Shuffle
Step-by-Step Guide
Logging In and Opening Shuffle
Use this every time you start a new session.
Log in to the CUE Platform
From the top product navigation bar, click TapIt
The platform opens into the Design tab of your Shuffle instance
If you do not have a Shuffle Instance created, click the plus (+) next to Instances. Select the Shuffle sub-engagement and name your new Shuffle activation
Choosing Your Activation Configuration
Use this to decide how to set up your activation before configuring anything else.
Determine which configuration applies to your event:
Mainboard and Mobile — you want both a video display and guest participation on phones — the most common configuration
Mainboard Only — you want the video to play on screen with no guest phone interaction
Mobile Only — guests will participate on their phones; the video will be played from an external source or there is no video component
For configurations with a Mainboard: decide between Custom Video (recommended) or Unreal live
Decide on flow mode: Automatic (recommended for most) or Manual (recommended when live contestant interaction or crowd involvement is expected)
Note: All three configurations are fully supported. Custom Video is best practice for any activation that includes a mainboard output.
Selecting Your Mainboard Content Mode
Use this to navigate to the correct content setting in Design Settings.
In your instance, click Design in the left navigation
Click Design Settings
You will see Use Unreal and Custom Video as the two options
Select Custom Video if you are uploading a pre-recorded MP4 for game day use — this is best practice for the vast majority of activations
Select Use Unreal if you are building, customizing, or running the Unreal build live
Note: The recommended workflow for Unreal content: build and configure in Unreal mode → record the output → switch to Custom Video → upload the recording for all live runs.
Uploading Your Custom Video
Use this when you have a recorded shuffle video ready to upload.
In your instance, click Design → Design Settings
Select Custom Video
If a video is already loaded, click the three-dot menu next to it
Click Edit — this opens your file browser
Select your MP4 file and confirm
Wait for the upload to complete — the video appears in Design Settings when ready
Click the mainboard link icon in the instance panel, then the chain-link icon to preview the video in a new tab
Important: The video must be an MP4 at 1920 × 1080 resolution (16:9). Other formats or sizes may not display correctly.
Tip: The Custom Video can come from any source — an Unreal recording, a third-party production tool, or any compatible MP4 you already have.
Configuring the White-Label Unreal Build
Use this when setting up the Unreal build for a white-label activation.
In your instance, click Design → Design Settings and select Use Unreal
Choose your scene from the eight available options: Baseball, Basketball, Cricket, Football, Hockey, Rodeo, Rugby, or Soccer
Select your difficulty level: Easy, Medium, or Hard
Go to Control in the left navigation
In the Gameplay stage settings, set Number of Items to 3, 4, or 5 — this controls both the Unreal scene visuals and the mobile choices simultaneously
For Baseball or Football: select Hat or Helmet as the shuffling object if a helmet option is desired
Set the Winner: select Random for an unknown outcome, or choose a specific object to predetermine the winner — the starting position cannot be preselected
Set Enable Bounce and Enable Percentage as needed for the Unreal rendering
Set your flow mode: Automatic or Manual
Note: The Gameplay stage duration is fixed when using the Unreal build — it is determined automatically by the difficulty and item count and cannot be manually changed.
Note: For game day use, record the Unreal output and upload it as a Custom Video. Running Unreal live is an option but is not recommended due to computing power demands.
Measuring Your Video's Stage Durations
Use this before entering Custom Video timers — required to know how long each section takes.
Open your video file in editing software such as Adobe Premiere Pro, or prepare a stopwatch
Play the video and identify the start and end of the Hide section: from when the hidden object is placed under a shuffling object to when the shuffle begins
Identify the Gameplay section: from when the shuffle begins to when the objects stop moving
Identify the Selection section: from when the objects stop to when the reveal begins
Identify the Reveal section: from when the reveal begins to when the winning object is shown
Note each section's duration in seconds
Tip: Editing software shows exact timecodes — far more accurate than a stopwatch and will reduce the number of test runs needed significantly.
Note: Your video's section lengths are unique to your recording. Do not use example values from documentation — measure your own video every time.
Entering Stage Timers in Control
Use this after measuring your video. This is the core configuration step for every Custom Video activation.
In your instance, click Control in the left navigation
Click into the Hide stage and enter its measured duration in seconds
Click into the Gameplay stage and enter its measured duration in seconds
In the Gameplay stage, confirm Number of Items matches the number of objects in your video — options are 3, 4, 5, or 6 for Custom Video — must match the video exactly
Click into the Selection stage and enter its measured duration in seconds
In the Selection stage, choose your selection layout — Quad Box, Carousel left/right, or Carousel up/down
Click into the Reveal stage and enter its measured duration in seconds
Click into the Thank You stage and enter a duration — 5–10 seconds is common; can also be disabled
Verify: confirm the sum of all stage timers is at least equal to the total length of your video
Important: If total stage timers are less than the video length, the video will be cut off before the end. The video stops when the Thank You stage expires.
Tip: Add one or two seconds of buffer per stage on your first attempt — easier to reduce than to catch a mobile that has advanced past the right moment.
Customizing Stage Messages
Use this to set what guests see on their phones during each stage.
In Control, click into the Title stage and enter a welcome or joining message
Click into the Hide stage and enter a message directing guests to watch the video board
Click into the Gameplay stage and enter a message keeping guests engaged — for example: "Eyes on the screen. Don't blink!"
Click into the Selection stage — the choices display automatically; add a prompt if desired
Click into the Reveal stage — add any message to accompany the result
Click into the Thank You stage and enter a closing message, sponsor call to action, or configure a URL redirect
Note: If your activation uses custom mobile graphics uploaded in Design → Uploads → Mobile Uploads, text can be built into the graphics and message fields in Control can be left empty. Guidance on mobile uploads will be added in a future update.
Setting Up for Side-by-Side Testing
Use this before every activation — the essential pre-event setup step.
In the instance panel, click the mainboard link icon
Click the chain-link icon to open the mainboard output in a new browser tab
Go fullscreen on that tab — press F11 or use the browser fullscreen option — skip this step for Mobile Only configurations
Return to the platform and click the QR code icon in the instance panel
Click the chain-link icon to open the mobile experience in another new browser tab
Arrange your screen so you can see both tabs simultaneously
Make sure you are on the Control tab in the platform before proceeding
Running a Test and Adjusting Timers
Use this during pre-event testing for Custom Video activations.
With both mainboard and mobile visible, click Start from the Control tab and confirm
Watch both screens throughout the entire activation
Note any stage where the mobile advances before or after the corresponding moment in the video
Mobile too early: that stage's timer is too short — increase it
Mobile too late: that stage's timer is too long — decrease it
Video stopped before the reveal: total timers are less than the video length — increase one or more
Adjust only the timers that were off — do not change timers that were correct
Click Start again and run the full activation
Repeat until mobile and video are in sync at every stage transition
Note: Stages run sequentially — extending one timer pushes all subsequent stages later. Think through the full chain before adjusting.
Tip: Change one timer at a time to clearly see the effect of each adjustment.
Running the Activation on Game Day — Automatic Mode
Use this on game day after timers are confirmed. For most activations.
Confirm the mainboard link is open and fullscreen on your display device — skip for Mobile Only configurations
Confirm the participant QR code or URL is posted or distributed to guests
Make sure you are on the Control tab
If coordinating with a clip server, notify the producer you are ready approximately 30 seconds before the video rolls
Click Start at the moment the video begins playing on the video board — or on the producer's cue
Click Yes to confirm
Note: In Automatic mode, the activation runs completely on its own. No further operator input is needed. The platform advances through each stage and resets to Title automatically after Thank You.
Important: Always be on the Control tab when clicking Start.
Running the Activation on Game Day — Manual Mode
Use this when the activation involves live contestants, crowd interaction, or any scenario requiring stage control.
In Control, set the flow mode to Manual
Confirm the mainboard is open and fullscreen on your display device
Make sure you are on the Control tab
Click Start and confirm
The Hide stage begins — when the shuffle starts in the video, click Move to Next Stage
The Gameplay stage is active — when the objects stop and it is time for guests to pick, click Move to Next Stage
The Selection stage is active — guests choose; when the reveal should begin, click Move to Next Stage
The Reveal plays — when you are ready to end, click Move to Next Stage
The Thank You stage is active — when done, click Live or Stop to end the session
Important: In Manual mode, the activation does not stop automatically. You must click Live or Stop after Thank You to close the session.
Tip: Manual mode gives you full control to hold any stage as long as needed — ideal when a contestant or host is engaging with the crowd and the moment needs more time than a preset timer would allow.
Diagnosing and Fixing Sync Issues
Use this when the mobile experience and video board are not in sync after a test.
Identify which stage showed the problem and whether the mobile was early or late
Mobile was early at a transition: increase that stage's timer
Mobile was late at a transition: decrease that stage's timer, or increase the previous stage's timer
Video stopped before the reveal: add up all stage timers — the sum must equal or exceed the total video length; increase one or more timers accordingly
Make only the adjustments needed — leave correct timers unchanged
Run the full test again from the beginning
Repeat until every stage transition is in sync
Note: Remember: stages run sequentially. Extending the Selection timer also pushes the Reveal later. Always think through the full chain when adjusting.