DotA Allstars released an automated patcher that updates your DotA maps to the most current version. This is just the initial release so expect to run into some bugs while using it. Among its features are:

• Automatically downloads new versions of DotA and displays the changelog
• Replaces the Warcraft III Icon on your desktop.
• Options to select additional programs (such as ListChecker) to run with Warcraft III.
• Run any combination of programs, (GGC, Banlist, LC, etc) in any order, automatically.
• Displays the latest news from DotA-Allstars.com

Download the patcher here.

If you are having trouble with the software, please report them by commenting below this post and instead head over to GetDota to get the latest map.

The masses have decided that N’Azdra - The Corrupter and Arcane Essence deserve to be winners of the Bard and Godzilla challenges, and to be featured on the DS blog. As usual, next week there will be no publishing of hero and item ideas so as to give the winners more time to relish the limelight.

Personal note from me:

Thank you to all the participants for all their hard work, especially for thinking very hard to conceive those heroes and items mentally. Even though the whole thing is just participatory and does not involve any prizes (yet), who knows what might happen in the future. So keep those votes coming in for the month of May.

For the Bard nobles, go here.

For the Godzilla wannabes, go here.

In case you’re wondering, DotaStrategy is now 3 years old, and even more owning than before. 

• 305138 registered users (from a handful of beta-testers back in 2006)
• Our own DS room in Garena
• 2 years of Dotactics
• Pageviews numbering in the millions (refer here)
• More and more higher quality hero strategies including from myself 
• More fan-fic, ideas, ideas competitions and discussions
• A bigger (and more effective) admin team to rule serve members better

Expect even more surprises and happening events to come. Already I hear rumours of a mini-tournament (no it ain’t Dotactics) brewing in the storm already. Bet you didn’t know this?

Stay tuned in DS. The best is yet to come.