The Hunt Urban Adventure Case Study

The Challenge

The Hunt needed a digital platform to power urban scavenger hunts for corporate events, team building days, stag/hen parties, and birthday celebrations. They wanted something that felt modern and engaging — not a clunky app that kills the vibe.

The requirements:

Teams join with simple codes (no app store downloads)
Multiple verification methods (GPS, QR codes, barcodes)
Real-time leaderboards to fuel competition
Admin tools for event organisers
Works on any smartphone browser

The Solution

We built two connected applications:

Marketing Site (itsthehunt.com)

A bold, high-energy landing page that sells the experience. Features include:

Dynamic pricing calculator based on group size
Pre-built hunt packages (Preston City Centre, etc.)
Enquiry forms for custom events
How it works explainer

Game Platform (now.itsthehunt.com)

The actual scavenger hunt application. Built with Next.js 15 and Supabase, it handles everything from team authentication to real-time progress tracking.

Technical Architecture

Authentication Flow

Teams join using 6-digit hunt codes — no accounts required. The system uses JWT-based authentication with custom middleware:

Team enters hunt code
Verifies credentials against hunt database
Issues session token stored in cookies
Middleware protects routes based on auth state

Administrators use Supabase Auth for the management dashboard.

Location Verification

Three methods for clue completion:

GPS Verification

- PostGIS extension for spatial queries
- Radius-based proximity checks using geolib
- Configurable accuracy thresholds per clue

QR Code Scanning

- Unique codes generated per clue
- Camera-based scanning via browser APIs
- Instant verification against database

Barcode Scanning

- Support for product barcodes at specific locations
- Useful for hunts involving shops or landmarks

Real-time Features

Supabase's real-time subscriptions power:

Live leaderboard updates
Team progress notifications
Admin monitoring dashboards

When a team completes a clue, every connected client sees the update within seconds.

Anti-cheat Measures

Minimum 4-second processing time prevents rapid-fire attempts
Database constraints block duplicate completions
Location spoofing detection through consistency checks
Attempt logging for post-event review

Admin Dashboard

Event organisers get full control:

Hunt Builder — Create hunts with custom branding and clue sequences
Clue Designer — Set verification methods, hints, and point values
Team Management — Generate credentials, monitor progress
PDF Generation — Team labels and tickets via React-PDF
Real-time Monitoring — Watch the hunt unfold live

Route Structure

Marketing Site (itsthehunt.com)
├── /                    → Hero + pricing + features
├── /how-it-works        → Step-by-step explainer
├── /about               → Team and story
└── /enquiry             → Custom event booking

The Result

The Hunt now has a complete platform for running digital scavenger hunts at any scale. The web-based approach means no app downloads — teams just scan a QR code and they're in.

For organisers, the admin dashboard handles everything from hunt design to live monitoring. The real-time features add genuine excitement as teams race to complete clues.