Dota 2 Weekly Patch - 14/03/13: Items Galore

[Omnomnick]

This week's Dota 2 update shipped late last night, introducing a variety of item changes including new unique in-game models for Boots of Speed, Clarity Potions, Healing Salves, Divine Rapiers, Dust of Appearance and Town Portal Scrolls. These new models will be shown once an item is dropped on the ground, replacing the older and more generic item boxes which have been used up until now and still remain in use for the majority of the game's items. We imagine the rest of the game's items may also receive counterpart in-game models at some time in the future.

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Additionally, several heroes received brand new cosmetic item sets which were submitted via the Steam Workshop. These heroes include Centaur Warrunner, Lich, Lycanthrope and Phantom Lancer. The game's menu UI was also updated with new sound effects and a modified live games list which now displays the name of the gamemode currently being played in each match.​

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While the game hasn't received a new hero in just over a month now, a tri-hero update is looking increasingly likely as Bristlebog, Elder Titan and Skywrath Mage now feature the majority of their in-game assets in some form, most of which are now appear to be at a high standard. Finally, the update also introduced South Africa as the most recent server region alongside a wide variety of bug fixes and bot tweaks, all of which you can read about in the official changelog and on CyborgMatt's blog. Special thanks to commentator Purge who visited Valve last week and managed to snap some photos of some never-before-seen concept art for a variety of the game's characters, several of which remain unreleased.​

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Concept art for unreleased hero "Abaddon"​

 

[Vegeta897]

Damn that's a cool looking hero. I love the icy legs and tail.

 

[Omnomnick]

Damn that's a cool looking hero. I love the icy legs and tail.

I haven't played the original Dota, but from what I've seen from the most recent textures and concept art it seems like the rest of the heroes have changed substantially from their WC3 styles. Legion Commander is female (and doesn't have a big moustache), the Techies ride a mine cart, Skywrath Mage might no longer have a mount and Tauren Chieftain...isn't a Tauren or a Chieftain anymore.

Glad to see Valve breaking away from the Warcraft 3 styles even more than they have previously, its nice to see them put their own spin on fantasy.

EDIT: Also I hope they upload the character concept art at some point, as some of those images would make sweet backgrounds.

 

[Élio Oliveira]

Nice