Event Mechanics

The Basics

Basic properties

Most events have the following properties (but the values of these properties vary from event to event):

• Opener Lifetime - Lifetime of a letter that begins the event already revealed.
• Star Lifetime - Lifetime of a letter revealed after the start of the event on a Star square.
• Skull Lifetime - Lifetime of a letter revealed after the start of the event on a Skull square.
• Normal Lifetime - Lifetime of a letter revealed after the start of the event on a normal square (i.e., not a star and not a skull).
• Max Bears Selected - The number of bears you can take into the event (unless you have Box Bear or Buddy Bear, which let you take extra bears). This is usually 3, but some events have a different number.

For example, Chapter 2's "Friday Basic" event has the following properties:

• Opener Lifetime: 6
• Star Lifetime: 10
• Skull Lifetime: 1
• Normal Lifetime: 3
• Max Bears Selected: 3

Other properties

Some events also contain the following property:

• LetterWeightBonuses - Allows the level designer to specify that for a particular event certain letters will appear with higher frequency than normal. E.g., the Brainy Boss event is defined to have a higher percentage of Ys than normal.

Exceptions to the Rule

Short Vowel Lifetime (Octo Boss)

Chapter 3's "Octo Boss" is unique in that vowels on its board have a short lifetime. At least that's what it says in the description. The way it's really defined is this:

• Opener Lifetime: 4
• Star Lifetime: 10
• Skull Lifetime: 1
• Normal Lifetime: 1
• Add 1 to the above numbers if the letter is a consonant.
• Max Bears Selected: 3

Short-Lived Letters (House Boss)

You're probably accustomed to letter tiles starting out green, or at least yellow. However, in Chapter 5's "House Boss" event, newly revealed letters will start out orange (with a counter of 2).

• Opener Lifetime: 3
• Star Lifetime: 10
• Skull Lifetime: 1
• Normal Lifetime: 2
• Max Bears Selected: 3

Max Bears Selected = 1 (Tardy Boss and Bossy Boss)

These events by default let you take only two bears. I.e.,

• Max Bears Selected: 2

That will make the event hard to beat. You might want to choose bears (such as Box Bear or Buddy Bear) that allow you to bring along extra bears. You can bring up to four bears if you choose Box Bear, use his extra slot to bring Buddy Bear, and use Buddy Bear's extra slot to bring a fourth bear.