Posts Tagged ‘defense of the ancients’

Thoughts From a Newbie League of Legends Player

6 December 2010 | 5 Comments » | Amatera
Nasus -- my current Champion of choice.

Nasus -- My current Champion of choice.

Cataclysm‘s less than a day away, and this is the time I decide to start playing League of Legends?! Why, you ask? Well, I do have some personal reasons, but let’s say I was tired of having my chilled face pressed to the glass of the DotA community. I wanted in! With several highly popular variations on the basic formula out there already, and even more to come, now is the time to make my mark! Plus, there was some goading by iTZKooPA.

Now, this isn’t my first time at the rodeo. I did meddle around with the WarCraft 3 mod in its prime, but shied away due to the high barrier of entry. Like many online games, the competitive collective had already achieved such an impeccable level of skill that I figured it wasn’t worth my time to match them. Coincidentally, I had also played League of Legends… when it was in beta. Despite having already popped my DotA cherry, I still feel shamefully virginal. Needless to say, plenty has changed since then, and my memories are fuzzy, but I did maintain some understanding of the fundamentals.

Each map is made up of several “lanes” and a few intermediary areas with pre-fab monster squads to farm. It’s along these lanes where most of the combat takes place, as you attempt to slowly chip away at your opponent’s defenses and destroy their core. Both sides spawn the same waves of “creeps” — groups of automated minions — at regular intervals, which can generally be used either as a defensive buffer or part of your siege force. If the game were left to its own devices, it would probably exist in a perpetual state of stalemate, neither side ever gaining ground. The whole affair of reminiscent of that old sci-fi/fantasy trope where two equally-matched opponents are firing balls of energy at each other that do nothing more than cancel each other out.

That’s what League of Legends is like; well, until you throw the Champions in. And that — the strategy — is what I still needed to learn. By my estimates, LoL currently has about 65 characters, each with varying stats, abilities, backstories (yes, there’s lore, and lots of it), skins, and difficulties to master.  Though the game attempts to pigeonhole each Champion into a set of “roles,” no two play exactly the same, which is what gives the formula its incredible depth. Think of it as more of a sport, and you’re halfway there. The field will always be the same, but the skill and ingenuity of the players is what makes it so much fun to play (and watch). Continue Reading

League of Legends: You’re Doing It Wrong

25 May 2010 | No Comments » | iTZKooPA

I’m sure most WoW players have at least heard of Defense of the Ancients (DotA), if not dabbled in it themselves. The Warcraft 3 mod is a popular post- and pre-raid activity for many guilds. The popularity of the mod, combined with the limitations of the WCIII engine lead numerous companies to create their own DotA clones. League of Legends is the current champion of the bunch (Heroes of Newerth just released), wooing critics and fans alike. Now that we have the pre-cursor information complete, we can jump into the true discussion. Playing the game versus how you’re supposed to play the game.

Any game that attracts a ravenous community is plagued by this issue. Players become so entranced by the depth that each and every detail is scrutinized. StarCraft players build their bases to the pixel, fighting game champions know when to counter at the exact frame between animations, and WoW players reverse-engineer the mathematical formulas that drive characters. These players, to put it mildly, take gaming to the extreme.  The problem arises when these “facts” become the standard, neigh, the required way to play in the eyes of the community.

The design of LoL incorporates randomness into play through item choice, the timing of the items created, ability builds and summoner specialization (a spec tree that’s persistent). This is why Riot Games labels characters with multiple build adjectives. Taric can be an effective tank, Ashe can be a carry toon (useless until late game), Udyr can be DPS, a tank or a carry.  Any character created in any of the labeled variables can be effective on the field of battle. It all depends on how they’re built, which items are chosen and who they are facing.

Perhaps more important than that short list is team synergy. The ability for a team to work together. I don’t mean well-timed ganks and sticking close late game. I am referring to a combination of champions that are built with the specific purpose of complimenting each other to the fullest. For instance, if playing on a tank-heavy team, then Ashe as straight DPS is recommended. However, if the arrow queen is on a DPS-centric team, then she should be specced in her carry build for the added benefit of stun spamming.  Keeping everyone on the same page, with the same expectations is crucial, making communication a key component to team synergy.

Don’t get me wrong, each character has its optimum build, but League of Legends, and games like it, are far closer to fighting games than the franchise they spawned from. Optimum does not lead one to a victory. Players cannot rely on the template they read online and expect their win column to climb. The randomness means we need to learn on the fly. We have to react to the situation. Refinements need to be made throughout the match, from the loading screen and the discovery of the opponents to late lane pushes. Victory is a string of choices. Focus on making them smart. Don’t worry if “You’re doing it wrong.”

Above all else, play whatever way makes League of Legends  enjoyable.