An Interactive Experience asks users to actively participate — following clues, discovering locations, and unlocking content as they move through a space. Rather than being guided directly to each stop, users have to find their way there.
Interactive Experiences work best when the act of discovering is the experience, not just a delivery mechanism. Some shapes this can take:
• A city game where participants race to find and unlock a set of locations
• An educational quest where each clue reveals a piece of a larger story
• A family trail where the searching and solving is as fun as what's waiting at the end
• An experience where the clues and reveals are the content — not just wrappers around it
This is the most involved format to create well. If your goal is to share information or tell a story in a linear way, a Guided Tour or Travel Audiobook will serve your audience better — and be simpler to produce.
A good clue sends people in the right direction without giving it away. The best clues are grounded in the physical environment: something to look for, a direction to face, a detail that rewards attention. Abstract riddles are harder to get right. Always test your clues with someone who doesn't know the area.
Discovery for its own sake gets hollow fast. The strongest interactive experiences have a story or theme running through them — each location unlocked feels like progress toward something, not just another pin on a map.
Not every location needs to be a challenge. A mix of visible locations, locations users have to find, and one or two well-placed secrets creates rhythm and keeps the experience from feeling repetitive.
Hidden locations are for users who go further — they shouldn't be required to finish. Think of them as bonus depth for the curious, not mandatory content that some people will miss.
Every location has a type that controls how users find it. You set this in the admin tool when editing a location.
| Type | Shown on map | How users find it | Clue shown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Start | Always visible | Shown on the map from the beginning | No |
| Visible | Always visible | Shown on the map | No |
| Discoverable | Hidden until unlocked | By getting close enough | Yes |
| Secret | Never shown | Through the clue text alone | Yes |
Start is the first location of your experience — always visible on the map so users know where to begin. Every interactive experience needs one.
Visible locations appear on the map from the start. Use these when knowing the destination in advance is fine or intentional.
Discoverable locations are hidden until the user gets close enough. Once they're within range, the location unlocks and the audio plays. You can set how close they need to be (5 to 500 metres), and optionally show them a compass or distance readout while they search.
Secret locations are never shown on the map at all. The only way to find them is through the clue you write. Secrets are managed in a separate Secrets section in the admin tool.
A clue is a short text shown to users before they reach a Discoverable or Secret location — the nudge that sets them searching. Keep it concise and specific. Sensory and physical details work well: look for, stand facing, find the thing that. Maximum 500 characters.
Visible locations and the Start don't have clues — the map does the work there.
Every location except the Start can have an optional quiz — a question shown after users unlock it. It's a lightweight way to add engagement or reinforce a theme without needing full narration at every location.