A quick update to let people know that "something is happening", work on 1.04 is under way. Some of the improvements include:

• Mapwide experience gain (and a slight decrease to overall experience gain)
  
• Shopping distance increased
  
• Balance changes to Gorelord, Mindflayer, Mindflayer Ancient, Child of Loki, and Manifestation.
  
• New hero Spiritmender is in progress
  

MiniDota 1.03 OPEN VERSION is released for own hero implementation, testing & developing... or just plain old fun without official DotA characters. Visit the download section for map download.

Enjoy & merry Christmas and a happy New Year! :)

miniDotA is designed and intended as a small simulation of the DotA Allstars game. The map is made available in two variants, a closed one containing 22 heroes (including 9 custom heroes and 15 from the original DotA, with kind permission from IceFrog), and an open, editable map containing only the 7 custom heroes. The closed map can be used for small DotA-esque games with 2 to 6 players. Since the playable map area is much smaller than DotA proper it is very action intensive as heroes are constantly near each other. The open map is made available for two purposes: those that are keen to learn how to make a map like DotA, and those that would like to implement their hero/item ideas into a playable map. (In principle this also allows balance-testing of hero ideas under realistic conditions.)

• 15 DotA heroes. Only non-complex heroes were implemented which were approved of by IceFrog. These heroes are: (Sven) Rogueknight, Slithereen Guard, Troll Warlord, Lightning Revenant, Dragon Knight, Death Prophet, (Lina) Slayer, Queen of Pain, Anti-Mage, Phantom Assassin, Omniknight, Bone Fletcher, Bounty Hunter, N'aix (old variant), Dwarven Sniper.
• 7 custom heroes. Several original ideas were implemented, some of these are somewhat exotic and as such are not necessarily suitable for DotA (but they do fit in here well enough). The heroes are described in detail further down. To summarise: Child of Loki, Helix, Manifestation, Mindflayer, Pandaren Lifeshaper, Ivory Retainer, Gorelord.
• Miniature DotA map. A very small version of DotA, including most elements typical to DotA: Creep waves, towers, items (with recipes), forest shops.
• Continous Player-vs-Player battles. Since the map is very small heroes face each other constantly. The map isn't big enough to support heroes running off into forests and farming neutral creeps.
• Random taverns. Each team possesses one tavern that is randomly filled with heroes from the available set of heroes. The algorithm is implemented to allow for any number of heroes to be randomly and evenly assigned to the available tavern space, thus 2 or 200 potential heroes would be distributed randomly and evenly into the 22 available spaces in the two taverns.

Custom heroes:

	Gamet, Child of Loki Gamet is the mischievous child of Loki - the God of Trickery. Gifted with the exceptional power of manipulating positions and calling upon powerful destructive magics he is a renowned hero destined to walk in the footsteps of his father. Gamet can be interpreted as a Scourge Techies, though he isn't as secretive as the Techies. He commands the following abilities: Lifemine - an invisible ward that leeches life and mana from enemies. Once enough energy is leeched the ward explodes dealing damage to all enemies nearby. Upto 4 Lifemine's may be active simultaneously. Repel Trap - the perfect anti-hero defence: a trap that activates when an enemy hero is nearby. That hero is then tossed away (similar to Tiny's Toss). The direction of the toss is determined by the direction that Gamet faces when the trap is planted. Can maintain upto 2 Repel Traps simultaneously. Fate That Binds - Gamet and target unit are connected, after 5 seconds (or if the units are seperated by more than 1500 unit distance) both units are blinked to the current mid-point between them. Gamet cannot attack or use spells in this time, but he moves faster. Ultimate - Vision of Ragnarok - essentially a time bomb. Can be cast on any hero, after 5 seconds (or if the hero dies) the time bomb explodes. If any Lifemine's are in the area of effect of the blast, they are set off as well.
	Neji, the Helix The epitome of skill of the Hyuuga clan, Neji strives to fulfill his duty as protector of the clan leader. He joined the Sentinel cause to perfect his fearsome fighting style, the Juken, and commands mastery of the inner eye, the Byakugan. The Byakugan is a powerful activatable aura on the hero that drains mana continuously, while active it powers up Neji's other abilities: Byakugan - learning the skill allows Neji to always see what is in front of him (including beyond trees and uphill areas). Activating the Byakugan additionally makes every ability Neji uses more powerful. While Byakugan is active and Neji retains more than 70% of his mana he gains limited true sight in front of him. Kaiten - the heavenly spin, deals damage to all nearby enemies based on Neji's stats. While Byakugan is active Neji additionally gains a high degree of evasion during the Kaiten. Sixty-Four Palms - Neji repeatedly blinks to his target and strikes it with such force as to knock it backwards. Performs several attacks based on Neji's agility. While Byakugan is active Neji additionally slows his target with each strike. Ultimate - Juken - Neji's passive ability: the fighting art of Juken systematically disables the opponent, making them unable to fight effectively. Reduces total damage of enemy by 5% per attack. While Byakugan is active Neji's attacks may silence the target for a short duration. The Juken is a powerful passive that can with successive attacks drastically reduce the damage output of enemies. The ability is implemented with a negative Critical Striketemporarily disabling all critical-strike abilities of the enemies hit by Neji. This effect lasts for 5 seconds. that has a 100% chance of activating on each attack - this has the side-effect of
	Silk, Manifestation Silk is a manifestation of a sentience from another plane of existence. The source does not disclose its true nature and identity, as it fears the consequences to itself if the true origin is traced by the Scourge - suffice it to say that the Sentinel cause is in line with that of Silk's source. NB: Silk is a form of Anti-Mage hero, but instead of draining mana from enemies she gives enemies more mana. Silk uses the excessive mana gain in enemies to deal large quantities of damage. Silk is particularly strong against heroes that have no way of using the mana gained - while being weak against heroes that can continuously use mana. Static - an activatable aura that shields Silk from most buffs. When a buff is placed on Silk while the Static is active the buff is removed at the cost of roughly one-sixth of Silk's total mana pool. Static can protect Silk from abilities such as Sleep, Sheep, Stun and many others. Pathing - an ability that can recharge mana in friendly or enemy heroes. Friendly heroes regain 35% of their total mana pool over 10 seconds. Enemies regain 100% of their mana pool over 10 seconds - however - if an enemy cannot gain anymore mana while being affected by Pathing he or she is slowed. Pathing cannot be cast on Silk. Burst - creates a volatile abundance of energy in the target, whenever it is attacked the energy spills out dealing damage to all enemies nearby. The damage is based on how full the mana pool of the target is. Can be cast on friendly or enemy units - in both cases the damage is dealt to enemies (including the enemy that Burst may be cast upon). Two scenarios: When fighting a horde of creeps Silk can cast Burst on herself, when she is attacked by creeps the Burst will deal damage to nearby creeps. Or when fighting an enemy hero Silk could cast Burst on that hero, then when she deals damage to him with her attacks the Burst will deal additional damage to that hero. Ultimate - Charged - Silk's passive ability: Each hit against enemy heroes increases the mana pool of that hero by 80/140/200 mana - however - half of any mana that cannot be stored is dealt in damage to that hero.
	Lord W'rzis, the Mindflayer Lord W'rzis, the Mindflayer, belongs to an extremely rare, long-lived species that feeds on the intellect of others. They are exceptionally intelligent creatures - yet are consumed by a driving rage that wishes to prey on others. As their powers increase so thus the distance upon which their intellect acts, as well as the impact this has on their victims. NB: The Mindflayer has an odd ability called "Homuncolus" which makes use of a small physics system implemented in JASS to create a slinky tentacle extension of the hero. Homuncolus - creates a physical extension of the Mindflayer's mind that always points towards the closest enemy hero. The Homuncolus can be activated to prey on the mind of enemy heroes - during that time the Mindflayer can move and use abilities but cannot attack - while the enemy can attack but not move or use abilities. A bit of life is drained from the enemy in the process and some Intelligence is drained from enemy to Mindflayer for a minute. The Homuncolus also detects invisible enemy heroes (though it doesn't make them visible) - but in turn the Homuncolus stays visible even when the Mindflayer is invisible himself. Fragment Psyche - deals good damage to creeps. Deals less damage to enemy heroes but reduces every stat of the enemy hero by 10 for 10 seconds. The life-leeching of the Homuncolus is increased against enemies that are suffering from a Fragmented Psyche. Mind's Reach - a passive ability: the Mindflayer initially has very low range, as his Intelligence increases, however, so does his range. Ultimate - Sanity's Eclipse - very similar to the Ultimate of the Harbinger in DotA, deals damage to enemy heroes based on the difference of the Mindflayer's and the enemy intellects.
	Kenken, Pandaren Lifeshaper Kenken is one of four Pandarean Ki Masters, each dedicated to the harmony of the universe. Kenken has subjugated the realm of life and death as his expression of mastering the ki that flows in all things, be they inert or sentient. Kenken understands that the cycle of life harbors both the enrichment of birth, and the desolation of death, each reflecting their part of the greater whole. He utilizes his insight to revitalise those he deems just, and punishes those that fail to comply to the cosmic harmony. NB: Kenken has a unique ability "Yin & Yang" which is infact two abilities. However, they share the same cooldown, so when one is activated, the other becomes inactive for the duration of their cooldown. Fixation of Life - plants a permanent, invisible ward. Whenever a unit dies near the ward some of its fleeing lifeforce is given to Kenken. Yin & Yang - two abilities that share the same cooldown. Yin additionally costs a portion of Kenken's life, but also increases Kenken's combat damage by 50%. Yang heals a portion of Kenken's life, and additionally increases his movement speed. In Yang's case it may seem excessive to pay a large portion of life merely to gain a bit of combat damage - however - both Kenken's Lifeforce and Karma abilities can make use of the loss of life. Lifeforce - a passive ability: whenever Kenken gains a certain portion of life he additionally increases his own and allied attack speeds; whenever Kenken loses a certain portion of life he additionally stuns nearby enemies. Ultimate - Karma - a toggleable ability that costs mana for every second it is active. While Karma is active any life gained by Kenken is proportionally gained by nearby allies; any life lost by Kenken is proportionally lost by nearby enemies. The damage returned to enemies is magical and thus subject to hero resistance and item/ability reduction. Still, Karma is a powerful ability - but it also costs a lot of mana to maintain. Effective counter measures include well-timed disables and mana-burning heroes/items.
	Ahsk, Ivory Retainer Of the many contributors to the Necronomicon, Ahsk is arguably the most prominent. His utter mastery of creation, destruction and control of undead goes beyond that of any other. He foregoes the title of necromancer, styling himself Ivory Retainer instead - a servant of the walking dead. NB: Ahsk is quite unique in a DotA-hero context in that he does not have the usual ability schema to chose from. Yet he also does. Ahsk can make use of the normal formula of 3 normal abilities upto level 4 and one Ultimate ability spanning 3 levels - or - he can chose to ignore his Ultimate and instead increase each normal ability to level 5. The fifth level of each normal ability powers up that ability considerably. Ivory Beckoning - Ahsk channels the energies of departed spirits towards his target, upon reaching the destination the target is flung towards Ahsk. This ability can be described as a slow Pudge's Hook that can be outrun, but it won't miss the target. At level 5 the range and speed is increased considerably Explosive Decay - requires a friendly target as source to create an explosion; friendly heroes (including Ahsk himself) aren't damaged if used as source; but friendly creeps are consumed in the process. At level 5 the ability can be cast at unlimited range; creeps across the map could be targeted with the ability. Call of the Grave - a passive ability: Ahsk is attuned to the world beyond, when enemies disturb the ether with magical abilities Ahsk calls upon the spirits to hamper and drain the disrupting enemy. That enemy is slowed and loses mana for a short duration. At level 5 the range of the aura and the potency of the mana drain and slow are significantly increased. Ultimate - Wake of Crypt Lords - Ahsk summons forth 2/3/4 Crypt Lords. These lords have a short life time but explode violently on death; furthermore, when targeted with Explosive Decay each of the lords explodes simultaneously. Each Crypt Lord possesses a self-targeted Explosive Decay ability. Ahsk can acquire Aghanim's Scepter; doing so does not increase the number or potency of the Crypt Lords, however, they gain the permenant invisibility skill.
	Bludhorn, Gorelord Bludhorn is the infamous clan leader of the Darkhoof tribe - feared for his awesome power and the bloody devotion he inspires in his minions. He joined the Scourge forces following his desire to wade through blood spilled in battle. Hunting Spirits - summons ancestral spirits to hunt target unit, enemies near the spirits are slowed in fear. Effigy of Rage - plants a short-lived effigy that instills a relentless rage in enemies who desire nothing but destroying the effigy. The effigy explodes on death. Frozen Lifeblood - a passive ability: whenever a unit dies near the Gorelord all enemy units near the dying unit are briefly stunned. This ability stacks: if multiple enemies die at the same time, then the stun duration is increased correspondingly. Additionally Frozen Lifeblood increases Bludhorn's attack rate slightly. Ultimate - Blood on the Battlefield - the Gorelord loses all control and begins to attack with ferocious and fearsomely powerful attacks that can cleave through enemy hordes. 100% of the attack damage is cleaved while Blood on the Battlefield is active; higher levels of the Ultimate increase the area of effect of the cleaving attack.

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