For all you hard core gamers out there, as you may or may not have heard, Valve’s Dota 2 has exited the Beta testing stage and is already available for free on Steam starting July 9, 2013. The multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game was in the Beta testing for 2 years until Valve decided that it was time to finally launch Dota 2. In case you were not fortunate enough to become a Beta tester and want to avail of the game, here are some things that you should expect upon entering the world of Dota 2:
Hats, customizable items, HUD skins and other extra items are now available
Since Valve took over Dota 2 from Blizzard, a lot of changes have been made in terms of the overall gaming experience. Valve, the game developer which is known for being a little obsessed with making decal items (most specifically, hats for your heroes), has incorporated items that can customize the look of the characters in the game. These items are usually tradable via Steam or can be purchased in the Dota 2 store. The value of these decal items can either be common, uncommon, rare, mythical or legendary; with common items having the lowest value and legendary items with the highest value.
“Noobs” are still not tolerated
If you have ever played the first version Dota, or any other MOBA game similar to this like League of Legends, then you know how players can get rather… emotional. But if you are starting to get into online gaming, you should know that a lot of players are not very polite to say the least. In the heat of the match, an unfriendly exchange of words is inevitable so a word of caution to all future Dota 2 players, this is not for the faint of heart.
To the inexperienced Dota 2 players: don’t worry, there are ways to get out of the noob zone. For starters, just when Dota 2 was about to launch, the developers came up with an in-depth tutorial for new players to get more familiar with the game. The tutorial starts off with learning the basics of the game using the ranged hero Sniper and ends in completing 10 matches against real players. The tutorial is a good way for inexperienced players to hone their skills and develop strategies in the game. In case it doesn’t work for you, playing a practice game with bots is another option.
Dota 2 punishes uncooperative players
Bad games happen to the best of gamers. No matter how good of a player you are, just like any other sport, you are just as strong as your weakest member. Dota 2 is a team game – a single dominating player is not enough to carry the whole team. Whenever you find yourself at the losing end of a terrible game, you might get tempted to abandon your team and disconnect from the game. Sure, you can do that but just know that Dota 2 enforces punishments on unfair players. A penalty of being in the low priority pool for 24 hours is given to players who abandon games. Being in the low priority pool will entail a longer waiting period for players who look for matches. The privilege of receiving random item drops as well as experience points at the end of each game will also be put on hold. The duration of the penalty doubles if the player abandons while being in the low priority pool. So take it from me, it’s better to stay during a losing game than to leave your teammates behind… unless it’s safe to do so, and then by all means leave.
Be prepared for occasional updates
Because Dota 2 is a relatively new game, there is always room for improvement. Expect to receive an announcement from the Dota 2 blog stating a new update that has been released. New updates usually include bug fixes, graphic modifications, and new items in the shop. Sometimes, if we’re lucky, they introduce new heroes or themed events (e.g. the “Diretide” event during Halloween and “Frostivus” during Christmas) that can enhance the gaming experience of players.
Dota 2 can be a challenging domain for new players but rest assured that despite its hard exterior, a soft gooey center can be enjoyed by even the most inexperienced of gamers. Dota 2 is now available to be played on Steam but because of the huge number of players who want to secure the game, the developers have decided to release only a fixed number of passes to its audience per day. So what are you waiting for? Queue on up for a copy now!
And while we’re on the subject of Dota: don’t forget to study hard, Lasallians!
