Ethercraft Combat Test: Start Battling Today!
Step One: Connect to the Kovan Network
Ethercraft feature testing is being conducted on the Kovan test network. If you’ve never connected to an Ethereum test network, fear not — it’s fast and easy with the Metamask extension.
First, open your Metamask extension. Then, click on the network selector in the upper-right and select “Kovan Test Network.” Finally, visit https://kovan.faucet.enjin.io and paste in your wallet address to receive some Kovan ETH. It may seem like a small amount, but it’s all you need to play Ethercraft for hours.
Step Two: Start Playing
Once you’re connected to the Kovan test network, go to https://ethercraft.io and select “Open dApp (Kovan)” to launch the game. You should see a dialog box open in the top left corner of the screen to select a character. In the future, you will be able to generate a character with random attributes, but for now, click the “default” button to generate your character. Your new character will be linked to your wallet address for as long as you live — in the game, that is.
Your Character and Attributes
Welcome to the world of Ethercraft! In the top-right portion of the screen, you’ll see your character and their attributes. Once development is further along, these attributes will be important for a wide variety of actions in the Ethercraft world. The two main attributes to focus on at this time for combat are attack and defense. These can be increased by equipping items from your magic chest (more on that later).
Basic Client Controls
To move around the map, simply click and drag. Zoom in and out to see more or less of the world by using the scroll wheel on your mouse, or by scrolling up and down using the touchpad on your laptop.
Exploring the World of Ethercraft
Now that you’re familiar with your character and the game controls, here are some areas you can visit. Many features are still being developed, but this should give you a good idea of the exciting updates that are yet to come:
Your house: This is where you will be able to access your magic chest to gear up for battles in the labyrinth, and eventually, craft items with your crafting table.
Labyrinth portal: The labyrinth portal is where our combat testing takes place. Each labyrinth is custom-generated and has three floors you must complete to make it out alive. Click the portal image to tweak your battle strategy, then click it again to send your transaction and enter the labyrinth.
Ether station: Here, you will be able to receive quests from the station owner, among other things. Click the “quests” button to receive your first one.
Gym & track: In the future, you will be able to train your speed and your strength by working out here.
Graveyard: When your character dies, their life will be forever commemorated in the Ethercraft graveyard.
Healing spring: This is a must-see attraction for frequent battlers. Be sure to return after each labyrinth trip to restore your health.
Shop: When you enter the shop, the owner will welcome you — and that’s about it for now. Soon, you’ll be able to buy, sell, and trade in-game items here.
Preparing for the Labyrinth
Once you’re done exploring the map, head over to the labyrinth portal to begin battling. The labyrinth has three stages, or floors, that have to be cleared before you can return to the main Ethercraft world. After clicking on the labyrinth, you’ll see some of the potential enemies you may encounter inside, as well as the approximate odds of encountering them. Hover over them to learn more. You’ll also see some of the potential traps that could cause your character damage.
When you’re ready, click the portal image to select your fighting stats. You can change the values for attack, dodge, parry, and escape. Each one helps in different ways, so feel free to experiment with the values. If you’re strictly going for XP, turn the escape value down closer to 0. Make sure the values add up to 100%. Then, click the portal image again to generate a transaction and enter the labyrinth.
Upon entering the labyrinth, you can sit back and watch as your character makes their way through the floors. If you defeat an enemy, you will gain XP and find loot. If you stumble upon some corn or rat meat and your health is low, be sure to eat it between floors to restore 5 HP each time. You will have to generate a new transaction for each floor.
Inevitably, your character will eventually die. This is especially likely during your very first battle. But don’t despair! Just create a new character and try again. Your XP will be saved for you, and you may even have enough accumulated to use your magic chest and become an even stronger opponent before the next battle.
Using XP
Once you have at least 25 XP, you will be able to access the magic chest in your house to equip all sorts of offensive and defensive gear. Item costs start at 25 XP, and more items will become available as you gain more XP. Click on an item to see how it will affect your attributes, and once you’ve selected all the items you wish to equip, hit “confirm” to generate the transaction. Be careful, though — adding too much weight could cause you to fall victim to spike pits in the labyrinth.
The Labyrinth Awaits
Now that you know more about Ethercraft and how combat works, what are you waiting for? Head over to the game at https://ethercraft.io and get ready to fight!
