Walken is currently in public beta on both iOS and Android. The features and balance configuration described below are not finalised and may be subject to change as we're getting closer the the main version release and keep getting feedback from our community. This guide aims to empower a comprehensive understanding of the current gameplay and earning mechanics, as well as to provide a general outline of the main features.
A step-by-step guide to Walken application to learn the basic features and mechanics to play and earn in Walken.
Here's what you'll find in this article:
∘ 1. What’s Walken app?
∘ 2. Walken Gameplay Overview
∘ 3. Tokenomics and $WLKN Distribution
∘ 4. How to set up an account in Walken?
∘ 5. Why do I need two in-game Wallets?
∘ 6. What’s a Gem?
∘ 7. What’s a $WLKN?
∘ 8. What’s Statistics?
∘ 9. What’s a CAThlete?
∘ 10. What are CAThletes’ stats?
∘ 11. How to upgrade a CAThlete?
∘ 12. What are Competitions?
∘ 13. How to Compete?
∘ 14. What’s Marketplace?
1. What’s Walken app?
Walken is a NFT walk-to-earn blockchain game that brings sports and NFT together while focusing on the natural human drive to walk and get moving. By walking in real life, players earn gems, with the help of which upgrade their in-game characters — CAThletes — and compete to win $WLKN tokens. In turn, the tokens can be used to upgrade a CAThlete’s level (and stats) or buy NFT-items on the Marketplace to get extra stats points and win more competitions. The Walken team is currently working to add more ways to utilise the tokens (like cross-breeding, tournaments, etc.) in order to enhance gaming experience and empower the players to earn more.
2. Walken Gameplay Overview
The gameplay focuses on upgrading CAThletes and taking part in running competitions to win $WLKN tokens. The steps walked in real life are converted into Gems, an in-game currency that can be spent on levelling up their characters. Every time a CAThlete’s level increases, its characteristics — strength, speed and stamina — also grow. Thus, the more a player walks in real life, the higher the stats of a CAThlete get, the more often it wins in competitions, earning more $WLKN in the long-run.
3. Tokenomics and $WLKN Distribution
The tokenomics of Walken is fueled with only one token, that is $WLKN, limited in supply and traded on exchanges. Consequently, its price is influenced by a number of factors, with players’ behavior being a significant one. The Walken gameplay determines the best strategy for players to succeed: play, earn and reinvest $WLKN tokens in the game (through purchasing CAThletes and equipment on the Marketplace and continuously leveling-up CAThletes) to be able to maximize their income.
Moreover, a competitive gameplay system makes a continuous upgrade of CAThletes and acquiring more CAThletes the only option to keep earning in a highly-competitive market setting, given that a large number of competitors are constantly reinvesting into the game to score higher and earn more. Check out this article for the detailed tokenomics.
4. How to set up an account in Walken?
Both iOS and Android versions of the Walken app are available. Use the links to download the app:
- Walken on App Store: https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id1594168445
- Walken on Google Play Market: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.milkywayapps.walken
Once you've downloaded and installed the app, choose the sign in method and proceed to creating a new crypto Wallet. Make sure to write down a secret recovery phrase, which consists of 12 words, and to keep it safe.
- Why do users need a recovery phrase?
This phrase is necessary to restore access to the Wallet if the user reinstalls the application or logs into their account on a new device. Also, with the help of this recovery phrase, users can restore their wallet on any Solana-friendly wallet (Phantom, Trust, etc.)
Once a player has a Wallet, it’s time to meet their first CAThlete. Each player gets one free level 0 CAThlete generated randomly from a set of genes. Having met this CAThlete, a player is now ready to start playing and earning!
5. Why do I need two in-game Wallets?
There are 3 Wallets in the game: a blue one, a purple one, and a golden-orange one, and each serves an important function.
- The blue Wallet is used for Gems, in-game soft currency;
- The purple one is used for SOL;
- The orange one stores your $WLKN tokens.
All the wallets can be accessed on the Wallet screen (on the tap bar at the bottom of the screen) to check your current balance of Gems, SOL and tokens, as well as view all transactions for each currency.
Moreover, we've added SOL support and there's a purple wallet for SOL — Solana’s native cryptocurrency — on the Wallet screen. SOLs are currently used to pay transaction fees and is one of the available currencies to purchase NFTs on the Marketplace.
6. What’s a Gem?
Gems are in-game soft currency, earned by walking and running in real life. They are used for filling-in your CAThlete’s level progress bar.
1 Gem = 1000 steps
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📝 Tip: Completing a daily goal of 10k steps will get you 5 extra Gems!
7. What’s a $WLKN?
$WLKN is a cypto token, earned in Competitions or bought. These tokens are used for leveling up CAThletes as well as trading on the Marketplace: buying and selling various NFT items and CAThletes. Additional token utility features such as tournaments, time-limited events, etc. will be added.
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📝 Tip: invest $WLKNs to earn more: level up your CAThlete to enter higher-level Leagues for higher rewards, and buy items to boost its stats.
8. What’s Statistics?
The steps walked by a player in real life are the corestone of the game. The accurate information about a player’s steps, distance walked and Gems received for today and for the previous 7 days can be found on the Statistics screen (on the tap bar at the bottom of the screen).
Currently this screen is available on iOS only, coming soon on the Android!
9. What’s a CAThlete?
A CAThlete is an NFT in-game character that takes part in competitions, can be upgraded and crossbred. The word comes from ‘cat’ + ‘athlete’, hinting on both their appearance and running skills. Each CAThlete is generated with a unique set of genes that determine their appearance, stats, and rarity. The values of the stats significantly affect the chance to win in a particular running discipline.
There are 6 genes (body parts) that each CAThlete has:
- tail;
- body;
- ears;
- environment;
- color;
- muzzle.
Each gene is attributed with stats points and has its rarity, which determines the max potential stats of a CAThlete and its rarity. There are 5 rarity categories of CAThletes, genes and NFT items:
- common;
- uncommon;
- rare;
- epic;
- legend.
A CAThlete’s rarity is defined by the highest rarity of its genes.
Rarity affects the energy pool of a CAThlete: rare, epic and legend CAThletes have more energy points than common and uncommon once.
10. What are CAThletes’ stats?
There are three main characteristics or stats that each CAThlete has: strength, speed and stamina. Its set of genes is random and unique, and there are genetically predetermined maximums on stamina, strength and speed.
The stats of a CAThlete grow with each level-up by 10% of their potential maximums. Moreover, items from the Marketplace also boost stats. So there is always room for improvement!
11. How to upgrade a CAThlete?
First, use Gems to fill in the level progress bar of your CAThletes:
- Tap CAThletes (on the tap bar at the bottom of the screen);
- Select a CAThlete you’d like to upgrade;
- Scroll down to the level progress bar;
- Press ‘+’ button and select the amount of Gems you’d like to add to the progress bar.
Once there’s enough Gems, the ‘+’ button will turn orange, with an upward arrow. Press the orange level-up button, and if you have the $WLKN required to complete the level-up, press the button to level-up.
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⚡ Please note that transactions on the blockchain (such as level-ups, item purchases and sells) may take longer time to process.
12. What are Competitions?
CAThletes compete in running disciplines for $WLKN tokens. Competitions take place in 6 Leagues. There’s a minimum CAThletes entry level for each League, and the higher the League, the higher the rewards for winning. All CAThletes can enter the first League. For the second League, the minimum level of a game character to enter should be 2, for the third — 4, for the fourth — 6, and for the fifth — 8, and the sixth League is for level 10 CAThletes only. Thus, players are encouraged to upgrade their CAThletes, enter higher Leagues and win more tokens.
There are three running disciplines in each League: sprint, marathon and urban running. Each competition costs one point of energy, which is restored over time. Each of the CAThlete’s stats influences the chances to win in a particular running discipline. Speed plays a major role for winning in sprints, strength — in urban running, and endurance — in marathons.
Once the discipline and CAThlete are selected, Walken algorithms quickly find a rival of equal level among other players (or a wild CAThlete, if there are no suitable real players looking to compete right now), and then the race begins.
13. How to Compete?
- Tap ‘Competitions’ on the tap bar;
- Select a League for a CAThlete to compete in;
- Select a discipline to compete in;
- Select a CAThlete to join the competition;
- Wait for the algorithms to find you a rival. Once it’s found, the competition starts automatically.
- If your CAThlete wins the race, tap the button claim the reward. If you’re defeated, better luck next time!
📝 Tips:
- Compete in the highest League available for your CAThlete to earn the highest possible amount of $WLKN.
- Select a discipline that your CAThlete has the highest chances to win in, based on its highest stats, and play to its strength.
- Browse Marketplace for items that could boost the stats you’re looking for.
14. What’s Marketplace?
On the tap bar at the bottom of the screen, there’s the Marketplace tap where all the trading takes place. Here the players can buy or sell various NFT items, including cloths, shoes and accessories, as well as buy and sell CAThletes.
Items on the Marketplace vary in rarity and extra stats points. Each item from T-shirts, hats, sneakers, shorts, accessories and artifacts increases the stats of your CAThlete by adding a certain number of strength, speed or stamina points. Use filters by category or by stats to quickly find the item that you need.
To buy an item:
- tap on the selected item;
- press the ‘Buy now’ button;
- if you have enough $WLKN tokens to complete the purchase, the item will go straight to your Inventory.
Selling NFT-items is coming soon!
To use the item purchased:
- go to the CAThletes screen;
- select a CAThlete;
- scroll down and tap on a slot with the item category you’d like to put on a CAThlete;
- select one from the items available and tap ‘Save equipment’
