NaviTabi now has a new feature to allow team play!
The new feature introduces a new element, cooperation within team to visit as many chekpoints as possible, adding new strategy and cooperation to navigation sports.
This function is available in categories where the event organizer (course creator) has enabled “Play as a team.”
What is team play?
Participants form teams of two or more and play using the app on their smartphones. The scores of each individual are added to make up the score of the team.
- Whenever someone on a team visits a checkpoint (CP), the points from that CP are added to the team’s total.
- Members can split up and visit different checkpoints separately. Cooperation and coordination are key.
- Teams compete on total score of the team. Allows for new format for team competition in navigation sports.
Main features
Scores are shared among all team members!
If one person visits a CP, the score counts for the entire team. Even if CP visited by different members, the score is counted only once.
Maximize the score by dividing up CPs strategically!
Members of the team do not have to move together. Judge the strength of each team members and divide up the roles! Strategic division of tasks is the key.
Check the current location of members in real time!
You can see the location of team members on the app screen, allowing you to cooperate by checking the locations.
Exchange messages within the team
You can exchange simple messages with team members using the app, such as “I’m heading to checkping xxx” or “I’ll leave that to you!”. You can cooperate while coordinating actions and communicating.
How to use team play
Organizer (course setter)
- When creating a category in an event
- Select “Score” or “Score (start anywhere)” for Course type.
- Turn on “Play as a team (score combined)”.
- Set the “Maximum team size” (2 to 999).
- Create a course in score format and publish.
Participants will now be able to play as teams for that category.
Participant side
- Select the category of the event you want to participate in, tap “Play course”, and enter a team number. Members who enter the same number will be on the same team.
- If you have been able to join the team, a list of team members will be displayed and you are ready to start. Operations during play are the same as for regular courses.
Team play screen and main functions
Frequently Asked Questions
About the rules and specifications of the game
- Do all team members have to start together?
- Typically, for team-based events, all team members should start at the same time, but not a requirement. The organizer can be flexible, allowing members to start late or have teams start at different times. Organizer can set up the event as “Mass Start” and set up mass start time to force all to start at the specified time.
- How is the team’s start time determined?
- The start time of the first member of the team to start will be recorded as the team’s start time.
- I started by mistake. Can I start again?
- You can start again by selecting “Cancel” from the menu. The start time record will also be corrected.
- Do all team members have to finish together?
- Team members may finish at different times.
- How is the team’s finish time determined?
- The finish time of the last member of the team to finish will be recorded as the team’s finish time. A team’s results will not be finalized until all team members finish.
- What happens if multiple members of a team visit the same CP?
- If members of the same team visit the same checkpoint (CP), score will be added for the team only once. No additional points will be added even if the same checkpoint is visited multiple times.
- However, if multiple members visit a CP at almost the same time or if the connection is unstable, multiple members may temporarily receive points. Even in this case, duplicate points will not be added to the team.
- Some members of my team did not finish the race (cancelled playing). What will happen to the team’s record?
- The following is the specification for the app, but in actual events, the rules set by the organizer should take precedence. In the event that the organizer rules are different, the organizer would have to adjust manually.
- Team start time: The time of the first member who finished the race will be used.
- Team finish time: The time of the last member who finished the race will be used.
- Team score: The points earned by all members (including those who did not finish the race) from the team’s start time to the finish time will be added together (points earned after the team’s finish time by members who did not finish the race will be invalid).
- If no member of the team finishes, the team’s record will be marked as “Did not finish (DNF).”
- Intentionally cancelling the race for the purpose of adjusting the team’s finishing time is prohibited.
- The following is the specification for the app, but in actual events, the rules set by the organizer should take precedence. In the event that the organizer rules are different, the organizer would have to adjust manually.
Regarding team formation and registration
- How do I create a team?
- When you join a game, you can create a team by entering a “team number” on the app. Participants who enter the same team number will be grouped as the same team and their scores will be added up.
- If the organizer has organized teams in advance and has specified the team numbers, please enter the numbers provided by the organizer.
- Is there a limit to the number of team members?
- The organizer can set the “maximum number of team members” from 2 to 999 in the settings.
- The recommended number of team members for team competition is about 2 to 5.
- A team member did not show up. Can I play with a fewer number of people?
- Even if there are fewer people on the team than the set maximum number of people, you can play as a team on the app without any problems.
- Even with fewer members, you can continue playing as is.
The app and technical specifications
- Can I use team play offline?
- Team play requires the player to have an internet connection.
- If you are offline when you start playing, you cannot join a team.
- Even if communication is temporarily cut off during play, records of CP visits and other information will be saved on the device, but location sharing and real-time updates of scores will be temporarily disabled. Synchronization will occur automatically when reconnecting to the internet.
- What kind of messages can be exchanged within the app?
- There are two types of text message functions: “Event Messages” and “Team Messages”.
- Event Messages: All event participants can exchange text in one chat room.
- Team Messages: Only members of the same team can exchange messages. Can be used to easily share strategies and communicate.
- There are two types of text message functions: “Event Messages” and “Team Messages”.
Terms of Use/Notes for Organizers
- Do I need an event organizer plan to create a team play course?
- Currently no. As of now, anyone can create and publish a team play course.
- Can I include regular courses and team play courses in the same event?
- Yes. You can set up a combination of regular courses and team play courses in the same event.
- Is there a limit to the number of free plays? How are the number of plays counted? (applies only in Japan)
- There is a limit to the number of free plays, and just like with regular courses, a maximum of 10 plays per day per event is free.
- In the case of team play, each team member will count as one play.
- Outside of Japan, currently there are not limits on free play.
- Circumventing the maximum play by splitting events or by any other means is prohibited by the Terms of Use.
There are many different ways to use team play!
NaviTabi’s team play is a mode in which players share and cooperate with each other to visit checkpoints (CPs) and add up their scores. By using this system, you can create many variants.
Basic: Team Play
- All team members start at the same time, and each is responsible for a different area to collect points.
- If someone gets one CP, it is added to the whole team, so strategy in assigning who goes where and execution is key!
Variant 1: Rogaining relay
- First, the first member of the team gets a certain number of CPs and returns to the finish line, and then the next member takes over. Organizer can fix the number of CPs or not.
- Members are sent out in order like in a relay, and the whole team accumulates points.
- In the app, the scores are added up as the same team, so score management is possible automatically.
Variant 2: Checkpoint battle
- All players participate as the same team and start at the same time.
- Each CP is first come, first served, and only the player who arrives first is awarded points.
- It’s a “territory battle” format where once a CP has been taken, no points are scored even if another player visits it.
- If there is a mix of experience or physical fitnes, stronger competitors can be handicapped by allowing the weaker to start first.
The above variants are just few examples. The team play function can be freely applied depending on the organizer’s ideas. Enjoy various ways of playing by combining CP placement, scoring methods, time limit length, member substitution rules, etc.
New ways to play, with a team!
NaviTabi can be used individually or as a team.
We will continue to expand the possibilities of navigation and maps.
Give it a try with the updated NaviTabi!