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What's Your Average D/T Ratings?

Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2013 9:31 pm
by Death Wish Dave
I'm curious as to what people's average difficulty and terrain rating are. My friend Flaffle has her terrain rating over 3.0. My difficulty average is 2.04 and terrain is 2.01. Flaffle wanted to place a challenge cache in Pa for those who have a terrain rating over 2 but the reviewer thought it would be too difficult. So, if you don't mind, can some cachers post their average difficulty and terrain ratings, please? Just something like 1.8/1.6 is fine, difficulty first. I guess number of finds is relevant as well. I have 1012 at the moment.

Feel free to chime in if you think it's a decent challenge and deserves a cache.

Re: What's Your Average D/T Ratings?

Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2013 9:35 pm
by _JohnnyCache
1.73 / 1.55 / 7,772 Finds

Re: What's Your Average D/T Ratings?

Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2013 10:14 pm
by Serrabou
2.04 / 1.84 / 4,169 finds

Data is readily available on cacher's stat pages

Re: What's Your Average D/T Ratings?

Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2013 10:19 pm
by nighthawk700
1.75/1.63. 1,766 caches.

Re: What's Your Average D/T Ratings?

Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2013 12:46 am
by KennedyCachers
1.59/1.46 We only have 97 finds. Just started in December and having a blast!

Re: What's Your Average D/T Ratings?

Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2013 4:34 am
by TheWeatherWarrior
Serrabou wrote:Data is readily available on cacher's stat pages
Premium Membership required for Stats page.

Re: What's Your Average D/T Ratings?

Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2013 6:48 am
by OhMelli
1.88/1.64 - 821 finds

I think the problem with this kind of challenge is that for the old timers, who have thousands of caches, it would be almost impossible for them to bring their averages UP to that level. For newbies starting out, if they knew about the challenge, they could easily achieve the rating. But the longer you've been caching the more difficult it would be!

Re: What's Your Average D/T Ratings?

Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2013 8:20 am
by Death Wish Dave
OhMelli wrote:1.88/1.64 - 821 finds

I think the problem with this kind of challenge is that for the old timers, who have thousands of caches, it would be almost impossible for them to bring their averages UP to that level. For newbies starting out, if they knew about the challenge, they could easily achieve the rating. But the longer you've been caching the more difficult it would be!
That's an interesting POV that I hadn't considered. When I decided to shoot for 2.0+, it took some work to get there, even though I was only around 700, since I had done the C&D Canal trail (130+ caches @ 1.5/1.5). I suppose that those in the many thousands with an average of 1.6 would never be able to get there. Of course, there are a lot of cachers who don't care to do the higher D/T caches as well so every cache doesn't need to be for every cacher.

Thanks for all the input. I hope to hear some more.

Re: What's Your Average D/T Ratings?

Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2013 8:26 am
by cooley1103
1.71/1.69 - 4704 Finds

Getting over a 2 will definitely be a challenge for any cacher, especially if they have been caching for any period of time. Its just that I do not think it applies to enough cachers to make it over the threshold.
Groundspeak wrote:What makes an acceptable challenge cache?

A challenge cache needs to appeal to, and be attainable by, a reasonable number of geocachers. A challenge cache may not specifically exclude any segment of geocachers. If a geocacher is required to alter their caching style or habits, such as avoiding a particular cache type to attain a specific percentage or average, the cache will not be published.

The requirements for meeting the challenge should be succinct and easy to explain, follow, and document. A lengthy list of "rules" would be sufficient reason for a challenge cache to not be published.

Re: What's Your Average D/T Ratings?

Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2013 8:40 am
by Death Wish Dave
cooley1103 wrote:1.71/1.69 - 4704 Finds

Getting over a 2 will definitely be a challenge for any cacher, especially if they have been caching for any period of time. Its just that I do not think it applies to enough cachers to make it over the threshold.
Groundspeak wrote:What makes an acceptable challenge cache?

A challenge cache needs to appeal to, and be attainable by, a reasonable number of geocachers. A challenge cache may not specifically exclude any segment of geocachers. If a geocacher is required to alter their caching style or habits, such as avoiding a particular cache type to attain a specific percentage or average, the cache will not be published.

The requirements for meeting the challenge should be succinct and easy to explain, follow, and document. A lengthy list of "rules" would be sufficient reason for a challenge cache to not be published.
Thanks Brian. It's good to know that. I suspect that's why the PA reviewer nixed it. I'm still quite curious as to how many people would qualify.

I know that I have a traditional cache that only gets about 1 or 2 finds a year. That doesn't mean that it shouldn't be there. I also have a couple of puzzle caches that may not see any more finders, since the puzzle gurus have solved and found them already. Again, that doesn't mean that they shouldn't be there.

There are some challenges that are not likely to be qualified for until you get over a thousand caches (Delorme, Jasmer and Fizzy are some that come to mind). Having a challenge that is more suited to someone with less finds might be nice. I remember having 100 finds and thinking I was really cool! :smt004

Something like this would have to include a minimal number of finds or else someone that finds a single 2.0/2.0 cache would qualify.

After hearing some more feedback and checking some user stats, and maybe getting some input from Dr.MD, I'll decide if it makes sense.
Thanks!

Re: What's Your Average D/T Ratings?

Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2013 9:22 am
by Sue-Cat
Such a challenge does not comply with current Groundspeak challenge guidelines/rules ... they must not require a cacher to change their caching style (IOW to NOT find certain caches, which would be necessary to qualify for almost everyone). The Regular Challenge in PA for example, where the challenge is to get the number of finds on regular size containers greater than any other size container, would now not be allowed. Fortunately it is "grandfathered" in.

Oreviewer is a stickler for the rules... actually I think all reviewers will stick to the Groundspeak rules, it doesn't seem to be one that's open to Reviewer discretion.

My stats: 2.34 / 1.93 / 4674

Re: What's Your Average D/T Ratings?

Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2013 9:26 am
by Sue-Cat

Re: What's Your Average D/T Ratings?

Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2013 9:41 am
by Death Wish Dave
Sue-Cat wrote:See point 6 specifically: http://support.groundspeak.com/index.ph ... age&id=206
Thanks, Sue. That kills the idea. But that's OK.
6.One should not have to 'give up' finding other caches to achieve a challenge cache's requirements. To state that "10% of your find count needs to be Attended Logs" would require the geocacher to stop finding other types of caches and could affect their overall enjoyment of the game.
Seems like an odd requirement. If I choose to change my geocaching style to find certain types of caches . . . well, that's my choice. Not to get anyone started but it's sounding very Orwellian to me.

Re: What's Your Average D/T Ratings?

Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2013 9:56 am
by Sue-Cat
I think it's because some cachers get all bent out of shape if there's a "?" on their map that they can't change to a smilie :-) :?:

I used to have a slight :whistle: :angel: obsession with clearing "?"'s but let that go when the streaking challenges popped up in MD. I think 12 days in a row is my longest streak and I have no plans to change that. :lol:

Re: What's Your Average D/T Ratings?

Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2013 10:18 am
by Death Wish Dave
Sue-Cat wrote:I think it's because some cachers get all bent out of shape if there's a "?" on their map that they can't change to a smilie :-) :?:

I used to have a slight :whistle: :angel: obsession with clearing "?"'s but let that go when the streaking challenges popped up in MD. I think 12 days in a row is my longest streak and I have no plans to change that. :lol:
I had an obsession with clearing all caches within a certain radius of home (5 miles) but lost interest in urban hides. I always have them around for getting caches on certain days (like leap day, 12/12/12, etc). I can't do a streak either. Too many things going on in my life to be able to commit to finding a cache a day.

Re: What's Your Average D/T Ratings?

Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2013 10:30 am
by coupleocachers
1.74/1.65 6,553 finds. I don't see this going up any time soon. Our terrain rating will be limited a bit for the foreseeable future.

Re: What's Your Average D/T Ratings?

Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2013 2:15 pm
by Corfman Clan
Mine's 1.85/2.02 with 7917 finds. Yes, it can be done for someone with a lot of finds.

Re: What's Your Average D/T Ratings?

Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2013 2:16 pm
by VinceHayter
2.03/1.83/1801 (over eight years)

Is it just me or are challenges perhaps getting a wee bit out of hand? :oops: Ironically, on the point of changing behavior to meet requirements, I would have to do so to meet the requirements on a good number of the challenges out there (though I admit doing so would generally involve little more than simply getting out and geocaching more). Regardless, following finding the MD's 5 oldest challenge I stopped looking at challenges since I simply do not have the time to have that kind of focus or pour that much effort into meeting specific requirements anymore. :violin:

tl;dr - I'm sad question marks aren't being used for honest to goodness *puzzles* anymore... :cry:

Re: What's Your Average D/T Ratings?

Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2013 2:33 pm
by Sue-Cat
VinceHayter wrote: I'm sad question marks aren't being used for honest to goodness *puzzles* anymore... :cry:
Of course there are, more than ever, take your blinkers off. :-D

Re: What's Your Average D/T Ratings?

Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2013 3:49 pm
by tazscouter
1.81/1.64, 1596 finds