Anyone else think there should be a separate icon for bonus caches?

By this I mean ones that can only be found after completing another series of caches or an adventure lab, for instance, which will provide the coordinates or numbers needed to complete the coordinates.

Normally they’re down as question mark / challenge cache types and have “bonus” in the name, but not always.

Given that they can’t be found as a stand alone caches I think they should be identified differently.

in geocachingby Purp1eP1atypus

85%

1mo

BeDoubleNWhy

1mo

that's an idea I never thought about but yeah, makes sense.

and as mentioned below, Challenge caches should also have a different icon for their unique "mechanics"

strangemagic365

1mo

Challenge caches having their own icon would be awesome. Honestly, they don't even need to change the cache type, just give the option to have a different icon, they already do it with the puzzle piece icon when you have solved coordinates.

b16tran

1mo

Agreed for challenge caches. I've been going through mystery caches in my area to solve the puzzles to add to my queue and do get annoyed when I come across challenge caches that I can't complete. Would love to be able to filter them out. Better yet, if they could be put behind a "paywall" where you can see the challenge criteria but not the full description. They could even be invisible until set criteria is achieved, and then it would pop up on the map.

BeDoubleNWhy

1mo

there is an attribute set for challenge caches that you can filter on

b16tran

1mo

I want to filter off. Or best case on only if I meet the requirements

Robbie06261995

Geokid12 - SLAGA

1mo

At least there's an attribute now.

maingray

2002 / Volunteer Reviewer (NC).

1mo

As they said many years ago, the pain it takes them to add a new icon is very high and a lot of things need to be rewritten. It's why we have only seen recycling of icons or new apps since the whereigo icon was added.

Minimum_Reference_73

1mo

No, the mystery/unknown icon is fine for these. There's nothing remarkable or unique about a bonus cache that necessitates creating a new cache type.

simplehiker

1mo

There's an attribute, and you can filter by attribute on the website.

Purp1eP1atypus

1mo

I must admit I don’t pay much attention to attributes in terms of using them to find (or exclude!) caches. I shall investigate. Thanks!

etcpt

1mo

But you can't filter by not attribute. I.e., you filter for bonus caches, but you can't filter out bonus caches.

DerekL1963

1mo

Pocket queries allow you to filter out by attribute. Run the query and it will appear in the 'lists' section of the official app.

etcpt

1mo

Yeah, and that's nice, but it's awfully inconvenient compared to the regular search filtering. And then every time you want to change it, that's another PQ, and more wading through a very clunky interface.

DerekL1963

1mo

You can edit PQs. I have a couple of "standard" PQs I use, I just edit and copy or edit.

restinghermit

Lets hide some letterboxes

1mo

There have been many suggestions over the years for new icons. Bonus was one of them. Another icon request has been challenge caches.

_synik

1mo

Any new icon will require a change to the gpx file structure. That could brick most GPS units, and other api partner applications.

Although, a ringmaster holding a flaming hoop would be an awesome new icon for Challenge caches.

etcpt

1mo

An easier ask would be to require "bonus" in the name, just as challenge caches must have "challenge" in the name. But that wouldn't be retroactive.

fizzymagic

The Fizzy since 2002

1mo

People want separate icons for a lot of things. Bonus caches, challenge caches, etc. etc. It's not going to happen.

gcd3s3rt

1mo

There should not be a geocaching bonus for any adventure lab. I put all bonus'es of that on ignore, cause i don't do labs. Or at least the caches should be solvable without another app

tommy__jay

1mo

You need a separate app for WhereIGos, are you also boycotting them? (Not trying to be mean, genuinely just asking)

I used to like adventure lab bonuses, but lately when traveling I don't give them a second glimpse unless it is the only cache in the area..

InspectionLate661

1mo

Yes, you need a seperate app for WherIGos, but you had a physical cache at the end. Also you could do way more interesting stuff with WherIGos if you gave it just a some work, compared to Adventure Labs.

Considering that Groundspeak has abandoned development of their WherIGo Builder and is hardly endorsing WherIGos and the same is true for Waymarks as well, I'm pretty sure that Adventure Labs will also be abandoned in a few years.

gcd3s3rt

-8

1mo

In my area they are Always Reverse wigs, where you simple Put the Numbers into the solver to get the final. Not real ones.

And there is No Point for playing a wherigo.

shbpencil

1mo

That’s unfortunate. I’ve found some very fun standard Wherigos. I hope you get a chance to do one that’s not a reverse one.

DesignerType8366

1mo

I'm fine with that. There just should be no GC Points for Labs. Or a separate count. I totally think that there should be a separate icon for Challenge caches.

BeDoubleNWhy

1mo

agree and agree!

Minimum_Reference_73

1mo

You can delete the finds, and they do appear as a separate category if you keep them. I delete them.

Minimum_Reference_73

1mo

ALs with bonuses are the only ALs I bother with.

samburket2

1mo

This idea was brought up when the adventure labs developped into their current form. But to change that many past finds might be too confusing. Instead the bonus attribute was introduced.