Timers

WAGE has two timing tools: the tick condition (periodic) and set_state_delayed (a one-shot delay). Combined with a counter in state, they cover most timed mechanics.

A counting timer (the bomb)

Bomb Tag counts seconds the bomb has been held, then explodes. Increment on a tick, then react when the counter crosses a threshold.

# +1 every second while a player holds the bomb and is alive.
- id: bomb_tick
  when:
    kind: and
    children:
      - { kind: state_equals, who: any,  key: hasBomb, value: true }
      - { kind: state_equals, who: same, key: alive,   value: true }
      - { kind: tick, everyMs: 1000 }
  do:
    - { kind: increment_state, target: same, key: bombTick, by: 1 }

# At 15 seconds it explodes — eliminate the holder, pass the bomb on.
- id: bomb_explodes
  when:
    kind: and
    children:
      - { kind: state_equals, who: any,  key: hasBomb, value: true }
      - { kind: state_equals, who: same, key: alive,   value: true }
      - { kind: compare, who: same, op: gte, left: { ref: same.state.bombTick }, right: 15 }
  do:
    - { kind: set_state, target: same, key: alive, value: false }
    - { kind: set_state, target: same, key: hasBomb, value: false }
    - kind: assign_state_random        # hand the bomb to a random survivor
      assigns: [{ key: hasBomb, value: true }, { key: bombTick, value: 0 }]
      filters: [{ key: alive, value: true }, { key: it, value: false }]
      notify: { type: toast, text: "You have the bomb!" }

Source: apps/wage-engine/src/games/bomb_tag/game.json. Reset the counter to 0 whenever the bomb changes hands so each holder gets a full clock.

A delayed effect

set_state_delayed flips a key after a wait — great for a grace period or a timed unlock. Run it from onStart for an opening delay, or from a rule.

# Release everyone from a locked start 3 seconds in.
onStart:
  - { kind: set_state_delayed, who: any, key: locked, value: false, delayMs: 3000 }

# In a rule: re-arm an ability 5 seconds after use.
do:
  - { kind: set_state, target: same, key: ready, value: false }
  - { kind: set_state_delayed, target: same, key: ready, value: true, delayMs: 5000 }

An opening countdown

Send a countdown event at start so phones show “3… 2… 1… Go!”:

onStart:
  - { kind: send_event, to: any, event: { type: countdown, from: 3 } }

Whole-game timer

For a fixed match length, don’t build it from ticks — set countdownSeconds and the engine ends the game when it expires.