After last year’s fiasco over the Skyrim Paid Mods idea, Valve decided that the time would be ripe to give the idea another go. However, this time they chose to do it through Dota 2 – one of their own properties and only through custom game modes which meant that an awful lot of the worries expressed last time would no longer be such a problem. However, it seems that one of the big issues last time  – mod makers ‘borrowing’ content off other makers – can still rear its ugly head.

The system was launched last week and within 48 hours it was discovered that one of the most popular modes added, Roshpit Champions, was using assets from other users and even Blizzard without permission. Itme models and icons have been traced back as matches to potential in-game cosmetics submitted by other members of the community for Valve’s approval, and the icon for crusader_boots is taken from a screencap of Darion and Alexandros Morgaine’s boots, characters in World of Warcraft.

The Reddit thread pointing this out has the mode’s maker, Ryan ‘ChalkyBrush’ Racioppo, attempted to defend his use of the other Workshop users’ content by saying that he had taken from the yet-to-be-approved voting queue: “Anything submitted to the workshop is Valve’s property and can therefore be used in Valve’s game. Roshpit Champions is subject to the same rules, making the game also a property of Valve’s.” He also defended the use of crusader_boots icon by saying “I didn’t think a low-res screencap of a screencap would be an issue. The picture is awful anyway and probably needs a replacement. Does blizzard [sic] care though? In the end, Blizzard is the only one with the right to complain about this low quality image existing in this little sub-realm of Dota 2.”

Luckily for Valve, Racioppo has since changed his stance, removing all the problematic assets from his mode in an update and apologising: “I want to apologize to all the artists who I did not consult in using their amazing works. They spend hours pouring their hearts into this creative content and it is unfair to showcase them within Roshpit Champions with no credit to them.”

Of course, the rules governing such things are clearly stated in the agreement made for those creating Workshop content: “With respect to Workshop Contributions, you represent and warrant that the Workshop Contribution was originally created by you (or, with respect to a Workshop Contribution to which others contributed besides you, by you and the other contributors, and in such case that you have the right to submit such Workshop Contribution on behalf of those other contributors).”

Of course, it’s possible that Valve has intervened behind the scenes to make this happen as otherwise the Dota 2 paid mods thing seems to be going much smoother than their last attempt. We’ll probably never know though.

The in-game economy of GTA Online is giving into March Madness this week as several of the stores are offering up to 75% off the customisation options they offer.

The Lowriders Custom Classics week also offers double GTA$ and RP opportunities for anyone jumping into the various events dotted about Los Santos until next Friday. You’ll be able to pick up a Lowrider custom chassis or bodykit from Benny’s and there’s 75% off Bobbleheads, Custom Gear Shifts and Plaques. Ammunation is having a 50% off sale on the ammo for shotguns and rifles and across the map there’s also 25% off motorbikes. And in case you need more storage space for those vehicles, Dynasty 8 is offering 10-car garage properties for 25% off.

There’s also a Snapmatic competition running through the week with a cool GTA$1m up for grabs. All you need to do is a take a cool hot shot and upload it to Social Club with the hashtag #customclassics to enter.

So, it’s been a week since I last brought you up to date on the new cards we can expect from Blizzard’s next expansion to their Hearthstone game. Since then a number of other cards have been revealed, a good number of the focusing around a “Forbidden” theme that sees you spending all your mana for an effect specific to the card – and they’re all class-based cards too.

Take a look at the new cards and see which ones you might want to have in a future deck:

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Giant Sandworm

Beast Minion, 8 Attack, 8 Health, 8 mana cost.

Can attack again if it attacks and kills another Minion.

Forbidden Flame

Spell, 0 mana cost.

Spend all Mana and deal that much damage to a Minion.

Forbidden Shaping

Spell, 0 mana cost.

Spend all Mana and summon a random Minion that costs that much.

Klaxxi Amber-Weaver

Minion, 4 Attack, 5 Health, 4 mana cost.

Battlecry: If your C’Thun has 10+ Attack, gain +5 Health.

Ancient Shieldbearer

Minion, 6 Attack, 6 Health, 7 mana cost.

Battlecry: If your C’Thun has 10+ Attack, gain 10 Armor.

Stand Against Darkness

Spell, 5 mana cost.

Summon five 1/1 Silver Hand Recruits.

Hogger, Doom of Elwynn

Legendary Minion, 6 Attack, 6 Health, 7 mana cost.

Whenever this Minion takes damage, summon a 2/2 Gnoll with Taunt.

Eater of Secrets

Minion, 2 Attack, 4 Health, 4 mana cost.

Battlecry: Destroy all enemy Secrets and gain +1/+1 for each.

C’Thun’s Chosen

Minion, 4 Attack, 2 Health, 4 mana cost.

Divine Shield.

Battlecry: Give your C’Thun +2/+2 wherever it is.

Forbidden Healing

Spell, 0 mana cost.

Spend all Mana and summon restore Health for that much.

The developers of Castlevania: Lord of Shadow have just changed their website a little. It’s currently been taken over by a semi-interactive teaser for their next as-yet-unknown game, and it includes a countdown to a date in the middle of next month.

MercuryStorm teased the new sci-fi game a while ago, with the site previously saying the the team were off “exploring new worlds, fighting strange creatures, discovering new heroes”. Now it’s updated to show an image of a man with a cigar in a tiny cockpit, surrounded by a retro-futuristic mishmash of things like dials, radars, portholes and computer screens. Clicking upon the computer screen will take you to three options – a link to the studio’s other games, a message about the crew being in “hibernation” (for a long space journey perhaps?) and the aforementioned countdown timer which will end on April 15th.

Just what it’s counting down to isn’t known yet, but it’s a fair bet that it’ll be a proper reveal of the game – title, some images, a concept. So keep your eyes glued to the site on the date in question to find out first.

The first Escalation missions for the new Hitman game have finally landed, extending the life of the game’s first episode with missions that see you asked to take out new targets in specific ways. And each successful attempt sees you unlock a more difficult version of the mission. Sounds good if you’re a challenge-seeker.

The first of the new Contracts is called “The Holmwood Disturbance” and sees players head to an attic, wear they will don a magician’s outfit and then eliminate target Faustin D’Aoust with a bullet. I’m assuming they mean shot from a gun of some sort, although I guess if it’s possible to choke them with it, that’d be accepted too. Each time you pass the mission, you’ll get more restrictions and obstacles added including extra security cameras, an additional target, disallowed pacifications, and forcing you to escape by speedboat.

The second new Escalation is “The Mandelbulb Requiem” and has Agent 47 eliminating target Michel Charest while dressed as a Palace Staffer. More difficult versions of it will ask you to hack a laptop, contend with extra security measures, and even use a different disguise to get to your target.

Of course, Escalation Contracts also don’t allow you to save during the mission, so it forces you to think on your feet a little more. If you get something wrong you need to figure out a way to get past it and continue your mission – or adapt and change your plan. In a way that’s a little bit more realistic and probably a bit more fun too unless you prefer to see your plans go like clockwork.

The second episode of the game should also be hitting sometime in the next month too, so prepare yourself for that.