Archive for June, 2016

June 16, 2016

Player of the Week: Garry Robertson (WetCoaster)

As Munzee has grown over the years, the game has evolved in so many more ways than any of the co-founders could have imagined. We’ve certainly had our fair share of growing pains, but in its essence Munzee has tried to stick to its core goal of getting people out into the world. No one knows this better than those players who have been with us since the beginning. This week’s Player of the Week is Garry Robertson (WetCoaster).

Who are you?
My name is Garry Robertson, known in Munzee as WetCoaster. I live on the west coast of Canada, and it rains a lot.

Where in the world do you live?
I live in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada with my wife and two daughters.

How long have you played Munzee?
I started playing on 24 August 2012.

How did you find Munzee?
I heard about Munzee listening to a GeoGearheads podcast. I was already finding Tupperware in the woods, and this sounded interesting.

What do you most enjoy about Munzee?
Munzee allows me to get out for long walks and have something to keep my mind active at the same time. As a Type II diabetic, I need to get out and be as active as I can, and Munzee helps me do that.

What is on your wish list?
Collect them all, of course. Actually, I’d like to see Munzee grow even more than it has in this area. The growth of Munzee and players in the Vancouver area has been amazing the past couple of years, but there are still a lot of places without anything to capture. In October 2014, there were no clans based in the Greater Vancouver Area. There are now 3 clans here.

Tell us about yourself!
In real life, I work in Quality Assurance for the large engineering company building an extension to the existing SkyTrain System in the greater Vancouver area. I’m also a moderator on a G+ Community for Munzee players in Western Canada started by my friend in Edmonton, iicydiamonds. I’ve been in a clan since Clan War #15 – ‘True North Warriors’. I was about to start the first clan in the Vancouver area, but was beaten to the punch by DisneyGirl when she created ‘WestCan Canucks’. Not wanting to be left behind, I quickly jumped from my old clan, sorry iicydiamonds, and joined WestCan Canucks.

Other hobbies include:
Several (too many) other geo-location based games, gardening, and genealogy.

Any last words?
People get discouraged if they think they are the only player around. You aren’t alone. Deploy and grow the map. Send messages to the owner of the Munzee you just capped. Get on-line and ask your questions. Talk to people at other geo-location based game events. Put out a munzee at one of those events, and you would be amazed at the interest it will generate.

WetCoaster also included some socials, so cap away!

June 15, 2016

Maps and Updates

Sometimes the best source of information is directly from the man behind the curtain. Without any further delay, here is some important information from Rob.

Maps: As you know the online and in-app maps have been an issue for us since March, and probably earlier for some players. We have made many changes in order to work toward a long term fix, however this is an arduous process. Everyday the tech team looks for, and implements, updates to enhance your experience and response time. Over the past month we have limited the zoom in an effort to decrease lag and server load. All of this was done with our players in mind, especially those who play Munzee in highly concentrated areas where the map would crash without fully loading. Based on feedback we are allowing you, the player, the option to “Zoom Out Far” if you would like. If you disable our zoom filters, our hands are clean from crashes caused by the loading of the map. This feature will be found under the settings menu in-app and at https://www.munzee.com/settings on the website, available soon. We hope you’ll understand our reasoning behind this move and appreciate our willingness to put control back in your hands. You always have the choice to turn the option off in areas that cause map crashes. It still will not allow a complete zoom out and find using the in-app map but you will find a substantial increase in this feature. Thank you for your patience as we continue to work daily toward the best solution for everyone!

Beta: We have released a new Beta that includes a fun new feature adapted from a popular third party app available only to Android users. The feature sends real time alerts when mythological creatures and/or nomads land near your location. We have included this feature in the settings menu under “Alerts” and give you the opportunity to update your location at the push of a button. This is perfect for holiday trips, extended weekends away from home, or monitoring your current location at any time. The feature is available to premium users only and we hope to see it increase the captures on all of these types. All players will still be able to see these game pieces online.

Team Munzee: In the past two months, we’ve had a few changes to our team. We’ve added a new team member at MHQ. Judy has joined the team as a Web Designer, we will introduce her formally in and upcoming “Meet Munzee Monday” blog post. You can look forward to updates across the board to our websites and tools in the near future. Suggestions are always welcome via our website. The entire team continues to work together as we move the game forward, striving to be better tomorrow than we are today. In addition, Michael, Chris, and Austin have all moved on from Team Munzee, and we wish them well for their respective futures.

As always, we appreciate each of our players for their contributions to the game. Many of you are using your referral codes, found in the app under Settings -> Tools, to bring new players to Munzee. We are seeing rapid growth in many areas of the world, which is very exciting to us. Thank you for playing the game and growing the map!

Munzee On!

Rob Vardeman, President Munzee Inc

June 15, 2016

The Dragon Slayer

Sometimes it is good to take a quick break from 100% Munzee posts and let you know something personal about members of Team Munzee. Especially when one of our members accomplishes something amazing that needs to be shared! Today that team member is Louise. You probably know her as our Munzee Events Manager and have dealt with her if you have ever hosted an event. On June 5th she added another title after her name, The Dragon Slayer.

Louise made it clear from day one she is a serious cyclist but no one was prepared for the feat she would accomplish on June 5th. She cycled in the Dragon Ride L’Etape Wales by le Tour de France. The Dragon Ride is a grueling 100 kilometer (~60 mile) race through the mountains of Wales, near Cardiff. The course consisted of nearly 5000 feet of vertical elevation change with three mountains and warm temperatures on the sunny day. Louise battled through it all and was the first female to cross the line, in style on her bright pink Bianchi bike. The entire race took Louise 3 hours, 48 minutes, and 8 seconds. Not only was she the first female, but only 5 males beat her across the line. editors note: we blame the traffic lights she got stopped at on the open road course, otherwise she would have beat the boys too.

Well done Louise! You have made Munzee proud and we look forward to your next race!

LouTheChamp

Notice the Munzee on her sleeve? We are proud to be one of her sponsors. Also DBA Sports, VeloFlow, and Bicycle Richmond. Her indoor training is done with brilliant instructors at The Marlow Club. And that sweet pink bike is a Bianchi.

You’ll also notice this post goes live at an unusual time for MHQ information. We like to aim for 10am and 2-3pm. This post is about our UK employee so it seems fitting we launch it at 10am in the UK. 🙂 We are a worldwide game, and company, after all.

Now we hope you understand more about the inspiration behind the MunzFit events. Speaking of events we know she would encourage all of you to check out the Munzee calendar and click here to look for events near you!

Keep Calm and Munzee On!

June 14, 2016

Birthday Bash is Nearing..

It’s hard to believe, but we’re just over two weeks away from Munzee’s 5th Birthday Bash!

The team is finalizing details and getting ready to head up to Denver. With tons of events, badges, and Eventzee hunts, there won’t be a dull moment.

The only thing we need now is YOU! Check out our schedule of events, and come join us! If you are attending, make sure you add yourself to the Munzee Calendar so we can have an accurate count for everything.

We can’t wait to meet new friends and see old faces. We hope you’re ready for some fun!

Munzee on!

June 13, 2016

Outdoors Weekend Winners

In the blog post announcing the Hiker Specials, we also announced that anyone who captured a munzee between 00:01 MHQ time on Friday, June 10th and 23:59 MHQ time on Sunday, June 12th would be entered to win one of three gift cards to the Munzee Online Store. With almost 500,000 captures during that time period, there were A LOT of people eligible. We put all of those people in a list and generated three random winners:

Morgana
Bustersblue
aaalv

All three players will receive an email with a $30 gift card for the Munzee store.

Congratulations to all three of you, and thank you everyone else for capturing and playing the game.

Munzee on!

June 10, 2016

Player of the Week: Peter Mudge (skindo)

Who are you?
I’m Peter Mudge, aka skindo (a nickname given to me by my children many years ago).

Where in the world do you live?
I live near Masterton (pop. 20,000) in the Wairarapa region of New Zealand.

How long have you played Munzee?
A little over to years.

How did you find Munzee?
I saw a series of munzees alongside a river trail. A quick search on Google, and I was hooked!

What do you most enjoy about Munzee?

The planning of my Munzee missions.
The new places it takes me.
Working with other clan members to maximise our clan score.
Interacting online with other players around the world.
Did I mention collecting the badges?

What is on your wish list?
Maybe a small Emerald garden in New Zealand.

A badge for the number of different types of deployments, similar to the Curator and Historian badges for collecting specials.

Tell us about yourself!
I’m happily married with 4 grown children. When I left school, I trained as a carpenter. I’ve since retrained and now work as a secondary school teacher. I’m lucky enough to teach at a school set on 109 acres of land beside a river which is a 10 minutes drive from my home.

Other hobbies include:
I spend a lot of time hiking in the Tarauas (local hills) and also in other places around New Zealand. I also love driving, especially to somewhere I haven’t been before.

Any last words?
A special thanks to everyone involved in putting my name forward.

June 9, 2016

Get Outside With Munzee!

This Saturday (June 11th) is the 9th annual National Get Outdoors Day (GO Day). Getting outdoors is a vital part to Munzee, and we want to celebrate GO Day. However, one day isn’t quite enough, so we’re announcing the Get Outside With Munzee Special!

From today (June 9th) at 15:00 MHQ time through Sunday, June 19th at 23:59 MHQ time, there will be 2016 hiker icons on the map. These special icons will bounce on greenies every six hours or when capped. You will also earn a badge when you capture at least one of these icons.

You will earn 20 points for capturing the hiker icon. The owner of the host munzee will earn 16 CapOn points.

But wait, there’s more!

Any player that captures a munzee this weekend will be entered into a drawing to win one of three gift cards to the Munzee Online Store. If you capture a munzee between 00:01 MHQ time on Friday, June 10th and 23:59 MHQ time on Sunday, June 12th, your name will automatically be entered to win.

So get outside with Munzee and have some fun!

Munzee on!

June 8, 2016

Rob and TJ Are Headed to Cocoa Beach

Munzee Marketplace – Cocoa Beach is having its “Munzee Marketplace CB Ribbon Cutting” and “Grand Opening… Take 3” events this weekend, so Rob and TJ will be heading out to Florida for them! You know what that means.. Flat Robs will be on the map!

From 09:00 MHQ time on Thursday, June 9th through 23:59 MHQ time on Sunday, June 12th, Flat Robs will be out. Remember, this means you can cap AND deploy Flat Robs during this time. They will also be available in the Munzee Store.

If you’re in the area, join Rob and TJ for a great weekend. If you can’t make it and have some Flat Robs left undeployed, it’s a great time to get them out in time for MHQ Birthday Bash and other birthday events!

Munzee on!

June 7, 2016

MHQ Lone Star Bash Update

Updated with more information in FAQ and some edited details. (7/15)

Due to unforeseen circumstances, we’ve had to alter the schedule for Lone Star Bash. Saturday morning and Sunday are unaffected. Friday night and Saturday night have been switched.

If you have already purchased a package and need to have it altered, please email Matt at matt@munzee.com, and he will work with you to get your order sorted out.

Please see the updated schedule below.

Friday, October 7th

Registration (1-3 PM): Friday afternoon will start off with registration at MHQ. You can pick up your packages before the big events start. If you won’t be arriving until later in the day or weekend, we will have the remaining registration on Saturday morning.
Lone Star Bash Kickoff at the State Fair (5 PM): What better way to kick off a day of fun than to visit The State Fair of Texas! We’ll be riding the train down to the State Fair and spending the evening exploring what it has to offer. Join the State Fair themed Eventzee hunt to really get a taste of Texas!

Saturday, October 8th

Lone Star Bash Games (9 AM): The fun continues on Saturday morning at Gabe Nesbitt Park in McKinney, Texas. There will be plenty of room to cap and deploy while having fun and playing Texas-themed Eventzee games.
Lone Star Bash at TUPPs (6 PM): We’ll have a nice hang-out evening at TUPPs brewery once again with food catered by Green Pin Kitchen. This will work as a meet and greet with the MHQ staff (the entire global team will be here!) and other players from around the world.

 Sunday, October 9th

Lone Star Dash (8 AM): With all of our talk about fitness, we’ve decided to integrate it into our event. We’ll be hosting a 3K Fun Run (complete with runner’s bibs and medals) to finish off the weekend! Dress in a TX themed costume for a chance to win a prize! After the 3K, we will have breakfast and a send off event for everyone.

A list of events with links to the Munzee Calendar can be found here.

As with previous MHQ Bash events, there are different packages available for purchase. These packages have been updated to reflect the changes in schedule.

The Big Tex Package ($100/$115)

The “Big Tex” package for Lone Star Bash includes all activities and merchandise, including:

Lanyard/Name Tag and Swag Bag ($10)
T-Shirt ($15)
Mug/Glass ($10)
2 Beer Vouchers for Saturday Night Event at TUPPs Brewery ($10)
Dinner at TUPPs ($8)
Texas State Fair Ticket* ($15)
5k Bib and Finisher Medal ($30)
Breakfast on Sunday ($5)
Special New Item ($15)
10 Blast Caps ($50)

Pre-sale ends July 8th at 23:59 MHQ Time. Starting at 00:00 MHQ Time on July 9th, the price will raise to $115.

The Lone Star Package ($70/$75)

The “Lone Star” package for Lone Star Bash includes activities and merchandise for Friday and Saturday, including:

Lanyard/Name Tag and Swag Bag ($10)
T-Shirt ($15)
Mug/Glass ($10)
2 Beer Vouchers for Saturday Night Event at TUPPs Brewery ($10)
Dinner at TUPPs ($8)
Texas State Fair Ticket* ($15)
Special New Item ($15)

Pre-sale ends July 8th at 23:59 MHQ Time. Starting at 00:00 MHQ Time on July 9th, the price will raise to $75.

The Armadillo Package ($45/$50)

The “Armadillo” package for Lone Star Bash includes activities and merchandise for Friday night only, including:

Lanyard/Name Tag and Swag Bag ($10)
T-Shirt ($15)
Texas State Fair Ticket* ($15)
Special New Item ($15)

Pre-sale ends July 8th at 23:59 MHQ Time. Starting at 00:00 MHQ Time on July 9th, the price will raise to $50.

The Highway Man Package ($50/$55)

The “Highway Man” package for Lone Star Bash includes activities and merchandise for Saturday night only, including:

Lanyard/Name Tag and Swag Bag ($10)
T-Shirt ($15)
Mug/Glass ($10)
2 Beer Vouchers for Saturday Night Event at TUPPs Brewery ($10)
Dinner at TUPPs ($8)
Special New Item ($15)

Pre-sale ends July 8th at 23:59 MHQ Time. Starting at 00:00 MHQ Time on July 9th, the price will raise to $55.

The Tumbleweed Package (FREE)

The “Tumbleweed” package for Lone Star Bash is the free package that includes only a Lanyard and Nametag. All other events and merchandise must be purchased separately.

If you are planning to attend, you MUST register for at least the Tumbleweed Package so we can have an accurate head count.

Please DO NOT purchase more than one package per person. If you are purchasing anything above this, you DO NOT also need to purchase the Tumbleweed Package.

As stated above, pre-sale ends at July 8th at 23:59 MHQ time. Orders will not be taken online after September 1st at 23:59 MHQ time. After that time, you will only be able to register at the event, and you may not receive all of the contents of the packages.

You can also purchase individual events and merchandise. To see all of the packages, events, and merchandise, you can view the Lone Star Bash Collection on the Munzee Store.

We want to make this the best MHQ Bash yet, and we can’t wait to see everyone! Munzee on!

FAQ

Is there a lodging discount?
Yes! We’ve secured a guaranteed rate from the Holiday Inn & Suites of McKinney. You can follow this link or call (469) 952-2044 and mention “Munzee” to get the block of rooms we have set aside.

Are the events pet friendly?
Outside of TUPPs and at the parks, yes. Aside from that, no.

Will you ship my items to me?
No. We will NOT ship items. You must be present or give permission to someone to pick up your items.

Is TUPPs family-friendly?
Yes! Anyone is welcome at TUPPs. There will be water and soda available for those who don’t or are unable to drink alcohol. You MUST bring your ID is you have one.

If two (or more) people play on the same account, how do we sign up for multiple people?
When checking out, add the full name of the second, etc individual in the Notes section.

Events are subject to change.

*Transportation ticket to the State Fair is NOT included. While you are welcome to join us on the train, it is not required, and you are welcome to drive or carpool to and from Fair Park. If you would like to learn more about the public transportation, please visit http://www.dart.org/.

June 6, 2016

Birthday Parties Update

It’s hard to believe that it is already June! We’re gearing up for our Birthday Month, and Louise has been extremely busy working with event hosts. We’ve got 56 Birthday Parties planned worldwide during the month of July, so you have plenty to choose from if you want to attend one. You’ve still got time to get one on the calendar if you want to host your own, too. If you want more information, please email louise@munzee.com, and she can get you sorted out!

Trish has been working on some amazing artwork for individual events, and the Attendee and Host badges are looking great. Louise can’t wait to show them off to everyone. However, great artwork takes time. We will be implementing a cut-off date for custom artwork. All fully customized artwork requests must be submitted by this Friday, June 10th. After that, only generic badges will be offered. Don’t miss out!

Thank you everyone for your support and for growing the map! Munzee on!