James816

@I dont have a good username

Are you confused or deliberately spreading misinformation? God knows the comments here have enough of that. Blizzard announced Blizzard DOTA during Blizzcon 2010 (October 2010).

http://www.pcgamer.com/2010/08/17/riot-games-dev-counter-files-dota-trademark/

This article is as old as the trademark filing but still extremely relevant and insightful.

tl;dr - Former DotA team members currently working on LoL for Riot Games believe the DotA name belongs to the community and have thus filed against Valve's trademark.

@R Planteer

Don't misunderstand my position. Although I don't condone piracy, you could certainly say I understand it, at least after other options have been exhausted. What I absolutely cannot support, though, is someone to comment on Joystiq with a link to download the game, and to claim it's perfectly fine and good because SOPA has been defeated. This person is spreading misinformation and missing the point entirely.

@geniuswithagun

There is no legal gray area--this is straight up illegal. It sucks that there isn't a reasonable way to legitimately obtain this game now, but that doesn't mean pirating it is okay. I hate SOPA as much as anyone here, but piracy like this is the reason SOPA came into existence to begin with.

@James816 its* (what a shameful error)

A trend I've noticed with JRPGs since the late 90s is that writers often seem to confuse complexity with depth. As much as I loved Xenogears and Chrono Cross, I feel they are perfect examples of that problem. Devices like parallel timelines, alternate dimensions, and split personalities generally serve only to make a game confusing. Then there are games like FFXIII that just bombard you with jargon from the very beginning, and you're left confused not because the story is complex, but because it's poorly told. Suikoden 2, despite it's unfortunate translation, and Suikoden 3 remain personal favorites of mine for having great stories that aren't bogged down by unnecessary confusion.

@DasMadHatter Shame on you for skipping FF9. Say what you will about the rest of the series, but I'll be damned if that game didn't have some of the most endearing characters ever found in a video game. The writing/translation were outstanding as well.

There's still plenty of customization to enjoy even without stat points, but think of it this way: it's far easier to balance the game and deliver an enjoyable experience for a wider range of people if the system is removed entirely—especially when changes and adjustments are made after release. I do see where you're coming from, just consider it a difference of opinion.

@fifthbus Personally, I think the removal of stat points is a step in the right direction. It's not an interesting way to build your character, and it's frustrating for those of us who like to play without following a min-maxing guide. There's nothing fun about investing hours into a game to later realize you screwed up and need to start over. Allowing stat point respeccing would be a good move as well, but I'm a fan of the current design.

Can I delete my last comment? Typing on phone = disaster.

@PR0F3TA

God forbid these readers express an opinion that doesn't agree with yours. Go ahead and feel superior in your contentment. It doesn't change the fact that $12 (on sale) is an outrageous price, well beyond a potential buyer's psychological price-point barrier.