Author Topic: Is Wherigo really heading to the dustbin?  (Read 535 times)

Offline Griff Grof

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Is Wherigo really heading to the dustbin?
« on: June 09, 2014, 05:44:43 pm »
I know @walktall has run a Weekly Poll for this, and we've delved in to the topic a little elsewhere, but thought that we should have a thread!

http://www.wherigo.com is still in beta  :o The Wherigo Player and Builder haven't been updated since 2008  ::)

And now Lab Caches seem to be a focus for GS.

We've been hoping for a while that GS would do something about Wherigos. Correct me if I'm wrong, but weren't Wherigo caches not originally part of Wherigo? Perhaps the object of Wherigo is slowly being defeated, and has it really taken the Geocaching community by storm? - it must be the least-placed physical cache type  :(

Ultimately, do you think Wherigo has seen its day? And more importantly, do you want it to? Where would you go from here if you were in charge of GS?
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Offline walktall

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Re: Is Wherigo really heading to the dustbin?
« Reply #1 on: June 09, 2014, 06:11:28 pm »
« Last Edit: June 11, 2014, 01:52:30 pm by walktall »
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Offline Y6GST

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Re: Is Wherigo really heading to the dustbin?
« Reply #2 on: June 09, 2014, 08:10:44 pm »
I have used the Earwigo builder to create and publish one Wherigo cartridge/cache so far, I do have plans for others but it does take quite some time to create and test them, I wouldn't have said they were dying, far from it, in fact it looks like the community has taken it on board so while the groundspeak Wherigo player/builder is still stuck in beta there are alternatives that work very well, in my limited experience.

Offline L8HNB

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Re: Is Wherigo really heading to the dustbin?
« Reply #3 on: June 09, 2014, 10:14:39 pm »
They've been in the rubbish bin ever since we did one not long after they came out, we actually did it twice as we were caching with a Mio PDA that could handle the software, we then went around again a few weeks later with other local cachers so they could get the smiley.  When we did it the first time we spent most of the time looking at the Mio which we felt detracted from the caching experience.  This was confirmed, for us, when we went around again and enjoyed the walk.
I think Garmin have dropped Wherigo from its latest GPS's.
H.

Offline walktall

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Re: Is Wherigo really heading to the dustbin?
« Reply #4 on: June 09, 2014, 10:48:36 pm »
On my list 'to do' is build and publish a Wherigo.

GS are killing it off by not doing anything with it. Garmin as H. said, haven't got it on its newer units BUT there is community support for it and I think there is life in it yet.

Yes my first Wherigo (a FTF :) ) on a iPaq PDA was painful, it took me over 10 mins to get the first hotspot; I couldn't get the distance to go below 1ft until eventually after walking in and out multiple times from different directions, I finally got there ::)

It offers an informative interface and adds an extra dimension to a multi-cache. But, at the same time (on my Oregon 300) the interface needs desperate update because it could be so much clearer.

As I think I've mentioned before, I did a Wherigo that had no cache at the end :o It was done as a locals guide to their city, Prague, I enjoyed it as it took me to some interesting sites :)

As I think we all know, GS gets an idea and then seems to get bored of it and dumped for the new shiny toy  >:(
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Offline Bear and Ragged

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Re: Is Wherigo really heading to the dustbin?
« Reply #5 on: June 10, 2014, 12:02:04 am »
There was 'something' mentioned on the GS forums ages ago...

GS were working with Garmin, and the two 'fell out' when Garmin started their own listing site.
(Or was it, Garmin started their own listing site when things weren't all  tickety-boo with Wherigo?  ;))

Ranger Fox seems to be working on things, but without financial input, and a decent hand from GS (who have copyright/trademarks/intellectual rights etc) isn't going too quick.
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Offline walktall

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Re: Is Wherigo really heading to the dustbin?
« Reply #6 on: June 10, 2014, 06:10:40 pm »
Tested a Wherigo round my village today, which I built a short while ago but hadn't complied and tested it till today :)

It was a simple go to answer a question and move on type and worked without issue on my Oregon 300 ;D
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Offline Griff Grof

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Re: Is Wherigo really heading to the dustbin?
« Reply #7 on: June 11, 2014, 12:39:47 pm »
I wouldn't have said they were dying, far from it, in fact it looks like the community has taken it on board so while the groundspeak Wherigo player/builder is still stuck in beta there are alternatives that work very well, in my limited experience.

I agree with this actually, and there have been quite a few new Wherigos recently. I think it's the fact that, maybe, people feel they'd be unsupported officially by GS in the making of their cartridge, so perhaps this puts people off?

When we did it the first time we spent most of the time looking at the Mio which we felt detracted from the caching experience.  This was confirmed, for us, when we went around again and enjoyed the walk..
This sounds a little familar, it's happened on a couple for me. Sometimes when they haven't been tested over, and over and over they send you here, there and everywhere. A little like a Wherigo I did with @walktall prior to the Geolympix Mega, it wasn't really sure where it was going at first and it took some time for it to work completely fluently.

Tested a Wherigo round my village today, which I built a short while ago but hadn't complied and tested it till today :)

It was a simple go to answer a question and move on type and worked without issue on my Oregon 300 ;D

And that's interesting, is it just a dummy or will you develop it in to a proper Wherigo cache in the future?
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Offline walktall

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Re: Is Wherigo really heading to the dustbin?
« Reply #8 on: June 11, 2014, 01:51:24 pm »
And that's interesting, is it just a dummy or will you develop it in to a proper Wherigo cache in the future?

Just a test one :)

Thought of three places I would do one: Bourton, Stow or Sherborne (with the cache outside the NT area)
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Offline Griff Grof

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Re: Is Wherigo really heading to the dustbin?
« Reply #9 on: June 11, 2014, 08:17:26 pm »
Each of those locations sound exciting - that'd be good  ;D

Maybe the official Wherigo site could be taken over by someone other than GS. I do think that it can still grow and improve so much more.

Something I've never known is whether or not Wherigo caches are allowed to virtual, should the area not be at all suited for a physical cache?
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Offline Bear and Ragged

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Re: Is Wherigo really heading to the dustbin?
« Reply #10 on: June 11, 2014, 09:21:44 pm »
Each of those locations sound exciting - that'd be good  ;D

Maybe the official Wherigo site could be taken over by someone other than GS. I do think that it can still grow and improve so much more.

Something I've never known is whether or not Wherigo caches are allowed to virtual, should the area not be at all suited for a physical cache?

You can make a Wherigo without a cache (container) at the end.
It can be listed on the Wherigo site.

To be listed on the caching site, and count on the caching site as a Found, it HAS to have a physical cache at the end.
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Offline walktall

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Re: Is Wherigo really heading to the dustbin?
« Reply #11 on: June 12, 2014, 02:17:08 pm »
Well, had a walk/cycle round Bourton and I've got the start of a route for my Wherigo and even a possible hiding spot for a large cache :o :)
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Offline Griff Grof

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Re: Is Wherigo really heading to the dustbin?
« Reply #12 on: June 13, 2014, 03:42:44 pm »
Thanks B&R, and that's great news WT!

Do you mean Large as in the Large size?  ???

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Offline walktall

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Re: Is Wherigo really heading to the dustbin?
« Reply #13 on: June 13, 2014, 07:47:50 pm »
Do you mean Large as in the Large size?  ???

Correct :)
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Offline Griff Grof

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Re: Is Wherigo really heading to the dustbin?
« Reply #14 on: June 13, 2014, 10:06:54 pm »
Wow  ;D Proper Large caches are so rare now!

Presumably the spot is outside the town?  :D
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