DotA 6.72 Coming Out This Week?

IceFrog posted something great about DotA 6.72 on his PlayDota profile page. On April  23th , he said that the map is already on translation process and he expect that it will be complete within a week. So, cross your finger guys and hope the map released really soon ;)

DotA 6.72 Update: Meepo Got Aghanim Upgrade?

IceFrog has just posted this picture on his profile page at PlayDotA. It's the picture of the current bug that he's been working at on the DotA 6.72 Beta. Cool! I can only assume that he will added Meepo's Aghanim Scepter upgrade in the next version. Hope Ice will post another update, it's been a while since we get any official update about DotA 6.72 :)

PS: Did you notice that the picture is using Germany?

Give Your Suggestion for DotA 6.72!

IceFrog has just made a new blog post today. Currently he is working on DotA 6.72 and he want some feedback & suggestion from us. So, if you got something new on your mind or simply want some change in the current version (DotA 6.71b), don't wait any further. Send him a mail on IceFrog@gmail.com or give comment on this post :)

Let's keep DotA alive by giving out fresh ideas ;)

DotA 6.71b is Now Stable Map!

DotA 6.71b now is the stable map on the GetDota. Personally, i think this can be considered as a good news. Why? Because usually IceFrog will add some new contents after a new stable map declared. So, will it be a new hero? Maybe some new items? Or many of hero remakes? Time will tell :) Until then, let's enjoy our new stable map ;)

DotA 6.69c is Now the Stable Map!

I didn't see a thunder or storm today, but DotA 6.69c finally has been put as the stable map on GetDota. Is this a sign that DotA 6.70 will emerge very soon? I surely hope so! ;)

Dota 6.68 AI Entering the Second Beta Stage Soon!

PleaseBugMeNot (PBMN) has just posted a great news on his blog! It seems he succeed to fix the crucial bug on the AI map. And, he will release the DotA 6.68c AI beta into the public if no more critical bug appear.. Wow, nice! It's been a while since there's an update in the AI development. Check out what he said!

Second BETA stage
After some testing, the most crucial bug is not appearing. Now i`m starting to make some AI changes and another BETA will be rolling. If no crucial BUGs appear... we can release 6.68c BETA map to the public. I also got 6.69`s changes and i`ll begin working on moving the 6.69`s content into the AI map.

Keep up the good work PBMN! And let's help him by not throw any whining about the DotA AI map on the net :)

Dota 2 Q&A, IceFrog Answer Your Question!

Today, IceFrog has just post a new Q&A regarding DotA 2. Lots of questions answered, but some key points are that DotA 2 will support reconnection and more importantly, as long as the community want, IceFrog will continue update DotA map even though DotA 2 already launched! Yippeee! Check out the complete Q&A! :)

Dota 2 Q&A
November 1, 2010 - IceFrog

Q: Is there reconnect support for DotA 2? (by Vanes-UT)
A: This was actually one of the very first things we added early on, before the game was stable, in order to help with testing. You’ll also be able to have a friend of similar skill level substitute for you in case you have to leave. Players that want to improve their reputation in the game and community will also be able to help out by joining ongoing games that are missing players.

Q: Can I still play with my friends from America even though I am European? (by Adam Mosley)
A: Yes, a lot of people have friends in different regions and we want to allow them to easily interact. One of the things that makes DotA special is how big the community is, so we will do our best to make it easy to connect and communicate with one another.

Q: How are you going to handle delay and lag between players? (by Alex)
A: This is something we are putting a lot of time and resources into. Minimizing delay to servers, along with optimizing networking code, is very important to being able to enjoy DotA on both a casual and competitive level. We’re expanding the Steam infrastructure around the world so the matchmaking service for DotA 2 is able to provide the lowest possible ping wherever you are playing. There will also be some uniquely located servers that are optimized regionally for handling longer distance matches.

Q: What kind of hardware requirements will the game have? (by S.Hong)
A: We don’t have an official minimum spec just yet. The goal is to make sure that people with older computers and the PCs at LAN centers will be able to support the game, while also allowing for newer computers to scale well.

Q: I heard there was going to be an AI feature for when a player leaves. Is there going to be an option to take direct control of the hero? (by Stephen)
A: The AI features will be optional to the players in the game. You can have teammates use it, send it to the base, or give it AI modes and behaviors to follow.

Q: Will there be anything like the AI maps in DotA or a “training mode” with difficulty levels? (by L.Pham)
A: Yes there will be bot support if you just want to play by yourself, or you can create a party of friends and fill the rest of the slots with bots. There are a variety of different settings you can use in order to configure the bots, ranging from selectable difficulty levels to specific behaviors that you want to practice against. For example, if you want to practice your lane control, you could configure the bots to be stronger at denying, last hitting, and harassing. We’ll also have some specially crafted challenge scenarios, similar to things like Pudge Wars, which I’ll elaborate on in the future.

Q: Will the replay system allow me to move freely backwards and forwards in time rather than having to watch a whole replay? (by Luciando)
A: You’ll be able to jump around to any point in the replay, add bookmarks for easy referencing, view detailed stats and graphs while the game is going, and watch through a specific player’s view (with regards to their camera movement). You’ll also be able to watch replays with friends if you want to review a game or learn from your mistakes. To aid videomakers, the replay system will have flexible camera angle and speed controls. There will also be a bunch of commentating and editing features you can add to your replays.

Q: Don’t you think you should make a lot of changes to the gameplay? (by Robert)
A: Significant changes would not necessarily make it a better game. There are countless features we are building around the game that will make the experience a much better one. The gameplay itself, though, has always evolved step by step, and it will continue with that methodology. We consider this a long term project, in the same way DotA has always been. We want to provide a quality experience and not just change for the sake of change. You’ll naturally see additions and improvements to the game as time passes, but it would be a natural progression aimed at improving the game for the players and not for other arbitrary reasons. Valve and I strongly believe that the player focused development process the game has gone through is what will allow us to continue making the best decisions with regards to where we spend our development time.

Q: Can you spectate an already ongoing DotA 2 game? (by Valo)
A: A lot of the game will be built around spectating and shoutcasting support. You will be able to join most ongoing games (unless the players marked it as private) and just watch them. You can join a game your friend is in, see what your favorite clan is doing, or simply pick a skill level and a hero you like and it will find you one to watch. We also have a system in place that automatically distributes the load to multiple servers so that the game itself won’t be affected by users joining to spectate. Our distribution network will allow us to support any number of users that want to watch, by dynamically assigning more servers to the task. There will also be special tags and search options to help you find live or old shoutcasted games. Shoutcasters will be able to operate as directors, so anyone watching will have his camera looking at the same things the shoutcaster is viewing. There is also an optional anti-cheat mechanism built in so that the game you are spectating can be time delayed by any amount of time to reduce potential abuse.

Q: Will you keep loyal to casting times like Torrent and will it still be possible to do the advanced tricks, like animation canceling, fog of war tricks we’ve learned, etc? (by Lycan)
A: Yes, those mechanics are implemented. They are a very integral part of the game and it wouldn’t feel the same without them.

Q: How will we manage replay files? (by Nikos)
A: They will be automatically saved with your identity online utilizing the Steam Cloud storage system, so you don’t have to worry about losing them. You’ll be able to use the replay browser tools to search, sort, tag, rank, and favorite them.

Q: Are you going to work on DotA after DotA 2 is released? (by Jack Lee)
A: I plan to keep DotA updated for as long as the community wants. That being said though, I think that DotA 2 represents the long term future for the game.

Q: How will development change with regards to your role, current beta testers, community feedback, etc? (by Basel)
A: All that stuff will remain the same, except that now I also get to work with the developers at Valve. All of our current playtesters and even contributors like Kunkka are helping. One of the most important things for me has always been getting input from the community. There will be a lot of opportunities, throughout the next year, to give your feedback on all the things we are working on, ranging from features to visuals.

Q: Are the upgraded graphics going to be distracting? New graphics are great, but when there’s too much, you can’t see what’s going on anymore. (by Lycan)
A: Gameplay is definitely the most important aspect, everyone on the team understands this concern. The number one priority is making sure players can quickly and easily tell what’s happening on the screen at all times. Fine tuning the right visual balance with each ability, effect, hero, etc., will be an ongoing process as the game is playtested and we get your feedback. A clean and understandable visual representation of the action is important to everyone from experienced players, spectators, to new players.

Q: Will I be able to help test DotA 2? (by Sing Liu)
A: There will certainly be an opportunity to get involved with beta testing DotA 2 and help us with your feedback. We’ll release more information about how to sign up in the future.

Q: Are you going to do anything to make it easier for new players to get into the game and feel welcome? (by Arvin)
A: Some of what makes it hard, in current DotA, stems from the lack of services around the game that can help foster a better relationship between players and that it’s hard for players to be matched up with equally skilled allies and opponents. Things like tutorials, matchmaking, AI bots, identity, coaching, and community contribution will go a long way to making it easier for new players to fit in.

Q: What hotkey setup will exist in DotA 2? (by Stany Kaff)
A: We have a few default templates that cover the most popular configurations, but you’ll also be able to fully customize them to your liking. You can customize it on a global level or on a per hero basis if you choose. The hotkey configuration will include everything, not just heroes and items, but also how you navigate in the game, control the camera, autocast, set control groups, etc. Your settings are saved to your identity online, so if you go to a LAN center you will not have to reconfigure your keys.

What do you think guys? Do you think DotA is appealing? Share your thought here :)

Source

DotA 2 is Announced! Coming in 2011

Finally, after so many speculation and rumors, the DotA 2 is now officially announced! As the Game Informer mentioned, the game will be released next year on both PC and Mac platform.

Looking back a bit, IceFrog (the current DotA map developer on Warcraft III) is hired by Valve in 2009. Since then, many people starts wondering what kind of game they are working on. And as the curtain revealed, it appears they are bringing the DotA map into a full game based on the Valve's Source engine. That's mean many of the game limitation on Warcraft III is lifted. And with that, some new features are also introduced on the DotA 2.

Let's check it out!

In-Game Voice Chat

Ventrilo is no longer needed. Communication is the vital factor on the teamwork and typing sometime is not an option because our hand is already full controling the hero. The DotA 2 will cover that and have an integrated voice chat feature which will allow you to communicate during game easily.

Leaver AI Replacement

Awesome features. You will have less problem with the leaver. The disconnected players hero will be automatically taken control by an AI bots. However, don't get too excited and you decide to played it on a single-player game. Erik Johnson (the Project Leader) says, "Our goal with the AI is just that their experience isn't destroyed just because one person couldn't finish the game."

Cool Heroes Voice

The current DotA map is using the Warcraft III sound set which originally created for the Warcraft III campaign, not for DotA. The DotA 2 will have the heroes voice fit properly with the game. Amusing lines from heroes will coming out when you deny the enemy team last hits on creeps. Heroes who have related stories will trade quips when nearby. Maybe you will see Lina Inverse and Rylai teasing each other :p

Matchmaking System

Valve is using it's traditional Steamworks for the skill based matchmaking which will let you play comfortably.

In-Game Rewards

Valve is introducing a new system which will rewards you for participating in community forums.

Coaching System

Veteran players will be able to login as a coach and teach the newbies. The coach can see beginner's screen and can get private voice chat during the game. Still no words about how the trainer and trainee will be matched.

Wow, lots of amusing stuff there. I hope Valve can meet with our expectation. But i'm pretty disappointed with the fact that there's no screenshots of the game itself :( But hey, why ruin the surprise? Tell us what you think about DotA 2 on the comment box guys :)

Source: Game Informer

Valve's DotA Update, Preview Coming Tomorrow!

For those who are waiting for the Valve's version of DotA, we've just got a news from the IceFrog's blog. Check it out!

Hey guys, Game Informer dropped by the office last week to take a look at what I've been working on with the rest of the team over the last year.


They are going to post an article about it tomorrow on their website. I'll give you guys a link to it as soon as it is published.

Looking forward to seeing what you guys think!

Seems like we'll finally be able to take a peek on what IceFrog doing all this year. I hope the Game Informer will put some screenshots or maybe even a video :) Let's cross our fingers and hope it will be awesome :D

Until then, let's try the brand new DotA 6.69! And don't forget, DotA 6.69 have a Phoenix Hidden Quest inside, check out our guide for the details.

Update: It's officially announced, check it here.

DotA 6.69 is Near Finish!

Good news guys! IceFrog has just made a new post and tell us that the DotA 6.69 is nearing completion. As we covered before, DotA 6.69 will include a quest and new loadscreen. Other than that, it will mainly contain balance and gameplay improvements. The new contents will be saved for DotA 6.70. Check out what he said:

The update is nearing completion. It took a little longer than anticipated, but it should be ready soon. The primary focus of this patch is to provide overall balance and gameplay improvements, while the follow-up content for 6.70 is still being developed. Of course you can still expect the traditional .x9 quest to be included!

I plan to release this within a week or two to provide some time before the start of some big tournaments in the following months.

Wohoooo, i bet the DotA 6.69 quest will have Icarus the Phoenix as the boss. But that post also could mean that the Phoenix will be added on the DotA 6.70 instead of 6.69. Oh well, that the tradition anyway. So, sit tight guys, another update will coming soon! And yeah, maybe it's time to change our wallpaper with the upcoming loading screen ;)

New Loadscreen for the DotA 6.69!

Bored with the current DotA loadscreen above? Don't worry, we just got a good news from IceFrog. He said that a new loading screen will likely be included on the next update (DotA 6.69). Great! It's about time we got a new loadscreen :) Check out below for the complete IceFrog post.

There is a new loadscreen in the works right now. It will most likely be included in the next update.

6.69 development has also been progressing nicely. I'm not sure exactly when it will be finished just yet, but I'm aiming for something in the near future. I will post another update when it is closer.

If there's anything you'd like to see in the new loadscreen, or any suggestions for 6.69 or 6.70 in general, please let me know. It is always helpful when you guys email me your requests so that I can make sure the updates meet your expectations

So, do you have a guess what heroes will be included on the next loadscreen? I hope Icarus the Phoenix will also put in there.. :)

DotA 2 and DotA 3 Trademark Filled by Valve

Valve has made another step about their DotA game. After a while ago they applied for the DotA trademark, recently they also filled the trademark for DotA 2 and DotA 3.


This is a common thing for company who believe their game will have a sequel, such as Blizzard with Warcraft, Diablo and Starcraft series. Well, right now only time which can tell where this action will take us.

If you wanna see the details about the trademark application, check out on the links below:
- DotA 2
- DotA 3

So,will Valve followed Blizzard with their Starcraft trilogy? Or maybe they have another idea kept on their base? We'll see on the near future :)

DotA 6.69 Will Contain a Quick Update (And a Quest)

IceFrog has just made a new post on his blog, today. From the post, seems that the DotA 6.69 will contain a quick update, mostly balance i guess. Just a usual routine after a patch which contains a lot of updates like DotA 6.68. However, you must note that the next version is 6.69, which means there will be a hidden quest on that version!


If you didn't know, there's kind of a tradition on DotA that every 6.x9 version, there will be a hidden quest on it. Check out the previous quest for the reference, the DotA 6.59b hidden quest (Tauren Chieftain) and DotA 6.49's quest (Invoker). From the past quests, you should note that all the bosses are the new heroes for the next version. So, could this mean DotA 6.69 quest will have Phoenix as the boss?

Anyway, here what IceFrog said:

Development is underway on the next patch. It won't take as long to release as the previous version did. Please send me your feedback on 6.68 along with what you'd like to see in 6.69!

Make a comment in this blog post or send me an email with the feedback.

Way to go! Give your feedback guys! As well as what you wanna see in DotA 6.69. Can't wait for the easter egg :)

Valve Filled the DotA Trademark

It seems things start to get serious here. After the recent tweets about DotA from the Duke Nukem voice actor, recently Valve has just filled the trademark application for 'DOTA'. This step is a must if IceFrog and Valve want to continue using DotA as their new game title and don't wanna have trouble with the copyright or legal issues. And looking on how DotA word is already spread and really popular (it might be more popular than Warcraft III itself), this move will put them in advantage compared to the other DotA-like games (League of Legends, Heroes of Newerth, ect).


If you wanna see the details about the trademark application, check it out on USPTO:

Mark 'DOTA'
Standard Character claim: Yes
Current Status: Newly filed application, not yet assigned to an examining attorney.
Date of Status: 2010-08-10
Filing Date: 2010-08-06

LAST APPLICANT(S)/OWNER(S) OF RECORD

Valve Corporation

Address
Valve Corporation
10500 NE 8th St Ste 1000
Bellevue, WA 980044359
United States
Legal Entity Type: Corporation
State or Country of Incorporation: Washington
Phone Number: 509.241.1502
Fax Number: 509.232.2112

Date applied: August 10 2010

International Class: 009
Class Status: Active
Computer game software; Electronic game software; Video game software

Honestly, this is a really smart move. Even though the current DotA is a Warcraft III custom map, the word 'DOTA' itself is not yet a trademark (please correct me if i'm wrong) and has a very high commercial value. I think it won't be hard for Valve (with IceFrog support) to get the approval for this application. Well, let's see what'll happen on the next day. Stay tune on DotA-Blog for more news!

PS: Maybe this is the reason why IceFrog change the latest map name from DotA-Allstars, into only DotA.

Valve's DotA Coming Soon?

+ +
Recently, many DotA players is hyped up by the news regarding Valve's DotA. Things was started when some people noticed this tweet:

Had a great time in Seattle last week recording for DotA. The guys at ValveSoftware are awesome! Going to PAX? Might see you there - Sept3-5

What's so special about that tweet then? Well, that tweet is made by Jon St. John, the Duke Nukem's voice actor. And it's clearly said that he was recording for DotA, which means the Valve's DotA project is now rolling out fast. And what makes it more suspicious, that tweet is already deleted and no longer there.

Wow, looks like there will be something going on at the PAX (Penny Arcade Expo) Expo 2010 which coincidentally Valve will be there. And based on the IceFrog latest response about Valve's DotA on June, there's huge chance that the Valve's DotA will be announced on that event. Seems that Heroes of Newerth and League of Legends will got a new rival soon ;)

For those who doesn't follow the previous news, you should check these posts:
- IceFrog and Valve Teamed Up!
- IceFrog explain how he and Valve ended up working together.

DotA 6.67c Now is the Stable Map!

DotA 6.67c finally becomes the stable map today. Based on previous occasions, this is a really strong indication that the next map will coming out shortly.
Last time, when DotA 6.66b became the stable map, Dota 6.67 released on the very same day!

So, if you ask me, i dare to say that DotA 6.68 will coming out really soon. Could be today or tomorrow. But again, it still depends on IceFrog decision. Don't worry, no matter when, DotA-Blog will notify you as soon as the map comes out. Just make sure that you already subscribed on our Feeds, like our Facebook Page or follow our Twitter so we can reach you :)

Dota 6.68 Video - The Dota 6.68 Trailer

IceFrog has just put the Dota 6.68 Trailer video on his blog. Check it out and tell me what you think :)



Wow, we can see there are 4 new heroes there. But where is Phoenix? Seems Tiny's club is from the tree he grabbed. Is that his new ability from Aghanim Scepter? Tell us what you think :)

Regardless, Dota 6.68 is really near guys.. Prepare yourself. And don't forget to subscribe our Feeds, Facebook Page and Twitter so you can get our fastest updates about Dota 6.68 :)

PS: Check the detail analysis about the video on the Dota 6.68 Prediction (and someone leaked the detail skills of the new heroes on that post ;p )

Dota 6.68 CM, Item & Tiny - Dota 6.68 Preview #2

IceFrog has just made the second post about the Dota 6.68 preview. This time, he gives us a sneak peek to the new Captains Mode, Orb of Venom (new items), Tiny's Aghanim Scepter upgrade and Kinetic Field (new hero ability). On the same post, he also said that the new map is very close to finish. Yay!! Here are the details of the preview:

1- Captains Mode: There is a new ban and pick system for CM in 6.68. Instead of 4 bans and then 5 picks, now it is 3 bans and then 3 picks followed by 2 bans and 2 picks. Information about the exact drafting order will be detailed in the changelog.

Wow, this should make the draft more interesting. Since we can guess the enemies strategy from the first 3 picks, now we can counter it on the second round of bans.

2- A new basic item, Orb of Venom:

I don't know what it is.. But i guess it is something that gives a slow or maybe poison effect.

3- Tiny with a new ability he gains from Aghaninm's Scepter:

Wow, Tiny seems scarier now.. I wonder if the new ability has something to do with that club he carries.

4- Kinetic Field, an ability on one of the new heroes:

OK, i don't have any idea about this one. Can you give your thoughts guys?

Yeah, seems Dota 6.68 will be coming very soon. Keep in touch with DotA-Blog and we will make you one of the fastest person who played that map :) On topic, what do you think about this preview?

PS: In case you miss it, check also the Dota Preview #1.

Final Update
It released guys!! Check out the Dota 6.68 Download Links and the Dota 6.68 Changelogs.

Dota 6.68 New Gold System - Aggression! 6.68 Preview #1

IceFrog has just made a new post about the DotA 6.68 preview today. On that chance, he introduces a new gold system for the upcoming map. In the current version, we will lose a certain amount of gold if our hero dies. This thing forces us to act carefully and think twice before trying to kill a hero with the risk of our own death and the cost of our gold. To overcome this problem, IceFrog has invented a new gold system.

The new gold system divides the gold into two parts:

Reliable Gold - Any bounty you get from hero kills or from the extra "aoe kill gold" bonus (feature from few patches ago) is added to your Reliable Gold pool.

Unreliable Gold - It is everything else (creep kills, neutrals, etc).

With the new system, we only lose the money from the Unreliable Gold pool when our hero dies. And when we're buying something, our Unreliable Gold will be used before our Reliable Gold. This new mechanism hopefully will encourage us to get the gold from hero kills rather than from creeps.

As the picture above shows, you can see that the Reliable Gold is placed on the scoreboard title (410 gold) while the total gold still remains at the old place (910 gold). From that info, you can count that the Unreliable Gold amount is 500.

Wow! This new concept is epic and I'm amazed how IceFrog can come up with such a thing. Of course, this experimental idea may be adjusted and tweaked over time depending on feedback and results after it is released. What do you think guys? Do you like this new concept? Share your thoughts here! :)

Update: Check out the Dota 6.68 Preview #2

Dota 6.68 Beta Leak Image. Is it Real?

Is the above image from the Dota 6.68 beta? I just found out that image from the Dota forums. Currently, there's still no confirmation about this, but the image seems real. We can see Icarus the Phoenix there along with the new face, a hero called Ragnar the Kodo Rider.

The question is, is this image real? I leave the answer to you.. What do you think?

Update: OK, on the PlayDota thread, a forum staff already confirmed that it is fake. Too bad, Ragnar seems awesome.. :( And yeah, i hope IceFrog gonna show us the preview video soon.. @_@