Is there any way to Turf privately/non-competitively?

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SpongeBobbette
Posts: 2
Joined: 10 Jan 2021 11:55
Country: United Kingdom

Is there any way to Turf privately/non-competitively?

Post by SpongeBobbette »

I started Turfing in January last year, 2 months before Sarah Everard was killed. I was rather uncomfortable with the set up anyway, and thought it was madness that the BBC broadcast how a 50 year old woman can be tracked cycling through Edinburgh in the middle of the night (seriously, am I the only one to think that crazy?!?), however, it looked like fun, so I wanted to try it anyway. After Sarah was killed, that was it for me (I'd actually been due to stay in Clapham on that night, in the Travelodge a few yards from the house she left, for work, but, thank God, it was cancelled) - fun or no fun, it just felt too dangerous.
I know you can switch off the GPS, but the problem there is that I work all over the country, in areas I don't know, so I have to stay glued to my phone, watching my little figure, to be able to find zones... constantly stopping/starting the GPS is a real pain in the butt.
Another thing I don't want to do is compete! I'm just a walker, and a slow one at that, and when I've spent a whole day claiming 15 zones, to sit there in the evening, watching the one other Turfer in the area whizzing round (presumably on a bike), making a beeline for my zones, hearing "ZONE LOST" time after time, is soul destroying! About this time a year ago, l happened to spot 3 Turfers together, going round taking National Park zones in the Netherlands - I could actually see them park up in a carpark, walk a short distance to the zone, back to the carpark where they'd switch off their GPS, just to appear again, in a short time, MILES away - I could actually work out the NT zone they'd turn up at next - All 3 got their NT medal in the course of a few hours... and lots of congratulations on the chat bit. I don't want to shout 'cheat!', but seriously, what's the point? - It made that medal worthless to me, and I see no point bothering with it.
I was hoping that by now, a 'private' version of Turf would have been created, like a personal exercise app. I'd love to be able to Turf without others seeing me, with my scores being only competing against my own last month, with personal medals that are not dependent on others (ghost minute, 3 bridges, those kind of medals were fun!), all zones neutral and only taken myself (and un-stealable), and to just be totally disconnected from others in the game. Is that possible? Have I overlooked an 'option'?
As it is, Turf is just too dangerous and soul-destroying for me to pursue, so if anyone knows of something similar to what I've described above, please let me know, as I really enjoyed Turfing... just not the elements I've mentioned.
Many thanks!
SpongeBobbette
Posts: 2
Joined: 10 Jan 2021 11:55
Country: United Kingdom

Re: Is there any way to Turf privately/non-competitively?

Post by SpongeBobbette »

Oops, sorry, not 'NT' medal, 'NP', National Parks.
embeoo
Zonemaker
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Joined: 30 Jul 2012 00:50
Country: Sweden
Location: SoDa

Re: Is there any way to Turf privately/non-competitively?

Post by embeoo »

Firstly, you probably don't know that you can have the game/map running but not disclose position? Longpress on the lower left corner turf avatar to disable gps. You then won't see your own position either, but could use e.g. Maps for this.

But, if you want a private exercise app, you should probably go for a private exercise app.

If you take away everything how others could affect or notice your gameplay, and how you would affect theirs, theirs is not much left. A private location logger. Google location history does that. Medals achieved that no one else would know about. You could just write down your achievements in a notebook.

Actually, the interactions is in Turfs core and what separates it from many of the other ....Go games. The tactical dancing around each other, meeting up for assists, getting to know people and partake in the community online and in gatherings. But that is hard to value when you have never experienced any of these sides of turf. Also the imbalance between walkers and bikers is a real issue, many schemes for solving this has surfaced during the years, but so far most have had serious flaws.

And then there is development time. The founders have almost none, balancing the requests for a private turf game versus all other ideas that come here, and their own projects like turfteams to secure money for the continued survival... I think you shouldn't hold your breath.

And then there is the security part. I guess you do realize that the app just shows an avtar with a nick you can choose freely. If you know it is a 50 year old woman, then it is because they went on national television or you already know them. It could just as well be a big guy with a raging dog. Possibly you could know by having observed them in real life and the app before, but due to lag it is hard to pick the turfer amongst other people in a crowd. And why would the bad person do all the work of tracking an unknown person in the app, instead of just following them in real life? Most turfers find that sharing position adds security, someone will notice if they for example crash and lie unconscious somewhere. But those who are worried about privacy disable gps except for when taking zones. Both ways works.
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deppen
Posts: 98
Joined: 04 Jul 2019 08:11
Country: Sweden

Re: Is there any way to Turf privately/non-competitively?

Post by deppen »

Beside what embeoo said, maps, her is a 3rd part map , with all zones https://turf.urbangeeks.org/ , caa be used to download gps locations of selected areas to use in other maps or gps - handhelds like garmin, and can be used as navigator with such, i do it with my Garmin.

Also Naviki is a Bike navigator app it shows all turf zones if you activate it in map settings of Naviki , it works when walking but well .
With Naviki you can plot a course to Turf zones and follow the directions. You still need to use the Turf app to take the zone.

Im a long tour turfer in my region , i have met so many nice people around , very very few times been a bity scared, but no threats ever in any way.
i been treated with food and nice chats with people i meet around my tours none turfers this is.

Most turfers i meet is happily assisting a take as thats part of the game , yes there is turfers that want to be private and just hide, they need to be respected aswell as its their choice.

I am at the moment one of few in Stockholm that actually only bike to Turf zones, no car no commuter train , only bike or walk.
This might change , dont know yet.
I feel good with that, dont look at others what they do , feel good with your achivements.


I meet so many ncie people both Turfer and not Turfers.
MuttsCycles
Posts: 21
Joined: 15 Jan 2022 15:32
Country: United Kingdom
Location: Midlthian
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Re: Is there any way to Turf privately/non-competitively?

Post by MuttsCycles »

SpongeBobbette wrote: 28 Jul 2022 13:58 I know you can switch off the GPS, but the problem there is that I work all over the country, in areas I don't know, so I have to stay glued to my phone, watching my little figure, to be able to find zones... constantly stopping/starting the GPS is a real pain in the butt.
Another thing I don't want to do is compete! I'm just a walker, and a slow one at that, and when I've spent a whole day claiming 15 zones, to sit there in the evening, watching the one other Turfer in the area whizzing round (presumably on a bike), making a beeline for my zones, hearing "ZONE LOST" time after time, is soul destroying! About this time a year ago, l happened to spot 3 Turfers together, going round taking National Park zones in the Netherlands - I could actually see them park up in a carpark, walk a short distance to the zone, back to the carpark
Why does having the wee yellow (or red/green) dude on bother you? Is it a fear that other turfers will know where you are? I'm interested. I see other people take zones switch off instantly. I don't know why they do it.
I can only suspect they are fearful (strong word maybe? feel unsecure might be better?) of others knowing where they are. I never approach turfers without asking in the app first. Being 5'11" 115KG, I'm a big dude so I tend not to have much fear about other turfers. And i can be intimidating to female turfers at night in out the way zones so i'm always aware of it. I wonder if that's why some turfers do the whole GPS on and OFF thing.
Either that or they are a bit introverts? I dunno... that's my 2 guesses :lol:

"Another thing I don't want to do is compete!" Don't :ugeek: . plenty of the users around my way never talk in chat and ignore messages. Feels a little rude :shock: but maybe they just don't want to interact. Each there own they are playing it their way i guess.

CAR Turfing.. Yes it's a pain but maybe some people have movement issues, maybe time issues, maybe just laziness issues. Does it matter? Not really. Any legal form of transport. Zones are intentionally not placed on roads for safety so they still often have to get out their cars.

Bike Turfing: Almost always bike turf, never really walk turf. Some times i even SCOOT turf.. "https://youtu.be/0G8wrVlqGIs" Just cause you chose to walk other might not. It's all part of the game.
I often turn on the app to PlanetGarry taking 30 of my zones, or Pedro, Sparcerunner, Ellsiepsanner etc.. I've lost over 80zones in 1 day where i've not turfed. It can be a bit sole destroying but it's really what the game is about. I meet some of these turfers in real life from time to time and we have a laugh about it. Don't take offence to it or you will grow to hate the game. Often I'll go out there and take some of the harder zones to see how long i can hold them :D :D Torwoodlee has only 5 takes since September 20th 2021 and 8hrs ago when I took it. I make my own game out it. :idea: :mrgreen:
Also sometimes some one will take say 20 of my zones so I go and clear their area :lol: just wind em up ;) Just in jest really. Bit of friendly banter through turf zones.
Fodtusserne
Posts: 1
Joined: 08 Dec 2022 07:35
Country: Denmark

Re: Is there any way to Turf privately/non-competitively?

Post by Fodtusserne »

SpongeBobette - try Geocaching.com. Another ‘game’ that will get you outside.
Greetings from Denmark
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