A collection of seven items created by Danidem and Hunter.

In the times of the Oglodi a well trained Stormcrafter knew he was never really in control of the storm but merely a vector for its power.  

Through Stormthrasher, Disruptor wields the ancient power of the Stormrider.  Stormriders laugh in the face of order and through force of will bend storms to do their bidding.  Clad in the armor of his ancestors and riding a scaled storm beast, Disruptor is a true Rider of the Storm.

No one will be shocked to discover that Danidem & Hunter’s set “Rider of the Storm” is our team’s pick for the best entry in the Dota 2 Polycount Contest. The mount, Rampant the Scaled Hunter, is a wicked alternative to the default with both runed beak and feathers drawing attention and creating a sleek sense of direction. Disruptor himself looks battleready and grim. The beard design and eye-patch make the portrait stand apart and both also read well at game-distance. Technical execution is at the professional level.

Perhaps the only adjustment we would make is to tone down the feathers behind the saddle, but they hardly interfere with readability and this is a minor observation.

Polycount Discussion Thread

A collection of seven items created by Bisho Bola. Dota 2 Polycount Contest Finalist.

He that burns and is not consumed now walks the battlefied, shielded by the ancient promise of the Eleven Curses. Eleven Eyes, eleven seals, eleven curses. All to insure victory in even the worst of battles.

Doom Bringer picked up several great entries during the contest. Jeremy Klein’s Impending Transgressions and Jacque Choi’s Apocalyptic Raiments are examples of two sets with potential to go all the way. Ultimately we chose Bisho Bola’s Eleven Curses as one of the top entries to emerge from the contest.

THAT SWORD…that sword is pure metal. If King Diamond were battling Satan for the throne of hell this would be the sword he’d use to do the deed. The blade is anchored with interesting detail that reads well in game, from the weighted disc embedded at the end to the wicked hooks that lead into the hilt. Bisho Bola uses darker tones to break up the armor which pushes the design away from Doom’s default appearance. Small details picked out in red help unify the set, like the back of Doom’s helm and the armored tail tip. Doom’s belt buckle bulges a bit giving him the appearance of having a bit of a gut. We aren’t sure if this is intentional, but we like the way it adds an extra touch of heft to this massive hero. The set has a lot of detail that reads well at a distance. The horn tips and eye sigils on the helm and shoulders glow and stand out at night adding additional interest.

There are a few adjustments we might make to this set, but they’re really minor. The transition from bright to dark is abrupt in a couple of places along the wings. We might also tone down the detail at the hips to make the shoulders pop out a bit more. We’d also adjust the light location in the portrait so the horns don’t cast so heavy a shadow over Doom’s face. We may also tone the fire particles down a bit on the blade so the sword’s detail is more visible. Overall, this is an impressive and fun entry.

Polycount Discussion Thread

A collection of five items created by Willypup. Dota 2 Polycount Contest Finalist.

The early shadow priests of the Dezun Order were said to have woven their vestments in utter darkness, for only in the total absence of light could they properly channel the essence of the Nothl Realm into the fabrics. It was believed that once complete, the enchantment would grow stronger as the garment aged. The oldest regalia are therefore not only prized for their hallowed creators, but for the heightened Nothl power they bestow upon the wearer.

Willypup’s Ancestral Trappings for Dazzle is one of our favorite entries in the contest. Here is a set that pushes Dazzle in a direction that expands the hero’s story and maintains his readability at a glance. Contrast is used to great effect in the the bone-white skullcap, the white stripes in the feather cloak, and the bone dream catcher. What’s really impressive are the number of small details that pop at a distance. The feathers hanging from the headdress and delicate wiring of the dream catcher are two examples. Our only suggestion for this set would be to add a bit more of Dazzle’s pink flesh-tone to the right arm and maybe a touch of emissive glow to the business end of the staff. A fantastic entry we want to see the lanes right away.

Polycount Discussion Thread

A collection of four items created by kremrhi. Dota 2 Polycount Contest Finalist.

In the final years of the Sordid Era, after thirteen seasons of drought, shamanic ways fell into disrepute, with all itinerant mages blamed for failing crops and disease. In order to continue his travels, Rhasta was forced to adopt a new appearance. While still offering many of the same services, during the end of this Era he disclaimed all knowledge of shamanism and professed only the knowledge that any vagabond might acquire along the road, and practice (in a strictly nonprofessional sense) for a few coins. Thus he survived into the next era, when many another was separated from their hide and stretched out along the roads as a warning to the next shaman who might happen along.

Kremrhi’s Mysterious Vagabond was one of our top picks when considering which set could win the whole thing. This set exudes character and thoughtful design. The banner poles and back-scroll (perhaps advertising the vagrant’s services), the hat covered in script-blessings, the jug, the small hip fan…each detail is a piece of a puzzle telling a new Shadow Shaman story with exacting attention to detail. Kremrhi has even maintained the vertical framing of the Shadow Shaman’s face with functional leather slips to keep the hat in place. It goes without saying the set is well executed from a technical perspective. Our only suggestion would be to brighten ever slightly the parchment color on the scrolls and banners.

Polycount Discussion Thread

A collection of five items created by Honey Badger. Dota 2 Polycount Contest Finalist.

Long ago exiled from the valleys of Knollen, Sniper has travelled to many lands, fought in many battles, and learned much along the way. From these adventure, he’s garnered mementos of his travels, collecting armor and weapons as he strives to fulfill the prophecy of his youth, in the hope of one day rejoining the keen folk of his ancestral village.

Our tenth winner might be an unrecognized underdog. Honey Badger’s Gear of the Tally-Ho Hunter was submitted earlier in the contest and didn’t receive as much attention in community voting as a result. When we looked at this set in game it became clear that it looks as good or better than the default Sniper. The set engages on all dimensions without going over the top. The execution is top notch. Small details make the set from the medals and scope that enhance the portrait to the regal looking cape, distinguished mustache, and arm-strapped dagger. Sniper, in contrast to Naga, has taken to his exile with exuberance and a sense of adventure. This is a set we love more and more every time we see it in game.

Polycount Discussion Thread

A collection of five items created by Anuxi. Dota 2 Polycount Contest Finalist.

It is little known of Crystal Maiden, that in her long study of the Frozen Arts, she once greatly displeased her Ice Wizard master and to restore herself to his graces and prove worthy of his instruction, she passed a year dwelling in the climes of slush where the Blueheart Glacier spends itself at the edge of the Boiling Sea. Here, where snow had never fallen, Rylai spent months in deep meditation, mastering her powers, before waking one afternoon with a single frigid word upon her lips: “Snowdrop!” For a moment, the steam that filled the air turned to ice, and the warm precipitation became a softly falling snow. When she returned to her old teacher, she found him waiting with a smile, fully aware of the magic she had wrought, as he presented her this outfit to show her worth and mastery.

Belle of the North Star (created in part by the TF2 polycount winner Chemical Alia along with her cohorts Dry and jCool) was the hands-down winner of the community’s affection and votes. 5129 ratings with less than 1% downvotes. An impressive run for a professionally executed set, bold in its re-envisioning of Crystal Maiden as a confident and wealthy princess. There is a lot to like about the entry from the ornate but extremely readable cloak to the intricate portrait presentation. We know Belle is a fan favorite and one we expect to find its way into the game soon.

So it may be with a certain note of controversy that we announce the selection of Anuxi’s Snowdrop as our favored winner (pushing Belle from the winners circle due to our decision to focus on a broad set of heroes). Anuxi has crafted something really special. We love the way Crystal Maiden’s cape has been reinterpreted as a pair of fluffy tassels, changing the shape of the hero and really pushing on her design while maintaining readability (the tassels outline the cape’s profile and profiles are a critical component to at-a-glance recognition). The portrait is awesome, with the fluffy hood contrasting a wayward lock of hair. Here is a truly beautiful and mysterious ice witch, one eye and mouth occluded. Snowdrop is a perfect example of redefining a hero without changing her identity and doing so with an ‘our artists wish they made this’ level of execution.

Polycount Discussion Thread

A collection of five items created by ENODMI. Dota 2 Polycount Contest Finalist.

No Slithereen may fail. Though Slithice swam victorious at the battle of Crey, a single jeweled chalice was taken. The punishment for the lost bauble: banishment. So she wandered the deeps, bitterly searching for the chalice, and where once dwelt honor and humility now crept the tendrils of cruelty and malice. If she was to be exiled, then so be it. She shed the lighter tones of her ancestral armor, instead taking up darker armaments, and all who looked upon her felt the indomitable will of the exiled siren.

Our selection of ENODMI’s Naga Siren “Exile” may come as a surprise. After all, Anuxi won hearts with two brilliantly presented sets for Naga the Slithereen Knight and Empress of the Deeps and PsEuDo’s Tempest entry captured our attention with bold use of color. (We should point out that we have no restriction on any one contributor winning multiple times with multiple entries.)

Exile is an example of an entry that defies expectation. ENODMI has chosen to work with two colors that are not prominent in Naga’s palette: dark green and blood orange. Despite the challenges this poses, the set excels when viewed in game, under motion. Good decisions can be found throughout. The wide, crimson tipped helm enhances Naga’s undulating fish-like motion. The colors add contrast and pick out the armor against Naga’s skin tones. A dark belt separates Naga’s upper and lower torso, but the armor pieces don’t occlude her chest creating a bright vertical line that helps preserve readability. The swords are heavy and grim, far more evil looking than the delicate blades we normally attribute to the Naga Siren. At the same time, not so heavy as to be unbelievable or silly. The blood orange edges of the armor and light edges of the blades help cut the character from the scene’s background. Here is a dark set that looks as good on Dire ground as on Radiant – a detail many contributors overlook. Naga’s story is not a happy one and the Exile set captures the darkness in this character’s heart.

Polycount Discussion Thread

A collection of five items created by Tickwomp[RamRod]. Dota 2 Polycount Contest Finalist.

Since escaping bondage in kingdom of Slom, Beastmaster has always drawn strength from the natural world around him. When other heroes turn to steel or magic, Beastmasters turns to more ancient implements: feathers, leathers, bones and fur. With these primitive tools, he’s proven his worth against even the most well-armed knight.

Beastmaster received a couple of high quality entries that we want to comment on. One standout was the ‘Fierce Warrior‘ set from T_Vidotto. Both of the critters impressed us, but ultimately we felt the set didn’t try to press on Beastmaster’s identity as a hero. Another worth noting is peppi’s ‘Curse of the Cryptid’s‘ set. The execution on peppi’s entry is extremely professional, but some choices made us feel the bold design was inconsistently applied (such as the cleavers). 

Red Talon, by comparison, is an entry to take on all comers. The vibrant red hood is sharp, with great execution both in color and in the modeling. Hoods are hard to get right. Modeling the way cloth frames the face without occluding expression or making it so wide it looks unnatural takes attention to detail. Tickwomp has nailed it. Another nice touch are the three feathers that adorn the back of the hero. These add contrast and interest and also enhance the downward directional pattern established by the hero’s ponytail and shoulder strap. The attention to detail and thoughtfulness in this set makes it stand above competing entries from other heroes.

Polycount Discussion Thread