Challenges

Since the release of geocaching “challenges”, I have been hearing talk of what they are, what they are supposed to do, and quite frankly, how most cachers I know think of them as being pretty lame and having “nothing to do with geocaching”. I have however heard the odd person make mention of how the new challenges are actually interesting. For this post, I’m taking a long hard look at the new challenges and how they could in fact be molded to replaced challenge caches and why I think that is actually a good idea.

For now, let’s take a look at challenge caches. These have been around in one form or another really since the original Delorme Challenge. These types of caches have similar conditions to the old ALR caches in that in order to log a “find” on them, you need to do something special. Now, ALR caches (ALR = additional logging requirement) were discontinued awhile back as many felt that the “need” to do something other than sign a log seemed to defeat the point of geocaching. However, challenge caches were an exception to this rule because it was thought they brought a whole new element to this game.

The basic premise of a challenge cache is that the cache owner issues a “challenge” to finders. This challenge can be many different things but it’s all tied to geocaching itself. The original Delorme Challenge was that you had to find a cache on every page of a specific map created by Delorme. If you found a cache on each page, and could prove you had, you could then log a find online for the actual challenge cache itself. Many others have created similar challenges to finds caches in all of the provinces/states, consecutive day caches, the 81 terrain/difficulty grid challenge, X amount of finds challenge, and countless more.

The caches are listed as puzzle/unknown caches but they are actually hidden at the coordinates given. Anyone can go out and find the container easily enough, but doing the challenge is a whole other story. This is what inspired me to write about this today.

The whole point of a challenge cache is not to find the container at all. The point is whether or not you can complete the issued challenge. The only reason a physical container exists at all is because until a couple of months ago, there was no way to “list” or “issue” a challenge to fellow cachers through geocaching.com without providing a cache listing. And as we all know, you can’t have a cache listing without a cache. So challenge caches quickly evolved into some pretty BIG challenges that people are working on, but the actual container itself is typically quite ordinary and uninspired. It’s really all about doing the actual challenge, not the cache.

What’s the appeal? Well, many will give their opinions on what the appeal is but I think it ultimately comes down to two things: pride & the smiley.

When a challenge is issued, it’s kind of like someone placing a bet. “I bet you $20 you can’t find a cache every day for 100 days”. People naturally want to try and win the bet so they go for it. With challenge caches, there’s no money to be won but the idea is still the same. Someone is “challenging” you to do something they think you can’t do and naturally, people want to prove them wrong. They want to pride themselves on the fact that they were able to beat the odds and do it.

The second reason is really about the “find”. Knowing that the container is out there, but they can’t log the find until they complete the challenge, will inspire many to work at it just so they can claim that one smiley. It may be only one find, but for many all that work pays off by having that “count” in their totals.

The biggest issue I have with challenge caches is that at their very heart, they are actually somewhat ANTI-geocaching. At the very heart of the hobby we all love and enjoy, what is it we do? We go out and find a container and sign our name. That’s what geocaching is. In fact, of all the types of geocaches that exist, all of them, even ones without a physical container, still require you to go to a specific location. For physical & event caches, you sign your name, and for virtuals/earthcaches, you perform some other task but you still need to go to a specific location.

Challenge caches are the only exception to that. Going to a specific location to find the cache and sign your name is not the point at all. In fact, you are not allowed to log your find online until you have done whatever the challenge is. But how is it that I can find the container, sign my name, but it’s not considered a “find”? I found the container didn’t I?

The success of challenge caches shows that geocachers definitely want to be challenged in ways typical geocaching can’t provide. The problem is, the “container” in a challenge cache really serves no purpose other than a means for a cacher to learn about a challenge. Previous to a few months ago, there was no way to issue a challenge to someone else without listing a cache. But now… things are different.

This is where I think the “geocaching challenges” have actual merit.

Challenges were pegged as the replacement for virtual caches. Without getting into a long debate about it, I think it is safe to say that most feel this is not the case at all. It does however have great potential to replace challenge caches. Here’s how and why I think it would work.

For starters, challenges do not require you to find a container. The current premise is “go somewhere, do something”. They have an Action challenge and a Photo challenge. Neither of these seems to have really taken off in a way that makes sense, or comes close to replacing virtuals but actual “Geocache” challenges have great potential.

A new “type” of challenge could be created called a “Geocache Challenge”. These challenges would effectively be exactly the same as a challenge cache, but without the physical container. So for the 100 day streak challenge, you would create a new “Geocache” challenge that requires you to find a cache every day for 100 days. The challenge is issued and like other challenges now, anyone could accept it. Once completed, they could post their completion the same way you do now. The biggest condition on these “challenges” would be that it has to have something to do with hiding or finding caches. Nothing else.

Unlike the current challenges, “Geocache” challenges would have to be reviewed in some capacity (method to be determined later) and the owner of a challenge would have the ability to edit/delete logs the same way they do with a regular cache listing. If you successfully complete a “Geocache” challenge, your challenge count is incremented by one (as it is now for other challenges), and any “Geocache” challenges you complete or list are shown on your profile page (under the Geocaches tab) so folks can see geocaching related challenges on your profile.

To me, this would solve several issues. For starters, you would now have “challenges” that are specific to geocaching that actual geocachers would care about. If you’re not interested in the many “lame, non-geocaching” related challenged that exist now, you could focus entirely on these types of challenges. If they were reviewed in some way, geocache challenges that are not geocaching related could be removed quite easily. Having the geocache specific challenge information included as part of the geocaching stats would allow folks to see geocaching related challenges you have done quite easily. Even right now there’s no way for someone to see what challenge caches you have done unless they sift through your ? caches.

Lastly, you separate the “challenge” itself from the container. The idea of actually finding a container and signing the log means you can log it online. You don’t have to jump through 1000 hoops just to log it, despite the fact that you actually found the container. To me, if I find a container, I should be able to log it. End of discussion.

The only other piece that I would say you could be considered is to have the completed geocache challenges added to your total find count (which becomes found/completed). Doing this is debatable since challenges don’t involve a specific location or container, but they would be geocaching related so maybe. That’s one point I’m not too sure on.

One thing I am sure about is that if this new “type” of challenge existed, it could be specific to geocaching, and thus cachers would be more likely to become involved and do more. Whereas now, it seems many cachers are not all that interested in challenges because of the lack of having anything to do with caching.

But alas, this is merely one man’s opinion, and although I think it’s a decent idea, many others may not.

What’s your take?