Tagging & role handoff

The canonical WAGE mechanic: one player has a role (it), gets close to another, asserts a tag, and the role moves.

Ingredients

• An interaction with a verb, so the tag is asserted (GPS can’t see a touch).
• A rule that reacts to the verb and swaps state between same (tagger) and other (target).

The interaction

interactions:
  - verb: tag
    label: "Tag"
    rangeMeters: 5
    confirm: none
    initiatorFilters: [{ key: "state.it", value: true }]    # only it can tag
    targetFilters:    [{ key: "state.it", value: false }]   # only non-it can be tagged

confirm: none is honor-system (instant). Switch to confirm: mutual if you want the taggee to confirm.

The rule

rules:
  - id: tag
    when:
      kind: and
      children:
        - { kind: interaction, verb: tag }                       # same = tagger, other = target
        - { kind: state_equals, who: same,  key: it, value: true  }
        - { kind: state_equals, who: other, key: it, value: false }
    do:
      - { kind: log, message: "{player} tagged {other}" }
      - { kind: set_state, target: same,  key: it, value: false }   # tagger is free
      - { kind: set_state, target: other, key: it, value: true  }   # target is now it
      - { kind: send_event, to: other, event: { type: toast, text: "You're it!" } }

Source: apps/wage-engine/src/games/tag/game.yaml.

Variations

• Proximity instead of a button. Replace the interaction child with { kind: proximity, a: any, b: any, meters: 5 } to make the tag automatic on approach. (Then the role-state filters decide who tags whom.) Note proximity is edge-triggered, so it fires once per approach.
• Infection (no handoff). For Zombie, don’t clear the tagger’s role — just set the target’s: drop the set_state target: same line so tagging spreads the role instead of passing it.
• Spreading via team. Set targetFilters/teamRelation so only the right victims are taggable.

See also: Freeze & thaw for a tag that disables rather than hands off.