Defense of the Ancients 2 (PC/Mac)

[ubernoob]

Re: Defense of the Ancients 2 (PC/Mac)

So I was doing the training thing just to finish it up (it gives you some basic common sniper items as rewards) and MY GOD I am so glad those 10 games are over.

It felt like a job at the end, with the people you got matched up with. Three times in the last 5 games I got stuck on a team where I was the only person who spoke English (Oh, yeah... I played on the USWest/USEast servers) which is asinine.

Felt glorious when I finished it. Played a regular single draft match, my first time drawing Puck. First blood didn't come until 12 or 13 minutes into the match if I remember correctly. We won even though for a good 10-15 minutes our pushes were so disorganized that we'd kill 3 of the 5, and then half the team would run back to our side. Finished like 7/8/22 or something along those lines, so it wasn't horrible. Got to the point where I was literally the distraction and used just for initiating the fights and trying to survive as long as I could using my own means while the rest of the team picked them off.

Also, my first time playing against Abbadon (it was him v. me in mid-lane.) That hero is a trooper in team fights, let me tell you.

[sportsdude]

Re: Defense of the Ancients 2 (PC/Mac)

played a few games earlier with Macho, who can vouch for my noobiness. One game Macho drew Juggernaut, and then proceeded to go like 24-5.

Props to Macho for helping point out the guides section in game. That's going to be such a big help.

[ubernoob]

played a few games earlier with Macho, who can vouch for my noobiness. One game Macho drew Juggernaut, and then proceeded to go like 24-5.

Props to Macho for helping point out the guides section in game. That's going to be such a big help.

Yeah, the guides are awesome. I'd say first focus to always remember is don't die. I know it sounds silly but especially in the beginning and when you're new... If you don't know you can kill them, don't over extend and get caught in a bad spot. It happens so much and is fairly avoidable. 3-5 early deaths (in the laning phase) pretty much guarantees a lost lane, save for special random situations.

[MachoMyers]

Re: Defense of the Ancients 2 (PC/Mac)

played a few games earlier with Macho, who can vouch for my noobiness. One game Macho drew Juggernaut, and then proceeded to go like 24-5.

Props to Macho for helping point out the guides section in game. That's going to be such a big help.

Good for win number 100...only took a year to get it!

You definitely know the basics though and that is most important. All the builds and items will come in time (forever if you are like me) but the basics of what to do and when are huge in this type of game. Once you have 'it' you can do well. Still, matchmaking leaves you with a solid 50/50 chance of a good game or a roll. When we get a Steam group going we usually roll.

[Cyros]

Re: Defense of the Ancients 2 (PC/Mac)

Played a regular single draft match, my first time drawing Puck. First blood didn't come until 12 or 13 minutes into the match if I remember correctly. We won even though for a good 10-15 minutes our pushes were so disorganized that we'd kill 3 of the 5, and then half the team would run back to our side. Finished like 7/8/22 or something along those lines, so it wasn't horrible. Got to the point where I was literally the distraction and used just for initiating the fights and trying to survive as long as I could using my own means while the rest of the team picked them off.

My experience from watching the pro streams is that Puck is an *******. Always blinking in to groups of people, silencing, and then running around laughing.

[sportsdude]

Re: Defense of the Ancients 2 (PC/Mac)

So Macho made the suggestion to play single draft to try out new heroes. Good suggestion. Between going random in some bots games and single draft in pvp I've games with the following:

Clockwerk - I really liked him. I didn't do too well, but I thought he was fun to play as.
Faceless Void - Thought he was pretty fun I know I'd be terrible with him against people.
Elder Titan - Interesting hero, I did OK with him but I don't think I'll be using him much.
Centaur Warrunner - I stomped as this guy. Easy to play, hard to be killed as.
Earthshaker - I abandoned this game early after one of my teammates left. Didn't get much of a chance to play him.
Slardar - Still not sure what role he plays but I did well as an initiator/tank and helped my team stomp in a pvp. Racked up lots of assists. I could see myself using him again.

I'm on the Dota 2 train now. I bought the compendium. Question - at the beginning of the game it said I was sharing my compendium XP with others, does that mean I get less XP from it, or is it all universal?

[MachoMyers]

Re: Defense of the Ancients 2 (PC/Mac)

You get your 225% and share it with others. They also stack so if everyone in the game has a commpendium you get a stack of XP that shoots you up levels. Considering each level you reach guarantees you an item drop it is a good investment if you like the gear.

[ubernoob]

Re: Defense of the Ancients 2 (PC/Mac)

So Macho made the suggestion to play single draft to try out new heroes. Good suggestion. Between going random in some bots games and single draft in pvp I've games with the following:

Clockwerk - I really liked him. I didn't do too well, but I thought he was fun to play as.
Faceless Void - Thought he was pretty fun I know I'd be terrible with him against people.
Elder Titan - Interesting hero, I did OK with him but I don't think I'll be using him much.
Centaur Warrunner - I stomped as this guy. Easy to play, hard to be killed as.
Earthshaker - I abandoned this game early after one of my teammates left. Didn't get much of a chance to play him.
Slardar - Still not sure what role he plays but I did well as an initiator/tank and helped my team stomp in a pvp. Racked up lots of assists. I could see myself using him again.

I'm on the Dota 2 train now. I bought the compendium. Question - at the beginning of the game it said I was sharing my compendium XP with others, does that mean I get less XP from it, or is it all universal?

Faceless is amazing in PvP, and is fairly easy to play. Just focus on not dying during laning, and hit as many as possible with your ult in team fights because it freezes them and your ranged heroes can feast. Though, if your team is stupid and doesn't give you a chance... pissing them off and hitting them with the first ult is always fun.

If I have a team that is a bunch of *******s and clearly are either trolling or just really bad and have a horrible attitude... I'll do the wrong thing and misuse any ability I can.

[NYJetsfan]

Re: Defense of the Ancients 2 (PC/Mac)

Ugh. I think I've got into a tier that I really don't belong in. I've lost like 5 straight or something and they really haven't been very close.

[MachoMyers]

Re: Defense of the Ancients 2 (PC/Mac)

Does it work like that in Dota? Like Starcraft's Bronze/Silver/Gold/Platinum rankings or does it just base it off your level?

[NYJetsfan]

Re: Defense of the Ancients 2 (PC/Mac)

Does it work like that in Dota? Like Starcraft's Bronze/Silver/Gold/Platinum rankings or does it just base it off your level?

Well it's the level I think. But I'm pretty sure I've just accumulated too many wins over time and have gotten myself in a bad situation.

I think the solution would be to que for solo games only, so no parties, but every time I try that it never finds a game.

[Cyros]

Re: Defense of the Ancients 2 (PC/Mac)

What button layout do you guys use?

[ubernoob]

What button layout do you guys use?

I use QWER for the abilities, 1-6 for the items (which is cool because I have the Naga mouse with the numpad on the side) and the arrows to move the map around.

[MachoMyers]

Re: Defense of the Ancients 2 (PC/Mac)

I do 1-4 for abilities (4 being ulti) and QWERSD for my items. Dunno why I changed it but did the first time I played and haven't switched back.

[ubernoob]

Re: Defense of the Ancients 2 (PC/Mac)

Finally hit .500 after a pretty sweet 4 game winning streak this AM. I'm now 63-63 overall (with one abandoned when we had an outage here.)

I am quite surprised, as I got stuck with either heroes I haven't played ever (Leshrac) or heroes I am not good at playing (Warlock, Templar and Treant.) Oh well, it got the job done. Matchmaking (at least during normal times, at night it's still just jampacked with Russians) has been surprisingly good for me as of late.