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It finally seems like it might be time for me to put another 500 hours into Dota 2, as Valve has given the game quite an interesting upgrade for The Summer Client Update.

Firstly, they've completely changed the way you view and buy cosmetics. Before, it was quite a mess. Now there's the Armory where you can go and view all characters and shop around for all the cosmetics available. Allowing you to see what you're missing, and what you currently have. It's much better. It also allows you to quickly demo a hero while previewing a cosmetic set.

That's not the best bit though. The new matchmaking and reporting system is finally sounding like it might actually make Dota 2 a better place to spend your free time.

Now the commendation system will affect matchmaking. A player you commend is more likely to show up in future games, while a new "Dislike" button will make them less likely to show up. There's also the new reporting system allowing you to report Toxic Chat, Toxic Voice, Smurfing, Griefing, Cheating and Role Abuse. You can report any time during or after a match, allowing you to make a report for either your team or the enemy and removes the cap on the number of reports you can submit.

There's also now real-time processing of toxic chat. So when you report someone during a game, Valve say it will be analysed in real-time. If they detect it's toxic, Valve will mute that player's voice and text chat for the game and put a timer on pings, alt-clicks and pre-set chat wheels.

Valve will also notify you when action is taken thanks to a report.

Each player also has a behaviour and communication score between 0 and 12,000. While it previously only affected who you got matched with, it will now also disable access to certain features like post-game item drops, game pausing, and ranked play if you're particularly naughty.

This update sound fantastic. Valve has clearly put real proper effort into making Dota 2 better going forward. I can't wait to spend some time with it again.

Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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15 comments

Jpxe Aug 31, 2023
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Brokatt Aug 31, 2023
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Really great changes! Finally I don't need to use all shards from Dota plus to constantly upgrade my player avoid list. Liked players will show up more frequent disliked less frequently. Simple and effective hopefully. Nice to be able to report Toxic Chat and Toxic Voice. Smurfing, Griefing, Cheating and Role Abuse I don't experience as often.

Maybe it's time to take a break from Baldurs Gate 3 and play some Dota :)
Rrhapsody Aug 31, 2023
I never played with players audio open. I will continue muting everyone when the match starts.
hardpenguin Aug 31, 2023
Great update, hooray! :)
Naib Aug 31, 2023
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Finally some decent punishment for the toxic behaviour that isn't bannable but is distruptive.

The number of times I just disable chat to make a game tolerable is too heigh
Kimyrielle Aug 31, 2023
Isn't reporting toxic chat in a MOBA a full-time job? :p
officernice Aug 31, 2023
Sounds great... But Dota has the effect to take over when I delve into it. The earlier update expanding the map threw me off a bit too, It's hard to justify re-learning so much of the game. :(
14 Sep 2, 2023
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It's unfortunate that game developers have to spend so much time and effort into player behavior and a reputation system! I feel like that would suck. But it's clear we need manner police in our online world, sadly. When we step into an environment, we expect a certain experience. If the experience is bad enough times, we associate that bad experience with the environment, and do not return. It's simple when you think of it that way.

These changes sound really good, really promising. I have to assume the real-time reaction to reporting must be AI empowered. I just can't imagine an employee staring at a screen, sweat running down their face, trying to cast judgment on as many reports as possible per minute.


Last edited by 14 on 2 September 2023 at 1:37 pm UTC
Eike Sep 2, 2023
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Quoting: 14These changes sound really good, really promising. I have to assume the real-time reaction to reporting must be AI empowered. I just can't imagine an employee staring at a screen, sweat running down their face, trying to cast judgment on as many reports as possible per minute.

There's a lot between AI and humans, though. Like, algorithms.
14 Sep 3, 2023
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Quoting: Eike
Quoting: 14These changes sound really good, really promising. I have to assume the real-time reaction to reporting must be AI empowered. I just can't imagine an employee staring at a screen, sweat running down their face, trying to cast judgment on as many reports as possible per minute.

There's a lot between AI and humans, though. Like, algorithms.
Sure. What's your point though?
Rhythagoras Sep 3, 2023
Quoting: 14
Quoting: Eike
Quoting: 14These changes sound really good, really promising. I have to assume the real-time reaction to reporting must be AI empowered. I just can't imagine an employee staring at a screen, sweat running down their face, trying to cast judgment on as many reports as possible per minute.

There's a lot between AI and humans, though. Like, algorithms.
Sure. What's your point though?

Much of the judgment for griefing/cheating has been outsourced to the players themselves (the ones with good behavior scores anyway). The "overwatch" system takes cut replays of the reported players, containing markers in the timeline where they have been reported, and sends it to multiple players for review. The replays for the guilty cheaters often contain dozens of markers placed by algorithms (normally players are limited to no more than 3 reports in a game). The system isn't perfect, but it does work pretty well and does lessen the burden on the developers. I've noticed a lot less griefing/scripting in my games since they've implemented it a couple years ago.
Eike Sep 3, 2023
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Quoting: 14
Quoting: Eike
Quoting: 14These changes sound really good, really promising. I have to assume the real-time reaction to reporting must be AI empowered. I just can't imagine an employee staring at a screen, sweat running down their face, trying to cast judgment on as many reports as possible per minute.

There's a lot between AI and humans, though. Like, algorithms.
Sure. What's your point though?

The point is we don't have to assume the real-time reaction to reporting must be AI empowered.
Sonar Sep 3, 2023
Does the game now offer the option to surrender? When I started with DOTA 2, it was really annoying playing against clearly superior teams who just did not finish the game because killing newbies again and again seems to be so much fun.
14 Sep 4, 2023
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Quoting: SonarDoes the game now offer the option to surrender? When I started with DOTA 2, it was really annoying playing against clearly superior teams who just did not finish the game because killing newbies again and again seems to be so much fun.
I can only guess that you can surrender the Ancient. I see it done in tournaments anyway.
14 Sep 4, 2023
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Quoting: Eike
Quoting: 14
Quoting: Eike
Quoting: 14These changes sound really good, really promising. I have to assume the real-time reaction to reporting must be AI empowered. I just can't imagine an employee staring at a screen, sweat running down their face, trying to cast judgment on as many reports as possible per minute.

There's a lot between AI and humans, though. Like, algorithms.
Sure. What's your point though?

The point is we don't have to assume the real-time reaction to reporting must be AI empowered.
We've always called computer controlled characters AI, but are they really according to your definition? So, a series of algorithms likely working with a large language model (user's problem description) and analyzing game event logs (match recordings) is close enough. I don't think it's any fun to have a terminology argument. "AI" is going to be overused, and that's nothing new. I've read an old Toyota vehicle manual say that cruise control was AI.
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