"DC: The Game," the latest group activity from Stray Boots Scavenger Hunts, launched in June. It combines Washington trivia, touring, and texting. Your group can test its knowledge of Washington and its history via this new text-driven scavenger hunt. After purchasing electronic tickets, your group is divided into teams of four to eight, and one member from each team texts their given activation code to the game phone number. The gaming application then automatically responds with the first question in your scavenger hunt. Answers are submitted via text, and then the next question is delivered to your phone.
There are three game zones in Washington: Penn Quarter and Chinatown, the Smithsonian Art Adventure, and Georgetown. The games have 25 to 30 questions each; some are straightforward trivia questions (regular challenges), while others are riddles to solve or items to find and photograph (special challenges). Correct answers earn players 10 points for regular challenges and 20 for special challenges, though point values are cut in half if the first of your two chances to answer is incorrect. Hints are also available, though 50 percent of the point value is taken for requesting one.
Each tour is $12 per person and standard text message rates apply based on the data plan of the phone used. There is no time limit on the individual questions or overall game.
