A world has a finite life. The default option is Option B — 9 real-time months (per metrics.md §1). During those 9 months the world progresses through distinct phases that change which mechanics dominate, which victory conditions fire, and how the climate weaponizes.
- Player density: low; players still finding their footing.
- Map painting: high — most expansion happens here.
- Climate: stable, on the calendar baseline.
- NPC factions: low-tier bandits; rare mercenary spawns.
- Diplomacy: bilateral pacts, simple trade deals.
- Victory windows: none open yet.
This is the founding phase. Found cities, secure resources, build basic alliances.
- City stages: most active players reach Town / City stage.
- Tech tree: pushing into Era II (City-State Age).
- First conflicts: border wars, caravan raids, missionary attacks become common.
- Climate: first major weather events fire (storms, droughts).
- NPC factions: tier up; bandit fortresses appear.
- Alliance forming: most player alliances form here.
The expansion phase is when the political map firms up. Land grabbing slows; coordination begins.
- Wonder construction: first wonders begin.
- Tech tree: Era III (Kingdom Age) push.
- Hot wars: full-blown conflicts between rival alliances.
- Hybrid war: spy networks active.
- Climate: seasonal cycles in full effect.
- Earliest victory windows: Religious and Military victories can begin firing toward end of phase.
Mid-game is where strategic identity solidifies — who's the wonder builder, who's the warlord, who's the trader.
- Wonders: multiple complete; alliance wonder counts approach the 5-wonder Wonder Victory threshold.
- Tech tree: Era IV (Empire Age) capstones unlock.
- Concordance pressure: peace alliances form; multi-alliance Concordance Charter signing begins.
- Climate: end-times escalation begins. Black weather events appear.
- NPC monsters: first emergence (Plague Wraiths, Storm Maelstroms).
- Active victory windows: all five victory paths can fire.
Late game is where wins begin firing. Counterplay windows are constant.
- World collapse: climate weaponizes globally.
- NPC monsters: dangerous; can topple cities.
- Resource depletion: tier-1 resources thin.
- Active wonders: sieged constantly; wonder integrity crucial.
- Concordance + Peace: most stable winning path; aggressive paths suffer.
End times is the closing window. If no one's won by now, the world starts dying around them.
See world collapse for full mechanics.
- Victory fires — the winning alliance is announced.
- World freezes — final state preserved.
- Score readout — leaderboard for all players.
- World retires — players choose to retire characters or migrate to new world.
Server speed scales the timeline (per metrics.md §3):
- 0.5× server — 18 real-time months total. Slower, more reflective.
- 1× server — 9 real-time months (default).
- 3× server — 3 real-time months. Fast, intense.
All ratios scale proportionally — IN_GAME_DAY_REAL_MINUTES is 108 / 216 / 36 respectively.
Tier 1 (raw) resources slowly deplete:
- Each tile has a finite quantity (very large, but finite).
- Heavy extraction depletes faster.
- A depleted tile reverts to plain.
- Climate stress accelerates depletion (drought → grain depletion, etc.).
This forces expansion AND trade pressure to grow over time.
Each phase opens new mechanics:
- Phase 2 opens hot war.
- Phase 3 opens spy networks at full intensity.
- Phase 4 opens Avatar summoning.
- Phase 5 opens climate weaponization (gods can target world climate).
Sources: world_lifecycle.md (33K), phases.md (24K), metrics.md §1 (lifespan), §13 (server speed variants).