Blizzard's Heroes of the Storm beta.

QES

[H]ard|Gawd
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This is blizzard's take on DotA style games. With a few tweaks. Most notably a bigger map rotation, which I'm liking so far compared to DotA2 and LoL.

I just played my first games earlier, mostly playing as Raynor. The biggest change so far has been no shop or inventory for items, and along with that no gold to earn by last hitting minions. I'm going to give the benefit of the doubt so far, in a way I can see it being kind of nice. As you level up you will get skill choices and decide between 1 of 2 presented. So theres some build variation at least. This should just leave it open to more skill then? At least im guessing that's the intent at least.

Has anyone else been playing this recently? I don't have any friends that do and would like to take advantage of the 50% xp boost by playing with someone on your friends list.
 
I watched this game on Twitch and Total Biscuit played it looks pretty difficult sure it will do good.
 
I've been in since the Alpha, so here are my thoughts. Take them for what you will.

Talent gating exists and it sucks, but it's a reality of the game for whatever reason. You start off with only a portion of available talents unlocked. You get to choose talents as you reach certain levels (1, 4, 7, 10, etc.) with 20th level giving the capstone. When you level a character to level 4 all talents are unlocked.

This is a much faster paced MOBA as there isn't a true laning phase like there is in DOTA or LOL. Personally I like this. My average game is 15-20 minutes, which means I can pack a lot more fun into my time than with a different, more traditional MOBA.

The biggest challenge to new players will be map objectives. Each map has its own 'thing' that often leads directly to teamfights with the winner reaping greater rewards due to controlling the map objective for a period of time. When an objective pops you should leave your lane to support your team.

There is no traditional lane requirements- meaning that any hero can potentially soak xp from any lane. You gain xp from minion kills just for being in the lane. All xp is shared across the team, so your entire team levels at the same rate. This means there are massive advantages for your team being upleveled.

Personally I love this game. It's a ton of fun.
 
Honestly I came to dislike all the other MOBA's then this one came along. I like Heroes of the Storm b/c there is a lot less to worry about. Not having to decide which items to buy and when to buy them and switch everything out becomes overwhelming for a casual.
 
I love this game (don't get to play much) as it is a game that is 15-20 minutes of fast paced Moba action. I can also be comfortable single queing into this game where as in DOTA (Play this a lot as well) I would even get one unless I get 1-2 to que with.

I think people are short sighted with the try to compare with Dota and LOL... as (to me) this is an entirely different experience that is a compliment to DOTA.

Post bnet tags here so we can play:

FecalFighter #1107
 
So when you guys say there is less to worry about lanes you mean there's no screaming "you stupid fag I got mid I called it your this class so you have to do this lane or jungle blah blah" that was the biggest thing that killed lol to me. I has no idea what I was doing but apparently my job is to just stay on one lane the whole game or be screamed at by 12 year olds. Seemed very un cooperative with teammates as I never left my lane and they never left theirs.

Dunno mabey this genre just isn't for me lol
 
So when you guys say there is less to worry about lanes you mean there's no screaming "you stupid fag I got mid I called it your this class so you have to do this lane or jungle blah blah" that was the biggest thing that killed lol to me. I has no idea what I was doing but apparently my job is to just stay on one lane the whole game or be screamed at by 12 year olds. Seemed very un cooperative with teammates as I never left my lane and they never left theirs.

Dunno mabey this genre just isn't for me lol

Indeed I'm interested but I'm concerned, how often will I be called a faggot in this one? I know the standard is 1/20 seconds. Has this been improved in this MOBA?
 
While there are class roles they are much less rigid and some characters can be spec'd differently based on talent choices. Rhegar can be pure support or can go a pure DPS build based on what you pick.

There is some meta when it comes to who can and cannot single lane, but it's more of a guideline controlled by player skill than an actual rule. There is substantially less DOTA rage present in HotS
 
While there are class roles they are much less rigid and some characters can be spec'd differently based on talent choices. Rhegar can be pure support or can go a pure DPS build based on what you pick.

There is some meta when it comes to who can and cannot single lane, but it's more of a guideline controlled by player skill than an actual rule. There is substantially less DOTA rage present in HotS

for now, you cant draw any conclusions about what the population will be like from a pre-release test.

Dota 2 wasnt near as toxic a few years ago as it is now but that because its gotten more and more competitive
 
This is a much faster paced MOBA as there isn't a true laning phase like there is in DOTA or LOL. Personally I like this. My average game is 15-20 minutes, which means I can pack a lot more fun into my time than with a different, more traditional MOBA.

This is also one aspect that is making me interested in this game.
 
What do the heroes sell for? I'm trying to figure out if the founders pack is a good deal or if you are paying a premium for beta access.
 
The founders pack is worth it if you really, really want to get into Storms ASAP.

However, here are my honest thoughts:

You're mostly paying for the extra skins and the special mount. Their store says these items combined are 'worth' $35 by themselves. I'd never pay real money for all of that, but that's my preference.

Personally, though, I think the hero choices are terrible for new players.

Raynor only has 2 active abilities (not counting Ult) and 1 of them is not good for new players. Concussion shot is used by unknowing new players in terrible ways- they continually use it to push the enemies to safety instead of pushing them into danger.

Diablo has low DPS but really good disrupt/reposition power. He's great if you can coordinate with a team so they can take advantage when you throw the enemies around the map... but in random groups your team generally never takes advantage of the openings you create.

Tyrande is a good support, but she's not new player friendly as she has 2 skill shots, so new players are going to miss a lot and possibly feel frustrated.
 
is there an expected release date for this? Im Knee deep in Dota 2 and dont want to pay for an alpha but ill probably check it out then
 
The founders pack is worth it if you really, really want to get into Storms ASAP.

However, here are my honest thoughts:

You're mostly paying for the extra skins and the special mount. Their store says these items combined are 'worth' $35 by themselves. I'd never pay real money for all of that, but that's my preference.

Personally, though, I think the hero choices are terrible for new players.

Raynor only has 2 active abilities (not counting Ult) and 1 of them is not good for new players. Concussion shot is used by unknowing new players in terrible ways- they continually use it to push the enemies to safety instead of pushing them into danger.

Diablo has low DPS but really good disrupt/reposition power. He's great if you can coordinate with a team so they can take advantage when you throw the enemies around the map... but in random groups your team generally never takes advantage of the openings you create.

Tyrande is a good support, but she's not new player friendly as she has 2 skill shots, so new players are going to miss a lot and possibly feel frustrated.

What if you are already good at MOBA's, would these heroes be fine?

Is Raynor a carry?
 
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If you have MOBA experience, then they are decent heroes.

Is Raynor a carry?
<insert hilarious laughter here>

Raynor is a character with a HUGE identity crisis. You'll see him everywhere, but rarely will you see him played well. He is very good at pushing a lane due to his inspire power, and his passive buff to structure damage. Stim Pack gives him some very good survivability, but that's about it.

He was originally designated as a Specialist... then for some reason they made him an assassin, which I do not understand at all. He does not have NEARLY the burst damage to be considered an assassin. He's a decent character that skilled players can use to good effect... but he's low tier.

If you have a team you can coordinate with via voice chat, then Diablo is a potential powerhouse.

Tyrande is onw of my favorite supports. Her DPS owl build is a ton of fun. Her healing is substandard when it comes to pure numbers, but it is burt healing to a single target, so it can be useful. It's her stun and hunter's mark abilities that make her very good in a teamfight.

Overall, if you understand positioning and teamfighting basics, then you can get some mileage out of these characters.

The biggest thing a traditional MOBA vet will have trouble with will be learning that laning is no longer a 15 minute prerequsite before the fun actually starts. Pushing a lane is valuable, but you also have to learn when to leave the lane to reinforce for objectives or prevent a push. There's a much larger focus on teamwork and it's common to see 5-man blobs rolling around the map together.
 
So, one thing that is kinda turning me off about HoTS is the fact that there are no items, it seems to me that therefor the hero playstyle would be LESS flexible than other games.

For instance, in HON, Kinesis is a support hero, but I play him as a Carry and get Immortals (15+ Kills in a row without dying) on a daily basis. This is because I choose items that have synergy with his shield passive ability.

I don't see the ability to do this in HoTS, I hate being stuck playing a character in a role because of lack of customization ability. Is this a true concern or has Blizzard managed to overcome this with their skill tree?
 
Thanks for the input Cregan. Looks like I will keep waiting for a beta key or launch.

I was going to pick it up if the toons and credit were worth that much but I dont give a damn about skins and special mounts.
 
The talent choices can change how a hero is played. there is varying flexibility with this depending on the hero.

For example: Rhegar
He can be built as a pure support character by focusing on his healing, getting his Ancestral Healing ult, and then adjusting your playstyle so you act as a support.

You can also use his DPS build where you can focus entirely on buffing shields, taking Bloodlust, getting Feral Lunge, and a few other talent choices where you can just run down enemies and be in the thick of battle.

You'd honestly have to research the builds on a character to see how flexible each one is when it comes to playstyle.
 
Thanks for the input Cregan. Looks like I will keep waiting for a beta key or launch.

I was going to pick it up if the toons and credit were worth that much but I dont give a damn about skins and special mounts.

The founders pack is truly an awful deal unless you're dying for immediate access to the game.

I've dropped some real money on this game and haven't regretted it, but I went for one of the mega hero packs that gave me a bunch of dudes and not much else- which is all I wanted. The only special skin I've purchased is the demon skin for Tyrael, which is one of the best skins in the game IMO.

For everyone else I just earn the gold in game to buy who I want. I don't have everyone, but I have almost everyone I really want and that's good enough for me.
 
Looking forward to this game, although I'd agree--Items will be missed. However, in LoL anyway, there are really few instances where you feel you can actually choose your path with items. It'd be great if there were more, but I imagine it's just a balance nightmare.
 
I need to clarify something.

There is no true carry in this game. You cannot level someone up to the point that you can go 1 v 5 and win.

Carry here has come to mean something completely different- mainly it refers to someone who can DPS or sontrol the other team enough to sway the outcome of a teamfight in a meaningful way.
 
no items is one of the biggest reasons I'm interested in this game. LoL never made me feel like I had much of a choice in items. You learned the best things to buy and when and really never needed to bother with 99% of the crap. To me items only served as making the learning curve harder for newbs.
 
no items is one of the biggest reasons I'm interested in this game. LoL never made me feel like I had much of a choice in items. You learned the best things to buy and when and really never needed to bother with 99% of the crap. To me items only served as making the learning curve harder for newbs.

Yet another reason why LoL is so simplistic compared to dota 2 where your item choices are absolutely critical to winning...
 
Is the Founder's Pack worth buying? As far as I know I don't have access to the game right now. Will this give me access? I'm guessing that is a dumb question.
 
Founders Pack gives you access. See my previous posts earlier in this thread to decide if it is worth your purchasing.
 
I went ahead and bought it. Tried doing some practice matches, but the lag I'm getting is ridiculous.
 
I've been playing this game a lot with the wife and a few friends. I wasn't able to teach them how to play Dota, as it ended up being a bit too difficult.

It's fast paced, good team fights, different maps keep the game a bit more fresh. While I still like Dota more, I enjoy this when playing with others as well.
 
I've been liking this game a lot, mostly playing just Raynor with the damage stack/searing attacks/executioner/raynor's raiders, when you activate searing attacks and raynor's raiders along with inspire you can do some nice damage to a fleeing hero.

The game is a ton of fun for me, I wanted to get into LoL or DoTA but the communities are incredibly toxic and the matches are pretty long, HoTS turned out perfect for me, got access since alpha but just recently started playing
 
After a few days of playing.....I don't see this sticking with me. It is just all around too basic. Ehh.... I dunno.
 
Yet another reason why LoL is so simplistic compared to dota 2 where your item choices are absolutely critical to winning...

You missed his point entirely. It is the same was in dota, you learn the items you need for the hero and you pretty much ignore the rest. Very few variations, especially in pub games.

I like dota 2, but will only que with 2-3 friends.

The more I play HOTS the more I like it BETTER than dota. Not because it is harder or anything like that. It is just quicker, faster paced, and more fun.

It is a great compliment to dota or even a replacement if it suits you better.

PS. Why are we not posting battle tags. I would like to have some [H]ard members to que with.

FecalFighter#1107
 
robv#1130
Played a couple of games with Thrall and it's pretty fun as well, first few games i was starved for mana but once i unlocked a couple of talents for mana regen it was pretty good
 
Samson#1183 is my b.net

If anyone is wondering if there will be a wipe going from beta to release, all I've been able to find is a possible soft wipe. When I was doing searches last night I saw a few forum posts here and there by a couple different mods saying it should only be a progression wipe. So that would wipe your hero/account levels, but not take away any gold earned in game or purchases. So if you can get to level 5 with all heroes to max out the gold benefits, you get to keep it and get it all over again if they do the soft wipe :D So imo that helps out with the kinda shitty value of the founders pack.

I picked up Valla since she was decently cheap, she's a pretty good ranged. Like a cross between Vayne and Ashe from LoL. She has a nice AoE multishot build and a good single target auto-attack build. Range is pretty low on the auto build though, like vayne short, so positioning is key.

Picked up Kerrigan on a whim last night. I only have the 3 founders and Valla so I wanted a better melee than Diablo. Have not been disappointed yet, even with the base talents yet she's pretty fun.

I do think they should revisit their gold earning system. As others have said, you don't get much playing and quest reward is shit.I thought LoL was bad enough already.
 
Been thinking of picking up Valla since she's dirt cheap, but i think i'm gonna hold out on buying heroes unless they're on sale, i got Thrall because Thrall, and the pack with raynor and malfurion is like 3 bucks in my region so it seemed like a good deal, gonna have to play around with the f2p heroes to get the level 5 gold reward though
 
I do think they should revisit their gold earning system. As others have said, you don't get much playing and quest reward is shit.I thought LoL was bad enough already.

After playing Hearthstone and seeing how poorly the gold farm in that game was, I kinda figured they'd do something similar with this game. Quite lame indeed. If HS is any indication, I wouldn't expect them to make the grind any more forgiving. They really want you to pony up the dough!
 
Been thinking of picking up Valla since she's dirt cheap, but i think i'm gonna hold out on buying heroes unless they're on sale, i got Thrall because Thrall, and the pack with raynor and malfurion is like 3 bucks in my region so it seemed like a good deal, gonna have to play around with the f2p heroes to get the level 5 gold reward though

For 2k gold. Probably the best ranged in game so far. Nova got hit by the nerf bat pretty hard apparently, so not worth the 10k at all. You get a few 1-2k gold handouts early on so I was like alright. The only money I like spend on champs/heroekins.s is if it's a high tier champ going on 50% sale.

Another thing I really like is the Try Me feature right in the shop menu. Throws you into a single lane match with various controls, spawn/disable creep, auto-levelup etc..
 
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