Episode 2 Ludus

Hello. Are you guys paying attention?

I am not here for the good of my health, you know!

Hi! I'm Ludus, and I'm the bad guy.

Yup, I've turned the friends and family

of three Earth twerps into holograms.

I know! I'm virtually horrible. Horror show!

The Earth twerps are now flying to the Levels Of Ludus,

to play my games and rescue their loved ones.

You want to play too? Then download my free app from the CBBC website.

Time to take on the Levels Of Ludus!

Welcome on board the Herculean.

I am the ship's computer and your guide through the Levels Of Ludus.

My data processing is detecting the presence of three gamers

from the Earth location of Manchester.

Gamer Number One - Cameron.

Ten Earth years old. A gaming fan with speedy fingers.

Gamer Number Two - Sam.

In Year Six, loves rugby, hates cheats.

Gamer Number Three - Winona.

Also ten, a determined gamer.

Gamers, you have been experiencing hyper-sleep

and are now flying through deep space.

We don't have much time before your mission begins

so prepare for your briefing!

Your mission is to rescue your friends and family

who have been turned into holograms by Ludus.

To rescue them you must visit six levels,

each with a different game to play.

Win and you will save your friend in a holobox to download on Earth.

Lose and they will be uploaded into Ludus' game forever.

Time to find out who you're playing to save.

-Cameron.

-I'm playing for my mum and my sister Megan.

-Sam.

-I'm playing for my mum and my brother Archie.

-Winona.

-I'm playing for my mum and my dad.

Are you ready to take on the Levels Of Ludus? ALL: YES!

Pilot, let's fly to Level One.

THEY SHOUT

It's nearly time for Level One. Download my app and play along.

Download the app now. Game begins shortly.

We are now docking at Level One.

This is a multi-player game. Prepare to disembark.

Collecting data. Team spirit - 89%. Confidence levels - 82%.

One team member carrying a wicked sense of humour.

Team status - ready.

Well, hello there Earth twerps. It's so nice to meet you. Not!

How come you have a big head?

-Because my brain is the size of a planet.

-So what's 2x2?

-That's a hard one, that.

-Yeah.

Whatever! Maths is for losers! So, you guys ready to lose my game?

-No, we're going to win it, yeah.

-Yeah.

Oh, great! You agree, you're going to lose.

-No, no, no, no!

-Great. Let's get this show on the rocket launcher.

In this game you must take it in turns to catapult your tics

at the block of ice and smash it to smitheroonies.

But watch out for my bug.

It'll take a lot of hits to smash the ice, so you better be fast.

Win and I'll save one of your precious Earth twerps.

Lose and they'll be uploaded into my game forever.

So, who are you going to play for first?

Cameron's mum or sister Megan?

Winona's mum or dad?

Or Sam's mum or brother Archie? Hey, Archie.

-Maybe Arch...

-Shall we choose...

-Archie or something? He's young.

-Yeah, Archie.

-Yeah?

We pick Archie.

Good idea. Get the worst one out of the way first.

Take your place at the table.

Gamers, you have 60 seconds to win back Sam's brother.

Are you ready at home?

The game begins in three, two, one, GO!

-Come on.

-Go, Winona!

-ICE CRACKS

Oh, that's three direct hits straightaway. How annoying.

Oh, rebound off the bug! This is ridiculous!

-Go on, Cameron.

-Now that's better. Yeah, that's a miss.

They're doing pretty well.

Oh, no, that's better, that was a miss.

-Yeah, just what I expected, really.

-40 seconds.

You know, I love to start with this game cos it's a real ice breaker.

Ha-ha! Guys? No? Nothing?

-I guess they're concentrating on the game.

-30 seconds.

Oh, lucky on the rebound again. Come on bug!

Oh, running out of time now, guys.

-Oh, there's cracks in the ice. It's going to be close.

-20 seconds.

Come on, bug! Yes, that's a great block!

-Come on, Cameron!

-ICE CRACKS

-Oh, that's a lucky one.

-We can do this.

Ten seconds left. There won't be enough time, there's no way...

-ICE SMASHES

-We're going to win!

-Yeah!

-In your face!

-Gamers, you have won.

-How did you do that?

-With skill.

-Awesome skills.

-Yeah.

I guess luck is a skill, yeah.

Well, Sam, you can have your precious brother.

You can now collect your holobox and return to the Herculean.

Congratulations gamers, you've won. ALL: Whoop, whoop!

Sam, pop your brother in the holoport and he will be downloaded later.

Keep up the good work. There are still five more levels to complete

and five of your friends and family to win back.

Are you ready? ALL: Yeah!

Pilot, let's fly to Level Two.

Warning, gamers! Warning. SIREN SOUNDS

This is an emergency.

We are flying through an anti-gravity wormhole.

You will experience severe slow...mo...tion.

The next level is a single player game.

Selecting player. Winona has been selected.

Stand by. We are now docking at Level Two.

Winona is the tallest girl in her class,

but will this help her stand up to Ludus?

-Hey, Winona. Have you been in space before?

-No.

-You should come here more often, it suits you.

-Thanks, I think.

You're welcome. Anyway, let's do this.

Tread carefully!

There's only one safe path to the tic here,

and you've only got a smidgeon of time to memorise it.

You'll then need to retrace the path by pressing one square at a time.

Take a wrong turn and you'll have to start again.

I'm only going to give you 60 seconds.

Win and you'll save one of your precious Earth twerps.

Lose and they'll be uploaded into my game forever.

So, who are you going to play for?

Will it be Cameron's mum or sister Megan?

Your mammy or your daddy?

-Or Sam's mum?

-I'll choose Cameron's mum.

OK, take your place at the table.

Gamer, you have 60 seconds to win back Cameron's mum.

Are you ready at home?

The game begins in three, two, one, GO!

So, Winona must memorise this path,

but can she cope with the epic pressure?

Hopefully not. Ha-ha!

Yup. Right, right.

-Ho-ho! Yeah, that's wrong.

-Oh, no!

Back to the start. Ha-ha!

40 seconds. BUZZER SOUNDS

Oh, hi there, bug! Start again.

-BUZZER SOUNDS

-No! Ha-ha!

30 seconds.

Well, you already had that one, so really bad.

Oh, dear! OK.

Are you doing any better at home?

-You must be, right?

-Oh, no!

-Which way now? Not that way!

My bugs can't believe this.

This is incredible. Tried all the ways?

Yeah, I don't think so.

Oh! Try that one again?

This is the worst anyone's ever done at this game.

You know, there's no chance... Wait a min.... Oh, no!

SHE GIGGLES Gamer, you have won.

Did someone take over your brain in the last seconds?

-How did you do that?

-Memory.

Ha-ha-ha! I didn't get that at all.

Gamer, collect your holobox and return to the Herculean.

BOTH: Go, Winona! Go, Winona!

Congratulations, gamers.

Winona, please pass Cameron his mum. ALL: Yey!

You can now load your mum into the holoport to download later.

Pilot, let's fly to the next level.

To celebrate your success so far,

gamers have been awarded an ice cream.

MONKEY CALLS Attention, gamers.

The pilot has informed me we are hitting severe turbulence.

Hold on for a bumpy ride.

Houston, we have a problem.

Humans have iced themselves in the face.

Gamers should clean their faces immediately

and prepare for Level Three.

Detecting traces of ice cream and buckets of determination.

Team spirit has risen to 98%.

Oh, hey, dudes.

HE SINGS A TUNE

OK, that's the theme tune for this level.

So, are you ready to do Manchester proud?

-ALL: Yeah!

-Manchester!

-Let's see the rules.

In this game you need to match the bugs on the bottom bar

with the bugs in the middle of the screen.

Don't see the bug? Hit the blue arrow to pass.

You've got 60 seconds, but if you lose,

your precious Earth twerp will be uploaded to my game forever.

So, who are you going to play for? Will it be Cameron's sister Megan?

Winona's mum or dad? Or Sam's mum?

-Who's it going to be, huh?

-Winona's dad?

-Yeah, OK.

-Winona's dad.

So, there he is. Take your place at the table.

Gamers, you have 60 seconds to win back Winona's dad.

Are you ready at home? The game begins in three, two, one, GO!

-So great to see so many bugs out. They love this game.

-There.

That's a pair.

-He's not there.

-No, he's not there.

He's actually on holiday right now.

He sent a postcard so it's OK.

That's a pair. Oh, another pair.

They're actually pretty good, this team.

40 seconds.

Come on! There. Oh, wrong one.

That bug's Big Dave, he's a hoot.

He's real name's Christopher, so...

It's a bug joke, I don't get it.

Half the board cleared, huh.

How you doing at home, guys?

-Come on, bugs!

-20 seconds.

No, no.

Oh, only three more to go,

but there's not much time.

-Come on, you two!

-No. No, no.

Oh, no! Yup, don't click! Oh, no!

ALL: YEAH! Gamers, you have won.

-Yeah!

-We did it!

-How did you do that?

-Erm, we've got skills.

-Yup.

-Right, I'm stopping this skills business.

You can now collect your holobox and return to the Herculean.

ALL: Go team, go team, go team!

Congratulations, gamers.

You have won Winona's dad. ALL: Yeah.

Winona, place your dad in the holoport to download later.

Pilot, fly to Level Four.

I can confirm the gamers are almost halfway through their mission.

RELAXING MUSIC PLAYS

Gamers are engaging in finger yoga led by digit master Cameron.

Reading high levels of inner peace, determination and focus.

OK, look, are you Earth twerps at home playing these games?

On your phones, or your tablets, or your retina implants?

-HIGH PITCHED VOICE

-Right, no, you don't have those yet.

Huh!

OK, but come on, download the app. I want to beat all of you.

Attention, gamers. The next level is a single player game.

Cameron selected.

Cameron claims he is practically glued to his games console.

Let's hope his gaming skills don't desert him now.

Oh, hey there, Cameron. Are you ready to play the game?

-Ready now.

-Which finger are you going to use?

-Erm, this finger.

-Oh, your nose-picking finger.

-Yeah, my nose-picking finger.

Good choice. Here comes the science.

Turn on the lights by hitting them with your tic.

You can do this by turning the cog.

But watch out, the tic can also turn the lights off.

To win you need to have both the lights on at the end of 60 seconds.

Oh, I forgot to mention, one of my bugs might make an appearance,

just to get in your way.

And if you lose, you know what will happen.

So, who are you going to play for? Your sister Megan?

Winona's mum? She's hilarious, by the way.

-Or Sam's mum?

-I'm going to go for my sister.

Is that cos you think you're going to win, or you're going to lose?

Think I'm going to lose this.

-Oh, so you want me to upload your sister into the game?

-Erm...

Awkward!

Gamer, you have 60 seconds to win back your sister.

Are you ready at home? The game begins in three, two, one.

Oh, no.

Oh, that's a really good start, that's both the lights switched on.

But remember, they've got to still be on at the end of 60 seconds.

Oh, yeah, and you can turn them off.

Thank you for demonstrating that.

-Hey, look who it is. It's my bug Brian. Hey, Brian.

-40 seconds.

Brian's recently had a haircut

and it's really done wonders for him, don't you think?

Good work, Brian. See you in a bit.

That's the lights off. You're going to need those on, buddy.

30 seconds.

It's not as easy as you think, is it? How you doing at home, huh?

Better than this? Come on, Brian.

-Get those lights off again.

-20 seconds.

We're doing OK. He's getting better.

Yeah, there's a long way to go yet, though.

Where's Brian? Lunch break, I guess.

Oh, yeah, that light's off. It's only ten seconds left.

Ho-ho! This is going to be close. He's turned the other one off!

Get the lemonade on ice! YES!

-Gamer, you have lost.

-Ha-ha! That's fantastic.

-Oh, Cameron. Oh, you were so close.

-Yup.

-I told you this would happen.

Your gameplay was lame! You've lost.

Your sister is stuck in the game.

THEY BOTH TALK AT ONCE

I was legit, bruv, and everything like that,

-but unfortunately I lost my sister.

-Don't worry.

I'm not worrying, mate. I'm having the time of my life here.

Gamers, you still have two people left to save.

So far I can confirm you have saved Archie, Cameron's mum, Winona's dad.

Unfortunately, Cameron's sister Megan wasn't so lucky

and is stuck on Level Four.

All-boy team. Skill set - high. Hope - 64%.

Level Five.

Are you sure you're ready for Level Five?

-Yup.

-I like your confidence, Cameron. Right, rule time.

In this game, you must work as a team and use your bats

to stop your precious tic from hitting the spiky walls.

Too easy? Sure it is. That's why my bugs will be flash mobbing you.

You have 60 seconds,

if you hit the spikes more than five times you will lose

and your precious Earth twerp will be uploaded into my game forever.

So, who are you going to play for? Will it be Winona's mum?

Or Sam's mum? Slim pickings, huh!

-Sam's...

-My mum!

We're going to go for Sam's mum.

Well, of course you are. OK, take your place at the table.

Gamers, you have 60 seconds to win back Sam's mum.

Are you ready at home? The game begins in three, two, one, GO!

Spread out the bugs. Looking good, guys.

They're doing pretty well.

-Send in the bugs, I think, yeah.

-BUZZER SOUNDS

-Oh, that worked.

-Oh, unlucky.

Ha-ha!

Whoa, bug time. Here we go. Come on, guys.

Oh, they survived it again.

They're doing really well.

You've got to take it with you, I'm afraid.

BUZZER SOUNDS 30 seconds.

Come on, bugs. These guys are good. Are you doing this well at home?

-20 seconds.

-Oh, yeah, rebound. See ya!

Third spike.

Remember, they can't hit the spikes more than five times in total.

Well, there's number four.

Two more and it's over but time's running out.

Oh, no, they're going to do it. Come on bugs, what do I pay you for?

Well, I don't pay them. Horror show!

Gamers, you have won. BOTH: YEAH!

Oh, I can't believe you won. Oh, that's so annoying.

You can now collect your holobox and return to the Herculean.

ALL: Oh, yeah! Oh, yeah! Oh, yeah!

Congratulations, gamers. You've won.

Who was the best in that game?

-Well, I would say me.

-No, no, no, no. Shh!

I done probably 79% of the stuff,

you did about...

-Slow calculation detected.

-Ah, wait, wait, wait.

21%.

Sam, load your mum into the holoport to download later.

Selecting player for next level. Sam. He's a monster on the rugby pitch.

HE ROARS

But can he score a try against Ludus?

Oh, hi, Sam.

-Tell me, where did you get your lovely hat?

-I don't have a hat.

-What's that on your head then?

-Hair.

-Really? Are you lying?

-Can I borrow that?

-No.

-Let's run the rules.

In this game, you must push the tic and land it on the round target.

To steer the tic, use the paddles.

Push it too hard, and you'll hit the laser beam.

But beware, my bugs will be getting in your way.

You need to land two tics on the target in 60 seconds.

But if you lose

your precious Earth twerps will be uploaded into my game forever.

So, there's only one Earth twerp left for you to play for.

It's Winona's mum. OK, take your place at the table.

You have 60 seconds to win back Winona's mum.

Are you ready at home? The game begins in three, two, one.

Here we go, great start from the bugs. Straight up block.

Oh, he's missed the bugs, a little rebound there.

Where's that going? Yep. Laser beam.

So this game is all about timing.

You need to be careful with how hard you push it.

Sam doesn't appear to have grasped either of these skills yet.

Which is great news!

Awkward work from the bugs there, ha-ha!

Oh, that's getting close, really close,

is it going to stop in? He may have... Oh, that was...

He's definitely getting better. Yes, you can tell.

He's got the idea of timing and he's missing my bugs.

-But still missing the target, so not good enough.

-20 seconds.

Oh, no, that looks close.

Bugs, do some.... Oh, no! He's bypassed the bugs.

Oh, that's on the target.

This is going to be close, he only needs one more to win.

Ten seconds. This could be the one. Oh, he's dodged every bug!

Where did that guy come from? Unbelievable scenes.

We'll be playing that one back for years. Ha-ha-ha! Brilliant!

Gamer, you have lost.

Oh, Sam. Oh, you were so close. How do you feel?

-Annoyed.

-Oh, who cares. You've only lost Winona's mum.

I told you this would happen, your gameplay was lame.

You've lost. Winona's mum is stuck in the game.

-Oh.

-Commiserations, Winona.

-It's OK.

You have played six levels, and won back four holoboxes.

Unfortunately, Cameron's sister Megan

and Winona's mum have been uploaded into Ludus' game.

Now you must face Ludus one more time to win your own tickets home.

Fly at warp speed to the final level. THEY SHOUT

Gamers, hold tight.

We are now docking at the final level.

Ludus is waiting for you.

Team status for final game - Confidence - 55%. Team spirit - 89%.

Coming to a screen near you, three unsuspecting Earth twerps

trying to win their return tickets home.

It's the final game and here's how it's going to go down.

One of these tics is your return ticket home. Who knew?

All you have to do is keep an eye on it.

If you pick the right tic, you'll win a return ticket home

and go back to Earth - hooray!

But if you pick my bug you will be stranded here

in the Levels Of Ludus forever, and you'll have to work for me.

And trust me, you won't like it.

Got it? Cameron, see if you can catch your ticket.

And can you follow it at home?

It's time to mix the tics.

You don't know which one it is?

I've got an idea but I've lost it, I think.

Aw.

THEY GROAN

Cameron, are you having an X Factor moment?

Because that is the face of devastation.

Congratulations, you are my newest recruit.

OK, Winona. Let's see if you're as rubbish as Cameron.

And play along at home.

It's time to mix the tics.

Uh-oh.

Oh!

Do you know which one it is?

I'm thinking it's either that one or that one.

Ooh, no! Oh.

-No!

-Winona. I'm so sorry.

-Hey, are you any good at cleaning?

-No.

Well, you're going to get a lot of practice now.

OK, Sam. It'd be great if you lost.

Make sure you're concentrating at home.

It's time to mix the tics.

Do you know which one it is?

No! Ha-ha.

-THEY GROAN

-This is fantastic.

-Oh, unlucky.

-No!

Great news! Three new cleaners.

So, by the powers invested in me, blah-de-blah-de-blah-de-blah...

you must stay on the Levels Of Ludus for all eternity, and mop.

It sounds astonishing.

Thinking of being a game creator, but now I want to be a cleaner.

I can report the Herculean has lost all passengers.

Pilot to transport rescued holoboxes back to Earth unassisted.

Woo-ho-hoo!

You know, that was a bigger hoot

than when I destroyed the planet Zorg!

I really think it was. I really...

Join me next time when three more Earth twerps

will try and win my games, and - oh, yeah - fail miserably!

Until then, goodbye!

Did you play along at home?

How did you do?

Why not download my free app from the CBBC website,

and play along next time?

Ha-ha!