Dota 2: How to eradicate your free time

Dota 2 - a lot has been said about this game, how it is insanely difficult to learn and that if you're a noob then the community will cut you down where you stand, leaving you a quivering mess in the corner of the room. This is partially true, but I don't think it's to the extent that we're lead to believe. Let's take a little look at this seemingly intimidating behemoth.

I've put in over 500 hours with Dota 2... that's right, you're not seeing things. To the uninitiated this is an insane amount of time to put into any game, but for a Dota 2 player, I'm just getting started. More dedicated players and Pros put in thousands of hours, you have to, if you want to be the best. The learning curve is quite steep and there is much to do and think about when playing, which takes time to sink in and understand.

The game plays like this: there are two teams, the Radiant and the Dire, each with 5 players. The teams must move along the three lanes which lead to the opposing team's base, which they must ultimately destroy. In between the bases and along the lanes there are towers which will fire upon enemies within range. Moving along the lanes are regular-spawning waves of AI controlled creeps which will relentlessly move along the same path, attacking any enemies/towers that stand in their way.

Here you can see the 3 lanes, along with the towers (squares).

It is the players' job to assist the creeps in pushing the lanes to destroy the enemy creeps, towers, heroes and eventually the base in order to claim victory. Sounds simple... well, it is and it isn't -  the opposing team's heroes will be there every step of the way to stop you from reaching your goal, resulting in fast-paced and tense battles.

The game currently has 101 heroes to choose from, as I write this now. 101 incredibly diverse and unique heroes, all with their own abilities and aesthetic appeal , that's an immense amount of choice you're given from the outset. But wait, it gets even more complicated - you also have a whole range of items to purchase and upgrade in-game which mixes up the numerous ways to play even more so.

Axe is kind of a big deal... and he likes to speak of himself in the third person, naturally.

Each player starts off the match the same way, they pick a hero, purchase their starting items from their in-base shop and set off down their chosen lane to begin pushing the enemy's towers. Killing creeps gains you experience which your character will level up with over time (max level 25), and if you get the killing blow on a creep it yields gold for you too.

Over my time playing Dota 2 I've gone through a few phases, high and low:

• Phase 1: Total Noob - I had zero idea what was happening every step of the way during my first few matches. Constant deaths and running about like a headless chicken didn't do me any favours when it came to winning over my team mates and it didn't do me any good to actually enjoy the game and want to continue playing. All players will go through this, it doesn't matter who you are, everyone is a noob at something when they first get into it. Learning from your mistakes and even checking out guides online will help you become a more competent player. Unfortunately, as previously mentioned, the Dota 2 community can be something of a repellent to new players in the way that a lot of people will fire constant abuse at you if you make a mistake. All I can say is to power through it, try to ingore them and even play with friends in a group if you can as they're likely to be more forgiving of your shortcomings, I'd hope. 

Drow Ranger is often referred to as a 'noob hero', which I guess she is, as she's simple to learn and play. But don't underestimate her - a good player can mess up the opposing team with her frost arrows and silence abilities.

 

• Phase 2: Oh, that's how you do it! - It finally clicked, I had read a few guides and watched some videos on the basics of the game which gave me a great base understanding of the mechanics of laning, pushing and fighting enemy heroes. Along with the basics, I also found some good starting heroes to try out as some of them can be much more complicated to play than others. With this new found knowledge I was ready to hit the online matches with much more confidence, which also meant that I was less likely to majorly mess up and suffer any torrents of abuse. Don't get me wrong, there is always that guy who just fires random abuse at you for the most forgivable of mistakes, but at least I wasn't continuously messing up with every click of my mouse now.

• Phase 3: WINNING!! - Not like Charlie Sheen, but in a much nicer and sane manner. I began to gravitate towards certain heroes I had played well with, which made me all the more confident in the random pub matches, in-turn helping me to play better and win. There is a great sense of reward that comes with your first win in Dota 2, especially if you had to get through some of the less positive aspects of the game to get there. As matches typically last for around 45 mins, a win after that much time spent with your brain constantly analysing and strategising is nothing short of encouragement to jump into your next match right away.

•  Phase 4: Stepping it up - This is where I'm at now, I've got the hours and the wins under my belt, along with the confidence to know what to do and when. I have been working on more advanced techniques such as 'animation-cancelling' and 'denying'. These are more advanced tactics that you definitely shouldn't worry about until you're at the stage I was in Phase 3. If performed correctly, such advance tactics can be game-changers and can almost certainly ensure a win for your team, if everyone is on the same page.

A friend (Warlock, right) and I (Slark, left) waiting for the match to begin. There are so many heroes that you'll be spoilt for choice in the beginning, but you'll soon find your play style and favourite heroes.

So, what have I learnt by playing Dota 2? I've learnt that you must be willing to put the time in, not in a work or even practice sense, but take time to learn the basics and you will undoubtedly enjoy the game and stick with it. Also, it's immensely rewarding once the basics sink in and you start to find your favoured style of play along with your heroes. I've learnt that people can be horrible, nasty, and downright cruel to people that they have never met, all behind the shield of a computer screen - but saying that, I've also come to appreciate that with those sorts come the rare gems of truly kind and inviting people that are more than willing to help you learn the ropes, and are forgiving of your rise through the ranks of your noob-hours. In short, Dota 2 is a wonderfully rewarding, addictive, and brilliant game, and you must play it NOW... and forever.

You can currently only play Dota 2 via an invite through Steam, of which I only have a few, but before long it should see it's full release, I hope... You can pay for early access here, and join the millions of players being verbally abused today.