Heroes of the Storm - TECHNICAL ALPHA PATCH NOTES -- JULY 23, 2014

GENERAL

Full Translations Coming Soon

The Heroes of the Storm Technical Alpha game client will soon feature full audio and text translations for languages in both the European and Latin American regions. In the coming days, the following languages will be supported:

• Europe
  • French
  • German
  • Italian
  • Polish
  • Russian
  • Spanish
• Latin America
  • Spanish
  • Portuguese
• Be advised that this represents an early pass at audio and text translations for each the languages above. During Tech Alpha testing, players using clients in languages other than English may encounter typos and other translation errors. Please keep in mind that work is ongoing and each language will receive additional polish in the weeks to come.

New Battleground

Garden of Terror, a brand new 3-lane Battleground, has been added to Heroes of the Storm and is now available for play in all matchmaking queues!

• After 90 seconds, Night will fall and Horrors will rise within the garden.
  • Venture into the garden to kill the Horrors and collect the Seeds they drop.
  • Night will persist until all remaining Horrors have been destroyed.
  • Collect 100 Seeds and then return to base to take control of a monstrous Garden Terror!
• Once unleashed, Garden Terrors can use the following powerful abilities:
  • Spore Queen’s Curse (Q)
    • After a short delay, enemy Heroes in the target area are turned into Plant Zombies for 5 seconds.
    • While in Plant Zombie form, Heroes deal reduced damage, have their Movement Speed reduced by 30%, and become silenced.
  • Plant Horror Overgrowth (W)
    • Disables and damages all enemy structures within a large area as long as the Horror Overgrowth remains alive.
    • Deals heavy damage to Minions within its area of effect.
• Check out our latest Developer Insights blog, which offers an in-depth look at the design behind the Garden of Terror Battleground.

New Hero

Rehgar Earthfury, Shaman of the Earthen Ring, has been added to Heroes of the Storm and is now available for play! Read on for a brief overview of his abilities, and check out Rehgar's Hero Week blog for much more information on this powerful new Support Hero.

• Abilities:
  • Chain Heal (Q)
    • Creates a healing wave that jumps between allies.
  • Lightning Shield (W)
    • Imbue target ally with lightning, causing damage to nearby enemies.
  • Earthbind Totem (E)
    • Spawns a totem that slows nearby enemies.

• Trait:
  • Ghost Wolf (Z)
    • Instead of using a mount, Rehgar transforms into a Ghost Wolf, increasing his movement speed.

• Heroic Abilities
  • Bloodlust (R)
    • Stir allies into a frenzy, increasing their Attack and Movement Speeds.
  • Ancestral Healing (R)
    • Significantly heals an allied Hero.

   

USER INTERFACE

Leveling System and Rewards

• The out-of-game Leveling System has been reworked and many of the progression rewards it has to offer have been reorganized.
  • Cooperative and Versus game modes no longer need to be unlocked, and are now available from player level 1.
  • The XP Bonus earned by winning games in Versus Mode has been increased from 20,000 to 50,000 XP per win.
  • Rewards for leveling up are now as follows:
    • Levels 2 and 4: 1,000 Gold each
    • Level 6: Daily Quests
    • Levels 8 and 10: Each unlock a new Hero Rotation Slot
    • Level 12: 2,000 Gold
    • Level 15: Unlocks the ability to use Artifacts and awards 2,000 Gold 
    • Levels 20, 25, 30, and 35: 3,000 Gold each
• Please note that following today’s patch, all partial progress toward the next player level will be lost.
  • For example: A player who was halfway to level 21 prior to the patch will be reset to player level 20.

Artifacts

• Artifacts have been added to Heroes of the Storm, and can be used to modify a Hero’s starting stats prior to queuing for a match in any game mode.
• Reach player level 15 to unlock the ability to purchase Artifacts and Artifact Slots using Gold.
• Artifact Slots
  • In order to use Artifacts in-game, they must first be equipped using Artifact Slots, which can be found just left of the “Ready” button on the Hero Select screen.
  • There are three types of Artifacts and Artifact slots: Gem, Relic, and Trinket
    • The Gem slot is automatically unlocked for free at level 15
    • The Relic and Trinket slots can be purchased in any order directly from the Hero Select screen, and cost 2,000 Gold each to unlock.
  • Click an Artifact slot to bring up a list of Artifacts that can be equipped in that slot.
    • Up to 3 Artifacts can be selected for a match, but only one Artifact of each type (Gem, Relic, and Trinket) can be equipped at a time, so choose wisely!
    • Artifacts can be re-selected between games on the Hero Select screen.
• Artifact Ranks
  • The higher an Artifact’s Rank, the stronger its in-game effects become.
    • Individual Artifacts can be purchased directly from the Hero Select screen, starting at 100 Gold for Rank 1.
    • Additional Ranks can be purchased up to a maximum of Rank 10 for each Artifact, and the cost increases by 100 Gold for each Rank purchased after the first.
      • Ex: Rank 2 costs 200 Gold, Rank 3 costs 300, and so on.
• Free Gold for Artifacts!
  • All Tech Alpha accounts which achieved player level 5 or above prior to today’s patch have been granted a large amount of Gold in order to help test the new Artifact system.
  • The higher a player’s level, the more Gold has been granted for Artifact play testing.
    • Level 30+:  75,000  Gold
    • Levels 20 - 29:  35,000 Gold
    • Levels 5 - 19:  10,000 Gold
• Check out our recent blog post for complete information on the Artifact System.

Hero Levels and Rewards

• Hero Levels
  • Hero Quests have been reworked and renamed to Hero Levels.
    • Previously, players were required to complete Versus matches in order to progress through Hero Quests and unlock the rewards they had to offer.
    • Now, however, experience points earned by playing matches in Cooperative or Versus modes count toward player level and Hero level progress alike.
    • All Heroes begin at level 1and can be individually leveled up to a maximum of 10.
    • Each new Hero level achieved will unlock rewards such as Talents, Gold, Skin variations, Portraits, and much more!
  • Please Note that Hero Quests which were already complete prior to today’s patch have not been lost.
    • Instead, previously completed Hero Quests now count toward the current Hero Leveling System.
      • For example: If a Hero’s first Quest had already been completed prior to today’s patch, that Hero will begin at level 2.
      • Furthermore, if all six of a Hero’s Quests had already been completed, that Hero will begin at level 7 following the patch.
    • If a Hero Quest was only partially complete prior to today’s patch, progress toward that Quest has been reset.
      • For example: If a Hero’s second Quest was only halfway complete prior to the patch, progress will be reset, and that Hero will begin at level 2.

• Talents and Heroic Abilities
  • Talents are no longer unlocked all at once by reaching player level 8 with the Leveling System.
  • Instead, Heroic Abilities and Talents are now unlocked on a per-Hero basis by playing and leveling up each Hero individually.
    • A level 1 Hero now starts with two Talents available at each tier of in-game Talent selection, and one Heroic Ability.
    • A Hero’s second Heroic Ability can be unlocked by reaching level 2.
    • Hero level 3 grants 6 additional talents for that Hero, one at each tier.
    • Level 4 unlocks all remaining Talent choices for that Hero.

• Hero Master Portraits
  • Basic Hero Portraits are now unlocked by achieving level 6 with each Hero.
  • Master Portraits have been added to the game
    • Reach Hero level 9 to unlock a Hero’s Master Portrait, which can be used to further show off expertise with that Hero.

• Master Skins
  • Master Skins have been added to the Technical Alpha, and are the ultimate way to show off prowess with a Hero.
    • Unlock the ability to purchase a Hero’s Master Skin by reaching level 10 with that Hero.
    • Master Skins can be purchased for 10,000 each.
    • Just like any other Skin, each Hero’s Master Skin comes with two variations, which can be used to further customize that Hero’s appearance in-game!
• For a complete breakdown on Hero levels and rewards in this patch, please read our recent Progression System blog.

Player Profile

• Many aspects of the Player Profile have been reworked.

• To access the Player Profile, click on the Hero portrait found in the top right corner of the Home screen.
  • Player Profiles can also be viewed on the Hero Select screen by right clicking the selected Hero, and then clicking View Profile.
• Current player level and Hero portrait are now located at the top of the profile screen.
• Several tabs have been added to the left-hand side which can be used to navigate the Player Profile.
  • Hero Progress: Tracks experience points, Hero levels, and rewards earned by playing games and leveling up each Hero.
  • Rewards: Can be used to view which Leveling System Rewards have already been earned, and which are yet to be unlocked.
  • Daily Quests: Select this tab to keep an eye on which Daily Quests are currently available for completion.
  • The Profile Summary and Match History tabs have been disabled during Tech Alpha testing.

End-of-Game

• A navigation bar has been added to the End-of-Game screen which features four new tabs: Summary, Stats, Quests, and Rewards.
  • Summary
    • Directly following the end of a match, players will now land immediately on the End-of-Game screen’s Summary tab.
    • This tab displays Hero and player level progression, as well as upcoming rewards for each, and any experience points or Gold earned from the previous match.
  • Stats
    • Displays the End-of-Game Score screen as seen in previous versions of the Tech Alpha, which details takedowns, deaths, and Battleground mechanics earned by each player during the previous match.
  • Quests
    • Lists all of the Daily Quests that are currently available for completion.
  • Rewards
    • Displays all of the rewards earned from the previous match.
• More information on the new End-of-Game screen can be found in our recent blog on Progression System updates.

Hero Select

• Skins, Mounts, and Heroes can now be purchased directly from the Hero Select screen.
• Skins
  • Click the Skins button in the lower left corner of the Hero Select screen to view all Skins and Skin variations for the selected Hero, and quickly switch between them.
  • If the selected Skin has not been unlocked, it can be purchased using real money directly from the Skins panel.
• Mounts
  • Click the Mounts button to view all Mounts and Mount variations in the game, and quickly switch between them.
  • If the selected Mount has not been unlocked, it can be purchased using real money directly from the Mounts panel.
    • Please note that in order to view or purchase a Mount, a Hero must be selected that has the ability to use Mounts in-game.
• Hero Info
  • Select a Hero, and then click the Hero Info button to view more detailed information on that Hero.
    • The selected Hero’s current level, role, and difficulty are displayed at the top of the Hero Info panel.
    • The Hero Info panel now features three tabs along the top which can be clicked to view detailed information on each of the following: Abilities, Heroic Abilities, and Talents.
    • If the selected Hero has not been unlocked, it can be purchased using Gold or real money directly from the Hero Info panel.

• Artifact Slots
  • Artifact slots have been added to the bottom of the Hero Select screen between the Hero Info and Ready buttons.

Earning Gold

• Gold is now awarded upon completing matches in Cooperative and Versus game modes.
  • Each Cooperative mode win now awards 10 Gold.
  • Versus matches now grant 10 Gold per loss, and 40 Gold per win.

Daily Quests

• Can now be completed in Cooperative mode!
• All Daily Quests now award 200 Gold upon completion, but no longer grant experience points.

Radial Ping Menu

• The Radial Ping Menu, accessed by pressing the G or Alt key and holding down the left mouse button, has received several improvements:
  • Ping Menu Display
    • The Radial Ping Menu now fades in over 0.5 seconds, but will display immediately if the cursor is dragged outside the menu during that time.
    • After the Radial Ping Menu fades in, a cancel button is created at its center and can be used to close the menu without issuing a ping.
      • If the center of the Ping Menu is selected before the cancel button is created, a normal ping will be issued.
  • Mouse Cursor
    • The mouse cursor now remains visible on-screen while using the Radial Ping Menu, and a line is now drawn from the center point of the menu to the cursor.
    • If the Radial Ping Menu is accessed while the cursor is at the edge of the screen, the menu will still partially display so that pings can still be issued.
    • After a ping is issued using the Radial Ping Menu, the mouse cursor will no longer be moved back to the ping location.

INFRASTRUCTURE

General

• Several changes have been implemented to improve overall responsiveness during gameplay.
• Several general performance improvements have been implemented.

Movement

• Press and hold the right mouse button in-game to continually move a Hero in the direction of the cursor, and make spam clicking a thing of the past!

Rejoin

• The Game Camera will now re-center on the player’s Hero upon rejoining a game in progress.
• Voiceover is no longer triggered in-game when a player times out due to connection issues.

     

SHOP

New Hero

• Rehgar has been added to the Heroes of the Storm Shop!

Skins

• Ironclaw Rehgar has been added to the Shop.

Master Skins

• Master Skins have been added to the Shop, but will not become available for purchase until a player reaches level 10 with a Hero.
• Master Skins have been added for the following 16 Heroes, and many more will be added in the weeks to come:
  • Abathur
  • Arthas
  • Diablo
  • Falstad
  • Illidan
  • Kerrigan
  • Li Li
  • Muradin
  • Rehgar
  • Sonya
  • Stitches
  • Tassadar
  • Tyrande
  • Uther
  • Valla
  • Zagara

Bundle Packs

• The Ironclaw Rehgar Bundle has been made available in the Shop for a limited time.
• All previously available Bundle Packs have been removed from the Shop, and replaced by the following:
  • Assassin Bundle
  • Warrior Bundle
  • Support Bundle
  • Beatdown Bundle
  • Heavy Hitters Bundle
  • Heroes of the Light Bundle

• Please note: With the exception of the Ironclaw Rehgar Bundle, each of the Bundles added today feature a selection of three Heroes, from a combined total of nine, packaged in different ways so that you can purchase the Bundle that best fits your preferred playstyle.
• Head here for complete details on each of the Bundles added with today’s patch.

     

ART

• Many in-game Hero and Skin portraits have received visual improvements.
• Several Hero models and Skins have received visual improvements, including:
  • All Tyrael Skins
  • All Uther Skins
  • All Zeratul Skins
  • Diablo and all Diablo Skins
  • Gazlowe
  • Valla and all Valla Skins
• Dance animations have been updated for the following:
  • Abathur
  • Raynor and his Commander Raynor Skin
• Facial animations have been added for the following:
  • Raynor
  • Uther
• Implemented several visual effects improvements for the following:
  • Death screens
  • Illidan’s Metamophosis Heroic Ability
  • Ronin Zeratul’s Basic Abilities
  • Sonya’s Arreat Crater Heroic Ability Talent

     

SOUND

• New music has been added throughout the game.
• New ping sounds have been added for map events.
• Added a low Health notification sound.

DESIGN AND GAMEPLAY

General

• Heroes have been made easier to left and right-click on.
  • This does not affect a Hero’s width in terms of gameplay interactions, such as skillshots or pathing collision.
• The amount of in-game experience required to reach levels 2-19 has been increased by approximately 6%.

Underdog Bonus

• The amount of XP received from Hero takedowns is now more granular.
• This will now have less impact during close games.

    

BATTLEGROUNDS

Core

• Health now scales throughout the game.
• Splash damage radius increased from 1.5 to 2.

     

TALENTS

General

• With the addition of Artifacts, the following generic Talents have been removed:
  • Minion Killer
  • Path of the Assassin
  • Path of the Warrior
  • Path of the Wizard
• New generic Talents have been added to replace holes created by the Talent removals listed above, including the following:
  • New Talent (Level 1): Seasoned Marksman
    • Grants +1 Basic Attack Damage permanently for every 5 Minions killed.
    • This effect stacks.
    • Only Minions damaged by Basic Attacks within moments of their death will count toward this bonus.
  • New Talent (Level 1): Conjurer’s Pursuit
    • Gather 3 Regeneration Globes to permanently gain +0.25 Mana Regeneration. 
    • This effect stacks.
  • New Talent (Level 1): Scouting Drone
    • Places a flying drone at the target location which reveals a large area and any Cloaked Heroes around it for 60 seconds. 
    • The drone can be seen and destroyed by enemies.
  • New Talent (Level 4): Gathering Power
    • Passively grants +8% Ability Power
    • Each Hero takedown grants an additional 2% Ability Power, up to a maximum of 12%.  This bonus is lost on death.

Block

• Has been moved from Level 7 to Level 1

Hardened Focus

• Has been moved from Level 13 to Level 16

Healing Ward

• Has been moved from Level 1 to Level 4

Overdrive

• Has been moved from Level 13 to Level 16

Rewind

• Has been moved from Level 16 to Level 13

Spell Shield

• The functionality of this talent has changed.
• Upon taking Ability Damage, now gain a shield that reduces all Ability Damage taken by 50% for 2 seconds.  This can only occur once every 30 seconds.

SOURCE AND HEROES CHANGES: http://us.battle.net/heroes