Dear DrmDestryr,
What’s all this bracket hype? Twitter’s full of em.
-RolphE
Dear RolphE,
Now that March Madness has ended, it only makes sense for yet another sports gambling event to pop up as a way to build hype and awareness. Since Heroes is quickly overtaking the MOBA market to become yet another Blizzard game changer, it only makes sense they would capitalize on the opportunity.
Not too long ago, the final teams for Heroes of the Dorm were decided. It was a grueling process that has promised us what are sure to be some of the best Heroes battles we’ve ever seen.
I also want to celebrate this as my first official draft! From simply playing the game, I understand the stats each school has, giving me the ability to make an informed decision. And the stats aren’t ridiculously complex, either. There are a grand total of 5:
- Total Wins
- Total Losses
- Kills
- Deaths
- Average Game Length
All you have to do is pick who you think will win based on that information. Keep narrowing the battles until you come up with the final two competitors. Once there, decide on how many games each team will win during their best of 5. The wildcard, of course, is that sometimes teams ranking 10-4 can eke out a victory against a 14-0 because someone thought it would be a good idea to throw the ball instead of run it in for a touchdown.
While the incentives promised by Blizzard are certainly a reason to register your own bracket, you should try it if only to learn about obsessed dedication toward one team that, when they lose, causes you to spiral into an endless bought of incurable depression from which there seems no escape as you realize slowly, unflinchingly how such an innocent game ultimately led you down the path of ruinous gambling.
-DrmDestryr
Dear DrmDestryr,
I’ve been checking out mine and my friends’ MMR. What does it even mean?
-RipTide34
Dear RipTide34,
If you’ve listened to any casted Blizzard game, but especially StarCraft, you will have heard this term thrown around. It is a single numeric value that represents your level as a player. The higher the number, the better you are. More importantly, this number is what determines who you are paired against in Quick Match, Heroes League and Team League. In order to keep the game fun, Blizzard wants to make sure you’re up against people of your same skill level.
As to how it’s created… well, let’s just say that’s a whole can of worms you can open up on your day off. Theories abound and, honestly, maybe Blizzard won’t answer because the code was given to them by aliens that built the pyramids. In general, however, if you win, the MMR goes up. If you lose, it goes down. There are, of course, fine print calculations that go into this number.
If you plan on using it to judge your teammates, don’t. It’s only accurate to map your own progress as a player. If you’re on a team with players lower than you but the team comp and synergy is strong, MMR does not matter in the least. Plus, what if someone’s MMR is low because they like playing with their new friends? Clearly they will suffer a lot of losses, but they’re more worried about having fun with their buddies.
That being said, I really would check out hotslogs.com. The stats they have on there are awesome! My favorites revolve around your win rate with specific heroes and specific team members. So far, I have the highest chance to win when I play with my brother. Not so much with Kyle or my sisters...
-DrmDestryr
Ask DrmDestryr is your weekly Q&A/advice column for Heroes of the Storm. Have a question for DrmDestryr? E-mail her your mental musings at drmdestryr@gmail.com or send happy twoughts her way @DrmDestryr. Want to hang out? Check out the ITN PreShow with DrmDestryr! streamed weekly starting at 6 PM Eastern on Thursdays at twitch.tv/amovetv.