Close but Not Quite

For several years I was completely immersed in following college and professional sports. I could tell you stats, names, schedules, and trades for year after year.

But then all of the sudden I was immune to it. I only saw it as this continual cycle of wins, losses, trades, and scandals(by no means am I bashing the following of sports, just sharing my experience with it). I couldn't get an interest going in it, so my attention gradually shifted toward games--eventually leading to DotA.

Since grabbing my attention, dota has held it firmly. But why?

Balance Patches.

These amazing things allow us to play vastly different games than those of the previous patch were, and the next patch will cause things to be just as different. Sure those strategies can rollover a bit and still be effective, but here's to hoping TI5 will be waaaay better that its predecessor. And if it is, we will have balance patches to thank for it.

Every game of dota even within a patch is markedly different, but a big patch allows us to play almost an entirely different game without making us relearn mechanics, spells, and lore.

Interestingly enough, this diversity is for the most part a side effect of patches. The ultimate goal is to find the Perfect Patch. 7.77 or something where every hero is the best they can be, all strategies are possible, and no more patches are needed.

We are actually kind of close to that "utopia" right now, there are a lot of things available that are viable strategies. But this next patch gonna shake things up again, and I don't know what will be the new meta. I personally hope we don't get to that 7.77 just yet, as I established earlier I love the change.

In conclusion, I just say that balance patches are a vital part of the game.

So Valve, it's really time to give us a new one.