DOTA 2

[DogRobber]

Any interest in a DOTA 2 night on Thursday?

I'm not sure how many people are in the beta, but it would be alot more fun to figure it out together, I'm thinking...

I generally get to start gaming around 6pm / 9pm on Thursday nights.

-dr

[Ragemore]

Hell ya, I would try it.

[DogRobber]

Deal.
I'll meet you and whoever else on TS at 6pm my time, then.

-dr

[Ragemore]

http://www.dota2wiki.com/wiki/Heroes

Any idea what you are going to play?

I'm thinking of something with a Stun, and maybe some aoe damage, but not sure yet. I guess I should decide if I'm going to play a tank, support, or dps.

[DogRobber]

I'll tank.

I'm thinking Clockwerk if we play Radiant or Sand King if we play Dire.

-dr

[DogRobber]

Trever has been playing alot of DOTA 2 lately and he talked me into a game yesterday.

I redefined suction like a Dyson, but it was funner then it was the first time I played it. Or, at least, by around the 30 minute mark I figured out how to get new gear purchased.

Now that I'm no a self imposed LOL sabatical I may end up playing more DOTA 2.

-dr

[Ragemore]

I played three games last night, and it is very odd how bad I am at this game when it should be very much like LoL.

The item system is something they could make easier to understand, the UI is way too big and doesn't give me enough screen to scroll/click on.

And I am still not a fan of "Deny-ing", last hit is enough to worry about.

The Heroes seem to be pretty detailed though, and there are plenty of them.

[Ragemore]

I played Juggernaut last night for a game and even though we lost had fun playing him.

He is a little bit like Garen, with Fiore's Ult. So in this case I was able to understand the mechanics of the character, which allowed me to start to figure out the other people I was playing. I think that is key in this type of game.

I had a lane partner that was a giant spider which was pretty cool, I may try him next too.

[DogRobber]

My class ran pretty late last night so I didn't get on, but I expect to play for quite a bit tonight.
I'll see if we can't get in the same game at some point.

-dr

[Ragemore]

I think I have wrestled this game into basic understanding. I'm still far from an expert, but I have found two heroes whose mechanics I can relate too, which allow me to focus on learning the game and the meta.

This reminded me of a "new guy" issue we have at fight practice. We explain to a new guy that the first thing you need to do is get armor, or make armor that fits. When you are brand new you are trying to figure out how to attack, and defend at the same time, against someone who is much better than you. With so many different types of attacks that you may want to try, and so many types of defenses you can employ, its a lot for a new guy to think about during a full speed fight. Add in armor that doesn't fit you, and it is like fighting two people at the same time.

Finding a hero that "fits" allows you to stop thinking about what the character will do, and allows you to concentrate on what your opponents might do in any given situation.

Windrunner boiled down, has a ranged auto-attack, a long range High damage straight line shot, a passive that increases her attacks, and a "sprint" to get away from a fight. This is a very common theme in a lot of the MOBA style of games. I know how to play a character of this style, which allowed me to pay more attention to all the other stuff going on in a typical DOTA 2 game.

The mechanic was so familiar that I could pay more attention to the heroes I was facing and begin to understand how they were trying beat my team, or win any given fight that was initiated, and less time reading the tool tip on my ability. I also focused in on one build (set of items to buy) that made using the store simpler, and took away that distraction during a match.

After starting the weekend with frustration, it ended in that Love/Hate set of emotions that I have had with League of Legends and most FPS games.