About a year ago I played LoL on a daily basis for a few weeks. I was pretty decent in that I was never the one being yelled at by my team. I've had Dota 2 sitting installed for a while and I just need to know if their is anything I should know before jumping in. Major changes between the games, difference in character roles, etc.

How about you play the game and check for yourself? If you've been anything close to half-decent at LoL I bet you'll do way better than the majority of people playing when they start out.

You're clearly thinking about it too much.

I haven't played LoL personally, but from what I hear it is pretty similar. I'm guessing LoL has most of the same roles like jungle, supports, carries, etc. Does it have runes, a mob like Roshan to kill for a big chunk of gold, and most importantly the voice of Rucks from Bastion?

Just go play it. You'll be fine once you get used to the unlocked camera.

@Irvandus said:

About a year ago I played LoL on a daily basis for a few weeks. I was pretty decent in that I was never the one being yelled at by my team. I've had Dota 2 sitting installed for a while and I just need to know if their is anything I should know before jumping in. Major changes between the games, difference in character roles, etc.

One thing that happened to me was i found bot matches harder than online matches somehow so maybe try to jump into an online match first instead.

EDIT:and also some differences are you lose gold when you die, there's no recall but you can buy teleportation scrolls in the shop, and most high level items are found in a secret shop in the forests

After so much LoL, I found DotA2 to be incredibly slow. This doesn't necessarily make it easier, though, as it's a lot harder to time last hits when your character's wind-up takes half a second. I'm sure you'd be able to adjust, I just didn't have the patience for it.

@SlasherMan: I still wish that they added an option to lock the damn thing.

Just hop in and do either a co-op match against bots, or just a bot game, you will know how things are going then.

@StarvingGamer said:

After so much LoL, I found DotA2 to be incredibly slow.

Slow in what sense? 5v5 matches have an average length of 40-45 mins, just like LoL.

@SlasherMan said:

@StarvingGamer said:

After so much LoL, I found DotA2 to be incredibly slow.

Slow in what sense? 5v5 matches have an average length of 40-45 mins, just like LoL.

Action/animation speed. When compared to LoL, I felt like I was operating in half-a-second lag the entire time I played DotA2, but that was just the extended animation times.

Its more complex and varied than LoL in my opinion. Give it some time, and then it might grab you. It took me around 10 games or so for it to finally click for me.

@BillyTheKid said:

@SlasherMan: I still wish that they added an option to lock the damn thing.

You can actually still lock it if you want to. But you'll be giving up any and all screen panning capabilities since you have to disable edge pan in the options menu, and that will limit you severely IMO especially since Dota 2 seems to have a narrower FoV than LoL.

@StarvingGamer said:

@SlasherMan said:

@StarvingGamer said:

After so much LoL, I found DotA2 to be incredibly slow.

Slow in what sense? 5v5 matches have an average length of 40-45 mins, just like LoL.

Action/animation speed. When compared to LoL, I felt like I was operating in half-a-second lag the entire time I played DotA2, but that was just the extended animation times.

Ah I see. Those are intentionally slow at first, but obviously, you do become faster as you get more items and level up.

Everything about Dota 2 looked weird to me initially, but now, I cannot possibly imagine myself going back to LoL. I'd say just give it some time to get used to how things work, you might end up liking it a whole lot more than LoL.

@SlasherMan: Ya you can't seem to go up as high with the camera. So you can't just use a button to toggle it on and off? Cause at the rate I am playing I have to use my arrow keys because I am not comfortable with using the mouse to control the camera at all.

@BillyTheKid said:

@SlasherMan: Ya you can't seem to go up as high with the camera. So you can't just use a button to toggle it on and off? Cause at the rate I am playing I have to use my arrow keys because I am not comfortable with using the mouse to control the camera at all.

Unfortunately, no, there isn't a single lock/unlock button for the camera. This is something that might take a while to get used to, but in the long run you'll come to realize that it's actually the better way to play. Of course it would have been nice if they'd at least provided us with an easy way to toggle (you know, player choice and all), and who knows? They might do that at some point. This is still a beta after all.

You'll be fine. It's a harder game overall with more things like denying and stuff but play somne bot games or play with friends and you should be fine.

@SlasherMan said:

@BillyTheKid said:

@SlasherMan: Ya you can't seem to go up as high with the camera. So you can't just use a button to toggle it on and off? Cause at the rate I am playing I have to use my arrow keys because I am not comfortable with using the mouse to control the camera at all.

Unfortunately, no, there isn't a single lock/unlock button for the camera. This is something that might take a while to get used to, but in the long run you'll come to realize that it's actually the better way to play. Of course it would have been nice if they'd at least provided us with an easy way to toggle (you know, player choice and all), and who knows? They might do that at some point. This is still a beta after all.

You can double tap the F1 key to move the camera to you, and hold it to lock it. But it unlocks when you release the key.

@Irvandus said:

About a year ago I played LoL on a daily basis for a few weeks. I was pretty decent in that I was never the one being yelled at by my team. I've had Dota 2 sitting installed for a while and I just need to know if their is anything I should know before jumping in. Major changes between the games, difference in character roles, etc.

Dota 2 and LoL are similar. However don't expect one game to translate into the other seamlessly.

-League is focused more so on skills and AP/AD, where as Dota 2 (IMO) is more focused around items and attribute stacking and "auto" attacks.

-League is a faster game, matches are faster, you get gold faster. However, you can die just as fast, if not faster in Dota but the games are typically 45-60min and for a 60minute game most players will average around lvl 20-25 and have 250 LH (Last hits, Creep Score for LoLers) with about 10 kills.

-League is a smaller game, the map is smaller, character move faster and skill radius's/hit boxes are smaller ( a lot smaller ).

-Dota 2 is all about the jukes baby, juking behind trees to evade enemy Line of Sight (LoS)

-Hero roles work the same (mostly) you have your initiatory (tanky but not always tanky), your carry (there is also a semi-carry (hybrid support/carry) and a mid-carry(fast and amazing mid game but horrible late game ie. Visage), your gank/jungler and your support.

Anyway, i could go on listing the differences so here is the TL;DR

DOTA 2 AND LOL ARE BOTH MOBA'S AND THUS SHARE SIMILAR QUALITIES TO THE BLIND EYE, HOWEVER THE GAMES DIFFER ON SOME VERY IMPORTANT KEY NOTES.

Also, i love me some Dota 2 and I typically dont rage at new players and i've got about 450 hours of experience. Therefore hit me up (anyone) on steam if you want some fun games.

Username: Emit204

Just don't mention that you're from LoL, or you'll get wtfjumped by half the community.

@Bistromath said:

Just don't mention that you're from LoL, or you'll get wtfjumped by half the community.

omagerd league newbs

I am a pretty decent LoL player, meaning that i have a good ranked standing. Still, I suck donkey balls at Dota 2.

@jorbear: You are just asking for some flaming.

@Lyisa said:

@SlasherMan said:

@BillyTheKid said:

@SlasherMan: Ya you can't seem to go up as high with the camera. So you can't just use a button to toggle it on and off? Cause at the rate I am playing I have to use my arrow keys because I am not comfortable with using the mouse to control the camera at all.

Unfortunately, no, there isn't a single lock/unlock button for the camera. This is something that might take a while to get used to, but in the long run you'll come to realize that it's actually the better way to play. Of course it would have been nice if they'd at least provided us with an easy way to toggle (you know, player choice and all), and who knows? They might do that at some point. This is still a beta after all.

You can double tap the F1 key to move the camera to you, and hold it to lock it. But it unlocks when you release the key.

I know, but that isn't exactly practical if you want the camera locked on your hero for any decent stretch of time.

@SlasherMan said:

@Lyisa said:

@SlasherMan said:

@BillyTheKid said:

@SlasherMan: Ya you can't seem to go up as high with the camera. So you can't just use a button to toggle it on and off? Cause at the rate I am playing I have to use my arrow keys because I am not comfortable with using the mouse to control the camera at all.

Unfortunately, no, there isn't a single lock/unlock button for the camera. This is something that might take a while to get used to, but in the long run you'll come to realize that it's actually the better way to play. Of course it would have been nice if they'd at least provided us with an easy way to toggle (you know, player choice and all), and who knows? They might do that at some point. This is still a beta after all.

You can double tap the F1 key to move the camera to you, and hold it to lock it. But it unlocks when you release the key.

I know, but that isn't exactly practical if you want the camera locked on your hero for any decent stretch of time.

I rebound jump to character to space. hit space twice, on the second hit hold it down and it will follow, you can then ''lead'' the camera with your mouse

Also pressing ALT will put a giant green arrow above you and change your icon on the minimap

I thought DotA was actually really hard to jump into even playing LoL. You need a feel for the characters. The items are a HUGE hurdle to learn. DoTA has a completely different feel to it. Yea you wont be as bad as a complete noob, but expect to feel like one,

@Irvandus said:

About a year ago I played LoL on a daily basis for a few weeks. I was pretty decent in that I was never the one being yelled at by my team. I've had Dota 2 sitting installed for a while and I just need to know if their is anything I should know before jumping in. Major changes between the games, difference in character roles, etc.

You should join the Giant Bomb Steam Group and play with us Saturday afternoons. We have fun and 99% of the people (especially Rattle) are really bad at it.

Not me though. I'm super gdlk Invoker_Dragon420. As for differences in the games, Dota 2 has a much higher skill ceiling and requires a lot more communication with your teammates. There are also a lot more abstracted mechanics that aren't necessarily apparent until you think about it for a second (like the reason spells don't normally scale). You have to learn a lot but it is infinitely more rewarding and you don't have to pay for new heroes.

I just jumped in myself thanks to a member of the community. I'm really enjoying it. I've won 2 games out of 10 or so.

My best advice would be when you start the game and select a character, alt tab out and google a guide. Glance over it and see what equipment is best, and the ups and downs of the character. Really helped me. I went 15-0 in a match the other day.

Dotacinema is your friend when learning new heroes.

Either way that is not the only thing to get used too. I hope that I can make the big jump over, but luckily most of it is all new because I did not play much LOL actually.

About a year ago I played LoL on a daily basis for a few weeks. I was pretty decent in that I was never the one being yelled at by my team. I've had Dota 2 sitting installed for a while and I just need to know if their is anything I should know before jumping in. Major changes between the games, difference in character roles, etc.

Read through this thread - http://www.giantbomb.com/dota-2/61-32887/the-i-am-new-to-dota-beginners-guide/35-570903/#54

A lot of good discussion about ways to get started in Dota. The best advice I can give you is go into Dota thinking "This is a whole new game." Things in LoL that are considered good, are bad habits in Dota. You should pick things up quickly and feel free to message me if you have any questions.

@StarvingGamer: Don't forget about the 25 minutes it takes your character to turn around for no fucking reason other than Warcraft 3!

@Irvandus Also, what are you doing? Go play LoL, season 3 just started and they got rid of ELO! Hurray!

Hmm, denying (both by you or by the nearby jungle spots), courier manipulation, and killing vegetation to get yourself a nice creep funnel are probably some things you should check up on. My friend goes on endlessly about how those are crucial for the early game (and thus influencing the rest).

I would imagine that games in Dota 2 are glacial for LoL players. Depending on team comps and what you picked, you might not be ready to contribute to pushes till 10+ minutes in and games easily last 30+. Players can lose the entire match jumping into the push phase too quickly. All of that promotes a more deliberate pace of play.

good at LOL =\= good at dota.

you will be almost starting over learning to play.

in my opinion dota is the superior game

I recommend reading this, and playing bot games until you get used to the UI and map. The hardest thing for me when I was learning DOTA 2 while being a semi-decent LoL player, was learning about where items were in that game since there are different shops. Also, learning how to use the courier saves a bit of time and is a mechanic not in LoL.

But yeah play a couple of bot games, and you should be fine. At the very least you'll be better than the people jumping in with no prior MOBA experience.

As long as you aren't feeding, you'll be a step above a lot of the people just jumping in.

Play some bot games to get used to how the characters control, because it feels really slow at first if you come from an RTS or League of Legends. Also, you are going to have to do lots of reading (the guides have already been mentioned) if you are going to improve in the game. 
 
I am the opposite crappy player of most  crappy players. Most crappy players are those guys who know a ton about the game but can't control to save their life but I am the opposite. I can very consistently get last hits and denies and cast my spells at the right time and in quick succession, but I have absolutely no idea what is going on ever.

I came from LoL too, and two big things. First, despite looking similar, they are very very very different. Don't look for characters that seem the same as LoL champions, you will be disappointed. Second, I have yet to get yelled at in Dota 2. I have yet to feel the need to yell at someone else to defend myself in Dota 2. My experience has been a much more pleasant and enjoyable experience. Anyways, if you read nothing else, please read this, even as an ex-LoL player, it will help you. http://www.purgegamers.com/welcome-to-dota-you-suck#.UUf8XRzql8E
Again, I cannot stress enough how useful that link will be. It's helped every single Dota 2 player I've met.

You can double click your character portrait to lock the camera. Moving your cursor to the edge of the screen to pan or single clicking your portrait will unlock the camera. It's better than holding a key if you want to keep it that way for a while but you should really learn to play without the camera locked if you want to be good at Dota 2.