GoCache Customized Event Cache Card

GoCache is a simple and fast geocaching-themed card game.

If you have been following GoCache during its Kickstarter, you may know that one of the rewards exclusive to THE EVENT HOST tier is a personalized Event Cache card. Additionally, the customized card can be included in ALL of the decks ordered by the Event Host through Kickstarter. This is an excellent way for a geocaching group to have their logo or image printed on a physical card.

However, Tortoise & Hare Creations (who made GoCache) have given us permission to host a template for creating your own Print and Play (PnP) version of the Event Cache card. Thank you to Indi and William for your graciousness!

Custom Event Cache Card

Use the following steps to create your own personalized PnP Event Cache card!

1. Download the Template

Once downloaded and extracted, open the GoCacheEventCacheTemplate.png file in your image editing software of choice. I’m partial to Paint.NET because its free, easy to use, and powerful enough for most purposes.

2. Insert custom art

In the center of the template, there is a space for custom art roughly 603px wide and 440px tall. I’ve found most 640×480 images are framed nicely by the opening. If using Photoshop, Paint.NET, or another image editing program that supports layers, simply paste the image into a layer beneath the background and position it appropriately. If using another program, open the image and crop it to 603×440, delete a notch in the top left corner 58×56 pixels, and copy and paste the remaining into the template filling the empty art space.

3. Insert custom flavor text

The orange rectangle near the bottom of the page is for flavor text. I found Arial 16-18pt font works perfectly for this space. For a single line of text, position it starting 134px from the left edge, and 961px from the top. For two lines of text, start about 825px from the top instead.

4. Save image and (optionally) PDF

Save your image, preferably as a PNG image format at 300 dpi.

Although not necessary, we recommend that you save your custom PnP Event Cache card to PDF. This makes it easy to share your card with others. I use Microsoft Word to create the PDF, and well as for printing, although there are many other ways to do this. In Word, create a blank document with margins that are the same for both right and left. Simply insert your customized GoCacheEventCacheTemplate.png file on the first page; if it is set to 300 dpi it already will be sized correctly, otherwise modify the image properties to set the height to 3.75″ and width to 2.75″. After this image, insert a page break, and then align the paragraph to the right. Insert the GoCacheBackTemplate.png; again, at 300dpi it will be sized correctly, otherwise change the image properties. Once done, simply select Save As and save the document as a PDF file.

5. Print and cut customized PnP Event Cache card

Standard paper just won’t cut it for printing cards. While 65lb medium card stock is acceptable, I recommend 110lb heavyweight card stock for printing playing cards if your printer will handle it (most will). You can get this online, or at most office supply stores (such as Staples or Office Depot).

Open your Word or PDF file, then print the first page in as high resolution as your printer will support. If using an inkjet printer, wait for the card to dry before continuing.

Place the same page in the printer again so it will print on the reverse side (usually the printed image from the first pass will be on the top). Print the second page; if done correctly, the back of the card and the front of the card will print on opposite sides of the paper from one another.

After the card is completely dry, you can cut it down to size. Using a paper cutter, trim 1/8 inch inside the black border of the card. This will cut the card down to 3.5″ tall and 2.5″ wide, which is the standard size for poker cards. For perfectionists, you can round the edges of the cards using a pair of scissors, but I’m lazy and use a rounding punch.

Congratulations, you have a customized PnP Event Cache card!

Examples

To give you an example of some customized PnP Event Cache cards, here is a customized card for the Digital Lycaeum and the Ultima Codex:

You can download the printable cards from here:

Why Geocaching

If you are not familiar with geocaching, you should! Richard “Lord British” Garriott is an avid geocacher. His Necropolis of Britannia Manor III is a hugely popular cache that is sought by hundreds throughout the year. He also has the only non-terrestrial cache, on the International Space Station, among others.

The terminology used in geocaching is described on the GoCache website. If you are interested in learning more about geocaching, check out Geocaching.com where you can find a great introductory video and other information.

Tortoise & Hare Creations

The creators of GoCache are Indi Martin and William O. Billman II, who formed Tortoise & Hare Creations so they could, as they put it, “pour their creative heartblood and – through alchemical equations and dark, rum-based magic – produce stunning projects.”

Indi is the author of the Gina Harwell series, a set paranormal investigative novels, as well as Dissolution: A Graphic Novel, a mature-content, experimental graphic serial.

William has written a prequel comic treatment to the upcoming game Shroud of the Avatar titled “New Beginnings.”

Together, Indi and William have created the Fern Sea Chronicles, a fantasy children’s book and comic series, and the modern noir comic Cobalt.

You can get more information about Tortoise & Hare Creations on their Facebook page.

Get It!

GoCache is currently on Kickstarter, and has already met its initial pledge goal. You can get a Print and Play (PnP) version of the game, compatible with these custom cards, for as little as $5 by backing at the PARK N’ GRAB pledge tier! However, all of the higher tiers also receive this PnP version in addition to a high-quality physical deck.

Rules and additional information for GoCache can be found on its website.