Generate a Course
Even without an organizer's event, you can have a course created automatically from where you are and run it right away. Three options are built automatically from the paths around you, and you simply pick the one you like. The course is saved in a field, an event that belongs to you, and you can add as many courses to it as you like later.
- Smartphone app (iOS / Android) only. Not available on the Web
- You need to be logged in. It cannot be opened while logged out (anonymous); the app shows "Login required"
- Generating is free. No Player Plan or Organizer Plan is needed. Generating a course does not use up your daily play slots either
- An internet connection is required. Without a signal, the app shows "An internet connection is required to generate courses. Try again when you have a signal."
Two ways to use it
| Training | Discovery | |
|---|---|---|
| Checkpoints | Points that make good navigation practice, such as path junctions | Places of interest such as shrines, temples, parks, stations and monuments |
| Best for | Anywhere with paths. Practice courses with route choice | Walking or running through a new town or your own area, linking places of interest |
| Checkpoint details | Numbers or letters only | The place's name. Some also get a photo and a description |
How to open it
On the home screen (event list), find the Generate a course card ("Three courses from where you are. Ready to run") and tap Create ›.
The field list opens. The first time, it shows "No fields yet".
- Tap the Generate a course row to go to the settings screen
- The Fields list shows the fields you have created, newest first (with a Public / Private badge). Tap a row to open that field's event screen and run the courses you already made
Set the conditions
The screen is titled Course generator. Work through the settings from the top, then tap Generate at the top right.
Course type
Choose from the menu at the top.
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Straight (default) | Visit the controls in numbered order. Has a start and a finish. No time limit |
| Score | Visit any controls in any order. Collect as many as you can within the time limit. Every control is worth 1 point |
| Score (Free Start and Finish) | Same as Score, but the start and finish points are not fixed. Begin and end wherever you like |
Checkpoint selection
Choose Training (default) or Discovery (see Two ways to use it).
Location
| Item | Description |
|---|---|
| Start (Center point for Free Start and Finish) | Defaults to Current location. Tap it to open the Choose a point map. Move the map so the pin in the middle sits where you want, then tap Done |
| Finish at the start | On by default (a loop that returns to the start). Turn it off and a Finish row appears where you can choose a different point. Not shown for Free Start and Finish |
If your location cannot be determined, the app shows "Could not get your current location." Choose a point on the map instead.
Length and count
| Item | Shown for | Default | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Straight-line n km | Straight | 3.0 km | 1.0–10.0 km (0.1 km steps) |
| Time limit: n min | Score / Free Start and Finish | 60 min | 10–300 min (5 min steps) |
| Controls: n | All | 12 | 4–40 |
| Radius n m | Score / Free Start and Finish | 1000 m | 300–3000 m (100 m steps) |
- Straight-line is the total of the straight lines between controls. The distance you actually run is longer (the results screen shows an "approx. n km on foot" estimate)
- Radius is the area where controls are placed. Controls go inside a circle centered on the start (center point)
- In Discovery, a radius below 750 m is treated as 750 m. This keeps enough points of interest available, so controls may be placed outside the circle shown on screen
- The number of controls is not tied to the distance or time. A short distance with many controls may mean the requested number cannot be placed
Wait for generation
After you tap Generate, progress is shown in three stages: "Preparing map data…", "Building your courses…" and "Finishing up…".
- It usually takes around 10 seconds. In a place used for the first time it can take about 20 seconds (fetching the map data takes time)
- Generation cannot be stopped part way. Close is disabled too
- If it fails, the reason is shown and Back to settings returns you to the settings screen. Your settings are kept (see When a course cannot be generated)
Pick one of the three options
When generation finishes, the map is shown in the top half and the option details in the bottom half.
- Tap Option 1 / Option 2 / Option 3 to switch. Only the selected option is drawn on the map. Straight courses show straight lines between controls; Score courses show only the controls with no lines. The paths you will actually run are not shown. Which way to go is up to the runner
- Figures appear under the options. Straight shows "Straight-line n km / approx. n km on foot"; Score shows "Controls: n"
- If the course could not be built exactly as requested, the reason is shown with an orange warning mark. This is not a failure; it is the best result possible under those conditions
| Message | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Target n km, result n km | The length differs from the distance you requested |
| Couldn't place n controls; ended up with n | There was nowhere to place the requested number, so there are fewer |
| Less route choice than targeted | Many legs offer few path choices |
| The search stopped at the time limit | This is the best option found within the time available |
| This option shares many legs with the others | Many legs are similar to the other options |
- With Discovery, a Places of interest list appears. It shows each control's letter, its name, its local-language name and its kind (shrine, park, station, etc.). Places with a photo or description have an icon
- If you already have a field, an Add to picker appears. The default is a nearby field that contains the start point. You can switch to New field
Decide with the two buttons at the bottom.
- Regenerate — Returns to the settings screen. Your settings are kept, so you can tweak them and generate again
- Run this course — Saves the selected option. After "Saving your course…", the field's event screen opens
Nothing is saved until you tap Run this course. Regenerating leaves no unwanted courses behind.
Run it
Once the field's event screen opens, everything works like a normal event. Tap a category (course) and start from Play (see Join and Play an Event).
- Course names include the date and time they were created, such as "Course 9/13/26, 9:44 AM". The field name is the place name at the start point. Both can be changed later
- The punch method depends on the mode. Training uses GPS auto punch: a control is recorded when you come within 30 m of its center. Discovery uses Camera Punch: the button becomes available within 30 m, and you take a photo to record the control (Punch guide). Discovery courses created before September 14, 2026 keep GPS auto punch
- The circle is drawn at 30 m for Straight and 50 m for Score. On Score courses the edge of the circle does not punch. Move in towards the center
- Straight controls are numbered; Score controls use letters A, B, C… (S, F, I and O are skipped because they can be confused with start, finish and digits)
- Score courses have the time limit you set, and only controls visited within it count. It is normal not to reach them all; choosing which to take is the strategy
- In Discovery, photos and descriptions arrive 10–20 seconds after saving. A spot opened right away may look empty, but it fills in if you keep it open
What is a field?
Generated courses are saved in a field, an event of your own. A field works just like a normal event, so the results list and rankings are available as usual.
- A new field is private. Its event screen shows a Private field band and the line "Only people with the link can run it"
- You can add any number of courses to the same field (up to 500 spots per field). When you generate in the same place, a nearby field is the default Add to choice
- The field name, course names, description and photos can be edited on the event management screen, opened from Publish › on the band, just like a normal event (see Event management screen)
- Courses cannot be added to events that were not generated
When you add a course to the same field
Existing spots nearby are reused by the new course. So the circle may show the new course's letter (for example B) while the spot's name is still from the first course (for example 13). This is not a bug.
Run the same course with friends (sharing)
You can keep a field private and let only people with the link run it.
- On the field's event screen, tap the share row below the band
- A QR code and a link are shown ("Anyone with this link can run the courses in this field. The field stays private.")
- When someone opens the link, the field's event screen opens for them and they can run the same courses. Their results appear in the same rankings
- Right after saving, you may see "The share link is being prepared. Wait a few seconds and try again." Wait a few seconds and open it again
- The link does not expire. Anyone who has it can run the field, so be careful who you share it with
- The same daily play limit as a normal event applies. It will not matter when you practice alone, but a large group running on the same day can hit the limit (see Pricing and Billing FAQ — Free play limits)
Let anyone run it (publishing)
Tap Publish › on the band to open the event management screen, where the same Publish button as any event publishes the field. Once published, it becomes an ordinary public event that is simply marked as auto-generated.
- It appears in New, on the map and in name search, and anyone can join. You can publish without setting an event period
- We recommend tidying up the name and description before publishing. The pre-publish check is the same as for any event (see Publishing and unpublishing)
- Organizer features such as adding play slots and the Organizer Plan work as usual
- If you make it private again, the band and the share row come back
Things to keep in mind
Check the paths and your safety yourself
Courses are built mechanically from the paths on the map. They may not match conditions on the ground.
- They may include private property, paths with no way through, or areas under construction or closed to the public. Follow local signs and do not force your way in
- Straight courses in Training are built to reduce crossings of busy roads, but crossings can still occur. Score courses and Discovery do not take road crossings into account. The risks of night or bad weather are not taken into account in any mode. Check your surroundings yourself
- Courses assume walking or running. They are not designed for cycling or driving
- Generation can fail with "Could not get map data. Please try again later." Try again after a while
- The options are different every time. The same settings do not produce the same course twice
- You cannot edit the shape of an option before saving. After saving, you can change it in the course editor on the event management screen
When a course cannot be generated
| Message | What to do |
|---|---|
| Login required / You need to log in to generate courses. | Log in first (see Account FAQ) |
| An internet connection is required to generate courses. Try again when you have a signal. | Try again somewhere with a connection |
| Could not get your current location. | Check the location permission, or choose a point on the map |
| There aren't enough paths here to create a course. Try another location. | Move to a place with more streets, or reduce the distance or radius |
| The requested distance doesn't fit this location. Shorten the distance and try again. | Shorten the distance |
| No paths found near the start point. Change the point and try again. | Move the start point closer to a road (courses cannot be made at sea or anywhere without paths) |
| Not enough points of interest in this area | Discovery found too few places here. Try a larger radius, a different place, or switch to Training |
| No course options could be created. | Change the distance or number of controls, or switch to Training |
| Could not get map data. Please try again later. | Try again later |
| Could not generate a course. Change the settings and try again. | Change the settings and try again. If it keeps happening, contact support |
| This field has reached its spot limit. A new field will be created. | Set Add to to New field |