Q:More Questions?

A: If you don't find an answer to your question here, check my personal blog at IceFrog.com

Q:Where do I save the map?

A: The default location is C:\Program Files\Warcraft III\Maps\Download
 
If you don't have a Download folder at that location, create it.

Q:I am new, What is this game? How do I start playing?

A: DotA is an RTS/RPG hybrid primarily focused on team vs team based combat. While it has a bit of learning curve, the game has enormous depth. It is enjoyed by players both at a casual level and at a highly competitive level. The game design focuses on providing players with a game they can play for years and still feel they have room to improve, and to do it in such a way that doesn't compromise the overall enjoyability and playability of the game in the process.
 
You must have Warcraft 3 installed in order to play it. Follow this guide for more information. If you are new to the game, it's recommend to play against computer bots with the AI Maps for the first few times. However, the real fun starts when you play against other real players.

Q:The map isn't loading, what do I do?

A: A common mistake for new players is that they try to double click on the map itself to run it. The game needs to be loaded from within Warcraft 3 itself.
 
Another common issue is that your Warcraft 3 version might be not be patched. Make sure you have the latest WC3 patch installed

Q:How popular is this game? What is its background?

A: The basic core concept of the game stretches back almost 10 years to the early days of Starcraft with a mod called Aeon of Strife and then afterwards with Valley of Dissent followed by RoC-DotA on Warcraft 3 by Euls. They had a relatively small but loyal playerbase. After the release of Warcraft 3: The Frozen Throne, many more mods of this concept took form. One of these was mods was DotA-Allstars, originally a collection of the most popular heroes from the other mods, initially developed by Meian followed by Guinsoo and then Neichus. Another DotA mod called DotA-Chaos was building up popularity in China at this time.
 
IceFrog's main focus and goals in the past 5 or so years have been to dramatically redesign and rebalance the original game concept and expand on it in order to make it a more enjoyable and engaging game for both casual and competitive players. In the last 2 years, the mod has seen an explosive increase in new players as well as acceptance into many e-sports organizations, growing from a few tens of thousands of players many years ago to the many millions of players it has right now. It is still growing more and more with each passing day.
 
I appreciate all the support and feedback that the fans provide, I would not have the motivation to develop this game every day without them.

Q:When is the next update coming?

A: I am constantly working on updates for the game. It is hard for me to give specific dates or a timeline because each update is different. Its usually every 2 months, but sometimes it takes less time and sometimes more. There are times that i spend extra time on new experimental gameplay features with the beta testers that can cause an update to take longer. On occasion new features don't make it to the final public version. I try to make my focus with each update to be on the quality of the game overall rather than the version count or changelog length.

Q:I have a fansite, can I link to one of your download mirrors?

A: Yes but please do not use direct links to the mirrors themselves. The mirrors have limited resources that are allocated by this website and the mirror providers would not be very happy to get unexpected increase in traffic.
 
Please use this link instead: getdota.com/download/map/version where version is the number version of the map so the main server can allocate the map mirror for your users.
 
For example, if you want to link to 6.57b on your fansite, use http://www.getdota.com/download/map/6.57b

Q:Is the game free? Why do you develop it?

A: The mod is 100% free. I do it purely as a hobby and do not make any money from it nor do i have any method set up right now to accept donations. I prefer that people who want to support it do so by spreading the word about the game to their friends and fellow gamers.
 
I spend my time working on this game for a few different reasons. I have always been interested in Game Design, but as a gamer i look for an enjoyable game with high replay value, depth and competitive atmosphere. Being able to design a game that provides this for me as a player and is also enjoyed by many casual and competitive players is as big of a reward as I could ask for.

Q:What is the difference between Latest Map and Stable Map

A: The Latest Map always has new and experimental features. The Stable Map is the recommended version for tournament use.

Q:I want to help DotA, what can I do?

A: There are a few things you can do to help. Telling your friends about the game and help them learn it is the best way. Giving feedback, being involved in the community and signing up for beta testing are other ways to help as well. Beta testing is open to anyone that wants to sign up.

Q:How do I provide feedback?

A: I personally read each email that the players send me and I try to respond to as many as I can. You can email me directly through IceFrog at gmail.com or by using the contact form below.

Q:How do I report a Fatal Error?

A: If it happens frequently and only for you (not for all players in the game) then make sure you have the latest drivers for your system installed. Try reinstalling Warcraft 3 if that doesn't work.
 
Otherwise, you'll need to send a bug report. When a game crashes, the replay is automatically saved in Warcraft III/Logs folder. Send this replay along with which Operating System you use through the bug report form.

Q:Where is the translation for my language?

A: DotA is currently translated into Chinese, Korean and Russian. More languages will be added in the near future. You can use your language map to play with people that are using a different map. You do not need to have each language.

Q:My question isn't answered here, what do i do ?

A: Send an email through the contact link below or visit the official forums at playdota.com/forums for help.