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Dota 2 Spring Cleaning changes muting and report systems
Dota 2 Spring Cleaning changes muting and report systems
Spring Cleaning isn’t the most exciting Dota 2 patch, but there are still big changes that will likely have an impact on the user experience including a major shakeup to the muting and communication abuse system.
The typically annual Dota 2 Spring Cleaning update is finally here. New updates to the game include enhanced tooltip functionality, general improvements, and a much-requested change to the mute function. Fans should also expect the game to run slightly smoother due to a handful of performance changes.
Major changes include a visual redesign for the in-game shop, which now includes basic stats and an advanced tagging system. Players can now search for traits like regeneration and magic resistance to see the corresponding items. Theory crafters and tinkerers will appreciate the new demo mode, which includes better controls and several new features including river runes. In traditional Dota 2 fashion, an entire section of
the patch notes
is dedicated to Rubick fixes.
As an esports title, it’s important for Dota 2 to run smoothly on as many systems as possible. A good chunk of the changes made in the Spring Cleaning update are dedicated to improving the game’s performance on a variety of systems.
The biggest adjustment is aimed at Panorama UI, which can now work more efficiently with GPUs. This will improve performance in menus, especially complicated ones like the new shop interface. The Spring Cleaning change also affects Dota 2’s performance on Vulkan, which is especially useful on some Apple computers.
Perhaps the most impactful change for Dota 2 grinders in the Spring Cleaning update is an overhaul to the mute system. The changes from 7.30 were
widely maligned
due to requiring four clicks to mute text and voice chat for a single player. With the new system, plays can mute and report others with just the press of a button. Spring Cleaning also added a handy team mute feature which will instantly mute all players on one side of the battlefield.
This change has a few implications for vocal players as well. Now the basic report function also doubles as a mid-game report, so players who use mic a lot should expect a hit to their behavior score. The option to mute without reporting is still there, but it requires opening a secondary menu in the leaderboard. The era of stumbling around the leaderboard to mute a disruptive player is finally over.
Valve also noted it will be tracking how this is used over the coming months to make further changes to the mute system.
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