Gameplay

NOTE: The *Ages* saga is completely fictitious. There are no real *Ages* video games. If there were, however, this is how they would function!

## Campaign

Each installation of *Ages* adds four single-player stories, one for each new faction introduced. These story campaigns are all several levels long with unique control schemes, enemies, maps, bosses, and gameplay segments split up between human-scale warriors and giant size Legends. Each set of campaigns shares one final boss, though how it's fought differs in each. Every faction has its own ending.

#### Warrior Levels

The larger portion of most campaigns is spent on the ground level, controlling humanoid (or at least human-sized) sentient beings in 3rd person. These are the most story-driven portions of the game, usually having multiple complex objectives, dialogue, and cutscenes. They also include many unique elements such as custom levels, ambient fauna, enemies, and bosses that cannot be encountered at a larger scale. The specifics of how each character functions varies by Race, but all share basic elements like a health bar, objective list, radar, and toggle-able weapons or inventory.

#### Legend Levels

Interspersed between more traditional levels are opportunities for players to control Legends- enormous mythical beasts that can level villages and fight whole armies all on their own. Legend levels are usually less complex and have more straight forward objectives, but that doesn't necessarily make them easier. For as powerful as these characters are, they still have others of their kind to contend with- not to mention a far greater number of (albeit comparatively smaller) enemies and obstacles onscreen. Often they are thrust into situations with multiple armies and encampments, siege machines, fortifications, and opposing Legends.

## Controls

### Warrior Controls

* **Analogue Sticks** - Left stick controls character movement, right stick controls the camera. Press either to Lock-On to a nearby enemy.
* **Square** - Attack
* **Triangle** - Interact
* **Circle** - Special (different for each Race)
* **Cross** - Jump
* **L1/R1** - Block
* **D-pad** - Switch item/weapon

### Legend Controls

* **Analogue Sticks** - Left stick controls character movement, right stick controls the camera. Press either to Lock-On to a nearby enemy.
* **Square** - Light attack
* **Triangle** - Heavy attack
* **Circle** - Grapple
* **Cross** - Extra move (varies by Legend)
* **L1/R1** - Defense move (varies by Legend)
* **L2** - Roar
* **R2** - Active special
* **D-pad** - Place turret

## Heads Up Display

Exactly what a players HUD (Heads Up Display) looks like varies depending on what Race or Legend they're playing as, but there are important commonalities among all options. Here are the basics!

* ***Character portrait and health bar*** - center, top of screen. Displays what Race or Legend the player is controlling as well as how much health they have. Split into small segments, or *pips*, that start full but can be depleted when taking damage. Warrior races have 10 health pips to fill or deplete while Legends have 15. Either will die if the health bar is completely depleted.
	+ ***Enemy portrait and health bar*** - center of screen, below the player's health bar. This only appears if the player is directly facing or locked on to a nearby enemy.
* ***Items/Ammunition*** - below portrait on health bar. Warrior levels only. Displays how many of each consumable item the player has in their inventory. What items or weapons they have at their disposal varies by Race.
* ***Weapon Toggle*** - left, transparent. Temporary. Shows which weapon the player currently has equipped and which weapons are next and previous in their inventory. By default this display only appears when the player uses the D-pad to swap through weapons (can be made permanent under Options). Warrior levels only.
* ***Map*** - right, bottom corner. Displays the players current location, as well as those of nearby enemies and objects of interest. Its range is limited during Warrior levels but expands when controlling a Legend, showing the entire area. In these cases most of the map will also be covered in a shadowy *fog of war* which obscures far off portions of the map. Exploring terrain will clear fog of war, but not permanently reveal the locations of enemies- they only appear when inside the player's *line of sight*, the highlighted area surrounding the players location.
	+ During Legend levels the player's location is marked by a glowing green dot. Allies are a slightly different shade of green and enemies glow bright red.
	+ Control Points are also marked on the map, being gray by default (neutral, unclaimed) and turning either red or green depending on whether they're taken control of by an enemy or an ally. Control Points under allied control have a line of sight just like the player. Turrets have a shorter line of sight but work the same way.
* ***Objectives*** -Upper right. Written instructions on where to go next and what to do. Objectives that have already been completed (or failed) become faded and crossed out. On-screen for both Warriors and Legends, but only appears in story mode.
* ***Points***. Upper right, above Objectives. Temporary. Displays the number of Points the player has accumulated during a level. It appears whenever it is updated (via killing an enemy, collecting a pick-up, or completing an objective) and fades away after. Can be set to permanent in the Options menu, like the Weapon Toggle. The total number of Points earned will be displayed at the end of a level regardless.
	+ Points are used as an in-game currency to unlock skins, game modes, and maps. They can only be earned in singe-player.

## Collectibles

During both Warrior and Legend levels, enemies slain by the player may drop *health pickups*. These hovering, glowing orbs have abbreviated text markers and come in six varieties:

* **SM** (Small). +1 health pip for Warriors, +2 health pips for Legends.
* **MED** (Medium). +3 health pips for Warriors, +5 health pips for Legends.
* **LG** (Large). +5 health pips for Warriors, +7 health pips for Legends.
* **MAX**. Completely refills the healthbar.
* **X** (Negative). -3 health pips for Warriors, -5 health pips for Legends. Watch out!
* **?** (Random). Can be either SM, MED, LG, or X. Are you feeling lucky?

Additionally, there are also pick-ups that do not affect health. These spawn only in Warrior levels and most are Race-specific, being either consumables or ammunition for weapons. Other examples that can be picked up by any Race include:

* **XP+**. Looks like a health pick-up, but purple. Each XP+ collected adds a small multiplier to the total number of Points awarded at the end of that level.
* **Torn Page**. Unlocks a hidden piece of lore in the Extras menu.
* **Paintbrush**. Unlocks one piece of concept art in the Extras menu.
* **Golden Fleece**. Impossibly rare. It unlocks one skin for one Legend at random!

## Legend/Multiplayer Specific Mechanics

* **Cooldowns**. Instead of weapons and items, Legends have *powers*: natural abilities with unique offensive or defensive effects. Any time a power is used it automatically enters a *cooldown* period where it cannot be used again. How long it takes for this cooldown to complete varies depending on the effects of the power used. Allies and enemies can also affect them, as many Legends have powers that can either shorten or extend the cooldowns of other players.
* **Active Specials**. Legend powers activated with the R2 button. In many cases they are the "main" power of a Legend, playing a critical role in combat like raising a shield or firing a projectile. Using an Active Special activates a cooldown.
* **Passive Specials**. Legend powers that don't need button presses or cooldowns. These lesser effects are always active and usually come in the form of specific resistances or buffs.
* **Roars**. Legend powers activated with the L2 button. Roars have a more indirect effect on combat, not able to deal damage outright but capable of weakening nearby enemies, enhancing the player, or boosting their allies.
* **Control Points**. Large, specially marked zones that represent important points of interest. They start neutral and plain but can be won and turned into bases by specific players (or their teams) by guarding them uncontested for several seconds. The goal of most multiplayer modes is to capture and hold every Control Point on a map.
	+ **Bases**. Once a Control Point has been taken over, the Race associated with the Legend who won it will start to built an encampment. The area will become populated with droves of tiny warriors and villages, buildings will appear, and walls will rise along its borders. The main purpose of a base is to slow down enemy Legends, who will have to smash their way through to reach the Control Point in the center of the area. Bases also provide a clear visual indicator as to how large a territory is and whether or not it is owned. Not all Control Points turn into bases, however, and ones that don't are much harder to guard!
	+ Control Points that are baseless (either by nature or because they haven't yet been claimed) have their own visual indicators, like changing flora and terrain, shimmering sparkles, mist, or a differently colored atmosphere. The Control Point at their center is marked on the players map by default but can also be recognized visually as some sort of highlighted building, landmark, or natural resource.
* **Turrets**. A mechanic added in *Age of Aether*. Turrets are large, stationary structures separate from bases that can be placed anywhere on a map except in the territory of an enemy-owned Control Point. To place a turret, players need only press one of the four main directions on their d-pad. Each Race has its own unique turret, so players in multiplayer matches with multiple aligned Races can choose between different types. To preview a turret before building it, hold the d-pad direction before releasing; the players own turret type is always up on the d-pad.
	+ A maximum of four turrets can be placed at a time, with no restriction on how far apart they are. If an enemy destroys the players turret (either by attacking it or taking over the Control Point territory it was built on) they will immediately be able to build a new one. They do take time to build, however, so it isn't an instant fix!
* **Godbreath Veins**. A mechanic added in *Age of Aether.* Godbreath Veins are weakpoints in Luenra's crust that leak an invigorating green vapor normally sealed within the heart of the world. Standing on Godbreath Veins instantly completes all of a Legends cooldowns, making their Active Special and Roar immediately useable. Moreover, standing on a Vein for long enough grants a special status in which cooldowns *are not activated at all*, allowing for infinite power use for a short period of time.
	+ Godbreath Veins are treated as structures and thus can be damaged by attacks. Striking one multiple times will cause it to collapse, permanently destroying the Vein and denying all players of its effects.
* **Respawning** is what happens when a player gets killed in battle. After death they're given a 10 second countdown to wait through, in which time they can choose which of their owned/allied Control Points they want to resurrect at.
	+ In game modes without respawns, players may enter **Spectator Mode** after being killed. It works essentially the same way, but instead of respawning as a Legend, the player becomes a tiny, helpless human or or some other similarly sized creature, unable to participate in a match proper but still able to watch what's going on from a ground level!

## Multiplayer

Local & online multiplayer is centered around Legends. Monsters and races from all Ages can mingle in these modes!

### Land Grab

The all-purpose default multiplayer mode. Two teams of 3 are placed at opposite ends of a very large, procedurally generated map and are tasked with taking over every Control Point in sight. Victory is decided when one team owns every single Control Point at once or time runs out, in which case the team with the most Control Points wins.

* The match time-limit can be customized or turned off completely.
* Can be played with other players, CPUs, or a combination of the two.
* While 3v3 is considered standard composition, the number of players on each side can be set anywhere between 1-4, allowing for a potential maximum of 8 players.
	+ The number of teams can also be customized. For example: 2v2v4, 1v7, etc.
* Players can save a list of their favorite maps to reuse rather than generating new ones each match.
	+ A selection of premade maps also exists. Each *Ages* expansion adds new ones.
* Deaths & respawns are unlimited.

#### Adaptation

A zanier version of Land Grab with all the same options and rules. The twist here is that players don't choose their Legend (or skin!), and every time they die they'll respawn as something different!

#### Extinction

A high stakes, sudden death version of Land Grab. Time is greatly reduced and cannot be turned off. When the counter hits zero meteorites start to rain down on the map, dealing small amounts of damage at random everywhere. The timer then resets and every time it hits zero again after a massive asteroid will fall, permanently destroying one Control Point.

#### Climate Change

A more grueling version of Land Grab. Each team is randomly assigned either Hot or Cold at the start of the match and then all Control Points they own will affect the weather around them, generating either heatwaves or blizzards to negatively affect the other team.

#### Nature's Mercy

A more tense and chaotic iteration of Land Grab. Every so many minutes the weather will change, cycling at random between clear skies, storms, heatwaves, and blizzards, all the while natural disasters can strike at any moment.

Weather states:

* *Storms* slowly but drastically raise the water level, making travel easier for aquatic Legends but slowing down everyone else. Lightning bolts will rarely and randomly strike.
* *Heatwaves* slowly but drastically lower the water level, making movement for aquatic Legends far harder. Cooldowns regenerate slightly slower, health pickups spawn less often, and fire lasts longer and deals more damage.
* *Blizzards* cause water to freeze over completely, denying aquatic Legends the ability to swim and temporarily replacing all rivers and lakes with slippery ice. Harsh winds push players around, cooldowns slow to a crawl, and ice attacks deal more damage.

Disasters:

* *Earthquake*. The screen shakes and all structures on the map take minor but continuous damage over time. Can happen in any weather.
* *Meteor Shower*. Works the same as in Extinction. Can happen in any weather but deals more damage during heatwaves.
* *Volcanism*. Innocuous cracks form in the ground at random locations all over the map, gradually becoming more obvious by steaming and glowing until finally they erupt, throwing fire and lava up in massive geysers that torch and destroy. Harder to see coming during a blizzard but deals more damage during a heatwave. Can happen in any weather.
* *Tornado*. A giant twister touches down at a random location and zigzags across the map, destroying all structures it comes in contact with and pulling Legends toward it. Getting caught in the tornado lifts the player off the ground and throws them in a random direction, dealing heavy damage. Can only happen during clear skies and storms.
* *Tsunami*. A massive wave sweeps over the map, dealing heavy damage to structures and Legends alike. Can only happen during storms.

### Warpath

A mode similar to Land Grab, but more combat oriented. Can be played with teams or as a free-for-all. Control Points still exist, but can't be taken or lost and are divided equally between players/teams. The objective here is to rack up as many kills as possible before time runs out. The player/team who slew the most Legends wins.

### Survival of the Fittest

A free-for-all mode with no respawns and a special timer. Every time a Legend dies a few more minutes get added, but if time runs out the borders of the map will shrink by 25% and time will reset! Last Legend standing wins. Minimum player count is 3.

### Rampage

Players spawn on a medium sized map with unobtainable CPU bases and are tasked with destroying as many structures as possible. Whoever destroys the highest percentage before time runs out wins. Can be played 1v1 or in teams. Maximum player limit is 6. No Control Points, no deaths.

## Extras

### Skins

Skins are optional cosmetics that change the appearances of Legends. They may alter the color, voice, attack effects and even model of a character, but have no impact on the way they function in-game. Every Legend in the series has at least 12; the first 2 are always available from the start while the rest must be unlocked by spending Points. Some Legends also have bonus skins that can only be acquired as DLC.
To equip a skin before the start of a match, use the D-pad while hovering over a character; each of the eight directions (up, down, left, right, and the four diagonals) is a shortcut to equipping a skin. The first 8 of that character's available skins are set as defaults, but each player can assign any skin they want to any direction by using the Options menu during Character Selection.

### Lore

Written entries describing the world of Luenra, its past, and its inhabitants. Lore is passively unlocked as the player makes progress through each single-player Campaign, and while there are some secret entries that can only be read by obtaining Torn Pages, none need to be purchased with Points!

### Gallery

A collection of high-res renders, illustrations, and concept art for each Age. Gallery art is obtained primarily by collecting hidden Paintbrushes and completing Campaigns, though each Ages Gallery also has a set of images that can only be purchased with Points.
The Gallery can also be used to rewatch cutscenes and cinematics.

### Model Viewer

Allows in-game character models (Races, Enemies, Bosses, and Legends) to be examined. Each model can be turned in any direction, zoomed in and out on, and has a list of animations that can be previewed and looped. If the character being viewed is a Legend then all of its skins can be previewed here, providing they've already been unlocked.

### The Legendarium

An out of canon, in-game encyclopedia that details the real life inspirations for Ages! This optional, educational content covers topics like human history and world cultures, geography, paleontology, paranormal activity, pop culture, famous literature, the processes that create and preserve mythology, and much, much more! Like Lore, Legendarium entries do not require Points to unlock and appear naturally as each Campaign mode is completed.

### Cheats

A list of super-secret passwords that gradually and mysteriously unlock... try punching them in during single-player and see what happens!

#### Compatible with Any Campaign

* **CH234NG3** - CPU Legends in Campaign mode appear with randomized skins instead of their default looks. Only skins you've already unlocked can appear.
* **0G0D5GMP** - Unlimited items & ammo in Warrior levels, no power cooldowns in Legend levels, and invulnerability in both. Also maxes out Race-specific meters and consumables.
* **000000PS** - Causes subtle anachronisms to spawn at random in every level. Keep an eye out for little disturbances like airplanes flying in the background, cavemen wearing wristwatches, and styrofoam coffee cups in castles.
* **0CSH4SFX** - Replaces all sound effects with hokey, low-quality stock sounds like Hollywood monster roars, Indiana Jones punches, and the famous Wilhelm scream.
* **TH3M1XVP**- Switches to a different Legend roster during campaign mode. Example: Play through Age of Aether’s story but use and fight against only Legends from Age of Fire. Enter the code multiple times to toggle between different rosters!
* **TH18TT85** - Replaces all playable characters with *The Time Traveler*, a British big game hunter from the 1800s. Tally ho! He has very low health and can't use the items or consumables of any Race, but he does carry a lantern and a rifle, effectively giving him an automatic torch and unlimited ammo and range!
	+ In Legend levels The Time Traveler appears steering his hovercraft time-machine, which has similar attributes. Even in his vehicle he's still dwarfed by true Legends, but his vessel has excellent speed and unmatched maneuverability! He has no melee attacks or Passive Special and his "Roar" (honking the horn) does nothing, but he can Rewind short distances and has the distinct advantage of being utterly armed to the teeth! *NOTE: This cheat will only work if all four Campaigns in an Age have been completed already.*

#### Age of Fire only

* **3V0LT10N** - Replaces the dinosaur Legends' sound effects with miscellaneous bird sounds. Makes The Tyrant crow like a rooster, The Warhorn quack, The Shadeschemer sing like a canary, and so forth. Doesn't affect the Shalestinger, Urserpent, Rotknuckle, Plowhead, or Mammoth... The Sabertooth does meow though.
* **PS51L3NT** - Completely turns off all sound effects... for The Pterodactyl Legend and Pteromimus enemies only.
* **CLVRGRL1** - Plays The Raptor's warcry and shakes the screen.
* **TLS3TTDH** - A developer yells "I... HAVE TWO-ROCKS!". If playing the Ubaan Campaign two stones will be added to your inventory.
* **RIPC00TR** - Changes the players hairdo in Warrior levels. Ubaan get a purple afro and fumanchu. Dryll sport muttonchops and a blue mohawk. Makilek get a purple beard and mohawk. Rith grow a gray beard and ponytail. Cooter stays dead.
* **S0THNDR** - Spawns colorful little butterflies that randomize all enemies on the map if killed.
* **10000BC** - The screen shakes. If playing the Ubaan Campaign the player's character will transform into a redheaded cavewoman.

#### Age of Aether only

* **0NC3VP0N**- Adds a sketchy sepia-toned filter and a storybook-esque border to the screen. Horns blow when you complete a mission.
* **R3LS3TH3**- Shakes the screen and plays the Kraken’s roar.
* **R0VL3TT3**- Replaces all enemies with pacas... allegedly.
* **PCK3T3SS**- Makes your character turn invisible. Only bosses can see you.
* **M4D3N551**- Every time you first strike an enemy there’s a 20% chance they’ll transform into a random different enemy. All health pickups become cheese.
* **L1T3R4TR**- Replaces the Necromancer’s spellbook with a copy of *Hard in Hightown*.
* **DTH0ATHR**- Makes a metallic gold fairy spawn somewhere in each Warrior level. It moves at 1000% normal speed and wanders the level freely, unaffected by hazards and other creatures but avoiding contact with the player… if you can find a way to land a hit it’ll explode in a burst of blue, pink, and white confetti to the sound of children cheering. Drops a MAX health pickup and lots of XP+.
* **TSS4C01N**- Plays the sound of rattling change. If you're playing a Warrior level and have gold in your inventory you’ll lose one coin, then a developer will say “Now pour me some ale!” and a random enemy will die onscreen.
* **R3NF41R3**- Turns the Campaign into a Renaissance Faire! All NPCs become humans with accessories like flower wreaths, elf ears, or painted faces, NPCs that are normally non-human wear cheap looking masks, and weapons are retextured as shiny plastic. Animals aren’t animated and move around T-posed with a pole connecting them to the ground. Legends make hydraulic noises when they move, ambient chatter in towns is about how life-like your costume is, and health pickups become turkey legs.