Things You Need To Know About Valve’s Deadlock - September 2024

Things You Need To Know About Valve's Deadlock

Key Takeaways

Deadlock is still in early development, subject to changes before full release. Don’t get too attached.
Controller support is currently messy, lacking enough buttons; no aim assist for controllers.
Players need an invite to access Deadlock and the game features 21 unique heroes to choose from.

As a seasoned gamer with over two decades under my belt, I can confidently say that mastering the movement mechanics and third-person shooter fundamentals in Deadlock is the key to victory. Each character has unique abilities that, when combined with the various movement techniques, can turn the tide of any battle.

Are you eagerly awaiting the release of Valve’s fresh MOBA shooter, Deadlock? Whether someone is intrigued about what the gameplay entails or frantically searching for details before jumping into their first battle, they would benefit from understanding some fundamental aspects of the game.

Tackling Deadlock, a unique fusion of shooting and Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) elements, might initially confuse players due to its extensive borrowing from these distinct genres. To ensure players have a clear understanding of the game’s nuances before diving in, here is an overview of key points to consider for Valve’s title, currently accessible only to a select group of testers.

This Game Is In Early Development

Deadlock Is Very Much A Work-In-Progress

Things You Need To Know About Valve's Deadlock

The first thing to know about Deadlock is this game is still in early development and hasn’t hit any form of a beta yet. Everything an interested party will see about Deadlock and everything they will experience in-game are subject to heavy changes, and this game is going to be frequently patched until it hits a full release. As a result, don’t get too attached to this exact iteration of the characters, skills, and items in this game.

The Only Way To Play Is Through Invites

Deadlock Is Not Simply A Download & Try Game

To play the game Deadlock, you first need access to the Alpha version. If you have a friend who is already part of the pre-alpha phase, they can recommend your gaming username to Valve for an invite. Friends in the Alpha stage are allowed to propose multiple friends for the Deadlock pre-Alpha, so don’t hesitate to ask someone you know for help.

Controller Support Is Currently A Little Messy

The Steam Deck Is Fine, Though

At present, a typical control setup lacks sufficient buttons for assigning all necessary actions in Deadlock. Although this doesn’t hinder the Steam Deck due to its extra four buttons compared to standard controllers, regular controllers might struggle without additional mapping options (such as double-pressing a button serving a distinct function from single presses). Ideally, Valve could implement a solution to map additional input commands.

Moreover, it’s important to note that at this moment, there is no aim assist feature for controllers. This means players who prefer using a controller might find it more challenging when it comes to aiming. However, whether or not Valve plans to introduce controller support in the future remains unclear.

At present, users can find a workable solution when they utilize a PS5 controller or any other controller that has gyroscopic control features activated.

There Are Currently 21 Heroes To Choose From

Subject To Change, But Good Selection At The Moment

currently, you have 21 characters to pick from. Here’s a summary of each one:

Abrams: Bruiser with plenty of built-in sustainability
Bebop: Hook shot hero with a laser beam
Dynamo: Frontline tank with some support skills
Grey Talon: Long range DPS with a bow
Haze: Close-range assassin that rewards good consistent aim
Infernus: DPS hero with strong AoE and DoT effects
Ivy: Disruptive hero with plenty of mobility. Amazing for objectives.
Kelvin: Another disruptive hero with powerful slows and stuns
Lady Geist: DPS with powerful abilities that cost health
Lash: Assassin with good gap-closing options and a strong burst
McGinnis: Minigun hero that can also deploy turrets
Mo & Krill: Front line bruiser with sustain, gap closing, and disruption
Paradox: Has strong area denial skills and can swap positions with an enemy
Pocket: High mobility DPS with a shotgun
Seven: Mid-range DPS hero with strong AoE effects
Shiv: Extremely mobile assassin with high burst damage and an execute
Vindicta: Highly mobile sniper
Viscous: Mobile and tanky hero with disruption and a strong support skill
Warden: Mid-range bruiser with strong CC that can also work as an area denial
Wraith: Weapon-based DPS hero with a teleport
Yamato: Close-range DPS with sword-based skills

There’s A Lot To Learn

Deadlock Is Fairly Unique

Deadlock is a game that combines elements of Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) and third-person shooter genres, making it complex with numerous mechanics to grasp. For those who are familiar with MOBA games, understanding the interplay between movement, aiming, and character abilities will be essential. On the other hand, players accustomed to third-person shooters should focus on learning when it’s strategic to retreat to base, optimal item builds, team rotations, and effective farming techniques.

Stepping into the thrilling world of Deadlock for the first time, I’d recommend clicking on “Learn to Play” and going through all the tutorials. The learning curve for this game is quite steep, but taking the time to work through these lessons will be priceless as they’ll help you grasp the mechanics that’ll shape your initial gaming experience.

However, be aware that these tutorials won’t cover all the mechanics a Deadlock player needs to know to excel, but it will familiarize them enough with all the basic mechanics to at least understand what’s happening and what a character is capable of.

Securing Last Hits And Denials

Master Them

In Deadlock, just as in any MOBA, last-hitting minions is a crucial part of the initial stages of each game. This mechanic should be familiar to DOTA players since the laning phase in Deadlock bears a resemblance. However, when a player gets the final hit on a minion, it drops an orb. The one who fires at this orb first claims its souls for themselves and their fellow lane partners. This often results in cooperation within lanes with two players to ensure friendly orbs are captured and enemy orbs are prevented from being collected.

In a newbie’s initial game of Deadlock, it’s crucial to keep track of your minions’ health and seize opportunities from both last hits you and your opponent make. Always strive to execute a last hit promptly. Also, mastering denials will grant you an edge over opponents in the lane, so don’t forget to practice landing those when they present themselves.

You Can Jump Into A Good Item Build

An Accessible Step Before Experimentation

Players transitioning from third-person shooter games might find the intricate item system in Deadlock initially daunting. However, take comfort in knowing that while items significantly influence character building, there are pre-set recommended item combinations available for those unsure about their setup.

What someone needs to know is that these recommended sets are a blunt, one-size-fits solution. Once a player becomes more familiar with the game, they should not be afraid to deviate from the recommended build with different resistances or more ways to deal damage that fit their playstyle.

As a fan, you might find it interesting to explore other successful player-created builds! Simply hit the Browse Build button, then select the “public” tab to unveil a collection of the most popular builds. Click on any of these showcases to discover the items required for that build, and if the build is well-maintained, you’ll even find explanations about why and when each item should be purchased.

Movement Is King

Each Character’s Movement Is Different

While MOBA mechanics will rule the upper level decision-making, like which lanes a player should be pushing into, what items to build, or when they should roam, mastery over movement mechanics and third-person shooter fundamentals will rule the day when it comes to individual fights. There’s a dedicated action specifically for dodging that’s also tied to a stamina bar, but players are also capable of performing slides, dodge-jumps, air dashes, double jumps, and wall-bounces.

Mastering the coordinated use of these combat techniques, including special moves exclusive to characters such as Viscous’ gel-propelled punch, is crucial for players to emerge victorious from individual skirmishes during the early game and become an intimidating presence in group confrontations.

Upgrades Are Hidden In Pots And Crates

The Rewards Are Worth It

While transitioning between different lanes, it’s crucial to stay alert for various items, notable landmarks, and minion respawn points. Yet, among these, what truly stands out is the destructible objects along the walls in The Cursed Apple. Breaking these objects could yield an upgrade that provides a lasting enhancement to your character throughout the game, making it more enticing for players to delve deeper into the map without worrying about missing out on resources.

Speaking of roaming, Deadlock has a few other mechanics to encourage players to explore the map.

Roam At 10 Minutes

After ten minutes, a match will undergo various transformations. Here are some key ones to be aware of:

Midboss spawns
Vase spawns
Minions no longer give souls (players must secure the last hit to get souls now)
Soul orbs from minions no longer give their full value to each player in lane
- Instead, it’s now evenly split between each player in lane

10-minute mark triggers all mechanics to motivate players to explore and traverse the map. A significant alteration is in how minions behave after this point: instead of each player in a lane earning an equal number of souls from last hits, now each hit’s value will be equally divided among all players present in the lane. This means that as more players gather in a lane, individual soul gains decrease. To maximize your soul collection, consider completing objectives like transporting the vase, or farming neutral camps positioned between lanes.

2024-09-07 11:04