Life Cycle

The Life Cycle Game Mode

Life cycle is one of the three (current) in-game gamemodes, alongside freeroam and combat. However, it has unique features that set it apart from the other two.

The Basics

Like any other gamemode, life cycle requires one to keep their selected playable creature alive by maintaining an appropriate level of hunger, thirst, and comfort. Perhaps oxygen level as well, if one selects a completely aquatic creature. However, unlike combat and freeroam, where a player is granted a fully grown creature right off the bat, in life cycle you are spawned as a playable at 0.4 growth. The goal, if possible, is to grow to full size, or perhaps even larger.

Growth

While every creature within the life cycle gamemode spawns at a growth of 0.4, every creature has a different growth rate. Growth rate refers to how long it takes a certain creature to gain a tick of growth. Smaller creatures gain growth faster than larger creatures (for example, a Velociraptor will grow larger faster than a Mosasaurus would.) However, the rate of growth can be improved by keeping one's stats such as comfort at a high level. Having pack/herdmates can help to keep comfort high at all times; consuming a large amount of healthy herbs (comfort flowers, crystals, sponges) will increase one's comfort bias and allow comfort to be maintained at a higher level as well.

On some maps, there are specific areas where one can go to get a boost to growth no matter their status levels. The area may take the form of a small island or temple. The buffs are 25%, 50%, and 75%, increasing in intensity as one gets closer to the center of the growth increase radius. One will receive a status message in blue on their screen when they have entered or left a growth increase radius.

Growth is infinite. One can grow as big as they would like, provided they are able to survive. Growth significantly slows once any creature reaches their full size at 1.0. However, while growth is different for every creature, it slows down to the same rate for any animal once said animal reaches 1.2 growth (for example, a Velociraptor at 1.2 growth will grow at the same rate as a 1.2 Mosasaurus.) The larger one grows, the more resources (such as food) they will require to survive. Eventually, one may find oneself at a point where they cannot sustain their huge animal any longer.

Talents

Like all other current gamemodes, life cycle has a talent system. At first, the player starts out with 5 talent points that can be applied to any accessible talent on any tree (survival in blue, power in red, speed in green.) As with any other gamemode, a talent must be fully unlocked (3 out of 3 points invested) in order to progress to the next "tier" higher.

Additional talent points can be gained by surviving. When any creature advances 0.04 growth, they gain a talent point. This remains constant as long as a creature is alive. At 1.0, one is expected to have around 20 talent points in total (invested or not.) One can gain more by growing past 1.0.