DOTA2

[HaemishM]

Do you have a prettier though not necessarily improved version of DOTA with Steam matchmaking and little other changes? Then yes.

[cmlancas]

Do you have a prettier though not necessarily improved version of DOTA with Steam matchmaking and little other changes? Then yes.

Oh boy.  Poopsock initiate.

My biggest qualm with League of Legends was getting away from the simplicity of the four-ability hero system, but that sounds awesome.  :)

Sorry for the semi-derail.

[Ingmar]

I'm still too afraid to play against real players but it really is a lot of fun against the bots. 

[cmlancas]

I'm assuming premades still exist -- if so (and if the game remians relatively unchanged), I'll be downloading tonight and could hop on for a game or two.

Steam ID is cmlancas (or maybe clancaster...I forget).

PM/hit me up there.  I'm sure we'll have a good time.  :D

[Fordel]

I'm still too afraid to play against real players but it really is a lot of fun against the bots. 

Have you stopped feeding the bots at least? 

[Ingmar]

How many deaths before I'm feeding?   

[Fordel]

If you can survive the hard bots, you are probably more then ready for the newbie match making bracket.

[Ingmar]

I'm not that good yet. I can do ok on the normal bots as lich and to a lesser extent Omniknight but FUS RO DAH-ing vampires off cliffs has derailed my practice sessions.

[Fordel]

That's probably fine too. People in our bracket are REALLY BAD.

[Ingmar]

Maybe I'll break the seal this weekend. I am still really, really shitty at last-hitting.

[Rasix]

Most people are.  It seems with DOTA2's high aggression, this may be less of an issue at lower levels.  

Errr.. does DOTA2 even have levels?

[Ingmar]

It does! 25 of them. Actually I'm not sure where/if they cap out, I take that back. But it does have player xp/levels.

[Fordel]

A Lich isn't farm dependent anyways.


Basically the people WE will be playing, are no where near as good as the people we watched on those spectator games. Not even close. The bots are WAY better at last hitting then 80% of the people in our bracket.

[Fordel]

Double Post for this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_4sh8IzIZI

A little tutorial on starting items. This is easily one of the most common things people screw up at first.

[Ice Cream Emperor]

If you can survive the hard bots, you are probably more then ready for the newbie match making bracket.

Yeah my roomate started playing and we spent so long playing bot matches and being all like 'I don't want to play with people, they're scary' and while it's true that bots are at least not total jerks, regular players don't rack up 20+ denies every game and hit perfect stun combos either.

Also: playing with someone who knows more about the game and will actually give you advice is also extremely helpful, even if the advice is just 'run away', 'you want to be running now', 'don't fight that', 'oh my god run' etc. etc. Of course voice communication is kind of crucial for that part, but it's amazing how many deaths can be avoided by someone just telling you not to suicidally engage.

[Malakili]

I lost so many hours of my life playing this game, from pubs to the stupid banlist to eventual cal- competition.

In fifteen words or less, is DotA2 worth risking poopsocking?

DOTA 2 is DOTA 1, in the source engine, with steam integration and really good spectator mode, and hats.

[cmlancas]

Played one game yesterday as Drow Ranger, 5-1-12.

Overall thoughts from original DotA:

The new shop menu is weird to get used to.  I don't like having to toggle the shop on and off.

Range attack animations are a little choppy.  I struggled to time last hits, and it was almost like retraining myself.  But, different game, different mechanics.  This could also be because I have a bum video card and need to turn some effects down.

The game really retained it's overall flavor, which I think is awesome.  This is definitely worth it (and even paying for a beta key) if you enjoyed the original DotA.

Oh, and wtf hats?  This whole outfitting a hero thing to me is really strange.  I liked the simplicity/complexity of the orginal, and a lot of these new bells and whistles seem tacked on.

[Ingmar]

Well, they have to monetize somehow. Better hats than making us pay for certain heroes or whatever.

[cmlancas]

Well, they have to monetize somehow. Better hats than making us pay for certain heroes or whatever.

Again, I literally just fired up the client for the first time yesterday, but does it actually upgrade your character or is it just flavor?

I can see how the pack mule thing can be convenient.

[Ingmar]

They have no stat effect, just cosmetic.

[Fordel]

Yea, it's just for playing dress up. People love them some dress up. There are custom couriers and game announcers too.

[cmlancas]

Yea, it's just for playing dress up. People love them some dress up. There are custom couriers and game announcers too.

Whaaaa?  Who doesn't love them some "HOLY SHIT" Unreal Tournament style?

I suppose seeing Sand King pretty in pink might be worth it, ha.

[Hoax]

For real, to all you new people here are two pieces of advice:

1) Your first 20 games will be against humans that are mostly half as good as easy bots.

2) Don't play Lich. Or other heros that guides say are good for noobs. You are playing against mainly humans that are half as good as easy bots. On your team and the other team. If you like winning you want to learn one of the many heros that if left unmolested in the jungle get to win for free if you aren't bad.

Things like Lone Druid, Lycan and Ursa are probably the easiest wins imaginable. Because you can jungle you don't even need people to not fuck up your lane which is why you can't just count on carrying with solo lane heros like Broodmother, Dark Seer, Invoker because half your team has no clue about lane assignments.

I could keep going with other hero advice and you can sometimes carry a game with just Lich ultimate but believe me that if you aren't braindead you might as well learn to jungle and get out of the low bracket then switch over to noob friendly supports until you feel like your ready to play semis/gankers.

[cmlancas]

Played about six more matches yesterday and found myself increasingly frustrated with people intentionally playing poorly (mostly haha LoL better, omg HoN better, fux Dota2).   

How can I get into matches with people who aren't actively trolling? 

[Thrawn]

Played about six more matches yesterday and found myself increasingly frustrated with people intentionally playing poorly (mostly haha LoL better, omg HoN better, fux Dota2).    

How can I get into matches with people who aren't actively trolling?  

2) Don't play Lich. Or other heros that guides say are good for noobs. You are playing against mainly humans that are half as good as easy bots. On your team and the other team. If you like winning you want to learn one of the many heros that if left unmolested in the jungle get to win for free if you aren't bad.

Things like Lone Druid, Lycan and Ursa are probably the easiest wins imaginable. Because you can jungle you don't even need people to not fuck up your lane which is why you can't just count on carrying with solo lane heros like Broodmother, Dark Seer, Invoker because half your team has no clue about lane assignments.

I could keep going with other hero advice and you can sometimes carry a game with just Lich ultimate but believe me that if you aren't braindead you might as well learn to jungle and get out of the low bracket then switch over to noob friendly supports until you feel like your ready to play semis/gankers.

In my last 20-30 or maybe more games I haven't reported a single person for intentional feeding, trolling, bad play, etc.  Play someone like Ursa or Lycan who can destroy low level games easily by just ignoring the game for the first 10 minutes and clearing jungle creeps in peace.  Then just work your way out of the "low" bracket.  Don't get yourself put into the leavers queue from abandons and you should be fine.

[cmlancas]

I heard there are different brackets and whatnot -- do you know anything about that?

[Thrawn]

I heard there are different brackets and whatnot -- do you know anything about that?

I don't know the details, but I know if you search for games to watch you can sort by normal/high/very high skill level.  You can search for your own name and filter by this to find out what level your games are considered.  Their is also a "leavers queue" for people who get reported often, abandon a lot or think it's ok to just afk and leave a game because they gave up being able to win after 5 minutes.  You don't ever want to be in the leavers queue.  I'm guessing matchmaking puts you in one of these brackets depending on where it has you at.  But I can't find my info on how exactly matchmaking works, doesn't seem like anyone really knows for sure.

[cmlancas]

I bet I'm in the leavers queue right now...spotty connection FTL.

That makes more sense.

Is there any documentation out for how you get queued as something different?  I'm just wondering how many AP games I'll have to play and carry before I get out of the    queues.

[eldaec]

If you end up in the low priority queue it tells you in big red letters when searching for games. To get in you need to be the first to disconnect n times in t days. Being reported by other players is also supposed to have an effect.

[cmlancas]

If you end up in the low priority queue it tells you in big red letters when searching for games. To get in you need to be the first to disconnect n times in t days. Being reported by other players is also supposed to have an effect.

Ah, so no penalty if someone else ragequits before me?  That's cool. 

I'd dotaforums it, but those forums are quite unwieldy.

[eldaec]

Leavers get 5 minutes grace to return. So a spotty connection won't ruin you if you do disconnect. Equally if someone discos and then you ragequit but they come back, you'll get hit with the abandon credit.

 Something else I didn't realise till recently, is that you can take over an abandoned hero, just click on him and control like you can control a pet.

[cmlancas]

And here I thought the days of the banlist were gone.   

Oh well.  I'll be Dota2ing it up in three-ish hours if anyone would like to join for a game or two.

[Ice Cream Emperor]

I think the main thing is just to play more games -- while I still get lots of aggravating fellow-players, most of them are now in the aggravating-because-they-don't-response-psychically-to-my-gameplay-expectations category (i.e. I need to get over myself), rather than the aggravating-because-they're-trolling-dicks one.

I hope that the matchmaking system is somewhat more nuanced than putting you in one of four brackets, but I've never tried that search-your-own-games thing before.

[Megrim]

And here I thought the days of the banlist were gone.   

Oh well.  I'll be Dota2ing it up in three-ish hours if anyone would like to join for a game or two.

Do I have you on Steam? I'm on quite frequently for dotas, but on Aus hours however. I can start looking to invite people who are interested when I'm around.

[Llyse]

I think the main thing is just to play more games -- while I still get lots of aggravating fellow-players, most of them are now in the aggravating-because-they-don't-response-psychically-to-my-gameplay-expectations category (i.e. I need to get over myself), rather than the aggravating-because-they're-trolling-dicks one.

I hope that the matchmaking system is somewhat more nuanced than putting you in one of four brackets, but I've never tried that search-your-own-games thing before.

Queueing with someone in a higher bracket can quickly take you out of the troll zone as well. Hit up Megrim on Steam