During CES, I got a chance to meet up with a contributing writer and good friend of the site, and he wanted me to meet a few people. In the veritable sea of cellular phone cases in the convention center’s North Hall sat a little space with a couch and a couple of chairs. Resting comfortably there were a few folks dressed in black shirts, crowd watching – not a hobby that ever seems to get old at the Consumer Electronics Show. I grabbed a seat and our friend headed back to his insanely busy booth to allow S2 Games reps and I some time to chat. They were passionate about their game, as is always the case when it comes to works of love, and like people who truly love their project they are always trying to make it better and take it to the next level. That is exactly what they have planned with Patch 3.0 launching this week.
Description:
Prepare to experience an epic battleground unlike any other as S2 introduces the Heroes of Newerth 3.0 update. HoN 3.0 presents the world of Newerth with a cohesive vision that emphasizes user experience and encourages players, new and old, to explore the world of HoN. The update introduces new gameplay elements such as the refined tutorial, Learning Center, bots, and adds depth with an improved referral system and a redesigned and more dynamic Forests of Caldavar. HoN 3.0 defines the future of HoN as a highly rewarding, story-driven MOBA experience.
Features of The 3.0 Update:
- Enhanced New Player Experience – The game’s walkthrough has been completely revamped with an indepth guide to better prepare first time players for the world of Heroes of Newerth. RAP 3.0, an all-new Report-A-Player system, gives the community the power to clean up and police itself while impacting the behavior of negative players.
- Reworked & Enhanced UI – Including friends list notifications, options menu, in-game chat, and more.
- Experience the Learning Center – This new feature will provide players with a series of videos that reinforce and explain in great detail some of the game’s basic and more complex concepts/techniques.
- Improved Referral Program – The new referral system will have both in-game and web-based options. Players can recruit friends for in-game currency and other tangible prizes using both systems.
- Learn Your Hero’s Backstory – One of the key features of the 3.0 update is the inclusion of lore within the world of HoN. Discover the story behind all your favorite heroes as each one has a unique tale to tell concerning their involvement in Newerth.
- An All-New Caldavar – The Forests of Caldavar map has received a complete overhaul in terms of its appearance and layout. The environment is now more dynamic and includes stunning new aesthetics, tower designs, fountains, buildings and more!
- 30 New HD Hero Models – Valkyrie, Deadwood, Magebane and 27 other heroes now look better than ever as they have been redesigned with spectacular high definition graphics.
- Bots Welcome – AI-controlled Bots are now available as an integral part of the Heroes of Newerth experience. The new walkthrough will also include bots so that beginners can test and develop their skills before venturing into more competitive play.
First Round:
The developers are trying to take the DOTA genre beyond the blue versus red it has notoriously been and give it some story, a new richness of depth. The game is good they just want to take it to the level of great. I think their plans with this patch are just the thing to do that and when the patch comes out we will be sure to do a review. If you haven’t played DOTA or HON or haven’t been at them in a while I recommend this link to get you pointed in the right direction and avoid unnecessary verbal assaults from teammates. You should really see how they plan to bring these maps to fresh life with new lore.
