The MOBA genre is without a doubt the hottest scene for online video game play right now. Between League of Legends, DotA 2, Blizzard’s upcoming addition Heroes of the Storm, and countless indie developers getting in on the action, I’m here to give you a few tips for interacting with your peers when heading out to the battlefield. I’ve been a part of the League of Legends community for a long time, and while League’s playerbase may be larger than that of other titles, the nature of the game is what results in behavioral similarities between their communities. While I haven’t played a ton of DotA 2, I feel these teachings can likely be applied to most of the aforementioned titles.
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Tip number one: Practice in normal games. If you’re a new player, you should be inwardly focused when trying to improve your game. While MOBAs are team games, you’re not going anywhere until you’ve somewhat mastered very basic in-game mechanics. “I just want to wreck people and have fun!” you might be thinking to yourself. But take my word for it, until you become familiarized with the less sensational aspects of a MOBA, you’re not going to be stomping anyone any time soon, I guarantee it. Take the time to learn the basics and you’ll be legendary in no time!
Tip number two: Ignore that raging troll! If you’ve skipped tip number one and gone straight in without the appropriate practice, congratulations! You’re most likely placed in the lower 80% of ranked League of Legends players. Now, playing in any kind of ranked ladder often has profound effects on humans. They become invested in their rank as some sort of primary identifier of worth or value within the community. As such, some people will no doubt verbally harass and chastise you for any mistakes you might make when playing (they no doubt make many mistakes as well). They feel that your mistakes are causing their rank to be threatened, by making misplays you’re essentially attacking or hurting their credibility. Tip number two is simple: be the bigger man! It’s difficult to walk away from certain situations, especially when you feel you’ve done nothing to deserve such treatment. Ignoring abusers or finding creative ways of diffusing situations is the best option, the latter requiring much more creativity.
Tip number three: This one is pretty cliche, but it really resonates with me after having played thousands of games in League of Legends. Have fun! I enjoy playing competitive games, but by no means do they dictate or change how I operate as a person. The second you give something that much power over you is the moment you begin down a long and dark path. There’s another person behind that screen name, a guy or girl just like us who is just trying to play the game and improve. “Don’t start nothin’, won’t be nothin’” totally applies here, usually situations involving verbal harassment diffuse over time as people come to terms with what’s happening, don’t make it worse by responding. “Defending your honor” by trying to mince words with abrasive players or trolls never works, the second you give a reaction they win.
If any readers would like to play a few games, i’m usually around after work and on weekends. Feel free to send me a message on Gamepedia for my IGN. I’m always willing to share a bit of my experience with those in search of help, and I love having fun in the process! Being a part of MOBA communities means putting up with a volatile and often immature community, but these minor drawbacks should hardly serve to undermine the main reason that keeps us coming back to the genre, it’s fun!