A while ago (6+ years) a group of forum users (Kazoo Club) ran a Scavenger Hunt on the forum. The premise was very simple: solve a riddle and find a part of the forum. The answer to each riddle was the URL of a page accessible to all members. Back then it was limited to threads, posts, or user profiles.
It worked like this: the contest was broken into twenty rounds. In each round a cryptic riddle was presented by one member of the group. The rest of the forum (staff included) tried to solve it. There was no specific time limit but if it went on too long hints were given. Once a member of the group agreed that the riddle was solved, a new one was presented. There was no fixed timetable for this, so everyone had to keep alert. After all twenty riddles had been solved the person who correctly solved the most riddles won a prize.
The purpose was ... just for fun. It was also community building, encouraged the use of the forum search features, and drew attention to areas of the forum less frequently visited... but that was just a bonus.
I liked this idea and thought it would be a really good idea to run it again as many of our current users weren't around for the original. So here is what I'm proposing:
We don't have a club to run it this time, and I'm not very good at creating riddles... so I want forum members to submit riddles. It'll add a new dimension to the challenge. Submissions need to be sent to me directly by private message, in the form of a riddle obviously, presented exactly as it should be posted. The PM should include an explanation of the riddle and have a URL answering the riddle. I will test and approve the riddles to ensure they can be solved by a regular member (i.e. the URL isn't private). If all is well with the submission I'll put it on a list. You can submit as many riddles as you like (the more the better), but I don't guarantee when, or if, I will use a riddle, even if approved.
The rules will be similar to the original hunt, with the exception that the URL can now point at: the wiki, the social groups, and other things that didn't exist originally provided they are directly connected to the site/forum.
Once we have enough collected the contest will begin in earnest, following basically the same outline as before. If I don't get enough riddles the content will just keep waiting until I do. I will probably only use one riddle from each person in each twenty-round run to be fair on everyone.
When everything is ready I'll ask Kairin to post one of the riddles, in this thread, for the forum as a whole to solve. Kairin will post no more than one riddle per day. It will probably be less frequently and as before there will be no strict pattern to when the next riddle posted! If the current riddle is unsolved after two weeks, the author of the riddle will get 1 point towards their hunt total and 50 reputation points. If the riddle is solved, the first member to solve it (post the URL with a justification) gets 1 point towards their hunt total.
After twenty riddles have been solved, the winners will be announced. Any tie situations will be resolved by more riddles, or by some other challenge as I see fit. The main prizes will be awarded accordingly:
Any questions?
* ...for a major on-line retailer of their choice, subject to approval. Other currency equivalent option possible again subject to approval.
It worked like this: the contest was broken into twenty rounds. In each round a cryptic riddle was presented by one member of the group. The rest of the forum (staff included) tried to solve it. There was no specific time limit but if it went on too long hints were given. Once a member of the group agreed that the riddle was solved, a new one was presented. There was no fixed timetable for this, so everyone had to keep alert. After all twenty riddles had been solved the person who correctly solved the most riddles won a prize.
The purpose was ... just for fun. It was also community building, encouraged the use of the forum search features, and drew attention to areas of the forum less frequently visited... but that was just a bonus.
I liked this idea and thought it would be a really good idea to run it again as many of our current users weren't around for the original. So here is what I'm proposing:
We don't have a club to run it this time, and I'm not very good at creating riddles... so I want forum members to submit riddles. It'll add a new dimension to the challenge. Submissions need to be sent to me directly by private message, in the form of a riddle obviously, presented exactly as it should be posted. The PM should include an explanation of the riddle and have a URL answering the riddle. I will test and approve the riddles to ensure they can be solved by a regular member (i.e. the URL isn't private). If all is well with the submission I'll put it on a list. You can submit as many riddles as you like (the more the better), but I don't guarantee when, or if, I will use a riddle, even if approved.
The rules will be similar to the original hunt, with the exception that the URL can now point at: the wiki, the social groups, and other things that didn't exist originally provided they are directly connected to the site/forum.
Once we have enough collected the contest will begin in earnest, following basically the same outline as before. If I don't get enough riddles the content will just keep waiting until I do. I will probably only use one riddle from each person in each twenty-round run to be fair on everyone.
When everything is ready I'll ask Kairin to post one of the riddles, in this thread, for the forum as a whole to solve. Kairin will post no more than one riddle per day. It will probably be less frequently and as before there will be no strict pattern to when the next riddle posted! If the current riddle is unsolved after two weeks, the author of the riddle will get 1 point towards their hunt total and 50 reputation points. If the riddle is solved, the first member to solve it (post the URL with a justification) gets 1 point towards their hunt total.
After twenty riddles have been solved, the winners will be announced. Any tie situations will be resolved by more riddles, or by some other challenge as I see fit. The main prizes will be awarded accordingly:
1st Prize:If the riddles keep coming, the contest will continue in twenty-round runs. Prizes might differ though, subject to my finances ;).2nd Prize:
- $50 gift voucher*
- 750 reputation points.
3rd Prize:
- $25 gift voucher*
- 500 reputation points.
- 250 reputation points.
Any questions?
* ...for a major on-line retailer of their choice, subject to approval. Other currency equivalent option possible again subject to approval.