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. You export it from PDF Map, right below Play, on the screen you reach after opening a category (course). See Printable PDF Maps for the steps.
The PDF Map card in the Prepare group of the event management screen is the event distribution version, for handing out to participants, and that one requires the Organizer Plan. If you only want to print a map for yourself, export it from the category screen.
In some events, the organizer may also provide an original printable PDF file separately.
How much mobile data is used during play?
As a rule of thumb, a few MB per hour. Live tracking uses about 0.2–1 MB per hour, while map tiles and sample photos are downloaded in bulk the first time they are shown and served from the cache afterwards. The breakdown is as follows.
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.
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
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
Where the signal is weak, the punch is confirmed without waiting for the photo to be sent, and the photo stays on your device and is sent automatically once you are back online. The message "The photo will be sent automatically once you have a good connection." appears, and photos still waiting are marked "Upload pending" in the spot list. Staying in coverage for a while is usually enough for them to go through.
If the automatic sending does not succeed either, you are told "The photo couldn't be uploaded. Please re-upload it manually from the visited spot list when you have a good connection." Choose the spot from the visited spot list during play, or the result screen after you finish, and you can pick a photo from your device (including one taken with the standard camera app) and upload it again.
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.
Note that the leaderboard uses only the best record for each account. Even if one account plays several times with different Entry Numbers, only its best record is used, and records played under the other numbers do not appear on the leaderboard. For details, see When multiple results use the same Entry Number.
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.
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 there are two kinds of bonus points in addition to spot visit points.
- Bonus QR — Points are added when you scan a QR code presented by the organizer or a shop with the QR scan button during play (each QR counts once; it works without signal)
- Combo Bonus — Points are added automatically, with no action needed, when you visit at least the required number of the checkpoints designated by the organizer
For the conditions, the messages shown, and how they appear in results, see Bonus points (QR & combo). Events that use bonus points may not be joinable with an old app version ("This event requires a newer version of 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.
A message appears and I cannot open play or the rankings
What each message means and what to do.
| Message | Meaning | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Currently, the organizer has limited your access. | The organizer has hidden the rankings and live map, or you have not been approved yet and viewing is not allowed | Wait until the organizer changes the setting. If you are waiting for approval, it opens once you are approved |
| Your request has not been approved. | Your application has not been approved yet | Wait for the organizer's approval or ask at the check-in desk |
| You can't start playing because this category requires entry approval. You can still view results. | The event requires approval and you have not been approved yet | Same as above. You can still view results |
| Currently this course is for reference only. | The organizer has set the category to view-only | Wait until it becomes playable |
| There are no more play slots available right now. … | The event's daily play limit has been reached | Tell the organizer or purchase additional play slots. If a purchase is not reflected right away, go back to the event list and open the event again |
| You've already checked in for a different category in this event, so you can't start. … | You checked in to another category with QR check-in | Open the category you checked in for, or scan the check-in QR again to switch |
| This number is outside the selected category's entry number range. … | The number is outside the Entry Number range the organizer set for the category | Check the number or the category |
| This event is currently unavailable to the public. | The organizer has unpublished the event | Ask the organizer |
| This event is only open to group members. | The event is limited to a group | Join the group first |
| This event requires a newer version of the app. … | Your app is too old for the event's features | Update the app |
| You can't change your entry number after starting play. … | You tried to change the number with QR check-in after starting | Tell the event staff |
For errors during QR check-in, see Find events and courses and start playing — Messages when check-in fails.
I cannot generate a course
Generate a course needs you to be logged in and online. It can fail in places with few paths, or in Discovery mode where there are few places of interest. For what to do about each message, see Generate a Course — When a course cannot be generated.