Doggo 108

What counts as a complex shape?

Any walk where the path traces out three or more separate enclosed regions, each at least 2,500 m². The most common varieties:

Three-loop figure-of-eight

An extra lobe added to a classic figure-of-eight. Could be three loops in a row, three around a shared crossover (a three-leaf clover), or any other arrangement where three significant areas are enclosed.

Four-leaf clover

Four loops radiating from a common crossover point, each forming one "leaf" of the clover. Each leaf needs to enclose at least 2,500 m². You don't have to start and finish at the centre; the path can begin and end anywhere as long as it closes within 50 metres.

Loops inside loops

A walk where a smaller loop sits inside the area enclosed by a larger one. For example: walk around a park's outer perimeter, then walk around a smaller feature inside the park (a pond, a band-stand, a clearing). Both loops register as separate enclosed regions.

Combinations

A long walk that includes a loop here, an out-and-back leg there, another loop somewhere else. As long as each enclosed region passes the 2,500 m² threshold and the walk closes within 50 metres of where it started, all the loops get recorded.

What does not count?

• Loops that are too small. Each enclosed region must be at least 2,500 m². A tiny extra wiggle inside a big loop is just noise, not an additional loop.
• Walks that don't close. Start-to-finish must be within 50 metres — the same closure rule as every other shape.
• Phantom loops from GPS wobble. Doggo 108 filters out micro-loops that come from urban-canyon GPS noise rather than actual walking. Only meaningful enclosed regions count.
• "Loops" that are actually just out-and-back legs. Walking out to a feature, around it, then back the same way is one loop with a tail, not two loops.

FAQ

Does Doggo 108 score complex shapes differently from a simple figure-of-eight?

Not for the daily weekday challenge — any walk with two or more loops counts as a figure-of-eight. The walk doc on the backend records every loop's centroid and area, so future game mechanics could reward complexity, but today it's a single pass/fail check.

What's the maximum number of loops I can do in a single walk?

No hard limit. The algorithm records every significant enclosed region (≥ 2,500 m²) the path traces. Five-leaf clovers, six-loop chains, whatever you can walk in a reasonable amount of time — all get captured.

Do the loops need to be the same size?

No. Each loop is measured independently. You could combine a huge loop around a park with a small loop around a square as long as each is above the 2,500 m² threshold.

Can complex shapes be planned in advance?

Yes, and we'd love to see them. Sketching the route on a map first usually helps — figure-of-eights and clovers don't tend to happen by accident. Once you've done one, the next one's easier to plan.

How do I visualise my multi-loop walk after uploading?

The walk doc on the backend stores a GPX track. You can download it (Account → Walk History → walk details, when that surface is live) and drop the file into a viewer like gpx.studio to see your route overlaid on a satellite map.

What's the most satisfying complex shape?

Personal opinion: the four-leaf clover. Hard to plan, satisfying to walk, looks distinctive on the map. The three-loop chain is a close second — adds depth without the geometric difficulty.