Hidden Treasure Hunt in New England
WORCESTER ― Hidden somewhere in the woods of New England lies a $26,000 gold trophy, just waiting to be found. The massive real-life treasure hunt, Project Sky Drop, was created by Jason Rohrer and Tom Bailey of New Hampshire. Rohrer, a video game developer, has been working for the last couple of years to bring his digital creations to life with the hunt.
The Allure of Adventure and Mystery
“Perhaps there is a feeling deep down inside of you, almost forgotten, a king of longing, a hunger for mystery, for adventure, and more importantly for treasure. The solid 24-karat gold kind and worth a bundle too, but unlike those childhood stories, this treasure is real and it’s just sitting there on the forest floor right now,” a video on the Project Sky Drop website explains.
Additional Insight: The concept of a real-life treasure hunt taps into people’s innate desire for adventure and excitement. The element of mystery and the potential for a significant reward make such experiences all the more enticing.
The Hunt Details
The game takes place over a three-week period, during which clues to the treasure’s location, aerial shots for example, are delivered to those who shell out a $20 entry fee. As the game progresses, the map showing the area where the treasure is located will shrink in size. As of Wednesday, that map included the majority of Western Massachusetts, including parts of Worcester County, northern Connecticut, and upstate New York.
Additional Insight: The gradual reveal of clues and the shrinking map area create a sense of anticipation and challenge for participants, adding to the overall excitement and engagement of the treasure hunt experience.
The Rewards and Requirements
The trophy isn’t the only prize. There is also a bitcoin jackpot that grows with every entry into the hunt and has surpassed $24,000. In order to claim the prize, the winner must “record a first-person video of themselves walking up to the treasure and retrieving it from the forest floor” and post it publicly to YouTube.
Additional Insight: The integration of cryptocurrency and the requirement for a public video ensure transparency and a sense of community involvement in the treasure hunt, making it a unique and modern take on traditional treasure-seeking activities.
Ensuring Fair Play
The prize is in plain view and on public land, monitored 24/7 by several cameras, including motion-sensitive and night-vision cameras. The hunt ends Thursday, Oct. 10. Happy hunting.
Additional Insight: The use of advanced surveillance technology not only adds a layer of security to the event but also highlights the innovative approach taken by the organizers to ensure a fair and authentic treasure hunt experience.
