During a game

Once the gamemaster starts the session, the game is live. Here’s how to actually play.

Reading the map

The Map tab is where the game happens. You’ll see:

• Your marker. Its color and direction (heading) reflect your state. In many games your color changes with your role — for example, the player who is “it” turns red, a flag carrier glows gold.
• Zones. The play area boundary and any special zones (a base, a hill, a ship). Stepping across a zone’s edge is often what triggers things.
• Items. Things you can pick up, drawn as little icons where they lie.
• Other players. When the game allows it. Some games hide certain players — in Sardines, hiders are invisible to seekers; in some games you can’t see another player’s facing direction.

Your objective

Near the top of the map you’ll see a short objective — the engine’s plain-language hint about what to do right now. It updates automatically as your situation changes: “Tag someone!” when you’re it, “Get it home!” when you’re carrying loot, “Don’t get tagged.” otherwise. Some objectives also point you toward a target location.

Tags, pickups, and other interactions

WAGE knows where you are from GPS, but it can’t see a real-world tag. So actions like tagging, capturing, and reviving are interactions you assert:

• Manual interactions appear as a button on the map that lights up only when you’re in range and eligible. To tag someone in Tag, get within range of a valid target and tap Tag. The server double-checks range and rules before it counts.
• Automatic interactions happen by walking over something — most item pickups work this way. Walk within a couple of meters of a treasure chest and it’s yours; no tap needed.
• Mutual interactions need the other person to confirm. You tap, they get a prompt, and the action only applies if they accept before it times out.

If a button you expect isn’t lighting up, you’re probably out of range, not eligible (wrong team, wrong state), or the target isn’t valid. Move closer and check your objective.

Carrying and using items

Items you pick up land in your Inventory tab. Depending on the game:

• Carrying something may change your marker (flag carriers and treasure carriers usually glow gold) so everyone can see who’s loaded.
• You may be limited to one at a time (you can’t grab a second chest while carrying one).
• Getting tagged while carrying often makes you drop it.
• Some items have a use action in the Inventory tab.

Delivering an item to the right place — your base, your ship — is usually how you score.

Staying in bounds

Most games define a play area. Leaving it typically pops an “Out of bounds” toast and stepping back pops “Back in bounds.” In the built-in games this is a soft reminder — you’re not eliminated — but custom games can make boundaries matter more. Watch the edge.

If your phone drops or you reload

WAGE is server-authoritative — the real game lives on the server, not your phone — so a brief disconnect isn’t fatal. Reopen the app and rejoin with the same code; you’ll resync to the current state of the game. Because the server is the source of truth, you can’t fall “behind” — you just pick up wherever the game actually is now.

If you fully closed the app, rejoin with the code and your name as before.

Tips that apply to most games

• Keep moving and keep your phone out. Buttons only light up when you’re genuinely close; standing still rarely helps.
• Watch your objective, not just the map. It’s the engine telling you the current goal.
• Use Chat to coordinate with teammates — half of WAGE is the shouting.

For the specifics of each game, see the Game catalog.