A Virtual Geocaching Adventure Mystery Cache

This cache has been archived.

undertheguny2k: Unable to get the virtual adventure game to run again. Time for this cache to go.

Thanks to all Cachers who either found or tried to find this cache.

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Hidden : 9/14/2008
Difficulty:
4.5 out of 5
Terrain:
2 out of 5

Size: Size: micro (micro)

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Geocache Description:

The cache is NOT at the listed coordinates. You will need to complete the game to find out the coordinates.

It is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED that you begin your real adventure at the indicated trailhead waypoint, so you don't encounter fences or private property. N 42° 02.389' W 091° 38.295'
Try to remember that we do this for fun. If the game turns out to be too hard, just move on. There are plenty of other caches for you to solve. Also, once you have solved the game, please don't spoil other's satisfaction of completing this cache by providing them with answers to the game or cache location.

This is a virtual geocaching adventure game. In the late 1970's, I used to play a version of Colossal Cave Adventure game on the Microprocessor Development System after work. I noticed that there was a cache similar to this (A Virtual Dog Day), but it isn't operational at the moment. I enjoyed playing the original game so much, that I wanted to share the satisfaction and frustration with others. I thought I would create a virtual geocaching adventure, where you are the geocacher and you explore a virtual world to locate caches and other things that geocachers do.

It is a bad assumption if you assume that things in this virtual world will act exactly like things do in the real world. Take the GPSr (yes there has to be one of those now doesn't there?), it won't provide you the direction and distance to the cache, but it will tell you the name of the location of the next cache. It is your job as the geocacher to figure out how to get to the cache's location. Commands like "go cache" or "go path" just aren't going to work for you. Another example of things operating differently is that just because you travel East from a location to get somewhere, do not assume that you would travel West to return to the starting point. Nearly all of the paths have twists and turns in them. Part of your job as explorer is to determine how the locations are interconnected. I will tell you that the paths are all static, so a path's starting point and ending point won't change during the game and are the same for each game.

When you start the game, there is a brief description describing the game. The "help" command will print the help message. It may provide you some additional assistance which is "free". Hints are available at certain locations. You are limited to a very few number of hints per game, so use them wisely. The hints vary somewhat by location (context sensitive hints - if that means anything to you). You are limited to a certain number of turns per game. The limit is between 2 and 3 times the number required to solve the game. The game can be solved in fewer than 4 score moves. There is also an hour time limit per game.

I read the logs for "A Virtual Dog Day" cache. I noticed that there were some folks who didn't play the game, but read the code instead. I don't think that was in keeping with the spirit of the game. I know that the temptation to do that is great. Well, I have made that just a bit more difficult. I have encrypted, encoded, and obfuscated the javascript code plus put in some self modifying behavior which should make it extremely difficult to just read the code and determine where the cache is located. I would rate the decrypting, decoding, and reverse engineering the program to be rated at a difficulty level of much greater than 5. I'm not saying that it can't be deciphered, but I think that the task of deciphering the code to determine the cache location is much more difficult than playing the game. What I tried to do was to give a FTF advantage to the people who actually play the game.

This is a web page based javascript game. Due to the size of the file, it could take some time to load the game. You may want to save the game on your computer rather than loading it every time.

There are 10 directions you can travel in the game and you will need to use all 10 during the game. For those of you new to this type of game, a map of the region usually consists of circles and lines between the circles. The circles contain the name of the location and anything of importance in the location. The lines are marked with direction of travel. Do not try to make a physical map of the game. It isn't necessary for solving the game and it may just confuse you. The magic referred to is that you will need to use magic words during your adventure. As you travel around you will hear other adventurers using magic to complete their tasks.

Here is the link to the game: A Virtual Geocaching Adventure

Enjoy.

You can check your answers for this puzzle on Geochecker.com.

Permission to place this cache was given by David Smith of Cedar Rapids Parks.

There is an unactivated travel bug for the FTF.
Congratulations to BriLaura for FTF.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

N phg nobir

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)


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