The Guide to Survival on the Streets (WIP)

Overview

A basic guide to understand the mechanics and gameplay of Hobo: Tough LifeBelow you will learn everything from controls to understanding basic elements of the game, also few tips and tricks along the way.* Work in Progress * Updating constantly!!!(Any spelling mistakes or wording shall be fixed, trying to finished quick for many of the new players and want help!)

Hobo: Tough Life

Hobo:Tough Life
What is this game and what is it all about? For a quick sum up of the game, you start off as a regular hobo for your first game ( there are multiple seasons per game. Beating the game unlocks other hobo classes to play ).

Where you start off with basically nothing and no real true knowledge or skills to survive the coming days,weeks or months. The game itself has day/night cycles (*timing yet to be tested to current patch*) and as mentioned seasons (Spring,Summer,Fall & Winter it seems). Story is always being added to, also the new Hobo King voting is in the game now. Can you claim the throne?!

You need to learn how to survive and build, craft and create, cook and many other skills that improve you gameplay and hobo’s quality of life that doesn’t matter. You will meet friends, strangers, creeps and enemies. You choose your path and create a story of your own along the way.

Now a basic understanding of how the game works and about various skills

Find little hidden links that are safe! And are just music videos just to make the guide more enjoyable xD!

Controls & Tutorial

• Control – Action
• WASD & Arrows Movement
• E & Left Click – Action
• Right Click – Can be used to back out from dialog / inventory (be careful in stores this can be an action key!)
• Enter / Space – Submit (in dialog)
• Space – Jump
• Shift – Sprint
• Escape – Menu / exit dialog
• I – Inventory
• H – Tutorial Page
• M – Map

There used to be a in game Tutorial but has since been taken out. Many things are explained throughout the game itself now! Here to help out though with this guide and hope it does work out or you may learn something new! ( The game itself is a great game that does take time and patience, map knowledge is a huge help as well. All comes in time.
Find the hidden treasures/easter eggs in game too.

With little for stats and clothing, good starting tips are to find good clothing, bags to hold more items(use Hide Out Stash for good items), taking your time in dumpsters until you level it up more(more levels equals more chances of warning markers in Mini Game), talking to people on the streets(get that Speech Skill up for better chances of getting cash in Begging Mini Game)

Starting Off (The Base Knowledge)

This section here is gunna cover most of the basic of the game.

Below will explain how the HUD works and Skills/Perks

You slowly will lose health when these bars get below 20% or for illness/poison when it is above 85%

• Energy and Sprint – How much you can get done in a day/night and zoom around the streets. (Low Energy results in exhaustion and being unable to sprint)
• Health – Self explained, if this goes below 10% you will pass out, NOW when this hits 0, its not game over(you die and come back but a loss of 10 on stats). Avoid this at ALL costs.
• Heat/Warmth – Keeping your core body temp high always will keep you from freezing. (Freezing results in sickness and health loss. Colder you get quicker sickness sets in.)
• Moisture/Dryness – both work hand in hand together at times Wet/Moisture – Snow & Rain aren’t really friendly things for the homeless. The wetter you get the colder or quicker freezing your core temps happen. Stay DRY not DRENCHED Dryness – Low temps result in Illness rising and Health to drop.
• Money – $$$, Cash, bills, bones, coin, call it whatever you want. Buy nifty things and perks/items from NPC’s and stores. Many ways to make money! (*look at easy money section*)
• Temperature – The current temperature of outside. (Can be picked between C° or F°)
• Morale – Happy or Sad, Good or Bad. This meter helps show your current state of mind. Keep this up always! (Certain things will raise and lower morale, also there are buffs but beware getting too low results in a Broken Morale which drains health)
• Hunger – Eat, Drink to survive with the main draining stat next to heat. It is something we all wonder ourselves do our stomachs have their own brain?! Any nutritious substance you come across can be eaten or drank. But do learn overtime with caution. Lower class foods or scraps in better terms can cause illness rise. You can learn to craft many types of food and learn the powers of cooking to survive. Few even give a good health boost or buffs!
• Illness – Eating bad things or bad habits can catch up if not done in moderation, your body is your temple treat it how you want they say! As this meter rises so will poisoning slowly (Booze and smokes do raise this and also don’t use often or addictions can happen! If so hold off if you can!)
• Poisoning – ^ Remember what was just mentioned?!?! This gets too high can results in major health issues keep that toxicity low (). (Teas, Herbs & Lemons help lots)

  The three below ; Toilet, Odour & Alcohol doesn’t decline when in red zone

• Number Two – Basic nature of many animals, some go outside, some inside. Use toilets to lower this to zero( strategy perk helps a lot with this in a pinch ), or get the GUTS(*perk*) to go in many spots outside like well like animals do xD! Also TP helps you go faster, do get that triple ply folks!
• Odour – Eww, Gross! Did the cheese get cut? Nope it is actually just you! Keep yourself and clothing clean! Lower will give better chances at talking and many other things. Ps don’t forget behind the ears! (Wipes, soap help on spot, there is laundry and places to use shower even!)
• Alcohol – Drink, drank, drunk…. They say. Higher this gets well more smashed you get. Talking about getting to another level eh. Can result in addictions without perks/using too much. But hey might give you something in return?

Resistances
*Getting certain drinks from stores will give boosts to stats for good listed below*

These beauties help out lots!

Absinthe

Whisky

Vodka

White Rum

Below are a few stats that can be permanently buffed to a certain point via ^ alcohol shown above or Hobo Hut buffs from building

• Cold – Higher this goes the more your resilience towards the cold is. Strong like Russian Vodka!
• Water – High levels results in the Water meter filling slower. Wax on, wax off they say. Watch the water bead off.
• Poisoning – Become the taste tester for Death?! Even Jebus was jealous
• Immunity – As this grows and gets higher less chances of getting sick from eating and other actions.
  Stats
• Attack – Pump iron, and HULK SMASH! Gives higher DMG rating ( Flat DMG you deal in combat, may be reduced depending on defence of enemy. Also Critical Hits ignore defence and deal Flat DMG rating )
• Defence – Dip, Dodge, Duck, Dive and? Dodge right? Make Bruce Lee proud with this skill raised up. Results in lower DMG received. ( Reduce damage by a certain percentage *there is a cap at 80%* as well enemy Critical Hits ignore your defence )
• Charisma – Sweet talker, or just a drinker who loves to ramble?! This helps with conversations with NPC’s ( Higher this gets equals to a percentage you will have with talking to people on the streets and not be refused to be talked to )

Oh and the basic picture of inventory layout as well!

Skills have a Expert and Master Level to them giving a extra bar to many mini-games or give other bonuses.

• Speech – Chatting on the streets will level this up, ramble away sweet talker! ( helps with begging and needed for Strategy perk )
  
• Begging – Beg here , beg there, on the street or doors of peoples homes. ( very useful for quick cash as skills progress )
  
• Trading – Modern day salesman over here! Chatting up people to offer items you have came across, made, or stole!! ( Improving this will give both a boost in mini-game and extra items to choose to sell! )
  
• Stealing – Extra sneaky eh? Slight of hand on your side? Three items pop up for mini-game to grab ( Expert gives four items & Master gives five items to steal )
  
• Dumpster Diving – Who doesn’t love getting a little dirty if the cause is worth it, they do say one man’s trash is another’s TREASURE! ( Expert = 40% less waste & Master = 80% reduction )
  
• Crafting – Crafting/Cooking will be used from making food, weapons and shelter items.( as well being able to repair anything as learning recipes along the way )
  
• Lock Picking – Being sneaky is cool at times, even cooler is being able to open any doors or dumpsters you come across that may be locked ( Expert skill gives another chance before lock pick breaks & Master gives two attempts! )
  

(Base Knowledge/Skills Continued)

So you have made it this far.. a lot of things to cover over eh? But don’t worry you will become a Master Hobo yourself in no time. Below further will be Perks and how they will reflect skills you currently have. ( Few perks require a certain level or expert/mastering before getting them!)

• Page one of the perks to learn.
  
• Page two of perks.
  

This is the real deal when it become learning the true perks to surviving and not just relying on skills. Perks will give a boost and general help to day/night living as well as preparing for the harsh winters to come. Perks vary and many have been added recently. Learn how to steal from people with less morale each time, wanna sell more goodies like a guy in a trench coat get the Street Vendor perk! It is endless for the choices you wanna go for. Become a master drunkard or fix stuff with a engineer perk, or maybe you just like hitting people with things too… Don’t worry there is a perk for that too, weapon smith has got you covered. I won’t go into full details with each and every perk as I want you to discover them as well!

– Using a fire, simple and easy stuff (found all over the place or at Hobo Hut’s.)

Crafting
Craft anything from homemade furniture, clothing and many other things (also dismantle things for extra supplies.). Building in this game is really fun, make it how you want!(placement wise)
Crafting Tables
– Here shows the crafting table and how you can make many items and as well take them apart!
– This area here is for making basic and more unique items!
– Craft a extra weapon for protection on the streets and also make shelter items for your Hobo Hut’s

Food Crafting
– Make any extra drinks and food from scraps found in bins or make something very special!

Here you see the voting page for becoming the Hobo/Beggar King.
You will need to work hard and find your ways, earn trust and complete tasks to earn votes.
One day the Throne shall be all for you! (Votes are usually given by the faction leader of certain Hobo Camps

Basic Game Mechanics (Mini-Games Explained)

The bar mini-game is one to get used to but gets better with time, can use E or Mouse Click Left to stop the bar. (Used in dumpster diving, chatting, crafting/food making, stealing and others.)

One of the key and many ways to survive the harsh streets. There is many kinds of dumpsters to dive on into! Below find different sizes, bigger they are more they have and higher chances of good stuff! But BEWARE higher levels means more shrapnel per dumpster
Most small and medium sized dumpsters will be around this size. *As well the size of Dump Spots with Dump Raider Perk*

Medium Trash Cans

Large Trash Bins *Few may be locked depending on area*

There is cars to loot and other containers to grab from smaller box ones like the one below are usually locked, few are open always near Drax

As you explore the city further, the more dumpster you will stumble across, I mean everywhere you go in real life think about, there is always ones around stores, back of places or out and about on the streets galore

Always be careful try to not rip clothing or get odour it helps not to with conversations and integrity of your clothing *worse it gets worse it helps*
Dump Raider Perk Spot aka what they look like

Could become a main way for cash and items if getting it to a high enough skill, second most used mechanic for basic needs. Below you will find many ways to learn and talk to those roaming the streets.
Basic chats with folk, covering few of the areas of chat mastering to strangers

Chat with strangers –

Chat with NPC’s/Hobo’s –

Insolence – In the word you find many descriptions but this truly follows being Bold and Proud in the sense of being able to ask without hesitation, earn a extra little bit more!

Strategy – Works hand in hand with many conversations, extra chat boost or results in a easier option of getting talking done *Very useful perk but costs Will Power!*

Sell items – You can find random people on the streets to buy selected items if you have them, also many Hobo NPCs buy certain items from you!

Street Vendor will give you better options to sell items!
The layout on how items get shown when sell option is chosen.

Taking things from people can be fun or a bad thing if a cop spots you doing it! It does affect moral slightly whether it be from a container or taking from a NPC! Many people can be stolen from!
Certain areas have spots with wood planks or other bins with good stuff. But beware and keep an eye out or upset the wrong person, then run or chat your way out of it if caught.

Certain people you may come across might wanna fight, they look like a easy target to bully. But with fighting it goes a long way. Learning to get skills up helps and other perks, your a pretty weak hobo at the start but don’t stress. Below shows Bullying and what it looks like to lose. Winning results in the rewards your after. Item or cash
Fighting Chat.

Fighting Lose
When you end up losing a fight it usually results in getting knocked out or left bleeding on the ground for a few seconds until you recover. Better to avoid this in case of freezing temps or low stats

Map & Locations (NPC’s)

– Simple info for spots and the map. Use this to find anything from stores, fire barrels and what you will call home or other hobo areas. *Spots unlock as you find them*

–

NPC’s

. General locations of all the people you end up meeting along the way of your journey.

– Area for favours. There are many favours that act like a side quest or help out in game getting certain things.

– Quests info & Tracking. Used for finding and tracking all your current quests accepted.

• General Store – ( The store that will hold many of the basic items to buy. Is different from the smaller shops that sell smokes or has the Salesman )
• Employment & Police Station – ( , different kind of jobs to try out. More may be added? And Also Cop Shop is where you spawn when put in jail. )
• Toilet’s & The Chat – ( With strategy you can drop one for half the price, how convenient! )
• The Mighty Church of the City – ( Here you may find peace of mind, a priest and few quests, but even better help out the Father and you can receive a Blessing or Picture of the Saviour. )
• The Hotel – ( Not much here yet, other then furniture at the back when unlocked through NPC chat. )
• Sales Shop/Smoke & Laundry – (Salesman sells a minor amount of food and drinks, smoke shop is anything from booze, smokes and handing in winning Lotto Ticket’s.)
• Pizza Bobo’s – (This is one of the spots for work you get from employment, though requires work to unlock.)
• A dump spot, but this one is for number two – ( Requires Guts Perk, will find a few of these around the city, feeling bold?! )
• The Charity – (Best Spot for Free food, clothing, and you can also use the shower, laundry and toilet here. Costs money but can be lowered with perks.)
• Radio Station – (Free stuff ; random scraps, food and even furniture!!)
• Food Spot aka Chef’s backdoor – (This is a good spot to grab good food, get to know the Chef and get good food-bags or even more! Is also beside on of the Hobo Huts you can build at!!)
• Front of The Fort – (The Fort, the brick house of all safety for the homeless. Ran by Tony and many others who help out, you need to prove yourself before you may enter.)
• Bear’s Hut and back of the Fort – ()
• Inside any of the civilian building you will find spread all over the city – ( What the inside is like, can find anything from locked cabinets, or 1 to 2 doors to chat to people for ; cash,selling,stealing or heat buff! )
  

NPC’s Continued

This will be changing a lot and have a few NPC’s to add still as time goes, missing or certain ones you want added comment please! (Not all NPC’s are posted yet)

Characters (NPC’s)

• Cops – Oh that sound again, who did what?! RUN! Better to keep your distance when doing illegal things, may results in a night in the drunk tank/jail.
• Thugs – No good Thuggies… hanging around the streets in a hoodie jacket. They will approach if they please and wanna have a small chat. Beware though they will mug you for your money! Fight or… (see picture chat, as you can see they can be offered a smoke to keep them happy!)
• Drax – Drax is the guy to go to for any knowledge around locks, or advancing this skill
• Nugget – Learning from Nugget will give trading tips and the Street Vendor perk!
  
• Shrug – Can help repair clothing as well buy/sell items. Can teach you a few things as well!
  
• Crazy – Crazy is the kinda guy to learn the skills of speech, Charisma is his go to!
  
• Henry – Wanna become a master beggar? Well stop by and pick this perk up from him!
  
• Fester – Fester in my world means Food.. Joking, but for real this guy is like the Master Chef of Hobo’s I mean making quality out of basically nothing but scraps!
  
• Monty – My man Monty, crafty little bugger he is, will fix things, sell and buy items too. Also learn a very great perk from him! (Engineer/Crafting)
  
• Tony – Tony is the leader of The Fort a place for many to call a home, secure but needs a bit of TLC, where doesn’t. Learn defence and Will Power from him.
  
• Maisner – A great fellow he is, gives you minor quests/favours and few items to buy. Guy just needs help at times but helps you out as well. Learn bedding from him. Also where the lost and found is.
  
• Kashee – A guy of many weapons, learn many weapon recipes from him or just buy/sell them here. ( Did you say Gnome? )
  
• Zachy – Down underneath you will find this fellow, hanging out in his own throne style room. Leader of the Drunkards?
  
• Ferenz – Leader of the criminals around Drax’s camp, has his good and bad moments but him and his crew need to learn the streets… surviving them that is. Can learn a few things from him.
  
• Bruno – Not the nicest of folk.
  
• Bear – A master of dumpster diving but also dislikes germs haha, he is a quite guy. Learn many things from him around dumpster skills!
  
• Vanga – A fine lady of the spiritual and caring or crazy. However you put it, she sells herbs to help and few minor things along the way. ( Area for amulets if you die )
  
• Tented NPC’s – You may find these tents around the city, maybe a chat or two? Maybe a quest?
  
• Master Hobo – Used to teach you many things, but has since retired. But will give you a good chat and direction of what to do for basics. ( Magic Box? Master Hobo enjoys them )
  
• Toilet Lady – Posted a few times through the guide but she is a damn necessity, its life when you gotta go you gotta go!
  
• Mrs. Emka – A kind soul, here you will find a lady to teach you things about clothing and fix them for a fee.
  
• Brother Mark – Spare change or maybe a extra piece of junk? A kind man indeed.(below is the spot for Brother Mark)
  
• Masha – Part of The Fort, the cook and cleaner. Caring soul she is.
  
• Libar (Bookstore) – He is the go to guy for selling books and getting a few things for it. Must be a bookworm! (Spot location in picture below)
  
• Father Burian – A priest, father, a man here to give a good blessing and remind you of saviour.
  
• Chicco – May be able to help you in a pinch, food, snacks? He is your guy!
  
• Baron – A leader of the lost it seems, works at a bar but is homeless. The mystery continues??
  
• Cardinal – A drinker of many well.. drinks, called a alcoholic but can teach those skills to you! Become a Drunkard today! (BYOB though)
  
• Furgrim – Shadows are jealous of this man, sneaky yet quick. Will be able to share his knowledge of the thieve’s. Many good perks to learn from him!
  
• Johnny – Lives at The Fort, he is a side hand to Tony it seems, will teach you certain things with speech experience.
  
• Ramsay – Junkies… what do you do about them. Maybe learn a thing or two who knows?!
  
• Random NPC’s – Few NPC’s may have a funny chat or give a hint to other things (easter eggs)
  
• The Cultist – ??? May add this in as I feel its a spoiler ???
• Unfinished NPC – Here is one of many unfinished NPC’s that may be expanded on the future but you can still have minor chats with a few around the city.
  

(Tips/Making Money)

Below are just a few basic tips to get started, others are good in general.

• Staying warm and Dry is the biggest saving factor get booze buffs for extra help to help with Winter as well!
• Working on the shelter early on is a good thing, work towards the Buffs they provide. Can be game changing early on!
• Vending Machines/Phones – These are scatted all over the city, extra cash from time to time.
  
• Thugs – Thugs can either be taken on with good weapons and higher skills. Give them a smoke to back them off in a hurry if so!
• Stealing – Be out of sight for many things in the open to steal and be quick when you do it in conversations! Don’t get caught!
• Begging – Begging becomes such a great skill with other perks added too! When you start to get better you will find making money through conversation reaps great rewards and money! Strategy, Insolence, and many other perks to get! ( Paint a picture even! )
• Sleeping Benches – Many benches around the city may give you a good bonus, Get a full Rest for that! And use bedding for quicker resting!
  
• POOP!! – Can’t state it enough but this helps out so much! Use Strategy to cut prices down or work towards that Guts perk!
  

The End

Wanted to make this guide to help others and truly had a blast doing it. I see great things to come within the game soon with the full release! Keep a eye on there socials too! Or join their discord!

Thank you to anyone taking the time to read and enjoy any parts of the guide! Wish everyone great gaming times always! Much love and survive out there!

Also my current review of the game

In all matters aside you put yourself in the feet of sumone else. It is a true hardcore survival game. Take the time build a shelter and learn from the streets. Its not a easy game if everyone thinks it is. And no the game wasnt made to make fun of homeless. Truly if you die a few times, or lose some moral from stealing cause thats how it is. You will do all you can to become a master of the streets by choice or suffer. Game is updating time to time. its a new game a people get very upset they don’t get what they want. I find it to be a exciting ride. Looking forward to how the game evolves truly. Its educational truly and makes you understand yes. its damn hard to live life on the street. I give the game a solid 7.5/10 only cause yes in time it will optimise and improve with AI and other core aspects. Will give a future update later this year or after few new patches. The game has a future like the homeless do. It’s called choices and this game lets you make em. being good or bad , soon fighting or running. staying warm or freezing to death. Up to 4 of your closest homeless friends in a world of lessons to learn. Can you survive? Can you master the streets? Oh and I don’t see this game to be rude or anything wrong with it. Full of lessons to share!

Updated review to the current patch and state of the game. Overall I now give this game a solid 9.5/10 and I know will be 10/10 in the future of the full release of this beautiful game. Dev team is a great group of people, they work hard on a game they care for as well.

Many things have been improved over time ; Graphics, Game Play, AI/NPC, Story, Skills and many other features. Game now runs smoothly with little to no issues or bugs now ( they keep smashing em and upgrading the game ) And Next big patch/release will make it even better.

Keep up the amazing work guys!