Every time I played a moba, it reminded me what a great bunch of communities we have in the mmorpg genre. The one exception so far was smite; whether it's because the games fans are friendlier or because I was a lil better at it because of its mmorpg mechanics is up for debate tho
RIP Ribbitribbitt you are missed, kid.
Currently Playing EVE, ESO
Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and not clothed.
I used to play DOTA AI map when i don't want to online or tired to play with other player who not my friends .
I did play LOL AI mode , but it not as good as the DOTA AI (not dota 2 , warcraft 3 dota map). You have to wait for 4 other player to join and it so random .
I have free time but always have something to do in middle of gaming that's why normal MOBA is hard for me.
Unlike MMORPG where i can freely group , AFK , or quit in middle if i want to , in MOBA if someone in your team quit in middle or AFK , it will be bad.
Also i prefer DOTA over DOTA 2 and LOL , you know why ? I can play RPG and TowerDefense or RTS custom maps with warcraft 3
while i can only play MOBA at LOL.
Why they don't make those game with map create RTS ?
I believe too many get caught up in the drive to see a higher number,i see it in Hearthstone with rank,i see it in rpg's with levels.
The reason to play is SUPPOSE to be FUN but i very seldom see it.Chasing after a higher rank in the so called Esport is imo a shallow reason to play a game but i know that is the driving force behind these games.Take away the ladders,the ranks the bragging rights and all of a sudden the game is not so interesting.
That is why we have seen it over the years with esport games ,you seldom hear about the game itself only that is has ranks and is an esport.You never hear players talking about the actual game mechanics or what it does well because imo it dose nothing well.The funny thing is that MOBA's are really going back to 15 years ago,there were many console games that played like MOBA's as well as the well known Command N Conquer.
Really crappy maps,lousy graphics,low control over the game,somewhat spammy not a very good design at all.It is not my idea odf casual fun,that is why i like mmorpg's,they are casual,imo relaxing and offer way more game play decisions than a simple MOBA.I think the other intrigue beside the esport is the ability to choose different heroes,so it makes that boring game a little more fathomable when you can switch it up.
Never forget 3 mile Island and never trust a government official or company spokesman.
OP, how much SMITE did you play? If you're looking for casual, steer clear of Conquest. Arena and Assault are for us casuals. You'd have to go full retard in order to get yelled at in Arena or Assault. You get the occasional 'pro' there, but for the most part, it's a good crowd.
"I didn’t like the steep learning curve that sets apart casual from hardcore players, and feeling as though to really become competitive at the game, I’d have to spend hundreds of hours making micro-adjustments to strategies and understanding different builds."
Is there a sport that this can't be said of?
Not a tremendous amount, and that was during beta. I'm not even sure if all of those modes existed at that point. I might dip in and try it again!
And yeah, if you're looking at it like a sport, that works.
Then definitely try out Arena and Assault. Much more friendly environments. Actually, I'm very curious what the breakdown is of LoL players that co-op and PVE vs the LoL players that PvP. I'm interested in how much MOBA gaming is actually PvP.
There isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to play, if you want to use a screwdriver to put nails into wood, have at it, simply don't complain when the guy next to you with the hammer is doing it much better and easier. - Allein "Graphics are often supplied by Engines that (some) MMORPG's are built in" - Spuffyre
I have been playing moba's for years now. From LoL at it's early stages and Smite through beta and even to now. I've also played Dota 2, Heroes of whatever the hell, and Dawngate (rip).
I'm a typically average player, I play a lot, but I am not pro quality in the slightest. With moba's you either have it or you don't. Practice helps a little, but if you are just not good at this certain type of game you will never get to top tier levels. You can get carried by your friends in ranked matches, but you as a whole will still suck.
Personally I have only made it to Gold level in both LoL and Smite. But since I don't like the utlra competitive shit talking/shaming that goes along with ranked matches I don't play them often enough to hold my rankings and constantly drop back down to bronze after a season reset.
For someone like the OP who likes the games but not the scene I'd have to advise not playing the regular maps. Like Conquest in Smite, these maps are designed for tryhards and ranked folk. And by tryhard I meant casual queue, because we all know that nobody is allowed to actually queue for unranked matches and not try as hard as you possibly can to show off your amazing 360 no scope headshot dorito basket.
Play makes like Arena, also a Smite map, or Siege. Siege being a baby version of Conquest. All of the above are fun alternatives and people there are usually more relaxed. Of course you will still run into the people in all game modes that will scream at you if you die EVER!! and call you a noob or any other horrible terms people call each other.
GOOD LUCK STORMING THE CASTLE! you fucking tryhard nub scrubs!
Edit:
Oh, and I almost forgot the most important thing of all.
KAPPA!
Playing: Smite, Marvel Heroes Played: Nexus:Kingdom of the Winds, Everquest, DAoC, Everquest 2, WoW, Matrix Online, Vangaurd, SWG, DDO, EVE, Fallen Earth, LoTRo, CoX, Champions Online, WAR, Darkfall, Mortal Online, Guild Wars, Rift, Tera, Aion, AoC, Gods and Heroes, DCUO, FF14, TSW, SWTOR, GW2, Wildstar, ESO, ArcheAge Waiting On: Nothing. Mmorpg's are dead.
EVE-Online is frequently criticised for its steep learning curve and it is often cited as the reason why EVE has never attracted large numbers of players.
But here I keep reading about the "steep learning curve" in MOBA's, yet LoL has 50 million players ?
Does that mean that most players in MOBA's are hopeless but somehow simply refuse to admit it because "all their friends are playing it" ?
People seem to be missing the key point here, playing a MOBA is not supposed to be fun, FUN is the utmost last thing that you're supposed to be experiencing, it's the accidental consequence, not something you strive for.
What u strive for is to WIN, the only thing important is to WIN, it's WIN or else. Or to explain better u need to give your 150% to win any time, every time, all the time, or there is no point playing.
That is the mentality of the people you play with and against, it always was, it is now, and it always will be, and no matter what u did, do now, or will do in the future will change it in the slightest, you either adapt and deal with it, or you're not ready to play competitively.
And mind u every level and every type of a match is competitive in nature, no matter what label it has, or how people try explain it, all game mode and game types are competitive.
In the words of Charlie Sheen : MOBA is "Winning !"
MOBA's or what I like to call them as ARTS' (exception being HotS which is truly an online battle arena) require a person to play daily just to keep up with their mechanics of last hitting, the different hero abilities as well as constantly learning and playing lane match ups and lane compositions. As well as much more
Next it's also required to realize that you are only a part of a team and your KDA means almost nothing, unless you are carry which if your working as a team should be getting 70% of the kills or more so they can gear up to make it easier to dominate team fights.
Next is that the carry while being important is not the end all be all most important hero on your team. It may be the hero that is the most important to be kept alive in a team fight at almost all cost but it requires a good team with the appropriate supports to allow the carry to do its job. ( mostly referencing dota)
For LoL it's requires you to play 6 months or longer to get an acceptable level of champion pool to play competitively or spending a bunch of money to buy them. Its also in my opinion the most toxic of the moba communities because Riot them selves glorifies the carries and the top laners that dominate their lanes. They don't actually emphasize how important wards and map control is which may have been created/done by a teammate that made it possible for the carry/top laner to make these amazing plays.
MOBA's also have the issue of not supporting the dominant culture for many countries. Many have some sort of macho(machismo for Spain) attitude that they are the best and getting kills strokes that.
Here in the US you have this idolization with being the best and the star of a team and the carry role with a padding of a players KDA stokes this culture.
So unless you can play with 4 friends that can deal with losing and not always having their ego stroked and work completely as a team no you won't really have fun. And if that is beyond what you would consider being a casual player if then no you can't enjoy the game until your no longer a casual.
Heck you might not enjoy it when your not a casual as well because each match can be extremely stressful.
The problem is that without a really good automatic ranking system, you end up playing against way better players rather fast.
Started playing Smite late December with some friends. Had a blast, even in Conquest. Everyone chose what he wanted including the "randoms" on both teams, and if we ended up with 5 ADC on both sides, nobody cared.
However, after some time the people who would immediately rage the moment you picked *anything* because it wasn't what they thought would be best (even if you can go 1vs3 with your pick, but would lose *any* fight with what he intended for you) increased. We basically stopped playing Conquest now.
Though the fact that you can't start it with 4 or 5 people in a team also is a problem. If we could start with us 5 friends, nobody would rage, and we would still win a game here and there. With 2 randoms, and both raging and basically afking if you don't follow their orders - and thats what it is, orders - ..well, even if we would manage to win, which is unlikely, it wouldn't be fun.
I chose Smite because i played that recently, but every other MOBA i tried was the same. Similar with PvP modes in MMOS. Fun and casual at start, but once you get the hang of it you get teamed up with people who think they are totally pro.
Not sure why such people play causal instead of league modes in MOBAs if they are that pro (which they aren't, might explain why they stay away from league games), but they do, and so the people who actually want to play casual can't.
I'll wait to the day's end when the moon is high And then I'll rise with the tide with a lust for life, I'll Amass an army, and we'll harness a horde And then we'll limp across the land until we stand at the shore
This is how I approach ESPORT games if all I want is to have some quick fun:
1) Go in to do enjoy the characters and gameplay ie. have fun... win or lose.
2) Do not play ranked, only play beginner PUGs.
3) When you level too high for beginner things and get to the point where everyone's an elitist, make a new account...
I don't care for these games enough to put in serious effort into them. I'm pretty confident I could if I wanted to, but the whole elitism raging is way less fun than perfecting my playstyle in these games. I play them for about a week, get bored, then go back to them some months later. They're fun for the quick play, short matches, brawls with casual players. If I were to play this game with my Bro, I would not have any fun at all. He's an esport king. I'm an immersion guy. I play games to be drawn into the world, not to win a trophy.
People seem to be missing the key point here, playing a MOBA is not supposed to be fun, FUN is the utmost last thing that you're supposed to be experiencing, it's the accidental consequence, not something you strive for.
What u strive for is to WIN, the only thing important is to WIN, it's WIN or else. Or to explain better u need to give your 150% to win any time, every time, all the time, or there is no point playing.
That is the mentality of the people you play with and against, it always was, it is now, and it always will be, and no matter what u did, do now, or will do in the future will change it in the slightest, you either adapt and deal with it, or you're not ready to play competitively.
And mind u every level and every type of a match is competitive in nature, no matter what label it has, or how people try explain it, all game mode and game types are competitive.
In the words of Charlie Sheen : MOBA is "Winning !"
Originally posted by tiglie The inherent problem with MOBA dota style games is you are 100% reliant upon 4 other people for a positive outcome.
This. The same could be said for MMO dungeons or PvP, but at least in those cases, I can fall back on other content if I don't have a good pug experience.
I feel like it should also be mentioned that (so far) every major MOBA has co-op vs. ai modes for players trying to learn the game. Some games do this better than others, with LoL / DotA 2 probably doing it the best. These modes can be boring for players who know what they're doing, but for newer players / very casual players it's fine.
While MOBAs are very different from MMOs, they are also a much more layered experience by comparison. Much of the enjoyment comes from understanding which layer works best for you, and using that as your starting point. (i.e. newer players should avoid ranked play until they feel confident in their knowledge of the game, while experienced players tend to stay away from co-op because it's too easy for them).
This is how I approach ESPORT games if all I want is to have some quick fun:
1) Go in to do enjoy the characters and gameplay ie. have fun... win or lose.
2) Do not play ranked, only play beginner PUGs.
3) When you level too high for beginner things and get to the point where everyone's an elitist, make a new account...
I don't care for these games enough to put in serious effort into them. I'm pretty confident I could if I wanted to, but the whole elitism raging is way less fun than perfecting my playstyle in these games. I play them for about a week, get bored, then go back to them some months later. They're fun for the quick play, short matches, brawls with casual players. If I were to play this game with my Bro, I would not have any fun at all. He's an esport king. I'm an immersion guy. I play games to be drawn into the world, not to win a trophy.
That's definitely a way to do it.
But don't kid yourself, you're actively avoiding perfecting your playstyle. Every game's matchmaking are designed to try and give you the fairest games possible at any given time. What you're essentially doing is gaming that system, to make sure you're constantly playing below your active skill level. Aka smurfing.
This is something a lot of top-tier players do to play with lower tier friends. It's something I do when playing w/ some of my friends newer to the genre. It can be fun in short bursts, but it's definitely not fair to the people you are playing with. You usually just end up ruining games by stomping on those on the enemy team. It's certainly better than having your friends get destroyed by experienced players, but it also hinders their experience as well.
Yes.... I can but keep in mind these three things.
1. You need to lose at LEAST 100 games, before you'll even understand what is happening around you.
2. Mobas are the most hateful, horrible, and gloriously infuriating games you will ever play. Any game where the success of your team is measured not by how good your best player is, but how bad your worst player is creates a social experince that is entirely capable of ruining life long friendships.... AND DO NOT EVER..... EVER.... try to get your G/F or B/F to play with you... You will seriously end up breaking up... or she'll end up sleeping with your best friend and/or brother.
3. If your willing to put up with both 1 and 2. Also realize your going to have ALOT less sex. unless your coming from WoW and you play alliance... then your stepping up.
This is how I approach ESPORT games if all I want is to have some quick fun:
1) Go in to do enjoy the characters and gameplay ie. have fun... win or lose.
2) Do not play ranked, only play beginner PUGs.
3) When you level too high for beginner things and get to the point where everyone's an elitist, make a new account...
I don't care for these games enough to put in serious effort into them. I'm pretty confident I could if I wanted to, but the whole elitism raging is way less fun than perfecting my playstyle in these games. I play them for about a week, get bored, then go back to them some months later. They're fun for the quick play, short matches, brawls with casual players. If I were to play this game with my Bro, I would not have any fun at all. He's an esport king. I'm an immersion guy. I play games to be drawn into the world, not to win a trophy.
That's definitely a way to do it.
But don't kid yourself, you're actively avoiding perfecting your playstyle. Every game's matchmaking are designed to try and give you the fairest games possible at any given time. What you're essentially doing is gaming that system, to make sure you're constantly playing below your active skill level. Aka smurfing.
This is something a lot of top-tier players do to play with lower tier friends. It's something I do when playing w/ some of my friends newer to the genre. It can be fun in short bursts, but it's definitely not fair to the people you are playing with. You usually just end up ruining games by stomping on those on the enemy team. It's certainly better than having your friends get destroyed by experienced players, but it also hinders their experience as well.
I've heard of smurfing, yes. I'd even go as far as saying the elitism I don't want to experience made that term up in the first place. Same with PUG. I actually like random groups.
Really I only have 2 LoL accounts, 1 smite account I haven't played since beta (fun game though), and 1 DOTA2. I am pretty good with the few heroes I have (except when I play again I have to relearn most strategies), but I haven't really played them enough to be considered a real "smurf". By the time I relearn the strategies and consistently do well on a personal level, I'm bored and stop playing again . Just want to get in game, have a good time, experiment with lesser played characters (this is the big deal for me really). If I wanted to really ruin people's day, I'd try to pick the "best" heroes against playing new players, learn them inside and out. I also don't play ranked, which is really the esport part of the game. And the part that ends up turning me off in particular. I know my bro mutes everyone lol. He's usually near top performer, so it's not like he's bad just doesn't want to deal with the RAGE.
The only way to have casual fun in moba's is to play the offshoot games. Don't play the 3 or 2 lane push matches. Play the fast paced games like Aram, Crystal Scar, Smite's arena. I have found there are a lot less trolls and smurfs in these matches. Its a lot more laid back and fun.
Originally posted by filmoret The only way to have casual fun in moba's is to play the offshoot games. Don't play the 3 or 2 lane push matches. Play the fast paced games like Aram, Crystal Scar, Smite's arena. I have found there are a lot less trolls and smurfs in these matches. Its a lot more laid back and fun.
100% this. A lot more fun to play and a far less toxic crowd.
There isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to play, if you want to use a screwdriver to put nails into wood, have at it, simply don't complain when the guy next to you with the hammer is doing it much better and easier. - Allein "Graphics are often supplied by Engines that (some) MMORPG's are built in" - Spuffyre
I stay away from MOBA's for the same reason I stay away from games based on high end PVE Raid Instances - the high probability of playing alongside people who are obnoxious and obsessive. I enjoy competition, but ultimately play games to relax. MOBA and end game raids feel too much like an extension of work, with the added bonus of being yelled at by twelve year olds.
People seem to be missing the key point here, playing a MOBA is not supposed to be fun, FUN is the utmost last thing that you're supposed to be experiencing, it's the accidental consequence, not something you strive for.
What u strive for is to WIN, the only thing important is to WIN, it's WIN or else. Or to explain better u need to give your 150% to win any time, every time, all the time, or there is no point playing.
That is the mentality of the people you play with and against, it always was, it is now, and it always will be, and no matter what u did, do now, or will do in the future will change it in the slightest, you either adapt and deal with it, or you're not ready to play competitively.
And mind u every level and every type of a match is competitive in nature, no matter what label it has, or how people try explain it, all game mode and game types are competitive.
In the words of Charlie Sheen : MOBA is "Winning !"
boy are you one lost soul.....
12000 hours of playing mobas and counting, I've played mobas for more hours than I've been in school (preschool, elementary, highschool + university 5 years
I've seen and experienced so many people in dota and lol games, more people that 90% of the planet will ever meet in their lives xD, so trust me when i explain to you the psychology and mentality behind what u will encounter in mobas, I'm probably right, just by averaging the insane statistical number of experiences I've had in mobas
My instincts after 10000 hours + of feeders, flamers, trolls, elitist, apologists, sociopaths, psychopaths, noobs, newbies, "pros" are nothing short of superbly honed.
Freud and Jung would have had a field day with esports in general, they would have literally died out of hunger and thirst like a kid in a candy store the size of a city if they were alive today
In general approaching high-end raiding and esports without extensively preparing yourself mentally and physically, you're just setting yourself for disappointment.
if life is about the journey and not the end, mobas are the polar opposite it's all any means to an end(with more preparation before hand than training to be a fighter pilot), and achieving victory at any and all costs within the confines of the system.
A good analogy is the Conan quote : What is the best in life ?
Conan: To crush your enemies, to see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentations of their women.
People seem to be missing the key point here, playing a MOBA is not supposed to be fun, FUN is the utmost last thing that you're supposed to be experiencing, it's the accidental consequence, not something you strive for.
What u strive for is to WIN, the only thing important is to WIN, it's WIN or else. Or to explain better u need to give your 150% to win any time, every time, all the time, or there is no point playing.
That is the mentality of the people you play with and against, it always was, it is now, and it always will be, and no matter what u did, do now, or will do in the future will change it in the slightest, you either adapt and deal with it, or you're not ready to play competitively.
And mind u every level and every type of a match is competitive in nature, no matter what label it has, or how people try explain it, all game mode and game types are competitive.
In the words of Charlie Sheen : MOBA is "Winning !"
boy are you one lost soul.....
12000 hours of playing mobas and counting, I've played mobas for more hours than I've been in school (preschool, elementary, highschool + university 5 years
I've seen and experienced so many people in dota and lol games, more people that 90% of the planet will ever meet in their lives xD, so trust me when i explain to you the psychology and mentality behind what u will encounter in mobas, I'm probably right, just by averaging the insane statistical number of experiences I've had in mobas
My instincts after 10000 hours + of feeders, flamers, trolls, elitist, apologists, sociopaths, psychopaths, noobs, newbies, "pros" are nothing short of superbly honed.
Freud and Jung would have had a field day with esports in general, they would have literally died out of hunger and thirst like a kid in a candy store the size of a city if they were alive today
Part of the problem is that MOBAs breed this kind of behavior. Yes, it's the dev's fault, too. For example, in SMITE, at the end of a match, is there any reason to allow players to spam mocking laughter? And other than the pre-game dance, is jump used as anything other than a way to antagonize the other team during battle? In 1v1 league, when a player is obviously outmatched, is there any reason not to farm the crap out of him to run up kill count (other than sportsmanship, respect, and consideration)?
MOBA developers want to be taken seriously as eSports contenders, but they encourage gamesmanship over sportsmanship. The devs actively try to combat the toxicity that players bring there, but seem to completely overlook the toxicity they themselves breed once players get there.
There isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to play, if you want to use a screwdriver to put nails into wood, have at it, simply don't complain when the guy next to you with the hammer is doing it much better and easier. - Allein "Graphics are often supplied by Engines that (some) MMORPG's are built in" - Spuffyre
EVE-Online is frequently criticised for its steep learning curve and it is often cited as the reason why EVE has never attracted large numbers of players.
But here I keep reading about the "steep learning curve" in MOBA's, yet LoL has 50 million players ?
Does that mean that most players in MOBA's are hopeless but somehow simply refuse to admit it because "all their friends are playing it" ?
To play LoL you don't have to have any understanding of what's going on. You can pick a hero, buy some items and run around the map hitting things and hope for the best. That's probably not going to win you many matches but I imagine it's not too far off the mark of what a sizeable portion of the 50 million players do.
There are certain queer times and occasions in this strange mixed affair we call life when a man takes this whole universe for a vast practical joke, though the wit thereof he but dimly discerns, and more than suspects that the joke is at nobody's expense but his own. -- Herman Melville
Most of the really good games take some effort getting into, that's a lesson long time MMORPG players probably know better than the rest. Personally I prefer Dota 2, it definitely takes some effort to get into but with millions of players and matchmaking you'll be playing against others on a similar level.
The advice I would give to anyone looking to get into MOBAs; stay away from Heroes of The Storm. HoTS is definitely the easiest to get into but "it's a trap", very shallow gameplay, you'll be much happier long term in any of the other MOBAs.
Comments
RIP Ribbitribbitt you are missed, kid.
Currently Playing EVE, ESO
Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and not clothed.
Dwight D Eisenhower
My optimism wears heavy boots and is loud.
Henry Rollins
I used to play DOTA AI map when i don't want to online or tired to play with other player who not my friends .
I did play LOL AI mode , but it not as good as the DOTA AI (not dota 2 , warcraft 3 dota map). You have to wait for 4 other player to join and it so random .
I have free time but always have something to do in middle of gaming that's why normal MOBA is hard for me.
Unlike MMORPG where i can freely group , AFK , or quit in middle if i want to , in MOBA if someone in your team quit in middle or AFK , it will be bad.
Also i prefer DOTA over DOTA 2 and LOL , you know why ? I can play RPG and TowerDefense or RTS custom maps with warcraft 3
while i can only play MOBA at LOL.
Why they don't make those game with map create RTS ?
I believe too many get caught up in the drive to see a higher number,i see it in Hearthstone with rank,i see it in rpg's with levels.
The reason to play is SUPPOSE to be FUN but i very seldom see it.Chasing after a higher rank in the so called Esport is imo a shallow reason to play a game but i know that is the driving force behind these games.Take away the ladders,the ranks the bragging rights and all of a sudden the game is not so interesting.
That is why we have seen it over the years with esport games ,you seldom hear about the game itself only that is has ranks and is an esport.You never hear players talking about the actual game mechanics or what it does well because imo it dose nothing well.The funny thing is that MOBA's are really going back to 15 years ago,there were many console games that played like MOBA's as well as the well known Command N Conquer.
Really crappy maps,lousy graphics,low control over the game,somewhat spammy not a very good design at all.It is not my idea odf casual fun,that is why i like mmorpg's,they are casual,imo relaxing and offer way more game play decisions than a simple MOBA.I think the other intrigue beside the esport is the ability to choose different heroes,so it makes that boring game a little more fathomable when you can switch it up.
Never forget 3 mile Island and never trust a government official or company spokesman.
Then definitely try out Arena and Assault. Much more friendly environments. Actually, I'm very curious what the breakdown is of LoL players that co-op and PVE vs the LoL players that PvP. I'm interested in how much MOBA gaming is actually PvP.
There isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to play, if you want to use a screwdriver to put nails into wood, have at it, simply don't complain when the guy next to you with the hammer is doing it much better and easier. - Allein
"Graphics are often supplied by Engines that (some) MMORPG's are built in" - Spuffyre
I have been playing moba's for years now. From LoL at it's early stages and Smite through beta and even to now. I've also played Dota 2, Heroes of whatever the hell, and Dawngate (rip).
I'm a typically average player, I play a lot, but I am not pro quality in the slightest. With moba's you either have it or you don't. Practice helps a little, but if you are just not good at this certain type of game you will never get to top tier levels. You can get carried by your friends in ranked matches, but you as a whole will still suck.
Personally I have only made it to Gold level in both LoL and Smite. But since I don't like the utlra competitive shit talking/shaming that goes along with ranked matches I don't play them often enough to hold my rankings and constantly drop back down to bronze after a season reset.
For someone like the OP who likes the games but not the scene I'd have to advise not playing the regular maps. Like Conquest in Smite, these maps are designed for tryhards and ranked folk. And by tryhard I meant casual queue, because we all know that nobody is allowed to actually queue for unranked matches and not try as hard as you possibly can to show off your amazing 360 no scope headshot dorito basket.
Play makes like Arena, also a Smite map, or Siege. Siege being a baby version of Conquest. All of the above are fun alternatives and people there are usually more relaxed. Of course you will still run into the people in all game modes that will scream at you if you die EVER!! and call you a noob or any other horrible terms people call each other.
GOOD LUCK STORMING THE CASTLE! you fucking tryhard nub scrubs!
Playing: Smite, Marvel Heroes
Played: Nexus:Kingdom of the Winds, Everquest, DAoC, Everquest 2, WoW, Matrix Online, Vangaurd, SWG, DDO, EVE, Fallen Earth, LoTRo, CoX, Champions Online, WAR, Darkfall, Mortal Online, Guild Wars, Rift, Tera, Aion, AoC, Gods and Heroes, DCUO, FF14, TSW, SWTOR, GW2, Wildstar, ESO, ArcheAge
Waiting On: Nothing. Mmorpg's are dead.
EVE-Online is frequently criticised for its steep learning curve and it is often cited as the reason why EVE has never attracted large numbers of players.
But here I keep reading about the "steep learning curve" in MOBA's, yet LoL has 50 million players ?
Does that mean that most players in MOBA's are hopeless but somehow simply refuse to admit it because "all their friends are playing it" ?
That.
Also.. Playing with high-elo/experience friends means your enemies will be equally as tough.
Its exactly like trying to learn how to play basketball by joining an NBA team..
You said it yourself, its an e-sport.
People seem to be missing the key point here, playing a MOBA is not supposed to be fun, FUN is the utmost last thing that you're supposed to be experiencing, it's the accidental consequence, not something you strive for.
What u strive for is to WIN, the only thing important is to WIN, it's WIN or else. Or to explain better u need to give your 150% to win any time, every time, all the time, or there is no point playing.
That is the mentality of the people you play with and against, it always was, it is now, and it always will be, and no matter what u did, do now, or will do in the future will change it in the slightest, you either adapt and deal with it, or you're not ready to play competitively.
And mind u every level and every type of a match is competitive in nature, no matter what label it has, or how people try explain it, all game mode and game types are competitive.
In the words of Charlie Sheen : MOBA is "Winning !"
MOBA's or what I like to call them as ARTS' (exception being HotS which is truly an online battle arena) require a person to play daily just to keep up with their mechanics of last hitting, the different hero abilities as well as constantly learning and playing lane match ups and lane compositions. As well as much more
Next it's also required to realize that you are only a part of a team and your KDA means almost nothing, unless you are carry which if your working as a team should be getting 70% of the kills or more so they can gear up to make it easier to dominate team fights.
Next is that the carry while being important is not the end all be all most important hero on your team. It may be the hero that is the most important to be kept alive in a team fight at almost all cost but it requires a good team with the appropriate supports to allow the carry to do its job. ( mostly referencing dota)
For LoL it's requires you to play 6 months or longer to get an acceptable level of champion pool to play competitively or spending a bunch of money to buy them. Its also in my opinion the most toxic of the moba communities because Riot them selves glorifies the carries and the top laners that dominate their lanes. They don't actually emphasize how important wards and map control is which may have been created/done by a teammate that made it possible for the carry/top laner to make these amazing plays.
MOBA's also have the issue of not supporting the dominant culture for many countries. Many have some sort of macho(machismo for Spain) attitude that they are the best and getting kills strokes that.
Here in the US you have this idolization with being the best and the star of a team and the carry role with a padding of a players KDA stokes this culture.
So unless you can play with 4 friends that can deal with losing and not always having their ego stroked and work completely as a team no you won't really have fun. And if that is beyond what you would consider being a casual player if then no you can't enjoy the game until your no longer a casual.
Heck you might not enjoy it when your not a casual as well because each match can be extremely stressful.
The problem is that without a really good automatic ranking system, you end up playing against way better players rather fast.
Started playing Smite late December with some friends. Had a blast, even in Conquest. Everyone chose what he wanted including the "randoms" on both teams, and if we ended up with 5 ADC on both sides, nobody cared.
However, after some time the people who would immediately rage the moment you picked *anything* because it wasn't what they thought would be best (even if you can go 1vs3 with your pick, but would lose *any* fight with what he intended for you) increased. We basically stopped playing Conquest now.
Though the fact that you can't start it with 4 or 5 people in a team also is a problem. If we could start with us 5 friends, nobody would rage, and we would still win a game here and there. With 2 randoms, and both raging and basically afking if you don't follow their orders - and thats what it is, orders - ..well, even if we would manage to win, which is unlikely, it wouldn't be fun.
I chose Smite because i played that recently, but every other MOBA i tried was the same. Similar with PvP modes in MMOS. Fun and casual at start, but once you get the hang of it you get teamed up with people who think they are totally pro.
Not sure why such people play causal instead of league modes in MOBAs if they are that pro (which they aren't, might explain why they stay away from league games), but they do, and so the people who actually want to play casual can't.
I'll wait to the day's end when the moon is high
And then I'll rise with the tide with a lust for life, I'll
Amass an army, and we'll harness a horde
And then we'll limp across the land until we stand at the shore
This is how I approach ESPORT games if all I want is to have some quick fun:
1) Go in to do enjoy the characters and gameplay ie. have fun... win or lose.
2) Do not play ranked, only play beginner PUGs.
3) When you level too high for beginner things and get to the point where everyone's an elitist, make a new account...
I don't care for these games enough to put in serious effort into them. I'm pretty confident I could if I wanted to, but the whole elitism raging is way less fun than perfecting my playstyle in these games. I play them for about a week, get bored, then go back to them some months later. They're fun for the quick play, short matches, brawls with casual players. If I were to play this game with my Bro, I would not have any fun at all. He's an esport king. I'm an immersion guy. I play games to be drawn into the world, not to win a trophy.
boy are you one lost soul.....
I feel like it should also be mentioned that (so far) every major MOBA has co-op vs. ai modes for players trying to learn the game. Some games do this better than others, with LoL / DotA 2 probably doing it the best. These modes can be boring for players who know what they're doing, but for newer players / very casual players it's fine.
While MOBAs are very different from MMOs, they are also a much more layered experience by comparison. Much of the enjoyment comes from understanding which layer works best for you, and using that as your starting point. (i.e. newer players should avoid ranked play until they feel confident in their knowledge of the game, while experienced players tend to stay away from co-op because it's too easy for them).
That's definitely a way to do it.
But don't kid yourself, you're actively avoiding perfecting your playstyle. Every game's matchmaking are designed to try and give you the fairest games possible at any given time. What you're essentially doing is gaming that system, to make sure you're constantly playing below your active skill level. Aka smurfing.
This is something a lot of top-tier players do to play with lower tier friends. It's something I do when playing w/ some of my friends newer to the genre. It can be fun in short bursts, but it's definitely not fair to the people you are playing with. You usually just end up ruining games by stomping on those on the enemy team. It's certainly better than having your friends get destroyed by experienced players, but it also hinders their experience as well.
No.... there isn't...
As I tell all my friends who ask me...
"Hey dood can you teach me to play dota?"
Yes.... I can but keep in mind these three things.
1. You need to lose at LEAST 100 games, before you'll even understand what is happening around you.
2. Mobas are the most hateful, horrible, and gloriously infuriating games you will ever play. Any game where the success of your team is measured not by how good your best player is, but how bad your worst player is creates a social experince that is entirely capable of ruining life long friendships.... AND DO NOT EVER..... EVER.... try to get your G/F or B/F to play with you... You will seriously end up breaking up... or she'll end up sleeping with your best friend and/or brother.
3. If your willing to put up with both 1 and 2. Also realize your going to have ALOT less sex. unless your coming from WoW and you play alliance... then your stepping up.
I've heard of smurfing, yes. I'd even go as far as saying the elitism I don't want to experience made that term up in the first place. Same with PUG. I actually like random groups.
Really I only have 2 LoL accounts, 1 smite account I haven't played since beta (fun game though), and 1 DOTA2. I am pretty good with the few heroes I have (except when I play again I have to relearn most strategies), but I haven't really played them enough to be considered a real "smurf". By the time I relearn the strategies and consistently do well on a personal level, I'm bored and stop playing again
. Just want to get in game, have a good time, experiment with lesser played characters (this is the big deal for me really). If I wanted to really ruin people's day, I'd try to pick the "best" heroes against playing new players, learn them inside and out. I also don't play ranked, which is really the esport part of the game. And the part that ends up turning me off in particular. I know my bro mutes everyone lol. He's usually near top performer, so it's not like he's bad just doesn't want to deal with the RAGE.
100% this. A lot more fun to play and a far less toxic crowd.
There isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to play, if you want to use a screwdriver to put nails into wood, have at it, simply don't complain when the guy next to you with the hammer is doing it much better and easier. - Allein
"Graphics are often supplied by Engines that (some) MMORPG's are built in" - Spuffyre
12000 hours of playing mobas and counting, I've played mobas for more hours than I've been in school (preschool, elementary, highschool + university 5 years
I've seen and experienced so many people in dota and lol games, more people that 90% of the planet will ever meet in their lives xD, so trust me when i explain to you the psychology and mentality behind what u will encounter in mobas, I'm probably right, just by averaging the insane statistical number of experiences I've had in mobas
My instincts after 10000 hours + of feeders, flamers, trolls, elitist, apologists, sociopaths, psychopaths, noobs, newbies, "pros" are nothing short of superbly honed.
Freud and Jung would have had a field day with esports in general, they would have literally died out of hunger and thirst like a kid in a candy store the size of a city if they were alive today
In general approaching high-end raiding and esports without extensively preparing yourself mentally and physically, you're just setting yourself for disappointment.
if life is about the journey and not the end, mobas are the polar opposite it's all any means to an end(with more preparation before hand than training to be a fighter pilot), and achieving victory at any and all costs within the confines of the system.
A good analogy is the Conan quote : What is the best in life ?
Conan: To crush your enemies, to see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentations of their women.
Part of the problem is that MOBAs breed this kind of behavior. Yes, it's the dev's fault, too. For example, in SMITE, at the end of a match, is there any reason to allow players to spam mocking laughter? And other than the pre-game dance, is jump used as anything other than a way to antagonize the other team during battle? In 1v1 league, when a player is obviously outmatched, is there any reason not to farm the crap out of him to run up kill count (other than sportsmanship, respect, and consideration)?
MOBA developers want to be taken seriously as eSports contenders, but they encourage gamesmanship over sportsmanship. The devs actively try to combat the toxicity that players bring there, but seem to completely overlook the toxicity they themselves breed once players get there.
There isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to play, if you want to use a screwdriver to put nails into wood, have at it, simply don't complain when the guy next to you with the hammer is doing it much better and easier. - Allein
"Graphics are often supplied by Engines that (some) MMORPG's are built in" - Spuffyre
To play LoL you don't have to have any understanding of what's going on. You can pick a hero, buy some items and run around the map hitting things and hope for the best. That's probably not going to win you many matches but I imagine it's not too far off the mark of what a sizeable portion of the 50 million players do.
There are certain queer times and occasions in this strange mixed affair we call life when a man takes this whole universe for a vast practical joke, though the wit thereof he but dimly discerns, and more than suspects that the joke is at nobody's expense but his own.
-- Herman Melville
Most of the really good games take some effort getting into, that's a lesson long time MMORPG players probably know better than the rest. Personally I prefer Dota 2, it definitely takes some effort to get into but with millions of players and matchmaking you'll be playing against others on a similar level.
The advice I would give to anyone looking to get into MOBAs; stay away from Heroes of The Storm. HoTS is definitely the easiest to get into but "it's a trap", very shallow gameplay, you'll be much happier long term in any of the other MOBAs.