Dota 2 complexity vs method

Dota 2 complexity vs method

Complexity is the number of concurrent things (read, “rules&quot a player has to hold in their mind to play the game.

Depth is the number of non trivial decisions they have to make to play the game.

A perfect game would be immensely Deep, but not at all Complex. Go, a game involving two colours of stones, a grid, and the placement, is very close to this.

Now, when a player starts playing a game, we want them to experience as much of the depth as possible, with as little complexity as possible. We can do that by creating a functional subset of the gameplay enviroment with fewer complexities. A good example of this is Route 101 in Pokemon. You only encounter a small number of pokemon, the pokemon are relatively weak, and the moves are basic.

In the same manner, instead of presenting a new LoL player with 117 champions, we let them play 10. 10 champions, summoners rift, and the opponents are all new players. You have the needed complexity of 5v5, of the standard summoners rift set up, but thats it. No runes to manage, no masteries to manage, because these do not add depth to the game, merely complexity.

Our game is functional using a subset of any 10 champions on summoners rift provided our players are not overly skilled, saw, below gold (we can assume that they’re new). The reason this pool isn’t any bigger, is because the depth gained from playing with / against two champions instead of one (or 20 instead of 10) is not at all proportionate to the added complexity the player must handle.

Quick, name and describe what all five abilities of Urgot, Poppy, Irelia are? You’re a bit stumped, you’re probably not familiar with all the complexity those champions bring. Spare a thought for a new player, who would have to be prepared to play with or against 117 champions. We make it easier, yet no less deep or enjoyable with a limited roster of ten champions.

Playing the game naturally allows the player to appreciate more of the depth the added complexity brings. To go back to pokemon, as the trainer moves through new routes, they find new pokemon, still a small subset. However, other trainers may battle with pokemon from previous routes, or not seen at all. By introducing complexity in a slow manner like this, players can appreciate the depth that it brings without being overwhelmed. Some examples are type matchups and status effects.

Similarly, in League, new players expect to often face the free week champions, or at worst, a limited roster of the non free champions. While you may encounter 6300Ip champions, you won’t be overwhelmed by all of them at once. In addition, your play grants Ip and Xp, allowing the player to expand their own complexity, with masteries and new champions at a manageable rate. As more and more champions are encounted, team compositions, lane matchups, and various other depth bringing complexities are encountered.

Now, lets do a study in comparison: DotA2, LoLs largest competitor has all the Heroes unlocked from the start. Why?

Simply because DotA is not functional using only a 10 hero subset of the pool. The game would not work, and is not designed to work like that. Imagine if you will, a version of pokemon, where instead of one starter pokemon, you were given roughly 400 first evolution pokemon. Thats overwhelming, but it gets worse: Instead of broad type matchups (water beats fire etc), super effectiveness / resistance was on a pokemon by pokemon basis. There is nothing wrong with this approach, merely it is highly complex.

I would posit that a game with that much complexity would be hard to get into.

tl;dr: LoL has restricted champion pool to reduce the complexity the new players have to face. DotA does not because the game simply wouldn’t be functional.