Dota vs Basketball

In the philippines, the most played games are Dota Allstars and Basketball.  Have you ever been torn between these 2 games?  I have.  These are my 2 favorite games in general and I want to compare them accordingly. I focused more in Dota maybe because I have more friends who are into this game.  But, did I make the right decision?  Let's discuss...

Level of Fun

Starting with Dota, how can this game not be fun?  You are able to feel like a real warrior while playing this game.  The strategic nature of this game really adds to the fun specially if you are a person who loves using your mind.  The visual and sound effects also contribute to the level of fun of this game.  Other than these facts, it is playing as a team with your friends that makes this game really addicting.

Basketball is quite similar with Dota in terms of the level of fun.  Basketball is also a strategic game, you can feel like a hero every time you win the game for the team and you have the chance to execute team work.  Both Basketball and Dota also requires skills.  In basketball, the skills you should practice and acquire are shooting, dribbling, passing, etc.  In Dota, there are farming, ganking, supporting, mastering heroes' skills etc.  Being a more skilled player allows you to have more fun since you can win most games.  Not being skilled also makes you more into the game because you have a goal, to become skilled.

In terms of the level of fun, Dota beats Basketball a bit, so I'm giving a score of 60-40 in favor of Dota.

Game's Balance

Dota allows anyone to be the best player no matter what height or athletic ability you possess.  In basketball, you need to develop some physical advantages to be more effective.  Tall players have more advantage in rebounding, he just have to develop more awareness.  Short players should increase their vertical leap to beat these players but it still requires perfect timing and prediction.  Basketball is a physical game.  Stronger players can back down weak ones easily.  Another physical advantage is arm length.  Players with long arms are harder to defend and they are better defenders because they can reach farther.


In terms of Balance, Dota beats basketball 80-20.

Health

Do we still need to discuss this?  Playing Basketball can be considered an exercise while playing Dota can make you fat and forces you to inhale people's illnesses if you'd play at the computer shop where breaths are shared.  Some players in computer shop would smoke after 2-3 games making it more unhealthy.  At home you're safer but still, sitting for a long time on your computer chair is unhealthy.  The only advantage of Dota in terms of health is being injury-free.

In terms of health, Basketball beats Dota 90-10.

Availability

You can play Dota as long as there is a computer with internet.  Whether you don't have a group of 5 or 10, you can play it anytime.  You cannot play basketball alone.  You need a group, a ball, and a court.  However, you can go to public courts to play with other players but mostly they are full.  You would need to set a schedule with other players to play this game.


In terms of availability Dota beats basketball 70-30.

Fame

If you're a great Dota player, you are appreciated by people who plays the game as well.  However if you let your parents or girlfriend come to see you play in the tournament, what will happen is that they wouldn't understand most things in the game.  They'll get bored all through out the game.  After the game, you'd just tell them whether you won or lose and that's when they cheer.  That's why, mostly, you won't see family members supporting Dota players nor girlfriends(that don't know the game).  Whether you became godlike or you amazingly dodged everything, they would hardly know it.

In basketball, family members and girlfriends don't need to know the entire rules to enjoy watching and supporting you.  So the fame extends not only to other Basketball players but to other people who are merely fans.  As long as you or your team scores, these fans would be in the game too.  When you do something heroic they'll knew it.

In terms of Fame Basketball beats Dota 75-25.

Opposite Sex Attraction
Playing Basketball is more attracting to females based from a little survey i made and a bit of common sense.  It is also proven with these pictures.

You made a jumpshot (Basketball)

You made an amazing kill! (Dota)

You dunked! (Basketball)

You are godlike! (Dota)

You made an impossible shot. (Basketball)

You got a rampage! (Dota)

You won (Basketball)

You won (Dota)

In terms of sex appeal, Basketball beats Dota 90-10.

It's now all up to your preferences to choose.  If you're after the fun, thrill, balance and availability, Dota is the best for you.  If you want to be have a cardio exercise while having fun, concern with fame and sex appeal, pick Basketball.  It's not right to generalize what beats what.  It all depends on your preferences.  This post is just to give you a guide on what to choose based from your desires.

Concluding my question if did I make the right decision focusing on Dota?  Yes.  My preferences before were fun, balance, and availability.  I go to gym and occasionally play basketball for health care and fitness.

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Posted in: Mindset

5 Dota Guides to Improve Game at High Rate

If you are sick of being just an ordinary player, you might want to read this guide that's based from years of analyzing what good players do and what works for us.  I'm not saying that I'll transform you to a competitive player at once but I assure dramatic improvement after executing these 5 simple guides to improve your game.

Yaphets

1.  Watch professional replays and imagine that you are one of the players


This is a trick that will make you improve quickly.  Rather than having a "Wow, he's so good!" mindset, think of it this way "I am this Shadow Fiend I am watching. This is my replay.  I am currently farming and harassing at the same time.  There might be gankers near by, I should hide first."  etc.

The point is you have to feel that you are the who played that hero you're watching because this is the quickest way you could be playing like the real player.  He may be Yaphets, Yamateh, 2009, or other great Shadow Fiend players but you should be the player in your imagination while watching the replay.

I've done this so many times and from my experience, after watching replays of good supports or gankers like 820, NS, and my favorite Vigoss, my decision making in that aspect of game (supporting) improved a lot.  What happens is their experiences became my own experience.  When they fail, I also failed so I know what to do next time.  When they succeed, I also succeed so I knew what works.  I don't have to play against popular teams to experience playing against them because I already did with this technique.

2.  Make it a hobby to watch your own replays

Don't just say "Yeah! I won time to go!" or "Damn it! I lost".  Your won or lost games should all be watched.  If you're aiming for perfection in your game you shouldn't be lazy to check out what are the errors you've done that needs to be corrected.  May it be a simple last hitting problem or a huge turning point problem that caused your whole team to lose, you should be aware of the things you're not doing right for you to be able to correct them.

In team games, is very critical it is very critical to watch your replays.  Almost every game there are failed executed combo.  Sometimes you just won because the opposing team isn't that experienced yet but you still have someone dying.  Yes it's not that easy to have a complete 5-0 sweep clash if you're facing good teams but there might be ways to make it happen.  There might be a need to tweak your strategy or line up.

I was lazy to watch my replays before but when I did, I discovered 1000 gallons of mistakes I was making.   It was only then I changed it.  After having a hobby of watching most of my replays after playing, I was amazed with my own improvement.  If I only opened my mind earlier and have already done own replay watching session, I could have improved 2 years earlier but I'm not regretting any of my experiences.  I learned from all of them.

3.  Have enough time to play desired hero to be mastered (I recommend 2 to 3 days)

Have you ever wondered why your game is not as good as your other games playing different hero?  Improving your game also comes from improving on how to use a hero.  That's the reason why there are Dota hero guides spreading in the internet.

Playing a hero for 2 to 3 days will make you comfortable with the hero you want to master, you'll experience different things that may happen in real games making you prepared for them, and you'll know different strategies that will assure success in using that hero.

I played chen not only for 3 days but for 3 months.  It's because I was still a newbie that time (my 1st year of playing Dota) who was used to playing carry.  I discovered that Chen is the most used hero by professional teams that time.  I don't want to demand this boring practice to any of my team mate so I switched my role to support and practiced Chen for months.  Whenever they see Chen, he is like my twin already for I'm the first person to be in their minds.  Good Chen players were always behind me laughing at how I micro my creeps.  After 3 months of practice our team evolves from a noob team to a feared team in tournaments.  Chen gave me a lot of Championship awards.  You don't need 3 months because I assume you already have more experience in competitive games than I had before.


4.  Always play against better players

You'll lose.  So, what?  If you're not too big to handle criticisms, you're to small to be praised.  Playing against better players will make you realize your flaws and the things needed to be adjusted on your game.  You'll also be inspired to surpass his skills, if you are optimistic enough (which you need to be).

We always lost before.  I even offer free games for good teams to play with us.  I lost my money and I still lost the game but I'd still invite them to play with us again.  The feeling is not so good when losing but what happened was we leveled up.  We watched our replay against them.  We discovered their strategies and we formulated our own better than them.  The time came when nobody can beat us anymore here in our place even the team we paying for.  It's like a business. Investment and hardwork first, then success will follow.


5.  Close your eyes and do this

Close your eyes.  Think of what you want to achieve (may it be Dota or not *this is effective*)... Then if you have already thought of what you want to be, imagine that you are that person right now.   Make your imagination realistic with all the specific elements included in your background.  Relax and imagine you are that successful person you want to be.  Believe it's happening now.  After imagining your goals, open your eyes and believe that it really happened.  It's a part of your experiences because you are already that successful person you want to be right now.

This exercise I made you to do is important because I want you to develop your confidence and optimism.  You'll have more success if you're going to believe in it because your mind will develop a positive aura that makes you do everything to achieve your goal.

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Posted in: Guides,Mindset

Best Mindset Guide in Practicing and Playing

Practice like you're the worst player, perform like you're the best.
~Your Dota Guide Quote of The Day

Have you spent time alone, watching replays, thinking of strategies, or doing last hitting drills?  Did you want to sleep out of boredom while doing these things?  If yes, you're not alone.  Most people want to play rather than practice.  The main reason for this is lack of discipline.

Why do we need to practice like we're the worst player?

One of the factors that is important in having discipline is humility.  Pride keeps on telling us: "Why bother practicing when, in fact, this is just a simple game?"  After we lost a game, we can't accept it because we're too proud.  We need to practice whatever field we're into.

When we practice but we think we're already the best, we won't be more curious to discover better tactics.  We will be limited to our old play style and I bet these play styles we have now still got a lot of rooms for improvement. 

Practicing like you're the worst player ever, makes you feel that you need to learn every little lessons you can learn from a replay or from your drills.  This won't make you sleepy because you are interested in what you're doing.

After this kind of practice, I am certain that you learned a lot rather than having a prideful practice.

Now, why suddenly we need to perform like we're the best?

In actual games, you should be confident.  You cannot afford having fear and negative thoughts on your mind.  From your previous practices, you have learned a lot and now you're confident that you have tons of secret weapons.

Kobe Bryant, though he's considered to be a superstar, trains a lot.  People even call it 'torturing himself'.  Then, when he plays, you can see how confident he is and now people are considering him cocky.

While practicing, be very keen.  Observe and analyze everything.  Try to acquire as many strategies and skills as you can.  When playing, be confident because you are now equipped with new things from your humble practice making you have advantages over your opponents. 

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Posted in: Mindset,Quotes

A Great Dota Leader's Goal

"A good leader inspires people to have confidence in their leader, a great leader inspires people to have confidence in themselves."
~Your Dota Quote for the Day

A Great leader doesn't aim to be popular, he aims to make his team mates better to have a better team.  He understands that he cannot win championships alone.  To make his team mates improve their Dota games, he needs to make them build their confidence first.

Leading a Dota team is fun but it's not easy.  It is different from being just a captain.  Leaders need to consider having good conceptualization, sufficient knowledge on the game as well as on team mates and they need to be mentally tough.


Here are some tips on how to help your team mates build confidence:

1. Power Talk

Before the start of the game, start by giving them a phrase they can run into their minds that gives them confidence.  For example, "We are a complete team, we have good carries, supports and we got good team chemistry" or "We practiced for enough time already, we should just execute it again today."  Those phrases will be stuck on their minds before playing rather than negative thoughts that would make them nervous.

2.  State their Advantages

Once the game starts, tell them what are their advantages against the opponents.  On their lanes, for example, tell them that they have stronger combo than the opponents (if it's true) or you can tell them that they can easily survive opponent's attacks but they should have enough mana.  Tell other things if these things aren't related but never lie to your team mates.  They would lose their trust on you and your words won't have any effect on them anymore if you do.

3.  Compliment their good actions

Praise them when they do good.  You can say a simple "good job" or you can tweak it to make it more personal.  For example:  "That was a perfect timing."  Complimenting isn't bad if it's true.  Most players though they appear to be confident enough already still need affirmations.

4.  Thank them

Be humble to thank them if they saved you.  Thanking them doesn't make them feel like robots made for destruction.  Once they saved you and you said "good job", it's like saying "it's your role, you've done it well robot."  Know when to praise and know when to show gratitude.

5.  Reward their efforts

When they come to gank your lane, do your best not to waste their ganks.  When they are trying to dominate their lanes and you see they're about to lose, teleport and help to make sure they win.  Don't let them feel that they're efforts are useless because they would be lazy or afraid to do those things again.

6.  Find the remedy for their faults

They would normally commit mistakes because they are only human, just like you.  Once they made errors, think of the best way to minimize the disadvantage for the team and don't whine on them.  Once, our main carry had a crucial death being ganked, I know they can destroy middle lane though we defend 4v5 so I told them to give the middle lane.  I, then, destroyed their top lane.  This is one of the best strategy to defend a push.  You have to make them choose to push or defend other lanes.  When one of them teleport top, I'd teleport back to our base and we would fight 4v4 with them.

7.  Make them have fun

One way to remove their anxieties is to let them enjoy.  I often talk to the heroes on my monitor commenting on my opponents moves and making it funny.  They would see me so relax and they would be too.  I've tried this sooooo many times and it's really effective.  Once your team mates are relaxed, their minds will be clear enough to think properly.

8.  Use the "try" magic

The word 'try' is useful when your team mates isn't that experienced enough.  This word lessen the pressure on your team mate.  They wouldn't be so afraid of failing.  You can use it mostly in ganking where perfect timing is really important.  Once they start doing it often, they would be used into it and you don't need to type the word try.  It would now be "G".  Check out why "g" is also important in my previous Dota Quote. 

There are other things you can think of in giving your team mates confidence.  These are just the most common techniques in this aspect.  Just always remember that your team mates, no matter how poor their performance was, also wanted to win.  Never put them down because of wrong moves.  Just help them learn from their errors because you are his leader.

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Posted in: Mindset,Quotes

A Winning Captain's Principle Dota Guide

A Ship Captain has his ship; A Dota Captain has his team.

As Dota Captains, you should know the right way of leading your team to victory as a ship Captain would do with his ship.

What can you really learn from a ship Captain?  These are the things they would say in every situations.

The ship is broken?  Let's fix it as soon as possible.

Since the team is your ship, you can learn to care more about your team.  If fights among your team mates occur, take the initiative to fix it.  If there are weaknesses on your team, work hard to turn them into strengths.   You should find a way to always have a healthy team and aim to have the best team.

I am nothing without my ship.

Captains know this from the bottom of their hearts.  Their pride comes from the ship first before them.  Even how young and unpopular their ships are, Captains are proud of them.  This is the same thing with Dota Captains.  Good leaders are proud of his team no matter how low others look at them.  They also don't aim to be popular by himself; he aims for the pride of his team.  A good team corresponds to good leadership of a captain.


We will go south by 15 miles, west by 20 miles and make a turn around the island.

Great Captains, having the most knowledge on water, direct the best path for their ships.  They clearly tell their plans to provide smooth journey for the ship.  A Great Dota Captain should also be clear with his plans and be transparent to his team, no secrets or laziness to explain. Dota Captains are the ones responsible for the strategy of the team and he shouldn't be a lazy type Captain at this point. Smooth flow of strategy comes firstly from the clarity of the plan to the whole team then execution and practice are next.

Pirates? Prepare for Battle!

Ship Captains would do everything to defend their ships, may it be from natural calamities or external opponents like pirates.  Great Dota Captains wouldn't let anyone beat his team without fighting and defending.  They may win or lose but the Captain won't be hiding like a chicken in a cage.  He would be all around the ship giving instructions based on his professional knowledge and strategic wit.  He would be there to fight.


Abandon ship? Go, but I will stay...

Great Ship Captains, who fought so hard for their ships then end up losing and people are evacuating from them, preferred to be with their ships and die.  Some will think this is foolish but looking deeper, you cannot blame them.  They loved their ships so much and they cannot afford looking at it sink from a lifeboat.  This is a sign of his high respect for the ship he commanded.

A Great Dota Captain won't leave his team no matter what happens.  He will be with his team through thick and thin.  He will do anything to make his team the best team ever and won't abandon them to have an easy life through joining other teams.

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Posted in: Mindset

How Pro Dota Players Think

I started from being an ultra noob player and stayed the same for almost 2 years.  It changed after I started watching Pro DotA players play.  The first pro team I watched was our local ph team, Flow.  I questioned a lot!  Why chen?  Why test of faith? How do the carries farm around 1400 in 5 minutes?  What time did they start pushing?  I was so curious on everything!  It was after watching pro dota player's game when I, with my own team, started dominating in DotA scene.  Then, I started watching international replays.  MYM and Virtus.Pro made me realize that there are other strategies than Chen Sven QOP Lich Bristleback and other team flow heroes.  I tried to dig into each player's minds.  I was so curious what they are thinking about before and during the game.  I know the only way to improve my skills dramatically is to change my understanding of Dota and have a Pro-like mindset.  I studied every game I watched analyzing how they think.  Here I am to make you skip that hard work I've done and unleash the mindset they have that I discovered.

Here are the things I discovered that the pro players ask in their minds


Before the Game:

Which team are we going to fight with?

This is a very basic question but I realized that pro players take advantage of knowing their opponents.  They analyze opponent's previous strategies and predict what would their their heroes be in their encounter.  Lately, Kuroky said in his interview: "Well, Puppey and I try to create new strats to surprise our opponents for a match. Mostly we think about different styles, patches and heroes etc. For example, against LGD, I watched their last 20 replays to predict their picks and style, and I actually had a 100% accurate prediction on their bans, and 80% on their picks, and I guessed their lanes again 100% right."

What strategy are we going to use?

I've mentioned 4 types of hero picking in my Captains Mode: Hero Picking Guide article.  Pro players can either rely on a strong strategy they have or counter pick their opponents.  In most cases, it is a combination of having their own strategy and countering opponent's pick but they are mostly different.  They don't want to be predictable.

Do we have enough strategies?

In tournaments, pro players are always prepared with at least 3 strategies.  The first one should be enough to pawn everyone, the second would be an alternative in cases the first strategy is countered or the opponents simply ban the key heroes of that line up.  The 3rd one would be for finals.  It would often be best of 3 or something making you need another strategy.  Having more teams in a tournament requires you to be equipped with more strategies.

Early Game:

What are my Advantages/Disadvantages?

This is the first question pro players ask themselves in games.  This is why they buy items like more branches if they are low hp, they buy more clarity for mana dependent hero, buy more flask if his hero is prone to harassment.  This is also why they change play styles in different types of hero.  If they are using early painful heroes, they tend to play aggressive and ensure that opponents wont be farming more gold.  When they are using heroes like spectre, their focus would be on how to get more creeps but they still mind supports when they initiate.

What are my opponent's strengths and weaknesses?

The best Dota players in the world detect opponents strengths and weaknesses quickly that they control most of their games they play.  May it be individual hero, team combo or player's gaming nature, pro players are aware of them.

How to win my lane?

These pro players have great desire to win their lanes that's why they would usually counter opponents hero from the hero picking phase.  Once they're on their lanes, they wont allow opponents to have a free lane.  They would usually disturb opponents with their goals which for now is also to win their lanes and to farm.

Should I stay or should I roam?

Choosing when to gank and when to stick to lane is very crucial for serious games.  From my observations experienced players tend to dominate their own lanes first before roaming to dominate other lanes.  Sometimes, when it is impossible to dominate a lane because of poor pick, they tend to roam early to make sure they win other lanes.  Sometimes, players focus on one lane, making it impossible for the opponent's hardcore carry to farm.  Other questions that come up after this are these:  Do other lanes need help?  Do they have wards?  Do we have the potential to destroy opponent's trilane combo?  Who should initiate?  Who goes next?  These are questions you should consider too to take your game to higher level.

Mid Game:

Where are my opponents?

Pro players ask this question to be able to know where they should go.  If they think that the opponents might be hiding nearby for ganks, they would either play passively or ask for assistance to take advantage of the opponents wanting to gank by killing them instead.  They also want to know where are their opponents to be able to gank them at this stage.  Pro players never want to give any gold to their opponents.  They try to limit their free farm place as few as possible.  They also ask this question to answer the following question: to push or not to push?

Push or Not?

Pro teams want to destroy opponent's tower as fast as possible to gain gold and map advantage but they still ask this question to make sure they wont get in trouble.  If their opponents have early advantage, more likely they wont push and fight 5v6.. yup.  5 enemy heroes + 1 enemy tower. If they happen to take down a key hero for the opponent, they would often decide to push.

What's his next move?

In a fight, great players would often predict opponent's next move and act according to their judgments.  You saw how pro players dodge skills perfectly in their dota videos.  Their goal is not to make a dota video.  Their goal is to evade most of the opponent's skills as much as possible to make them harder to be killed.

How should I react?

They think of situations right before it happens.  They judge the heroes combo.  What if they are caught, what would be their means of survival?  What would they do if a team mate is disabled and focused fire at?  What would they do if a shadow fiend with haste suddenly appear behind them?  What would they do if they are silenced?  Preparation is always better than impromptu.

Is it a bait?

They would always think whether to attack a lone hero or not.  They know that they can be wiped out in no time if that hero happened to be a bait.  Sometimes, I saw them attack a bait if they have a follow up plan to attack the entire team, like when they are having a hungry Earthshaker waiting for them to pile up.

Which hero should we take down first?

Plans before clash always have this question present.  Who to kill first?  They would normally go for the key heroes that are easy to take down.  They never plan on taking down a Bristleback first.  They may attack a high hp hero if he is offering a free hit or to deceive the opponents making them think that they are going for that hero but when they finally showed up, a change target will happen.

Where should I position?

I believe that success in Dota is all about positioning.  Pro players would always want to be in places they should be.  It's like a chess game.  Your key hero is your Queen.  You shouldn't trade that for any lower rank army.  Your tanks are your pawns.  They should serve the defense and they should make it easy for the team to attack.  Supports are your bishops and horse.  They should be able to attack as well as to trap opponents.  Other carries are your rooks.  They should be in perfect place to aid the key hero in getting kills or have the kill by themselves.

Late Game:

Do we have the upper hand?

Late game is decided by early game.  If your early game is not that good most probably you are in a level and item gap against your opponents.  They ask this question to know if they can play offensive or should they play defensive game.

Can I pressure lanes?

There are heroes that have escape mechanisms that can pressure lanes making it harder for opponents to push but they still consider if they can survive if opponents start to attack.  What if opponents have Kunkka?  It would be one X-mark away to win the game, specially if that hero cannot buy back.

How can we end the game?

Ending the game is easy if you defeat your opponents badly in items and level.  You can just go directly to their frozen throne after stepping on them.  But, if the game is a close match, it's not that easy.  Sometimes pro players tend to push all lanes to avoid AOE nukes and to pressure the opponent.  Sometimes, they hunt first.  There are tons of different endings in a Dota game and mostly it is dramatic that's why Dota is such a fun game.

Play Dota for fun...  and part of the fun is using your brains.  You may not be pro players but you can also ask these questions while playing.  You'd see big changes in your games if you won't be lazy to analyze things and the only way is to ask.  I'll leave you with this simple message for you to internalize.  "Live Curious."

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Posted in: Guides,Mindset

Dota Guides: Ultimate Dota Guide Compilation

This is the compilation of important Dota guides for easy access.

Captains Mode: Hero Picking Dota Guide

This is a guide on how to be a good drafter at Captains Mode though you don't have time to play tons of games.

Not having enough time to play a lot of games to be an experienced and effective drafter? This is the right article for you.

In my article, 8 Essentials in Winning a Dota game, having a better leader ranked 2nd to the most important. Leaders are responsible for their team's motivation and strategies. Hero drafting greatly lies on the hands of a Dota Team Captain. Team mates may suggest but leaders should have the larger vision on how the game would flow. They should be able to pick heroes that will give the team great advantage over the opponents.
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How to Dominate the Trilane

This guide will tell you the important things to remember to win a trilane.

Though I'm fed up of 3-1-1 lane type, I have to admit that this is the most effective strategy offering several advantages. 2 solo heroes will acquire their powerful ultimate skills in less time. They would also have their other skills at maximum quickly. Heroes at the trilane will apparently destroy a dual lane. 2 supports in a lane assures a safe lane for a carry making him farm all the gold he wants. So, in order to win, you have to beat the opponent's trilane. But how? How does the Pro makes trilane so effective? What must be done to dominate your opponents at trilane? Here it is...
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9 Different DotA Ganking Styles 

This guide enumerates 9 different ganking style you should use in any given situation.

Ganking, ranked 4th place in 8 Essentials in Winning DotA Games, is one of the most important tool in winning DotA Games. Thus, there are different ganking styles that will make you sneaky and unpredictable. It is important that you have proper coordination with your team mates if you are going for ganks. Pro players are too careful that they don't often die from getting ganged up. Observer wards are too cheap and placing them in ganking areas is the best counter for Ganks. So, a variety of ganking style is recommended for being unpredictable. 
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10 Things You Can Learn From Maelk

This guide will inspire you by informing you how Maelk became the great player he is now.

Jacob 'Maelk' Toft-Andersen is my very first inspiration in being a leader of a DotA team. I was so inspired on how his plans would always be successful. He would always be interviewed every tournaments because of his indispensable wit. Teams would often fear his team, MYM, because of his deadly strategies and his ability to counter every opponent's plan. His games would often be superb carrying the team to victories. After watching his games, reading his posts, watching his interviews and hearing the comments of his team mates on him, I learned a lot of dota guides and lessons on how to somehow be a 'Maelk' of our team.
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Dota Guide: How to Farm Fast

This guide will tell you how to improve your farming game.

People often want to know how to farm gold fast in DotA, which is a lot different from me. I am thirsty for blood when I'm playing that I tend to roam a lot. Roaming is fun for me, but then, I expect the carry heroes of our team to be equipped with their needed items as soon as possible so that we can take advantage and destroy towers easily. However, some players want to show off their mad farming skills by farming the whole game. This is not fun at all for me. I don't find self-esteem in having 5 divine rapiers but having 0 kills. I better play 4 v 5 than have a Greedy Gold Farmer team mate. However, farming is also essential in winning games. Here are some tips in getting more gold in less time.
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Dota Ganking and Supporting Guide

This guide will inspire you to play a better support and ganker role.


I have been playing support role since forever because I find this role the most fun role in the game. I love actions and I love getting into fights as early as possible. It was a good thing though because most players here want to play farmer and carry. Farming is important but I find it boring because you become an insurance for the team. You simply stick to your lane and try to farm as much as you can at early game. I know you have to dominate your lane too but if your hero have disadvantages at early game against your opponent, you'll have to play passively. I was known for being a great support for our team back then. But I have to admit, after watching one of my team mate play support role, I realized that someone became a lot better than me. I don't play too often now but I still watch replays and I see a lot of boring support players. They would often act as slaves for the team. You wont even recognize them.
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Dota Guide: 8 Essentials in Winning a Dota Game


This guide will tell you the 8 most important things to have in winning a Dota Game.

There are a lot of factors that help you win DotA games. This is the reason of its excitement and suspense. After every DotA game there are just too much to talk about. But the most discussed is how the team won or lost. Among all of these things that made them won the game, what are the most important factors to be able to win Competitive DotA Games? Here they are ranked according to importance...
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Developing Your Own Dota Team Guide

This is will guide you on how to develop a solid and successful DotA team.

I started my own DotA team when I heard about a tournament in one computer shop near our University. The team I made was composed of friends from high school. I was only an average player being taught by my DotA Teacher, Mark Bernardo. He exposed me to his DotA friends who happened to be the best team back then, the Inzane. I observed how good their team play was. Individually, they may experience defeat but when it's time to play as a team, it's quite impossible to defeat them. How did they develop that kind of team? I asked myself. I didn't stop studying how to have a solid team.
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Ultimate Dota Supporting Guide

This is a guide that tells you almost everything you need about supporting from basic to advance.

Definition: Mainly a support is a hero that takes care or, from the name itself, supports the whole team, most especially the carries. Supports are the ones that are in-charge for the overall team defense and map control.
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DotA Pushing Essentials: How to Destroy Towers Successfully

This article is to guide you and your team in pushing opponent's towers without getting into trouble.

In every single game of Defense of the Ancients, no matter how you do it pushing is one vital and the most important thing to do in order to win. Taking down towers in order to get to the main building is one thing that a team or a player needs to master in order to dominate the opponent. Now here are a few tidbits to help you by when it comes to pushing.

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Watch out for more Dota Guides here at Itsme DotA.

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Posted in: Guides,Mindset,Strategies

Dota Traits that are Essential in Dating your Girl

This is a Valentine's Day Special Article.

I am sick of Dota vs Girlfriend issue. Why don't people realize that being a good dota player corresponds to being a good partner? Dota is a training in having a good decision making and this can be applied in any aspect of life. I'll prove that in this article.

Playing Dota and Dating Traits You Should have:

Spontaneity

Dating:
To make your girl have her days with you become the best days of her life, you should have this trait, spontaneity. You should know how to listen carefully whatever your girl is saying and you should know the wittiest replies on what they are saying. She would appreciate your being a perfect listener and you would be able to leave her a good impression of your wit. You'll surely make her wanting for more as soon as you drive her back to her home.

Dota:
Like in Dating, Dota requires spontaneity. You should be able to read your opponents and you should know the wittiest thing to do based on their moves. Time is too precious in Dota to alot more time thinking what you should do next. You need to play spontaneously and have the quickest but the best response on every situation.

Confidence

Dating:
Girls find confidence the sexiest trait in a man. They want a boyfriend that they could look up to. If you, yourself don't believe in yourself, how could your girl entrust herself to you? Be confident and calm. Girls are equipped with the most advanced technology in detecting nervous guys.

Dota:
Playing Dota, certainly, needs confidence. The moment you think that the opponent will beat you is the exact moment you lose. Without confidence, you'd be a chicken being hunted by the opponents. Calmness comes with confidence. It is even included in the 7 Habits of Highly Effective Dota Players.

Source of Fun

Dating:
100% of the girls want fun. Remember, you are not her father to preach her while dating. You're not her brother to just play your PSP while with her. And you're not her sister to fight with her. While dating, you should want to have fun. Don't be the best pessimist on stuffs, specially the one she loves. Try many things. Girls want a bad boy not a nice guy, know why? It's because bad boys usually give more fun than nice guys. Bad boys are the guys that will take them to go for mountain climbing, scuba diving, skydiving and other breath taking stuffs. And they are fun! Nice guys are the one who would simply spin with girls while saying "We'll get through this baby." No matter how many girls say, "I want a nice guy." No, they dont!

Dota:
In playing Dota, never forget to have fun. If you are too serious, you'll end up losing all your team mates because you are one perfectionist wh0re. Have fun and you'll have better games, I assure you. I saw some players slamming the keyboard everytime they die or lose. I'm like, "What? Are the demons nearby going to take your soul after that death?" Have fun. It's the best advice I can give to you to become a better gamer.

Be Full of Surprises

Dating:
Girls definitely love surprises. They don't want predictable guys. They have several assumptions before your date. They may expect you to be wearing a simple shirt, shorts and cap like what you always wear on your dates. Now, the moment she sees you and you're in your polo shirt, slacks and new hair style, she'll totally be amazed.

Dota:
In Dota, you definitely need this. You should be unpredictable because once the enemy knew what you're going to do, they would surely beat you because you gave them the gift of preparation.

Not too Emotional

Dating:
You shouldn't take yourself seriously if you want to win with girls. What I mean is don't be too sensitive on things. Don't lose your mood when your girl acknowledge the presence of your small pimple. Take this opportunity to even have more fun. Use it to tell a joke or story that will surely make her smile. This will make her admire you for being confident and mature. Emotional guys are one of the type of guys women avoid. They offer more drama than fun in dates.

Dota:
Being emotionally stressed will surely make you fail at your dota game. Anger or frustrations will surely affect your game a lot. Your brain won't function the way it should be and you'll be playing without actually thinking.

Enjoy your Valentine's Day! Show your girlfriends that you are more than a good dota player. Show them how good you are at decision making may it be in Dota or real life.

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Posted in: Guides,Mindset

Pros and Newbies Differences

People would often rate a player based on how well they play. Players that play superb and are inspiring players would often be called 'Pro'. If a player is called professional, he should be earning from that game but we love to exaggerate things so we call them Pro. Most people tend to call uninspiring players as noobs but I prefer calling them newbies because noob, for me, is a very hurtful word. We all started from being ignorant of the game so calling a person noob or dumb is way too heart-piercing. Are you wondering what are the qualities Pros have that are not present to Newbies? What are the things done by newbies that make them uninspiring and prone to criticism?

Here are some things that separates Pros from Newbies

Newbies: I'll do what I feel like doing.
Pros: I'll do what should be done.

Newbies: I will execute my plans no matter what.
Pros: I will wait for the perfect timing to execute my plans.

Newbies: I will pick these heroes because they are strong.
Pros: I will pick these heroes because they have perfect chemistry and they can counter the opponent's hero line up.

Newbies: I died. It's time to blame my team mates!
Pros: I died. I'll be more careful and alert next time.

Newbies: The opponents are so strong, I'll quit and find weaker opponents.
Pros: The opponents are stronger than me, I should learn from them and try to beat them as soon as possible.

Newbies: Damn, gankers are behind me. I'll click so fast towards the fountain, there might be miracles that I may live.
Pros: Gankers are now behind me, I should try to make them chase me at the forest and increase my chances to survive. I'll try to buy items and not waste my golds from my death.

Newbies: The opponents are pushing! They appear so strong, I don't know what to do but, CHARGE!!!!! oops, I died.
Pros: The opponents are pushing, I should find a good position to spam their creeps to death and wait for my team mates to set.

Newbies: That hero is one hit away from death, I'll chase him though I don't have mana. He might be a noob and press hold.
Pros: I wont chase that dying hero for there is no possible way of killing him. I will just put myself in danger.

Newbies: The hero retreated when I was about to gank him, this is a pub game, grrrr!! map hack!!!
Pros: There might be wards here or he's just careful. I'll buy sentry wards to destroy his wards so I can gank him easier.

Newbies: My opponents need me but there are still a lot of creeps to give me more gold. I'll just tell them I don't have a TP scroll.
Pros: My opponents are about to engage in a team fight, it's time to buy a TP scroll.

Newbies: I wont buy obs, it's a waste of 200 gold.
Pros: It is better to spend 200 gold for observer wards than to waste more gold from dying.

Newbies: Grrr... I wont waste my time waiting here for nothing, I should gank him even though a tower is next to him.
Pros: I'll wait for better chances because I can't afford to die from ganking impatiently.

Newbies: I was stunned, stunned and stunned to death darn! There's no way I'll survive this lane!
Pros: I know what are the things the heroes of my opponents can do. If they are going to execute their combo, I have plans on how to survive and counter their attacks.

Newbies: I will steal more kills so I'll be famous.
Pros: I'm playing support role it's better to give the kills to our carry to give him more farm.

Newbies: It's clash time! Oh, a Bristleback! Attack!!!!!
Pros: Their tank is baiting we should find a way to find their most dangerous hero before we kill this high hp but low attack damage hero.

Newbies: My opponents are all hitter but I'd still buy BKB because I saw vigoss bought BKB and own his opponents.
Pros: I will buy items that will increase my armor to limit the opponents damaging potential. BKB is such a waste of 3800 gold, buying HP items would be a better choice.

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Posted in: Guides,Mindset

10 Things You Can Learn From MYM|Maelk

Jacob 'Maelk' Toft-Andersen is my very first inspiration in being a leader of a DotA team. I was so inspired on how his plans would always be successful. He would always be interviewed every tournaments because of his indispensable wit. Teams would often fear his team, MYM, because of his deadly strategies and his ability to counter every opponent's plan. His games would often be superb carrying the team to victories. After watching his games, reading his posts, watching his interviews and hearing the comments of his team mates on him, I learned a lot of dota guides and lessons on how to somehow be a 'Maelk' of our team. 

Think of the easiest route to victory

Winning was so difficult for us back then. We were panicking and praying that our carry would get farmed up to carry us to victory. But, when I read Maelk's comments on games. He pointed out that in every hero line up, there's a hole. You should find out what's that hole and beat the team using that hole.  It is taking advantage of your opponents' weaknesses.  Maelk was so good in detecting and countering opposing team's plans and strategies. I tried to study every hero line ups for quite some time and realized that we could really have won easily the games we played before if we played focusing on opposing team's weaknesses. Hero picking contributes a big part of winning.  Before the game is played, you'll see how Maelk already beat the opposing team seeing the hero picks.  Combined with the team's great talent, he became a well known deadly strategist.

Play any roles
From being arguably the best Queen of Pain player before, he switched to playing support roles and still own. His chen is the only type of chen I can't imitate. His level of aggressiveness is simply incredible that he can be safe in every ganks but would still contribute a lot. His versatility lead his team to having fun games and a lot of wins.

Inspire your team mates

One thing I observe on how the MYM became successful is Maelk's great Charisma.  The team appreciates him for having great wit and leadership skills. Maelk would show the team how to execute the game plays. He would show the level of play style for them to reach. Inspiring your team makes them want to play more with you and will have an urge to improve.

In an interview, MYM|Mania said: "Of course I think he(Maelk) is the best captain, else I wouldn't play with him through all these years. His strenght is his way to think outside the box in a lot of situations in the game, hes good at taking the quick decisions that occures through a game, and many times we win because of these tactical moves."

Be a good listener

Maelk is a captain who is open for suggestions. He respects the opinions of his team mates. He weigh things up first before making decision. This is the difference between leading and managing. Leading is making your team mates want to do your plans while managing is forcing your team mates to do your plans. It became a lot of fun for all of us when I started switching from managing to leading. I believe that a team is stronger if they all desire a single goal.

Be active in Dota forums

Yes, dota forums are not made for nothing. These are made for discussions towards improvement. Maelk would always read then you'd see him post comments to clarify and enlighten people's minds. Seek help. It's good to be independent but you will find useful things on forums because there would be experienced people who may already have solved problems or queries like what you have now. It is best to learn from others errors for you don't have to undergo the same bitter experience to improve.

Analyze every game critically

It is from Maelk that I realize that there is more to farming, ganking, pushing and winning. There are tons of points to analyze and critically understand. Without him, I'd treat Dota like tetris and I wouldn't be here blogging stuffs about Dota. Every answers from his interview were all new to me and I tried to treat Dota the same way he treated it.  One great ability of a leader is being able to solve mysteries for the team.  Your team mates may not understand why in the world have you lost.  A good leader will find it out and clarify everything to his team mates.  Maelk is definitely that kind of leader.

Be Original

He was the one who formulated MYM's strategy. He analyzes every heroes and concluded on what may be the best play style to win games. He is like a hero line up scientist. His strategies are from his own ideas. He was never afraid to try something new. Whenever he feels like a strategy would be successful, he goes for it. Examples are: pudge omniknight lane. This was even used in an important tournament. I remember him saying that he used this strategy because it would be great to try having a free radiance in early game. He also introduces Bradwarden in Dota scene.  He also formulated the triple push strategy.  Where they defeated an AOE focused team by pushing 3 lanes at the same time.  This trapped the opponents at their base having hard time to defend.  It is one of the best games I ever watched. You can view it here KS vs MYM.

Have firm CONFIDENCE in yourself

Most people who hated him for being cocky didn't realize that MYM's strength relies greatly on Maelk's confidence. His confidence made his team mates more at ease in the game. Leading a Dota team is a big responsibility. You should have the right amount of confidence because no one will trust you if you, yourself, is in doubt of your skills. Honestly, in the first Dota tournaments we participated at, I was so nervous. I feel like vomiting out of fear. I was the captain and I know top teams are included. I was so afraid to let my team mates down. They were nervous too. So, I was a useless leader because I should be the one making them calm. Good thing I became a follower of Maelk. I changed a lot and lead my team mates to being better players and win a lot of tournaments.

Make quick but good decisions

In games where plans have great chance of failing, you should know how to make quick adjustments to still have the game running on your side. This is one trait of Maelk that even his team mates can prove. His judgments are simply so perfect everytime, making him decide the best things for the team to do. Teams with leaders like him are so lucky because there will be less confusion and they can act at once. In this game, time is just too precious to be wasted on thinking what to do next. Situations change quickly. Opportunities passes by in a blink of an eye.

Be a Doer not just a Dreamer

We were all dreaming of becoming a great Dota team but we never thought it would be possible. Dreaming is good but if you take no action it is a total waste of time. Pursue your dreams. If you want to reach the moon, go. If you fail, you'd still end up reaching the stars. Maelk didn't directly say this but you'll realize it after seeing his hardwork in analyzing each and every heroes to formulate strategies. He worked hard practicing with his team mates that made MYM one of the most successful teams in Dota.

I might have been quite nostalgic about the history of MYM and myself but these 10 things I learned from Maelk had inspired me a lot to become a better player and leader.  Right attitude is important in Dota and he can inspire you a lot too to have these winning traits.  There may be a lot of other good teams right now you can learn from but I think there is no one who shares a lot of insights like Maelk. 

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Posted in: Guides,Mindset

Dota Guide: Best Lessons I Learned to Improve My DotA Game

I'd like to share this to everyone because maybe some people may also learn from my lessons.  After 5 years of playing this game,  I knew the game well enough to determine the winning formulas for most DotA games.  This was the product of both my passion for the game and hardwork to build a good DotA team.

Here are the Best Lessons I Learned to Improve my Dota Game

Never rush things

This the most important thing I've learned that made me have a better DotA game.  I was used into rushing.  Rushing to push, rushing to gank, rushing to kill, resulting to rushing to the tavern and wait for my respawn.  I was so impatient before that I even get pissed if my team mates are still farming.  I want action and I want to dominate the game as early as 10 minutes.  My impatience caused a lot of defeats.  I always end up under leveled and I never had the chance to farm luxury items.


Never skip basic items

I was used into playing lina in pub games where I always dominate by buying dagger before boots or other basic items.  I would gank alone with my combo and go back to the fountain.  Then gank again.  It was pub game where my opponents would be troll mortred etc.  When it comes to facing opponents with perfect team play, while Lina would be farming her dagger, the team may already be dominating and you are already feeding because of skipping the basics.  Always remember to win at your lane. 


Keeping my eyes on the mini-map

Looking at the mini map often made me quicker to respond.  Once I see a red dot charging towards my team mates, I'll sure be there to back them up and turn the gank into our advantage.  Thus when, opponents are not seen on the mini map, I can decide to either search for them or to play safe because a gank may be coming.  My reactions become quicker because of having the habit of keeping my eyes on the mini map.


Don't hesitate to buy wards

Observer wards became my favorite item in this game because of its ability to give me a lot of 'W'.  Observer wards are saviors of my hero's life.  They also serves as an offensive tool for searching and trapping opponents.  Before, I didn't want to buy wards because I feel like I'll be delayed in my items.  I realized that my death costs more money than wards.  If I bought wards, I'll be safe and I wont lose farming time.

Early Sentry/Dust/Gem

Don't wait for anybody to buy this for you.  Most invisible heroes have low hp and it is a waste if you don't abuse their big disadvantage.  Buy sentry/dust and kill them.  Buy gem if you are confident enough that you wont die. Not killing invisible heroes early game will make them farm deadly items to finish you off on the latter part of the game.  You'll lose and all your efforts will all be wasted if you don't take the initiative to buy these items.


Trash Talk

It's not the trash talking that you make to quarrel your opponents.  This trash talk is useful if you are playing on lan.  Trash talk serves two things.  First, it gives confidence to your team mates.  I tested this a lot of times.  My team mates played better when I trash talk.  They become more calm and they can think better.  2nd thing, you can psych out your opponents when you trash talk.  This will test their mental toughness.  If they are affected by your trash talks, their game will greatly be affected.


Read Hero Guides

I don't have hero guides here yet.  I recommend playdota.com for this.  They have good authors that give hero guides on their favorite heroes.  They give detailed information on the do's and don'ts, item and skill build, strategy early to late game etc.  After reading, apply them in your game and apply your original creativity.  It will make you play the hero better.

Watch Professional Replays

To improve more in playing certain heroes watch professional players play it.  Use them as inspirations to your game in playing the certain hero.

Play Against Good Players

Never have the quest "search for the noob".  Always fight against players who inspire you.  Don't play against weaker players just to make you feel good.  If you really want to improve, beat players who are on top of you.

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Posted in: Guides,Mindset

Dota Guide: Using Failures for Improvement

You failed? That's great! You're one step away from improvement. Failing is normal, being afraid to fight is not. Not having the guts to fight means you already lost. No matter how strong your opponents are, fight. Feeling frustrated after losing a fight is alright but don't dwell on it for a long time. We all want to win but in order to do that we should first learn the game.  If you lost, it just means that you still have more room for improvement.  Though other Pro players played this game for more than 5 years already, they still do commit mistakes. Don't rush into winning at once. There are a lot to consider and to analyze in this game and the only way to make this possible is to be brave enough to take the risk of failing.

Great people failed too

 
Michael Jordan was cut of from high school varsity team but proved to be the best ever to play basketball. Walt Disney was fired from a newspaper because he lacked imagination and had no original ideas, but look at how every Disney films are loved and patronized by people of all ages until now. Bill Gates failed in his businesses before getting into Microsoft and became a billionaire. Even the best people on every field, failed. Don't be afraid to fail. In fact, when someone would ask me how to have the best team in the world, I'd give a prescription of failing 3 times a day. You may experience a lot of trash talks and stuff, but so what? They can't hurt you without your consent. It's up to you if you would accept those words. You just have to believe in yourself no matter what. Have your goal on your mind and use your experience in reaching it.

Analyze Every Failures
Don't analyze how bitter the feeling of the failure was, analyze all the factors that lead to failing. Failing alone wont make you improve. Don't just fail and drink after because your failure would be useless. There are a lot to analyze why you lost. Lane control, ganking, hero picks, team fights, map control. It is better to save your replays and watch it to see the errors clearly. Whenever I lose a game, I try to think of the best move I could have make instead of committing the certain error. I also watch enemy's point of view to know their strategy, so that we wont lose to same strategy again.  If you don't any coach to give you dota guides and strategies, you can rely on mr. experience.  He is the best coach you'll ever have.

Have a Conclusion

After analyzing your failures, decide what adjustments your going to make. Stick to this plan. Do your adjustments in your next games. Don't make the same errors and execute your new strategy. Chances are your games will improve. If ever you fail again, detect the errors and make the necessary adjustments again. After tons of failures and adjustments, I bet you are already one scary DotA beast.  You will improve in anything not just in DotA if you always try new things and know if what works best.

Learn From Failures of Other Players

A lot of Professional DotA Replays are uploaded everyday. We have Gosugamers, DotaSgamer, Replays.net, playdota, MyMym, Mineski, itsme, and other sites that upload Pro replays. You could use the replays of pro teams to your advantage. They are pro teams and errors are very minimal but they occur in every single game. Watch very carefully and analyze every aspects of the game. Conclude on what should and not be done based from the replays you've watched. Don't just watch to get yourself entertained like what most people do. A lot of people are complaining after watching a replay that it was boring because the team turtled or played safe. What they do not understand is that the teams are just being careful because in DotA, you can lost in one wrong move.


DotA guides and strategies websites like this one are good to give you advice on how to improve your DotA games but nothing can ever beat experience.  Fail, stand up and fight better.  Don't ever ever give up.  Giving up means end of everyone's career.  If I gave up when I was still a noob, I'm sure there would be no itsme dota website right now.  I would just be another failure out there who didn't have the courage to fight. 

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Posted in: Guides,Mindset

Watching Anime Helps Improve Your DotA Skills

You may say it's crazy but it's true. Watching Anime stories with fight scenes will inspire you a lot to be a better DotA Player. When I was on my early years in the game, I simply do the things that must be done. If I need to win, I farm heavy items to be able to kill them all and push. If I need to survive, I simply run back to the fountain. If I need to gank, go to other lanes then I use my skills at once to kill them. In short, there was no art, no prediction, no precision in my game back then. Most people today improved their games through experience and by watching how the pros do it. In my case, my first improvement in this game is after getting inspired by how Anime characters think during battles. These are some anime character's traits that will inspire you in playing better in DotA.




1. Precision - Anime characters taught me how to be precise in every move I'll make in DotA. They would often have a plan on how to attack the weak points of the opponents. Though faced in difficult situations, they have the ability to have a clear mind to think of the best next move. They wait if they should wait. They attack if the time is right. They prepare more if they can't go through. Watching Anime inspired me to do what I call 'Ninja moves' in DotA. It is the ability to fool your opponents because you already predicted what he's going to do next. Anime characters would always study their opponents carefully and wont ever be baited by the opponent's made moves.

2. Doing impossible things - Weak anime protagonists often beat Stronger opponents. This is my inspiration why I have this much confidence. I'd face anyone in tournaments. I know I can beat anyone though they may have more experience than me. Having confidence in yourself is the key to beat anyone. If you think you wont win, then you wont. Focus on beating them, not on your differences. Focus on your strengths and how to maximize them.

3. Quick improvement ability - The longer the series continues, the stronger they become. Protagonists would often start without any knowledge that they have powers to beat opponents who are already strong from the day the series started. But, in the end the protagonists would be incredibly strong to face the main opponent to beat them.  I didn't stop practicing until I reached my goal.  Like in anime stories, we managed to defeat the teams we worshiped before. 

4. Presence of Mind - The characters fight with a lot of concentration. I find it funny when they would shout the name of their skill before they actually do it. But, going deeper, they are showing how to be conscious of your actions. Most of the times, we die because we don't know that we are farming too far. Most of the time we lose a clash because we don't know that we are not yet capable of beating the opponent's early heroes in clash. Presence of mind is so important to be able to know what you are doing and be conscious of advantage and disadvantages.

5. Invulnerable - No matter what happens. The protagonists wont die, they would just be injured if they faced strong opponents but they wont actually die. At the end of the series they will be the one to succeed. This is obvious in Anime stories but this had a large effect on me. It inspired me not to give up. For no matter how many times I've been down, it's a fact that I'll be the one on top if I would work hard for it.

6. Team Work - Characters, who doesn't have any magical skills yet, would defeat opponents with powerful skills when they are together. They would use team work to do this.  In DotA, you can still win the game though even how the opponent's are individually.  The only thing you can fear in this game is perfect team work, for it requires a better-than-perfect team work to beat them.

7. Respect - Anime characters know how to respect opponents no matter how evil they was in the series. This leads to not doing trash talks against my opponents after defeating them. I've learned to treat this game professionally. I trash talk some times but it's for the sake of psyching my opponents out. Making them grow arrogant and have a negative effect on their game. But, after winning the game, I would approach them like nothing happened.

Thanks for reading, Merry Christmas!

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Posted in: Guides,Mindset

Develop Your Own DotA Team (Defense of the Ancients)

,

I started my own DotA team when I heard about a tournament in one computer shop near our University. The team I made was composed of friends from high school. I was only an average player being taught by my DotA Teacher, Mark Bernardo. He exposed me to his DotA friends who happened to be the best team back then, the Inzane. I observed how good their team play was. Individually, they may experience defeat but when it's time to play as a team, it's quite impossible to defeat them. How did they develop that kind of team? I asked myself. I didn't stop studying how to have a solid team. I had a notebook of strategies I've formulated myself. I didn't want to be copy cat because I know if I'm going to copy their strategy, there would be no chance to defeat them. We had join several tournaments to improve our team. I asked Mark if we could get a chance to fight against his team and I'm willing to pay for their PC rental. We had fail a lot of times. We would have talks after every defeat we experience. One thing I love about my team is that they never lost their trust in me. Though we always fail, they always follow my plans and never complain. It was after a year, when we reached the top. We managed to defeat the team we admired a lot, the Inzane. Thus, we end up winning every game. Now, I already retired from this game and I just play when I have time, I want to share some things I have learned in developing your own DotA Team.  This is a Dota guide on creating and improving your own team in Dota Allstars.




Be Open Minded

The key to improvement is understanding. Seek first to understand the factors what made a strategy effective or ineffective. You should also learn to accept facts. Accept that you and your team mates can make several errors in the game. Don't whine on them and show immaturity. Instead, praise the things they've done good. Discuss generally the errors made in every game. You should use your mind and learn from the game, not your heart to feel frustrated for weeks. It is alright to lose games. Better strategy and execution really would win. It's not that you're dumb. They can tell you you're dumb but you are not. It's just that you need more experience and you have to know the game better. 

Know Each Player's Potential

After several games played together, you as a leader, should know what are the things your players do best. Study their game and decide which role you can ask them to have. You only have 4 team mates, it's not that difficult to detect what they do best. You'd see if a player who already know how to farm, let him improve so in that field. Players who are sneaky can play gankers or setters. Players who are already a team player can play support role who can be the savior of the team. Experiment on the effectiveness of the team after giving their roles, playing games against different level of teams. Again if you fail, decide what adjustments are needed to be done. Maybe the player just needs more practice. Don't change his role at once or remove him from the team.

Lead, don't Manage

If you want your team to stick together until the end, Lead.  Don't manage them, they are not things.  Leading is different from managing. Leading is making your team want to follow you, managing is forcing your team to follow you. You can lead by telling them what your plan is and how will it be effective. Example: "I'm planning to try pushing early so that we can have more gold." They would want that. Who doesn't want more gold, right? They would obey you whenever you say push because they want it too. In managing, you are the only one who know what your plan is and you just tell them to obey you. Once you fail with your plan, they'd lost their trust to your command. Leading inspires them to contribute more ways on how to attain the goal. It's way better than simply following commands. The ability to play as a team depends on the leader. One of the best way is to lead by example. If you play carry, show them how to play carry effectively. Whatever the outcome of the game would be, always play at your best. Do not show any sign of lost hope for they would do the same.

Never be afraid to try Something New

I remember one time, we were all used into having 3 farmers and 2 supports. Then, I was curious as to what if we would only have 1 main farmer and 4 heroes would be moving around the map to kill opponents making our carry farm more gold than usual. Then my team mates agreed and didn't mind if we will lose. After the game, we did lost, but they found it exciting. We practiced that kind of strategy for about a week. Then, it came to be our solid strategy that can knock off any team. We usually use it as surprise tactics in tournaments. I shared this because I want you all to try different things and never regret doing it. Experiments often start with failures. From those failures look at how great our technology now.  Same thing with DotA. Don't simply go with the flow. There are a lot of heroes and a lot of strategies to counter every play styles.

Watch Professional Replays

Learn from other team's error.  You cannot make all the errors in the world.  In watching replays watch their play style and acquire the skills needed for the improvement of your team.  Hero picks are not to be copied totally.  You should start with having your own formulated play style. It is essential for leaders to plan original play style for the team because most players today are already watching Professional Replays.  Plan strategies that would push your team's full potential.  I usually watch professional replays and I, honestly, imitate some strategies made by a team but not all of them.  I usually make it a hybrid my own.  Doing so, you'll be unpredictable to other teams.


Be Flexible

You have to be flexible to make the necessary adjustments from games lost. To improve is to change. Thus, changing is not easy for majority of people. If changing is necessary to have an effective team, then change. I was trained to be a carry hero player but when I realized how bored my team mates are in supporting, I switched to being our main support in our team.  I make some adjustments to make the team more effective. I find it obvious most of the time what are the things that wont work or fit in the game plan, then I tell my team mates what game plan adjustments I'm going to make so that they would know what to do.

Be Patient

This is somewhat implied in the other statements I made. But I just want to emphasize this more. Be patient. Never lose hope. Never think that you cannot beat the best team in the world. May it be Ehome or LGD, you can be better if you work for what you desire. "I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can't accept not trying." -Michael Jordan.

Watch Your Games

The best way to improve your team is watching your games. You have the ability to clearly see the errors made or how the opponent managed to defeat your strategy. If you totally understand the things that lead to your defeat, you wont do that same thing again.  Eliminating errors made by your team is another way of saying that your team is really improving.

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Posted in: Guides,Mindset