Valve Software confirmed long-running rumors today by revealing its next game -- Dota 2, a follow-up to the popular Warcraft 3 mod Defense of the Ancients, due to release in 2011 on Mac and PC.
Development of Dota 2 is led by the pseudonymous designer IceFrog, the years-long custodian for the DotA Allstars iteration of the mod. Rumors that Valve was working on a DotA game rose in 2009 when IceFrog said he was leading a development team at the Half-Life house.
But while the development of Dota 2 isn't a complete surprise, details have been scant. A new Game Informer report sheds some light on those details, including how Dota 2 will try to be more inviting than its predecessor -- the genre and its hardcore fanbase are known for tearing apart newcomers.
Valve is tailoring Steamworks matchmaking in order to help remedy the situation, and the game will also implement interactive guides, according to Game Informer: "Valve plans to allow guide-makers to tie their work back into the game by doing things like highlighting suggested item purchases or displaying useful information during a match."
The most notable new addition is a deeply integrated coaching system that will allow veteran players to log in as a "coach," and team up with new players to help them learn the intricacies of Dota 2. While Valve is still working on the details of the system, the report said coaches will be able to see their companion's screen and communicate with him or her via voice or chat, giving real-time tips.
"I think the interesting thing is us adding a second layer where the community is a service to each other. That's the real shift that we're trying to build here," said Valve founder Gabe Newell.
http://www.moddb.com/mods/elements-of-war/videos/elements-of-war-sky-camera-syst em
The Elements of War camera system, available in ALL Source/Gold Source games/mods is perfect for a sky camera game. Unlike Zelda/Nox/Diablo/Alien Swarm and any of the others, my system allows the player to always look to the north of the screen. When you turn left or right, the screen rotates clockwise or counter-clockwise with you. Making it the perfect upgrade to any FPS'er player looking to play a sky camera game.
Will it be free? Will there be a Super AI option? I get these things now with the WC3 mod version of Dota, which has had enough balance updates over the past 8 years since I've been playing it, that it's still entertaining.
Well, if Valve has Dota now, they might as well grab Burbenog Abridged...
This is disappointing. I thought Valve was going to take the dota "genre" and advance it, do something brave with it. If anyone could fix the design issues with these games, it would be Valve.
We already have a "dota with a new graphics engine", thank you very much.
I agree with you, Mark. Reading that they are leaving the gameplay design pretty much as it has been is disheartening to hear. The coaching and user participation sound like great feathers in an old hat. Calling it Dota2 seems like bad form as well, given the arguments already run through when they applied for the copyright. I was also hoping their MOBA game would have a new art style, wouldn't it be cool to see teams fighting over Red and Blu bases?
@ Chris: I'd imagine it would be free and supported by microtransactions, much like LoL is, especially now that we have the Steam Wallet up and running. This is a good thing.
Yeah I. thought the same. As George said Coaching and user participation are good features but to me the sound like a patch, they are an afterthought and not a design change to the source of the problems.
I've barely played DOTA but its obvious where the core of the problems come, things like denying and huge penalties (or boost to the other team) if you die. Trying to address things like that its what makes LOL a little more friendly DOTA.
It would have been nice to see a Valve touch on the design instead of a straight remake. Maybe with future patches, who knows
Name is stupid and it's already been beaten to the punch by LoL (which is somewhat noobfriendly), HoN, Bloodline Champions, etc. If they don't innovate design-wise I don't see this being a huge success, since stuff like LoL and HoN are already DoTA-but-polished. Also the noob-friendliness is a great idea, but i don't think you can really succeed in a hardcore genre simply by making it easier to get into because there are still tons of people who simply aren't interested.
Not only that, but I think it's a little low of Valve to take the IP from the mod community and make yet another "dota-but-polished" like you said. Not only because, as it was discussed before, they don't have the right to do it, but because they are a huge company which casts an enormous shadow over the PC market and can utterly destroy the efforts of smaller companies like Riot and S2 (that came first).
I am a HUGE fan of Valve. It's really my favorite company, but this... this is not right.
I hardly believe that coach system will work. Unless there are players who are willing to pay for the lessons of course.
I think dota, or any dota-like game should be made simpler for the "noobs". Just taking out creep denies for an easier game experience would mean a lot. There are also many other choices like tweaking with the hero kill bounties, limiting the heroes that can be chosen in an "easy game" or even inventing new mechanics to make life easier for the folks who are just starting.
http://www.moddb.com/mods/elements-of-war/downloads/1337-board-v7
http://www.moddb.com/mods/elements-of-war/videos/elements-of-war-sky-camera-syst
em
The Elements of War camera system, available in ALL Source/Gold Source games/mods is perfect for a sky camera game. Unlike Zelda/Nox/Diablo/Alien Swarm and any of the others, my system allows the player to always look to the north of the screen. When you turn left or right, the screen rotates clockwise or counter-clockwise with you. Making it the perfect upgrade to any FPS'er player looking to play a sky camera game.
http://www.leagueoflegends.com/
http://www.heroesofnewerth.com/
Well, if Valve has Dota now, they might as well grab Burbenog Abridged...
We already have a "dota with a new graphics engine", thank you very much.
@ Chris: I'd imagine it would be free and supported by microtransactions, much like LoL is, especially now that we have the Steam Wallet up and running. This is a good thing.
I've barely played DOTA but its obvious where the core of the problems come, things like denying and huge penalties (or boost to the other team) if you die. Trying to address things like that its what makes LOL a little more friendly DOTA.
It would have been nice to see a Valve touch on the design instead of a straight remake. Maybe with future patches, who knows
I am a HUGE fan of Valve. It's really my favorite company, but this... this is not right.
I think dota, or any dota-like game should be made simpler for the "noobs". Just taking out creep denies for an easier game experience would mean a lot. There are also many other choices like tweaking with the hero kill bounties, limiting the heroes that can be chosen in an "easy game" or even inventing new mechanics to make life easier for the folks who are just starting.