HoN Dev Blog: January 17, 2011

[[S2]DivA]

Helllllllo fellow HoN players, and welcome to 2011! The new year brings new resolutions to be broken, massive hub bub over zodiac signs, and the same old snowy weather in Michigan. This first Dev Blog of 2011 aims to clue you guys in on what the new year means for HoN as we get back into the groove following the successful launch of HoN 2.0 and the winter holiday break.

More New Content
As always, we'll be looking to inject new content into HoN to keep it a fresh and ever-changing challenge.

• We are well into the development process for the next hero: a ranged, Intelligence-based support hero, the Empath. Her concept art will be released with the next newsletter, so keep your eyes peeled to that inbox!
• We are running several item ideas through our rigorous testing process to see if they fulfill our intentions of moving the game in a positive direction.
• Game modes! We're working on creating new ways to play HoN and utilize some of the skills you all work so hard to develop in different ways.
• More Goblin Store content, like all new alternate avatars; Soul Reaper wants to ride a horse.

In-Game Shop Improvements
HoN's shop system is very robust and its contents are integral in making games as deep and diverse as they are. It is, however, an incredibly daunting experience for a new player to learn to play with the current shop system. Even for veterans, the shop can be inefficient or confusing to deal with. That said, we're investigating changes to the shop system to ease the learning curve and improve intuition and efficiency. Some of the new features we plan on implementing include:

• A search mechanism that filters items by name
• Item sorting by the bonuses an item bestows in addition to the current categorical sorting
• A more robust and detailed recommended items section outlining the different recommended build paths

Realignment
We're constantly looking to improve the balance of HoN, but with all of the new items and heroes we've introduced to the game recently, we'll be undergoing a wholesale, global "realignment" process. We, with the input of competitive players, will look at every single hero and item in an attempt to bring the big picture into focus. Forests of Caldavar will also be closely examined for further balance changes.

[[GGF]FiveChip]

first?

[[SFS]PopnutFresh]

Sweetdeal.

[[LN]HeyApple]

first

[[Mkai]ILLBEBACH]

first page

[Blaky039]

First page?

Ok, I made it.

Cool! I've been wanting an Alt for soulreaper, sounds pretty neat!

[[UTG]LotharsHedge]

Wicked
firstpage

[SnowCrow]

First page

[Ferg`]

new support hero hell to the yes

[[xQs]`Alucard]

helllooooo

[Sauron`]

Sounds awesome?
Soul Reaper? Horse?
Headless Horseman?
lol

[Triumph`117]

Sounds awesome?
Soul Reaper? Horse?
Headless Horseman?
lol

Grim Reaper, Death, Horseman of the Apocalypse.

You idiots.

[[D]TheSparky]

Realignment
We're constantly looking to improve the balance of HoN, but with all of the new items and heroes we've introduced to the game recently, we'll be undergoing a wholesale, global "realignment" process. We, with the input of competitive players, will look at every single hero and item in an attempt to bring the big picture into focus. Forests of Caldavar will also be closely examined for further balance changes.

this should be have the most prio imo.
e: 1st page

[Donno]

this should be have the most prio imo.
e: 1st page

It's not about prio. Art designers don't work on balance afaik.

[[GM]qazqazqaz]

Horse reaper!

[[KGP]tHe_silent_H]

awesomesauce a new support hero,also, can't wait to get my hands on grim reaper, wonder if he'll have a changed voice

[Satyr]

1st page?

[Smashe]

first page

[[H]RaiN`]

dunno if first page. i like the idea of a new support. but i want a new agility legion hero. they are so few...

[Nevyll]

Now how about a ****ing fix to the missing replays instead of a ****ing horseriding soul reaper along with a new shitty game mode that will be as frequently played and Hardcore.
Srsly, l2 prioritize.