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PAX Prime 2014: Tome makes for a more aggressive MOBA
One interesting trend that I noticed among the up-and-coming MOBAs that I previewed at PAX Prime this past weekend was how there's this real desire to challenge the status quo and cut out what's hurting rather than helping the genre. Tome may not look much different than its contemporaries, with a grounded fantasy setting and typical setup, but underneath the hood it's sporting a few ideas that should make it more friendly and convenient to a larger audience. The team's decided against including last hitting while putting in handy features such as healing quickly and buying items anywhere while not in combat. Another core principle of Tome is that it embraces aggressive gameplay. Matches should take 12 minutes or less to complete, with design elements such as hardier minions and limited ammunition towers making turtling an undesirable option.
PAX Prime 2014: Heroes of the Storm is friendly, zany fun
Heroes of the Storm's beginnings are rooted in a mod that Blizzard made in 2010 to encourage StarCraft II players to get into the modding scene. Not only was this unnecessary (the StarCraft II comunity took to modding like fish to water) but the mod gradually became so well-liked internally that proper development began in 2012 to make it a full-fledged MOBA. At PAX Prime, I asked the team what was going to make Heroes of the Storm stand out from the rest of the MOBA pack -- or whether it was merely content to ride the Blizzard name to big sales. The response was that this game is shaping up to be one of the most friendly and welcoming MOBAs on the market. Gone are mechanics like denying and last hits and in are new concepts like shared team levels. The devs said that the root of the toxic atmosphere seen in many MOBAs is game design that focuses more in individual selfishness and potential ways to hurt your own team. There also won't be any chatting with the opposing team in HotS to cut down on potential sass-mouth.
Motiga's Gigantic makes a big first impression
In Motiga's Gigantic, a team of five players choose unique champions who must work together to effectively control a map and slaughter their enemies – another team of five players – with the ultimate goal of destroying the opposing team's Guardian, a valuable asset that lies in wait at the opposite end of the map. On paper, it sounds like yet another MOBA, the rapidly-expanding genre pioneered by games like League of Legends and Dota 2. In practice however, while the game's DNA is undeniably colored by the m-word genre, you'd be doing the game a ... well, gigantic disservice to think of it as another imitator.
Heroes of the Storm launches interactive battleground page
Looking forward to exploring the maps in Heroes of the Storm? The good news is that you can do so right now, even if you aren't currently in the test pool. The game's interactive battleground maps are now available, showing off the fields of battle and allowing you to zoom in or out, highlight important points, and scroll around to see all of the neat stuff that's there to be seen. Each of the maps has numerous different mechanics as well as additional routes for players to take, including aboveground and underground routes or enemies that spawn during the night. The page outlines how all five maps will work and should help players start plotting strategies even without getting your hands on the game. If you feel like a bit of surveying, go check out the maps now.
The Witcher Battle Arena trailer gets MOBA in your action RPG
It's easy to lose hours to quests and item crafting while following The Witcher series' Geralt of Rivia, but for most adventurers, it's not an on-the-go experience. Thankfully there will soon be an alternative in The Witcher Battle Arena, due for Android, iOS and Windows Phone later this year. We played a few matches in the 3v3 MOBA-flavored battler at E3, but now you can get a glimpse of the action for yourself in the trailer after the break.
SMITE raises money for world championship pot by selling items
SMITE has a new plan to raise money for its World Championship prize pool called The Odyssey. Basically, the Odyssey program allows players a limited-time window to purchase exclusive items and sets for the game that will never be sold again. Part of the proceeds from those sales will go into the prize pool for the championship. In other SMITE news, the game has added a new Mayan god. Cabrakan is a "destroyer of mountains," which is a good thing if you have a mountain coming at you down a lane. He's good at crowd control, protecting allies, and blocking enemy progress. We've got videos on both Cabrakan and the Odyssey program for you to watch after the break.
Riot Games starting programs to help support retired e-sports players
So what do you do when you're too old to play e-sports on a professional level? Do you accept that you had a good run being treated like a rock star for playing a lot of games and move on with your life? Heck no. You need to start worrying about leveraging your brand and your media training. That's the sort of material covered by a new program headed by Riot Games, guiding professional League of Legends players on the path from the start of their career to their expected retirement at around age 27. The accepted retirement age for professional players is due to a decrease in fine motor control and reflexes, which means that as in physical sports, it's impossible to continue playing as you get older. While the symposia Riot is offering don't yet go into detail about what players can do after playing, they are meant to help keep professionals in the spotlight and support them when they can no longer keep up with the events. It's useful training for professional e-sports players looking to move through their career and have some direction for after the game.
League of Legends spotlights Gnar in a new video
So you've heard a lot about the newest League of Legends champion, Gnar. You've read about his abilities. But do you know how to play him? Have you seen him in action? Then perhaps you should watch the newest spotlight video, which sheds some light on how to play the angry little guy -- which is good, since Gnar is currently the only champion whose transformation doesn't lie under the direct control of the player. The video gives an overview of Gnar's abilities in both forms, then runs through a quick guide to handling combat situations with the hoppy little bundle of rage. Essentially, it's all about keeping an eye on when you'll transform and making the most of the situation, hopping in and out as the change takes you and wears off. Take a look at the video just past the break for a more visual demonstration of how to make the most of the character.
Gamescom 2014: SMITE heading for the Xbox One
Has your purchase of a next-gen console been reliant on finding out which one of them will get a MOBA on it? Your wait is now over. SMITE is set to launch on the Xbox One via the platform's ID@Xbox program at some point in 2015, as announced today during the Xbox Gamescom event. No specific dates have yet been announced for the port. COO Todd Harris stated that the game's third-person viewpoint makes it a natural fit to control with a console gamepad rather than a mouse and keyboard, leading to an easy conversion. Details of how the program will work with online connectivity and the possibility of requiring an Xbox Live subscription have not yet been revealed (unsurprisingly, since the program was only just announced). Keep your eyes peeled for more information through the tail end of the year, since the launch won't be happening until 2015. [Thanks to Sorenthaz for the tip!]
MOBA Fates Forever fights for space on your iPad
Fates Forever is a fantastic iPad-only MOBA with gorgeous graphics and intriguing gameplay. It is free to play and available on iPads using iOS 7.0 and up. It is a game of balance: you must defend your base while attacking the opponent's base. The game features three different modes: bot, co-op, and online, all of which are fun. You can practice battle strategies and get a feel for how the game works in bot mode. co-op mode is a step up from bot mode where you play with other people against bots. The online mode is a lot of fun because it features three vs. three battles which means amazing twists of fate. For instance, your team could be making a lot of progress attacking the opponent's base but if you do not keep a watch on your own base, the opponents could easily take control. Each match lasts around 15 minutes, sometimes upwards of 40 minutes. It depends on how you play and how well your competitors do. You gain levels in Fates Forever when you win matches. These levels help unlock relics, which are skills that offer passive and active abilities. You have to choose a relic at the start of each match and tailor your strategy around it. For example, the "restoration relic" provides a small amount of health when you kill an opponent's minor enemy, known as a tribute. When you tap on the relic's icon during the game, you will make it active and for the restoration relic, it will instantly heal yourself and nearby allies. I found this relic helpful in a lot of cases where I was surrounded while attacking an opponent's base. The character you choose also affects how you play. If you choose May, the lynx, you will focus more on archery. If you pick Renwil, the warthog, your attacks will be heavy melee-based. This allows different types of players to focus on their own style of gameplay. I really like using melee characters but it was nice to try out different characters to see what fits best. I also enjoyed the use of grass, which hides your character from the other players. This made it easy to surprise opponents and seek some refuge when things started to get dodgy. Another nice feature lets you recall back to the starting area. This is helpful because it lets you visit the store to stock up on health and other items. Fates Forever starts off with a six-step tutorial which does a great job of explaining the gameplay and easing the player into the game world. As you play through a match, you unlock more skills for your character. This is reset at the beginning of a new match which is helpful for people who want to experiment with different tactics. Fates Forever has fun daily quests. The daily quest I played was to win with a certain character five times. Completing it rewarded me with some ore, a type of currency in the game. Ore is used to unlock characters, which range greatly in price, so it is easy to see someone spend a lot of time collecting currency. Interface bugs got in the way of the fun. For example, the match making would sometimes put people in a match with someone of a much higher level. The controls were not the most responsive, but these problems are not great enough to deter someone from enjoying the game. With the many different characters to choose from, daily quests, three play modes, and combinations of armor/weapons, Fates Forever is a great free game for people who like MOBAs.
Ubisoft analyst examines League of Legends' alleged business model flaws
Despite League of Legends' mind-boggling 67 million players and $624 million in revenue through 2013, it's not doing as well as it should be, at least according to Ubisoft Blue Byte's Teut Weidemann, who has been studying the game first-hand in conjunction with behind-the-scenes data. Weidemann argues that League of Legends' model has three major flaws: It gives too much away for free, it keeps releasing overpowered champions that are nerfed later after purchase, and it has a terrible 3.75% conversion rate from free to paying customers. Why is 3.75% bad? Weidemann explains: "Usually, conversion rates for client-based games is between 15 and 25 percent. World of Tanks has 30 percent. It could afford to have one-third of the customer base and have the same amount of money as League of Legends." He believes the only reason Riot is staying afloat is through the studio's extensive playerbase, and as such smaller games should steer clear of the same model.
An early look at Heroes of the Storm's alpha
Heroes of the Storm: Just another MOBA, right? Well, maybe. I have to admit two things before we jump into this article. First, I like MOBAs, but I'm an MMO player first and foremost. I keep trying MOBAs as they come out, and I've sunk some serious hours into the genre, so I do have a decent working knowledge of the bare basics, especially starting experiences. Second, I'm neither a fan nor a hater of Blizzard. Blizzard often sticks to safe rather than unique features, but it also makes games for the masses, which is great because I love to drag my friends into my games. But a game that attracts everyone also attracts the kind of people I don't want to play with. So why should I -- or you -- play Heroes of the Storm?
Chaos Heroes Online video shows hero roster
There's not going to be any of that gradual "drip, drip, drip" of character reveals for Chaos Heroes Online. Nay, Aeria Games has released a trailer that opens up the faucet to pour out the game's first 10 heroes all at once. According to the beta sign-up page, the free-to-play MOBA will have a cast that well exceeds that number; there are 50 "coming soon" slots on the chart begging for a future reveal. As for now, you can get a feel for this first batch of characters and their abilities, although apart from their names and visuals, deeper details will have to wait for a later date. We've got the full video after the jump, so check it out!
Games of Glory gets additional funds, cancels Kickstarter
Games of Glory, the sci-fi MOBA with persistent world designs, has canceled its Kickstarter campaign. Don't fret, though, because Lightbulb Crew has secured additional funding from existing investors, according to today's press blurb. You can vote for the title on Steam Greenlight and view the full announcement after the break. [Source: Lightbulb Crew press release]
SMITE reworks Nu Wa, adds treasure boxes
SMITE got a bit of rework this week, with new skins, a new Zeus model, and a complete update of Nu Wa headlining the changes. Hi-Rez also added RNG treasure boxes to its fantasy/mythology MOBA as well as several tweaks to custom game functionality. View the complete update notes via the links below, and don't forget to have a look at the new skins video after the break. [Thanks Sorenthaz!]
Chaos Heroes Online MOBA arrives this fall
It's safe to say that there are a lot of MOBAs on the market at the moment. Do you want another one? Because Chaos Heroes Online looks as if it's set to be just that. If you've found yourself saying that you've got only a limited number of MOBAs to play and really need another one on the pile, this game will completely satisfy you by virtue of being a MOBA and being released this fall. Chaos Heroes Online is based on a variant of the original genre-defining Defense of the Ancients mod for Warcraft III, and its main claim to fame is offering players the ability to gear up from anywhere on the map rather than requiring anyone to return to base. Beyond that, it offers... well, you can probably guess what it offers if you're familiar with other MOBAs. Because that's what it is. Purely. You can check out the trailer past the cut if you have a mighty need for another MOBA. [Source: Aeria Games press release]
The Dota 2 International pulls in 2 million concurrent views
The Dota 2 world tournament, The International, drew a digital crowd of more than 20 million people, Valve has revealed. Of the 20 million, 2 million watched The International 2014 at the same time, meaning the peak number of concurrent users was more than triple the population of the city where the tournament was held, Seattle. While impressive, the true numbers for viewership is actually higher, as the 20 million and 2 million figures do not include views from MTG Europe, CCTV China TV or ESPN, the latter of which hosted Dota 2 events on both ESPN2 and ESPN3. So, a record-shattering prize pool, a broadcast partnership with ESPN and now more than 2 million concurrent viewers out of 20 million total. Not too shabby, Valve. Not too shabby. [Image: Valve]
Snail's King of Wushu MOBA gets a new trailer
Snail Games' newly announced King of Wushu MOBA is still something of a mystery, but the company has unveiled a new trailer at this week's ChinaJoy 2014. The clip features six playable heroes and some pretty visuals. King of Wushu is powered by CryEngine 3 and currently slated for the Xbox One and PC platforms. Click past the cut to view the vid!
League of Legends properly introduces Gnar
After teasing players about the nature of the newest champion arriving in League of Legends, Riot Games has provided a full introduction for the prehistoric yordle known as Gnar. He looks nice enough, actually, even sort of cute. At least until he gets angry and transforms into Mega Gnar, a hulking brute who's happy to crush everything in his path and then start down a new path so he can crush more things. Anger issues, in short. So how does Gnar play? It's all about managing the rage. In mini form, he's a quick attacker with some range who also has access to a handy escape ability. When he enrages, though, he's a tank-happy fighter with plenty of durability and burst damage. Both forms have their own weaknesses and strengths, so the art of playing him comes down to carefully maximizing his fits of rage before getting back out of danger. After all, who'd believe the little cute guy could get that angry?
Games of Glory talks about its persistent MOBA universe
Games of Glory's biggest selling point is the fact that it will be a MOBA with a persistent universe -- and if you're wondering how that might work, you're not alone. Lightbulb Crew has put together a video to explain the persistent elements and how they will come together to create a singular experience. The studio promises that players' actions will have a lasting impact on the game and influence its future development. The idea is that players wins or losses will change their faction's standing and their own character's notoriety. As time goes on, the studio will add new factions, clones, weapons, or game modes influenced by those ratings. Games of Glory is currently in a playable alpha state and is attempting to raise $100,000 through Kickstarter. You can check out Lightbulb Crew's explanation of Games of Glory's persistent universe after the break.
