Deadwood by derhaudi
In this series, we’ll explore some of the problems that face the genre, and how it must evolve to remain fresh and relevant. Do not miscontrue any of this as an intended design direction for HoN; these are simply my musings and expectations.
Problem: There exists an overemphasis placed upon the picking phase; that is to say, your hero picks represent a disproportionate contributor to the result of a match versus how well the heroes are actually played and strategies are executed. This problem largely arises from the relative immutability of individual heroes; heroes are designed such that they fulfill a largely singular goal, resulting in picking strategies delineating a rigid, inflexible role for each participant that is unforgiving to change. The item system tailors to this notion by not providing enough viable alternatives to a theoretically optimal build. Experimentation is generally frowned upon, as the harsh design of the systems encompassing the game simply fails to account for variability in play style.
Solution: Reduce the hero count, yet give each hero more session-based variability by introducing more than the “standard” four abilities, some of which should allow for completely different styles of play. Allow players to customize their heroes by creating a deficit of skill points; you shouldn’t be able to invest into every ability fully each game. Finally, introduce talent trees and other modifiers that would change how abilities are used. Right now, your hero picks out your strategy because you are effectively locked into strategic commitment due to role immutability. By shifting the emphasis from the picking phase to the playing phase, where most of the action takes place–or should take place–you create a much healthier and dynamic atmosphere of play.
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