PSA: DotA -arem mode activation will become bannable.

[Merex]

After chatting with the the DotA mods currently in the community, we've decided that the -arem mode is not suitable for the current circumstance on the DotA bot.

Though this -should- be solved bot side, unfortunately with inactive developers and overall staff, it is not possible at this given time. But seeing as there's active DotA staff, the next best alternative is to induct a ban into activating -arem.

That being said,

Starting Wednesday, May 7th - Any and all usage of the !mode arem command on the DotA apem bot which effectively changes the mode for the game is subject to ban by the ENT staff.

This gives the DotA community roughly 2 weeks to get familiar with this change, and inform the rest. Please do your due diligence to try and remind players in the community so that they're aware of this upcoming change.

Now for a quick faq -

Can I report someone for simply saying !mode arem even though the mode never went through?
No. The report is only valid if the mode on the DotA bot was successfully changed and the game, as a result, is arem. All participating players are subject to ban.

Why is this change being made?
The circumstance of ENT and thus DotA on ENT has changed drastically and the staff now feels, prior to various player concern, that the need for -arem on an originally -apem bot is no longer a necessary mode.

What if I voted on the mode but didn't know it was bannable?
Much like other game-specific violations, you will still face penalty but can simply appeal your case to the staff and go from there. It is important however to stay informed to prevent such situations.

What if the mode is voted on but all players support it? Can they still be subject to ban?
To prevent any 'entanglement' in context and judging from the staff side, it's simply better to outlaw it completely. This means that under no circumstance is arem to be activated by players starting May 7th.

What if my games are being made arem before May 7th? Can I still report?
No. The staff is allowing plenty of time for players to get familiar with this change and be prepared for it. If your games are being made arem and you don't support it, simply tell the players that starting on May 7th, you can get banned for it.

I will keep the thread open incase anyone has more questions.

[GodSaveTheQQs]

1) What if the majority of some players (after7th May) in the lobby type !mode arem (for fun or even if they just want to play arem despite the rules) , the game starts but at the same time i vote for !mode apem but unfortunately my vote cant change the result of the votes. Will i get be banned as well among the others ? How can i prove i didnt vote for !arem ?

2) What if the majority of the players vote for !arem in the lobby but i m afk (alt tabbed waiting etc) the game starts so again i find myself in an -arem game but couldnt do anything to change the result. Will i get banned too after ? How can i avoid it ?

Thanks

[GodSaveTheQQs]

1) What if the majority of some players (after7th May) in the lobby type !mode arem (for fun or even if they just want to play arem despite the rules) , the game starts but at the same time i vote for !mode apem but unfortunately my vote cant change the result of the votes. Will i get be banned as well among the others ? How can i prove i didnt vote for !arem ?

2) What if the majority of the players vote for !arem in the lobby but i m afk (alt tabbed waiting etc) the game starts so again i find myself in an -arem game but couldnt do anything to change the result. Will i get banned too after ? How can i avoid it ?

Thanks

1. You shouldn't be typing !mode arem under any circumstance. This alone will answer both your questions. The staff has decided to just outlaw it entirely so if a game is made arem post-May 7th and the logs reveal you were one of the people that successfully changed the mode, yes you will be banned.

2. If you weren't part of the players that typed !mode arem in the lobby, you have nothing to worry about. Only participating players in the vote will receive a ban if the game mode is changed.

[Astros]

@Merex

That's acceptable but would this apply to other modes such as SDEM or RDEM?

The biggest issue with AREM is you only get two choices and because of the player pool and how most players can only play 3-5 heroes at most, it leaves them with minimal choices.

SDEM could be a maximum of 15 heroes and RDEM is more.

Could we leave those two modes as an option regardless of vote count required?

[lex-]

A lot of them can't even play arem, rdem, sdem mode, they still suck with apem, don't expect them to play other modes. It's really hard for pro players like Astros or edgeofchao and other good players to carry these low iq ent people. Its doesn't matter when u pick tank or support u have to carry them, if you don't take action they have no clue what to do.

[Astros]

Could we leave those two modes as an option regardless of vote count required?

Considering the current format of the rule only outlines arem, we'll leave it at that unless the community feels that all differentiated modes need to be outlawed.

[rules]

Hi @Merex,

Thanks for the efforts to maintain balance and fairness within the ENT DotA community.

I’d like to bring your attention to another problematic mode: -rdem. While it may seem less disruptive at first glance, it comes with serious issues that impact game quality just as much, if not more:

Only 3 players are required to activate it, meaning even if the rest of the team wants apem, the mode can be forced on them.

If someone is AFK at the start, -rdem automatically assigns them a random hero, often one they didn’t want or can’t play, further reducing game quality.

It is often abused in the same spirit as -arem, without proper consent from the team, leading to frustration and unfair matchups.

Given that -rdem also changes the default gameplay experience and can lead to unwanted outcomes for most players, I kindly ask if you and the ENT staff would consider removing or banning the activation of -rdem mode as well.

regards,

[Astros]

there's a lot of heroes in rdem so it's much different than arem.

i don't see an issue with rdem

[rules]

The real problem with -rdem isn’t about hero variety. It’s about fairness and control:

Only 3 players can activate -rdem, even if the other 7 don’t agree. That means the majority has no say on the game mode.

If someone is AFK at the start (and it happens to me most of the time), the system randomly assigns a hero—and the player can’t repick. If it’s a hero they’ve never played or don’t know how to use, they’re just stuck, ruining both their game and possibly their team's.

It's even worse than -arem in that sense: -arem at least gives you full control over your hero choice once it's picked. -rdem punishes unintentional delays with a forced pick.

And just like -arem, it's frequently activated without team consensus, which goes against the spirit of cooperative team games.

Whether it’s -arem or -rdem, no mode should be forced by a minority. If a game mode changes how the game plays fundamentally, it should require a majority or unanimous vote—not a surprise switch from just a few players.

All we’re asking is for basic fairness and consent on game modes. That benefits everyone.

[EdteOfChaos2]

You could just not AFK the first minutes of every game... that time is actually important too.

Majority can always !mode apem it back but I do believe it should take 5 to activate it in the first place.

[Astros]

The real problem with -rdem isn’t about hero variety. It’s about fairness and control:

Only 3 players can activate -rdem, even if the other 7 don’t agree. That means the majority has no say on the game mode.

If someone is AFK at the start (and it happens to me most of the time), the system randomly assigns a hero—and the player can’t repick. If it’s a hero they’ve never played or don’t know how to use, they’re just stuck, ruining both their game and possibly their team's.

It's even worse than -arem in that sense: -arem at least gives you full control over your hero choice once it's picked. -rdem punishes unintentional delays with a forced pick.

And just like -arem, it's frequently activated without team consensus, which goes against the spirit of cooperative team games.

Whether it’s -arem or -rdem, no mode should be forced by a minority. If a game mode changes how the game plays fundamentally, it should require a majority or unanimous vote—not a surprise switch from just a few players.

All we’re asking is for basic fairness and consent on game modes. That benefits everyone.

The way I see it, if you afk often, RDEM works in your favor if you're picking last. Not really anyone's fault you're afking so that's a separate issue that isn't gameplay related. On your WC3connect client, you can select a notification when the game starts and it's pretty loud so you should just do that so you won't be afk.

I agree, it should be at least 6 to change the mode (majority) but it's been established that it's going to require changes that can't be made with the current staff.

I think RDEM is fine. The problem with AREM was you get two chances at random of a heroes you don't want to play. RDEM fixes that with a larger pool.

The voting can't be changed so no point in discussing it.