Chapter 724: Getting Competitive (Requesting Subscriptions, Monthly Passes)

Regarding the game DOTA, although it was a new release from Nebula Games,

Prior to this, both players and the gaming industry were somewhat uncertain about it.

This was mainly due to multiple reasons: Warcraft RPG maps, unclear gameplay mechanics, and frankly, if it weren't a Nebula Games title, it likely wouldn't have made much of a splash in the gaming world.

However, a week after DOTA's launch, its strong growth momentum surprised many designers in the gaming industry.

Extensive promotions ensured that DOTA spread completely across various player demographics.

Moreover, its free-to-play model, combined with a tutorial that was even more beginner-friendly than its previous life's counterpart, and various item giveaways and strategies, drew many players into this huge pit.

Especially one week after its launch, Nebula Games, to the delight of all players, performed a 'reverse delay', announcing that after the open beta concluded, the game would seamlessly transition to official release. At that time, additional related events would be updated later, which immediately fueled players' anticipation.

Beyond Nebula Games' promotions, what was more crucial was that more and more players experienced the charm of DOTA.

Leaving aside the competitive aspects and various strategic points, and just focusing on the positive feedback the game provides, DOTA is actually similar to MMORPGs like World of Warcraft.

That is, the achievement stimulation from numerical values, social interaction, and the novelty of exploration.

As traditional MMORPGs, these are the main core points.

Players grind dungeons and farm equipment day in and day out, engaging in various faction and guild activities. These are the joys of MMORPGs, but MMORPGs require a considerable amount of time.

DOTA is different; a single game lasts about 25-45 minutes, consolidating all these positive feedbacks into one match.

For instance, the numerical stimulation in traditional MMORPGs, which involves clearing dungeons and farming equipment, is akin to players in DOTA controlling their heroes to farm gold and acquire items.

Most players, when playing games like DOTA, generally find themselves in a situation where, whether they are a support or a carry, they sometimes see a creep wave and just can't move their feet.

Or in the jungle, they see two or three stacked jungle creeps and often want to clear them. Coupled with the sound of gold appearing after killing creeps, this all contributes to numerical stimulation.

Watching their hero go from level 1, unarmed, possibly unable to defeat two waves of creeps, to clearing a wave with two skills after farming and leveling up—that's the most direct numerical stimulation.

At the same time, it compresses the numerical stimulation of MMORPGs, which requires time for progression and collection, directly into the duration of a single game.

Next is the social aspect. Like the arenas and dungeons of World of Warcraft, DOTA also demands a high degree of teamwork. Coupled with the existence of the Fog of War, effective communication between teammates is an inevitable necessity, thereby adding a social dimension for players.

One could say that a team with tacit cooperation, where teammates effectively share various information, can significantly increase the game's win rate.

Finally, and most crucially, is the sense of novelty.

For traditional MMORPGs like World of Warcraft, besides the initial surprise of a dungeon, the later experience is often more about the equipment drops. Simply running dungeons isn't really considered fun in itself.

Because the dungeon BOSSes and mobs themselves don't change.

The routes and strategies are fixed. If errors occur, they are typically negative, such as a healer failing to heal properly, a damage dealer slacking off, or a tank mismanaging aggro leading to a team wipe.

DOTA is different; there are too many uncertain factors in the game.

Many players can play hundreds or even thousands of matches with the same hero without getting bored.

On one hand, it's the heroes' fun and replayability, and on the other, it's the uncertainty each match brings.

Different heroes, different opponents, different teammates.

In one game, I might start 10-0, carrying the entire team as a godlike presence.

In another, I might start 0-10, transforming into the crying Adou in Zhao Yun's arms.

Or it could be a hard-fought, evenly matched game, ending in a narrow victory or defeat.

Each game is a fresh experience, which keeps players anticipating the next. Those who lost the last game think they might win the next, saying, “I’ll just win one more and then sleep.”

Those who won the last game think about continuing their winning streak.

Players who were Zhao Yun in the last game but had four Adous as teammates will imagine Adou running to the enemy base, where everyone is a Brother Yun.

This imbues the game with anticipation and addictiveness. Furthermore, DOTA is structured around single-match durations, meaning the game has no concept of 'falling behind on progression.' It won't have the situation seen in MMORPGs where not playing for a few days means being far behind the mainstream forces.

These core factors ignited DOTA's popularity, making it burn brightly.

………………

From the open beta to the officially launched reverse delay,

DOTA's popularity has been increasing day by day, dominating various video and live streaming platforms.

And as players explored, more and more small tricks were discovered.

For example, basic tricks like creep blocking, creep pulling, jungle camp stacking, and jungle creep hoarding—some of these were not yet researched or discovered by the Nebula Games core creative team.

But that was because the player base was small. Now, with global players researching the game, these small tricks are being discovered one by one.

This also differs from its previous life, where when DOTA was popular, video websites were still in their embryonic stage, let alone live streaming. Back then, many DOTA players learned techniques through Tieba forum communities.

Even watching game replays required finding the corresponding replay files to learn from.

In this parallel world, DOTA developed by Nebula Games offers sufficiently detailed new player tutorials, and importantly, in the age of the internet, any small trick discovered and posted online can spread instantly.

So, in this Parallel World, DOTA players' skill improvement is much faster.

Although the game has only been online for less than a month, there is already a significant difference between high-level players and ordinary players.

Chen Xu, within Nebula Games, is perhaps most aware of this.

Especially one particular situation made Chen Xu feel a surge of emotion.

That is, the performance of some high-level players as supports, their roaming GANKs, and the development and positioning of various heroes—Chen Xu felt these were still far from optimal.

Moreover, actions like passing by a jungle camp at 53 or 55 seconds and casually pulling a wave to expand team economy were rarely done.

However, one thing was already the same as in its previous life.

That is, supports meticulously saving their money to buy powerful healing potions, then pampering their carry.

“You farm gold with peace of mind; I’ll work to buy powerful healing potions and nurture you.”

No one knows which support first discovered that powerful healing potions and mana potions could be given to the carry.

Various tactics and hero developments haven't emerged in the game, but supports have already ramped up the competition.

“You protect your carry very well?”

“My money is for my carry’s powerful healing potions; how can you compete with me?!”

“They’re really going all out, huh? Are players already getting this competitive in games?” In Nebula Games' office, Yang Xin couldn't help but exclaim while looking at the relevant data.

“Sister Xin, you never bought me powerful healing potions when you played support! And you often last-hit my creeps!” Ruan Ningxue complained from beside her.

“Ahem… Isn't that because I was afraid you wouldn't get the last hit?!” Yang Xin coughed twice.

“Alright, prepare yourselves. The new version should be released to players soon,” Chen Xu said with a smile in the project office.

The plans for the new version and new events had already been completed earlier.

The main reason for holding back was to allow players to become familiar with DOTA's gameplay and content.

And this new version would not involve numerical changes; it would focus more on welfare events and a new Ladder Mode.

(End of Chapter) <>