WhereIGo

setsujoku · Post by **setsujoku** » 24 February 08 4:31 pm

Whilst reading the release notes for the latest beta version of GSAK, i noticed that a new type of cache has been released, called whereigo

After doing a little bit more reading, and also reading a log for a whereigo type cache, it sounds like a pretty interesting idea, that has many possibilities

You can run whereigo on a garmin colarado, or also on a windows based PPC (that has a GPS either built in, or attached to it), and can be used as a builder or a player

Whereigo website
About whereigo
Whereigo Cache in California

Has anyone started planning one of these caches yet? or looked any more into the 'new' style of caching

diesel69 · Post by **diesel69** » 24 February 08 6:52 pm

So that's where all the Premium membership fees have been going

Richary · Post by **Richary** » 24 February 08 7:58 pm

I saw it in Friday's GC newsletter and had a quick look. The site itself is sadly lacking in information really about what it does and how to run. I don't have a handheld PC of any description, it looked like it ran some weird format with no indication if I could just d/l it to the laptop and use it. So like most other GC new things decided to ignore it.

The concept sounds interesting, but it needed a lot more info on how it was implemented and used.

setsujoku · Post by **setsujoku** » 24 February 08 8:08 pm

richary wrote:The concept sounds interesting, but it needed a lot more info on how it was implemented and used.

The concept reminded me a lot of Astro's podcache that he has here, and would work in much the similar way

CanSolo · Post by **CanSolo** » 24 February 08 8:58 pm

With both the Magellan Triton and Garmin Colorado running the Windows Mobile OS, it's what appears to be the 'next step'. Where the device itself has the processing power to step outside what has been the norm for geocaching. More interactive I would assume, allowing more of those kind of caches that required people to have a laptop to run through something like a excel spreadsheet, but this is part of the wherigo 'cartridge' Will check it out since I have a PDA

Team Wibble · Post by **Team Wibble** » 24 February 08 9:05 pm

I posted on an earlier thread about Wherigo, but buggered if I can find it.

I've installed the software on my PDA and tried it out with a bluetooth GPS (the Wherigo concept, not the Wherigo/Cache combo). Haven't seen anything that grabs me yet, but it definitely has potential - as an activity on its own and as a potential cache type.

There are problems, mostly to do with the complexity of creating your own cartridge/cache. I had a look at the cartridge creation software and ended up giving up. Too hard to figure out. Until there are several quality cartridges/caches available its unlikely to take off. Its also fairly equipment specific - releasing a wherigo cache will severely limit the number of people who have the means to find it.

For interests sake, I've run the software on an I-mate JAMin (runs Windows Mobile), with a bluetooth GPS. The processing power of this thing is not great but it handles the software okay. There are only a couple of non-location specific cartridges available currently so its hard to really try it out.

Papa Bear_Left · Post by **Papa Bear_Left** » 25 February 08 12:37 pm

I'm looking forward to it being translated into something less OS-specific like Java, so it can run on Palms and Symbian and laptops/UMPCs.

It's one of those things that could turn into something really exciting, if there's enough uptake and imagination applied to it.

I can share that Groundspeak are leaving it pretty open, because they know they're going to be surprised at what inventive uses people come up with for it! It'll need to become a success quickly before Google release something similar, since they're becoming more and more focused on location-aware stuff...

The wherigo-type cache still has to conform to the other guidelines, just with some of the waypoints replaced by the cartridge.

Team Rubik · Post by **Team Rubik** » 26 February 08 8:47 pm

I thought I'd share my thoughts and experiences as I've had a bit of a play with it over the last couple of nights. Firstly, as a concept I love it, I think there is a lot of fun, adventure and learning to be had with it. I'm yet to look at the building software but have managed to complete the Wherigo Tutorial and another 'play anywhere' puzzle. I use an iPAQ rx5900 and had some difficulty getting all the software to cooperate with each other. 
 
About an hour ago I managed to find a way to turn off the static navigation on the iPAQ (at this link) and was able to finish the tutorial. I am concerned about the limited access to geocachers who lack the required gadgets, but this is the same barrier that exists to those who lack a boat or 4WD vehicle for high terrain caches. It also required quite a lot of research and tinkering before I could get all the software to work properly, an easier process would surely be a more attractive option for people wanting to explore this new medium. 
 
That said, I think it could be a very exciting concept if done well, perhaps combined with Urban Bookmarking? 
 
Rob

fehrgo · Post by **fehrgo** » 27 February 08 1:37 am

I agree that as a minimum they need to come up with additional versions of the interpreter if they want this to take off. Right now it is just too targeted. Without additional platforms it will never reach critical mass.

Phones, laptops, and PDAs that are all capable of being your navigation device are also all technically capable of rendering this type of content, so there is no reason that they should not be given their own interpreters.

psychokat · Post by **psychokat** » 15 April 08 12:20 pm

Hi Pesky, if you download the whereigo builder it has an emulator on it. Download a cartridge and play it on that. You can't log it but it gives you an idea of how this can go. I just tried a couple and this looks like it has a lot of potential. Kat

psychokat · Post by **psychokat** » 15 April 08 12:24 pm

Hi Pesky, if you download the whereigo builder it has an emulator on it. Download a cartridge and play it on that. You can't log it but it gives you an idea of how this can go. I just tried a couple and this looks like it has a lot of potential. Kat

rogainer · Post by **rogainer** » 20 June 08 8:26 pm

Here is a variation on whereigo in Perth

http://www.hptrails.com.au/

zactyl · Post by **zactyl** » 20 June 08 10:09 pm

rogainer wrote:Here is a variation on whereigo in Perth

http://www.hptrails.com.au/

Got excited when I read it could run on a mobile, but it's just a variation on a podcache.