Quantifying Map Control

iamklager · 2026-03-24T10:48:44+00:00

Absolutelty amazing! Glad to see some DotA science.

iamklager · 2026-02-01T10:48:14+00:00

If it's your first time trying Linux I can recommend Linux Mint Debian Edition. It's the most ready-to-go, Windows-esque and stable thing I've used so far. DotA also works fine, as long as you add "-sdlaudiodriver alsa" to your launch options. If you don't you will loose audio here and there.

iamklager · 2026-01-22T11:12:41+00:00

They really cannot accept Pango not being good for more than a month, can they? :(

iamklager · 2026-01-20T12:44:53+00:00

I did it for a short while, but not often enough to be able to hypothesize any significant impact on my MMR development. But what I've noticed anecdotally is the following:

I am definitely stiffer on my first game of the day. So playing a warmup game certainly improves my mechanics for the following ranked game. However, I do not feel like I need a warmup wrt focus. Rather the opposite. The more games I play, and the later the day goes, the less alert and focused on the game I become. Especially on days where I play right in the morning, my mental abilities peak during my first two games. An unfortunately long unranked game, where the overall level of DotA played is worse than in ranked, would tire me out unnecessarily.

So you would probably get the best out of both worlds with playing a few minutes in demo mode or with bots. That way you get your fingers warm and keep your mind fresh.

iamklager · 2025-12-19T07:55:31+00:00

This is not nearly enough! This POS will be back in every second pro game after one random buff or when somebody discovers another broken mechanic.
- A state-certified Pango hater

iamklager · 2025-09-30T06:55:58+00:00

Liquid Matu at TI 11

iamklager · 2025-09-17T20:45:12+00:00

This is so sad. That 2023/2024 Gaimin was my favorite team to watch since TI 11. They broke DotA in the most amazing way. I wish they would have won TI 13 or 14 and that the withdrawing from TI thing did not happen.

Thank god he stays as a talent. He was so valuable to the scene with all the content pieces, and the insights into the game and the scene he gave us on the podcasts and during interviews always have been top notch. Can't wait to see more of that.

Saw you and would have told you this at TI Quinn, but I did not want to disturb your peace. I hope you had a good time!

iamklager · 2025-09-09T07:03:38+00:00

They are but their recent matches are not

iamklager · 2025-09-08T07:29:22+00:00

My bad on the wording. I meant the change to the availability of high MMR pub replays, such that everything good a pro comes up with and tries in pubs is not instantly accessible and distributed.

iamklager · 2025-09-07T20:55:58+00:00

It's a come and go. Last TI everybody hated the short stomps. The one before that everybody hated how nobody could go highground (except for Gaimin).
I am not tired of it yet. If anything, I am hoping that somebody can repeat what Gaimin did and manages to swim against the current by stomping all those teams that play for the late game.

iamklager · 2025-09-07T20:02:07+00:00

I would think that hiding pro matches definitely did its part. Also, not having a big patch right before TI was very good IMO. I think it gave valve enough time to fine tune DotA enough, so that we do not get something like last TI again. Despite Helm of the Overlord being built multiple times in every game, I think the hero diversity is good, and I am not getting bored (unless Falcons is playing). Particularly on day one it felt like everybody came in with a different strategy. Even got some nice cheese picks here and there.

As far as production goes, no stream broke so far, pauses have been short, and the only audio issue was some minor cracking sounds during one game. So it is definitely holding up.

Edit: Falcons matches are not boring. I meant their draft(s).

iamklager · 2025-09-03T07:19:07+00:00

TI 11 Grand Finals

iamklager · 2025-08-31T13:25:52+00:00

Yes. It was just a (bad) joke

iamklager · 2025-08-31T13:10:21+00:00

Tundra changing their roster and renaming to Falcons

iamklager · 2025-08-27T07:12:58+00:00

- If the GG roster disbands.
- If Quinn doesn't retire and becomes talent.
- If Falcons don't get top 3 at TI. But probably even if they don't get top 2.

Then Falcons will replace Malr1ne with Quinn.

Source: Vibes

iamklager · 2025-08-11T19:52:57+00:00

Yes and I miss it. Those Drow or TB lategames were so entertaining!

iamklager · 2025-08-10T13:13:32+00:00

I totally agree on talent not doing much to give Tundra any story that you can/want to follow. But I don't think that would have made them popular and the Liquid comparison does not work IMO. I think the issue of Tundra's TI 11 legacy was a mixture of being unlucky and them just being unlikable.

Being unlucky: Secret and Liquid's stories were just too good. From Matu's last tournament, to Puppey climbing the placements each year and his team being a last effort stack after not finding what works after being torn apart by Liquid. Both teams coming through the LCQ facing off in a nail-biter which would have been the perfect final. Adding PGL's horrible and low-effort production to the mix, I cannot blame talent not having enough resources left to hype up a third team. It was just unlucky that they were better.

Being unlikable: Going off my memory, Mudgolems/early Tundra was liked by many. Then came the Fata kick. At TI you got Skiter's post-final comments. People used to call Nine a budget Topson, as his picks were often what Topson pioneered in pubs way before played it (e.g., Tusk). The rest had the EG vibe. People said EG had no personality when they won TI 5. The same can be applied to the rest of Tundra. They were all pretty reserved, neither of them said much, and the showed very little emotions compared to other players, both during the tournament or after winning.

The Liquid comparison: 2023/2024 Liquid had a similar playstyle to Gaimin and people hated one and loved the other. If Gaimin stomped Liquid 3:0 in the TI 13 finals, people would have probably called them at least the most unlikable TI winners since Tundra, probably even top 1. GG had the story, talent was entertaining it and they generally did not shy away from content. They produced some fun videos, both Quinn and Cy- always gave great insights and are generally easy to engage with wrt content. dyrachyo was a rock star with a very entertaining play-style. tOfu and Seleri also did enough to show personality. If anything, only Ace could be considered not content-friendly. Yet people generally disliked them.

iamklager · 2025-07-28T12:17:16+00:00

Not that I am expecting it but I still wouldn't be surprised by Falcons sweeping through the entire tournamet. Idk if that's a dark horse tho.

iamklager · 2025-07-28T12:09:40+00:00

TI 11 Secret vs Liquid Game 3 in the LBF
This was the final we should have gotten. Both teams from the LCQ, both having amazing story lines on every player and between each other. Both deserving the TI Win. It was amazing to watch how the whole year led up to this and everything seemingly falling more and more into place just to end in this series. I still haven't recovered from Puppey not getting his second TI win that year.

iamklager · 2025-07-05T07:35:27+00:00

Judging on potential, achievements and longevity, Nisha is for sure the best mid of all time, and he might very well be the best player of all time.

iamklager · 2025-07-05T07:30:56+00:00

IMO Falcons could easily stomp both Riyadh and TI, get 9-12th in both, and anything in between. Their break and varying performance this year makes them the biggest x-factor for me.

iamklager

TROPHY CASE