Not really. There are people who aren’t familiar with DOTA at all.
I tried explaining it to a friend about a year a go and the first thing he wanted me to explain was just the origins of the name which took about 10 minutes.
He finally began to get close to the idea of how it played when I described it as a Fantasy RPG Counter Strike played with RTS controls.
Indeed. That’s why I think ARTS is actually better than calling it a MOBA or even DOTA. MOBA could mean anything really and DOTA doesn’t tell you anything about the style of gameplay. But tell them it’s an Action RTS and bam people will have a far better idea.
Yes I read the interview yesterday where it was mentioned, and I’ve now forgotten what MOBA stands for. I’ve also spoken to many a friend who following Vavle’s DOTA2 announcement have no idea what a DOTA style of gameplay encompasses. So for my money Action RTS probably does at least enable people to get an initial concept in their heads.
Having neve played DOTA and having completely ignored the hype around DOTA2 recently… this story makes even less sense to me than it does to the rest of you.
DOTA should be its genre name not arts or moba. DOTA at least was the original name for the WC3 mod. And birthed a name that that would eventually become akin to other genres like tower defense. DOTA ftw!
This genre of games should be called ARTS/MOBA (I’m leaning towars ARTS) and definitely not be called DOTA.
If you look at LoL the game genre started off as a copy from DOTA but it is beginning to evolve and with the release of the game mode Dominon the gameplay will be different but it will keep it’s Action-RTS feel (which is why I agree that ARTS is a good genre name).
Basically anything with pvp played on the internet, which is why it’s horrible. ARTS is better, but I think Fast Action RPG, or FARPG(pro. Far-puh-ger) better describes it – RTS sorta gets it but that’s a different type of strat/thinking I feel.
I think when these things started I just used to call them ‘Hero Defense’ – because there’s a lot in common with tower defense except for which part you play on the field (and the fact that it’s usually two-sided, but that can still be done in TD as well so it’s a moot point).
Terms like MOBA and even ARTS I think overlap other subgenres a bit too easily (eg. how would you class games like Arena Wars, and to an extent Worldshift? – because the former especially seems ripe for an ARTS type definition)
202halffound
Wednesday, August 31, 2011 at 7:39 AMHe actually said that it doesn’t matter what it is called as long as people know what it is.
Kotaku US…
Akranadas
Wednesday, August 31, 2011 at 7:56 AMI think customers know what you are talking about when you say dota
rantOclock
Wednesday, August 31, 2011 at 8:20 AMNot really. There are people who aren’t familiar with DOTA at all.
I tried explaining it to a friend about a year a go and the first thing he wanted me to explain was just the origins of the name which took about 10 minutes.
He finally began to get close to the idea of how it played when I described it as a Fantasy RPG Counter Strike played with RTS controls.
Chazz
Wednesday, August 31, 2011 at 8:26 AMIndeed. That’s why I think ARTS is actually better than calling it a MOBA or even DOTA. MOBA could mean anything really and DOTA doesn’t tell you anything about the style of gameplay. But tell them it’s an Action RTS and bam people will have a far better idea.
Thermal Ions
Wednesday, August 31, 2011 at 9:23 PMYes I read the interview yesterday where it was mentioned, and I’ve now forgotten what MOBA stands for. I’ve also spoken to many a friend who following Vavle’s DOTA2 announcement have no idea what a DOTA style of gameplay encompasses. So for my money Action RTS probably does at least enable people to get an initial concept in their heads.
Rod
Wednesday, August 31, 2011 at 10:07 AMHaving neve played DOTA and having completely ignored the hype around DOTA2 recently… this story makes even less sense to me than it does to the rest of you.
Chazz
Wednesday, August 31, 2011 at 8:21 AMIt’s not even a full sentence this time. This is getting worse.
matt
Thursday, September 1, 2011 at 8:51 PMsoon they will just forward the emailed tips to us and let us think up our own articles.
Weresmurf
Wednesday, August 31, 2011 at 8:29 AMTomorrow on Kotaku US:
“.
.
By B Ashcraft”
olearymo
Wednesday, August 31, 2011 at 8:56 AMThe fact that Gabe is wearing an Aperture Science labcoat just made my morning.
attila
Wednesday, August 31, 2011 at 9:09 AMNewell looks more and more like a middle aged woman every time I see a photo of him.
Pakka
Wednesday, August 31, 2011 at 1:52 PMHe’s just fat.
matt
Thursday, September 1, 2011 at 8:51 PMat least he doesnt give a fuck. cause of that, i dont give a fuck. HL2 also may have something to do with it
Nate
Wednesday, August 31, 2011 at 9:18 AMDOTA should be its genre name not arts or moba. DOTA at least was the original name for the WC3 mod. And birthed a name that that would eventually become akin to other genres like tower defense.
DOTA ftw!
Mic
Wednesday, August 31, 2011 at 11:43 AMBy that logic, lets drop FPS and call them all Wolfensteins.
Adam Ruch
Wednesday, August 31, 2011 at 9:21 AMAren’t these games just PVP Diablo??
Just Trollin. But seriously all these things are identical. They don’t need a ‘genre’ name when they are all just DOTA made by different people.
Ruari Moran
Wednesday, August 31, 2011 at 9:54 AMI coined the term “SCC-RTS”.
Basically Single-Character Competitive Real-Time Strategy Game.
Seems wordy but atleast it fully describes exactly whats going on, and can be used to describe similar mods which aren’t DotA.
But nobody cares what I think…
Chazz
Wednesday, August 31, 2011 at 10:00 AMSorry, what was that? I wasn’t listening.
Ruari Moran
Wednesday, August 31, 2011 at 10:24 AM:’(
SOX
Wednesday, August 31, 2011 at 10:43 AMARTS is a much better acronym than MOBA. Makes more sense too.
Noobheadshot
Wednesday, August 31, 2011 at 10:54 AMThis genre of games should be called ARTS/MOBA (I’m leaning towars ARTS) and definitely not be called DOTA.
If you look at LoL the game genre started off as a copy from DOTA but it is beginning to evolve and with the release of the game mode Dominon the gameplay will be different but it will keep it’s Action-RTS feel (which is why I agree that ARTS is a good genre name).
Reign
Wednesday, August 31, 2011 at 10:57 AMAny danger of saying what MOBA stands for? Fuck.
Noobheadshot
Wednesday, August 31, 2011 at 11:02 AMI’m a massive LoL fan and I have no idea what MOBA stands for. Seems sorta ridiculous to me.
Seegrey
Wednesday, August 31, 2011 at 11:21 AMMultiplayer Online Battle Arena
Basically anything with pvp played on the internet, which is why it’s horrible. ARTS is better, but I think Fast Action RPG, or FARPG(pro. Far-puh-ger) better describes it – RTS sorta gets it but that’s a different type of strat/thinking I feel.
Mic
Wednesday, August 31, 2011 at 11:45 AMReally? That’s what MOBA stands for? Hey, WoW’s arenas and battlegrounds are MOBAs! So is Unreal Tournament and Pokemon!
ARTS boht sounds better and actually describes the gameplay type.
Alexander
Tuesday, March 27, 2012 at 10:07 PMyup, describes it very well. ”hey guys, its an RTS… with ACTION”. seriously?
when i think action RTS i think dow 2.
Ceede
Wednesday, August 31, 2011 at 11:24 AMMassive Online Battle Arena
Mad Danny
Wednesday, August 31, 2011 at 11:36 AMI think when these things started I just used to call them ‘Hero Defense’ – because there’s a lot in common with tower defense except for which part you play on the field (and the fact that it’s usually two-sided, but that can still be done in TD as well so it’s a moot point).
Terms like MOBA and even ARTS I think overlap other subgenres a bit too easily (eg. how would you class games like Arena Wars, and to an extent Worldshift? – because the former especially seems ripe for an ARTS type definition)
Reoh
Wednesday, August 31, 2011 at 2:33 PMMoba?
I call them DOTA-style games.
Since this is their brand, you’d think they’d go with that.
Sam
Wednesday, August 31, 2011 at 3:44 PMHow is that lawsuit progressing, because it really shouldn’t belong to Valve at all.
Reags
Wednesday, August 31, 2011 at 7:45 PMGabe is so phat.
AerintheADEQUATE
Wednesday, August 31, 2011 at 11:26 PMI’ve heard talk of these DOTA games, but never played one… and as such have absolutely *NO* idea what they’re like.
After reading all these attempts at descriptions and explanations I feel like I know even less :-P
I feel like every description is an oxymoron and my brain just can’t figure it out.
Matt
Thursday, September 1, 2011 at 3:55 PMBoomer!!!!
Oh wait, thats Gabe Newell