Dota 2 is a video game universe in which characters with an array of otherworldly powers fight one another in defense of their ancients- essentially the hearts to their army and morale. While I don’t want to explain all of the semantics of the game within this response, it is important to note that the characters of the game have their own uniques personalities and relationships with one another that usually shine brightest while the characters are in conflict or cooperation with one another on the battlefield. While the game is highly centered around fighting, warding, and control, one could agree that the culture of the Dota 2 world consists of one that is tragic and violent. With characters with names such as Troll Warlord, Legion Commander and Underlord, many of these individuals have deep lore of the campaigns and reasonings behind the wars they’ve waged. The atmosphere is extremely fantastical with beasts and gods and interdimensional creatures of countless types, though their stories scarcely have happy ending, unless it is you on the winning team.
In my response, I aimed to twist the already twisted idea of strategical murder on it’s head; I wanted to see what would happen if the characters decided make peace instead of war. The heroes I chose to represent here- Crystal Maiden and Sven- happen to be two tamer individuals who do have a gentle relationship with one another. Their skills and personalities compliment each other nicely when they are on the same side, though in this case they fight under opposite banners. I was mindful of the rhetoric they use when speaking in game as well as attempting to keep true to their thematic images of an icy maiden and roguish warrior. While the matches in Dota 2 are usually 5 against 5, the maiden and Sven are both on their own unaware of where both their enemies and their team are. Hearing sobbing on the battlefield is unheard of in a universe of infinite conflict, though this is the first sign of a significant change being in place. Slaying an opponent yields a reward of gold based on their bounty as long as experience that helps the characters get stronger. In a typical game, if you saw your enemy crying, motionless in the middle of the jungle, your situation analysis skills would tell you to take them down as fast as possible. This is not the case however, as Crystal Maiden is inclined to discuss her enemies feelings in this depressed state. While she does in turn try to take Sven down, she is diffused by his words as the rogue warrior denounces his passion for battle and confesses his love of her.
I imagine this all playing out like a television show or comic strip, with capabilities of seeing more in this universe where the characters try to alter the worldview of hate with one of acceptance instead. There will be conflicts between the characters innately, yet I truly wanted to achieve this sense of removing senseless violence from the culture of a violent fictional world. Be it a game that real life people take part in for any number of reasons, I hoped to bring the narrative of a usually glanced over story into perspective- playing with the action packed game mechanics themselves- the idea behind Dota 2 itself changes as a media becoming an almost sensational experience for those who play and have connections with the personalities they encounter and embody. With 100+ characters, the idea of writing a fan fiction set in this peace striving universe, becomes exciting to ponder and in fact makes me even more contemplative of the situations when playing the actual game.
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