How to Play goSherlock — Games Afoot Official Detective Guide
🔍 Field Detective Instructions

How to Play goSherlock

An immersive Cold War narrative mystery where your physical walking steps advance the investigation, uncover hidden evidence, and crack historical secrets.

1 Scene Per Calendar Day
Adaptive Fitness Handicap
1 Question Daily Interrogation
10 → 2 goFarthing Bounty
Phase 01 • Active Investigation

The Walking & Audio Pacing Engine

Put in your headphones, press Start Walk, and step out into the real world. Real-world physical movement powers the storytelling engine.

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Narrative Chapters

Each scene consists of 4 cinematic voice-acted audio sections. As you walk, the narrator and historical characters reveal clues and dramatic twists.

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Ambient Soundscapes

Between spoken narrative sections, the app transitions into rich 2-minute atmospheric audio gaps (rain, harbor horns, city echoes) giving you time to reflect on the case while keeping your stride.

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30-Second Inactivity Pause

If you stop walking for 30 consecutive seconds (e.g. stopping to chat or sitting down), playback automatically halts until you resume moving. Every step truly counts!

🏃 Personalized Adaptive Fitness Handicap
goSherlock integrates with Apple Health and Google Health Connect to assess your 30-day daily walking baseline. Your daily target steps scale dynamically with your handicap multiplier (from 0.5× up to standard)—so whether you take 3,000 or 15,000 steps a day, the challenge is tailored perfectly to you.
Phase 02 • Extra Mileage

Over-Walker Bonus Tracks

For dedicated walkers who don’t stop when the core story finishes for the day, goSherlock offers archival bonus content.

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Archival Dossier Tracks

Completing the 4th narrative section triggers the Over-Walker Bonus Mode. Keep walking to earn 1,000 bonus steps per track to unlock real historical audio files.

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Historical Context

Learn the genuine historical reality behind the mystery: the secret Manhattan Project logistics, U-boat sonar warfare, Cold War espionage routes, and Bohr’s heavy water smuggling.

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Permanent Collection

Bonus tracks earned through physical walking are stored in your permanent archive on the Bonus Vault page, allowing you to re-listen at your leisure anytime.

Phase 03 • Solving the Mystery

The Deduction Board & Suspect Interrogations

Between walks, visit the Deduction Board from the main hub to examine collected materials and question suspects.

  • Evidence Corkboard

    Physical documents, coded telegrams, lab notes, and photographs unlock progressively as you complete each scene. Inspect high-resolution artifacts for hidden discrepancies.

  • Suspect Roster & Bios

    Review detailed profiles, alibis, and audio biographies for all 15 key suspects—including scientists, double agents, embassy attachés, and resistance couriers.

  • Daily Interrogation Gate (1 Question Per Day)

    Select a suspect to pose a specific cross-examination question. Each suspect responds with a fully-voiced audio statement. You may interrogate only one new question each calendar day, so choose your lead wisely!

Phase 04 • The Final Verdict

Accusations & goFarthing Bounties

Put your powers of deduction to the ultimate test when you believe you’ve identified the mastermind.

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Early Accusation (Scene 8)

Starting at Scene 8, the Accusation Chamber unlocks. If your deduction is razor-sharp and you name the culprit on Scene 8, you claim the maximum bounty of 10 goFarthings.

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Bounty Decay Mechanism

For every scene you wait to make your accusation, the bounty decays: 10 Farthings at Scene 8, 8 at Scene 9, 6 at Scene 10, 4 at Scene 11, down to a minimum floor of 2 goFarthings.

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Final Lock-in (Scene 14)

At Scene 14, all accusations are permanently sealed before the grand finale resolution. Your final standing and bounty are recorded in your platform wallet.

Frequently Asked Questions

Field Detective FAQ

Where can I walk?
Anywhere! goSherlock uses your device’s step sensor. You can walk around your neighborhood, along a trail, in an indoor mall, or on a treadmill. GPS navigation is not required—only physical foot movement.
What if my device does not have a pedometer sensor (e.g., iPad or tablet)?
goSherlock automatically detects devices without step-tracking hardware and engages a sensor simulation mode so you can experience the complete narrative and review the app seamlessly.
Can I speed through multiple scenes in a single day?
No. goSherlock is designed as a daily healthy walking ritual. Only one core scene can be completed per calendar day (resetting at midnight UTC). However, you can walk as much as you like on bonus tracks!
What happens if I abandon an episode?
You can abandon an active case from the Daily Hub or navigation menu. This resets case progress on that episode so you can restart from Scene 1 or select another investigation.