Deadlock's new hero, Astro, is a signal that players should start learning better movement techniques

Valve has confirmed Deadlock exists, but it doesn't mean the game is finished. The MOBA shooter, currently in closed beta (which only invites players), still has plenty of features and changes to make. One of them is the addition of a new character, Astro.

Astro is a DPS but he has some interesting abilities. The first ability lets you place a barrel that can be launched or shot at enemies. It will do more damage if they are closer. The second and third abilities are dropping a bounce mat that will deal damage to enemies upon landing, and throwing a cowboy hat in order to damage, slow or reveal enemies. The final ability, a lasso which can drag an enemy after you, is the coolest.

Several players have made the connection between the new character Astro and Batrider from Dota 2, which is reportedly pretty exciting. "Yessss Batrider has returned !!!" one player says.

There are already two Deadlock heroes with crowd-control abilities. They're frustrating, just like in most games. There's nothing like being yoinked with Bebop’s hook, and then having to scramble as the enemy team unleashes all of their pent-up abilities. Wraith's Telekinesis ultimate also has a similar feel, as she can grab enemies and stun them temporarily.

I don't mind more crowd-controlling abilities in Deadlock. As more heroes are added with these abilities, it might be a good time to start practicing good movement habits. If you want to move quickly around the map, it's a good idea to look for items that increase walking and sprinting speed. The best early movement skill to practice is probably sliding.

Dash sliding allows you to move faster and consume less stamina. This is a great feature if you are chasing someone, or worse, being chased. You can also have unlimited ammo while you're sliding. This is a great perk because reloading times in Deadlock are long.

If you're looking for a few useful movement items, you might want to check out Majestic Leap (which lets you jump higher and have more control in the air), Warp Stone (which allows you to teleport around the map), and Superior Stamina. These items will let you jump higher, have more control over the air and teleport around a map. They also give you more stamina.

It's a little difficult to learn Deadlock’s movement tech. But with more heroes like Astro being added that have crowd control abilities, it's a good idea for you to become familiar with it as soon as possible.