtual caches. If I remember rightly, you had to vote for
the ideas you liked. That idea got an unbelievable number of
votes in a very short period of time. GS had to act. But they
didn't bring back Virtuals - they brought in 'Challenges',
completely separate to geocaching but on the same site. In other
words, they didn't add to your find count.
There was outrage as people asked for Virtuals and GS gave them
something completely different! Eventually, I recall that they
had to shut down the feedback site due to the uproar ::) :o -
and eventually they did "retire" Geocaching Challenges. But they
didn't bring back Virtuals to replace them.
We've had loads of threads and polls on this forum (including
the last poll) where we expressed a desire to see Virtuals
return. I really didn't think it'd happen - I didn't think GS
would go back on their word. They didn't then so I thought they
wouldn't now.
But 'Virtual Rewards' brings them back in a controlled way.
There'll be up to 4000 new Virtuals by August 2018. Maybe this
shows GS is finally listening to the community? After so many
years, they've thought that it's time to give us what so many of
us want - new Virtuals. Does this mark a new (welcome) direction
for GS as a company? A community-driven business?
I don't know what algorithm they used to determine the 1%. I
read elsewhere that all the reviewers have been selected - what
are the chances that they'd all be chosen?! :D Obviously there
are thousands who should be placing Virtuals as well. But I do
think this avoids the issue of poor quality, pointless Virtuals
(hopefully).
Will they come back properly? Is this just GS's way to stop
everyone complaining as they can say "we did that"? Only time
will tell. I hope they do come back full-time for all, in which
case they could be quality controlled by reviewers (like
Earthcaches - if they don't make the cut, they don't get
published)... why haven't they thought of that?
For now, I'm just happy that we're seeing some new Virtuals -
let's hope some pop up nearby ;D
What's your view?
#Post#: 11435--------------------------------------------------
Re: Virtual Rewards
By: walktall Date: August 29, 2017, 2:40 pm
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[quote]...and eventually they did "retire" Geocaching
Challenges...[/quote]
GS got so wound up by it, Challenges were wiped off their
systems completely - talk about throwing your toys out :o
The new Virtuals, is a good way to reward good cachers and may
get people to up their 'game'.
I don't think GS will put them out for everyone.
There is a new one in Oxford University Challenge 8 (Brmm Brmm)
HTML https://coord.inf
o/GC7B696 and now a Virtual Below Above :D
Below Above - Virtual Reward
HTML https://coord.inf
o/GC7B9EZ
#Post#: 11436--------------------------------------------------
Re: Virtual Rewards
By: Griff Grof Date: August 29, 2017, 4:13 pm
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Yes, no new cachers would know that Challenges ever existed. No
trace of them anywhere.
[quote author=walktall link=topic=788.msg11435#msg11435
date=1504035624]a new one in Oxford University Challenge 8 (Brmm
Brmm)
HTML https://coord.inf
o/GC7B696 and now a Virtual Below Above :D
Below Above - Virtual Reward
HTML https://coord.inf
o/GC7B9EZ
[/quote]
Great that this has offered a chance for the University
Challenge series to grow. No 5 is great. I look forward to
finding the new one.
Interesting to see a Virtual BA. The reviewer notes that it's
"currently the only D5/T4 rated virtual cache anywhere in the
world" ;D - and the only BA not to be a 5/5, but it's rated a
10 on the cache page. That's higher than several others which
are 5/5 :o :-\
I see there's one at the top of the Eiffel tower
HTML https://coord.inf
o/GC7B9JV - I think that was needed! Hope to
see some pop up in Rome... there are none. I often associate
Virtuals with beautiful, notable cities (e.g. all the ones in
London) so it would be good to have some there. After all,
famous sights in urban areas are good for caches but not really
physical ones (in my opinion).
Let's see if any others are published closer to home!
#Post#: 11437--------------------------------------------------
Re: Virtual Rewards
By: Bear and Ragged Date: August 29, 2017, 4:57 pm
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[quote author=walktall link=topic=788.msg11435#msg11435
date=1504035624]
GS got so wound up by it, Challenges were wiped off their
systems completely - talk about throwing your toys out :o
[/quote]
And what did they say at the time... "Better mistakes tomorrow."
:D
::)
#Post#: 11438--------------------------------------------------
Re: Virtual Rewards
By: SangueG Date: August 30, 2017, 2:52 pm
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[quote author=Griff Grof link=topic=788.msg11436#msg11436
date=1504041203]
The reviewer notes that it's "currently the only D5/T4 rated
virtual cache anywhere in the world" ;D - and the only BA not
to be a 5/5[/quote]
Reviewer is incorrect. For a short period whilst the Below
Above's changed owners, they were labelled just (BA) caches.
Under authority of the original Below Above's owner I had BA -
Oil Drum Lane
HTML https://coord.inf
o/GC4VFF4 published. It was very short lived,
but still part of the BA history.
IMO Groundspeak are right in bringing back virtuals in a limited
capacity. There is a space for good virtuals out there in the
mix of caching sites.
#Post#: 11439--------------------------------------------------
Re: Virtual Rewards
By: Griff Grof Date: August 31, 2017, 10:53 am
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[quote author=Gackt link=topic=788.msg11438#msg11438
date=1504122739]
Reviewer is incorrect. For a short period whilst the Below
Above's changed owners, they were labelled just (BA) caches.
Under authority of the original Below Above's owner I had BA -
Oil Drum Lane
HTML https://coord.inf
o/GC4VFF4 published. It was very short lived,
but still part of the BA history.[/quote]
I think he meant first Virtual D5/T4 (in the world), rather than
BA cache. Although I do correct myself, as I said they were all
5/5 before, I had forgotten about that one :)
#Post#: 11440--------------------------------------------------
Re: Virtual Rewards
By: walktall Date: August 31, 2017, 3:16 pm
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and Gackt and myself found the cache today, missed FTF by about
2 hours :(
Did bag a couple of BA Earth caches while there as well :)
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