Smiley on mapv3 cache icon

[andrixnet]

While checking something on OCPL (related to another issue), I saw that the few OCPL caches location in Romania are shown with different icons. Some have smiley on them, others have not.

The smiley on cache icon has usually been associated with me having found that cache. I haven't logged a find for any of these caches.

In this situation:

• The smiley could have been associated with cache health status (ready to be found), but this is not the case.
• The smiley could have been associated with the cache having at least one find, but this is also not the case. Not all caches with finds have the smiley.

[andrixnet]

According to @deg-pl it is an OKAPI issue : https://github.com/opencaching/opencaching-pl/issues/1157#issuecomment-325314027

[following5]

Those smilies indicate the highest-rated caches: A rating of at least 4.2, more than 6 finds and a recommendations/founds ratio of > 0.3.

[following5]

This is the proposal by andrixnet from https://github.com/opencaching/opencaching-pl/issues/1157:

Then IMO it would be a much better idea to implement a different visual cue to indicate rating. Smiley face on cache icon on map is too well known as a "found" indicator" (and I not talking about GC, but also at least about c:geo which has full OC support). This is user-confusing.

Since c:geo uses a big yellow star to indicate you are the owner of a cache, I would suggest using a scale or smaller stars (based on number of recommendations) either vertically on the side or horizontal at top or bottom of the cache icon, but in a visually different way.

See cgeo cache icon with owner marker:

[wrygiel]

Note, that many users have already got used to it, and this map is probably the single most-viewed item on the entire OCPL site. If we intend to change things, we must be very careful, because any change in this will make at least some people mad. :)

[andrixnet]

I understand your point. However my argument still stands on the basis of better conveying the right information.

[following5]

We could add a setting for this. Then each OC site may decide to use the smileys either for 'High rated' or for 'Found'.

@andrixnet If the smileys are used for found caches, how should high-rated caches be marked? Current assignments are these:

• rating 5 =>
• many recommendations =>

[andrixnet]

Well, changing will be delicate, as you say.

An optimap approach to a configurable implementation would be theme based.

Logically, based on general usage patterns across multiple platforms, regardless of the originating caching site, would suggest something like this:

• found => smiley
• high rating => a star, but given that star is used to mark your own caches on some platforms, I would suggest a cluster of stars
• many recommendations => thumbs up