I love Awesomenauts, still play it (which is saying something), but I do despite the ‘last hit’ syndrome. I can’t stand DOTA because you spend so much time on boringly spawns. The 15-20 minute mark sounds more like closer to Awesomenauts as does the hero customization (which Awesomenauts also does).

I really, really like the emphasis on different maps. In Awesomenauts, the different maps count for a ton. “It won’t ever be an E-Sport if it has different maps. Wah.” say the hardcore. I think the hardcore are missing the point: maps are a modular design within the overall game. RTS games require map variety and good map designs in the same way that platformers require level variety and good level design.

The ‘customizations’ to the characters the Developer Interview shows tells me that HOTS (is that the same abbreviation for Heart of the Swarm? Damn it, Blizzard) will be free-to-play with sales going to costumes and appearances.

I want to hear more about Heroes of the Storm. Interestingly, I’m not that curious to hear more about Diablo 3, Starcraft 2, or WoW. Blizzcon is now? Who would have thought.

I am worried that Dustin Browder being in charge of HOTS means a repeat of the problem with Starcraft 2 (that the game is so fast that only very young adult males can enjoy it because they don’t have a real job so they can train their ‘mad macro skills’ with button exercises).

Awesomenauts did dying right. You can shop while you are dead, and you rocket back into the game trying to collect coins. This doesn’t allow players to yell at others. What does Heroes of the Storm allow the player to do when they are dead? Hopefully more than watch.

You know, an interesting idea would be to put in the ‘death mode’ of Bomberman where the dead player can still fling bombs from the side. An equivalent would allow a dead player to take charge of a tower or even to control a creep until they come back to life. It would further decrease the robotic nature of the game and increase the ‘human touch’ of the players throughout. Whatever happens, the game shouldn’t present players opportunities to sit back and yell at other players.

There is one map idea I really insist Blizzard investigate and put in. It would be the Warcraft 3 map of Fulgore’s Epic Castle Siege. That map was so much fun. It was DOTA-like yet very different. I love the idea of the fort in the middle that players can ‘buy’.