BSJ on expanding the play space in Dota 2: “There was nowhere to hide on the old map.”
Analyst Brian “BSJ” Canavan explained in a YouTube video how the map changes have affected visual information gathering in the game and discussed the concept of stealth pushing.
On the consequences of the map expansion
Now you have far more options for what to do after you show up on a lane. Before, if you appeared among the creeps for even a second, that was enough for the enemy to figure out what you’d be doing for the next 45 seconds. Even if you didn’t show up on a lane at all, it was easier to figure out your location by process of elimination. On the old map, there was nowhere to hide. So, which lanes you appeared on certainly mattered, but not as much as it does now. <...>
Now it’s much harder to find someone on the map if you haven’t seen them recently. This means that showing up on creeps has become infinitely more costly—but also more important.
On the Concept of Stealth Pushing
So, the concept that emerged from this situation is the stealth push. Because it’s not just important to push creeps, but to do it as quickly as possible—and ideally, without revealing your hero at all. A stealth push means that the enemy doesn’t even see you doing it.
I’ll give a few good examples of heroes suited for this. Viper, with his Nethertoxin—you simply use the ability and walk away. It’s very difficult to stop Viper; he’s hard to gank. Another example is Sniper, who can use Shrapnel from maximum range and then back off. Tiny is yet another example, though this isn’t strictly about stealthy pushing: you simply clear the wave and leave immediately. Another option is Dawnbreaker: you simply walk away, clearing the wave with your hammer. Returning to the original example with Drow Ranger, the reason Aghanim’s Scepter is so good on her in some games is that the item allows her to push unnoticed.
On countering an opponent who pushes creep waves better
It’s impossible to predict where the opponent will be because the map is so large. Essentially, it all comes down to a roll of the dice. The only way to counter an opponent who clears waves better is to either pick heroes who do it just as well or buy items like Radiance or Manta Style, which let you kill creeps faster or clear them without being seen. Mjollnir is another good option because you can use it on a creep moving along the lane.
Earlier, the analyst offered advice on how to deal with being in a tilt state: “We need to focus on what’s within our control and on how we’re going to win—what we’re going to do next.”
Photo by Igor Bezborodov, EWC Foundation.
