FAQ About Play and Competition
This page collects short questions that participants often have while playing. If you also want organizer-side guidance or operational decisions for trouble cases, see the Operations Guide.
Can I use a printed map?
If you subscribe to the paid Player Plan, you can download a printable course map as PDF.
In some events, the organizer may also provide an original printable PDF file separately.
How much mobile data is used during play?
The main communications used during play are the following.
Downloading background map images
As you scroll or zoom the map, the app downloads map tiles needed for display from the server. One tile is a 256 × 256 image and is around 100 KB.
Once a tile is downloaded, it is cached on the device, so showing the same area again does not require additional communication.
Downloading sample spot photos
If you display reference photos for spots during play, those images are downloaded. Each photo is usually around 1 to 2 MB, and they are also cached.
Uploading Live Tracking data
If you start with Live Tracking enabled, your location is uploaded continuously. Typical usage is about 0.2 to 1 MB per hour.
:::tip How to reduce data usage Before starting play, do the following over Wi-Fi to reduce mobile data use significantly.
- Open the map for the area you will use and zoom in and out to cache map tiles
- Open reference photos for spots :::
If organizers want to decide what to include in advance guidance, see Operations Guide - Guidance for participants.
Are points added even if I do not take a photo?
Yes. Points and timing are recorded even without a photo.
- Spot points are added at the moment you tap the Punch button
- Finish timing is also recorded at the moment you tap the Finish button
However, photos are important evidence that you passed the spot, so it is still recommended to take them whenever possible. If the organizer requires photos as part of the event rules, missing photos may make the result invalid.
How do I rotate the map?
You can rotate it in two ways.
- Drag the slider bar on the left side of the screen up or down
- Use a two-finger rotation gesture on the screen
:::note On Android In Map rotation bar position in the settings, you can change whether the slider bar is shown on the left or right (you can also hide it). :::
I closed the camera screen after punching
If you are still near the spot, the punch button shows Tap to retake, and tapping it reopens the camera so you can shoot again. If a photo has already been taken, a confirmation dialog appears before you retake it.
If you could not take a photo on the spot, take one with your smartphone's standard camera app. After finishing, you can upload the spot photo from the results screen.
For organizer-side handling, see Operations Guide - Operational Decisions for Trouble Cases.
My photo did not upload
If communication is poor, photo upload may fail. The photo itself should still be stored in the device album.
As long as the punch was recorded at the spot, you can upload the photo from the results screen after finishing.
What happens if multiple people play with the same Entry Number?
In standard play, even if multiple participants use the same Entry Number, scores are not combined. Only the highest-ranked record among them is reflected in the leaderboard.
This is useful, for example, when one team wants backup records in addition to the main device. If you want combined scoring, use Team Play.
Also, you cannot use one account on multiple devices at the same time. If you want simultaneous recording on multiple devices, log in with a different account on each device.
Can I cheat with QR code punching?
The signature attached to a QR code is only meant to verify that the code has not been altered (tamper detection). It is not a mechanism designed to prevent competition cheating.
For this reason, things like reusing an image of a QR code that someone else took, or scanning it without actually visiting the location, cannot be fully prevented by the current app alone. Think of QR code punching as a way to reliably record passage even indoors, in caves, or among tall buildings where GPS is hard to receive, and as a deterrent against careless mistakes and casual cheating.
A mechanism for strictly verifying the signature on the server side is planned for a future version.
What is the difference between QR check-in and QR code punching?
The names are similar, but they are completely separate features.
| QR check-in | QR code punching | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Roster matching / attendance check of participants | Recording passage of a spot (control) |
| When you scan | At reception | During play, at each spot |
| What you scan | The reception QR issued by the organizer | The punch QR posted at each spot |
A reception QR code cannot be used to punch a spot, and vice versa. For details on how to use QR code punching, see Punching with QR codes.
How do I earn bonus points?
On score courses (Score / Score (Free Start and Finish)), in addition to the points for visiting spots, you can sometimes earn bonus points. There are two ways to earn them.
- Bonus QR — The points are added when you scan a bonus QR code presented by the organizer or a shop with the QR Scan button during play. When you scan it, "🎁 Bonus Earned!" appears. It is separate from the punch QR for spots: scanning it does not increase your spot visit record (only the points are added). Each Bonus QR is valid only once; if you scan the same one again, "You have already received this bonus." appears (you can still earn any number of different Bonus QR codes). You can scan and earn points even out of coverage or offline, and it syncs automatically once the connection returns. You can scan only during play, after starting and before finishing; while play is paused, "Please resume before punching." appears. Bonus QR is currently supported only in individual play and cannot be used in team events.
- Combo Bonus — When you visit at least the required number of the checkpoints specified by the organizer, points are added automatically (no special action is needed). If there are multiple thresholds, only the points of the highest threshold you reached are added (they are not cumulative). No on-screen notification appears when you achieve it; the points are reflected in your total score and in the breakdown on the results screen. You can check the target checkpoints and points in the Combo Bonus section on the category (start) screen before you begin playing.
Only when you have earned a bonus do the "Bonus Points" and "Combo Bonus" rows appear in the score breakdown on the results screen. For details, see Bonus points (QR & combo).
:::note Events that use bonus points require the latest version Events that use bonus points (Bonus QR or Combo Bonus) may not let you join if your app is out of date. If "This event requires a newer version of the app." appears, update the app. :::
I pressed the locate button but it is not counted (or deducted)
In events where the organizer has set a usage limit or penalty on the locate button, if pressing the button does not increase the count or apply a deduction, one of the following is likely the cause.
- Failed to get your current location — When GPS cannot obtain your current location, neither the count nor the penalty is applied. The message "Could not get your location" appears. Move to a place with better reception or a clear view of the sky, wait a moment, and try again.
- You chose "Cancel" in the confirmation dialog — When the locate button has a cost (a usage limit, a deduction, or a time penalty), a confirmation dialog appears when you press it. If you choose "Cancel," your location is not shown and neither the count nor the penalty is applied.
- No deduction or time penalty is set — When only a usage limit is set, no deduction or time penalty is applied. If you choose "Show" in the confirmation dialog, your location is shown and only the count increases.
- The usage limit has been reached — Once you use it up to the limit, the button can still be pressed but your location is not shown, and the message "You have reached the usage limit" appears. In this case the count does not increase either.
Why does the locate button have an orange border?
The orange border is a sign that "using this button has some kind of cost (a usage limit, a deduction, or a time penalty)."
When you press a locate button that has a border, a confirmation dialog appears before your location is shown. If a deduction or time penalty is set, the dialog shows those details; if a usage limit is set, it shows how many uses remain ("You can use it N more time(s)."). If you choose "Show," your location is shown and one use is counted. If you choose "Cancel," your location is not shown and the use is not counted.
For more on how the locate button behaves during play, see Actions during play, and for QR code punching, see Punching with QR codes.
Can I import data recorded on a GPS watch?
Yes. Before starting play, choose Import GPX from the menu on the map screen to create a play record from a GPX file. Passing the course spots is determined automatically from the GPX track.