Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Behind League of Legends, E-Sports’s Main Attraction

nytimes.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

11–20 of 71 posts

Re: Behind League of Legends, E-Sports’s Main Attraction

#11

Post by spiritplumber »

jokoon wrote: post #8

I played long hours of counter strike, warcraft 3, wow, quake, starcraft 2, and I never liked the original dota map nor LoL. I just think it's a bad mix of several games. The level format doesn't make a lot of sense. It has the disadvantages of a RTS while being some sort of a RPG (little or no persistence), doesn't have a solo mode, and doesn't even allow to control more than 1 unit. It's slow and boring. The conten…

I'd play LoL if one player per team could play as the minions... I love RTSs, was ranked in starcraft (a lifetime ago) and prefer setting up and executing clever strategies to microing an enemy to death.

LoL is Starcraft with most of the non-micro elements gone.

Nothing wrong with that, just not my thing.

Re: Behind League of Legends, E-Sports’s Main Attraction

#12

Post by KhalilK »

forrestthewoods wrote: post #3
KhalilK wrote: post #2

Funny how LoL is what got me into programming (Lua).

How is that? Is LoL moddable via Lua? Very curious what you did exactly!

is LoL moddable vi Lua?

Oh yeah! I don't know about now though, it sure used to be. I didn't do anything fancy, just some basic bot automation and a couple miscellaneous chatbox-based addons (mostly for spamming) but it got me learning Lua.

Edit: Looks like LoL is still moddable via Lua[0]

0.http://leaguebot.net/

Re: Behind League of Legends, E-Sports’s Main Attraction

#13

Post by greatergoodguy »

jokoon wrote: post #10
greatergoodguy wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

An important attribute of an e-sport is that it should be entertaining to watch. Since LoL is a game where a player controls a single unit, it's easy to follow along for the spectator.

I certainly want to also enjoy playing it, just watching it is not going to be very entertaining to me.

I want you to enjoy playing it also.

Re: Behind League of Legends, E-Sports’s Main Attraction

#14

Post by VonGuard »

spiritplumber wrote: post #11
jokoon wrote: post #8

I played long hours of counter strike, warcraft 3, wow, quake, starcraft 2, and I never liked the original dota map nor LoL. I just think it's a bad mix of several games. The level format doesn't make a lot of sense. It has the disadvantages of a RTS while being some sort of a RPG (little or no persistence), doesn't have a solo mode, and doesn't even allow to control more than 1 unit. It's slow and boring. The conten…

I'd play LoL if one player per team could play as the minions... I love RTSs, was ranked in starcraft (a lifetime ago) and prefer setting up and executing clever strategies to microing an enemy to death. LoL is Starcraft with most of the non-micro elements gone. Nothing wrong with that, just not my thing.

You should try Savage XR. 3rd person dota-like combat, but with strict RTS conventions. It's old, it's free, not many people play it, but boy is it fun! http://www.savagexr.com/

Re: Behind League of Legends, E-Sports’s Main Attraction

#15

Post by VonGuard »

jokoon wrote: post #8

I played long hours of counter strike, warcraft 3, wow, quake, starcraft 2, and I never liked the original dota map nor LoL. I just think it's a bad mix of several games. The level format doesn't make a lot of sense. It has the disadvantages of a RTS while being some sort of a RPG (little or no persistence), doesn't have a solo mode, and doesn't even allow to control more than 1 unit. It's slow and boring. The conten…

One of the reasons people find DOTA-likes so unlikeable is the incredibly steep learning curve. It is often said that you know nothing about LoL or DOTA until you've played 1000 games. At around 45 minutes a pop, that means you've got to commit way more time than most people have available in order to get good.

The games are more like basketball than Quake. 5 on 5, and if 1 player on a team is bad, that team will probably lose. It's why the communities in MOBAs can be so toxic.

Re: Behind League of Legends, E-Sports’s Main Attraction

#16

Post by austinz »

heyheyhey wrote: post #4
KhalilK wrote: post #2

Funny how LoL is what got me into programming (Lua).

SC:BW got me into programming. Rigging UMS maps with triggers that only I knew of...ahh good times.

When I was in middle school, I thought SC's trigger-based map editor was the most amazing thing ever. I even built a four-mission mini campaign that I showed my friends, who promptly told me that it sucked. (It was actually pretty terrible, although fun to make.) That, and collecting UMS maps and putting them on my GeoCities page.

Re: Behind League of Legends, E-Sports’s Main Attraction

#17

Post by tokenizerrr »

KhalilK wrote: post #12
forrestthewoods wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How is that? Is LoL moddable via Lua? Very curious what you did exactly!

is LoL moddable vi Lua? Oh yeah! I don't know about now though, it sure used to be. I didn't do anything fancy, just some basic bot automation and a couple miscellaneous chatbox-based addons (mostly for spamming) but it got me learning Lua. Edit: Looks like LoL is still moddable via Lua[0] 0. http://leaguebot.net/

Is that officially allowed? Or do you risk a ban by using a tool like that? I'm guessing it's not since it's a paid product?

Re: Behind League of Legends, E-Sports’s Main Attraction

#18

Post by dethstar »

KhalilK wrote: post #2

Funny how LoL is what got me into programming (Lua).

I used to play Tibia when I was around 12-15 and I started hosting my own server, since I wanted to make some unique quests for the people that used my server I started modifying Lua files then writing some of my own. To me it always read like plain English (and English isn't my mother language). In fact I'd say I even learnt some English from reserved words (like If).

Re: Behind League of Legends, E-Sports’s Main Attraction

#19

Post by chc »

jokoon wrote: post #8

I played long hours of counter strike, warcraft 3, wow, quake, starcraft 2, and I never liked the original dota map nor LoL. I just think it's a bad mix of several games. The level format doesn't make a lot of sense. It has the disadvantages of a RTS while being some sort of a RPG (little or no persistence), doesn't have a solo mode, and doesn't even allow to control more than 1 unit. It's slow and boring. The conten…

LoL was hugely successful long before it eclipsed other esports. It was successful because a very large number of people played it, your dislike for it notwithstanding. I didn't like Twilight, but I can't really question that its popularity is legitimate.

Re: Behind League of Legends, E-Sports’s Main Attraction

#20

Post by h43z »

What I like about LoL is that it combines the right amout of knowledge, skill, tactics and teamwork to be successful. You can get into the game quite quickly and have fun on a lower level but also play it intensivly without reaching any kind of horizon because the game constantly changes. And riot also provides you with an api https://developer.riotgames.com/
Post reply on HN