Why the Hell do I suck at DotA??!!

[purpleflamingo]

So, considering that DotA is likely the best team competitive game there is that's not a shooter, I recently downloaded the AI map from the web and jumped right in. after getting massacred in my first game, I looked on the play-dota forums and got some guides as to, firstly, the basics of the game and secondly, some of the characters I'd like to try out.

I lose every time.
Haven't won a match.

I've tried different characters, comprehensive video guides on each character I've played so far, read up on all the shop items and recipes. everything. and I still haven't won a game against easy AIs. What is going on?

I'm a good gamer. great at strategies, good at rpgs. why am I so terrible at DotA?

I don't want to go online just yet, because I don't want to ruin people's games. I hear people rage at anyone who lets the team down.

any advice from escapists who have come into the game of DotA late?

 

[jumjalalabash]

Do you micro well?
Do you use hotkeys?
Do you look at the minimap?
Do you understand basics creep and tower targeting?
Do know how to gank and judge how well fights go before you attack?
Are you using up to date guides?

Honestly, start out practicing with only STR heroes like Beastmaster and Dragonknight. Get a feel for movement, targeting ranges, and learning when to run or fight. But really the best way to learn Dota is play against people and let them rage to themselves. You will learn much better getting advice on the fly and following experienced players around helping them. And that is the only way you will know all the little tricks that can be done with the map.



Off-topic: How do I type Ws with an upside down A attached to it for captcha.

 

[Tharwen]

It's like Starcraft, in that it's hopelessly unforgiving to new players and the only way to get good at it is to practice more... with players who will scream at you for making the slightest mistake.

I find it's best as a LAN game among friends who aren't that good. That way it's more fair and you still get to learn how to play better.

However, I don't really like it because of the way it punishes you for actually trying to fight the other players. Your respawn timer keeps on climbing, so you have to try to run away instead of killing anything, and the whole game feels like an unsatisfying stalemate.

 

[jumjalalabash]

It's like Starcraft, in that it's hopelessly unforgiving to new players and the only way to get good at it is to practice more... with players who will scream at you for making the slightest mistake.

I find it's best as a LAN game among friends who aren't that good. That way it's more fair and you still get to learn how to play better.

However, I don't really like it because of the way it punishes you for actually trying to fight the other players. Your respawn timer keeps on climbing, so you have to try to run away instead of killing anything, and the whole game feels like an unsatisfying stalemate.

Technically it punishes you for being reckless and foolish. I can't say I've ever found a game to be an unsatisfying stalemate, more a game where a 5 second mistake makes you lose a 40 minute game for rushing 4 enemy heroes without talking to your team.