Archive for September, 2014

September 28, 2014

October Clan Wars

It’s time for a special twist!  This month we want to reward you for physical gameplay.

October will be largely based on your activity out there in the QR code based real world known as MunzeeLand! That’s right, we are rewarding you with 2x clan points for Activity on *physical QR code based Munzees! 1 **virtual capture = regular points. 1 virtual deploy = regular points.  1 physical capture = double clan points.  1 physical deploy = double clan points.  This multiplier only effects the clan score not the individual player overall game score.  In other words, real game player points of an individual will not be effected by the doubling of clan points on physical munzees.  Expanded example: Player captures mystery sticker for 25 points and receives 25×2 = 50 for clan points.  Player captures mystery virtual for 25 points and receives 25 for clan points.  Player captures a greenie and receives 5 player points but 5×2 = 10 clan points.  Capture on points will not be effected during the clan war (they will not be doubled for clan score or personal score).  They count just like normal points in a normal month. Example: 3 capture on points equals 3 points for clan score and in normal game.

Level 1:  All 10 members must earn 500 clan points each.  Rewarded with 2 Munzee maces.

Level 2:  All 10 members must earn 1250 clan points each.  Rewarded with 2 Munzee Longswords.

Level 3:  All 10 members must earn 3000 clan points each.  Rewarded with 1 Munzee mace, 1 Munzee longsword, 1 Munzee battle axe.

Level 4:  All 10 members must earn 7500 clan points each.  Rewarded with 2 Munzee maces, 2 Munzee longswords, 1 Diamond, 1 Ruby, and 1 motel.

Level 5:  All 10 members must earn 20000 clan points each.  Rewarded with 2 Munzee battle axes, 2 Diamond munzees, 2 Ruby munzees, and 2 motels.

We look forward to seeing how active YOU can be during the month of October!

*Physical munzees include greenies (regular), mystery, mace, longsword, battle axe, motel, diamond, ruby, premium, business, and quiz munzees.

**Virtual includes all mystery virtual munzees and virtual munzees, including those captured via a blast capture.

***Remember your clan must have 10 members to qualify for rewards!***

September 25, 2014

Munzee Player of the Week: Ines (halizwein)

Munzee is what you make it. Whether it’s crafting virtual gardens or hiking through the snow to deploy, Munzee has a number of ways to play. As the map grows, the game grows and our players take it to new levels. Outdoor-enthusiast and Player of the Week Ines (halizwein) has played around the world in many different locations. From snowy ski trails to swimming holes, Ines is all about getting her munzees outside. Read on to learn more about halizwein and if you’re near Berlin on November 29 make sure to register for her event!

-5Who are you?
I am the “in” in halizwein. “ha”, “li”, and “zwe” are my daughters and my husband who do not play Munzee. Can you believe that?

Where in the world do you live?
Last year I moved to Berlin, an amazing and lively city with loads of Munzees and a bunch of great Munzee players. Lucky me! Before that I lived in Chicago, also a fantastic place to be, with not so many Munzees at that time though, but equally awesome players. Pre-Munzee I lived in London and Wales for a short time and in some other not so interesting places. My hometown is Göttingen, Germany.

How long have you played Munzee?
I signed up 855 days ago: April 10, 2012. I capped my first (single) Munzee exactly 10 days later. I needed another month before I gathered all the necessary materials and information for my first deployment, the first in my area. I think it took me actually that long to figure out the ideal place for this Munzee. Hehe, this has changed since.

-3How did you find Munzee?
Munzee was mentioned in the Chicago *insert frog game here* Podcast. The hosts only briefly talked about the game. Nevertheless, my interest was sparked and I downloaded the app. You know what happened next …

What do you enjoy most about Munzee?
Munzee gets me outdoors and brings me to interesting places I didn’t know before, either on my own, or even better together with my clan mates from the German Gluers. Like the weekend in Cologne at the European Event. It was so much fun and it got me into the list of the top 100 players! On the other hand I have always loved to explore maps and I like numbers and statistics. With Munzee I can indulge in both when I can’t be outside. What I also enjoy is collecting badges, special icons and socials.

-7What is on your wish list?
Please continue to sprinkle in some specials every now and then, you are doing a great job in this respect already. Otherwise I wish for more functionality of the website (I always feel I have to click too many times until I am where I want to be) and that I will not get kicked out that often – logging in multiple times again is a pain, especially on mobile devices. And I sometimes have trouble when creating munzees on the website. It would be great if this could be fixed. A nice feature would be if one could browse through the detailed results of past clan wars.
In the app, I wish for an easier way to reactivate undeployed munzees that had been in maintenance mode.

Tell us about yourself!
Some of you have already been in contact for trades with me, or I sent you Social Munzees in the name of the German Gluers when you deployed Virtuals in the gardens at Schloß Charlottenburg or Tiergarten in Berlin. Apparently I am the “social“ person in our clan. I am also organizing a small event in Berlin that will take place on November 29. Feel free to drop by if you happen to be around, but register first!

-6Other hobbies include:
I am a swimmer. I used to swim a lot and still do some swimming – at the moment, i.e. in summer, mostly in the Schlachtensee, a lake nearby. I held three US National Championship titles in long distance relay swims in my age group, old ladies that is :-). Long distance means 5 or 10k, don’t mix me up with marathon swimmers who swim the English or Catalina Channel. I am not that crazy. My all time favorite swimming pool is Lake Michigan. You can find Munzees near all my swimming spots in Chicagoland.

I also bike a lot. I cycle to work almost every day and like to explore the city by bike. In winter I go X-country skiing, however I am not so sure if I can continue this activity in the Berlin climate. No snow last winter 🙁 You can find lots of Munzees on my biking and skiing trails too.
Apart from that I enjoy going to the movies, usually the only activity my teenage daughters like to do as a family. Is cuddling cute cats a hobby? We have two, Pippin and PB. PB’s full name is Princess Bubblegum and not peanutbutter!

halizwein was kind enough to share her social, so cap away!

-9

If you know a player that should be nominated for Munzee Player of the Week, shoot us a message at iLoveYou@Munzee.com and let us know just why this person is outstanding in the global Munzee community!

-Please note, this is a super active campaign. We may not be able to get back to everyone, but you’re helping to grow the list of amazing people in the Munzee community!

September 23, 2014

Podcast Episode 30: A Wild Work Week with Words of War, but “WE’RE #1!”

We keep it brief this week to make sure the MHQ Bash is ready to go, we hint at a Clan Wars announcement soon and talk about how awesome it is to be in McKinney.

This week’s topics:

1. Some final details about the MHQ Bash this weekend

2. McKinney being named the #1 place to live in America by Money Magazine.

3. A very quick word about the upcoming clan wars.

To check past, present and future Munzee Podcasts, visit www.munzeepodcast.com.

September 18, 2014

Munzee Player of the Week: David Berenguer (xptwo)

We may limit it to Player of the WEEK, but Munzee could easily make a Player of the Day, Hour, Minute, etc. Our players show a unique combination of dedication and togetherness that makes our game so lucky. Whether it’s banding together for Clan Wars or helping out new players via social media, Munzee players continue to impress. This week’s POTW is David Berenguer (xptwo) and he is a prime example of a rookie player turned coach. When he first started his fellow players helped him figure out the game and now he has turned around and done the same. As we grow the map we also grow the experience of Munzee and it is players like David that exemplify the success of Munzee’s player camaraderie. Read on to learn more about xptwo!

DandL 20140228Who are you?
My name is David Berenguer. My Munzee user name is xptwo.

Where in the world do you live?
My wife, Lowell, and I live in Montgomery, Alabama, the capital of the state of Alabama.

How long have you played Munzee?
We signed up on August 30, 2011, using the same name as another hobby. While we did some playing for the first two years, we really got serious about Munzee in the fall of 2013. I decided to learn more about the hobby and discovered some folks on Facebook when I signed up for the “Happy Munzee” group. Ken and Tammy (KFL200 and TheRealGigi) were so gracious in providing advice. That led to the discovery of the Mustache garden in Franklin, Tennessee. While there, we met Tammy and Jay (ThePiedPiper), who helped us expand our horizons. Tammy and Jay helped us get into a clan in December, and it has been a fun ride since.

How did you find Munzee?Lowell and Tammy Nov 2013
A local friend and fellow cacher, strumminalong, told us about it. I decided to give it a try and signed up using the same joint name we used in another geolocation game. Though we had a joint account, I was the one more interested in Munzee and have been the primary user.

What do you enjoy most about Munzee?
The people. Locally we started with strumminalong and OHail. In recent months others have gotten active in the hobby, and we have had joint runs from time to time. We really had a grand time at the Munzee event in Franklin, Tennessee, in April, 2014. A lot of the fun was meeting all the folks, including the fearless leader. The Worlds Collide event in St. Charles, Missouri, was another great time to meet wonderful folks.

Franklin Munzee Bash 2014

I have also really enjoyed interacting with others on several Facebook pages. It seems like most of the players are great folks who are really willing to help where they can, something I experienced when I was working on creating the Eastchase Garden here in Montgomery.

What is on your wish list?
Besides trying to figure out how to find the discipline to stay on a diet? It would be nice to see smaller mystery Munzees, either mini or the new one inch size Rob showed us in Franklin. I would also like to find out how the unicorn came to play such a large role on the Facebook pages!xptwo Franklin TN Nov 2013

Tell us about yourself!
We are retired and are very active in our church. I served 20 years in the U.S. Air Force. My last duty station was in Montgomery, and after I retired, we stayed here. I worked in other jobs before retiring for good a couple of years ago. I was born in New York, but finished growing up in Florida. After high school, I went to college in Tennessee and graduate school in Georgia before starting my Air Force career. Lowell and I met in graduate school. This year we celebrated our 44th anniversary.

Other hobbies include:
We still participate in other geolocation games, but I find myself preferring this one. Reading is also big for us. My most recent reads have been on history, which I enjoy.

David was kind enough to share his socials, so cap away!

445jv

September 17, 2014

Introducing the Official Munzee Virtual Garden!

MunzeeGarden_720px

Inspired by the beautiful virtual gardens our players have grown across the map, Team Munzee is proud to announce the first official Munzee Virtual Garden! Located approximately 5 miles from MHQ, we hope for this to be a highlight when players visit us in McKinney, Texas. Like all of the other gardens out there we want our players to be a part of this monument, so Munzee is offering a very limited amount of pins in the store until supplies last.

For $10 you can be a part of this virtual garden, which will spell the word “Munzee” on the map. No work is necessary on your part to deploy this virtual pin, it will be assigned coordinates and deployed at time of purchase. You may edit the name and notes if you choose. LIMITED TO ONE PER PLAYER ACCOUNT.

When you purchase the Munzee Virtual Pin you get:

  • Limited Edition badge, only available to those who purchase a pin.
  • Points: 10 to owner on deploy. 10 to owner as residual on each cap. 10 to capper.
  • A limited edition pin permanently deployed automatically by Munzee on your account.

These pins will be very popular especially with the Garden’s proximity to MHQ and the upcoming Oktoberfest, so what if they all sell out? No worries, Munzee has plans for additional official gardens to be deployed all over the world in the coming months. More details soon. Team Munzee was so impressed with the unofficial virtual gardens built by players that we simply wanted one of our own. Unofficial gardens are greatly appreciated and will continue to be an integral part of the overall game. This is intended as a nod to the creativity of our players in an official manner.

Oh and before we forget, this garden will also serve as the introduction of a new shimmering pin you’ll only find somewhere over the rainbow. Remember, you’re not in Kansas anymore…

GemVirtEmerald128

September 16, 2014

Podcast Episode 29: Greenie Schmidt Apple

In this episode of the podcast we revel in the glory of the greenie, update the upcoming German-esque MHQ Bash, and take a bite out of Apple’s NFC announcement.

This week’s topics:

1. The New iPhones: What they mean for Munzee

2. MHQ Bash, again: Updates for the event next week

3. Clan Wars: Clans hitting 1+ Million points, and hints for next month

4. We get off topic and talk about food and the good ol’ days

September 15, 2014

Meet Munzee Munday: Project A.L.S.

Team Munzee is proud to announce that our players have banded together to make a splash in support of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) research. Two weeks after Team Munzee doused themselves in ice cold water and our players virtually froze the map, we’re happy to present Project A.L.S. with a donation of $54,000. For this week’s Meet Munzee Munday we wanted to put the spotlight on Project A.L.S. so our players can see what a difference their donations can make. This great organization was happy to sit down with us to talk about their story, how they’re fighting ALS and what this donation means to their cause.

Name and Title:
Project A.L.S. President Meredith Estess

Director of Research Valerie Estess.

Where are you from?
Project A.L.S. is located out of New York City, but we work with scientists all over the world.

How did Project A.L.S. start?

We were founded in 1998, as a non-profit 501(c)3, when our sister Jenifer Estess, a 35-year-old New York theater and film producer, was diagnosed with ALS. The diagnosis kind of came from nowhere, Jenifer was a committed, single, New York working woman, no one saw this coming. We were told at the time of diagnosis to “max out her credit cards and eat junk food,” Jenifer instead committed her efforts to making a difference for people with ALS—and producing treatments and a cure.

We were a family that had a lot of love and we were desperate for an answer. Each of us came from a different business perspective, Meredith worked for fashion retail merchandising and manufacturing, Valerie was in book publishing and copy writing, and Jenifer worked in theatre and was beginning to work in film. We brought a diversity of talent and skills together for Project A.L.S. and we’re an example that each individual person can make a difference.

What is ALS?
ALS is a neuro-degenerative disease very closely related to Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. With ALS a particular brain cell called the motor neuron is targeted. These motor neurons are located in the brain and throughout the spinal chord and regulate every voluntary movement within our bodies, from walking and talking to sleeping and breathing. So as these motor neurons are infected by ALS, so are our abilities to function.

What makes Project A.L.S. stand out from other organizations?
What we have found is that organizations like the Muscular Dystrophy Association and the ALS Association are primarily focused on patient services, which are absolutely crucial, but my sisters and I were thinking on different lines. We wanted to know who was doing the research and identify the most promising scientific research that will lead to the first effective treatments and a cure for ALS.

Historically, ALS research was conducted by researchers working separately on various aspects of the disease. Project A.L.S. changed that approach dramatically by requiring researchers and doctors to work together, share data openly, and meet shared research milestones. Project A.L.S. recruits the world’s best scientists and doctors to work together—rationally and aggressively—toward a better understanding of the ALS disease process and, in parallel, better therapeutic strategies.

What are some of Project A.L.S.’ achievements?
There have been so many significant breakthroughs. For example, when we first started in 1998 there was one gene identified in connection to ALS and now there are 27 genes identified in playing a role. Without genetic clues, we’re just shooting in the dark, so this is tremendous. We have also developed new technology with stem cell research. We can now take a small skin sample from anyone with ALS and turn that skin cell into a motor neuron that features the specific person’s DNA. So this gives scientists the ability to look at a patient’s individual disease, understand much more about ALS and screen drugs to help prevent further harm. It may sound like something out of Star Trek, but this discovery was a very hard-won, rational scientific progression.

Where can we see some of our donation go towards?
Your money can go to a number of projects that are ongoing. Every project needs equipment and personnel and this donation will go to the needs of our ongoing research. We’re currently supporting a drive to silence mutated ALS genes, which is being pioneered by Bob Brown at the University of Massachusetts. This would be one example of a project this donation will help fund. Some of the genes we find in ALS are known as diseases of inflammation, which are also active in cancer and diabetes. Through donations like this and by investigating the process ALS goes through we can also begin to understand other diseases as well.

Team Munzee thanks all of our players for their help in raising money for an organization we think is making a difference. We’re constantly humbled by the individuals who give so much, so we in turn use our opportunities to give back as well. Munzee is nothing without its players. On behalf of Project A.L.S. and Team Munzee we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

 

 

 

September 11, 2014

Munzee Player of the Week: Markus Gillgen (zeusi)

Since it’s inception, Munzee has been about conquering goals and reaching new heights (sometimes literally). Munzee and our players have proven time and time again that we are limitless and with every achievement a new standard has been set. This week’s Player of the Week really has had an excellent week. Markus Gilligen (zeusi) is currently living up to his mythological username as he has become the first Munzee player to reach 2 million points! We know this strike of lightning is far more than coincidence and zeusi will continue to wow, so read on to learn more about Markus!

meandtherobbrothersWho are you?

My name is Markus Gillgen aka zeusi.

Where in the world do you live?

I live in Bonn, Germany, the former capital. That is 25km south of Cologne, one of the biggest Munzee hot spots around.

How long have you played Munzee?

I started playing in June 2012, so that’s more than 800 days now, but I was too late for the “early bird” Badge. We traveled some kilometers for a handful of greenies, 100 points was an amazing day score. Then the birthday cakes popped onto the map and or score exploded to over 1.000 points… yeah!

How did you find Munzee?

We played another Scavenger game like many other players did and found a blue plate with “Mystery ?” on it while searching the stash of a mystery cache. I thought I had found it and looked for log book, but found none. Made a picture and we continued our journey. Home again we looked at the picture and googled “munzee mystery” since we expected a new log solution or another step in solving the mystery.

We found the Webpage and installed the App on the same evening. A guy named Louboey deployed a lot of greenies around the place where we live so we went out to capture one of his stickers. Some days later we started with our first deploys in our homezone.

What do you enjoy most about Munzee?

There are many things that I enjoy, but here’s a selection :

I love the fund raising charity actions like Movember, RMH and ALS. The idea is really awesome and I supported all three charities. And not to forget: Munzee is unique and your deployment work is honored in points, the more you do, the more points you get day by day. Brilliant.

Being a team player it’s wonderful for me to be part of a clan, one of the best things Munzee established were the clan battles. We have a wonderful clan with great team spirit, from CW#1 till now.

And last but not least : 2014 my friend Robje64 and me hosted the 2nd European Munzee Event with more than 100 players in Cologne and CoachV and Dafi87 were our special guests – that was soooo awesome and everybody had a lot of fun. RobV was under siege from the first second. Everybody wanted to scan, take selfies, and touch him to see if he’s real – just like a pop star. That spirit was unbelievable. Thanks for being part of it!

outintheparkWhat is on your wish list?

Since I love badges, definitely badges for blasts (20,50, 250) and the Clan War medals should be switched to badges soon.

I’d love to get credits right out of the App via Paypal or InApp purchasing & to see the amount I have left for blasts.

A “repair overview” filter on the map would be nice to see my own “yellows” not to miss them.

And if you could extend the Early Bird Badge counter by let’s say 50 days – wonderful 🙂

Tell us about yourself!

I’m 42 years old, married and we have four kids, all of us are active players with dedicated accounts. We found lots of friends and mates over several different countries. That is so amazing. I like to walk, but I need a target. With Munzee I walk a lot to move from code to code. I got my first Fitbit device two years ago and was very happy about the cooperation and integration of Fitbit. I love being out to grow the map!!!

I was addicted since the map around my hometown started to grow and my family and I deployed a lot in Bonn and Cologne and many other spots. Before we decide a destination for holidays we look first, if there are enough Munzees on the way or at the destination. And I have always some stickers with me 🙂

Other hobbies include:

Yes, there is time for other hobbies: family, time with the dogs, collecting and painting Warhammer fantasy miniatures with the kids.

Markus was kind enough to share his socials, so cap away!

777days 2miopoints

If you know a player that should be nominated for Munzee Player of the Week, shoot us a message at iLoveYou@Munzee.com and let us know just why this person is outstanding in the global Munzee community!

-Please note, this is a super active campaign. We may not be able to get back to everyone, but you’re helping to grow the list of amazing people in the Munzee community!

September 9, 2014

Podcast Episode 28: Onezees, Zuesi and Icees

In this episode of the podcast we congratulate a player on their 2 millionth point and release the final ALS Ice Cube donation amount.

This week on the Munzee Podcast, we talk about:

1. The D.D. Errybaby and the new line of Munzee Onezees.

2. Zeusi hits 2 Million Points

3. ALS Ice Munzee Results

4. Info on MHQ Bash