Unprofessional Fridays: 09/19/2014

Ironically the time where Dan actually sold a bit better than he's done yet, except maybe the POGS segment, happens to result in something which core to the design in Dota 2 is consiered a social indiscretion. Weird world.

I haven't watched this infamous QL, and you may very well be right, but it's a problem across MANY of them. I mean they've done it to games I absolutely adore, and it just comes down to realizing something that you're (not YOU, obviously, the general you) passionate about MIGHT also be kind of hilarious.

@zenaku: But you kinda point out one of the bigger issues with Dota. To play casually, or to not "screw people over" until you know exactly what you're doing, you basically need to not play against other people. That's kinda lame. Sure Dan was being kinda a jackass, but he's not like intentionally getting killed. He was at least sorta trying to play the game. But Dota's core design does not concede to inexperienced players at all. I dunno if Dota does it but a lot of games have non ranked modes for people to just sorta dink around or learn the game without it supposedly screwing them over. Maybe they don't want to allow people to take that route, but then if someone comes in to dink around then yeah they're kinda ruining the experience for other players.

Goddammit, I love it when Drew hosts!! His openings are the best!! More Drew I say.

"Those are children's movies. Why would I have seen them?"

"YOU PLAY VIDEOGAMES FOR A LIVING!"

With how incredibly upset Dan's team was when they played DOTA and the reception in the comments here, that basically cements that I'll never touch this game. Look, I understand that some people think he was intentionally ruining the game for his teammates. But in the same sense, I can't help but think there are some people (like myself) that might play incredibly badly when they're first trying to learn the ropes of a new game. And if others were threatening to report me because I wasn't playing correctly... well, that's just absurd. No thank you.

@matatat: Again, fair criticisms and I agree but I think you run into that issue with a lot of objective-based (versus open world) games. If I was playing Counter Strike and all I did was run around and hop on boxes while getting shot I imagine my team would be upset with me. Am I playing the game? In a literal sense yes I am. I'm controlling my character but my actions aren't in line with the established gameplay mechanics. Dan himself said he played the tutorial, albeit a long time ago, so he knows how to play the game at the base level but he chose to fool around. Having watched that segment I don't think I would have said he was trying to play the game at all.

Dota is harsh for newcomers for two reasons.

1) It was originally just a WC3 map (think mod or downloadable custom game mode). Back then you didn't have tutorial maps because that's just not what people made. The game mechanics were already established through other types of games in the same genre so people who played the game knew how to play the game already.

2) Valve has tried to create tutorials for Dota but at a very slow Valve-esque pace. I don't blame them because to be honest shit is complicated and hard to teach. Once they release custom maps and hand the reigns over to the community I am willing to guess that someone will step up and create a tutorial that will become the golden standard for newcomers. Right now though that doesn't exist.

And NO the community is not a barrier to entry (at least not anymore). The people Dan was playing with were extremely civil given the situation and I'm sure if Dan had asked for help or stated he was new they would have helped him. He did none of these things and went on his merry way. It's not that you have to know what you're doing, it's that you have to recognize basic game play mechanics and not just eschew them for your audiences entertainment.

What he was doing in that game would be like a player in a game of 5 on 5 basketball shooting on his own hoop and throwing the ball to the other team, except his teammates have no recourse. He knew he was messing up the game, he just didn't care. He chased after characters that were one shotting him. He ran into towers as he was repeatedly getting shot. He ordered the couriers into the line of fire. If he pulled that stuff in most other online games he would be kicked from the server if that was an option, and if he did that in a pickup game with strangers he might start a fight. If he was trying to learn it would be one thing. However, the whole bit was him playing Dota wrong and acting like an expert so I don't buy that he was just ignorantly and honestly messing around. He could have easily played a bot game or arranged a game with friends and if he did that I don't think people would be upset.

I don't think what he did was a big deal in the grand scheme of things, but man would I be upset if he was in one of my games pulling that sort of stuff. Dota doesn't behave like other games that the GB team have screwed around in before like Arma or Battlefield. If one player goes rogue in those games, the team isn't irreperably screwed. That is not the case in Dota. One bad player can sink everything, and one deliberately destructive player is almost impossible to overcome. There was nowhere near this much discussion around Vinny learning how to play Dota when he joined the Daily Dota team, even when he made big mistakes. It was the difference between learning how to play and trolling your team. I wouldn't blame a team game for expecting every member of a team to actually attempt to cooperate.

Screw DOTA, Extreme G!

"im a commadore man, i skipped the N64" - Danny O'Dweyer

Not a DOTA fan or player, the RP server stuff felt a little mean spirited but because of the nature of servers like that you get people doing that ish all the time, plus you can either move away or join a different server etc. Never saw the Co-Op thing so can't comment.

That being said, wow, that was a really jerk move. Like that's some shit I'd expect to see from an awkward teen youtuber who throws around homophobic slurs like candy.

I'm noticing a pattern of Dan shitting on people for having hobbies or interests that aren't his own (none of them are mine either, so it's not like I'm personally offended) that makes him come off as kind of a bully. It's a pretty toxic vibe that I'm not digging, especially not for a place like GB that has always seemed to be fairly positive and accepting.

Man I love Rorie, but it's really uncool to see him being such a bad sport about not getting into that trivia game...

+10

I love Dan, but does anyone else find this kinda offensive that he's purposely ruining a game experience for other people?

Man, it bummed me out when drew booted up Rush 2 and didn't enter any cheats. You can literally just jam on all of the buttons and unlock all but 1 or 2 cheats. Big front wheels and small back wheels, man.

Stunt track is definitely the only track worth playing tho. As a high level Rush 2 stunt player, I have to say Drew doesn't fare very well. Gotta hit them corners hard. Also we would always turn the wind up and go off the "red boobs" in the SE corner to jump over the wall into the nothingness. Occasionally crazy points out there. Also the VW van rolls really well despite being pretty slow.

@z3wpk: Yep, I would agree with that. As a League player, when somebody griefs and ruins the game it just sours the whole experience, and in those type of games you're kinda stuck playing the match unless you want to leave and potentially incur a penalty (or be reported).

As much as I love the guys, I wish they would move on when they don't like something, rather than constantly having to remind us of the fact. We get it guys - you hate MOBAs.

A bit late to the party but:

World War Two? In Africa?!

@rarespine: Thank you! And you know it's fine to make fun of a game. Really I don't mind. I'm a huge DoTA 2 player and I don't mind them making fun if it all the time. But when it gets to this level, it's kinda rude to just ruin other people's experiences.

Nah, it wasn't you. Don't worry about it.

Danny tends to have Dan pegged, dead to rights, a lot of the time. The podcast where he just slapped him down with, "You are NOT Icarus flying too close to the sun!" was amazing.

re dota

I understand why people who take mobas seriously get worked up about Dan here, but it's absurd that one guy can impact a match that much. It's a weakness in the game's or the genre's design. In most multiplayer games, it won't matter if a few people are off doing their own thing. Shooters, rpgs, MMOs; You can run around and look at trees and everyone else will still be having a good time, but mobas fall apart when one guy isn't up to par.

Remember when people trolled Brad in Demon Souls by invading his game and breaking his gear? I didn't see anyone defend those strangers. Just something to think about.

'You fucking play video games for a living!'

I love Danny.

BRUTE FUCKING FORCE

Dan is a hilarious genius man. Holy shit that DOTA bit

I have never been so entertained by watching someone playing DOTA

Screw dota, ryckert is the peoples' champion.

Watching Dan play Dota is the funniest thing I've seen in a long time.

Even better the second time a year later!

I don't play MOBAs or any multiplayer games really, but I wouldn't say it's a flaw in the game design that losing 1/5th of your team would be a major disadvantage. If the goalkeeper was constantly running off in a hockey or soccer match, I'm sure people could see why that would be detrimental.

lol rorie was so asshurt during that quiz game

I don't get why so many are offended on behalf of others over Dan's messing around in an unranked match.

Me and friends used to spend entire games in Battlefield blowing each others vehicles into the sky. If you want a serious game play with serious people, not a PUG.