Wandern
March 25, 2011 9:11 PM Subscribe
Real world exploration game?
I already know about Geocaching and Waymarking, but I'm wondering if there are other real-world exploration games out there that may or may not involve gps. The goal would be to find new and interesting places, both in urban and wilderness settings.
My problem with Geocaching is that I enjoy the exploring part but do not like the finding the cache in the weeds part, which is often about as fun as looking for your dropped keys and can often take a painstakingly long time. My problem with Waymarking is that the site is too filled up with uninteresting crap, like fast food restaurants and street signs without any aesthetic, historical, or cultural value.
I suspect that Waymarking is the best I'm gonna get, but maybe there's something else out there.
I already know about Geocaching and Waymarking, but I'm wondering if there are other real-world exploration games out there that may or may not involve gps. The goal would be to find new and interesting places, both in urban and wilderness settings.
My problem with Geocaching is that I enjoy the exploring part but do not like the finding the cache in the weeds part, which is often about as fun as looking for your dropped keys and can often take a painstakingly long time. My problem with Waymarking is that the site is too filled up with uninteresting crap, like fast food restaurants and street signs without any aesthetic, historical, or cultural value.
I suspect that Waymarking is the best I'm gonna get, but maybe there's something else out there.
Yes. It's called orienteering. It's somewhat more "organized" than geocaching or waymarking but there are orienteering groups and clubs all over.
posted by wackybrit at 9:13 PM on March 25, 2011 [3 favorites]
posted by wackybrit at 9:13 PM on March 25, 2011 [3 favorites]
How about Hashing? You get to chase the Hare through a city and there's beer. I found a Olympia WA chapter for you. Yeah, it isn't navigation in the purest sense, but a good hare will loose the hounds at least every once in a while, and it can be a bit to get folks back on track...
posted by Nanukthedog at 9:45 PM on March 25, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Nanukthedog at 9:45 PM on March 25, 2011 [1 favorite]
Geohashing, not to be confused with Hashing in Nanukthedog's sense.
(Metafilter discussion of geohashing.)
posted by Orinda at 10:15 PM on March 25, 2011
(Metafilter discussion of geohashing.)
posted by Orinda at 10:15 PM on March 25, 2011
SF0 and its related regional variants might also fit the bill.
posted by jiawen at 2:58 AM on March 26, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by jiawen at 2:58 AM on March 26, 2011 [2 favorites]
Seconding Hashing if you get in with a good group. You have to run, which may not be your thing, and there's more emphasis on drinking than I personally enjoy, but I've seen parts of the city I never knew existed following a good hare ...
posted by zanni at 6:25 AM on March 26, 2011
posted by zanni at 6:25 AM on March 26, 2011
another variation on geohashing.
http://xkcd.com/201/
posted by rockindata at 9:48 AM on March 26, 2011 [1 favorite]
http://xkcd.com/201/
posted by rockindata at 9:48 AM on March 26, 2011 [1 favorite]
Give it another few years and QR code treasure hunting will probably be fun as well.
posted by chrisinseoul at 10:43 AM on March 26, 2011
posted by chrisinseoul at 10:43 AM on March 26, 2011
Letterboxing is a more cultural/ artistic experience than geocaching, though maybe not as widely available. There are some awesomely well done ones -- I'm thinking of one on the campus of Princeton University with clues written entirely in verse, encompassing a complete tour of the university campus, and requiring only your wits and a compass to solve.
posted by apparently at 5:42 PM on March 26, 2011
posted by apparently at 5:42 PM on March 26, 2011
Response by poster: Thank you all for the answers. SF0 may be what I'm looking for. Most of the others seem oriented towards navigation challenges and single events, when I'm really looking for a game that just has you visit as many neat places in your area as you can, so I guess I should have been clearer in the question.
posted by aesacus at 1:31 PM on March 27, 2011
posted by aesacus at 1:31 PM on March 27, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by purephase at 9:13 PM on March 25, 2011