How do you even know which hunt to work on?

[retro]

How do you pick which hunts to work on?

Do you only do them if they are free? virtual armchair? BOTG? Prize > $1000? Active public conversations? 

How do you choose which hunt to get involved with?


What if it started 6 months ago? How do you know you aren't wasting your time if you start later?

 
Anyways open to hearing your ideas on how you choose which hunts to spend your free time on

[retro]

* I usually prefer to get involved when the hunt is first launched so I know I am at an equal starting point.
* I like to see activity from the hunt creator so I know it has proper support if necessary.
* I prefer hunts like Digital buried treasure, Rabbit:Homecoming, Incredible Hunt, Hidden Sun, Golden Oyster, Cupid's Arrow, that have less prose and also some form of imagery as part of the puzzle.
* For me I stay engaged in puzzles that have confirmers that you are headed in the right direction. I do this for fun and hobby. If you don't show me progress I might look elsewhere.

[ILLUMINATINPS]

Im more on the author side now, but when I did do a lot of hunts, it was usually these parameters:

1) I felt like I walked away with more knowledge on hunts that made me research, than hunts that were just a bunch of codes.
2) I stayed away from hunts that used double encryptions, as its difficult to tell if a clue break was a confirmer or not.
3) Good puzzles have feedback mechanisms, to let you know you're right
4) Bad puzzles rely on "leaps of faith" or too much symbolism to where it becomes a "guess what I'm thinking" game.
5) Ive done BOTG hunts and was successful, but tend to enjoy full armchair because my life is too busy to hop on planes for prizes, regardless of prize size.
6) If I won a hunt with an author, I usually never compete on a future hunt from the same author, however I still buy it to support.
7) I don't work on hunts from people that Ive been teammates with, but like above, I still buy it and support.
8) Like you said, it's for fun and a hobby, but it's a very small community believe it or not.

[retro]

Oct 16, 2023 19:50:14 GMT -5 ILLUMINATINPS said:

Im more on the author side now, but when I did do a lot of hunts, it was usually these parameters:

1) I felt like I walked away with more knowledge on hunts that made me research, than hunts that were just a bunch of codes.
2) I stayed away from hunts that used double encryptions, as its difficult to tell if a clue break was a confirmer or not.
3) Good puzzles have feedback mechanisms, to let you know you're right
4) Bad puzzles rely on "leaps of faith" or too much symbolism to where it becomes a "guess what I'm thinking" game.
5) Ive done BOTG hunts and was successful, but tend to enjoy full armchair because my life is too busy to hop on planes for prizes, regardless of prize size.
6) If I won a hunt with an author, I usually never compete on a future hunt from the same author, however I still buy it to support.
7) I don't work on hunts from people that Ive been teammates with, but like above, I still buy it and support.
8) Like you said, it's for fun and a hobby, but it's a very small community believe it or not.

This is a good list. Thanks for sharing.