Gamespot preview

Still looks good
it's all coming together, can't wait for beta

Just 8 demigods? Weren't planned a bit more, like 10-15?

There has to be more than 8, because the game supports 5v5 and there is an option to force unique demigods.

Indeed. I think there were just 8 in the PAX version.

Beta version is beta version.

I'm sure there will be more than 8 demigods added eventually.

8 is enough in order to stress the game a little bit.

No need for more playable demigods in this early beta.

Silence, heretic!

Burn the heretic!

How are we supposed to have a proper 5v5 (putting the stress in stress test) without at least 10 demigods?

There were 6 demi's mentioned at PAX 'officially' and Frogboy confirmed 8 (rook, torch, unclean, regulus, sedna, vampire lord, queen of thorns, and oak), and I *think* a nameless dev said that they'd be releasing more soon after. Also realise that Chris Taylor (or maybe Frogboy) said that it cost $100,000 a demigod, for art assets alone.

  Okay, sounds good, and that's amazing how much the art cost.

He probably means because..

You have at least 2 artists workng on them, then an animator(well good animators are artists too! so 3 artists)

And the programmers to code them.

those particle effects

I guess if you break down their salaries and time maybe it's 100k.

3dsmax is only like 3.5k

* the number of staff (unless you mean a site license), and they used other programs too if I remember correctly

affaik theres less than half a dozen people who use 3dsmax on the team.

The team working on Demigod isnt' that big, AFAIK.

I was very disappointed when I saw in this preview that there would only be 8 characters.

DOTA has always had a huge number of characters (90+ currently) and I think that's a big reason for its longevity.  Having so many different hero combinations really helps in keeping the game different and fresh.

I hope the final product ships with significantly more than 8 heroes...

If those heros each have multiple ways to play them, then they'll have a lot more longevity than 8 demigods would indicate. I'm currently hopeful, gpg and stardock have done well enough that they could pull this off. Can't say that I don't want 10 at release, though.

Many MMORPG's are examples of a general selection, becomeing unique through many choices.

Guild Wars, World Of Warcraft, Runesape, Shaya, and many others.

You get a general Race Selection, then you have Class Selection, then you have specific abilities. The combinitons could be endless.

(Hint... Hint... Designers) What would be nice is MANY specific abilities to choose from in a CAMPAIGN mode. (I hope the current campaign mode is NOT just 5 or 6 short levels. But if they are then I'll just have to play multiplayer.)

What I don't think some people realize about Dota is that it was limited by the WC engine for items (some people probably know about that).  That's why there's all those buildings you have to go to.  So the best way to mix things up was to have lots of heroes intead.

Demigod, by contrast, doesn't have a limit on the # of items we can have and equipment and items are going to be a crucial element to the game to provide lots of different strategies in a given situation.

To us, having each Demigod be very special, with a serious back story is absolutely crucial to the game.

btw, what is Dota?

And im just curious frogboy what is your role in Demigod

I hope theres a bunch fo dfiferent ways you can play each demigod..

Thank you.