A clue trail you play by text message. Someone writes a script: a series of steps, each a clue, riddle or question with the answer that unlocks the next. Players find trails near them on a map, start one, and the game runs over SMS. Scriptic texts each clue, checks the replies, and moves them on when they get it right.
Anyone can write a trail and keep it private, share it, or sell it. Hosts can run a game for a group, and follow along as players make their way round.
Where it's at
The MVP was live at scriptic.io, with trail search, the script editor, hosting and payments all working. Texts cost money to send, so it's pay per use: players top up credit, and authors can charge for their trails.
Technical details
- Front end: React with Material UI, Apollo Client for data, and Google Maps for finding trails nearby. Scripts are built step by step in a drag-and-drop editor.
- Back end: Netlify Functions.
receive-smsis the Twilio webhook that runs the games: it matches each incoming text to a game, checks the answer and sends the next step. Other functions handle auth, starting and stopping games, trail search and payments. - Data: FaunaDB, through its generated GraphQL API, with access rules so a trail's answers only ever reach its author. Trails are indexed by S2 geohash for searching by location.
- Auth: short-lived JWTs, with refresh tokens in http-only cookies and magic-link sign up.
- Payments: Stripe, for topping up credit and buying trails.
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