Interesting game concept. (GPS's and Paintball)

[Muzikman]

Ok, first check out www.geocaching.com and more specific, this thread http://forums.groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=72553&st=0&#entry1083429

Geocaching is basicaly someone hide tupperware in the woods and posts the coordinates on the web page, You then take your GPS and go and find it.

So, I was reading thier forums and someone wanted to combine geocaching and paintball. This got me thinking.

Does anyone think this is a cool idea?

"Ok, I got an idea. This would have nothing to do with Geocaching.com, but could still prove to be interesting in combining paintball and caching.

This would require a big game type field (ie. large woods field). In the morning before the game starts each team hunts out locations to hide a cache. Each team hides say 4 caches on the field. They then come back and give the coords to the event organizer. The organizer then gives these coords to everyone. Now, the object of the game, instead of capture the flag (or holding a flag station, as in many big games) is for each team to find these 4 caches and return them to their "base". The first team to get all 4 back to their base wins."

[Bulldog]

That does sound cool.

[hitech]

In the morning before the game starts each team hunts out locations to hide a cache. Each team hides say 4 caches on the field.

Seems to me that you would put them all right next to your base to make them easy to defend.

Maybe have the organizers hide them. :D

[FragTek]

Man that sounds pretty darn awesome :) I know i'd have a fun time participating in an event such as this.

Someone set one up and let us know how it goes!

[KayleAGD]

Geek !!!

[Big'n slo]

Geek !!!

hehe :D



Sounds fun

[Muzikman]

Geek !!!


Kayle, you know you like the idea.

I think it would make for an interesting concept, but I do agree it needs to have some ideas hashed out. I mean it took me a whole 5 mins to come up with the idea after reading the post on geocaching.com. So what do ya say, put some minds together and see if we can get something organized for next year. It would make for an interesting AO day.

[WenULiVeUdiE]

Great idea. The only problem is, most of us don't have GPS. Sounds like fun.

[rkjunior303]

Great idea. The only problem is, most of us don't have GPS. Sounds like fun.


im sure they have something in the works for the next angel lol.

[FragTek]

im sure they have something in the works for the next angel lol.
rofl rofl.

GPS's are getting super cheap these days, there is a good selection of non-mapping units for under $100.

[Muzikman]

well, see, not having a GPS just puts you into a different role. Maybe you would be scouts to keep an eye on the other team and what not while the people with the GPS goes on the search:) I really don't know...maybe I really am oozing too much geek.

[Stealthgerbil]

cool!!, its like a 4way capture the flag game, but better :eek:

[sig11]

Looking through that site before I noticed there is already a cache on the first paintball field I ever played on. ;p

[rich4man]

What a coincidence. There is a scenario game on Oct 2 in Utah that will have missions that include GPS coordinates.

http://www.actioncenterpaintball.com/store/detail.aspx?ID=75

I have a mag and an etrex GPS. Looks like I'm ready to rock.

I've been talking to some of the people who are going and one of the missions is rescuing a "downed pilot" and all you get is a GPS coordinate. Sounds fun.

[steveo356]

theres a 12000 acre government not to far from my house. theres roads taht go back through it which is just lovly for drving my jeep through i bet taht would work. theres nothin all through there more co2ws then humans

[AcemanPB]

About everyone not having GPS - you can always split up in small squads, maybe 1-2 people per squad with GPS?

I think it would be cool if the event organizers hid the items and the teams had to find them and return them to their base.

[Muzikman]

Now, if the event organizer hid them, would everyone get all the coords (so team A could find team B's cache and guard it), or should teach team only get their coords?

[plmcmahon]

Organizers "hide"/place 9 flags.

Each team gets the coords to 4 flags and the one shared flag. Note you could do this with multiple teams, but you'd need one extra flag to try to avoid a tie. Shared flag would be placed last and have the coords to the other flags.

When you are tagged (by a paintball :)), you "drop" the flag. A teammate or the opposing team can pick it up. Item must be "dropped" in plain sight.

Bring flags back to your base to "claim" them... note that if the opposing team assults your base they can take your flags. Team with the most flags claimed when time expires wins.

[Destructo6]

How about:

Each team gets the coordinates to all flags.

Each team is assigned some flags to assaut/capture and some to defend.

The assault team should move the flag back to their base station, once captured.

The defense team can only move the flag back to its assigned coordinates.

[Muzikman]

I don't think flags should be used. I think something "cache" like. I also think that team A can not touch team B's caches, but they can hang out near them and defend. It would take all the fun out of the GPS hunt if you can be moving caches between teams (ie. taking them out of one teams base).

[gulf]

that sounds like a neet idea. where are you located for those of us without a gps.

[AcemanPB]

Now, if the event organizer hid them, would everyone get all the coords (so team A could find team B's cache and guard it), or should teach team only get their coords?

I was thinking they hide 9-11 caches and give both Team A and B the coords. Who ever can find and retreive the most caches win.

[gc82000]

I dont know about you guys but I done things very similar but with milltary coordinates, instead of GPS. And it was more of indirect point where a team had to trangulate the points in order to find them. I think by giving the exact coordinates it would be too easy.

[Muzikman]

Have you ever gone geocaching? It's not as easy as you think. The caches would be hidden, not just out in the open.

I got a REALLY cool one to try when you got a very small group of people. The caches are pods of paint, and it's the only paint on the field. So both teams start out empty and you have to find the caches in order to get paint.:)

[Severe]

gc82000 has, IMHO, the best idea here. Use the GPS to identify the locations of your cache, then hand a 1:25,000 Military map to the team and give them the cordinates. That way some map reading, math, and land NAV skills are require along with the whole paintball concept.

Seems to me that some hardcore scenario types would really enjoy this. I know I would.

[Muzikman]

That could be fun, but you would then have to have people that know how to read a topo map. Now, come on, most people can not read a simple road map, yet a lone plot coords on a topo.

Finding a small cache hidden in the woods with a GPS is not as easy as it sounds. There are some caches that you spend 15 mins walking around trying to find it. I would think this should be fun, not frustrating:)

[gc82000]

Severe thanks for the props.

And to mizikman. I understand the concept of what you say but just like in paintball you will have to practice. And to send out a newb alone would be toture especially if they dont understand how.

Also hiding caches is still what I thought of, bury the cache, put in a tree, sink in the water. Whatever but why not put math or something educational in it. And look at the direction of the sport today it is mostly kids and young adults. who says something more educational is a bad thing.
learning something new should always be fun. At least to me. :ninja:

[rabidchihauhau]

its very similar to treasure hunt/easter egg hunt/paintball scavenger hunt.

If you want it to be a success, the 'promoter' will have to handle arrangements to make sure the GPS units are readily available - purchase, loaners, etc.

I think a 'more fun' way to do something like this without all of the technological trimmings would be:

a VERY large field with wooded/varied terrain
caches of air and paint emplaced by the organizers
start the game with very limited paint
teams get to use what they recover

this gives everyone an incentive to go and hunt, cuts down on the fighting around a cache and, with properly and cleverly placed caches, will keep the game moving around the field and provide everyone with lots of interesting tactical challenges.

[Muzikman]

Severe thanks for the props.

And to mizikman. I understand the concept of what you say but just like in paintball you will have to practice. And to send out a newb alone would be toture especially if they dont understand how.

Also hiding caches is still what I thought of, bury the cache, put in a tree, sink in the water. Whatever but why not put math or something educational in it. And look at the direction of the sport today it is mostly kids and young adults. who says something more educational is a bad thing.
learning something new should always be fun. At least to me. :ninja:


Well, I would not go as far as burrying a cahe, but hiding it in a hollow of a tree, etc would be good enough. After all, we don't want the field to end up with holes all over the place:)

It would be a call idea, but I honestly don't think that if you got say 100 normal paintballers (even Sceanerio guys) together would you find 20 that could read and plot of coords on a map and they actually go out in the woods and find that location. I think even using a GPS is educational enough. Although, I would love to do a plot and search type game if I could get enough people interested.


As for giving everyone a GPS. Why? I guess the organizer could rent them like you rent paintball gear, but to me it would just be another piece of equipment. Hell, they are cheaper than most barrels today:)

[Severe]

With the high number of former military types and enthusiates playing, I don't think you'd have as much trouble findign capable map readers as you think. But I'm basing that off of the general population of players where I play. I'm trying to keep in mind I'm in NC where we have 3 major military installations so we have a large number of players with military backgrounds.

Anyway, learning to read a map and converting from Lat/Long to Grid takes just a few minutes of training. Throw in the posibility of two groups having to retrieve the same cache and you've got the receipe for a great fire-fight. And this way neither team requires a GPS, just the person who plants the cache. Everyone else gets a map, some markers and maybe a map prtractor.

Only thing that would be hard to come up with are some good topo maps. But I understand these can be ordered offline now so maybe even that can be easy depending upon your location.

Might have to see if I can use something like this in the next local big game/scenario game.

Thinking a little more about it, the Rhino 110/120 series radio/gps seems to be the perfect solution for this concept.

[doc_Zox]

rhinos are cool:
http://mightygps.com/rhino.htm

[Flip]

Here's how I would do it:

The Caches would be drop boxes (already used by most promoters like MXS, Viper...) and be hidden on the field by the promoter, quite a few are spread out on the field. The drop boxes are locked and need to be opened at your base, your base ref has the keys. Each team is given GPS co-ordinates for 3 boxes, possibly some the same box. Within the boxes are co-ordinates for other boxes, each box is numberd and called in to the promoter when retrieved gaining the team points.
This could be intergrated into the standard Role-playing format as another set of missions. The boxes would need to be well hidden but with the amount of "run & gun" types that attend events, the possibility of stumbling onto a drop box would be possible. It would take a bit of planning on what co-ordinates are given out and which need to be gained from retreavals, but I think it would add a fun twist to any event. :dance:

As far as having GPS units, I guess a rental option would be nice but it's not like every player would need to have one. A few mission oriented teams with 1 GPS per team would do. :)

[Muzikman]

Only thing that would be hard to come up with are some good topo maps. But I understand these can be ordered offline now so maybe even that can be easy depending upon your location.


You can download and print 1:24,000 maps at http://www.lostoutdoors.com/newmap.html They would not be as good as a purchased paper map from USGS for $5 each, but they are free:)

I have the National Geographic TOPO! State maps for a few states around me. These puppies are $99 each (usually for each state), but well worth it.

[Darkstorm]

In a few scenarios the GPS stuff has been done, sometimes by the players. In one case a spy on a scenario team was carrying a transmitting GPS radio and went on all the missions. This told the other team in real time where the enemy missions were going.