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Heroes of the Storm Technical Alpha Thread: [Artifacts Removed]

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fluffydelusions

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Tech Alpha Walkthrough:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vB_6GRNS7dg

Cinematic Trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ecv0bT9DEo

Developer Interview:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnhI_JotfcY

Gameplay Sneak Peek:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_fAkO3WOSY
 
Looks interesting, streamers seem a bit mixed on the gameplay but given its an alpha alot can change
 
I'm Blitz#1757
Add me for some gaf games.



Impressions:

This game is very very newbie casual friendly. Much easier game to learn than Dota2 or League of Legends.

Mounts, just like WoW mounts. Very nice idea and great way for blizzard to make more money by selling different mounts. Takes 1 second to cast and then you can run around the map faster. Get hit or start attacking and you go back on your feet.

Level up as a team: This is definitely a new idea which is different. So everyone on the team is the same level 4 or whatever. This prevents carry hero to be level 15 while the newbie is only level 7. I only played for 1 day so I don’t know if it will be good, bad, or more fun. It promotes experience sharing and not kill stealing. You can sit in homebase or fountain all day and be level 15 just like your teammates.

Rotating maps: Similar to Starcraft2, you always play a random map. This is a good idea instead of the same old dota map or league of legend map.

Heroes are bigger than creeps: Similar to the moba game Demigod. The hero is bigger in size and more powerful than the creeps. I feel like the creeps don’t do any damage to you at all. This makes the game even more casual friendly.

I’m a big fan of dota2 gamplay. So I don’t like that there is no last hitting, no deny, no gold, no items to buy, not allowing the carry hero to level up faster since it is team level based, no points to set in your skills (You can’t put 4 points into skill Q and 1 points into skill W. All skills automatically upgrade). This definitely makes the game a newbie heaven. Some might argue that these are the good points about this game, otherwise go play dota.

I guess all these changes are good for Blizzard since we don’t need all moba games to be exactly the same. More variety is better.
 
So does this have dedicated servers? Just want to make 100% sure.

Sort of interested in this despite the pricing. I started playing League as an idiotic/simplistic but fun version of DOTA to play when I got sick of DOTA/HoN, but now that I hate everything League has become, I really hope I get in the alpha to give this a try to see whether I stick with Strife or go to HotS.
 
Hoping for an invite sooner or later. Been watching the streams and I actually think it looks like fun. I like the different maps and elimination of the last hit mechanic.
 
Alpha without an NDA which can be streamed? I think Blizzard forgot what the definition of alpha is.
 
Awwwwe man.... no items? No denying of farm? I gotta try this for myself but it doesn't sound my cup of tea so far but who knows.
 
J-Rzez said:
Don't forget you can give them real cash money, in an alpha, already as well... lol.
Click to expand...

It's only really battle.net balance. Most people with blizzard games already have at least a little on their accounts, and it's all refunded to you before the game launches, apparently.
 
J-Rzez said:
Don't forget you can give them real cash money, in an alpha, already as well... lol.
Click to expand...

this was true of the closed beta of hearthstone as well, and blizz refunded you the "cost" of everything you bought during the closed beta (translated into gold for card packs and arena entries) when it went to open beta.

if you buy every champion in the alpha, presumably you will then not have to pay anything to have every champion in the closed beta, then open beta, then live version. not a bad offer really.
 
My naive, top level view of this so far is that they're striving for a structure and overall atmosphere more in line with team FPSes than the rest of the genre. The mechanics aren't complicated, character building's at a minimum, and screwing up a bit doesn't throw the whole match.
 
Sciz said:
My naive, top level view of this so far is that they're striving for a structure and overall atmosphere more in line with team FPSes than the rest of the genre. The mechanics aren't complicated, character building's at a minimum, and screwing up a bit doesn't throw the whole match.
Click to expand...
It's clear that in Hearthstone they were trying to minimize/neutralize the parts of player communication that make MTGO chat toxic at times. Not surprised to see them to the same here (and it's a very, very good decision on their part, as it's by far the worst part of the genre.)
 
Sooo looking forward to giving this game a shot. Man between Heroes of the Storm, Hearthstone, and Diablo 3 RoS I'll be strictly on Blizzards nutts for a while
 
posted this in the wrong thread:

I've been playing MOBAs since the original DOTA 1, and I haz an Alpha key.

I regularly play DOTA 2, can't stand LoL (for the most part).

DOTA 2 is amazing.

Heroes of the Storm...I like it. A lot. Its different. Its very early. But it has promise. It also has Blizzard humor, and it seems like there is room for the game in the genre.

Its also super cool to fight Diablo with Jim Raynor, I have to admit.

edit: oh wow the main music is awesome. I like it!
 
Sciz said:
My naive, top level view of this so far is that they're striving for a structure and overall atmosphere more in line with team FPSes than the rest of the genre. The mechanics aren't complicated, character building's at a minimum, and screwing up a bit doesn't throw the whole match.
Click to expand...

hmm, sounds fun.
 
borghe said:
this was true of the closed beta of hearthstone as well, and blizz refunded you the "cost" of everything you bought during the closed beta (translated into gold for card packs and arena entries) when it went to open beta.

if you buy every champion in the alpha, presumably you will then not have to pay anything to have every champion in the closed beta, then open beta, then live version. not a bad offer really.
Click to expand...

Right, i know you keep everything... but there's just something, odd, about paying during an "alpha" though. I know that creeped into "beta" products, but now we have it in "alpha", which to me is strange sounding.
 
J-Rzez said:
Right, i know you keep everything... but there's just something, odd, about paying during an "alpha" though. I know that creeped into "beta" products, but now we have it in "alpha", which to me is strange sounding.
Click to expand...

It's a sign of the times I guess when the business model becomes so intertwined with the game design that they have no choice but to test it as early as possible.
 
Mrcod said:
How do you feel about the hero movement speed? From watching streams it looks too slow to me, but maybe it's different while playing.
Click to expand...

It is very slow compared to DOTA2, that's for sure. But is that too slow?

I am actually not convinced that it is for the type of game they are trying to create. For competitive players maybe it will be too slow. But this game is NOT a standard MOBA. They are actually redefining MOBA with it...and I'm not saying that they are making DOTA 2 or LoL irrelevant with it, just that they are expanding the definition of DOTA. But I actually think they are carving out a VERY nice little niche for themselves, that could turn into something.

I just played some more...and the more and more I play this, the more I LOVE it. Geez. I was luke warm at first, but then I hired a pirate to siege the enemy base with a ghost ship after I broke open a golden chest. THIS is the type of outside the box thinking I want to see in the MOBA genre.
 
GregLombardi said:
It is very slow compared to DOTA2, that's for sure. But is that too slow?

I am actually not convinced that it is for the type of game they are trying to create. For competitive players maybe it will be too slow. But this game is NOT a standard MOBA. They are actually redefining MOBA with it...and I'm not saying that they are making DOTA 2 or LoL irrelevant with it, just that they are expanding the definition of DOTA. But I actually think they are carving out a VERY nice little niche for themselves, that could turn into something.

I just played some more...and the more and more I play this, the more I LOVE it. Geez. I was luke warm at first, but then I hired a pirate to siege the enemy base with a ghost ship after I broke open a golden chest. THIS is the type of outside the box thinking I want to see in the MOBA genre.
Click to expand...

I don't see a lot of people playing it complaining how slow it is, but watching the streams on twitch it does seem like they are walking in molasses or something.
 
Interfectum said:
I don't see a lot of people playing it complaining how slow it is, but watching the streams on twitch it does seem like they are walking in molasses or something.
Click to expand...

Oh definitely. It is definitely slow....but I haven't found cause to believe that actually detracts from the game in this case. I need to play more though.
 
The char moves a bit slow but not extremely slow. The maps are small and you have a mount so the speed is fine.

The game feels more like world of Warcraft battlegrounds 5v5. It is fun for a few games but I'm not sure if I can play this for months like dota/lol.

It doesn't feel like a Moba game because I don't feel more powerful as the team levels up. My char has the same skills at lvl 6 and at lvl 20. With no items to buy I don't feel more powerful.
 
TotalBiscuit did a 45 minute alpha preview on HotS:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lp-NO__8kpQ

I have to say, this game looks like something I am going to love playing. I like the concept of Dota2 and LoL but I hate playing them, it's like you need to make a career of playing them to even be able to play them with any degree of success. I absolutely love the casualness and "simplicity" Blizzard is putting into HotS, it's exactly what I want in a MOBA game.

I hope I get into the alpha / beta at some point, as I'd love to play this game.
 
I've been watching streams and I like how this is. I hope it doesn't get shit up with all the typical MOBA trappings.
 
I really want to play as Nova which cost $10 or 10,000 coins.

That's about 20 wins. at a 50% win ratio, i'll have to play 40 games to get Nova. :(
 
Looks like a lords management game I might finally be capable of playing with some degree of success. Hope to receive hands-on time with it sooner than later!
 
Really looking forward to this one.

Seems like there's action from level (well, team level) 1 and the matches lasts around 15-20 mins. Hopefully the closed beta isn't that far away ;)
 
Been watching streams of this here and there...Looks like it has a lot more PvE elements than your typical MOBA. Also looks a bit slower paced than the more popular MOBAs out there. Hope I get in the alpha to give it a spin.
 
I trust Blizzard to make an accessible lords management game and still keep it fun but I won't know for sure until they send a key my way :(
 
Anyone in the Tech Alpha? I'm having a total blast. Played a few games with Abathur and wow it is totally different.

Liking his laid back sit in the base and support approach hehe
 
TurtleSnatcher said:
Anyone in the Tech Alpha? I'm having a total blast. Played a few games with Abathur and wow it is totally different.

Liking his laid back sit in the base and support approach hehe
Click to expand...

I'm not in the alpha, but I have been watching some videos of the game from people like Totalbiscuit, Husky, and Day9, and I think the game looks absolutely phenomenal. It's certainly no alpha, hell it looks polished even for a Blizzard beta. The game looks fun yet easy to play and get into, and I absolutely LOVE the differences from LoL and Dota2. Mainly, I love how they have simplified the game mechanics down by taking out items, making levelups easier to manage, and incorporating team XP and eliminating last hit. IMHO all of this allows you to actually PLAY the game more and not need to spend time researching or reading descriptions during the match. LoL just didn't click for me, and Dota2 is so damn hard to play for lower skilled / novice players that it just isn't fun if you don't spend weeks studying the game. Plus I hate the whole last hit mechanic, it forces you to play a certain way in order to have any chance at all, it just seems so shackling to me.

Blizzard is doing what they always do, take a great concept, polish it to a superior sheen, and bake it down to the core mechanics of what makes it FUN and engaging. I can't wait to get the chance to play Heroes of the Storm.
 
Seems like another alpha wave went out the other day for accounts that opted in. There's also a Q&A session on the talent system happening here in a little over an hour at 11 AM PDT.
 
borghe said:
this was true of the closed beta of hearthstone as well, and blizz refunded you the "cost" of everything you bought during the closed beta (translated into gold for card packs and arena entries) when it went to open beta.

if you buy every champion in the alpha, presumably you will then not have to pay anything to have every champion in the closed beta, then open beta, then live version. not a bad offer really.
Click to expand...

It's more about the fact that they are clearly past the stage of development where this would be called an alpha. This is essentially no different than an "early-access" title on steam.
 
I got in and I don't know how, lol. I don't really have time to play it now so I wish it was a key I could give out. If I load it up I will post my info.
 
InsaneElite said:
Seems like another alpha wave went out the other day for accounts that opted in.
Click to expand...

Ohnonono said:
I got in and I don't know how, lol. I don't really have time to play it now so I wish it was a key I could give out. If I load it up I will post my info.
Click to expand...

Do you work in the media at all? Seems like a majority of the alpha invites are to people who work in the media. I'm guessing they want exposure for the game and free publicity.
 
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