How To Make HOTS Grow

Woah woah ! Hold on right there copypastable ! Are you looking at other female characters now ?! I thought you only had eyes for mei ? She wasnt good enough for you now was that it lol ?!

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Pharah I’m fine with, Ashe fine

Mei, whatever

But Brigitte ?, come on man, could it even be possible to think of something more boring tbh : P

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Id rather see reinhart then Bridget no offense xD

His voice actor is awesome !
Check out the video you get most of the actors at once its great lol
" this reinhart and reinhart and reinhart and reinhart ! And we are here to deliver. Payload ! A payload of joy my friend ! Haha!!"

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Huh, I expected this to die quietly. Neat.

“Can be” is closer to the truth than “is”. You have to get lucky with multiple high-value quests and have access to multiple low-level heroes to hit milestones for Gold rewards. Unless you have a day off, you’re unlikely to be able to rouse up 10k in 24 hours (especially if you’re new).

I don’t believe that. HOTS is beloved enough for major players to make their own HGC-esque leagues out of nothing - which, if you’ll recall, is how DotA started its rise to prominence. If the game is good enough and the love is strong enough, all you need for the “full MOBA experience” is the monetary flow to sponsor development, balance, and official tournament organization. HOTS is obviously doing enough right for people to want to see it played at a professional level, so it can’t hurt to make it easier to get into and easier to spend money on.

Subjective feedback here, but I haven’t been running into that many report-worthy individuals.

True. But that can easily change once the game becomes more accessible.

HOTS is not and does not have to be like other MOBAs. People’s interest in the professional scene is proof of that.

True, and it could definitely use one.

What are you talking about? Stitches got plenty of new variants. :stuck_out_tongue:

True, and I desperately want it to be.

HOTS is not comparable to older games because older games weren’t free. HOTS is, and you have to make your money somewhere. A free game being addictive and fun doesn’t generate the developer any money.

We’d have a lot more coming and a lot less going if the game was easier to stay on.

Thank you! I don’t post very often but when I do, I try to make it worth something.

The MOBA genre is losing players to simpler games like Fortnite because they’re exactly that: simple. They’re drop in, play for however long you want, and drop out. There’s no organization, no planning, just gameplay. HOTS netted a ton of MOBA fans because it was simpler than its competition without being weird about it like Smashmuck Champions, so obviously there’s a market for a casual MOBA. All HOTS needs to do is tap the market a little better (for example, by being better to its casual players by opening up the roster and making things easier to buy) and it’ll get some life back.

Giving up makes you weak. There’s no harm in trying and hoping for something better doesn’t hurt anyone, so I might as well.

Hello again. If HOTS was crap from the start, it wouldn’t have grown like it did - it would’ve died like Smashmuck Champions and the countless other MOBAs that tried to break into the genre.

Aaay, thank you! That means a lot coming from you.

I agree. They need the income to sponsor that kind of work first though.

That would be pretty nice, yeah.

It can’t be any worse with how flooded the item pool is with emoji packs, sprays, avatars, and banners that people don’t really care about. Adding a bunch of skins will at least give players more Skinergy options. Plus, Step 2 of the proposal involves “allow players to buy whatever they want with Gems at any time”, so if people don’t want to deal with the drop pool, then… they won’t have to!

I agree with your first statement up to a point. League was never on Steam, but it was free and it was the original stand-alone alternative to DotA.

Second point is definitely valid, but the market is becoming increasingly online and brick-and-mortar stores are dying a slow and steady death. Adding Blizzard Balance cards to stores might not be worth the effort.

Third point is valid, but can be helped. The original 20-hero bundles brought in a ton of new blood, so there’s precedent for player drives paying dividends. All Blizzard needs to do is care enough to make it happen.

Would you mind explaining why you consider “make things better for new players, make spending money on the game easier, and make more content that people want to spend money on” to be moronic changes?

Word of mouth does a lot more than you would think. League’s initial boom was because people tried it and told their friends - the initial advertising run wasn’t really that prevalent.

“HOTS won’t ever grow” is a defeatist attitude. Of course it won’t grow if you’re already convinced it won’t. I still have hope because HOTS gives me gameplay that isn’t available anywhere else, so I’m not ready to give up on it.

That said, I don’t think it’s the design team’s fault. HOTS has gameplay issues and QoL issues, but it’s not like its more successful competitors haven’t had those same issues (and in League’s case, had them for years).

Honestly, I would love for HL/UD to have an unordered pick like TL. Sure, selfish players can abuse it to instalock their given choice, but at least that way you’re not relying on someone being shoehorned into a role because they happened to be the last pick.

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As long as they keep with the carebear censorship crap they will keep bleeding players…they drove alot of the OGs away after reworking our favorite heroes just to please the pros so they are more fun to watch on that Twitch Cancer.

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HOTS is not comparable to older games because older games weren’t free. HOTS is, and you have to make your money somewhere. A free game being addictive and fun doesn’t generate the developer any money.

Of course it is comparable. You have to be addictive and fun first. Then you can make money. Not other way round. You could have millions of items in your little game store but if nobody is playing then guess what? Nobody will buy anything. The issue in hots is not the buyer conversion if they thought that was the problem all they had to do is reorganize the store. The problem is that there aren’t enough people to convert.

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I see your point but I really dislike that from a simple reason = there won’t be diversity of heroes/teamcomps, everyone will be picking (and asking for 1st picks be the same) what “doctor ordered”

Just need more info/control, be less shocked when things go downhill, the more info the better, but putting everyone into a “forced bubble” of “meta picks” ?, really dislike that idea

IDK if you may have read my doc online (don’t do it’s 25 pages long lol), but yeah, there’s a part 2 where I suggest complete rw of Ranked to be like real-life team-sports league format where you’ll be placed with 200 people that climbed/fell due to crucible/leadership from last “half or quarter” of a season

X players minimum for each role, Y players minimum for their 2nd/alternate role… Perhaps if been top 5 in last season you could add your best hero from last season in addition to roles you preselect for next season, but thing is again => have a complete overview/information of who does what and % of season/last-season, maybe league-history-best information (last top 10 players what were their most played heroes and what WR% they had with them)

Things like that, think if anything would really accomplish the goal of keeping control (being informed) of what you can expect instead of being “bombarded” by some troll… Sure, let there be trolls, just let the allies be aware of their preferred playstyle/behavior

The pick order being no-pick-order, just creates a pressure toward players to have to pick what their “priority number” suggests (and what their teammates EXPECT them to), chances are will restrict/dumb-down “freedom to express” between players and will just encourage more toxicity if/when ppl don’t follow the “rules” rather

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Btw, can you provide a step by step guide how you created those? :stuck_out_tongue:
And how your implemented them back into the game to take these screenshots that is…

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This is the kind of idiocy that is so frustrating to deal with.

Every unpopular game that died had its very small and dedicated fanbase. Lawbreakers, Paragon, Battleborn… you name it… there will be people there who love the game enough and think its the best game in its genre. And I dunno what kind of argument you are making here. Blizzard threw that full “monetary flow” you are talking about into this game for 3 years, and it failed miserably and they finally had to cut that cord. And now you are arguing that this is all the game needs? WHUTTTT

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I second this. It was a nice presentation.

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Sure.

Step 1: Obtain base image.

Step 2: Make a duplicate layer of the base image and cut out what you don’t want to change (in this example, Jimmy’s face and the background).

Step 3: Mess with the levels.

Step 4: Place the results from Step 3 over the original.

However:

I didn’t, because as I said in the OP, it was just a quick and dirty example. If I wanted to make something that was usable in-game, I would:

Step 1: Grab the relevant texture.

Step 2: Cut out what shouldn’t be changed (in this case, Jimmy’s face).

Step 3: Mess with the levels.

Step 4: Put the removed parts back in.

Step 5: Save the modified texture, which will then be applied to the model and more or less look like this in-game:

If it was an official Variant and not just a texture override, it’d need a data entry of its own to make it an option alongside the other Variants instead of just replacing one, but that’s a five minute job at most.

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A LoL developer stated in 2018 that LoL wasn’t growing or declining in the west, but was stagnant. However, LoL was growing mainly in China and Korea.

That LoL video was a kpop song made for the LoL world championship final, which was extremely profitable. Riot made KDA skins based on that music video and a special prestige edition skin that could only be acquired by buying an event pass. Apparently, the prestige edition and event passes were so successful that Riot started mining that gold mine immediately. People on my friend list log in that haven’t played in years. Riot also sold so much merchandise. The KDA hat sold out within days. The Ahri figure also sold out like two to three weeks later. Merchandise request were so high that Riot started selling new merchandise based on the KDA.

Recently, Lol released a second prestige and event pass the month after world championship ended called the Snowdown. In addition, Riot has two more prestige skins and events planned.

Not only that, but Riot has Lunar event and the Chinese new year event, year of the pig, skins and events. They also have a valentine day event with skins. All of these events have multiple skins, chromas, and at least two passes that cost like 15-20 dollars. I think Riot has found a cash cow with event passes and prestige skins. People are buying those passes like hot cakes, which resulted in high level of activity in game. Plus on top of the events we have special battle modes. It’s actually too much content if you ask me. I can hardly keep up with all the events and new game modes. I still haven’t gotten my free stuff from the Nexus Blitz, was farming for prestige skins and other stuff from the snowdown event.

Also forgot to say, in December riot released a new champion or character. They already have another character ready to be released for the Chinese new year with alternate skin to be sold upon release, not just a recolor skin.

Here are the valentine, year of pig, new character, chromas, icons, and emotes.

ht tp://www.surrenderat20.net/2019/01/18-pbe-update.html

Here are Lunar event and skins for this month.

ht tp://www.surrenderat20.net/p/current-pbe-balance-changes.html

In addition to all that Riot has team up with Marvel to make comic books to explore the lore and characters of LoL.

h ttp://www.surrenderat20.net/2018/12/ashe-warmother-comic-series-preview.html

Finally, they do release an expensive and extremely hard to acquire skin line called Hextech skin lines for the people who want a more rare and unique skin. These are released every 4-6 months. Most recent skin is this:

h ttp://www.surrenderat20.net/2018/12/hextech-renekton-now-available.html

Now tell me how is Hots supposed to compete with that?

As you can tell Riot has characters and cosmetics for almost every type of person. The AAtrox is like a diablo like skin, then you have the new Vayne skin with an attractive look. Kench a not so popular character is also getting a new skin for year of the pig. Point is that Riot has a diverse lineup of characters and cosmetics. There is bound to be a skin or character a new or vet will want to buy.

When I look at the skins and characters in Hots, there isn’t a lot of variety compared to LoL. As for the op. He is right. There isn’t a lot to buy with gems. Outside of buying heroes there are only a few bundles and mounts that you can buy directly with gems. I bought Whitemane and her skin bundle, but there isn’t much of choice for mounts or even announcer packs. I’m not going to buy loot boxes. I bought too many loot boxes in other games only to not get what I wanted from them.

One last thing. Blizzard isn’t selling any merchandise for Hots. Essentially your force to buy from Warcraft, SC2, or Diablo merch store. A lot of that merchandise is old and limited in selection. The only store that has a lot of selection is the OW store.

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Oh having things like that is important. So is word of mouth. But all that is meaningless if barely anyone knows about it.

Warframe is one such game. Due to having great community and being BEST game in its class it was steadily growing. But rly slowly. Too slowly for Acti shareholders.

What gave WF its massive popularity spike is commercials as well. Its just that after destiny 2 fiasco it was that word of mouth that turned Acti commercials to WF ones.

After all if every video about D2 was filled by WF ppl telling you to just play WF since its better and free it turns those videos intro commercials.

But that only works if competition fails. After all, crap like fallout 76 sells in milions just due to commercials.Whats worse we have 2 great game above us that are a direct competition.The only competition to WF was D2 and maybe PoE since both are grind to death type of game but thats it.

Edit:due to all the crap with blizz sacking pro league we are in the position that D2 was. If someone right now put a comment promoting LoL or DotA saying to not play this game due to bad practice activision did we cant dismiss em. And even tho this is rly benign compared to what D2 did our competition is fierce.

Personally i just tell everyone to pick before me and i fill if i need to.

Gives me alot of room to pick counters and heroes with synergy as i have most supports and assassins in my roster.

1st picking is never where i really wanna be.

But in Bronze-Gold you see alot of 1st and 2nd picks pick whatever they want and others after have to fill. (This is how you lose games, forcing players into roles they cant play ensures your doom)

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You are 100 % right…and its normal thing…for our human world like everything in world…:slight_smile:

Few ides wich can Grow HoST population:

1 st Hardcore new system mode almost same like Diablo 3 and heroes in WoW:

With limit deaths for an axample 0 -> 3 deaths . Hardcore stats dmgs,assists,heal,xp per every heroe,class… Penalty /Rewarded ranked points would be increased,win points eaither personaly!,depence from deaths. Hard part is you definte what exacltly should be numbers. For an axample xx games. Laddder /Rankto be like old one 2015 year.
In past time avarage 2 years or long ime i did suggested different rules. Again hardcore to death,death heroe or player would watch whole game to the end BUT depence from stats of heroe,game lvl,choosed talent builds would trasfferd buffed to the a life heroes/player or like this Brawl to the death. And these stats from death heroe would calulated and sapared on 3,4 a like heroes and pay attentione now…work in extra empty skills slots for main skill and heroic skils and trait and for
extra slots talents! That mean heroes would become hibrits heroes ,this not new idea ! This old idea is from Heroes of Newearth wich is completed befor long time ago. know is not something new idea(old like our world) :slight_smile: Hard part is calcuated system and what exacly skills,heroic skills ,talents (from death heroe) to be saparated to a life heroes. Or that mean as you can guess,heroes would fragmented into pieces !. Difference from Heroes of The Newearth and HoTS is…in HoN was maked already replace skills and heroes become mixed or hibrits,but in HoST would be a lttle different!. So ?! :slight_smile:
This idea is NOT worked befor in other genre DoTA games. Or that mean also
,heroes would become something similar like Diablo and WoW heroes skills ,but would be with more skills and talents and would be mixed/ buffed a little and or be learn extra skills,talents!. Or that mean heeoes become something similar like Cho Gall and Arbathur.! . And one questione …how many times you wanted to kick out from the game someone player because he is terrible or cant play so careful,i would ask you again HOW.MANY TIMES?! I can agree then come maybe more unbalanced skills,cds,dmgs,talents. And they must reworked again or do more balances changes . And indeed,then …for them(Blizzard team) would come more work. willSo ?! :slight_smile:

2th New perosnal increased Ranked points system! :

they…
MUST THINK ABOUT TO INCREASE POINTS BASED OF THESE 20 ACHIEVEMETS FOR WIN GAME AND 200 POINTS WOULD BE SAME FOR LOSES GAMES.
THESE 20 ACHIEVEMENTS SHOULD BE GARDITIONE BY IMPORTANCE START FROM MVP SO…ON SO IN…AND POINTS WOULD BE DECREASED BY " -3" PER LEAGUE FROM BRONZE TO GRAND MASTER…WITH THIS WAY…CAN BE CLIMP UP A LITTLE BETTER AND OFFSET LOSES GAMES FROM BAD PLAYERS AND LUCK SITUACIONS AND THIS ALMOST 50 % WIN RATE.!!!
POINTS WOUl D BE MAX 265 FOR MVP AND BETWEEN 20 POINTS BASED OF THESE 20 ACHIEVEMENTS AND START BE LOWER PER EVERY LEAGUE.THESE 200 LOSES POINTS FOR EVERY LOSES GAMES CAN BE OFFSET WITH THESE INCRESED WIN RANKED POINTS.
FROM THESE 20 ACHIEVEMENTS 6 ARE MUCH MORE IMPORTANT!.IF ONE HIGH GAME XP-ED AND KNOW HOW DO NOT DIE OVER 5 TIMES…AND DO OFTEN SOME OF THEASE 6 IMPORTANT ACHIEVEMENTS…CAN A LITTLE CLIMP UP THROUTH THESE 5 DEVISIONS!!!
(Im sorry this copy and paste from old reply!! :slight_smile: )

3 th Almost similar MMR system closet careful play lvls search system:

I did proposal different idea long time ago ( avarage 2 years ago),almost same like current lvls like heroes and account lvls,but would be bassed of KDA( kill,death,assists) ratio and to be calculated per every 7 days ,Lvls would be 5.XP can get and collected and calculated from after every complete end game. Every such lvl would be with with 1000 xp ( like now current devisons points). Wait the min,i must remind what exactly was mine idea. There was something calculated death ratio % after every completed end game.hmmm…I cant right remeber what exactly was.Then you can understand me very well. And depence from player lvl, MM system would search same lvls.Maybe you would ask me " Why would be colleted and calculated per every 7 days" ,right?! :slight_smile:
Because our human qualityes ,emoties,condtions are different comstatly depence from our real life things. :slight_smile:
Whole idea is when lose 200 rank points is …to offest this lose game !
From Bronze to Grand Master start from 3 win games agains agains vs 1 lose game
And this system table increase per every league 3,4,5,6,7,8,9(Second versione : 2,3,4,5,6,7,8 won games) won games vs 1 lose game s. Increasd earn ranked points!.
(again is copy and paste from my old reply! : )

4 th Ranked quests:

Hi…so…long time ago 2 years avarage i did suggest such Ranked,Unkared quests.
For every class and depence from heroes…
Like to 10 lvl or different requiements to 15, 20 in game lvl or so on ,so … or in 10 mins, 15 mins,20 game mins make xxx number dmgs,assits,xp,heal,soak for 100 ,200,300 wins games ,based like almost same these MMR 20 achievements…(MVP,high % heal so on…so on…)for an axample and make awesome rewards system like as you know mounths,skins,boots xp,gold or shards. But must be make it so hard for achievement.Because …of course payement dor skins,mouths,budies must stay and you continue earn money. you still have to make money … it does not matter that it’s free to play. I know its so hard to be define what exactly to be…because need so long time and colled data from player base. Such Ranked ,Unranked quests can a little help of players to improve himselfs.
(Copy and paste from mine old topic in US forum !)

And more ideas wich i not want right now copy and paste:)

This guy creator of this topic Kith,suggest almost bullsh.ts .Im sorry dude…but for me that is real true… try dont feel huff ! :slight_smile:

I live in Bulgaria ,im 44 old ,over 20 years gamer xp-ed,played so many games! Played from open beta!

HOTS is by far the best MOBA. It isn’t even close.

I just think the market for MOBAS is etched in stone at this point and people are pot committed to whichever one they began playing.

I honestly don’t know enough about S. Korea to answer the question.

It’s ironic isn’t it that Blizzard inadvertently created eSports (Starcraft 1 in the late 90s) and MOBAs (WCIII mods) but has not been able to fully harness either to their advantage. It’s a credit to how damn good they are (were?) at making games that their games inspired those two things.

IDK what it is.

HOTS is the best MOBA by a mile. Maybe it was the silly decision to call it a Hero Brawler? IDK.

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Actually, I did not mean farming 10k in 24 hours :wink: Who would need a new hero every day? It takes a while to get used to them, so picking up a new one every week would be plenty… :wink:

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Since the game is in maintenance mode, they are not going to do any major reworks.

However, they could combine HL and TL to reduce q times.

Step 1, 2, 3, 4, and onward until 10000 : FIX THE DAMN MATCHMAKING

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