So DreamHack will now be on swedish national TV. This mean that not only you will be able to see Video games being played professionally from your couch. It also indicate that people with no gaming background, have never touched computer in their entire life, will be watching us gamers. It will be the first time they learn about gaming, they will learn what is starcraft, LoL, DotA and how are those game played.
Imagine having to explain sc2 to your grandmother who cant even perform a single mous click properly (i have been there). Imagine you hoping for people to love what you pursue and endorse in closet for years and it came out as just a bunch with social problems who play games for money and have no life. Trust me, you dont want that.
Here is what you gona do: Turn in and show them dota2 with this dude casting:
He will help you explaining to your dad that gaming is the new soccer by all the screaming in the top of his tounge which is full of excitement. He will help you to show your family that gaming isnt only about smashing buttons but also about calculation and mind games as well as team work. It is about fun, skill and passion.
DotA isnt a chess game like sc2. It is no kinder garden with boobs like LoL. DotA is WAR. It is a battle field where 5 warriors going against the other 5 and surround them is a crowd with excitement. These warriors want blood, gold and glory and will do everything to show the crowd their desires. If there is anything ever come close to the modern dota in the history of mankind, it could only be the Colosseum from the Roman Empire.
MOBAs aren't good spectator sports because of the amount of foreknowledge required to actually understand the game. If you don't understand all the abilities, core items, and functionalities of each of the 10 heroes in the game it is absolutely unwatchable. Combined with the large amount of farming that takes place and the ability for already decided games to drag on because teams don't want to risk a bad teamfight, it isn't really very good to watch.
On June 14 2012 10:31 casualman wrote: MOBAs aren't good spectator sports because of the amount of foreknowledge required to actually understand the game. If you don't understand all the abilities, core items, and functionalities of each of the 10 heroes in the game it is absolutely unwatchable. Combined with the large amount of farming that takes place and the ability for already decided games to drag on because teams don't want to risk a bad teamfight, it isn't really very good to watch.
It's interesting that you would say that. What would be a good spectator sport in your opinion? Doesn't Starcraft suffer from the same problem? large amount of farming = macro in the beginning. Games are dragged on because they don't want to commit to fight at the other person's static defense?
On June 14 2012 10:31 casualman wrote: MOBAs aren't good spectator sports because of the amount of foreknowledge required to actually understand the game. If you don't understand all the abilities, core items, and functionalities of each of the 10 heroes in the game it is absolutely unwatchable. Combined with the large amount of farming that takes place and the ability for already decided games to drag on because teams don't want to risk a bad teamfight, it isn't really very good to watch.
You realize you can say the exact same thing about sc2 right?
On June 14 2012 10:31 casualman wrote: MOBAs aren't good spectator sports because of the amount of foreknowledge required to actually understand the game. If you don't understand all the abilities, core items, and functionalities of each of the 10 heroes in the game it is absolutely unwatchable. Combined with the large amount of farming that takes place and the ability for already decided games to drag on because teams don't want to risk a bad teamfight, it isn't really very good to watch.
Totally disagree with you. I know bugger all about DotA but in LoL all I have to do is describe the 5 positions and the viewer is set. They don't need to know what specific champions do, all they need to know is that one is a mage, he goes in mid lane and deals a ton of damage. That one is a jungler, he gets less gold and runs around helping the other lanes whilst killing creeps.
I've watched a few Tobi streams knowing very little about DotA and he always makes it clear which heroes are designed to carry at 40 mins and which ones are supporting early on. All I need to know from there is some of the huge team-fighting ults like Tidehunters and I'm set. The only thing he slips up on is when people complete major items and what that does for them, I understand Black King Bar is important but beyond that I don't know.
Even if you don't know what each unit does in SC2, you can still see things like economy (worker count/number of bases), army size and movement. The commentating is much more new viewer friendly because even people who have never played an RTS can see that when a player's army is on the other side of the map from where they're being attacked, it's bad, etc.
In MOBAs, even once a new viewer understands the aspects of heroes, teams, and creeping, it's still a big blur to watch. I've played DotA, HoN, and LoL, but watching the video in the OP is just random nonsense to me, and will continue to be until I play the game myself.
On June 14 2012 10:31 casualman wrote: MOBAs aren't good spectator sports because of the amount of foreknowledge required to actually understand the game. If you don't understand all the abilities, core items, and functionalities of each of the 10 heroes in the game it is absolutely unwatchable. Combined with the large amount of farming that takes place and the ability for already decided games to drag on because teams don't want to risk a bad teamfight, it isn't really very good to watch.
that to me is a big misconception. Look at sc2 the biggest esports game right now as an example: A lot of people i know watch the game, subscribe to GSL MLG etc without even owning a copy of sc2. 90% of reddit community has never reach above platinum but they still enjoy the game to the fullest extend.
The ultimate goal of a game when it transitioning to esports should be easy to 'enjoy' when watching, not easy to 'learn' when watching. Its the same theory applying to movies now aday: shitty movies like Transformer or Avatar are dominating the market simply bc they have top nouch computer effect instead of good writings. People will enjoy games with more action, explosion than just a boring macro starcraft where 2 side just sit and wait for the final battle.
Now this is where DotA come in play. All games has their own moments of excitement but it up to the caster to make it exciting. Lets take a look at a normal BW casting in Korea:
As you can see and compare it to modern sc2 casting right now, there is almost 0 emotion in any sc2 casters when they see a great moment. Everyone try to make the game sounds too predictable and the game became boring to watch. DotA2 currently is blessed with TobiWan Kenobi, the best play by play caster in esports atm and he will put up a hell of a show in the up coming dreamhack. Just wait and see!
Okay, I'm a sort of a gamer, granted I don't like or really understand Moba's (leveling, team games and single unit micro don't appeal) but that aside having watched the video I've no idea what he's talking about or what I'm watching. Looks like LoL with more effects poorer although less cartoony character models and without the procession of npc smurfs marching towards each other. As I understand it Nani wouldn't be atypical for a MOBA players in terms of attitude etc. I can't see it being any more popular with anyone who doesn't play the things... thats presumably why the give them away for free..
How to explain SC2 to your friends in two sentence:
The two differing colored opponents try to build up armies and destroy each other. When one has been wiped out or concedes defeat, the game is over.
What is so difficult about that? As your friends get into the game, then you can start talking about specific units, strategies, and all the other complexities that make the game so great. You don't need to pull out the multi-hundred page rulebook for baseball or football to enjoy them and even most hardcore fans don't know all the rules. Just keep things simple to start and let their curiousity guide their learning.
edit: Watched the video with Tobiwan for the first time. They really needed to adjust sound levels. Getting audio warnings in game coming as loud as the announcer is not good. As a SC2 and LoL fan, I was pretty lost as to what was going on other than it being a teamfight with a whole mess of flashing lights and numbers all over the screen. I'd actually put it on the highly confusing side... LoL visual effects tend to be more clear. Tobi had good energy though, so I could see why people would like him. Kind of like a Husky or a Moletrap w/ nukes.
On June 14 2012 11:22 RenSC2 wrote: How to explain SC2 to your friends in two sentence:
The two differing colored opponents try to build up armies and destroy each other. When one has been wiped out or concedes defeat, the game is over.
What is so difficult about that? As your friends get into the game, then you can start talking about specific units, strategies, and all the other complexities that make the game so great. You don't need to pull out the multi-hundred page rulebook for baseball or football to enjoy them and even most hardcore fans don't know all the rules. Just keep things simple to start and let their curiousity guide their learning.
edit: Watched the video with Tobiwan for the first time. They really needed to adjust sound levels. Getting audio warnings in game coming as loud as the announcer is not good. As a SC2 and LoL fan, I was pretty lost as to what was going on other than it being a teamfight with a whole mess of flashing lights and numbers all over the screen. I'd actually put it on the highly confusing side... LoL visual effects tend to be more clear. Tobi had good energy though, so I could see why people would like him. Kind of like a Husky or a Moletrap w/ nukes.
Dota2 in one sentence: Destroy the building on the opposite side of the map that belongs to the opposing team. Same thing applies except even more simple.
I think it is great Dota is continuing to grow. I also doubt that it is in anyway comparable to SC2 Coming from BW background when I first watched Dota I thought it was 1v1 and each player was controlling every unit including creep (fairly standard ability for pro bw players). Needless to say I was disappointing to find out that each player only controls one character. I think the skill set and strategy of dota is very different to starcraft and one I find hard to understand. Still I hope it can become starcraft's team based esport brother-in-arms.
EPT![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/2sgai.jpg)
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