The DOTA 2 Thread

[Xiphan]

Wait, so Dota is becoming a genre of it's own?

Yeah, they're calling Dota based games a MOBA, Multiplayer Online Battle Arena. Some people also refer to it as an Action RTS.

Also, I wanted to ask a question, is there actually any real differences between all the Dota spin-offs, like LoL and HoN, or is playing one pretty much like playing the other?

LoL is the n00b friendly version of Dota. It has cartoon-like graphics, easy controls and a toned down version of the gameplay elements in that there is no denying of creeps allowed. Games are generally drawn out and longer as a result. It also tries to expand on Dota by adding things like runes that you attach to your summoner's page making the heroes you summon to the battlefield more powerful.

HoN on the other hand is the closest Dota spinoff there is. Many of the heroes are direct clones from Dota heroes with nothing but cosmetic and name changes. The only innovations HoN brought to the table was an impressive client-server architecture that allowed you to reconnect if you got dropped, a dazzling 3D engine that makes it hard at first to know what the hell is going on on-screen if you're used to Dota where things are easier to distinguish.

It also added a type of skill level system called PSR (Public Skill Rating) where you would earn PSR for winning a game and lose PSR for loosing a game. Unfortunately it's a bit weak and counts negatively toward gameplay (IMO at least) because you have people stressing over someone who has low PSR and that he should not choose that hero because it's not a n00b hero or the opposite. PSR also makes people very unforgiving if a person plays badly as no one wants to lose PSR and thus the rage in HoN is possibly even worse than that of Dota.

My hopes with Dota 2 is that Valve succeeds with their goals in making the game as community centric and new player friendly as possible.

[CaViE]

Oh, also, whereas in Dota certain heroes have specific roles and not every hero can carry a team (though some people do try.), in HoN, pretty much every hero can kill the other team 1v5. Or at the very least, there aren't really support heroes in that game, in the idealist sense.

Also, I actually thought LoL was a bit more complicated. I mean yeah the cartoony graphics are there, but that's not unusual of a game which has a certain style that is aimed for. But the "summoner's page" powerups and such seemed rather more confusing to me, at least from the spectator's perspective. Didn't seem so "n00b friendly". Apart from denying, of course.

[hideinlight]

Just about 10 more days till one of the biggest revealings in gaming history.

[Toxxyc]

Oh, also, whereas in Dota certain heroes have specific roles and not every hero can carry a team (though some people do try.), in HoN, pretty much every hero can kill the other team 1v5. Or at the very least, there aren't really support heroes in that game, in the idealist sense.

Also, I actually thought LoL was a bit more complicated. I mean yeah the cartoony graphics are there, but that's not unusual of a game which has a certain style that is aimed for. But the "summoner's page" powerups and such seemed rather more confusing to me, at least from the spectator's perspective. Didn't seem so "n00b friendly". Apart from denying, of course.

So true, but then again I can get pretty damn close with just about any hero... :D

Just about 10 more days till one of the biggest revealings in gaming history.

It's being released in 10 days? :O

Anyhow, I don't know how I stayed out of this thread. Guess it started before I joined the forum and I never searched for it. Anyhow, this game, is a must. I've been an avid DotA supporter for about 15 months now, and I sincerely hope Valve doesn't mess it up. However, I am aware that they claim the exact same mechanics in the new game as the old, so all indications are that they are on the right path. I'd just have loved some more hero art, specially from the Necromancer and Murloc Nightcrawler.

[Legion]

I am dying to play this.

Dota has a certain feel to it that lol & hon missed completely.

[Toxxyc]

Dota has a certain feel to it that lol & hon missed completely.

Haha what's that, the absolutely raging "pro's" when you n00b out in a game? :D

[GeometriX]

It's being released in 10 days? :O

It's being presented in 10 (9) days at Gamescom. A pro-level tournament to show it off. I'll be there, watching it.

[Toxxyc]

It's being presented in 10 (9) days at Gamescom. A pro-level tournament to show it off. I'll be there, watching it.

You bastard... :)

Anyhow, I heard about this tourney. Does this mean that the beta version will be earlier than expected? Possibly by next week already?

[hideinlight]

You bastard... :)

Anyhow, I heard about this tourney. Does this mean that the beta version will be earlier than expected? Possibly by next week already?

When the tourney starts the NDA goes down, which also means the closed beta phase has potentially come to an end. So either two things can happen, the start of open beta, or a progressive distribution of more beta keys for server stress testing (kinda what HoN did) and buy a little more time in the process.

Still holding a tournament of this magnitude of a game like DotA, where every bug/imbalance/questionable mechanic gets exploited to the max this early on is kinda questionable. For $1 Mil people might do controversial things in order to win.

[CaViE]

So true, but then again I can get pretty damn close with just about any hero... :D

Less pubs, more clannies. :P

It's either escape the retards or avoid the elitists, or find a way to block out both.

Dota has a certain feel to it that lol & hon missed completely.

I think it's just sentimentality. When I played HoN, I was deterred by a lot of factors and even though the game was visually gorgeous and Dota straight after looked hideous, I still found myself more familiarised and therefore more willing to play the latter.

I haven't tried out LoL yet.

Haha what's that, the absolutely raging "pro's" when you n00b out in a game? :D

Yeah, this is what killed HoN for me. Prior to my departing from playing it, I was in a game where a guy on our team was so worried about his PSR that for every kill he didn't get or every time someone died, he would rage at them. I think the number of times he said "poes" went into triple digits.

It's what I hated about HoN, which is exactly what you will sometimes find on Xbox Live as well. When people get voice chat capability by default in a game, the real game ruiners come out to play.

Dota has idiots as well, but most it's just a case of either ignoring them or trolling them. Once you get to a certain level, it does however stop for the most part. But then the elitists come into the swing, instead.

It'll be interesting to see if Dota 2 can actually eliminate or at least minimise such irritations that are seemingly inherent traits of games like these.

[Legion]

Haha what's that, the absolutely raging "pro's" when you n00b out in a game? :D

HA HA HA!!
Mostly the way damage is taken and dealt.
There's a certain feel to it.
Lol is cool but the 200MB updates drive me insane!! especially when the update gets stuck and destroys the game forcing you to download more crap.

"Applying update" Followed by the world longest wait ever on our pathetic line's

[hideinlight]

Yeah, this is what killed HoN for me. Prior to my departing from playing it, I was in a game where a guy on our team was so worried about his PSR that for every kill he didn't get or every time someone died, he would rage at them. I think the number of times he said "poes" went into triple digits.

It's what I hated about HoN, which is exactly what you will sometimes find on Xbox Live as well. When people get voice chat capability by default in a game, the real game ruiners come out to play.

Dota has idiots as well, but most it's just a case of either ignoring them or trolling them. Once you get to a certain level, it does however stop for the most part. But then the elitists come into the swing, instead.

It'll be interesting to see if Dota 2 can actually eliminate or at least minimise such irritations that are seemingly inherent traits of games like these.

That's what happens if you play on the SA servers, unfortunately HoN didn't get the exposure LoL did here in South Africa (for instance can't remember seeing a single HoN spotlight vid on the NAG disc).
So now most players are these old school pub stompers from DotA with anger management problems. That's why I mostly play EU and I'm not the only one. Don't blame the game, blame the bad apples of the SA community. Problem is as long as they're using voice you can't really RAP them.

[Toxxyc]

Less pubs, more clannies. :P

It's either escape the retards or avoid the elitists, or find a way to block out both.

I host myself, so that helps.

Pubs vs clannies - clannies are way too "serious" for me. I like playing a pub where I know no one, I host a game and by the time my Sniper or Enigma is lvl 16 I already have 10 kills, I'm on a Beyond Godlike streak and the rest of the game's players are messing around at lvl 10~11. Items are insane (Lothars must be the best item ever). It's bloody fun, and that's what got me addicted to DotA in the first place...

[Legion]

I host myself, so that helps.

Pubs vs clannies - clannies are way too "serious" for me. I like playing a pub where I know no one, I host a game and by the time my Sniper or Enigma is lvl 16 I already have 10 kills, I'm on a Beyond Godlike streak and the rest of the game's players are messing around at lvl 10~11. Items are insane (Lothars must be the best item ever). It's bloody fun, and that's what got me addicted to DotA in the first place...

I feel u..

[hideinlight]

[Toxxyc]

^ Dude don't tell me you're in the beta?

:O

[CyniKill]

I have a feeling he went to the beta site. Not actually in the beta, or else he probably would've logged in.

[hideinlight]

I have a feeling he went to the beta site. Not actually in the beta, or else he probably would've logged in.

Yeah they made a small boo boo on the www.dota2.com site in the preparation of the tourney and fixed it later. However it turns out that banner is 9 month old and this just came in today, so can see shadowfiend is a bit more badass then he was before.

[Darkmag]

Hmm lets see Shadow fiend, phoenix or viper, lightning reverent, faceless void, tiny, juggernaut (love how he looks),Sven, lina, crystal maiden

Who's the guy with the sickle

[S7wede]

That would be the good old Tide Hunter.