Project-GC - User contributions [en]

Challenge difficulty

2026-01-15T09:25:17Z

3638126:

==What is it?==
For most [[Challenge checker]]s in the system there is a ''Challenge difficulty'' calculated. The difficulty is based on on how many [[Geocacher]]s fulfill the challenge or not. Project-GC is running [[Challenge checker]]s in the background for tens of thousands of [[Geocacher]]s, this process is a part of the [[Auto-challenge-checkers|Auto-Challenge-Checker System]]. The result of these runs is used to calculate the ''Challenge difficulty''.

==How is it calculated?==
Basically the ''Challenge difficulty'' tells us what proportion of [[Geocacher]]s fulfill a challenge or not. The rating is an integer between 0 and 100, but should not be confused with percent. First off it's important to understand that the automatic challenge checker runs aren't automatically executed on the average [[Geocacher]], but more likely on the more hardcore [[Geocacher]]s. It's primarily executed on [[Geocacher]]s with more finds, regular users of [[Project-GC]] and also [[Paid membership|paid members]] of the site. With this in mind we know that the result isn't representing the average geocacher, on the other hand, challenges generally aren't targeting the average geocacher either.

The [[Challenge checker]] results are dividing into three categories:
* Region - [[Geocacher]]s that are determined to live in the same '''region''' as the [[Challenge]] itself.
* Country - [[Geocacher]]s that are determined to live in the same '''country''' as the [[Challenge]] itself, but not in the same region.
* World - All others

For each category a percentage of how many fulfill the [[Challenge]] is calculated. Then the results for each group is weighted different in the calculations, basically a list is created and the percentages are added into that list. A fourth factor is also added into the mix, the number of finds per day.

The number of finds per day isn't used as the raw number itself, but rather as '(1-($numFinds/$daysOld))*100'.

Then the difficulty is calculated as '$difficulty = (3*$worldPercent + 5*$countryPercent + 10*$regionPercent + $findsPerDay) / (3+5+10+1)'.

It should also be noted that there usually are more calculated [[challenge checker]] results in the system from more local [[Geocacher]]s than from those living far away.

===Example===
* The Challenge is placed in Texas, United States.
* 80% of the [[Geocacher]]s in Texas fulfill it.
* 40% of the [[Geocacher]]s in the other states of the United States fulfill it.
* 30% of the [[Geocacher]]s in the rest of the world fulfill it.
* The challenge is one year old (365 days) and has had 10 finds during this period.
* Then to weigh these differently using coefficients a sum is created like this: 3*80+5*40+10*30+((1-(10/365))*100).
* This sum is then divided by 19 (3+5+10+1, the last being related to findsPerDay).
* The ''Challenge difficulty'' ends up being 837.26/19 = 44.066, which is rounded down to 44. The values are always rounded down to the closest integer.

==Related statistics==
[[Challenge difficulty per rating interval]] shows the correlation between the [[D/T|difficulty rating]] of the geocache and the challenge difficulty.

The [[Challenges_tab#Challenge_difficulties|challenge tab]] in the profile stats has a module for challenge difficulties.

[[Category:Site Info]]

The Geocacher

2022-05-21T08:42:58Z

3638126: Typo

{{
Badge
|BadgeName=The Geocacher
|MaxLoops=99
|BronzeRequirement=500
|SilverRequirement=1,000
|GoldRequirement=2,000
|PlatinumRequirement=3,000
|RubyRequirement=5,000
|SapphireRequirement=8,000
|EmeraldRequirement=12,000
|DiamondRequirement=18,000
|AddonsAvailable=Community Celebration, Ape, HQ,<br>HQ Celebration, Blockparty, Locationless
}}
{{Badge image|icon=TheGeocacher|q=D}}
Log Geocaches or attend [[Event|Events]] to achieve this badge.

== Loop ==
{{Badge image|icon=TheGeocacher|q=D|loop=99}}
Double the amount required by Diamond badge and start looping it.

== Addons ==
{{Badge image|icon=TheGeocacher|q=D|addons=communitycelebration,ape,HQ,HQcelebration,blockparty,locationless}}
* Community Celebration - Attend a ''Community Celebration'' event.
* Ape - Log at least one ''Project APE'' geocache.
* [[Geocaching HQ|HQ]] - Visit (and log) [https://coord.info/GCK25B Geocaching HQ].
* HQ Celebration - Attend a ''HQ Celebration'' event.
* Blockparty - Attend a ''Blockparty''.
* Locationless - Log at least one ''Locationless'' geocache.

Note that unlike other badges, these addons apply at any level; the user does not need to reach 5,000 caches before receiving the addon.

== History ==
This Badge existed in BadgeGen v3, nothing has been changed, apart from the addition of the addons.

The Lab Cacher

2021-03-03T15:31:28Z

3638126: Removed non-existing addons from image

{{
Badge
|BadgeName=The Lab Cacher
|MaxLoops=99
|BronzeRequirement=10
|SilverRequirement=25
|GoldRequirement=50
|PlatinumRequirement=100
|RubyRequirement=200
|SapphireRequirement=400
|EmeraldRequirement=600
|DiamondRequirement=800
|AddonsAvailable=366, Leapday
}}
https://project-gc.com/dimages/pgc-badge.php?icon=TheLabCacher&quality=D&.png
Log [[Lab cache]]s to receive these badges.
[[Lab cache]]s are currently only available in [[Profile Stats]] and [[BadgeGen]] to [[Project-GC|Project-GC's]] paying members. In order to have the badge show up, Lab caches have to be included in the statistics by checking the "Include lab cache finds where applicable" checkbox in the Profile Stats settings.

== Loops ==
https://project-gc.com/dimages/pgc-badge.php?icon=TheLabCacher&quality=D&loop=99&.png
By doubling the amount required for ''Diamond'' you start looping this badge.

== Addons ==
https://project-gc.com/dimages/pgc-badge.php?icon=TheLabCacher&quality=D&addons=366cal,leapday&.png
* 366 - Log a [[Lab cache]] on every calendar day, including leap day, to enable this addon.
* Leapday - Log a [[Lab cache]] on Leap day to enable this addon.

== History ==
This badge is new in BadgeGen v4.

The Long-Distance Cacher

2020-03-01T10:08:48Z

3638126: typo

{{
Badge
|BadgeName=The Long-Distance Cacher
|BronzeRequirement=1,000
|SilverRequirement=1,200
|GoldRequirement=1,500
|PlatinumRequirement=2,000
|RubyRequirement=2,900
|SapphireRequirement=4,200
|EmeraldRequirement=6,400
|DiamondRequirement=10,000
|AddonsAvailable=Leapday, FTF
}}
https://project-gc.com/dimages/pgc-badge.php?icon=TheLongDistanceCacher&quality=D&.png
Log Geocaches far from home. Only one single find is required to get a badge. The distance from home determines which badge you get.
The distance is measured in kilometers (km).

== Loops ==
Not loopable.

== Addons ==
https://project-gc.com/dimages/pgc-badge.php?icon=TheLongDistanceCacher&quality=D&addons=leapday,ftf&.png
* Leapday - Log a Geocache on Leap day, on a distance from home that fulfills the Diamond requirement (10,000 km).
* FTF - Log a [[First to Find]] on Leap day, on a distance from home that fulfills the Diamond requirement (10,000 km).

== History ==
This Badge existed in BadgeGen v3, no changes besides the addons.