[PC] Warcraft III: Defence Of The Ancients (DotA)

COURTESY: Wikipedia

WHAT IS DOTA?

Defense of the Ancients (often referred to as DotA) is a custom map for Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne, based on the "Aeon of Strife" map for the Blizzard title Starcraft. It is a team strategy game focused on hero combat. The objective is to destroy the opponents' base using one's own Hero along with allied heroes and allied AI-controlled fighters called "creeps". Sharing concepts with role playing games, the player levels up their hero and uses gold to buy equipment in an effort to best the opposing team. The map was developed with the World Editor of Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos, but was updated upon the release of The Frozen Throne. While there have been many different variations on the original concept, the most popular version at tournaments is DotA Allstars, which has been maintained by several authors over the course of its development. Since its release, Allstars has become a feature at several worldwide tournaments, including Blizzard Entertainment's Blizzcon and the Asian World Cyber Games, as well as the Cyberathlete Amateur and CyberEvolution leagues.

HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT:

The original author of Defense of the Ancients was a mapmaker by the name of "Eul". However, after the Warcraft III expansion The Frozen Throne was released, Eul did not update the map. He made the DotA code open for other developers and The original Defense of the Ancients' development split away from the development of DotA Allstars. Numerous variants were created based on the original, but Allstars became the de facto standard of the map.

Based on the original map, Allstars was developed by an author under the alias Guinsoo; with the release of the 6.x version of Allstars another developer named IceFrog took up development. IceFrog is now the main programmer for the map, doing everything from implementation and balancing to debugging. With successive versions, features, heroes, items, abilities, and graphics are added or updated and bugs are fixed. For example, in version 6.48, Icefrog added a feature which automatically changes the terrain from grass to snow; each release is accompanied with a changelog. On the DotA Allstars forum, users can post ideas for new heroes or items, some of which are added to the map; Icefrog recently added a new hero based on submissions for a "model-to-hero" contest on his site.

GAMEPLAY:

DotA pits two teams of players against each other. Each team has a base in opposite corners of the map, which is defended by towers. In the heart of each base is the "Ancient", a building which must be destroyed in order to win the game. Thus, teams fight against the enemy team as well as computer controlled units and defensive structures.


Each human player controls a single Hero, which is a powerful unit with unique abilities. In Allstars, players choose one of eighty-nine heroes available between the two teams, each which have different spells, strengths, and tactical advantages over other heroes. DotA is very team-oriented; it is hard for one player to carry his or her team to victory single-handedly. DotA allows for a maximum of ten players in a five versus five format and an additional two slots for referees or observers, and games are usually played with even numbers of players on each side.


As gameplay revolves around the use of individual heroes, it does not require one to focus on resource management and base-building, which is common in traditional real-time strategy games. Instead players focus on strengthening their heroes. Killing computer-controlled creeps earns the player's experience, and when enough experience is accumulated the player gains a level. Leveling up improves the hero's toughness and the amount of damage it can inflict, as well as allowing players to upgrade their spells. In addition to accruing experience, players also manage a single resource, gold. The typical resource-gathering of Warcraft III is replaced by a combat-oriented money system; in addition to a small periodic gold income, heroes earn gold by killing creeps, base structures, and enemy heroes. With their gold, players buy items to strengthen their hero and gain additional abilities. Certain items can be combined along with 'recipes' to create more powerful items. Buying items to suit one's hero is an important tactical element of the game.


DotA Allstars offers a variety of game modes, which are selected by the game host at the beginning of the match. The game modes dictate whether people can choose their own hero or be assigned one randomly, as well as the difficulty of the game. Many game modes can be combined (for example, an easy difficulty level and a random pick), allowing for even more flexible game options.

RECOGNITION AND POPULARITY:

DotA has experienced increasing popularity over time. Blizzard officially recognized DotA Allstars as its first Spotlight Map entry in the Battle.net Hall of Fame, a recognition given to only six other maps in the Hall of Fame's history. The game was later featured by Computer Gaming World in a review of new maps and mods in Warcraft III. Allstars has also become recognized at tournaments, becoming an independent tournament item at the debut of Blizzard's BlizzCon convention in 2005. Dota Allstars was also featured in the Malaysia and Singapore World Cyber Games 2005, 2006, and the World Cyber Games Asian Championships 2006. DotA is now included in the game lineup for the internationally-recognized Cyberathlete Amateur League, and the CyberEvolution league. LAN tournaments are a major part of competitive DotA play around the work, including Dreakhack in Sweden and ASUS in Russia; due to a lack of LAN tournaments and championships in North America, several DotA teams have since disbanded.
The game has become a hit in many parts of the world, especially in the Philippines, where it has replaced Counter-Strike as the most-played game. It is also popular in Sweden and other Northern European countries, where the DotA-inspired song "Vi sitter i Ventrilo och spelar DotA" by Swedish musician Basshunter reached the European 2006 charts at #116 and cracked the top ten Singles Charts in Sweden, Norway, and Finland. The popularity of the song led to a rise in coverage of the game, with non-gaming European publications writing stories about the gametype. Fans also created the artwork displayed while the map is loading.

OFFICIAL SITE: DotA-Allstars.com - Welcome

DOWNLOAD DOTA: Official DotA Allstars Downloads

Why did you post this? :P Because we want to see if there are any DotA players out there on RZ who wanna play!

Not only that but also kinda have discussion sessions and etc about DotA. Discuss hero's and your own style of gameplay and etc.

Would be nice to make this section more active.

P.S: we'll have more people to play wid also. .. :)

Didn't know Warcraft III was a system. :P

Actually added in that as a Tag... ah..lemme change it then... :P

EDIT: Damn you beat me to it.

P.S: Do you play DotA? 0.o @ GOhan

dota woo! ,

Im all for a rz dota group though i think (and im sure you'l agree) no rqs , egotistics and dousches in general.

which they are alot in the dota community.

Are you gonna make some kind of subthreads or are we gonna discuss "everything" in this thread? :P Could be a little messy but sure.

Name your favorite hero? Some of my favorites are Lina, Lion, Axe, Spiritbreaker and Ursa :D

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Originally Posted by linklink88

Name your favorite hero? Some of my favorites are Lina, Lion, Axe, Spiritbreaker and Ursa :D

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ah come on 3/5 there are imba , go for the ones that give the best challenge thus the most fun , like visage , dazzle , pugna , huskar , terrorblade

<3 ursa

Jugernaut, Ursa, Soul Keeper, Tiny, Puck

I love to play Ursa vs Balanar because almost everyone think they are unkillable at night with him, so simply let them get the first hit and then BAM XD

But sure. Pure pwnage games aren't fun either :(

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Originally Posted by linklink88

Are you gonna make some kind of subthreads or are we gonna discuss "everything" in this thread? :P Could be a little messy but sure.

Name your favorite hero? Some of my favorites are Lina, Lion, Axe, Spiritbreaker and Ursa :D

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Mine would be Tidehunter (Leviathan), Slayer (Lina Inverse), Dwarven Sniper (Kardel Sharpeye) and Sand King (Crixalis)

Dwarven Sniper is nice. Never played him, but seen him in action when playing with a friend. My personal favorite is Razor (Lightning Revenant), Horde of course. When I play Alliance I normally choose that 3-headed dragon (dunno his name).

What kind of gear (items) do you guys usually try to get (not just endgear, but beginning gear aswell). I want to try new gears =P

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Originally Posted by Boko

Dwarven Sniper is nice. Never played him, but seen him in action when playing with a friend. My personal favorite is Razor (Lightning Revenant), Horde of course. When I play Alliance I normally choose that 3-headed dragon (dunno his name).

What kind of gear (items) do you guys usually try to get (not just endgear, but beginning gear aswell). I want to try new gears =P

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Razor is a nice char but I lost interest in Intelligence based characters eventually. More in to agility and strength based now. The 3 headed dragon - u mean the twin headed dragon? Man, I hate that char. Dunno why.. :P

Gear: Well I play strength and agility characters mainly.
This is what I buy.

1. Ring of Regeneration
2. Boots of Travel
3. Bracers x 2 or 3 based on the character
4. Gloves of Haste (eventually Power Treads)
5. Then a Level 4 Shop item. For eg: Satanic, Butterfly and etc.
6. Then a Level 3 Shop item. For eg: Battlefury, Lothars edge and etc...

BUt hte item combination totally depends on teh char am playing really.. :)

Usually I get Boots of Speed some braces and some tangos :P Then going for Ring of Regen or Ring of Health depending on what I'm going for lategame.

And Boko it's Sentinel vs Scourge ;)

Ursa, Balanar, Necrolic. End items i usually have something along the line of
Satanic
That armor with +55% attack speed
Butterfly
powertreads
Buriza do kanyon

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Originally Posted by iNs@nE

Actually added in that as a Tag... ah..lemme change it then... :P

EDIT: Damn you beat me to it.

P.S: Do you play DotA? 0.o @ GOhan

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No, but i have played Warcraft III, i will check this out soon. Btw do you need a working key for this... i might have to pick the game up if i do (not that i mind btw)

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Originally Posted by GohanSSJ

No, but i have played Warcraft III, i will check this out soon. Btw do you need a working key for this... i might have to pick the game up if i do (not that i mind btw)

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No you don't :) We play using Hamachi (or maybe GGE) which means we simulate LAN games.

DotA is THE shit to Wc3 :P

Edit: Maybe time to make a hamachi channel again and try to organize some games? Was fun last time :)

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Originally Posted by linklink88

And Boko it's Sentinel vs Scourge ;)

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Undead is Horde in WoW so I just call m Horde :wink: I'm used to calling them that lol =P

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Originally Posted by Pieman

Ursa, Balanar, Necrolic. End items i usually have something along the line of
Satanic
That armor with +55% attack speed
Butterfly
powertreads
Buriza do kanyon

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Just a note , i dont think u get the concept behind build-making , u do it on the basis of looking at the heroes skills and getting the items best fit to advantage this , or in-turn the hereoes basic strong points.

So in the case of Ursa , you'l want to first look at the most damaging skill / the ulti , its damage is based on % of hp .. so what you get hp+ items to increase it. Going this way is much much more effective then buying items like satanic. Which is useful but u wont to kill them as fast as possible, so a more effective build for the bear would be
Lothars ; generic but works a charm to build up kills and farm of the ints
Assault cuirass ; makes him effectively imbalanced when + with ovrpwer lvl4
2 Hearts ; very very effective , adds to 4k hp+ which gives you the hp to take on more then 1 , and the dmg (when ultied) to take on 3 ^^
Buriza ; only worth it rly after the 2 hearts.
Boots ; since the change to p.ts i have to say they theyre much much more effecive and then boots of teleport , and they can be changed anytime during the game which is a killer help.

Satanic on Ursa is useless since it's orb duh?

Anyhow about P.Ts vs BoT I normally go for BoT if I'm having trouble chasing my enemy hero, otherwise P.Ts since they are cheaper and "better".

Anyone tried Barathrum(?) Spiritbreaker with 2 Bashers? I promise you, if you get ONE hit, noone survives a 1 vs 1 against you :D Even one basher pwns and 2 is just waaay imba.

Ursa with Vladmir's Offering pwn + hp support items + attack speed.

My personal favorite is Jah'rakal(Troll Warlord)

I play that hero with Mjollnir + 2 butterfly + Cuirass Assault + MKB
Also Power Treads (never use Boots of travel on him)

Also i dont play Jah'rakal with Lifesteal, it SUCKS. I dont know why people making Lifesteal items on him, also Sniper too.

For sniper, i put Desolator on him, hes pwn :D

I usually play on EuroBattle.net, not GGClient nor Hamachi.

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Originally Posted by Liselotte

I play that hero with Mjollnir + 2 butterfly + Cuirass Assault + MKB
Also Power Treads (never use Boots of travel on him)

I usually play on EuroBattle.net, not GGClient nor Hamachi.

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Well if you get that lategame so you can afford that you REALLY need to work on your tactics, you are supposed to have won after half that money lol.

Europe's battlenet suck because everyone is so damn immature calling each other for stupid lame things. And if you try to play on America you get kicked just for beeing from Sweden even though you got a ping lower then 50 -.- And you can't play Asia because they doesn't use our alphabet XD

Quote:

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Originally Posted by linklink88

Well if you get that lategame so you can afford that you REALLY need to work on your tactics, you are supposed to have won after half that money lol.

Europe's battlenet suck because everyone is so damn immature calling each other for stupid lame things. And if you try to play on America you get kicked just for beeing from Sweden even though you got a ping lower then 50 -.- And you can't play Asia because they doesn't use our alphabet XD

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well, i try to stay alive as best as i can and try to kill more as best as i can so i can afford all of this items before lategame. Also i try to farm too :D so, I should have Mjollnir in mid-game + 1 Butterfly.

For the EuroBattle.net, you are right, i've been playing there for 2 months and most of the people are a pain in the ass to play with. Most of their host game are for EU. And if you're not from EU, they will kick you lol, but 80% of the game, they let me stay. SOmetimes, you team up with a retarded team and you lose -.-

Also what i hate about the people in EuroBattle.net is they ask for free slot and they call you a LEAVER just for the host to kick you so they can get free slot.

Last night game, my team pwn the other team and then they call me using map hack and they ruin the game by SAVING the game which causes SOO MUCH LAG. Until it left with 1v5 lol

I dont know about GGClient, it usually lag when you play there.

Although I rarely use INT heroes, Ogre Magi with a scepter owns hard :P