Playing Wherigo on Colorado

[+g-o-cashers]

Apologizes if this has been discussed before or this is not the right spot to post this...

 

I'm looking to play some local cartridges. The first thing I want to do is navigate to the starting location of the cartridge. The only thing I can see on the Colorado which helps is a distance and bearing pointer on the cartridge. Given I have an autorouting unit is there be a way I can goto the cartridge start just like I would a waypoint or a geocache?

 

Similarly once I get into a cartridge and locations become available I would like to use all of the nifty features (maps, compass, etc) of my Colorado to navigate to them. I don't see a way once I'm in the cartridge to simply navigate to a location (again like a waypoint) other than distance and mini-red arrow.

 

If this isn't supported who do I need to ask for it? Is it a player limitation or something Garmin would need to add support for?

 

GO$Rs

[Jeremy]

Apologizes if this has been discussed before or this is not the right spot to post this...

 

I'm looking to play some local cartridges. The first thing I want to do is navigate to the starting location of the cartridge. The only thing I can see on the Colorado which helps is a distance and bearing pointer on the cartridge. Given I have an autorouting unit is there be a way I can goto the cartridge start just like I would a waypoint or a geocache?

 

Similarly once I get into a cartridge and locations become available I would like to use all of the nifty features (maps, compass, etc) of my Colorado to navigate to them. I don't see a way once I'm in the cartridge to simply navigate to a location (again like a waypoint) other than distance and mini-red arrow.

 

If this isn't supported who do I need to ask for it? Is it a player limitation or something Garmin would need to add support for?

 

GO$Rs

 

We added this as a feature request to Garmin after our initial release but I don't know whether they will implement this in the near term. It's definitely something they would need to support since we don't have direct access to the device. By default this isn't a standard feature in the Wherigo Player since our original reference design was for a standard Pocket PC device. Of course Garmin has a nice set of tools already available on the Garmin Colorado that could be shared. It just depends on developer resources since there are other projects, like improving on the geocaching features, that may take a higher priority.

[+The New Cachers]

..... I would like to use all of the nifty features (maps, compass, etc) ...

 

 

We added this as a feature request to Garmin after our initial release but I don't know whether they will implement this in the near term. ...

 

I agree with g-o-cashers statement!

 

I tried the player on my smartphone (Fujitsu-Siemens Pocket Loox t830, WM 5) with sucess, but I'm also afraid about the small red arrow and distance shown for navigation .

Normally I'm using my 60CSx for caching, but the implementation to navigate on my PPC device is IMHO prehistoric . A more comfortable compass page would be more usefull and "cachelike"! Integrating maps would be one another step for the future

 

Do you plan to add such feature for the PPC too?

 

On the other hand, I believe that Wherigo could be a very nice new feature for geocaching.

 

Michael

Edited March 6, 2008 by The New Cachers

[+g-o-cashers]

We added this as a feature request to Garmin after our initial release but I don't know whether they will implement this in the near term. It's definitely something they would need to support since we don't have direct access to the device. By default this isn't a standard feature in the Wherigo Player since our original reference design was for a standard Pocket PC device. Of course Garmin has a nice set of tools already available on the Garmin Colorado that could be shared. It just depends on developer resources since there are other projects, like improving on the geocaching features, that may take a higher priority.

 

After actually playing a cartridge this morning that involved 6-8 locations I would say that this was a major oversight between Garmin and Groundspeak. Having to go back to a distance and bearing (either cardinal number or degrees, not even a pointer) is a big step back. I hope Garmin will consider adding this as a feature with more encouragement from Groundspeak.

 

If you could drop the locations as waypoints, exit the cartridge and just do a standard goto that would be a step forward. Integrating into the geocache mode or just the standard goto/mapping functions is going to be required if you want the Colorado to be adopted as a Wherigo player platform, IMHO.

 

GO$Rs

[Firemeboy]

After actually playing a cartridge this morning that involved 6-8 locations I would say that this was a major oversight between Garmin and Groundspeak. Having to go back to a distance and bearing (either cardinal number or degrees, not even a pointer) is a big step back. I hope Garmin will consider adding this as a feature with more encouragement from Groundspeak.

 

If you could drop the locations as waypoints, exit the cartridge and just do a standard goto that would be a step forward. Integrating into the geocache mode or just the standard goto/mapping functions is going to be required if you want the Colorado to be adopted as a Wherigo player platform, IMHO.

 

GO$Rs

 

I'm a little confused. On the emulator the arrows seem to work ok, but of course that is not a good substitute for not being there. If you were to stand in one spot with your GPS, and turn around, do the arrows not keep pointing in the right direction? Must you be facing north for them to be pointing the right way?

[+g-o-cashers]

After actually playing a cartridge this morning that involved 6-8 locations I would say that this was a major oversight between Garmin and Groundspeak. Having to go back to a distance and bearing (either cardinal number or degrees, not even a pointer) is a big step back. I hope Garmin will consider adding this as a feature with more encouragement from Groundspeak.

 

If you could drop the locations as waypoints, exit the cartridge and just do a standard goto that would be a step forward. Integrating into the geocache mode or just the standard goto/mapping functions is going to be required if you want the Colorado to be adopted as a Wherigo player platform, IMHO.

 

GO$Rs

 

I'm a little confused. On the emulator the arrows seem to work ok, but of course that is not a good substitute for not being there. If you were to stand in one spot with your GPS, and turn around, do the arrows not keep pointing in the right direction? Must you be facing north for them to be pointing the right way?

 

On the Colorado there are two problems.

 

1) When you aren't moving you see a distance and a cardinal letter (i.e. N,S) or numerical bearing to the cache. Unless you happen to be carrying around a compass its a bit difficult to figure out which way to go. Only when you are moving (more than 4-5mph!) do you get a little red bearing pointer arrow (even when the electronic compass is turned on).

 

2) My second point is that I've spent $600 on a high end GPS with all sorts of great navigation tools like autorouting maps, topo maps, a compass, an altimeter, etc. Why can't I use them inside a Wherigo cartridge just like when I'm trying to find a geocache or a simple waypoint? I understand not all Wherigo platforms have these capabilities but why not provide a means to use them if they are available and drop back to the least common denominator (distance, bearing pointer) if they aren't?

 

GO$Rs

[+Audion64]

On the Colorado there are two problems.

 

1) When you aren't moving you see a distance and a cardinal letter (i.e. N,S) or numerical bearing to the cache. Unless you happen to be carrying around a compass its a bit difficult to figure out which way to go. Only when you are moving (more than 4-5mph!) do you get a little red bearing pointer arrow (even when the electronic compass is turned on).

 

2) My second point is that I've spent $600 on a high end GPS with all sorts of great navigation tools like autorouting maps, topo maps, a compass, an altimeter, etc. Why can't I use them inside a Wherigo cartridge just like when I'm trying to find a geocache or a simple waypoint? I understand not all Wherigo platforms have these capabilities but why not provide a means to use them if they are available and drop back to the least common denominator (distance, bearing pointer) if they aren't?

 

GO$Rs

 

I'm not familiar with the Colorado. Does the electronic compass have a user adjustable threshold setting like on the 60CSX? Does lowering the threshold at which the electronic compass automatically turns on have any effect on producing a red navigation arrow in the Wherigo Player?

[+TravelingViking]

I'm looking to play some local cartridges. The first thing I want to do is navigate to the starting location of the cartridge. The only thing I can see on the Colorado which helps is a distance and bearing pointer on the cartridge. Given I have an autorouting unit is there be a way I can goto the cartridge start just like I would a waypoint or a geocache?

 

Similarly once I get into a cartridge and locations become available I would like to use all of the nifty features (maps, compass, etc) of my Colorado to navigate to them. I don't see a way once I'm in the cartridge to simply navigate to a location (again like a waypoint) other than distance and mini-red arrow.

 

We added this as a feature request to Garmin after our initial release but I don't know whether they will implement this in the near term. It's definitely something they would need to support since we don't have direct access to the device. By default this isn't a standard feature in the Wherigo Player since our original reference design was for a standard Pocket PC device. Of course Garmin has a nice set of tools already available on the Garmin Colorado that could be shared. It just depends on developer resources since there are other projects, like improving on the geocaching features, that may take a higher priority.

 

Just to show that more users care...

 

In order to make the Wherigo experience more "navigatable" a map should be integrated to the player, this way you are independent from HW and have the same look and feel on all devices.

 

The map could be a bitmap image that the owner/author provides - this would allow custom treasure maps or hand drawn maps or openstreetmap.org maps being integrated.

 

Visible zones should be shown, just like on the emulator, a nice track line showing where one has been.

 

Olaf

[Ranger Fox]

In order to make the Wherigo experience more "navigatable" a map should be integrated to the player, this way you are independent from HW and have the same look and feel on all devices.

 

The map could be a bitmap image that the owner/author provides - this would allow custom treasure maps or hand drawn maps or openstreetmap.org maps being integrated.

 

Visible zones should be shown, just like on the emulator, a nice track line showing where one has been.

You mean like including a Google Map of the area? For instance, when the cartridge is built, the compiler could access Google Maps and download a static map to include up to a one mile radius from all points and in between. Multiple maps will need to be downloaded to accommodate varying zoom levels, which will cause the cartridge's file size to swell. Still, this might prove to be an interesting idea. How this will fit in with the Google Maps licensing model? Could another provider win the contract?

 

As for the map update, I'm constantly watching the Garmin site for updates to the 400t. I'm unhappy with how slow Garmin has been releasing updates, to the point where I wonder if it will kill Wherigo for this platform should a massive update be released.

[Ranger Fox]

Excuse me for being slightly off topic, as a new Colorado owner (ex 60csx) but does the compass keep working even when standing still as it does on the 60csx, I thought that was the idea of an electronic compass?, otherwise whats the logic of calibration, i.e. stand still but turn in circles?

The compass screen is not available in a Wherigo cartridge. Instead, you have a small bearing pointer.

 

In my opinion, the compass isn't as good as the 60CSx. It is fine when you're moving, but is clearly not as good when standing still. I haven't tested the compass under the new firmware, though. Most of my experience with the compass's nuances come from the test sessions I did with Whack-A-Lackey. If you want to get a really good idea of the Colorado's compass, consider playing that game, where you're really depending on the compass being right while moving in all sorts of directions. (Note: This is not a shameless plug, but an observation I made while testing that cartridge.)

[+Tequila]

So far the new firmware, 2.54B, does seem to improve the compass. When directing to a cache, it seems to point much better than before. And I haven't seen the frequent lock ups when you get within 30 meters of the cache.

 

2.54B does have some new bugs but overall seems to be an improvement.

 

Chuck