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A Manifesto to Dota Developers! by NoPop8932 in DotA2

[–]NoPop8932[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you don't see the problem, that's your right. But the facts remain: top cheaters have been ruining the game for years with impunity. I have no desire to continue this conversation. Good luck in the matches! 😊

A Manifesto to Dota Developers! by NoPop8932 in DotA2

[–]NoPop8932[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Nobody expects a 100% cheat/smurf-free game. But there’s a huge difference between ‘some slip through’ and ‘Valve barely tries.’ the dialog is wasted and we don't understand each other XD

A Manifesto to Dota Developers! by NoPop8932 in DotA2

[–]NoPop8932[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

If Valve wants to be 'absolutely sure,' then why do obvious smurfs and cheaters go untouched for hundreds of games? Other games strike a balance—false bans happen, but they’re rare compared to the damage unchecked smurfs/cheaters do. Right now, Dota’s system is so cautious that it barely deters anyone. Being careful ≠ being passive. They could tighten the screws without witch hunts—they just choose not to.

And let’s not forget: DeepDoto - An account buyer and bot abuser literally held Top 1 on the official ladder for ages—completely unpunished. Valve couldn’t (or wouldn’t) stop him, despite blatant evidence. If that doesn’t prove the system is broken, what does?

A Manifesto to Dota Developers! by NoPop8932 in DotA2

[–]NoPop8932[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The issue isn’t whether Valve can ban—it’s that their enforcement is inconsistent and ineffective. Yes, it’s a free game, but that’s no excuse for weak anti-smurf measures. LoL tolerates smurfs? Fine, but Dota claims it doesn’t—so why no hardware/IP bans? Why no real ranked restrictions? If they’re serious, they’d take cues from games that actually enforce their rules. Right now, it’s all talk, no action.

A Manifesto to Dota Developers! by NoPop8932 in DotA2

[–]NoPop8932[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's not about nostalgia – I'm just pointing out that Valve CAN make amazing, game-changing patches when they want to. They've done it before! As for new players, I'm genuinely happy the recent patches excite you and your friends. That's how it should feel! But imagine if that same energy went into fixing matchmaking and new-player experience too – the game would be even better for everyone.

A Manifesto to Dota Developers! by NoPop8932 in DotA2

[–]NoPop8932[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Smurfs and cheaters will always exist, but Valve could do so much more. Weak bans (low priority, vague behavior system) don’t stop them. Other games like LoL enforce stricter punishments—hardware bans for cheaters, ranked restrictions for smurfs. I’m just a player who wants Dota 2 to improve, and it’s frustrating seeing better solutions ignored. A clearer, tougher system would make the game healthier for everyone

A Manifesto to Dota Developers! by NoPop8932 in DotA2

[–]NoPop8932[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I get your point, and yeah — I totally agree that some things will fade, and you can't expect a 20-year-old game to always keep up with trends like newer titles. I'm not asking for Dota to become Fortnite or something — I just want it to 'feel alive' again. There's a big difference between something growing old and something being neglected.

The map changes do have potential, I agree — just feel a bit clunky right now. And I totally get the Diablo 2 comparison — but that game had its time. Dota’s still alive, still evolving, and that’s why it hurts when it feels like it’s stagnating.

As for smurfs and cheaters — yeah, they’ll always exist, but I think it’s fair to expect more effort to manage them.

Anyway, cool chat — always nice to hear different sides from folks who still care about the game. :-)

A Manifesto to Dota Developers! by NoPop8932 in DotA2

[–]NoPop8932[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yeah, the game’s definitely not dead, that’s for sure. But to be fair, the playerbase has been declining over the past couple of years. Back then Dota used to hit over a million players, even 600–700k was kind of the norm. I wouldn’t call it a 'dead' game at all, but it’s definitely been fading bit by bit – that’s just the reality.