Disclaimer: If you are an experienced gamer, then this article is most likely not for you. Doc's words may be obvious to many but the basics need to be laid out for those that will find them useful.

First lesson to become a successful team:

Find minimum four guys you have known for quite some time. They already should be able to play DotA on a decent level so forget about finding them in public games like on battle.net or Garena public.

Second lesson: train, train, train ... and: train more

Maybe watch a film like Rocky Balboa before you start working on your career as professional DotA player. It's a tough cookie to become pro. And it's even harder to stay at the top!

Start to practice with each other as much as you can. A good option is to look for fun wars via IRC or the common internet sites.

Beside this training you should consider watching the top gamers' replays with your team mates.

Don't forget that good communication is a must for a successful gaming experience. A voice communication tool like Ventrilo, Skype or TeamSpeak is mandatory.

Discuss your actions, plan your strategies and reconsider them all the time. Don't think that you are already pro - it takes a lot of time, and even most of the best players around talk more about their mistakes than about their epic skills.

If you prefer silence, start with 1on1 games like shoot 'em ups or maybe StarCraft or WarCraft.

Third lesson: Check your skills in tournaments and leagues

Even if you bash your enemies in fun wars - you might collapse under the pressure when playing in a league or tournament. Knowing that it's all done if you fail once (or twice in Double Elimination) will be an important experience.
Don't think that you can make it directly into the playoffs, but put your goals high enough.

Try to play every event, try to minimize the time you spend on normal training and replace it with matches where you have something to lose.

Everyone gives his their best under the pressure of success, and champions get judged by the titles they won.

Forth lesson: Don't forget about your management

Playing successfully is more than just a 'beyond godlike' in every game.

Even the best teams in the world fail to schedule their matches sometimes. Virtus.Pro is a prominent victim of failing in management. They got banned because they were not able to handle their matches, and in the end you want to become famous for your victories, and not for your failures.

Getting a forum may help, exchanging your phone numbers is also a good way to stay connected. Ensure that every player knows which games will have to be played minimum two days up front - we all have a real life, and until you can pay your bills with gaming you should not forget that gaming is a hobby in the end.

Try to add some well fitting players to your team if you are still only five or six persons. Everyone can be busy sometimes, but this should not be a threat if you have some more players available.

Fifth lesson: Take it seriously, but don't get aggressive if you fail

DotA is still a game, and until now it is not even a major esport title. Only time will tell if this game can make it or if it will be forgotten soon.

Keep this in mind all the time. The process to become a professional gamer is often related to your personal talent. Many train a lot, but in the end they lack connections, or a team in the most cases simply lack the skill.

You can learn a lot if you take DotA seriously, but you should never ever forget that it is made to have fun. If you miss the fun in playing DotA, stop trying to become pro immediately! It will only be a waste of time and you will be frustrated in the end.

Conclusion:

You should have learned that it's a bumpy road to become a top player. Not everyone can make it, else it would be a lousy game and no fun to watch for the audience.

I hope I could help you on your way of becoming the next team which gets signed by a major sponsor.

And if you still have questions about what you are doing wrong or maybe just about how you can improve your gameplay - feel free to contact:



Doc. DotA has direct contact to the SK.DotA players as they are all in a special treatment to push their abilities, so it's not only a Doc's answer, you get your information directly from an experienced, professional DotA team.

Remember that Doc. DotA will be in Paris to check out if the pros already learned these lessons!