Growth is the primary progression system in the Adventure game mode. Players earn growth through completing Quests.
Mechanics[]
Players earn set amounts of growth after completing quests. The duration of growth given varies depending on the quest; the majority of quests currently give 30 seconds of growth. It takes ~50 quests of 30 second rewards to complete a growth stage. All playables require the same number of quests to reach adult. The player's progress for their current growth stage is displayed by a yellow bar above their health. The growth progress is split into 5 smaller bars that take ~10 quests each to fill. Dying by any means will deduct a small amount of growth from the player's current growth depending on how they died; the maximum penalty is half of a bar of growth, ~5 quests worth, and is given by combat deaths. Growth stages act as checkpoints, preventing the player from dropping below their current stage should they keep dying. Players can view their current progress across all stages in the Abilities section of the Character tab.
Hatchling dinosaurs begin with an edited model of adults, typically having reduced features and larger eyes. Baby dinos' calls are usually higher pitched or alternate versions of Adult calls. As the player grows, their model grows in size, the model changes to look more like the adult, and their baby skin fades into their selected Adult skin.
Dinosaur stats slowly change as they grow. Hatchlings have low general stats but usually better stamina. As the player reaches later stages their stats steadily change to be similar to the adults. Stats like health and weight only change when reaching the next stage, while stamina and speed change throughout the stage. Younger dinosaurs take up fewer group slots, which increase as they grow into later stages
Growth Stages[]
Growth is separated into different levels, or stages. Players can advance to the next stage by earning enough growth to fill the yellow growth bar above the healthbar on the HUD.
Hatchling[]
Upon creating a new character and spawning in, all players are hatchlings. Hatchlings start with a baby skin and largely reduced stats from their Adult counterparts. Every character is given a slight different color tint on their baby skin to tell them apart. Once the player completes the tutorial and exits the tutorial cave, they will have enough growth to leave the Hatchling stage.
Juvenile[]
After completing the tutorial, the player begins as a Juvenile. The baby skin will still be visible, but the model will have slight changes to look more like an Adult. Juveniles start with two tutorial quests for Waystones and Home Caves which reward the player with several minutes of growth. Once these quests are completed the player will be assigned regular personal quests.
Adolescent[]
Adolescent is the third growth stage, following Juvenile and preceding Sub-Adult. During adolescence dinosaurs begin to visibly shed out of their hatchling skin and show their Adult skin. Some dinosaurs with unlockable second ability slots unlock their slot when reaching this stage.
Sub-Adult[]
Sub-Adult is the fourth growth stage, and the last that the player has to earn growth progress through. During Sub-Adult, dinos reach their adult size, with their baby skin fully shedding away and their calls becoming the adult calls.
Adult[]
Adult is the final stage of growth. It does not have a growth requirement to fill, with the growth bar on the HUD vanishing when the player is an adult. This is the only stage that does not act as a checkpoint, dying as an adult will reduce the player to Sub-Adult, with the 5 quest penalty. Adults have their full stats and group slot cost.
Trivia[]
- Growth was funded during fundraising early in development for $64k AUD, ~$45k USD. It was funded together with the nesting system.
- Prior to the growth update, a level count was visible on a character's tab in character select. This is now replaced by the character's current growth stage.