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OFFICIAL RULES

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Hidden Secrets: PRELUDE to Escape in Time

Escape PRELUDE is a peek into the world of Hidden Secrets, where you’ll seek (virtual) wayward journal page pieces throughout your neighborhood, playing mini games and overcoming challenges along the way.  Find the journal pieces and puzzle them together to reveal the next page in the continuing mystery.  Solve the cryptic puzzle presented and continue to search for the hidden treasure location when the final world map is presented at the end.

Escape PRELUDE is a preview of our upcoming expanded adventure, Hidden Secrets: Escape In Time, that will include larger treasures and more interactive experiences. Be sure to pre-register at www.hiddensecretsapp.com to be notified when the next game launches!

BEFORE YOU BEGIN

 

Before beginning play, please read all of these Official Rules, the Privacy Policy, and the Terms of Service located in the Application and on the Website (www.hiddensecretsapp.com). You will find more details of game execution and regulation in our Terms of Service. The Terms of Service, Official Rules, and Privacy Policy may change from time to time, so please read updates when we notify you of changes. As always, you must follow local laws while playing.

 

RESPECT COMMUNITY

 

Our vision is to get people outside and explore the world around them while having fun! Please always be courteous of the people around you and the environment you are in. Because this is a real-world game, you may come face-to-face with other treasure hunters. Please keep things fun for all and respect your fellow players. Remember, everyone has legal rights. Never abuse, defame, harass, harm, stalk, threaten, or otherwise violate the legal rights (including the rights of privacy and publicity) of others. Read more on this in our Terms of Service.

 

SAFETY

 

Be alert at all times and stay aware of your surroundings. We do our best to provide a safe platform to play on; however, you are solely responsible for determining your own safety. There are many situations where obstructions, safety hazards, poor weather conditions, and anything else that may provide an unsafe environment can occur. If an in-game map marker has been generated in an unsafe area, do not try to collect it.  You can choose to skip walking up to any marker. Additionally, please do not trespass on any property or location where you do not have the right or permission to be. By participating in our treasure hunt and using the application, you acknowledge and take full responsibility and liability for your own wellbeing and actions. Please read more on this in our Terms of Service.

 

OBJECTIVE

 

Piece together the journal day-by-day and let the mystery unfold! You will be immersed in the pages of a curious antiquated journal. The author has a thrilling tale to tell, leaving clues to the location of a hidden treasure within his journal pages. Complete the game and make your treasure location guess when the final world map appears. Correctly pinpointing the location on the world map will win the game!  Escape PRELUDE includes a 7-page storyline and is a special preview of the continuing story, “Escape in Time”, coming soon!

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OFFICIAL RULES
MAP & EXPLORATION

  • As this is an outdoor exploration game, please always use your highest caution and be aware of your surroundings!
     

  • Never operate a vehicle or equipment while playing and always follow local laws.
     

  • Open the map to navigate your surroundings.  You will see a total of 5 highlighted map “markers” within a 1/2 mile radius of your current position.  Markers on the map indicate physical locations where virtual missing journal page pieces can be found.  You must either physically visit each marker location to collect a page piece - or - choose to watch an ad to skip walking and be virtually taken directly to a marker.*
     

  • Note:  The map is dynamic and will generate markers based on your physical location.  You may stop gameplay at any time and the App will keep track of your already collected page pieces.  Then when you next open the App, the map will show new markers based on your current physical location. If you’ve already collected some but not all of the page pieces for that round, the map will only generate the number of markers needed to collect your remaining page pieces.  For instance, if you previously collected 2 of the 5 pieces of your current page, the next time you open the App, only 3 markers will appear on the map of your immediate physical location.
     

  • Once you are at a marker, it will be clickable on your in-app map.
     

  • Click the marker and complete the mini game challenge to collect the page piece - or - use coins to skip the mini game challenge and automatically receive the page piece.*
     

  • Never visit a marker if you feel it is in an unsafe or inappropriate location. You may choose to skip visiting the physical location by pressing the refresh button.

 

* To help players progress through the hunt and provide accessibility for all, we offer options to skip walking to a marker and/or to skip playing a mini-game challenge.

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OFFICIAL RULES
THE JOURNAL

  • There are 7 journal pages in total (after the initial Tutorial journal page). As you play and solve each page, the map will generate new markers to lead you to the next page pieces. 
     

  • To see each journal page, you must first collect the pieces.  Each journal page has been “torn” into 5 pieces that you must collect by visiting 5 physical locations in your area (or choosing to watch ads) - and then completing the mini-game challenges (or using coins to skip games).
     

  • Once you have collected the 5 pieces of a journal page, you will be directed to double-tap the screen so you may “puzzle” the pieces together to read and decipher the full page.
     

  • The assembled journal page will require you to solve a cryptic puzzle in order to unlock the next page.
     

  • You have unlimited guesses to solve the journal page puzzle.
     

  • You may use in-game coins to purchase hints to help solve each journal page puzzle (select “HINTS”).
     

  • When you think you know the answer to the puzzle, click “SOLVE” and type in your answer.  When you see the “CORRECT” message, you may proceed in the game.
     

  • Please note - no hints will be available to help solve the actual treasure location at the end of the game. Players will need to determine the final treasure location by taking note of strange markings and illustrations throughout the journal. They may be clues to the secret location of the treasure.

OFFICIAL RULES
VIRTUAL WORLD MAP

  • Only after the final journal page has been solved does the virtual world map appear to let players begin guessing where the treasure is located.
     

  • Our virtual world map is a real map of the world, meaning you will have to use real geographic knowledge to decipher our clues and make your guesses as to the whereabouts of the secret treasure location.
     

  • You can zoom-in or use the search bar to put in an address or the coordinates you suspect hold the treasure.
     

  • You must be zoomed-in fully to your selected treasure location. When you see our zoom triangle turn from red to green, then you may click ”SUBMIT”.
     

  • No actual travel to a treasure destination is necessary.
     

  • You may make an unlimited number of guesses where you think the treasure is buried.

OFFICIAL RULES
WINNING THE GAME
OFFICIAL RULES
GOLD COINS

  • In-game purchases are available to players through our gold coin virtual currency to help progress through the hunt and improve accessibility as needed.
     

  • Gold coins are an optional purchase for players and may also be found and earned throughout the game.
     

  • Gold coins are non-transferable and non-refundable.
     

  • Gold coins have no value outside of the game.
     

  • Gold coins cannot be carried forward into future Hidden Secrets treasure hunts.
     

  •  Gold coins are linked to a unique UDID on your device - if you change devices, gold coins will not carry over.
     

  • For more details on our gold coin virtual currency, please refer to our Terms of Service.
     

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY 

SPONSOR NOTICE :

The sole sponsor of this treasure hunt is Hidden Secrets Studios, Wellington, New Zealand.

​ This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Apple or Google.

  • You must correctly locate the hidden treasure on the virtual world map to win the game.
     

  • Players may make unlimited treasure location guesses.
     

  • All players who correctly guess the location will receive a congratulations message and be experienced contenders for future games!

 
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