Trivia Mania
Step-by-Step Guide
Exact steps for every common task — follow these sequences to complete any Trivia Mania workflow
This guide walks you through each major Trivia Mania task step by step. Whether you are setting up your first game, running a live event, or configuring prizes, follow the numbered steps in order. Tips and important callouts are included throughout.
Logging In for the First Time
Use this when you are logging in for the first time or setting up a new session.
Log in to the CUE Platform
Note: You may see either a populated dashboard or a blank screen after logging in — both are normal.
Locate the product navigation bar across the top of the screen
Click Trivia Mania — use the left and right arrows to scroll if it is not immediately visible
You are now inside Trivia Mania — the Default instance opens automatically
Tip: To access global settings such as design, language, and Global Prizing, click your avatar in the top right and select Main Menu. To return to Trivia Mania, click it in the navigation bar.
Creating a New Instance
Use this when you need a separate configuration for a new event or visual theme.
In the Instances column on the left, click the + button
Type a name for the new instance — use a descriptive name like the event name or date
Press Enter or click Add to confirm
The new instance appears below Default — click into it to begin configuring
Important: Instances cannot be recovered once deleted. Confirm the name is correct before deleting any instance.
Note: The Default instance is always present and cannot be deleted. It is safe to use Default for your first event.
Building a Trivia Round from Scratch
Use this when setting up your first game or a new round in an existing instance.
Part A — Create the round
Inside your instance, click Control in the left navigation
Click Add Round at the top of the panel
Enter a name for the round — for example: "Game 1" or your event name
Click Add to confirm
Part B — Configure the round settings
Choose your Game Mode: Manual, Automatic, or On Demand
Set your timer display preference — Points Remaining or Time Remaining
Set your timer shape preference — Linear bar or Circular hexagon
Set Question Sequence to Sequence — only use Random if your game mode is On Demand
Adjust the Countdown Stage timer — default is 60 seconds; 10–15 seconds is common for live events
Set your Question duration — default is 60 seconds; 15–30 seconds works well for live events
Set your Question Reveal timer — default is 3 seconds
Adjust Points per question and Deduction per second to your preference
Part C — Add questions
Scroll down to the Questions section and click Add Question
Type or paste your question text — maximum 120 characters
Select Multiple Choice or Free Response
For Multiple Choice: enter each answer option and mark the correct one
For Free Response: enter the primary correct answer, then add any acceptable alternatives
Optionally upload an image or video for the video board and/or participant devices
Click Save
Repeat for each question — use the drag handle to reorder at any time
Tip: Prepare your questions in a spreadsheet first and copy/paste them in — much faster than typing each one directly.
Running a Live Game in Manual Mode
Use this when a staff member or host will control the pace of the game at a live event.
Before starting
Open the participant link in a browser tab or on your phone to use as a preview
Open the mainboard link on your video board or display screen and go fullscreen
Confirm Game Mode is set to Manual in your round settings
Set the Countdown Stage timer to a shorter duration for your test run — for example: 10 seconds
Starting the game
Click Start in the instance row
A confirmation dialog appears — click Yes
The countdown stage begins on the video board and participant devices immediately
Note: In Manual mode the countdown timer will run down to zero but will NOT advance automatically — you must click to proceed.
Running each stage
When ready, click Move to Next Stage to advance from the countdown to the first question
Guests see the question and timer on their devices; the video board shows the same
When ready to close the question, click Move to Next Stage — you can do this before the timer reaches zero to move things along
The correct answer is highlighted on both the video board and participant devices
Click Move to Next Stage to proceed to the next question
Repeat for all questions
After the final question reveal, click Move to Next Stage to show the leaderboard
Ending the game
Click Live or Stop to end the session
Click Yes to confirm
Note: Each Start-to-Stop cycle is saved as one session in your Analytics.
Running a Game in Automatic Mode
Use this when the game should run on its own after you click Start — no operator needed for stage transitions.
Set Game Mode to Automatic in your round settings
Confirm all timers are set to your desired durations
Open the mainboard link on your display screen and go fullscreen
Click Start, then Yes to confirm
Note: In Automatic mode, the game progresses through every stage on its own based on your timer settings. No further input is needed.
Monitor the preview — stages advance automatically through the countdown, questions, and leaderboard
When the game ends, click Live/Stop and confirm
Tip: Automatic mode is ideal for sponsor kiosks or areas without a dedicated operator.
Setting Up and Running an On-Demand Game
Use this when guests should be able to start the game on their own schedule over a period of time.
In Control, set Game Mode to On-Demand
Configure all timers — these apply per guest, triggered individually when each person taps Start
If using rank-based prizes, set your prize Distribution Type to Manual in the Prizing section
Important: If rank-based prizes are set to Automatic in On Demand mode, you will not be permitted to start the activation.
Share the participant URL or QR code with guests via social media, signage, or email before the activation begins
Click Start in the instance column, then Yes to confirm — the game is now live
The video board displays a live leaderboard; guests who open the participant link see a Start button and begin when they choose
Note: The activation stays open until you click Live/Stop — it can run for hours, days, or weeks.
When the activation period is over, click Live/Stop and confirm
If using Manual prize distribution, click Distribute All Manual Prizes in the Prizing section prior to stopping the event
Sharing Your QR Code and Participant Link
Use this when you need to distribute the game link before or during an event.
In the instance you would like to use, click the QR code icon
The panel opens showing the QR code and participant URL
To save the QR code as a high-resolution PNG for print: click Save QR Code or right-click on the QR code and click Save As
To copy the QR code image to your clipboard: click Copy QR Code
To copy the URL: click the copy icon
To open the participant view directly: click the chain-link icon
Share the URL via social media, email, your event app, or any promotional materials
Tip: The saved QR code is high resolution and suitable for large-format print and digital graphics.
Setting Up Your Video Board Display
Use this when connecting Trivia Mania to a TV, projector, or LED board at your venue.
In the instance you are using, click the mainboard output link icon
Click the chain-link icon to open the mainboard URL in a new browser tab, OR copy the URL and paste it into the browser on your display device
On the display screen, go fullscreen — press F11 or use the browser's fullscreen option
The display is now live — it updates in real time during the game
Note: Before the game starts the display will show your pre-game screen (splash page and logos). Once Start is clicked, the game begins on screen.
Tip: Test the video board output before your event by running a short test game.
Importing a Question Bank
Use this when you have a pre-built question set or want to reuse questions from a previous event.
Inside your round in Control, scroll to the Questions section
Click Import
Click Choose File and select your JSON question file from your device
All questions load immediately — review, edit, or reorder as needed
Note: The JSON file must match the format produced by the Export function. Do not alter the file structure. Only JSON files created by the CUE Platform may be used.
Tip: To build a reusable question bank: set up questions manually, then click Export. Save the file as your master template for future events.
Applying Your Brand Colors
Use this when setting up your activation's visual design or fixing a contrast issue.
In your instance, click Design, then click Color
Find the element you want to change — for example: Mobile Background, Question Text, Answer Background
Click the paint bucket icon next to that element to open the color picker
Enter your six-digit hex code in the hex field — the platform adds full opacity automatically
Or drag the crosshair in the visual picker to select a color
To adjust transparency: drag the opacity slider — set to 0% for fully transparent
To save a color for reuse: click Add Swatch after selecting it
Click Save to apply the color
Open the participant link preview to check how it looks on a device
Important: If your question text and background are the same color, the text will be invisible. Always preview after making color changes.
Tip: To make questions appear directly on your background image with no box: set Question Background to 0% opacity AND set Question Frame to Solid type at 0% opacity. Both must be transparent.
Creating a Prize in Global Prizing
Use this when you need to build a new prize to offer to participants.
Click the gear icon in the upper right → Main Menu → Global Prizing
Click Add New Prize
Enter a name for the prize — this is seen in the prize vault if enabled
Select or create a category if you want to organize your prize library — you can select “None” if you do not want to sort prized by categories
Click Use Editor to open the coupon builder
Upload your coupon background image — design a 9:16 portrait image in your design tool and upload it for a fully branded result
To add SMS or email sharing: click Share in the editor and select SMS or Email
If you added a sharing button you do not want, select it and press Delete
Click Save in the coupon editor
Back in the prize settings, enter a Description — required — only shown to guests if SMS or email sharing is enabled
Set Prize Limits as needed — for example: limit one prize per guest per event
Click Demo under Visual Effects to preview the confetti animation — customize the colors if desired
Toggle on any post-claim messages you want guests to see after saving their prize
Click Save to finalize
Tip: The quickest method for a custom coupon: design a 9:16 image in Canva or any design tool, upload it as the background, and you have a fully branded coupon instantly.
Attaching a Prize to Your Activation
Use this after creating a prize in Global Prizing — this connects it to your game.
In your Trivia Mania instance, click Prizing
Click Add New Prize
Enter a name for this prize rule
Set the total quantity available — enter a large number like 100,000 for effectively unlimited
Select Distribution Type: Automatic or Manual
Select Condition Type: Participation, Rank, Points, Time, or Games Played
For Rank: enter the qualifying rank range — for example: ranks 1 through 3
For First Place: Choose Ranks 1 through 1
Prizes are not delivered in rank order; so the number of prizes available should match the total ranks
For Points: enter the minimum point total required
Select the prize from the dropdown — this connects your Global Prizing prize to this activation
Click Save
Note: You can attach multiple prizes with different condition types — for example, everyone gets a participation prize and the top three players also receive a rank prize.
Important: Prize limits set in Global Prizing always override limits set here. Global Prizing takes final priority.
Viewing Your Analytics and Exporting a Report
Use this after your event to review performance and download player data.
In your instance column, click Analytics
Use the instance dropdown in the top right to select the instance you want to review
Review the session list — each row represents one Start-to-Stop game session
Review the summary columns: QR code scans, total players, unique players, returning players
Click Save Report under the Action column for any session to download an Excel file
The Excel file includes per-player data: username, time in game, questions answered, and total points
Tip: If you ran test sessions before your event, they will appear in the list alongside real event sessions. Identify your event by date and time.
Exporting a Prize Report
Use this when you need to see who received prizes and any contact data collected.
Click the gear icon in the upper right → Main Menu → Global Prizing
Open the prize you want to report on
Click Save Prize Report
An Excel file downloads with: username, prize category, delivery timestamp, and any collected contact data
Note: If SMS or email sharing was enabled on the prize, the report includes the phone numbers or email addresses submitted by recipients.
Testing Your Game Before the Event
Use this as your pre-event checklist — run through this sequence before every activation.
In Control, set Game Mode to Manual
Set the Countdown Stage timer to 5 seconds for a fast test
Set Question duration to 10 seconds
Open the participant link on your phone or a browser tab
Open the mainboard link in another tab or on your display screen
Click Start, then Yes
Walk through each stage using Move to Next Stage — verify question text, media, and answers look correct on both screens
Check that all colors contrast clearly on both screens
Answer a question and verify the correct answer highlights properly
Advance to the leaderboard and confirm it displays correctly
Click Live/Stop to end the test session
Restore your timers to your event values before going live
Important: Test sessions appear in Analytics alongside real sessions. This is normal and does not affect your event data.
Tip: Testing in Manual mode gives you full control of pace — you can inspect every screen as long as you need.