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Release Notes (Geocaching® apps: GeoTours) July 27, 2016


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Release Notes (Geocaching® apps) July 27, 2016

 

Make vacation plans! It's now easier than ever to explore GeoTours — collections of geocaches designed to introduce you to new locations. In this update to the Geocaching® iPhone and Android apps:

 


  •  

  • Learn how to get started with GeoTours.
  • View GeoTour details for travel destinations.
  • Search for GeoTours by specific GT codes.
  • Bonus: Basic members can find and log GeoTour caches of all types and D/T ratings.

 

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The Mobile Team will watch this thread and answer questions when possible.

 

Any posts in this thread should relate to features in this release. Please direct unrelated comments to other appropriate threads. Thanks!

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They would have to be Geocaching.com recognized geotours. There are dozens of geotrails/geotours that aren't connected with the official Geocaching.com GeoTours.

 

I think there are A LOT of other things that should have been put into the app ahead of this feature. Like the ability to post a Needs Maintenence, ability to log a trackable when you are logging a cache, the ability to add a favorite point. There are still MANY features from the Classic app that don't exist in this one.. I'm still disappointed with the app.

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I think there are A LOT of other things that should have been put into the app ahead of this feature.

^This

 

I'm shocked that the app's developers haven't been spending 100% of their time on migrating critical features from the Classic app, like field notes. Instead, a new feature that will be seldom used* has been given higher priority. I won't even go into the laughably-incomplete definition of GeoTours used in the app or the ongoing usage of gratuitous and time-consuming animations.

 

Boy, whatever the situation was that caused Groundspeak to hastily retire the old app and rush out the alpha-level-at-best new app, it sure screwed over both Groundspeak and the users. I'm just glad I do most of my caching with a handheld GPSr!

 

*seriously, how many people are going to look at the GeoTours online, find the one they want, find the Help Center article, look up the GT code, and then search for it in the app?

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I think there are A LOT of other things that should have been put into the app ahead of this feature.

^This

 

I'm shocked that the app's developers haven't been spending 100% of their time on migrating critical features from the Classic app, like field notes. Instead, a new feature that will be seldom used* has been given higher priority. I won't even go into the laughably-incomplete definition of GeoTours used in the app or the ongoing usage of gratuitous and time-consuming animations.

 

Boy, whatever the situation was that caused Groundspeak to hastily retire the old app and rush out the alpha-level-at-best new app, it sure screwed over both Groundspeak and the users. I'm just glad I do most of my caching with a handheld GPSr!

 

*seriously, how many people are going to look at the GeoTours online, find the one they want, find the Help Center article, look up the GT code, and then search for it in the app?

 

These guys expect us to know the GT number for the geotour?!? Yeah right...

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I just download the new Geocacaching iPhone app update (Version 4.5) and searching for a GeoTours was added to the search... based on a GT identifier.

Hmmmm, where can you find the GeoTour ID? I've looked on the geocaching.com website and can find GeoTours but none of them have a GT ID listed!

 

Just by chance I found GT29 to be the headquarters geotour - I still have 5 yet to do on that one ;-)

 

Thanks

 

Thanks for your question. We are considering options for adding the GT code on the web. In the meantime, you can see a worldwide map of GeoTour locations here and a list of all GT codes here.

If you plan to visit a GeoTour you will plan your trip and looking up the code isn't a big thing. Sure it would be better to have the GeoTour code on the web, but as Ben wrote this may be happening soon. I'm geocaching with my Oregon, so it doesn't affect me much, but it looks like a good feauture for iPhone users which like to do a GeoTour.

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Just found this interview:

 

Bryan Roth: "...With our latest iOS release, we’ve added dedicated GeoTour functionality which, we believe, can have a significant impact on future travel and tourism. As technology continues to advance, we will be looking at incorporating new elements into the game and we’re excited to deliver more to the global geocaching community." Source: GeekWire on July 27, 2016

 

We need more GeoTours here in Germany, would like to check the new functionalty! Thanks Bryan.

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Boy, whatever the situation was that caused Groundspeak to hastily retire the old app and rush out the alpha-level-at-best new app, it sure screwed over both Groundspeak and the users.

I'm pretty sure Groundspeak is happy with the results of the new app. On a recent cache I was viewing, the last 7 or 8 logs were people with less than 25 finds and all of them were premium members. Most (or all) of them upgrading is probably attributable to the app. The in app purchases have become so engrained into people that I'm sure a lot of users don't think twice about clicking the buy button.

Edited by Pine and Poplar
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I totally agree with previous posts. Does Groundspeak ever read the forum threads with suggestions and complaints about the new app? There are tons of bugs to fix and features to be added to make it come close to the classic app and now we are seeing "features" like this... Please Groundspeak come down to earth again and listen to your users.

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I totally agree with previous posts. Does Groundspeak ever read the forum threads with suggestions and complaints about the new app? There are tons of bugs to fix and features to be added to make it come close to the classic app and now we are seeing "features" like this... Please Groundspeak come down to earth again and listen to your users.

 

I don't work at HQ, so this is my own uninformed opinion, but I would expect that funding for different projects comes out of different buckets. Geotours are a source of revenue, and those paying for tours have different sets of priorities than we do as geocachers, and are asking for different features.

 

So perhaps one developer or one half developer is being funded by the geotour project, and other developers are working general app stuff and hopefully looking at requests from the community who are also a source of revenue.

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I totally agree with previous posts. Does Groundspeak ever read the forum threads with suggestions and complaints about the new app? There are tons of bugs to fix and features to be added to make it come close to the classic app and now we are seeing "features" like this... Please Groundspeak come down to earth again and listen to your users.

 

I don't work at HQ, so this is my own uninformed opinion, but I would expect that funding for different projects comes out of different buckets. Geotours are a source of revenue, and those paying for tours have different sets of priorities than we do as geocachers, and are asking for different features.

 

So perhaps one developer or one half developer is being funded by the geotour project, and other developers are working general app stuff and hopefully looking at requests from the community who are also a source of revenue.

 

I think that is the only explanation that makes any sense, otherwise this is a completely baffling feature.

 

The entire app still has the feel of a tutorial for beginners (how many times do I need to tap 'got it' on a button explaining what kind of cache I'm looking at?), and that would be fine if it was made clear that that was the purpose of the app (the old "Intro app" was honestly a better name for this thing). But how many people who need help with cache types are going to searching for GeoTours? And by their GT codes (which are not readily available)?

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[...] And by their GT codes (which are not readily available)?

 

Yes, the codes are hidden very well (click here)

I also didn't understand why they can't use the GeoTour ID which is part of the GeoTour's download url and that way easier to fetch. :rolleyes:

https://www.geocaching.com/play/geotours/bridgestone-denmark/gpx?geotourId=109

 

Hans

Edited by HHL
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I think there are A LOT of other things that should have been put into the app ahead of this feature. Like the ability to post a Needs Maintenence, ability to log a trackable when you are logging a cache, the ability to add a favorite point.

 

These are already included in some of the officially approved third party partner apps.

 

Unless there is a specific reason that Groundspeak is still trying to develop their own in-house app, it would almost make more sense to endorse the use of the third party apps. I've seen new people get extremely frustrated with the new app and that gives them no desire to continue caching.

Edited by igator210
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I think there are A LOT of other things that should have been put into the app ahead of this feature. Like the ability to post a Needs Maintenence, ability to log a trackable when you are logging a cache, the ability to add a favorite point.

 

These are already included in some of the officially approved third party partner apps.

 

Unless there is a specific reason that Groundspeak is still trying to develop their own in-house app, it would almost make more sense to endorse the use of the third party apps. I've seen new people get extremely frustrated with the new app and that gives them no desire to continue caching.

 

I understand that. And that's why I use a third party app. But if they are promoting their "new and improved" app, they should probably add more important features to it before they start adding features like being able to find a GeoTour.

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I think there are A LOT of other things that should have been put into the app ahead of this feature. Like the ability to post a Needs Maintenence, ability to log a trackable when you are logging a cache, the ability to add a favorite point.

 

These are already included in some of the officially approved third party partner apps.

 

Unless there is a specific reason that Groundspeak is still trying to develop their own in-house app, it would almost make more sense to endorse the use of the third party apps. I've seen new people get extremely frustrated with the new app and that gives them no desire to continue caching.

 

That's the real problem. There is no good "intro" app anymore for new cachers. The official app is hobbled, and the 3rd-party apps cost money. Neither situation is a good introduction.

 

I was recently asked to recommend one to a beginner. I didn't have a clear winner to point them to. The best I could say was "Buy Cachly for the $5, and if you don't like it I'll buy you a Starbucks."

 

Of course, Cachly is lacking that fabulous "you're close" notification, and the "got it" buttons that pop up all the time, but somehow she'll get by </sarcasm>

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I also didn't understand why they can't use the GeoTour ID which is part of the GeoTour's download url and that way easier to fetch. :rolleyes:

https://www.geocaching.com/play/geotours/bridgestone-denmark/gpx?geotourId=109

 

Hans

Actually, that IS what they're using, albeit with a different base. If you convert the decimal number in the download URL (e.g. 109) to hexadecimal (6D) and add "GT" in front of it, that's the GT code for that GeoTour: GT6D.

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I also didn't understand why they can't use the GeoTour ID which is part of the GeoTour's download url and that way easier to fetch. :rolleyes:

https://www.geocaching.com/play/geotours/bridgestone-denmark/gpx?geotourId=109

 

Hans

Actually, that IS what they're using, albeit with a different base. If you convert the decimal number in the download URL (e.g. 109) to hexadecimal (6D) and add "GT" in front of it, that's the GT code for that GeoTour: GT6D.

 

Ah, thanks for clarifying.

 

Hans

 

NB: The GT number is now part of the GeoTour's webpage. Thanks HQ.

Edited by HHL
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I think there are A LOT of other things that should have been put into the app ahead of this feature.

^This

 

I'm shocked that the app's developers haven't been spending 100% of their time on migrating critical features from the Classic app, like field notes. Instead, a new feature that will be seldom used* has been given higher priority. I won't even go into the laughably-incomplete definition of GeoTours used in the app or the ongoing usage of gratuitous and time-consuming animations.

 

Boy, whatever the situation was that caused Groundspeak to hastily retire the old app and rush out the alpha-level-at-best new app, it sure screwed over both Groundspeak and the users. I'm just glad I do most of my caching with a handheld GPSr!

 

*seriously, how many people are going to look at the GeoTours online, find the one they want, find the Help Center article, look up the GT code, and then search for it in the app?

Thankfully the old ("Classic") app still works. It is baffling to me why so many features (e.g., pocket queries) vanished from the new app. Why rush out an alpha version of a "new" app that does not even have the current functionality of the previous app?

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