ChronoTrace is being prepared for release. The current iOS and Android builds apply child-directed advertising settings to all players. Advertising checks on devices and store privacy declarations are still being completed.
What kind of game is it?
ChronoTrace is a logic puzzle about movement and time. Players try a route, use Fork echo to save its actions, and solve the puzzle alongside the echo as it repeats them. Offline play does not require a ChronoTrace online account. Optional online features use a separate account; availability depends on the app version. On iOS, signing in to Apple Game Center enables achievements and leaderboard results; parents should review the child’s Game Center profile and sharing settings with Apple. Online Google Play Games features are not enabled in the current Android release.
Explore together
Ask “what do you think will happen?” before a move. If a puzzle gets frustrating, take a break or try a different idea. Encourage children to explain the echo’s role instead of copying a sequence of moves.
Optional online play and public rooms
Arena, the ranked Daily sheet and individual-sheet rankings use one shared account with a generated alias and a fixed icon chosen by the player. No email, real name, custom public name or free-text chat is required. These ChronoTrace online features are for players aged 18 or older starting with version 1.1.0 (build 16). Rivals see the alias, icon, rating and available round replays. Online play is optional; the book and computer practice remain available without this account.
After the adult online check, you may separately choose to use your authenticated Game Center nickname or Play Games gamer tag as your ChronoTrace online name, when that service is available. Existing players must also agree before the name is sent. We store the nickname with your existing online profile and show it to opponents and wherever you have chosen to publish rankings. Only the nickname is sent to our server, not a platform account identifier, email or authentication token. Names are limited to 32 Unicode code points and unsafe control characters are rejected. This does not link accounts, verify identity or replace the recovery code. In Account, choosing to keep the current name stops future updates; the last saved name remains until changed or the online account is deleted. Without platform sign-in or this choice, your existing alias remains.
New rooms are private by default. Choosing public temporarily shows the host’s alias, icon, rating, rated-match count and room information to signed-in online players. They can open the listed host’s limited profile; room members can inspect one another. The default room list shows rooms that can be joined. In newer app versions, the All rooms filter also shows full waiting rooms and rooms counting down before a match, including seat counts, readiness counts and countdown status. A room leaves the directory when its match starts, it closes or expires, or its host is no longer recently connected. Other people may already have saved visible information. Public leaderboard display is off by default and is a separate choice. A host can remove a guest before either player is ready, preventing that account from rejoining the same room.
The age check asks for the player’s birth month and year with no answer selected in advance. It saves only an eligibility category on the device, not the birth month or year. The category is excluded from cloud backups and progress-transfer codes. This self-declaration does not verify a parent’s identity or consent. Do not enter a parent’s age for a child. Children and players who have not completed the check can continue the chapter journey and computer practice; ChronoTrace online account and competition requests remain blocked. Existing accounts can still be deleted through the website. Older test builds may not include this check; update before using online features. Arena has timed rounds; the ranked Daily sheet uses server-measured online time. Take breaks if competition becomes frustrating.
Practice and individual-sheet rankings
The same optional account can also record ranked attempts on individual sheets. Public display follows the existing leaderboard choice. These are repeatable ranked attempts for eligible adult players. Fewer moves rank first; a faster time breaks a tie in moves. Ranked time keeps running during menus and backgrounding; ordinary local practice can still pause. Families can choose local practice without entering an online ranking.
Protect and delete the online account
Adult players should keep their recovery code private. A parent or guardian can help remove an existing child’s account using the website deletion page. It is different from the progress-transfer code and allows control of the online account. Do not email it or show it in a screenshot. Deleting the app does not delete the account. You can confirm deletion in the online Account screen or on this website using the recovery code. Personal online profiles, credentials, moves, Daily records, individual-sheet timed attempts and best results are removed; opponents retain their own results with the deleted account’s identity removed. Offline progress, device backups and copies others have already saved are separate.
Automatic expiry by account inactivity or record age is not currently enabled. The privacy policy describes how records are currently kept and how to request deletion.
Request online account deletion
Sharing and personal information
Workshop maps, screenshots, replays and progress-transfer codes can be shared through other apps chosen by the player. Please help children choose what to share. Do not put names, addresses, school details or contact information in puzzle titles, images or messages.
Progress and reminders
Progress is saved on the device. iOS can sync it through iCloud using the same Apple ID, and Android can include it in system backups according to Google settings. A progress-transfer code lets you copy progress between iOS and Android when you choose to copy and paste it. Optional daily reminders are off by default and scheduled on the device after notification permission is granted. Parents can manage reminders in the game or system settings.
Advertising
The current game integrates Google AdMob for rewarded hints and ads between puzzles. Ad requests use child-directed treatment and a maximum content rating of G, with ad personalization and the SDK’s publisher first-party ID disabled. The iOS game does not request tracking permission. No advertisements are shown inside Arena, the online Daily sheet or an active individual-sheet ranked attempt. The advertising SDK can initialize elsewhere in the app. These settings do not remove all data processing by advertising services; see the privacy policy for details.
Questions or privacy requests
Parents and guardians can contact the publisher to ask about data practices or request access, correction or deletion of information sent to us. Please use a parent’s email and share only what is necessary to understand the request.