I finally got an invite to the Hearthstone Beta and decided to record everything as I tried the game for the very first time. I haven't seen any footage of the game nor really read anything about it, kind of wanting to keep it a surprise. I'm happy I did, the experience was quite fun. What I have recorded for you here is the very start of the game, 6 matches that are the Tutorial part of the game. If you're interested in how it works or maybe want to hear what I think about the game and how it feels, please have a look. Feedback always welcome.
I've never played a card game before, but this is amazing, I simple get so absorbed into the game that hours pass without me knowing. I've also finally unlocked all the classes now which gives you access to "the arena" which is just down right awesome.
There are 2 ways to get into the arena, you pay $2 or use 150 in game gold (which you gain from completing quests like win 3 matches or win matches of a certain class). Once you pay the entry fee you get give 3 choices at a time of random cards to build a deck, so your first choice is 1 of 3 random classes. Then you get you choose 1 of 3 random cards (it gives you a new 3 everytime you choose 1) until you build a full deck of 30 cards. This makes it the more enjoyable way to play because there is a bit more fairness to it and im not just getting wiped off the screen by people that just build crazy awesome decks with all the best cards. Once you have your deck you play games against other people, you have 3 "lives" if you lose a game you lose 1 life, if you win you simply continue to play on until you lose 3 times. After you have lost all 3 lives you are given a reward and what you receive is based on how many wins you got. I'm heaps shit and so ive only ever won 1 game in both times ive tried arena and the reward was almost exactly the same as when I lost 3 in a row. I've received a bunch of Arcane dust (used to craft cards) some in game gold (50) and 1 card pack. It seems that you get atleast 1 card pack everytime no matter if you lose all 3 games so that in turn equals out the cost of entry in a way. To buy 1 card pack it cost $1.50, and entry to arena is $2 in which you always get 1 pack at the end, with the chance for more packs if you win games.
It does suck that for me the most fun part of the game is gated behind a cost price, but you can grind up the gold in game and avoid ever playing money in the game but it would be a long slow process to do so. If you get really good at the game and good at building decks you could pay the 1 fee and then win heaps of games which gives you mroe value for money but for me I lose all 3 lives pretty much straight away so paying to enter at this point could be expensive. Keep in mind your 3 lives last forever, so you can pay your $2 or 150IG, build your deck and then play some games, you win 5 in a row but then you lose your first game on the 6th round, you can stop playing arena and come back 5 hours or even 5 days later and start playing again with 2 lives left, it lasts until you lose all 3 lives you dont have to play all the games straight away.
Anyway enough babbling off to spend $50 on card packs and hopefully get a legendary.......
I have been playing a bunch and recording as I go, so I'll be uploading my experiences as I unlock the decks. I only just unlocked Tournament mode so I'll look forward to trying it out. For anyone that wants to follow along, I got the first episode out of "Exploring Hearthstone" where I take the Mage deck through its paces and unlock the Warlock deck.
Here it is for those who want to follow along. I might add that I really love how the title card tuned out, I think it looks sexy.
Exploring Hearthstone Ep.1: Mage Deck and Guided Deck Creation
Going to admit, re-watching some of these has been kind of painful. Commentating while trying to learn a game for the first time is certainly not easy and I can see so many mistakes now. I'm also somewhat frustrated because YouTube is taking over 12 hours to render any videos lately. oh well, here's Exploring Hearthstone #2.
Exploring Hearthstone Ep.2: Warlock Deck and First Match
I did a livestream yesterday on Twitch, the video should be available in the "past broadcasts" section, I made sure to have it archived. It's about 4 hours long but it's got more recent gameplay after I unlocked all the decks. Basically my videos are playing a very slow game of catchup to where I actually am
Just started watching the vids, awesome! WTB moar free time. :<
Man, watching someone play this game the first time is always super awesome. Specially when they're great Blizzard fans already!
Also just one small eye twitch that I get everytime youtube people do this - don't say hurtstone. :<
It took me a little while to get what you meant by that last one, so I looked it up.. errr.. The only thing I can really say is you might have to deal with that for a couple more episodes since they're pre-recorded. Sorry But, I'm gald that's the only real issue so thank you!
WIth that said, here's the next.. Uh.. Stone video.
Exploring Hearthstone Ep.4: Rogue, Druid, and Hunter Decks
Next episode for you, sirs! I hope you're ready for some pure Shaman suckage from your's truely.
Exploring Hearthstone Ep.5: I Suck at Shaman Decks (also Paladin Decks)
This video shows some of the worst maches I had while learning the game. Please keep in mind that these videos were pre-recorded awhile back and even I cringe at some plays. I remember being exceptionally tired this night so my decision making was impaired to say the least.
Here's the last of the pre-recorded stuff, so I should be able to correct that name issue thing This one is a couple matches with the default (no modifications) priest desk.
This is the last of the pre-recorded sessions, videos after this will be more recent and I'll have unlocked more cards than seen in these videos to try and make some more interesting decks.
So I recorded my first arena run last night and... honestly want to just delete the memory of it ever happening. But, being the honest bloke I am, I'll show my massive failure for the world to see. It actually put me in a pretty bad funk last night, lost 4 in a row and decided to pick it up again later. uh.. spoilers I guess.
So I recorded my first arena run last night and... honestly want to just delete the memory of it ever happening.
Don't worry. Building a deck takes already much more than steering it. And in the arena, you are very limited in your choices, highly dependant on luck (some people get legendarys in their decks) and prone to face a winning deck. I also didn't get a better result than 3:3 in ~5 runs.
Arena is a very good feature after looking at it in more detail. You can get some crazy luck and draw your perfect deck and then get 0/3 because of luck of the draw or extremely countering opponents. Then you can get a super what the hell deck, like I did once, and amazingly do 9/1 or 9/2 and feel like a genius superhero.
It is quite the thrill every time. And don't let yourself down. People have now been playing the game for quite some time and can form some long term strategies with their decks that are difficult to pull off in such a dynamic game. Practice does make perfect in Hearthstone though.
Arena is a very good feature after looking at it in more detail. You can get some crazy luck and draw your perfect deck and then get 0/3 because of luck of the draw or extremely countering opponents.
Well, combining a ~ 5% chance with another ~ 5% chance to make a positive statement about something is ambitious imo
Most of the time you'll get an *average* deck and face an above average deck because winners stay and losers leave.
I'm not totally against the idea, but they should at least give players a chance to modify the deck, after all the 30 1of3 choices are known. Plus, gold rewards in general could be higher/arena entry fee lower. If going to the arena is only meant to be a once in three days affaire, it should feel more rewarding, imo.
The panel today explaining how the Arena idea was born and how it became what it is was very enlightening.
Did you watch the Hearthstone panel Solmyr? They explained a lot.
I did and it was an interesting evolution. It is pretty random still and I probably did get hit with some bad luck. What I was happy to hear is that they want to make constructed a viable play option as well so we can earn some nice rewards with our crafty.. uh, crafted decks.
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Learn more about Hearthstone:
http://us.battle.net/hearthstone/
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Wise ElderThanks for recording all that... and for posting it.
There are 2 ways to get into the arena, you pay $2 or use 150 in game gold (which you gain from completing quests like win 3 matches or win matches of a certain class). Once you pay the entry fee you get give 3 choices at a time of random cards to build a deck, so your first choice is 1 of 3 random classes. Then you get you choose 1 of 3 random cards (it gives you a new 3 everytime you choose 1) until you build a full deck of 30 cards. This makes it the more enjoyable way to play because there is a bit more fairness to it and im not just getting wiped off the screen by people that just build crazy awesome decks with all the best cards. Once you have your deck you play games against other people, you have 3 "lives" if you lose a game you lose 1 life, if you win you simply continue to play on until you lose 3 times. After you have lost all 3 lives you are given a reward and what you receive is based on how many wins you got. I'm heaps shit and so ive only ever won 1 game in both times ive tried arena and the reward was almost exactly the same as when I lost 3 in a row. I've received a bunch of Arcane dust (used to craft cards) some in game gold (50) and 1 card pack. It seems that you get atleast 1 card pack everytime no matter if you lose all 3 games so that in turn equals out the cost of entry in a way. To buy 1 card pack it cost $1.50, and entry to arena is $2 in which you always get 1 pack at the end, with the chance for more packs if you win games.
It does suck that for me the most fun part of the game is gated behind a cost price, but you can grind up the gold in game and avoid ever playing money in the game but it would be a long slow process to do so. If you get really good at the game and good at building decks you could pay the 1 fee and then win heaps of games which gives you mroe value for money but for me I lose all 3 lives pretty much straight away so paying to enter at this point could be expensive. Keep in mind your 3 lives last forever, so you can pay your $2 or 150IG, build your deck and then play some games, you win 5 in a row but then you lose your first game on the 6th round, you can stop playing arena and come back 5 hours or even 5 days later and start playing again with 2 lives left, it lasts until you lose all 3 lives you dont have to play all the games straight away.
Anyway enough babbling off to spend $50 on card packs and hopefully get a legendary.......
Here it is for those who want to follow along. I might add that I really love how the title card tuned out, I think it looks sexy.
Learn more about Hearthstone:
http://us.battle.net/hearthstone/
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Wise ElderWell since you asked so nicely :Thumbs Up:
Going to admit, re-watching some of these has been kind of painful. Commentating while trying to learn a game for the first time is certainly not easy and I can see so many mistakes now. I'm also somewhat frustrated because YouTube is taking over 12 hours to render any videos lately. oh well, here's Exploring Hearthstone #2.
Video Description and Timestamps
Learn more about Hearthstone:
http://us.battle.net/hearthstone/
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Learn more about Hearthstone:
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Wise ElderHere's a direct link to the video in question if you want to "skip ahead" as it were.
http://www.twitch.tv/rurounikage/b/473914838
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Wise ElderMan, watching someone play this game the first time is always super awesome. Specially when they're great Blizzard fans already!
Also just one small eye twitch that I get everytime youtube people do this - don't say hurtstone. :<
Ha. Bagstone.
It took me a little while to get what you meant by that last one, so I looked it up.. errr.. The only thing I can really say is you might have to deal with that for a couple more episodes since they're pre-recorded. Sorry
WIth that said, here's the next.. Uh.. Stone video.
Video Description with Timestamps:
Learn more about Hearthstone:
http://us.battle.net/hearthstone/
Topics:
This video shows some of the worst maches I had while learning the game. Please keep in mind that these videos were pre-recorded awhile back and even I cringe at some plays. I remember being exceptionally tired this night so my decision making was impaired to say the least.
Learn more about Hearthstone:
http://us.battle.net/hearthstone/
Topics:
This is the last of the pre-recorded sessions, videos after this will be more recent and I'll have unlocked more cards than seen in these videos to try and make some more interesting decks.
Learn more about Hearthstone:
http://us.battle.net/hearthstone/
Topics:
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View User Profile
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View Posts
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Wise ElderAnd if you don't wanna post it, it's your call. Do whatever makes you feel good.
Don't worry. Building a deck takes already much more than steering it. And in the arena, you are very limited in your choices, highly dependant on luck (some people get legendarys in their decks) and prone to face a winning deck. I also didn't get a better result than 3:3 in ~5 runs.
http://eu.battle.net/d3/en/profile/Sol77-2972/hero/66110450
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Wise ElderIt is quite the thrill every time. And don't let yourself down. People have now been playing the game for quite some time and can form some long term strategies with their decks that are difficult to pull off in such a dynamic game. Practice does make perfect in Hearthstone though.
Ha. Bagstone.
Well, combining a ~ 5% chance with another ~ 5% chance to make a positive statement about something is ambitious imo
Most of the time you'll get an *average* deck and face an above average deck because winners stay and losers leave.
I'm not totally against the idea, but they should at least give players a chance to modify the deck, after all the 30 1of3 choices are known. Plus, gold rewards in general could be higher/arena entry fee lower. If going to the arena is only meant to be a once in three days affaire, it should feel more rewarding, imo.
http://eu.battle.net/d3/en/profile/Sol77-2972/hero/66110450
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Wise ElderDid you watch the Hearthstone panel Solmyr? They explained a lot.
I did and it was an interesting evolution. It is pretty random still and I probably did get hit with some bad luck. What I was happy to hear is that they want to make constructed a viable play option as well so we can earn some nice rewards with our crafty.. uh, crafted decks.