I've said it before

Hero and Skin Suggestions
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I would really like to see, expanded characters. These characters are simple as of now, with a good sense of who they are. Some characters already have multi use, range melee skill sets. I would like to see every character, require a skill set for both ranged and melee. Or some defense of the other, in attempt to make solo fights balanced (though most like impossible). Some of those characters are already that, so just swap the skills for new one supporting this (Continuing the current roster, with a new depth for more unpredictable lineups. Though not allowing them to make chose these option in the game, only before joining a match. Like modular skills, that players have an option to use, other than what’s hard set for them already.). My favorite example is Hanzo and Genji. Making Hanzo with Katana like Genji, so he can swap to melee would be awesome and vise versa (Marrying these two characters into one, limited each as a parent to make the best result, could be a lot of fun to play with). Though I think it needs limits, so maybe not for this roster. Though if there were to be a custom character creation, then allowing players to do this would be nice. Development if this could be across the entire heroes of the storm roster, and already is technically. Then making a multiplayer online PVE/PVP game say 16-128 players on a server could be the next MMO style. Not really MMO with crowed worlds, though something a bit more controllable. I could go into grater detail to these points, and go on all day sharing ideas of how to improve loot drops, skillsets and even more things but I won’t. I’ll tell you though, I really like the skill quests for improved skills in the game. I like it as much as the Diablo 3 chat bubble story telling. Good work there.

Maybe make a single player game, with three characters built like this. You know something short and sweet, featuring advancements to characters, graphics and level/world mechanics. Three playable characters for some sort of replay, unlockable some way undefined (Developing similarities used for exploration, between these characters will build a unique playstyle for each, though maintaining quality in terms of overall level and world design). Strict single player only level and world layout (Story included), that’s not so deep it takes 40+ hours to play (Plus allows you (As a developer) to figure out things that are reasonable to complete realistically as a single player. Nothing too overly dramatic and larger than life, that maybe something for multiplayer.). Maybe a 8 hour game X times three characters, is enough to feature some of the more advanced character and level ideas (without exposing further plans, for a more developed multiplayer). Personally i’d go top down with camera rotation or fixed behind the back camera third person. Camera rotation and get confusing, players may get turned around so this needs to be considered. Landmarks a plenty so you know where you are, instead of the quest and mission pointers with little paths leading you to success. Leave exploration to the player, so they feel like their apart of the games story and environment. To many mission pointer or any at all dilutes this, to the point it’s more like work or parental guidance, lacking test of patience to earn success.

The idea is to restrict the games quest/mission to one area, then remove all the points and helpers in this smaller area. Telling player what area they need to be in, may not be so bad if they can pay attention. (instead of guide them with hud options, using story options.) (One area meaning, of a whole part. Like a MMO as a mass and removing one area from that, to make a game. Secondary meaning, one area a mission area to restrict helping the players success.) Players are supposed to enjoy their time playing, but not be handed success. Imagining a larger world, the pointers may guide you to the area you need to be, but not within the area where you need complete a task or mission, kind of in the restricted sense of dungeons areas (like cave or castles, with walls or limits you can’t get around or over, without having these limits. So leaving the area will reveal a pointer to tell you, that is in fact the area you need to be. But once your in that area, the guide disappears. Plus we can use a quest or mission detail saying, where it is you need to be, without ever using any HUD style pointers “Forest of the dead end” then explore to find said location). Giving players advanced characters, makes the world/levels more like a playground, so exploring a larger area isn’t a problem. Also makes pointer guide disappointing, as the playground is fun to explore. Also no need to fill the world with crowed of minions, when there’s a threat realistic for a single player to solve.

Things like mounts are supposed to be used for traveling, though with fun world and level mechanics they’ll be disregarded. (maybe a goal to make player want to travel, without mounts). I imagine a game world, with many areas to play around in. Though in order to get to these locations, there are strict paths or secret areas, that need to be found. So creating fun world and levels, to distract players from mounting. Also with some areas blocked off that cannot be accessed, leaves some background for the imagination and misleading ideas of where to find the new area. Then we can develop these blocked off areas as “Multiplayer areas” or more dangerous areas, you as a single player can imagine are to difficult for you (Middle ground not accessible in current game, under development areas so on.). All areas have trees, rocks, caves and even buildings, you as a player can climb and view the larger horizon. We’ll need one or more areas that can view other areas from a high point, (even though it’s top down, or fixed camera.) to find potential leads to new areas the story told you about. You can get to these areas via a path or character mobility skills are required. (will make example later in a addition to this post.) Traveling in the game is supposed to be fun like, so climbing trees to see how you’re going to get to new locations is adequate. Though once you know the areas, you’ll want mount up and make haste.

Inaccessible areas (background, multiplayer or other wise inaccessible areas) are the “Big idea” come to fruition. In the multiplayer game you have two options, one to restrict single player areas, making them inaccessible to a party, or two to make all areas accessible to the players. In the single player game, these are shown though not used strictly inaccessible. It’s an consolidating idea for developers to have a good idea, what kind of area to build into the inaccessible areas (These areas may consist of two or more area assets, planning maybe further needed to create new assets for them. Like a stony field meets forest, or a castle meets a mountain, a volcano meets a village and the new assets required to make a quality combination.). This allows for well planned and developed areas to be ironed out and refined, to meet a quality expectation. Plus allows development of new mechanics, based on player level, partying or content maturity. Finally it’s a sales pitch for DLC content, saying no this isn’t a required area, though we built it, it looks good and has fun factor (not strictly DLC only areas). All optional ideas, through planning and expansion I believe it’s good attention and practice that brings it to fruition.

World and level mechanics and playability can be well defined, with multiple character playthroughs. The example of Hanzo running up or along walls to get to a new location, can be reapplied to say the Barbarian’s long jump. So they can reach the same locations, though to what extent is to be defined. Hanzo can run up a wall the Barbarian cannot, so he can reach higher points than the Barbarian, though the Barbarian can jump over long voided areas with no supportive wall, Hanzo needs to run across. The next question is, how high can the Barbarian jump and how much fall off is there. This is important to define what kind of terrain obstacles and high points, the Barbarian can reach excluding the long jump areas below this height. I think it’s a good idea to open up exclusive map locations, to keep each character’s developedment interesting throughout a second playthrough.

Character combat development is also important, to keep things interesting throughout a playthrough, though also to make advancements to characters playability. The example again Hanzo and Genji better defined. So imagine Hanzo is a character in a single player game, you’re using to hunt “minions” causing problems. He’s shooting them with a bow, while remaining in cover. He’s ambushed from behind and needs to react, with a melee option he draws his sword in one hand to deflect a blow. From here there are a few options, that will determine what happens to his sword or bow. Option one is to attack a basic attack with the sword, simply leaving his bow clutched in the other hand (this “stance” buttons options not completely different from the original bow options, he was using while shooting the minions. Like a middle ground of options, activated when using his deflect.). This is good for weak enemies quickly defeated, before returning your sword to its sheath, without making a complete change to the character skills and button action sets. (using a button to return the sword or just continuing to use the bow to be considered when needing input to make the change, from the ranged and melee skill set. But having a persistent melee deflect or parry at hand.). Second option is to evade and return the sword to its sheath simultaneously, then return to firing the bow at ambusher (Good for easily defeated enemies, that are in the act of a second attack and in need of action. Of course you could use deflect again, though would like to sheath the sword, so used this option.). Third option is to put the bow away and change the skill set, to get the most out of the weapons skills. (Goes for the bow also. Strict character skill and button action set. Multiple attack buttons, for charged shot, two handing or left and right attacks? Maybe two handing skills or balancing with one handed sword skills to be defined better. more options and or consideration needed, like parry, block and countering. Movement actions to combine things also, side step, dodge, roll and evade skill…). This is interesting to me because it opens options, the player can receive as progress in the game (meaning limited character skills to begin with, skill slot advancements or unlocking controller buttons for advancement based on training or level requirements). My main example is a Steam Controller or Razer Raiju, with the extended controller layout. They offer more buttons to use, than the typical controller. Though still considering there are more buttons, what can be done with the original layout needs to be well developed, to get the most out of the extended layout or two conform to Keyboard and Mouse users and their limitations and easy of use.

I am asking to support character mobility, as one major point to make. Yes there are other details, to improve upon too. Character mobility is the fun factor, in these playgrounds we enjoy. This game type or ARPG in general doesn’t support it well enough, to say you’ve done everything you can to better your games. Character mobility requires supportive levels and controls, to be the best representation of it. As there is no controller support, there’s a extreme limitation that makes development difficult. But making the levels better support mobility is really what I want for this game, as I think it’ll make the genera more enjoyable. Walking in slow motion, is kind of meh. There’s no running, maybe make a run, that’s still yet slower than mounts. Jumping isn’t realistic, as it’s only as useful as the levels, so you’d need to discard the current levels to make it work. Dodge and roll, side stepping and other evasive ideas, will be hard to control with K/M, though not out of the question. Controller support is huge, though not fair to all people playing so not realistic. I’ll keep trying to refine what it is, that needs to be done within realistic goals.

Update:
I think I forget to speak my mind, getting right into what I think is to be done about it. Then people take what I say, without bases to my genesis. So this update will try to tell you, that I always keep a good many things in mind.

    • One major thing I think about is, how to tell a story what elements are structuring the “What for” or “How to”, when building a character and its elements.
    • The next thing is planning, what’s the best method to progress. (I have lists of methods, some general some detailed, I will commonly refer to.) So I think somewhat modular, to make sure I think I’ve the best methods or idea of my goal.
    • One way to prove my ideas goal is reached, is questioning what will this work or be perceived as in a time line. So I take a look at this time line, then I apply my imagination. Does it make progress, does it function with my methods, then I make sure everything make sense.
    • Finally I think “what if” I applied super speed or fast forward. If this has only enough information in fast forward, it’s working well and the target people can receive the message, then this is a filler or basic character. If this fast forward is to hard to follow, then this is a elaborate story or character, I need to either optimize or condense information so the person can say, “Yes it was well received” or “No there’s to many details missing, I don’t know what’s going on”.

I can tell you this game isn’t meeting all these guide lines, though is fine because there’s a basic fun factor. Nothing to elaborately demanded, so the game can get to the point. So I would like to reiterate what I am asking for, in simpler words. I would like to see expansion of each character, so there can be stories told in a short story kind of way. There’s a time limit to meat, telling stories with in this limit is not realistic for many reasons. No supportive characters with the roster so large, it’s to unpredictable to be realistic based on game title and within that story. Though there’s away to accomplish this, on a basic fast forward time line. Simply removing the story telling dialog, would be required. But character expansion, to basically tell us who they are, how they’ve evolved and there visual story. I made an example of a new character, I feel is inadequate because lack of information, to even display his short story. The link to the post is here.

I think my goal point of this update is, he has two roles in the game. First he’s the son of King Leoric, the eldest son whom stands for something. That short story is easily told to us players, as is in itself. Though his story continues deeper, after being the eldest son of a mad king corrupted by evil. He’s also the older brother of somebody, he deeply cares for and will go to any lengths to protect or save. Also easy enough for Heroes of the Storm to tell this story, support his character and playout. Though after that part of his story ends, his story still goes on just in a different direction unbeknownst to him. And my point is, in order to satisfy his change in the story, the character must have a expansion or be able to go beyond the current limits of the roster. He’s takes the soul stone of Diablo unto himself, sealing Diablo away. What this means he’s a whole new character, maybe he remembers who he was and retains some sentiment of humanity, that will support the new character. Though he need more attention to the change, in order to tell the story short or long version. That I think could be done, with a little more character development and progress within this game. And I think is vary hard to do, with such a large roster. Would take many years, with a small team and is unrealistic. Though I still try to motivate the point, for the sake of future investment of time and energy.

  1. Maybe a secondary skill set, after he takes on the soul stone. This would be a permanent change to the character, until defeated or not.

    • This applied to other characters, could be a secondary weapon class or how they use their weapons.