Today is the day guys! The HodlGod Pre-Alpha is officially LIVE, and fully integrated with the WAX Blockchain. Yes, this means all the NFTs you’ve been working so hard to collect can finally be used in-game. We are proud to say that with your support we are the first team in the world to bring a functional blockchain game to the public, that is built using Unreal Engine! In this article we will be going over our goals with this game version, as well as how to play, and connect your WAX account. This game is NOT under NDA, so you can feel free to stream/share, but please read the entire article as there are a few things you need to know if you decide to do this.
What To Expect From The HodlGod: Pre-Alpha
In this version of the game we have integrated one map with our arena game mode. This is a 10-man, duo based, last team standing game mode. So make sure you find a partner and get ready to party up and begin conquering the multiverse. Before each game, at the menu you will also have the option to equip your Immortal Gear (NFT cosmetics) to use while playing. Our goal with this version of the game is to test the combat mechanics, gameplay flow, server stability, as well as the NFT user experience. We kindly ask that you remember that this is a pre-alpha as you begin your adventure. Usually game companies keep a version this early of any game for private testing only. This means you may very well run into crashes, and other bugs. Please use our Discord for bug reporting. We’ve decided to bring the game live in this early of stage because we want to show the community that we are serious, and we would also like to build this project alongside you guys to collaboratively create something truly great. Compared to most game companies today, we have instead decided to take a very open-minded approach to development. Mechanics, and modes can potentially change drastically before the full launch to provide the best experience. We would love to hear all of your feedback and suggestions!
Update: For the time being the game will be FFA based, with only a minimum of 3 players needed to start a game. We will revert back to 10-man duos, after a bit of testing.
What Will Be Coming With Future Updates?
We are already working on new maps, new NFT content, gameplay content, and of course the Purgatory Mode (explained here for those that are new). With coming updates there will be newly added easter egg puzzles built into the game, solving these will reward players with cryptocurrency as well as NFTs. We expect a fun challenge in attempting to solve these, as you will simultaneously have enemy players trying to eliminate you as you are unraveling the mysteries of this universe. Additionally we will be launching a number of exciting events, from competitions, to bounties, and other ways to earn NFTs in-game. Our goal is to have new events and updates every month!
Getting Started
Okay, now that we have the introduction out of the way, we can provide the info you need to get out on the battlefield and begin your journey. The first thing you will need to do is download the HodlGod launcher, and if you are going to be using NFTs in-game make sure you are familiar with the Atomic Hub as this will be used to link your WAX wallet. No worries if you don’t care about NFTs at this moment and just want to dive in the action, just ignore the Atomic Hub part and download the launcher!
Download HodlGod Launcher
Step 1
— After you’ve downloaded the launcher, extract the file to a folder of your choice, boot her up and let it install, after this you can click “Play” and you will be brought to the login screen.
Step 2
— Quickly register an account.
Step 3
— (Skip to step 7 if you aren’t using NFTs) Link your WAX account and NFTs, by first clicking “Link WAX Wallet” at the main menu. After this click the button that says “Show NFTs ID”, clicking this will reveal a code that you will use for the next step. Use CTRL+C to copy this code for later.
Step 4
— Once you have the NFTs ID you can minimize HodlGod and Visit https://wax.atomichub.io/ and log in to your WAX account. You can log in via the WAX Cloud Wallet, Anchor or Scatter. Once logged in click your account name at the top right, and then click the “Inventory” button. Once here you should see a button that says “Edit Your Bio”, click this and paste “HodlGod + NFTs ID”, so the format should look something like.
HodlGod 1088100570889638540
Once pasted click “Save Changes” and sign the transaction to confirm the revision to your bio.
IMPORTANT NOTE: If you already have a bio, just simply paste the HodlGod portion at the end of your bio. You do not need to delete your current bio. If you don’t have a bio already then just ignore this note.
Step 5
— Open the HodlGod window back up and within the “Link WAX Wallet” tab, type in your WAX Account name in the input box that says “Your Atomic Hub Address” and once you’ve done that simply click the “Link WAX Address” button right next to it. If successful you should see a message to the right that says..
Linked to (your WAX Account name here).
NOTE: If you ever would like to unlink your account to link to another WAX wallet, you can click the “Unlink WAX Address” button and repeat steps 3–5 for your new WAX account.
Step 6
— To equip your NFT gear, just go to the “NFT Inventory” tab, and click “Refresh”. Now you should see your list populate with your available Immortal Gear (Bounty Contracts). Simply click the one you would like to equip, and BOOM the next game you join you will have your selected gear equipped. Any time you would like to change gear, just click the one you would like before any match and you will be good to go.
Step 7 (Joining Your First Game)
— In order to start a party, join a friend, or find a friend to play with click the “Parties” tab in the main menu. Now if you already have a friend to play with you can start a party by clicking “Create Party”. Then give your friend the party code underneath “Current Parties”. For your friend to join he will simply click “Find Parties” and join the one with your code. Once joined the party leader can click the “Multiplayer” tab, and then click “Play Now”. This will put both of you two into a game together automatically. Now you are ready to ROCK!
NOTE: If you don’t have a partner, we recommend you find a partner, and chat with your partner via our Discord Server.
How To Play
Okay great, now you know how to get into a game sure, but how do you conquer your opponents effectively? There are 2 methods of combat that you can utilize for any situation during your games. That is melee, and ranged. You can combo these two styles with magic abilities to make for the optimal playstyle. Firstly we will go over the basic controls, and then we will discuss how to use your tools properly in battle. If you aren’t happy with the control scheme, this can be adjusted in the settings menu (ESC).
NOTE: For the time being we’ve had to disable controller support, but we are working to roll out an update very soon for this.
Keyboard Controls
- RMB (Block Melee/Aim Down Sight with Bow)
- LMB (Attack Melee/Shoot/Melee Bow)
- Spacebar (Roll/Dodge) — In order to dodge you have to be tab targeted on to an enemy or aiming with your bow.
- ESC Settings Menu
- Shift Sprint
- Shift+LMB+W (Lunge Melee Attack)
- Tab Start/Stop Tab targeting
- MMB (Switch Targets) — DISABLED FOR NOW
- 1 Switch to melee weapon/Sheath Melee weapon
- 2 Switch to bow/Sheath Bow
- 3 Surrounding Freeze
- 4 Surrounding Volcano
- 5 Teleport
- 6 Freeze Arrows (Bow only)
- 7 Self Heal
- 8 Explosive Arrows (Bow only)
- 9 Triple Shot Arrow (Bow only) — Must be aiming with bow to activate
- 0 Freeze Targeted Enemy (Melee only)
- = Area Of Effect Bomb
Now that we have covered the controls, we can dive into practical strategy. Let’s start with Melee strategy…
Melee is great for close quarters combat for quick high damage output. While using melee, stamina is very important to manage, so we recommend conserving your stamina by not dodging/rolling alot. Targeting your enemy is also very important for melee combat so make sure when you engage another player you are targeting them for the best accuracy. One good combo you can use with melee is to start by targeting your opponent, freezing your target, and then teleporting to them to engage them. This works especially well when you have full stamina. You can even add a surrounding freeze/volcano to take this combo even further. Be sure not to damage your teammate, and be sure to disengage if you are low on stamina! Many of the abilities will be best used differently in particular situations, be sure to assess the situation and come up with a creative approach to ensure victory!
Next up, is the ranged strategy. Ranged is very good for a conservative style of gameplay to maximize survivability and positioning. This is very well leveraged if you are in a power position or have high ground on your opponent. Range can be used to block doorways and corridors, and since it doesn’t take any stamina to fire arrows, it is recommended to use your dodges and rolls as much as possible while battling with your bow. One really powerful burst combo you can use is by activating your explosive arrows, and using triple shot right after to shoot 3 explosive arrows in rapid succession. You can also do this same combo except with freeze arrows instead to freeze your opponent.
Remember you only have ONE life on the battlefield, so be sure to maximize your survivability by leveraging good map positioning, as well as timing your self heal and teleport abilities accordingly. Good coordination with your partner will make or break matches, communication is key here. Matches will be very fast paced, and it only takes a split second for someone to be eliminated.
