|
I've been playing DotA2 for a week and I'm enjoying the hell out of it. In terms of strategic depth and potential for creativity, it's so superior to LoL as to make the comparison a subject of ridicule. But I have a nagging feeling when I note the almost complete absence of skill shots in DotA2 and think in terms of skill as opposed to knowledge and strategy.
Almost every single hero I've played or seen doesn't have skill shots, but abilities that are akin to the easiest-to-deploy abilities in LoL. This is disturbing, because skill shots are a huge component of skill in LoL or any popular team-based sport of which I'm aware.
So the question is raised: what does skill mean in DotA2 apart from last hitting and denying creeps? Or is there little skill and is it a game of pure strategy and knowledge?
|
1. Counter picking 2. positioning 3. When to engage when to back off 4. Picking right items
|
On July 14 2013 15:03 vahgar.r24 wrote: 1. Counter picking 2. positioning 3. When to engage when to back off 4. Picking right items I have never watched or played Dota 2 in my life but even I can tell you haven't read the OP at all.
|
The reason there are less "skillshots" is because a lot of abilities don't gain anything by having a point target. As much as people like to parrot "more difficult=better", having the chance to completely flunk an ability with a very defined purpose adds punishment without contributing much to gameplay.
For example, Rubick's Fade Bolt is a single unit target ability. If it were made into a "skillshot", all that would do is allow people to hide behind creeps and possibly negate a powerful early game last-hitting tool and nuke, while also nerfing a viable late-game damage debuff. Does turning it to a point target make it more "skill" based? Yes, if by "skill" you mean mouse accuracy, but that's not what DotA is about, so it doesn't actually improve the game, just makes it more difficult.
|
On July 14 2013 14:57 GreenGringo wrote: I've been playing DotA2 for a week and I'm enjoying the hell out of it. In terms of strategic depth and potential for creativity, it's so superior to LoL as to make the comparison a subject of ridicule. But I have a nagging feeling when I note the almost complete absence of skill shots in DotA2 and think in terms of skill as opposed to knowledge and strategy.
Almost every single hero I've played or seen doesn't have skill shots, but abilities that are akin to the easiest-to-deploy abilities in LoL. This is disturbing, because skill shots are a huge component of skill in LoL or any popular team-based sport of which I'm aware.
So the question is raised: what does skill mean in DotA2 apart from last hitting and denying creeps? Or is there little skill and is it a game of pure strategy and knowledge?
Part of the passive laning phase that League has is because of the ridiculous amount of 'skill' shots that they have. Mass skill shots = hide behind creep waves or stay a distance off to dodge, resulting in boring laning phases.
Most skills in DotA work the way because of the WC3 engine; you could technically have a ton of skill shots in WC3, but it wasn't exactly easy to do nor did it play very smooth.
|
On July 14 2013 15:03 vahgar.r24 wrote: 1. Counter picking 2. positioning 3. When to engage when to back off 4. Picking right items It might be bad form to respond so soon to answers, but let me just clear this up.
(1) and (4) are indisputably in the camp of "knowledge & strategy", not "skill" . Think of the difference between coaches and players and you'll see that this difference is really meaningful and not just an arbitrary divide I'm inventing to troll DotA2 players.
(2) and (3) are judgement calls made in the heat of the moment and I can easily agree that they're more about skill than knowledge.
But LoL also has positioning and safe engagements, as well as other stuff like skill shots. Does that mean LoL is a more skill-based game than DotA2?
|
The comparison argument to lack of skill shots in dota vs lol has always bothered me because I don't find many of leagues skill shots to be very "skillful" when they're on such a low cooldown and cost very little (if any) mana. I'm not sure if it's very 'skillful' to get 15 tries per mana bar (or literally a try every single spell cooldown) compared to the very intensive mana issues in Dota. Resource management and deciding if your spells are worth using is harder than most LoL skill shots.
|
On July 14 2013 15:08 crms wrote: The comparison argument to lack of skill shots in dota vs lol has always bothered me because I don't find many of leagues skill shots to be very "skillful" when they're on such a low cooldown and cost very little (if any) mana. I'm not sure if it's very 'skillful' to get 15 tries per mana bar (or literally a try every single spell cooldown) compared to the very intensive mana issues in Dota. Resource management and deciding if your spells are worth using is harder than most LoL skill shots.
My favorite is when both mids get blue. Spamathon of the century.
|
|
I hate that video because it makes me realize my tinker isn't nearly as good as I think it is.
|
On July 14 2013 15:13 crms wrote: I hate that video because it makes me realize my tinker isn't nearly as good as I think it is.
Mine's only good enough up to the void ult dodge.
|
That probably because you have yet to try all the heroes. On top of my head heroes with skill shots (I assume that means skills which require prediction of enemy movement in order for it to land) include these but not all : pudge, potm, clockwerk, meepo, kunka, AA, SF, leshrac, lina, windrunner, invoker, jakiro, disruptor, ... In addition to any hero which has a long cast time basically.
|
On July 14 2013 15:15 vndestiny wrote: That probably because you have yet to try all the heroes. On top of my head heroes with skill shots (I assume that means skills which require prediction of enemy movement in order for it to land) include these but not all : pudge, potm, clockwerk, meepo, kunka, AA, SF, leshrac, lina, windrunner, invoker, jakiro, disruptor, ... In addition to any hero which has a long cast time basically. Some exceptions, but there's definitely less overall emphasis on skill shots than in LoL. Veteran DotA2 players aren't denying this point..
|
|
On July 14 2013 15:19 GreenGringo wrote:Show nested quote +On July 14 2013 15:15 vndestiny wrote: That probably because you have yet to try all the heroes. On top of my head heroes with skill shots (I assume that means skills which require prediction of enemy movement in order for it to land) include these but not all : pudge, potm, clockwerk, meepo, kunka, AA, SF, leshrac, lina, windrunner, invoker, jakiro, disruptor, ... In addition to any hero which has a long cast time basically. Some exceptions, but there's definitely less overall emphasis on skill shots than in LoL. Veteran DotA2 players aren't denying this point..
We can agree there are less point target abilities, the question is, what makes them so significant that they worsen the game in their absence? Is point-and-click reflexes the "make or break" factor for being a good game?
|
On July 14 2013 15:19 GreenGringo wrote:Show nested quote +On July 14 2013 15:15 vndestiny wrote: That probably because you have yet to try all the heroes. On top of my head heroes with skill shots (I assume that means skills which require prediction of enemy movement in order for it to land) include these but not all : pudge, potm, clockwerk, meepo, kunka, AA, SF, leshrac, lina, windrunner, invoker, jakiro, disruptor, ... In addition to any hero which has a long cast time basically. Some exceptions, but there's definitely less overall emphasis on skill shots than in LoL. Veteran DotA2 players aren't denying this point.. Er I'm not denying. However I might have misunderstood slightly what you were trying to say. So skills in dota are generally easier to land. Thus the skill now is to not get hit by those skills, since you know, they're harder to dodge now. This varies from quick finger - using your own skill to dodge sth that's almost instantaneously casted, to better positioning in a teamfight, or better map-awareness to dodge ganks and so on.
|
this is incredibly silly. it goes without saying that in any strategy game (or game with a large element of strategy *cough semantics*), a superior strategy is in fact superior skill.
|
Like sc2, the skill in dota is mostly found in the macro elements. sc2's battle micro (dota's skill shots) is the least important part of the game. You can have the best micro in the world, but if you're struggling to get your first zealot at the 10 minute mark you're still going to be in bronze. Skill shots aren't very skillful anyway. If you're intelligent you'll use them in ways that they can't be avoided such as chaining off another ability, or cutting off an angle of escape.
|
On July 14 2013 15:23 Kmatt wrote:Show nested quote +On July 14 2013 15:19 GreenGringo wrote:On July 14 2013 15:15 vndestiny wrote: That probably because you have yet to try all the heroes. On top of my head heroes with skill shots (I assume that means skills which require prediction of enemy movement in order for it to land) include these but not all : pudge, potm, clockwerk, meepo, kunka, AA, SF, leshrac, lina, windrunner, invoker, jakiro, disruptor, ... In addition to any hero which has a long cast time basically. Some exceptions, but there's definitely less overall emphasis on skill shots than in LoL. Veteran DotA2 players aren't denying this point.. We can agree there are less point target abilities, the question is, what makes them so significant that they worsen the game in their absence? Is point-and-click reflexes the "make or break" factor for being a good game? I never said it worsens the game; I actually said I'm enjoying the hell out of DotA. I don't really enjoy LoL these days.
Nevertheless, I can easily imagine the comparatively low skill cap being a problem for DotA if it intends to become a big e-sport.
|
On July 14 2013 15:34 GreenGringo wrote: [ Nevertheless, I can easily imagine the comparatively low skill cap being a problem for DotA if it intends to become a big e-sport.
uhhh dat flame bait. i don't see in any way how there's a low skill cap in dota 2 besides not a lot of "skill shots". You even said yourself that strategy and creativity are huge in dota.
|
On July 14 2013 15:34 GreenGringo wrote:Show nested quote +On July 14 2013 15:23 Kmatt wrote:On July 14 2013 15:19 GreenGringo wrote:On July 14 2013 15:15 vndestiny wrote: That probably because you have yet to try all the heroes. On top of my head heroes with skill shots (I assume that means skills which require prediction of enemy movement in order for it to land) include these but not all : pudge, potm, clockwerk, meepo, kunka, AA, SF, leshrac, lina, windrunner, invoker, jakiro, disruptor, ... In addition to any hero which has a long cast time basically. Some exceptions, but there's definitely less overall emphasis on skill shots than in LoL. Veteran DotA2 players aren't denying this point.. We can agree there are less point target abilities, the question is, what makes them so significant that they worsen the game in their absence? Is point-and-click reflexes the "make or break" factor for being a good game? Nevertheless, I can easily imagine the comparatively low skill cap being a problem for DotA if it intends to become a big e-sport.
Oh wow. Guess what game has even less 'skill shots' than dota but a fucking high skillcap and is/was the biggest e-sport the world has ever seen. Look to your left sidebar, it's below the dota2 section.
|
On July 14 2013 15:49 vndestiny wrote:Show nested quote +On July 14 2013 15:34 GreenGringo wrote:On July 14 2013 15:23 Kmatt wrote:On July 14 2013 15:19 GreenGringo wrote:On July 14 2013 15:15 vndestiny wrote: That probably because you have yet to try all the heroes. On top of my head heroes with skill shots (I assume that means skills which require prediction of enemy movement in order for it to land) include these but not all : pudge, potm, clockwerk, meepo, kunka, AA, SF, leshrac, lina, windrunner, invoker, jakiro, disruptor, ... In addition to any hero which has a long cast time basically. Some exceptions, but there's definitely less overall emphasis on skill shots than in LoL. Veteran DotA2 players aren't denying this point.. We can agree there are less point target abilities, the question is, what makes them so significant that they worsen the game in their absence? Is point-and-click reflexes the "make or break" factor for being a good game? Nevertheless, I can easily imagine the comparatively low skill cap being a problem for DotA if it intends to become a big e-sport. Oh wow. Guess what game has even less 'skill shots' than dota but a fucking high skillcap and is/was the biggest e-sport the world has ever seen. Look to your left sidebar, it's below the dota2 section.
Pretty sure OP is trying to flame bait. His entire argument is based on a lack of skill shots in Dota and even then one mirana arrow is harder to land than any of the skillshots in LoL ~.~.
|
It's pretty ridiculous to suggest that Dota's skills have a lower "skill cap" - sheer number of ground-targetted "skill shots" is not a metric of "skill". Aside from there being no lack of extremely high-impact, conventional "skill shot" type skills in Dota (clock hook, Magnus RP, Enigma black hole, Puck dream coil, Void chronosphere...), many targettable skills can also be used much better by higher-skill players. Nyx impale is a target spell, but can you find the right angle and timing to catch 3 enemy heroes or will you blow it at the first opportunity? Ditto Sand King's burrowstrike, except that skill also allows breathtaking jukes and escapes. Sven Storm Bolt is the quintessential "point-and-click", but even that can be saved to maximize the AoE or timed to combo with a dark seer vacuum.
Add in unit collision and multi-hero/summon micro (Chen, Enchantress, Visage, Lone Druid, Meepo etc), and a huge complement of high skillcap active items (Blink, FORCE STAFF, Necronomicon...). Dota's mechanical skillcap is incredibly high, and just because not every other skill is a ground targeted one is no reason to think otherwise. As you play more you will realize this on your own I'm sure.
|
Meh, was expecting something more, but it is just a flame bait hehe
In general: The high mobility, the punishing disables, the precision demanded by the long cooldowns, the AI manipulation, the multiple unit control, the usable items, the animation canceling, the turn rates, the long ranges/cast points, disjointing projectiles, just to name a few
|
The skillshot argument always seemed so arbitrary to me. Like...what's so hard about a line of sight attack? Mirana, Pudge and Clockwerk all have "skillshots", but they're hardly the most skill intensive heroes.
I mean, hitting a Split Earth or LSA on a non-stunned target seems just as hard. Microing a Chen, Visage or Meepo seems much harder.
|
United States47024 Posts
Landing skillshots is by and large not a mechanical skill and a matter of mindgames with your opponent anyway (since essentially you're just playing games in each other's heads about which way he's going to dodge), which means it goes hand in hand with all the other mental tasks in a game. The only real exception to this might be the predictive skill of firing a blind skillshot at a target in the fog--in which case League isn't any better than DotA because the vast majority of skillshots in League do not exceed vision range to begin with, while the ones in DotA tend to do so.
Neither game is taxing on mechanical skill. But quite frankly this is simply not a requirement for a game to be successful or competitive.
|
I would like OP to explain what he thinks skill is if things such as knowledge and strategy don't count.
|
United States47024 Posts
Also, the hardest skillshot in DotA 1 was trying to click on Bounty Hunter's model.
|
I'll admit, I've been playing a lot of league as of late, and although just about everyone has a skillshot, a lot of them aren't that difficult to land. Compare this to windrunner's shackleshot, powershot, lina's stun, etc due to animation delays.
Also, almost all of dota's items are activatable and really important to use. In an average game it's not uncommon to have 3-4 activatable items which you need to use at the right time in the right situation. Force staff for example, is a crucial item that can make or break team fights depending on how you use it and there are so many different options available all the time.
Teamfights in dota also work differently. Unlike league where it's usually hit whatever you can, and however many you can, skills need to be used on certain targets and timed correctly. Shadow demon's disruption for example.
Those are just the mechanical differences. Dota takes a lot more experience generally, especially if you're a support player. Map movement is a big part of dota, and farming in the midgame is a skill, whereas farming in the midgame in LoL is easy.
There's also certain heroes which you can't play unless you have great micro. Meepo, chen, enchantress, lone druid for example aren't heroes you just pick up whenever.
|
On July 14 2013 16:02 TheYango wrote: Also, the hardest skillshot in DotA 1 was trying to click on Bounty Hunter's model.
Quote for Truth.
A huge number of heroes in dota 2 have skill shots, the difference is that theres a penalty for using them unlike there is in LoL, where you can use a nuke to last hit a creep and gain all your mana back.
Trying to compare LoL to DotA 2 (and saying lol is more skillful), in the dota forum is a great way to get your thread closed so be careful what you're trying to say.
|
I'm pretty sure landing a LSA or split earth on a moving target is just about as hard as landing a lux or morgana Q.
Considering you have braindead skill shots like lucent singularity, mystic shot, Acceleration gate-Shock blast, and etc, i don't see how this increases the cap that much.
One truly hard skillshot in league though in my opinion is Orianna's shockwave. Positioning the ball and then getting a 5 man shockwave is really hard in league with no long blink dagger. If i had to say what was a hard champ in league, it'd be orianna and lee sin but that's pretty much it....
If you desire someone hard to play in dota, someone like pudge, mirana, invoker, chen, meepo, visage, tinker, and more are very hard heroes to play correctly
|
Baltimore, USA22251 Posts
Closing this, pretty terrible thread.
|
Katowice25012 Posts
WHERE? WHERE IS IT? HOW DID IT GET BURNED?
|
|
|
|