Better League of Legends matchmaking through player and character proficiency checks. New mode: Roadhouse

I'm a highly capable player in League of Legends when I use Janna, Gragas, Fiddlesticks, and (the pre-nerf) Udyr. But when I dabble with others, such as Rammus or Poppy, I'm comparably useless. I don't know talent and skill point allocation or rune page configuration in relation to item builds. I don't even know the fundamental playstyles of other characters beyond "don't die." Worse yet, normal matchmaking thinks I'm using one of my strong three even when I'm not.

When players join a matchmaking queue in LoL, the game searches for others of equivalent skill. After finding the map-specific number of combatants, an onus is placed on players to choose their best character. The player theoretically earned his or her ranking with that one, and picking another would be doing the team a disservice - effectively negating matchmaking's role. Would you expect a professional driver to enter a race with new and untested machine during season play? Seems like a bad idea to me...

For pre-mades the system's fine. Chances are the team make-up consists of real-world acquaintances, and social responsibilities help dictate character choice. Letting down "sexyman6969" isn't the same as letting down a friend of ten, five, or two years.

But for people like me who would like to experiment with another champion once in a while, Riot needs to develop a new matchmaking mode.

In this new mode, let's call it Roadhouse (named after the movie by the same name, of course), players would choose the map and then form a prioritized list of which champions they'd like to use (map player size would dictate list count). Matchmaking would then place players together with a relatively similar player and character ranking (developing an effective formula would take minutes). When players are finally matched together the queue would include all the usual options except champion select.

For this to work best, Riot would need to add additional rune pages and selectable pre-configured talent pages. As a bonus, the former would address the current problem of players possessing too much of the in-game currency, IP (as evidenced by the new "easy" champion's price of 6,300 IP, an amount typically reserved for the advanced champions). Or, hell, charge IP or Riot Points for additional rune pages. Just provide the option.

I've invested hundreds of hours playing League of Legends, but I don't see myself investing hundreds more. I get frustrated carrying a team of fellow level 30s because they all decided to experiment with new champions. While I applaud the decision to try something new, I'm not fond of my ranking falling due to this unfortunate manipulation of an all-too-basic matchmaking system.

If the above's too much text for your ADHD eyes, here's a brief breakdown of the mode and why it should be implmemented:

Mode: Roadhouse 

Description: After choosing a map and prioritizing a list of champions the player wishes to use, matchmaking places combatants together based on a new ranking determined by a combination of player skill and the player's individual capability with a champion. All post-queue pre-battle configurations remain available except champion select.

Necessary changes or additions to existing system/s:

• Selectable pre-configured talent specs.
• Additional (possibly purchasable) rune pages.

Benefits from mode implementation:

• Players become increasingly invested in individual champions, creating a stronger desire for personal champion content such as skins (which are a driving source of revenue). Additionally, this investment would serve as a great way to generate hype and interest in story-based content and additional champion-specific modes.
• More experimentation among playerbase driving interest to lesser used champions, greatly increasing the probability of skin purchasing.
• Players will spend more IP on characters, runes, and bonuses..

Negative effects from mode implementation:

• More modes may divide the playerbase (but with the current playerbase is this really a problem?)

EDIT: I'd like to also add that League of Legends currently keeps track of player-specific champion information such as kills, deaths, and assists. Who knows what else is kept? Riot. So the information, albeit simplified (that we're aware of) necessary for this mode is just chillin' in the database.

Udyr is not overpowered.

He's not. Players just need to learn how to defeat LoL's take on the Shaman/jack of all trades.

Here's an excerpt from an excellent guide on how to beat my favorite character:

"How to stop an Udyr from ganking/getting away: Use a slow or a stun.
But Udyr has a cleanse!: Have more than a single unit of cc on your team. Or use it more than once, as all CC's have a lower cooldown than cleanse. 

How to counter Udyr in a team fight: Use a slow or a stun, just like any other carry. Udyr can only do damage if he gets into melee range.


In short, pretend Udyr is like Yi, both have an effective heal, both can do high damage and rush fairly quickly at you. The key defining difference is that Udyr has a 1 second stun every 5 seconds and Yi has higher dps without a stun."

Thanks, TiredDaemon, for putting into words what I'm constantly talking about...outloud...and to myself (sometimes).

Read the rest here.

Old Idea: Super Street Fighter IV. Better Idea: League of Legends

Seven months after its console release, Street Fighter IV as we know it is already dead. At least, that’s what publisher/developer Capcom’s leading everyone to believe. Super Street Fighter IV is set to arrive next spring and will place the original’s teeth on the nearest curb and..well, you know what happens next. Unfortunate saps without the new version are left with the bloody and broken pieces of a title once brimming with bright and glittery Edward-Cullen-in-the-sunlight potential (so dreamy!). It’s the sad story of a title continually loved by many, but only briefly by its own creator.

A week after release, two million units of SFIV hit shelves worldwide. Since then, a console title price drop and pc digital download availability probably helped sell an additional million or two, so let’s add another couple of strikes to the tally. As a “thank you” to the millions of gamers who slapped down their recessionary dollars for the product,  the company severed communication and released only one major patch – adding in Championship mode, replays, and a few bug fixes. Compared to Bungie, who provide frequent patches to the Halo titles and run a weekly community-focused blog, Capcom’s continual lack of action tarnishes the legendary company’s name. “Dated” is now the best word to describe the house that spawned Mega Man and Resident Evil.

It didn’t have to be this way. If only they could just…change.

Brick-and-mortar distribution once dictated title modifications, additions, and subtractions be made through reissues at market. “Champion Edition,” “Turbo,” “Super Turbo” – read the subtitles of Street Fighter II’s many releases. There were more, too, and full price was demanded for each. And we paid it. Each and every time. But this isn’t 1993.

Capcom needs to let go. It’s holding on to a business model with a comparatively small and limited financial potential. Worse yet, the handling of said model does little to strengthen the confidence a consumer may have in this supplier. The company needs to evolve, and the best blueprint to follow lies in a free-to-play title available only on the PC.

Read the rest at IPR's Multimedia blog.