DOTA 2

Louis

Trakanon Raider
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Wait the finals were Bo3 ? and it was planned that way ?

I went to bed since it was past midnight on sunday night here, but seriously ?
Originally was BO5 and was pushed to a BO3 because of time constraints, which doesn't even make sense to me as they went later Saturday night anyways. Major invites coming out in 15 minutes. Pretty interested in seeing who Valve thinks is even worth a damn at this point.
 

Zaphid

Trakanon Raider
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This is really too soon to judge teams by directly inviting them. CDEC, EG, LGD, VG, Secret, Vega and Fnatic I guess ?
 

Dandain

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If you were stable and scored top 8 at TI I'm pretty sure you're a direct invite, top 8 perhaps with some roster exceptions were supposed to be the automatic birth system for future majors so we will see that in action as well. Since this window is our one and only quarter with a true post TI shuffle like years past, as the Calendar is now quarterly instead of so heavily yearly.

Edit:

Teams Mostly revealed. Top 4 at TI (EG/CDEC/LGD/VC) New secret and new Vega, and VP. 8th spot who knows, perhaps MVP.P but they have been not so good. Ehome is the other top 8 team as yet uninvited.

Edit: Invites

EG
CDEC
LGD
VC
Vega
Secret
VP
Ehome
 

Gravel

Mr. Poopybutthole
36,600
116,705
EU qualifiers sound like they'll be awesome.

4CL, 5Jungz, Alliance, MB, NaVi, and NIP (don't know much about the rest)? Fuck yes!
 

cyrusreij

Trakanon Raider
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Vega's roster hasn't changed since April. Part of the reason why people like them so much, as they just stuck with it after TI.
 

Dandain

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Vega's roster hasn't changed since April. Part of the reason why people like them so much, as they just stuck with it after TI.
They probably aren't a top 8 invite without their ESL run. It gave them an easy out to exclude MVP.P on performance (they have been bad). The other 7 teams are top 8, even if Secret is heavily shuffled plus their 2nd place finish at ESL against top competition justifies the invitation over anyone else.
 

Genjiro

Ahn'Qiraj Raider
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EU qualifiers sound like they'll be awesome.

4CL, 5Jungz, Alliance, MB, NaVi, and NIP (don't know much about the rest)? Fuck yes!
Good lord the EU qualifier is brutal, every other region has 1-2 clear standouts then a bunch of trash...... should be great games though.
 

Luthair

Lord Nagafen Raider
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I was a little surprised at least one SEA team wasn't invited. Some of the Chinese teams seem strange given they have almost entirely new rosters and haven't played any games.

The tournament spacing is odd, to be honest, it feels like there should be one less major to add another month to clarify teams.
 

Dandain

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They said the top 8 of the previous major would seed into the next one. The invitations are every team in top 8 of ti5 except mvp.p. However, Vega just won ESL One, Secret Shuffled huge but placed Second. Mvp.P has looked like dog crap in SEA games - losing to teams they should never lose to. Fnatic is the only other SEA team of note, and they just bombed out of ESL one, if they had wanted a direct invite they should have won. Keep in mind every major from here on out will automatically include 2 SEA/2AM/2Euro/2Chinese teams regardless of who places in the top 8 as that is how the qualifiers will work. I think teams can replace 1/2 players between majors and not disqualify themselves for the next invite but I'm not sure on their policy for that. This is the "First" major, the previous years TI has never seeded teams directly into the next TI except for the previous years champions. This transition is literally by the book of what they have previously posted about it.

Having 4 tournaments is better than 3, one of the main goals of the Major system is to make teams more stable, top 8 being able to compete for 3 million in quarterly prize pools is a large incentive to work out chemistry problems within teams vs blowing it up like it has been for the last 5 years. It also gives teams from every region 4 big time qualifiers per year to break into the scene. With two regional invitations more SEA teams have more chances to get into the major system. If Fnatic and MVP.P are good enough to place top 8, the next major will include 3 SEA teams regardless of how they place.
 

drtyrm

Lord Nagafen Raider
1,991
155
GD Studio is casting the EU Open Quals. Currently MFF up over some guys named DOND, 25-1 at 15 minutes.

So basically tune in if you like hearing Lumi, OD and Sheever gab about random shit.
 

LachiusTZ

Rogue Deathwalker Box
<Silver Donator>
14,472
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We have any forum pals in the open qualifiers?

The announcers are really damn annoying... Sheever has attempted to keep it on track a few times, but not really getting it done. Lol
 

Intrinsic

Person of Whiteness
<Gold Donor>
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You asked a few pages back why you'd never heard of the GD Studio. Well... here you go. Pretty sure James is more interested in getting drunk and hitting on chicks within the community than trying to actually organize something. I mean TI4 EU Hub was pretty quality just for what it was. Then the TI5 hub was a combination of like every studio and James pretty much just slept on the couch. Probably just projecting here.

edit: because it was a little harsh, there are 530 teams in this round with virtually no schedule, and only FaceITs page to go by (FACEIT The Frankfurt Major) so there isn't a ton of organization they could do because no way to know really who is playing when. Maybe you could have a better setup with them watching simultaneous games with the big name teams and switching between them as action happens.
 

Luthair

Lord Nagafen Raider
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They said the top 8 of the previous major would seed into the next one. The invitations are every team in top 8 of ti5 except mvp.p. However, Vega just won ESL One, Secret Shuffled huge but placed Second. Mvp.P has looked like dog crap in SEA games - losing to teams they should never lose to. Fnatic is the only other SEA team of note, and they just bombed out of ESL one, if they had wanted a direct invite they should have won. Keep in mind every major from here on out will automatically include 2 SEA/2AM/2Euro/2Chinese teams regardless of who places in the top 8 as that is how the qualifiers will work. I think teams can replace 1/2 players between majors and not disqualify themselves for the next invite but I'm not sure on their policy for that. This is the "First" major, the previous years TI has never seeded teams directly into the next TI except for the previous years champions. This transition is literally by the book of what they have previously posted about it.

Having 4 tournaments is better than 3, one of the main goals of the Major system is to make teams more stable, top 8 being able to compete for 3 million in quarterly prize pools is a large incentive to work out chemistry problems within teams vs blowing it up like it has been for the last 5 years. It also gives teams from every region 4 big time qualifiers per year to break into the scene. With two regional invitations more SEA teams have more chances to get into the major system. If Fnatic and MVP.P are good enough to place top 8, the next major will include 3 SEA teams regardless of how they place.
EG is 0-2 post-TI and effectively swapped half the roster
smile.png
Really this is the issue, post-TI there has been a single event occurring before the majors invites. If the majors prize pool eclipses that of other tournaments then many teams that don't make the majors will implode right after qualifiers leaving every other tournament in limbo.

The current schedule also ignores the idea that teams really do need an off-season post-TI as teams spend month(s) boot camping and playing hardcore.

Maybe next majors we should field a few teams and get shit-stomped in the first round
wink.png
 

Dandain

Trakanon Raider
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EG is 0-2 post-TI and effectively swapped half the roster
smile.png
Really this is the issue, post-TI there has been a single event occurring before the majors invites. If the majors prize pool eclipses that of other tournaments then many teams that don't make the majors will implode right after qualifiers leaving every other tournament in limbo.

The current schedule also ignores the idea that teams really do need an off-season post-TI as teams spend month(s) boot camping and playing hardcore.

Maybe next majors we should field a few teams and get shit-stomped in the first round
wink.png
Dude, TI5 WAS the first major invite. And I'm not sure how you get 20% = half, by your argument a team couldn't change 1 player and retain their invite. Secondly EG was last Major's champion, they get an automatic bid regardless if they go 0-50 or not. Just like Newbie at TI5, and just like Alliance at TI4. There doesn't need to be events the MAJOR is the seeding event. If you didn't place top 8 you have to go through your region to get in one of the 2 spots - every quarter for everyone. Just go look at top 8 of TI5, then go look at the major invites, they are square including ESL one.
 

drtyrm

Lord Nagafen Raider
1,991
155
I dunno an 0-2 result on a brand new patch means EG is total garbage now right? #Redditlogic.
 

Cybsled

Avatar of War Slayer
16,532
12,037
Speaking of items, Valve needs to fix all the Reborn issues related to them.

1) Sort by date is busted...if I get a drop and forget what it was for, it is next to impossible to find it.
2) It is impossible to know what new stuff was added unless there is an ad on the front page for it. Many people see a set they like and might buy it. The current system only shows you hero-specific sets if you open up the hero in question and happen to notice it.
3) Items are buggy. Can't socket gems. Many taunts are broken.

Given the fact they make most of their money from items/"hats", kind of puzzling they have fucked the process of buying and sorting them so hard with Reborn.
 

Intrinsic

Person of Whiteness
<Gold Donor>
14,345
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Their crazy decisions with the store and armory make no sense. Aesthetically they are cool with the hero models and being able to quickly browse hero specific sets. But like you say to do almost anything else is like pulling teeth if not completely impossible. Why there isn't just a "store" tab on top next to Heroes and Watch is beyond me and would help a ton.

Empire struggling against Power Rangers currently. Probably best game of the qualifiers so far.

edit: oh, I woke up late and didn't notice MFF were eliminated.