OPENCACHING NORTH AMERICA

Not everyone wants to hide a container and not everyone wants to sign a log. Not everyone has a smart phone and not everyone wants one. With these things in mind, I was thinking of a new cache type that might appeal to a wider range of people.

My idea is not like a Munzee, they require the user to scan a special QR code for points, badges and levels using an app on an Android or iPhone smart phone. We would just print a password on the game piece. There is no log to sign, the user just needs to find the game piece and get the serial number from it. The password needed to log the find on OCUS.

• Users can print their own game piece and assign their own password to it, a number/letter combination of not more than 10 characters.
• They can laminate the game piece or place it in a waterproof container. Their choice, but we discourage using a container just for the bit cache.
• There would be no distance restriction to existing geocaches EXCEPT for other caches of this type. The 300' rule would then apply.
• Would some people cheat? Yes, just like they do armchair logging now.
• It can be paperless as they can find them using the Columbus geocaching app or any GPS that will accept GPX files. They can log them from any web browser. Otherwise, they write down the name of the cache and the password from it and log it when they get back to a computer.
• The game piece would contain the shortened URL to the cache page as well as a QR code that also goes to the cache page for easy logging.
• The QR code is a basic one generated using the goo.gl site.

So let me know your thoughts and ideas. Thanks!!

Sample Game Piece:

Sounds good to me. Kind of like a stationary Travel Bug that you can discover....except it counts a Find and you get a smiley. A new icon for Paperless cache?

This is a fantastic idea. I would like to play the Munzee game but I wouldn't own one of the phones you have to have to play the game. I was just saying the other day how we needed this very type of thing! Thumbs UP!!!

Interesting. Will think on it and get back. I hitting the road for home (from work), now, though.

I think its a good idea to spread the word about the OCUS site.

I think it is an interesting idea and worth exploring. One positive aspect of OpenCaching is its openness to new ideas and experimentation.

I like it!! Yeah, I too would vote for Paperless cache, as NativTxn said.

I've got a suggestion though, don't know what you'll think about this one. Could there be a spot for an optional QR Code? Just because playing Munzee is restricted to Iphone and Droid (and having the Munzee app), there are Blackberry, Palm, and Windows smartphones that can read QR codes, but could never play Munzee. For example, I have a Palm cell phone which is perfectly capable of reading a QR code, and going to whatever website is embedded in the QR code on the mobile web. And my Palm cell phone is 2 generations removed from the latest model. I think mine was manufactured in 2008 or 2009.

I should add, that's all most QR codes you see in magazines, store ads, and the like are, when you read them, they're a website address, and once your reader reads it, all you have to do is hit "enter" to go there. You can do this with a Geokrety, and it's an option, which I suppose is where I got the whole idea.

Yes, a QR code could be incorporated on the tag that could take you directly to the cache page.

So how about some potential names for this?

I thought about it and wanted a catchy name for it, but everything I thought of was either a trademark or associated with something else. So I thought some more... My thought process went as follows: I wanted a short name, easy to say and easy to spell, and easy to remember. This is really just a new type of geocache, but like a virtual it has no container. It is simply a laminated ID tag. Hmmm, Laminated ID Tag... L I T. Nah. Lamination is binding it in plastic, Bound ID Tag, B I T. So why not BIT caching? It is not a trademark, it is not associated with anything else and it meets all of the criteria I mentioned previously.

BIT caching (tm)

I'd go look for those. Good idea!

I too do not have a smart phone for the munzee caches. This sounds like a great idea. I'll be placing one once it's approved.