Okay folks. I want to try a little "board" game here (get it, HA!). This is based on the pretty common Tag-o-rama game on a few moto boards I participate in regularly, and it's a really good excuse just to get out and ride. The objective is to tag an object by taking pictures of your bike with that object, so you win that tag. The rules are usually held within a particular area, but seeing as we have members all over the world, that wouldn't be feasible, so I'm going to alter the original rules while working to keep the intent the same (get out and ride).

The basic gist of the game is that a person rides around and takes a picture of their bike near the "tagged" object or situation. While they are either on their way to or from the tag, they need to stop and get a new tag. They post the pictures in the thread as a "Found Tag" and a "New Tag" and describe what the objective of the new tag is. I will post an example of a round after this post. Then another person (whoever gets it first) will photograph their bike in that new tag situation and post a new one of their own. There should always only be one tag in play at any one time. Anybody can go for a tag, but the "winner" of the tag is the first one to post their photo in the thread and post the next tag with a description. The "prize" for winning a tag is simply that you get to pick the next tag (with your photo). Again, see my example.

It's not a rule that the new tag and current tag have to be in the same picture. Just on the ride to or from.


Questions are welcome.

Official Rules of Tag-o-rama gone global.

1. Your bike or part of it must be visible in the frame along with your intended target. Camera phones are perfectly acceptable, but the tag's target must be clear in the photo, along with your bike. You may include yourself in the picture, but it's not necessary.

2. Find the 'tag' (which is the photo/location/situation) and reproduce the tag/photo (as best as possible). The first person to post a found tag gets to place the next tag. If you get a tag, but somebody else posts their picture (and the new tag) first, you lose - don't whine. Just go get the new one.

3. You must clearly state in the new tag post, what the tag objective is.

4. The new tag must have been taken either on the way to or on the way from the current tag. This is mandatory for winning the tag. This keeps people from stocking up old photos and just dumping them onto the thread when they have one that matches. Remember, the idea is to get out and ride. Timestamps are nice, but not necessary.

5. If you get the tag, then it's your turn to create a new tag location, get the photo and post it here. The new tag post must clearly state the objective of the tag. See my example.

6. No or If you have a suggestion to improve the game, feel free to contribute, but if you just want to b*tch and moan, do it elsewhere.

7. No Photoshopping....EVER.

8. Before a tag can be reused as a subject, there must be at least three different changes in tag. ie. You can't use a flag, then go get another flag.

9. If the current tag stagnates for three days without anybody tagging it, then the original poster of the tag is eligible to play that tag as if it wasn't theirs.

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Here's a textual rundown of what a tag/new tag would be:

I post the starting tag, which is my bike next to a flag. In the post, I state "the tag is a flag". Easy Rider knows of a flag right down the street (across town, etc) and jumps on his bike. He takes a picture of his bike next to that flag. On the way back home, he stops by a railroad and takes a picture of his bike next to a train car. He gets home, posts the picture of the "found tag" with the flag, and his "new tag" with the train car. In his post he states clearly that a Train Car is the new tag (which becomes the current tag). The flag is no longer a valid tag.

Sarris knows where a train car is, so he hops on his bike and goes to get it. At the same time, Water Warrior ALSO knows where a train car is and does the same thing. Water Warrior's train car is closer, and he gets back first, posts up a pic of his bike by a train car and a new tag before Sarris does. His new tag is now the tag and Sarris' train car picture is no longer valid, thus WW won the right to offer the new tag.

This continues ad nauseum.

Most important of all is to HAVE FUN and BE CREATIVE. It's not about making a tag impossible to find. Instead, its intention is to get others out on their bikes and riding, and to see the areas around where the other posters live or travel.

New Tag: A flag.

Found tag:



New Tag: A train car

So right now, the current tag is a Train Car. Anybody can go take a picture of their bike in the same photo as a train car (not this particular one) and post it with a new tag.

Discussion in this thread is welcome as long as it doesn't take away from the game itself.

Sounds like fun. Just have to wait till the weather cooperates.

We do this locally but the object must be the same identical one.

This slightly different twist might be interesting but could become booring rather quickly if the items are TOO easy. Like your train car; I would have at least said "red caboose".

Certainly worth a shot.

Like this one Easy ? Not playing the game yet, we ran across this little cafe last year in Blaine Wash.

Yes, that's the game we play also. That's why I said what I did about being spread across the globe and with the caveat that the subject could be anything. Kind of like an "I spy" with motorcycles.



I think the complexity issue will work itself out throughout the course of playing the game. If we get a good response and tags start dropping quickly, then the more complex stuff might be better. Remember that they probably don't have "red cabooses" in Spain, Indonesia or Australia though.

It is going to be very fun thread....
So, is this going to be sticky thread??
I'll try whatever Tag which I can get easily during the ride.. (or luckly.. ha ha ha)

It's a sticky thread. On the other boards we do this, we have a contingent of people who ride specifically to get tags...in the spring it can move very fast. I'm one of those riders. This game has made me put more miles on my bikes than my job.

I'm very interested in how creative we can be on the tags. It'll be fun to see what other parts of the country look like from a scavenger hunt point of view.

Tag! OK, here's your railroad car. Daniel Webster Highway at Woodbury Street, Merrimack, NH.


New Tag: a war memorial. I was going to say "a Civil War memorial", but realized that that would disenfranchise too many board members. So, any war memorial will do. This Civil War Memorial is located in front of the Congregational Church, Baboosic Lake Rd., Merrimack, NH.



Good luck, and good hunting!

Oops. Failure to completely engage brain!

Oh, crap. I forgot the train car was tagged already.

The only memorial near here I can think of would be kind of hard to get a bike close to.......as it is on the courthouse lawn !!! Gotta stew on that for a while...........

May I suggest that this thread be converted to it's own sub-forum, to make it easier to locate ????

I was going to do that if it took off, but it may be worth it now.

Done.

Patrick - you don't have a whole file of saved up photos do you, so you can play without even leaving the house?
How does anyone know when a photo is current? And photshopping is not allowed.

It's on the honor system......although many modern camera's attach an "invisible" header to the files. Sometimes seeing it is as easy as right-clicking and doing "properties".

EXIF data can be very telling, if left intact.

BTW, dhgeyer, how do you like your Blackberry 8330?

Edited, shorter version: Just fine, thank you.

Hey, I had to park my bike in the middle of a church lawn to get that shot. I expected to catch Hell (fire and brimstone?), but I guess I was too quick.

I picked war memorial, apart from the fact that it was on my way home from our local caboose, because I figure just about every burg I've ever been in has one, so, if anyone wants to play, they shouldn't have to go too far. I thought that might be a consideration this time of year.

If anyone has any question about the date or authenticity of any image I make, I'll be happy to email the original, complete with EXIF data. I don't think any of us would cheat at something like this. What would be the fun in that?

It was a rhetorical question.

I got your phone type off your picture's EXIF data.

Excuse me!............ Is this some strange foreign language, or a code known only to the initiated? I think I got perhaps one word in forty!

OK, I worded that wrong.
What I meant was........convert it to a MAIN forum.....so that it shows up on the MAIN menu.
Sorry.......

OK, well this one is going to look a little strange: (War) Memorial Stadium.
And I got the "plaque" that explains it too......to explain why it qualifies.





And the new one:
A multi-purpose (sports) arena......or a flying saucer. I'd take either but don't know what the "judge" would say.



AND....just to keep everything on the up and up.....yes, that last one was taken yesterday but if you notice the upper right corner of the stadium picture, it's right across the street and I didn't have time to go snap it again. So shoot me........

Going to be able to drop some tags this week...finally got people out of my house, and the rain stopped.

Riding days are a comin'.