Dota 2

[scruff304]

Played with a guy this weekend who came on the mic and said "don't freak out, I'm going to pick techies". Half the team groaned in frustration and then he said "no, I promise I'm a decent techies". He destroyed so hard. Haven't seen a techies dominate so hard since before the nerf.

He is an unconventional hero, and pre-nerf he was my favourite hero (I had like an 85% win rate with him or something) but I still insist that a good techies player can absolutely decimate a game.

That is the thing with the hero. He forces you to play a totally different way to normal. Like Deadmanza said... He can countered, pretty easily... But sometimes the lengths you have to go through.

I still want to pick a Riki into a Techies, get quelling blade and just follow him around and demine everything that he plants xD

 

[porchrat]

I have nothing against techies, but in this particular game it wasn't even remotely close to being the correct pick.

Oh yea techies is far weaker now than he used to be. He isn't the powerhouse that can hold the game indefinitely for a late game carry like he used to be (I used to have 100% win rate on him when I went techies and my carry was a Medusa for example). Also very few people can play him well. I myself went form him being my favourite hero to not being able to get him right after that nerf that put him into trash-tier. He is a very difficult hero to play now.

I became a sick bastard when I played Techies. I used to laugh with glee when I had 3 of their gems in my fountain and their supports showed in lane with nothing but brown boots and sentry wards at level 40. I used to describe to them how shiny and wonderful their gems were in all-chat. I always knew I'd done my job when someone on their team went "fsck you Techies".

That is the thing with the hero. He forces you to play a totally different way to normal. Like Deadmanza said... He can countered, pretty easily... But sometimes the lengths you have to go through.

I still want to pick a Riki into a Techies, get quelling blade and just follow him around and demine everything that he plants xD

*sigh* Old techies would have destroyed a Riki that tried that lol. Oh how I want old Techies back. I know he ruined games but I was usually the one ruining that game and I loved it.

 

[scruff304]

I'm actually genuinely surprised by the response on the #OSR website. 1159 pledges so far and counting! At one point on the weekend there was over 400 people searching ranked at the same time... And I think that number has never hit above 50 at one point.

http://onlysearchranked.co.za/

Didn't get to play this weekend, but spectated a few games of people on my friends list. Was good to see how many randoms have added the #OSR to their nicks.

 

[porchrat]

I'm actually genuinely surprised by the response on the #OSR website. 1159 pledges so far and counting! At one point on the weekend there was over 400 people searching ranked at the same time... And I think that number has never hit above 50 at one point.

http://onlysearchranked.co.za/

Didn't get to play this weekend, but spectated a few games of people on my friends list. Was good to see how many randoms have added the #OSR to their nicks.

I'll likely be adding the tag tonight. I can't promise I will be searching only ranked from the 18th but even if I want to muck about in unranked at least the tag will get people interested. Even if it gets people searching ranked every 2nd or 3rd game that is still an improvement. I had my doubts but after seeing just how many players were sporting that tag I feel for the first time in a long time that we can finally overcome the inertia of SA players not doing ranked.

 

[scruff304]

I'll likely be adding the tag tonight. I can't promise I will be searching only ranked from the 18th but even if I want to muck about in unranked at least the tag will get people interested. Even if it gets people searching ranked every 2nd or 3rd game that is still an improvement. I had my doubts but after seeing just how many players were sporting that tag I feel for the first time in a long time that we can finally overcome the inertia of SA players not doing ranked.

Agreed. I'll probably go the full route of only searching ranked. For the first few days at least. As it will be a bit contradictory for me to start and promote the cause, and then not actually follow through. But for others who just simply want a game of Dota, and probably have limited time in their lives to play. I totally get it.

Give me an add tonight if you happen to be online... Or anybody else for that matter. Think in steam I am also scruff304, right now #OSR scruff304. I have a little black and white icon that says scruff with a ninja looking think under it.

 

[DTBA]

Could not find a rank game, normal game. tried a scrim server could not find a host

 

[Mental-Tree]

Yurp, something ain't right. Tonnes of mini lag spikes in the last game I did find as well.

 

[Havox]

Hi

So, as you average scrub I also tried the ranked thing, and the experience was mixed.
Firstly, I managed to find 5 games so far.....all within 5-10minutes. (Besides last night after 9pm when I think the Servers got *****)

And wow...it's a whole new level of Dota for me. I started with my comfort picks of CM and spend 45min warding, was apparently was appreciated and we won a tight game. Then I tried some Slardar (also comfort pick) and ended up solo laning against a Skywrath and PA because our Enigma hit the jungle. I kept saying to myself, DONT FEED, and it worked. I died once, ended up the game 3/2 or something while our Ember rekt 30-1. Won another game, then lost two due to teribad teams (me prob included)

All in all was fun. I enjoy the more competitive side of dota and would like to see where my MMR could end up.
Just a note to the pro's...

Everybody is like "oh please search ranked" then, newer players do, and then get shat on by the 3k + MMR while they are clearly stated as being TBD. That does not help the community at all. I have a decent understanding of the game. but I don't take it for granted that everybody does.

Then, just another question.....90% of the time I 2-3 stack with friends. I guess no point searching ranked wit that?

Cheers
Vox

 

[porchrat]

Hi

So, as you average scrub I also tried the ranked thing, and the experience was mixed.
Firstly, I managed to find 5 games so far.....all within 5-10minutes. (Besides last night after 9pm when I think the Servers got *****)

And wow...it's a whole new level of Dota for me. I started with my comfort picks of CM and spend 45min warding, was apparently was appreciated and we won a tight game. Then I tried some Slardar (also comfort pick) and ended up solo laning against a Skywrath and PA because our Enigma hit the jungle. I kept saying to myself, DONT FEED, and it worked. I died once, ended up the game 3/2 or something while our Ember rekt 30-1. Won another game, then lost two due to teribad teams (me prob included)

All in all was fun. I enjoy the more competitive side of dota and would like to see where my MMR could end up.
Just a note to the pro's...

Everybody is like "oh please search ranked" then, newer players do, and then get shat on by the 3k + MMR while they are clearly stated as being TBD. That does not help the community at all. I have a decent understanding of the game. but I don't take it for granted that everybody does.

Then, just another question.....90% of the time I 2-3 stack with friends. I guess no point searching ranked wit that?

Cheers
Vox

The guys sitting in 3k that are still calibrating will only be there for a few more games and then will be gone back to their bracket so you will likely never see them again. This is just a problem in the short term as our ranked system stabilises.

Unfortunately didn't get an opportunity to play last night, and likely won't tonight either, but I am really liking the response this OSR thing is getting.

 

[scruff304]

The guys sitting in 3k that are still calibrating will only be there for a few more games and then will be gone back to their bracket so you will likely never see them again. This is just a problem in the short term as our ranked system stabilises.

Unfortunately didn't get an opportunity to play last night, and likely won't tonight either, but I am really liking the response this OSR thing is getting.

To add to this, guys who are still "TBD" and are playing in a ranked 3k game, are more than likely actually 3k. They have been put into that game based on their hidden MMR, which has been created playing many unranked games. So when they have been completely shat on, it more than likely due to them having a bad game instead of being paired with wrong players and getting wrecked due to lack of game knowledge.

 

[Havox]

To add to this, guys who are still "TBD" and are playing in a ranked 3k game, are more than likely actually 3k. They have been put into that game based on their hidden MMR, which has been created playing many unranked games. So when they have been completely shat on, it more than likely due to them having a bad game instead of being paired with wrong players and getting wrecked due to lack of game knowledge.

hmm that could very well be me.....although I wasn't the guy getting shat on.

I thought you start your MMR at 0? I play 2-4 games almost every night, with a decent win rate, and I think it's decent Dota.
When I got to ranked though it was pretty hard-core even for me, non of the potatoes business you guys speak off. "most" people seem to know what they doing.

Maybe I'm less a potatoes than I think.

 

[Rickster]

 

[DukeofHouse]

I played my first local ranked match last night.
Great experience. My team was kakking on me because I like to farm my items before going for kills (and I was the carry), but we won in the end. Very different to pub games.

 

[scruff304]

hmm that could very well be me.....although I wasn't the guy getting shat on.

I thought you start your MMR at 0? I play 2-4 games almost every night, with a decent win rate, and I think it's decent Dota.
When I got to ranked though it was pretty hard-core even for me, non of the potatoes business you guys speak off. "most" people seem to know what they doing.

Maybe I'm less a potatoes than I think.

I stand to be corrected, but the game has some built in logic to determine your MMR, so to group you with the right skilled players asap. You do have cases where some people create smurf accounts, and after no time at all they are back at the high or very high skill brackets because the game has picked up they are good Dota players.

So your very first game will be with very new players. But if you go 32/0/5 with a gpm over 900... It will know something is up and suddenly chuck you into a game with higher skilled players. And if you are able to do the same again... It will once again adjust accordingly.

I've had 3 - 4 ranked games now on SA servers. People are definitely more try hard (which I like) Don't be surprised that you are playing with the same people before, but now because it is suddenly ranked, they putting more effort into winning, compared to when it was unranked and players could just try troll builds and experiment without a care in the world.

 

[Rickster]

 

[porchrat]

I stand to be corrected, but the game has some built in logic to determine your MMR, so to group you with the right skilled players asap. You do have cases where some people create smurf accounts, and after no time at all they are back at the high or very high skill brackets because the game has picked up they are good Dota players.

I created a smurf account once to play with a mate in his first ever game of Dota. Keep in mind this was my smurf account's first ever game as well. We were put into a game against a Pudge mid who had something like 4000 hours in dota and new how to shift queue his Dismember after the hook. He was not a scrub and definitely not someone a new player should be playing against. Sure we won that game but only because we had a couple of smurfs in that game. There is no way though that the algorithm could have known after 0 games that we should be paired against a High Skill player.

So your very first game will be with very new players. But if you go 32/0/5 with a gpm over 900... It will know something is up and suddenly chuck you into a game with higher skilled players. And if you are able to do the same again... It will once again adjust accordingly.

I've had 3 - 4 ranked games now on SA servers. People are definitely more try hard (which I like) Don't be surprised that you are playing with the same people before, but now because it is suddenly ranked, they putting more effort into winning, compared to when it was unranked and players could just try troll builds and experiment without a care in the world.

Problem for me was that I too often encounter people try-harding in pubs. To me pubs should be a place where it is acceptable to screw about and you leave the serious stuff to ranked. However without ranked these guys get so serious in pubs. I'm hoping we can separate the 2 now and overall make everyone happier.

 

[Havox]

I don't know how many in SA play at a given time, but logic suggests that with ranked now being "a thing" both normal and ranked player pools will be smaller, thus creating either : a) Long wait queues because the algorithm's can match players or b) mismatched matches.

I would find it very unlikely for a high MMR player (let's say 4k + ) to even suggest finding 9 peers to play with within 10min.


But I do hope pubs become more relaxed now, as I stack a lot with noob-ish friends and my kids and mistakes get made.

 

[scruff304]

I created a smurf account once to play with a mate in his first ever game of Dota. Keep in mind this was my smurf account's first ever game as well. We were put into a game against a Pudge mid who had something like 4000 hours in dota and new how to shift queue his Dismember after the hook. He was not a scrub and definitely not someone a new player should be playing against. Sure we won that game but only because we had a couple of smurfs in that game. There is no way though that the algorithm could have known after 0 games that we should be paired against a High Skill player.

Oh wow. That is rather interesting. And unfortunate. My first (of prob two) games on my smurf I went TA, and you could easily tell that all 9 other players were brand new to the game. The ursa I went against mid couldn't understand why I wasn't taking damage, and ask if I was hacking.

 

[Scary_Turtle]

Oh wow. That is rather interesting. And unfortunate. My first (of prob two) games on my smurf I went TA, and you could easily tell that all 9 other players were brand new to the game. The ursa I went against mid couldn't understand why I wasn't taking damage, and ask if I was hacking.

Lol haven't heard that one in a while. Atleast you taught that guy a valuable Dota lesson he won't forget.

 

[scruff304]

Lol haven't heard that one in a while. Atleast you taught that guy a valuable Dota lesson he won't forget.

lol. I actually felt really bad at the time, because I knew how hard it was for me to get into the game, and then for some guy to come **** on you can be dis-heartening.

Just for the record though, I don't consider myself a good Dota player... Just better than brand new