Dota 2 25th April Patch – Content Analysis

This week’s Dota 2 test patch has arrived bringing us no new heroes but it does provide us with the first update to the HUD, specifically the in game interface. The full changelog can be found here.

Front End Changes

This week’s patch brings us a new in game HUD, shop icons and more.

The New In Game HUD

The new HUD does not only look visually different but it also provides extra functionality with an updated courier status, movement speed without the need for a tooltip etc.

New HUD vs Old – Visuals

The visual style of the new HUD is quite different from the old one, most of the blank space has been eliminated and replace with more meaningful information.

The new HUD:

 The Old Hud:

New HUD vs Old – Size

When comparing the new HUD to the old one, we can see that the new one is actually smaller.

New HUD vs Old – Shop

The shop and the item’s icons have also been restyled to look like the new interface. A comparison of the new item icons can be seen here.

New HUD vs Old – Functionality

As well as proving the user an easy way to see damage, movement speed and armour, the courier functionality has been improved a lot, you now no longer have to hover over the icon to get the status of the courier, it will be displayed directly on the HUD.

No courier on the team:

Courier is on the team and is idle:

Courier is delivering items to Nature’s Prophet:

Courier is going home:

Courier is dead, respawning in a minute and five seconds:

The Glyph of Fortification is also much easier to use and see how far along the cooldown is:

When selecting multiple units the unit info boxes are no longer overlapped in the game area, they’re now shown in the stats box:

Updated Models

We’ve an updated model this patch.

Lion’s Updated Model

Lion is on the receiving end of another model update.

New Lion:

Old Lion:

The new Lion looks like a merge between what he looked like in the old leaked client (top half) and the current one (bottom half) we’re used to now:

Shadow Demon’s Updated Model

More a texture change than a model update, but I might as well stick it under here.

His cloak has been changed:

Updated Animations

We’ve a number of new animations this week.

Axe’s Updated Animations

Axe now has a teleport and a teleport_end animation, presumably for the blink dagger.

Necrolyte’s Updated Animations

Necrolyte now has injured running, idle and attacking animations.

Spirit Breaker’s Updated Animations

Spirit Breaker now has an injured running animation.

Weaver’s Updated Animations

Weaver now has an injured running, idle and attacking animations.

Updated Portraits

We’ve a number of portrait updates in this patch.

Ancient Apparition’s Portrait

The floating ice particles in the background have been removed.

Bane’s Portrait

Bane’s arms have been made slightly smaller to make him look even more creepy.

Brewmaster’s Portrait

The level of zoom has been adjusted.

Broodmother’s Portrait

Updated with her new model we got a few patches back.

Life Stealer’s Portrait

I can’t spot a difference on this one, the files are different though. I think his jaw opens more or faster in the updated version.

Lycanthrope’s Portrait

New face texture and an updated background.

Pudge’s Portrait

The new one is closer to the camera now.

Queen of Pain’s Portrait

Updated with her new face texture/eyes.

Shadow Demon’s Portrait

Particles look different but his texture quality has been reduced.

Sniper’s Portrait

Different colour coat but his texture quality has also taken a hit.

Tinker’s Portrait

Looks like an unintended change, low resolution textures on his portrait video now.

Windrunner’s Portrait

Not sure on the difference on this one as well.

Back End Changes

This week we’ve some updated strings, updated unreleased hero portraits, custom couriers, new hero sounds and more.

Updated Strings

We’ve some more updated strings this week.

New strings for the courier:

    "DOTA_CourierDeliver"  "Courier Deliver Items"
    "DOTA_GrabStashItems"  "Take Stash Items"
									

The rune messages will now be coloured:

    "DOTA_Chat_Rune_DoubleDamage"  "%s1 activated a <font color='#82CAFF'>Double Damage</font> rune."
    "DOTA_Chat_Rune_Haste"      "%s1 activated a <font color='#F62817'>Haste</font> rune."
    "DOTA_Chat_Rune_Illusion"    "%s1 activated an <font color='#FFD700'>Illusion</font> rune."
    "DOTA_Chat_Rune_Invisibility"  "%s1 activated an <font color='#8B008B'>Invisibility</font> rune."
    "DOTA_Chat_Rune_Regeneration"  "%s1 activated a <font color='#7FFF00'>Regeneration</font> rune."
    "DOTA_Chat_Rune_Bottle_DoubleDamage"  "%s1 has bottled a <font color='#82CAFF'>Double Damage</font> rune."
    "DOTA_Chat_Rune_Bottle_Haste"      "%s1 has bottled a <font color='#F62817'>Haste</font> rune."
    "DOTA_Chat_Rune_Bottle_Illusion"    "%s1 has bottled an <font color='#FFD700'>Illusion</font> rune."
    "DOTA_Chat_Rune_Bottle_Invisibility"  "%s1 has bottled an <font color='#8B008B'>Invisibility</font> rune."
    "DOTA_Chat_Rune_Bottle_Regeneration"  "%s1 has bottled a <font color='#7FFF00'>Regeneration</font> rune."
									

The new shop HUD also has a new keybind/shortcut for quickly adding items to your quickbuy:

    "DOTA_Quick_Buy_Hint"          "Shift-click shop items to set Quick Buy"  //"Drag shop items here to set Quick Buy"
									

Undying now has hero and ability strings:

    "npc_dota_hero_undying"        "Undying"

    "npc_dota_unit_tombstone1"            "Tombstone"
    "npc_dota_unit_tombstone2"            "Tombstone"
    "npc_dota_unit_tombstone3"            "Tombstone"
    "npc_dota_unit_tombstone4"            "Tombstone"
    "npc_dota_unit_undying_zombie"          "Undying Zombie"

    //UNDYING
    "DOTA_Tooltip_ability_undying_decay"              "Decay"
    "DOTA_Tooltip_ability_undying_decay_Description"        "Dirge saps the life from enemy Heroes in an area, dealing damage and stealing Strength for the duration."
    "DOTA_Tooltip_ability_undying_decay_Lore"            ""
    "DOTA_Tooltip_ability_undying_decay_decay_damage"        "DAMAGE:"
    "DOTA_Tooltip_ability_undying_decay_radius"            "RADIUS:"
    "DOTA_Tooltip_ability_undying_decay_decay_duration"        "DURATION:"
    "DOTA_Tooltip_ability_undying_decay_str_steal"          "STRENGTH STEAL:"
    "DOTA_Tooltip_ability_undying_soul_rip"              "Soul Rip"
    "DOTA_Tooltip_ability_undying_soul_rip_Description"        "Redirects the flow of energy through a target friendly or enemy unit, healing or damaging it depending on how many units are near it.  Each counted unit takes damage."
    "DOTA_Tooltip_ability_undying_soul_rip_Lore"          ""
    "DOTA_Tooltip_ability_undying_soul_rip_damage_per_unit"      "DAMAGE/HEAL PER UNIT:"
    "DOTA_Tooltip_ability_undying_soul_rip_radius"          "RADIUS:"
    "DOTA_Tooltip_ability_undying_soul_rip_max_units"        "MAX UNITS:"
    "DOTA_Tooltip_ability_undying_tombstone"            "Tombstone"
    "DOTA_Tooltip_ability_undying_tombstone_Description"      "Summons a tombstone at the target point.  Zombies will frequently spawn next to every enemy unit an the area around the Tombstone, and attack them.  Zombies have the Deathlust ability, which causes their attacks to slow the target, and if the target reaches below a certain amount of health, increases the attack and movement speed of the zombie."
    "DOTA_Tooltip_ability_undying_tombstone_Lore"          ""
    "DOTA_Tooltip_ability_undying_tombstone_duration"        "DURATION:"
    "DOTA_Tooltip_ability_undying_tombstone_radius"          "RADIUS:"
    "DOTA_Tooltip_ability_undying_tombstone_zombie_interval"    "SPAWN INTERVAL:"
    "DOTA_Tooltip_ability_undying_tombstone_health_threshold"    "DEATHLUST HEALTH THRESHOLD:"
    "DOTA_Tooltip_ability_undying_tombstone_zombie_deathstrike"    "Deathlust"
    "DOTA_Tooltip_ability_undying_tombstone_zombie_deathstrike_Description"    "Slows enemy units on attack.  If the attacked unit's health goes below the threshold, the zombie receives enhanced movement and attack speed."
    "DOTA_Tooltip_ability_undying_tombstone_zombie_deathstrike_health_threshold"  "HEALTH THRESHOLD:"
    "DOTA_Tooltip_ability_undying_tombstone_zombie_deathstrike_duration"      "SLOW DURATION:"
    "DOTA_Tooltip_ability_undying_tombstone_zombie_deathstrike_slow"        "%MOVEMENT SLOW:"
    "DOTA_Tooltip_ability_undying_tombstone_zombie_deathstrike_bonus_speed"      "%BONUS SPEED:"
    "DOTA_Tooltip_ability_undying_flesh_golem"            "Flesh Golem"
    "DOTA_Tooltip_ability_undying_flesh_golem_Description"      "Dirge transforms into a horrifying flesh golem that possesses a Plague Aura.  This aura slows all nearby enemy units and amplifies the damage they take; the closer to Dirge, the more damage.  When a plagued unit dies, Dirge is healed equal to a percentage of that unit's maximum health."
    "DOTA_Tooltip_ability_undying_flesh_golem_Lore"          ""
    "DOTA_Tooltip_ability_undying_flesh_golem_duration"        "DURATION:"
    "DOTA_Tooltip_ability_undying_flesh_golem_radius"        "RADIUS:"
    "DOTA_Tooltip_ability_undying_flesh_golem_max_damage_amp"    "MAXIMUM DAMAGE AMPLIFICATION:"
    "DOTA_Tooltip_ability_undying_flesh_golem_min_damage_amp"    "MINIMUM DAMAGE AMPLIFICATION:"
    "DOTA_Tooltip_ability_undying_flesh_golem_death_heal"      "%DEATH HEAL (HEROES):"
    "DOTA_Tooltip_ability_undying_flesh_golem_death_heal_creep"    "%DEATH HEAL (CREEPES):"
    "DOTA_Tooltip_ability_undying_flesh_golem_speed_slow"      "%MOVEMENT SLOW:"

    "DOTA_Tooltip_modifier_undying_decay_buff"            "Decay"
    "DOTA_Tooltip_modifier_undying_decay_buff_Description"      "Stealing %dMODIFIER_PROPERTY_STATS_STRENGTH_BONUS% strength."
    "DOTA_Tooltip_modifier_undying_decay_debuff"          "Decay"
    "DOTA_Tooltip_modifier_undying_decay_debuff_Description"    "Losing %dMODIFIER_PROPERTY_STATS_STRENGTH_BONUS% strength."
    "DOTA_Tooltip_modifier_undying_tombstone_zombie_deathstrike_slow"          "Deathstrike"
    "DOTA_Tooltip_modifier_undying_tombstone_zombie_deathstrike_slow_Description"    "Moving %dMODIFIER_PROPERTY_MOVESPEED_BONUS_PERCENTAGE%%% slower."
    "DOTA_Tooltip_modifier_undying_flesh_golem"                  "Flesh Golem"
    "DOTA_Tooltip_modifier_undying_flesh_golem_plague_aura"            "Plague Aura"
    "DOTA_Tooltip_modifier_undying_flesh_golem_plague_aura_Description"      "Slowing surrounding units by %dMODIFIER_PROPERTY_MOVESPEED_BONUS_PERCENTAGE%%%nAmplifying damage by %dMODIFIER_PROPERTY_INCOMING_DAMAGE_PERCENTAGE%%%."
									

Visage, also another new addition, has ability strings:

    //VISAGE
    "DOTA_Tooltip_ability_visage_grave_chill"            "Grave Chill"
    "DOTA_Tooltip_ability_visage_grave_chill_Description"      "Necro'lic drains the movement and attack speed of the targeted unit, gaining it for itself."
    "DOTA_Tooltip_ability_visage_grave_chill_Lore"          ""
    "DOTA_Tooltip_ability_visage_grave_chill_speed_bonus"      "SPEED DRAIN:"
    "DOTA_Tooltip_ability_visage_grave_chill_chill_duration"    "DURATION:"
    "DOTA_Tooltip_ability_visage_soul_assumption"          "Soul Assumption"
    "DOTA_Tooltip_ability_visage_soul_assumption_Description"    "Necro'lic damages the targeted unit based on the number of soul charges.  Necro'lic gains a soul charge when damage taken by all heroes around him reaches the damage threshold."
    "DOTA_Tooltip_ability_visage_soul_assumption_Lore"        ""
    "DOTA_Tooltip_ability_visage_soul_assumption_soul_base_damage"  "BASE DAMAGE:"
    "DOTA_Tooltip_ability_visage_soul_assumption_soul_charge_damage""SOUL DAMAGE:"
    "DOTA_Tooltip_ability_visage_soul_assumption_radius"      "ASSUMPTION RADIUS:"
    "DOTA_Tooltip_ability_visage_soul_assumption_stack_limit"    "MAX SOULS:"
    "DOTA_Tooltip_ability_visage_soul_assumption_damage_limit"    "DAMAGE THRESHOLD:"
    "DOTA_Tooltip_ability_visage_soul_assumption_stack_duration"  "SOUL DURATION:"
    "DOTA_Tooltip_ability_visage_gravekeepers_cloak"        "Gravekeeper's Cloak"
    "DOTA_Tooltip_ability_visage_gravekeepers_cloak_Description"  "Necro'lic generates a layered barrier that protects him from physical and magical attacks.  If he receives damage from a player, one layer is removed, and takes time to recover."
    "DOTA_Tooltip_ability_visage_gravekeepers_cloak_Lore"      ""
    "DOTA_Tooltip_ability_visage_gravekeepers_cloak_bonus_armor"  "ARMOR PER LAYER:"
    "DOTA_Tooltip_ability_visage_gravekeepers_cloak_bonus_resist"  "RESIST PER LAYER:"
    "DOTA_Tooltip_ability_visage_gravekeepers_cloak_max_layers"    "MAX LAYERS:"
    "DOTA_Tooltip_ability_visage_gravekeepers_cloak_recovery_time"  "RECOVERY TIME:"
									

More updates to the unreleased hero selection card system:

    "DOTA_Hero_Selection_ComboBox_Title_Role"  "By Role"
    "DOTA_Hero_Selection_ComboBox_Title_Attack"  "By Attack type"
    "DOTA_Hero_Selection_ComboBox_Title_ByMine"  "By Stats"
    "DOTA_Hero_Selection_ComboBox_Title_Clear"  "Clear Filter"

    "DOTA_Hero_Selection_AdvFilter_Carry"    "Carry"
    "DOTA_Hero_Selection_AdvFilter_Disabler"  "Disabler"
    "DOTA_Hero_Selection_AdvFilter_BabySitter"  "Lane Support"
    "DOTA_Hero_Selection_AdvFilter_Initiator"  "Initiator"
    "DOTA_Hero_Selection_AdvFilter_Jungler"    "Jungler"
    "DOTA_Hero_Selection_AdvFilter_Roamer"    "Roamer"
    "DOTA_Hero_Selection_AdvFilter_Tank"    "Tank"
    "DOTA_Hero_Selection_AdvFilter_Pusher"    "Pusher"
    "DOTA_Hero_Selection_AdvFilter_Attack_Melee"    "Melee"
    "DOTA_Hero_Selection_AdvFilter_Attack_Ranged"    "Ranged"
    "DOTA_Hero_Selection_AdvFilter_MyHero_Favorites"  "Your Favorites"
    "DOTA_Hero_Selection_AdvFilter_MyHero_LeastUsed"  "Your Least Used"
    "DOTA_Hero_Selection_AdvFilter_MyHero_BestAs"    "Your Best"
    "DOTA_Hero_Selection_AdvFilter_MyHero_Recent"    "Your Recently Played"
    "DOTA_Hero_Selection_AdvFilter_MyHero_Items"    "You Have Items For"

    "DOTA_Hero_Selection_Msg_Title"        "NO HEROES FOUND"
    "DOTA_Hero_Selection_Msg_Desc_Base"      "No heroes match the set of filters you've chosen. Try clearing one of your filters."
    "DOTA_Hero_Selection_Msg_Desc_Favorites"  "To mark a hero as a favorite, shift click on it’s card when you’re in the dashboard loadout. Shift clicking again will un-favorite it."
    "DOTA_Hero_Selection_Msg_Desc_Suggestions"  "To suggest a hero to your team, shift click on it's card when you're in a game. Shift clicking again will un-suggest it. You can suggest up to two heroes at a time."
									

More updates to the team matchmaking strings:

    "DOTA_SuggestTeamMatchmaking_Header"              "Team Matchmaking"
    "DOTA_SuggestTeamMatchmaking_Message"              "%s1 wants to enter Team Matchmaking. Will you join?"
    "DOTA_TeamMatchmake_Fail_Header"                "Team Matchmaking Failed"
									

Small update to the workshop:

    "dota_workshop_items"      "My Items"
									

Unreleased Hero Portraits

Once again we’ve some updates to the unreleased hero portraits.

Phantom Lancer’s Unreleased Portrait

Phantom Lancer’s scaleform video is already in game and finished:

His selection image has also been updated:

Chaos Knight’s Unreleased Portrait

Luna’s Unreleased Portrait

Meepo’s Unreleased Portrait

Unreleased Custom Couriers

We’ve had an update to one of the unreleased custom couriers.

Imp Custom Courier

The basic imp courier now has some animations.

 

Updated Sound Files

This week we’ve a bunch of missing lane dialog lines for a number of heroes and some updated attack sounds.

Missing Lane Dialog

Bane

Brewmaster

Nature’s Prophet

Lone Druid

Lone Druid – Bearform

Lycanthrope

Outworld Destroyer

Sand King

Sven

Updated Attack Sounds

Earthshaker

enchant.wav:

enchant_attack.wav:

Faceless Void

fv_attack01.wav:

fv_attack02.wav:

fv_attack03.wav:

Phantom Lancer

pl_attack01.wav:

pl_attack02.wav:

pl_attack03.wav:

preattack01.wav:

preattack02.wav:

preattack03.wav:

Pudge

pu_attack01.wav:

pu_attack02.wav:

pu_attack03.wav:

Skeleton King

sk_attack01.wav:

sk_attack02.wav:

sk_attack03.wav:

Unreleased UI Updates

This week’s patch brought us a new GFX file, “dashboard_overlay_econ.gfx”, the file will most likely have something to do with the upcoming in game store.

Can’t really make out much from the image yet.

The new card base hero selection screen has also been updated, apologises for the size, this is as big as I could get it to load in game.

You can now suggest heroes for your team to pick (as you saw in the strings update):

The card system has a button which will display the current selection filter as a sprawled out deck:

Phantom Lancer’s card, you can see the new role pip in action (top right corner of the card) on this one as well:

Role pips, from left to right (Babysitter, Carry, Disabler, Initiator, Jungler, Roamer, Tank) art still looks WIP:

These roles keep on getting tweaked, these are the current roles/descriptions:

    "DOTA_Hero_Selection_PipTooltip_Carry"    "Carry"
    "DOTA_Hero_Selection_PipTooltip_Disabler"  "Disabler"
    "DOTA_Hero_Selection_PipTooltip_Babysitter"  "Babysitter"
    "DOTA_Hero_Selection_PipTooltip_Initiator"  "Initiator"
    "DOTA_Hero_Selection_PipTooltip_Jungler"  "Jungler"
    "DOTA_Hero_Selection_PipTooltip_Roamer"    "Roamer"
    "DOTA_Hero_Selection_PipTooltip_Tank"    "Tank"
    "DOTA_Hero_Selection_PipTooltip_Pusher"    "Pusher"
    "DOTA_Hero_Selection_PipTooltip_Support"    "Support"

    "DOTA_Hero_Selection_PipTooltip_Carry_Sub"    "Will become more useful later in the game if they gain a significant gold advantage."
    "DOTA_Hero_Selection_PipTooltip_Disabler_Sub"  "Has a guaranteed disable for one or more of their spells."
    "DOTA_Hero_Selection_PipTooltip_Babysitter_Sub"  "Helpful in the early-game laning in protecting your team's carry."
    "DOTA_Hero_Selection_PipTooltip_Initiator_Sub"  "Good at starting a teamfight."
    "DOTA_Hero_Selection_PipTooltip_Jungler_Sub"  "Can farm effectively from neutral creeps inside the jungle early in the game."
    "DOTA_Hero_Selection_PipTooltip_Roamer_Sub"    "Can focus on moving around the map instead of farming creeps early in the game."
    "DOTA_Hero_Selection_PipTooltip_Tank_Sub"    "Has the ability to last longer in teamfights."
    "DOTA_Hero_Selection_PipTooltip_Pusher_Sub"    "Can quickly siege and destroy towers and barracks"
    "DOTA_Hero_Selection_PipTooltip_Support_Sub"    "Can focus less on amassing gold and items, and more on using their abilities to gain an advantage for the team."
									

Materials Update

We’ve a bunch of material updates this week with a number of new additions.

Chaos Knight’s Materials

Disruptor’s Materials

Keeper of the Light’s Materials

Nerubian Assassin’s Materials

Phantom Lancer’s Materials

Siren’s Materials

Undying’s Materials

Particles Update

Another batch of particle updates this week, with an interesting addition.

Chaos Knight’s Particles

Luna’s Particles

Treant Protector’s Particles

Undying’s Particles

There’s an interesting addition to Undying’s particles. Hmm.

 Thanks Erik

Predictions For The Next Hero

Progress continues on Phantom Lancer and looks pretty much complete from a visual point of view, he will remain my prediction for the next hero to be released.

• Previous Entry: Dota 2 18th April Patch – Content Analysis
• Next Entry: Dota 2 April 26th Patch – Item Icons Update