Chameleon is a hide and seek painting game where hiders paint themselves to match the map while seekers hunt them down. If you're a hider, your goal is to blend into your surroundings and survive until the timer runs out. If you're a seeker, you'll hunt down the hiders using special abilities. The game is fast, creative, and all about camouflage.

Your First Game

When you load into a match, you'll be assigned as either a hider or a seeker.

If you're a hider:

  1. Wait for the game to start. You'll get a few seconds to prepare before the seekers are unleashed.
  2. Open your paint tools and start customizing your color. Use C to pick colors from the environment around you.
  3. Find a good hiding spot on the map that matches the colors you've chosen.
  4. Stay still and blend in until the timer ends.

If you're a seeker:

  1. Wait for the match to begin.
  2. Use R to activate your seeker abilities and hunt down the hiders.
  3. Look for players who don't quite match their surroundings.
  4. Catch hiders before time runs out.

Painting Mechanics

Painting is the core of the hider role. You have several tools to customize your appearance:

  • B — Brush: Use a brush to paint custom colors onto your character.
  • G — Fill: Fill large areas of your character with a single color quickly.
  • C — Color Picker: Sample colors directly from objects on the map to match your surroundings perfectly.
  • Q — Undo: Reverse your last paint action if you made a mistake.
  • E — Redo: Reapply an action you undid.
💡 Tip — Use the color picker (C) to sample colors from walls, furniture, and objects around your hiding spot. Exact matches make you nearly invisible.

Hider Survival Tactics

Painting alone isn't enough to survive. You also have special actions to help you outsmart seekers:

  • F — Freeze: Lock your character in place. Seekers are looking for movement, so freezing makes you a static part of the scenery.
  • T — Taunt: Challenge the seekers. Use taunts to distract them or throw them off your location.

The best hiders combine good painting with smart positioning. Find spots where your colors naturally blend—corners, shelves, painted walls, or furniture. Match your colors to that spot, then freeze in place and wait quietly.

💡 Tip — Don't move around too much once you're hidden. Movement catches seekers' eyes faster than static color matching.

Seeker Abilities

Seekers have the advantage of abilities to track down hiders. Press R to activate your seeker powers and use them strategically to flush out disguised players.

Winning and Losing

Hiders win if they survive until the time limit expires without being caught.

Seekers win if they catch all the hiders before time runs out.

Each round lasts a fixed amount of time. The pressure builds as the clock ticks down—hiders get more nervous, and seekers hunt faster.

💡 Tip — Watch where other hiders are hiding. If seekers are focusing on one area, move to a spot they've already checked.

Common Beginner Mistakes

  • Painting too bright or too dark: If your colors don't match your hiding spot, seekers spot you instantly. Use the color picker to get exact matches.
  • Moving after you hide: The slightest movement gives away your position. Freeze and stay still.
  • Hiding in obvious spots: Seekers check popular hiding places first. Find quieter corners and less obvious furniture.
  • Ignoring the timer: Keep an eye on how much time is left. In the final seconds, seekers will search more aggressively.
  • Not using your tools: As a hider, use all your painting tools—brush, fill, and color picker. As a seeker, use your abilities (R) to search effectively.

Controls at a Glance

Master these controls to play smoothly:

  • B: Brush tool
  • G: Fill tool
  • C: Color picker
  • Q: Undo
  • E: Redo
  • F: Freeze in place
  • T: Taunt
  • R: Activate abilities (seekers)

Once you've played a few rounds, you'll get a feel for how seekers think and where they look. The best hiders are patient, creative with their painting, and smart about their hiding spots. Good luck blending in!