Preseason Healthbar Update v3

RiotCrabDust·Nov 20, 2017·1 votes·31,226 views

How do you do, fellow kids? We’re back with another iteration on the healthbar update based on feedback. Let’s review what we’re trying to achieve here:

Feels

Familiar, but better (no relearning, no change to things like last hitting)
Game to game differences, not moment to moment
Interacting with objectives is more satisfying
Interacting with defensive windows is more satisfying (heals, shreds, etc)
Bodying fools feels better than ever.

Gameplay

Easier to track the flow of a fight.
More intuitive play/counterplay around defensive windows.
More intuitive play/counterplay around unique mechanics (extra life, unstoppable, etc).
Huge clarity gains when spectating and watching streams.

V3 Changelist

Ammo resources like Jhin, Corki, Annie have the same treatment as Live.
Lots of color tweaks and some sizing tweaks.
Lots of animation tweaks.
Tower burst, shake, and death animations are in.
Option to turn off shake animation coming this week.
Baron’s healthbar now stays in place rather than bouncing all over.
Resurrecting state improvements.

Future Stuff

Healing over time
Damage over time
Color code objective takes
Kill streaking
Stealth state

Lookee Lookee Here’s a spiffy video which shows the changes in a real game setting. Note, there’s a few spectator bugs here such as dragon health is grey, etc. Try to ignore those <.< https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmASrtzJRN4&feature=youtu.be

As always, we're still looking for feedback as you guys dive into the changes. Thanks!

82 Comments

PulseHDPlusNov 20, 201715 votes

I still don't like the font. In my opinion it's way harder to read the level now when champions are moving.

RiotCrabDustNov 20, 20173 votes

Yeah, text needs a little work. Thanks for the feedback. Thoughts on other aspects of the update?

Linna ExcelNov 20, 20175 votes

For practice games and maybe custom games, can minions get some sort of indicator when they are low enough for an AA or spell is enough to kill them which is partly based on incoming damage form your own minions.

For example, no one is ever going to memorize the timing of a castor minion taking damage from 2 melee creeps and a cannon minion if one of the melee creeps switch aggro and the cannon minion starts firing on it while it was at 1/3rd health. When I'm practicing CS (and I'm terrible at it which is why I practice) getting that timing just right when 5 caster minions are synched up on a target is a nightmare.

XyltinNov 20, 20174 votes

Still no Dragon patience bar? Nooooooo

Everything else looks better now. Really start to like it already. And an option to disable stuff like the shacking (maybe options to change all the colors if you want to?) makes it also way better.

RiotCrabDustNov 20, 20173 votes

If we do dragon patience it would be a next year thing - lotta work though most folks dig the idea.

Option to turn off shake is coming this week. LMK if you've got more feedback as you try these out or watch them on stream.

Rock4Nov 20, 20173 votes

Are you planning to add something similar to HotS dot damage/healing? Its super good to see - yep, dat damage of time will kill him, just wait...

RiotCrabDustNov 20, 20174 votes

Yes we are. Post launch though.

Rock4Nov 20, 20172 votes

Thank you!

LuneyNov 20, 20173 votes

it triggers me that enemy's level bar isn't on the right side anymore

RiotCrabDustNov 20, 20171 votes

On Live only Self is on the left. Both Allies and Enemies are on the right which is why we feel like the new standardization isn't a big deal - color pulls most of the weight here for identification.

Radiant CorrinNov 21, 20172 votes

Out of curiosity then, why did you pick left as the default side? Since the majority of the health bars we have been looking have had level on the right, it may be less jarring to change the self level to be on the right too, if standardization is the priority. I also agree that color is the most important for identification, but looking for the level box isn't about champ or team identification--its about finding that champs level

The only thing that really bugs me about the new health bars is the level box, which I think is a combination of alignment and color (in addition to what the comment above was mentioning). On live, the box has a dark outline, but the interior is only a shade darker than the rest of the bar. In contrast, the v3 level box has a super dark interior color, and it creates a lot of contrast with the rest of the health bar that wasn't there before, but honestly doesn't seem to improve readability that much. This is combined with the fact that on live, the top of the level box is flush with the top of the health bar, whereas in v3, the health bar is centered in the side of the level box.

All of these changes make the v3 healthbars feel more to me like a level box stuck onto a health bar, and just a fair bit less integrated, smooth, and polished than those on live. Perhaps I'm nitpicking a little, but this is an element of the game players have to stare at a lot, and I want to make sure you guys have the feedback you need to nail it :)

PsyrikNov 21, 20171 votes

I would prefer it stay the way it is. There is nothing wrong with self on left, everyone else on right. Its what we know, its what we love.

Side Question: Any plans to update the cursor? If I am not mistaken it is the one thing in league to never be changed. Or will it always be the way it is now for sentimental reasons?

Muf için TufNov 29, 20173 votes

I still don't like how it flashes when you burst someone. I hate it because makes it so you can't see their current health for a moment.

iahim98Nov 20, 20172 votes

Would it be possible to add an effect on the health bar for when lifeline passives are available or is it already to much clutter? The reason is similar for anivia and zac passives, you can't be sure weather they have it up, so you can fight them or focus them in a fight.

RiotCrabDustNov 20, 20171 votes

Gimme an example.

iahim98Nov 20, 20173 votes

Volibear passive (don't think there's any other champ with that kind of ability), and the more general case with hexdrinker/maw and sterak's. If you mean an in-game example, voli with his low health baits is the classic one, then we have burst mages that have to play around the hex/maw and there's the sterak's case, but with the shortest CD out of them all, you pretty much expect them to have it by the next fight (annoying when you lane against someone tho, as you are not sure if its up again).

On a side note, these effects have a pretty inconsistent way to show in the buff bar if they are up or already used: maw/hexdrinker shows only after they were used (same as volibear passive) , the new nullifying orb rune shows only when is available and sterak's is the weirder one, as it shows is buff icon only after taking damage while the passive is available.

TNing of PineNov 20, 20172 votes

Have you considered having a different color (purple?) for healthbars of neutral monsters, to distinguish them from things that are enemy-team aligned? It's particularly strange in spectator view that all the neutral monsters look like they're aligned with red team.

RiotCrabDustNov 20, 20172 votes

Hadn't really considered it, but you're right that there's a host of issues related to one team being red on spectator.

TNing of PineNov 20, 20172 votes

I know that when I was a beginner I found it confusing even in-game, because the red healthbars made me think an actual enemy was around. Any chance that you might give neutral monsters a neutral healthbar color while you're working on healthbars?

(related rant - It's also terribly confusing that there's a blue team red buff and a red team blue buff, and that when a commentator says "red side" they might mean "the side that red team is on" or "the side that [insert team here]'s red buff is on". The dream - at least for spectating eSports - would be if each team could actually get their own color, so (for example) UoL vs Splyce would have nexuses (nexes?), towers, minions, healthbars etc in pink and yellow rather than red and blue.)

deus exNov 20, 20172 votes

Why does it have to look like plastic? Just keep the general design of the current ones and add the visual features from those new ones?

ÀhríNov 20, 20172 votes

I've been playing with them since they released on PBE and they still look too chunky which is why people feel they look like a mobile game.

AnataBakkaNov 20, 20172 votes

all these stuffs are not going to decrease performance on potato pc-s right?

PS: also there's no way for you to add an icon so that enemies can see when Illaoi can spawn a tentacle right? pros might count the seconds (since the cd is based on lvl). Low elo (me) doesn't have time for that

Also, since we're talking about lifebars. Illaoi's E is untargatable by allies. Ok, but they're not even able to see its hp, other than supposing the amount by looking at the % hp of the lifebar, and the lifebar disappears if you're pointing the mouse on it!!

ZeralyosNov 20, 20172 votes

What do the little icons to the left of level numbers mean?

RZT MoustacheNov 21, 20172 votes

Are you guys going to do a post about the design choices that went into the new HP bar? I really love seeing the work and thinking that went behind the scenes

RiotCrabDustNov 21, 20171 votes

I'll post something once we launch. Anything of particular interest to you?

XesnaNov 21, 20172 votes

Overall, the font is a slight issue, nonetheless, I am pleased with the new gloss on the health bar.

NorthmundNov 21, 20172 votes

Fellow kids? You think we are some sort of immature teens? Before you say something THINK! Or sanjuro was not good enough lesson?

JelloSeaNov 21, 20173 votes

The joke --------------->

Your head

CorvidNov 21, 20172 votes

Needs a better font and more visible tick marks for 100 health

RiotCrabDustNov 21, 20171 votes

Are ticks difficult to see for you on all colors?

CorvidNov 21, 20172 votes

Yes, but its worse on red then blue

CorvidNov 21, 20172 votes

I would imagine its the new shades of blue and red the culprits of making them harder to see

DarkRitualNov 21, 20172 votes

Would it to be feasible to have a toggle option to have a number-based healthbar? It would certainly be better for clarity overall.

It might just be better overall if we'll ever get a shielding amount added in. It could also become more bold as %missinghealth thresholds are met. So something like this for full/75%/50%/10% (with critical still flashing) 1000/1000 750/1000 ##500/1000 #100/1000 +(800) with the (800) indiciating a shield amount. The problem would be how to manage different shield types. There might be room for two shield quantities, but text might start getting squished in a bit. Although it's not much better than the tick marks on 4000+ health champs or big Seraph's Embrace shields.

Kakarot42Nov 23, 20172 votes

when will the health update be realesed the actual date im actually hyped for it

SeralphDec 1, 20172 votes

Maybe I'm the only one that experiences this, but sometimes so much is going on during team fights that I lose track of where my mouse is in the middle of it all. Then I end up not knowing what I'm clicking at.

tldr: Would it be possible to increase the visibility of the pointer?

ndcHunterDec 2, 20172 votes

while you are at it, could you add health as a number above turrets?

Chembaron YamadaNov 20, 20171 votes

What exactly is meant with ammo system having the same treatment as live? Did the flavoured ammo icons get scrapped?

RiotCrabDustNov 20, 20175 votes

Yep.

Chembaron YamadaNov 20, 20174 votes

But why? [sg-janna]

I was looking forward to see these, it's a nice touch to add to the flair of a champion. Too much negative feedback?

RiotCrabDustNov 20, 20175 votes

Yes, but they might come back as an option if enough folks want them.

Mysticman89Nov 20, 20173 votes

I hope that feedback is sourced from more than just these boards.

I have no strong opinions on them, but the feedback I saw seemed awfully kneejerk "Ahhh change!" without actually giving them a fair chance.

Nicorus Nov 20, 20171 votes

So something I'd specifically like to see regarding health bars is status changing color effects directly affecting a champions ability to be damaged.

Damage reductions, damage amplifiers, invincibility, resurrection, Stasis.

Tryn and Kayle are probably the biggest culprits of this especially in a team fight. Having their health bar turn gold lined in red might be a way to clarify the invincibility.

But the ~problem goes deeper. There are champions who when activating an ability gain massive damage reduction, such as Galio and Alister. So the questions I come to is: -Should this be telegraphed -if telegraphed, will this hurt the ability of those champions -should a champions ability to be viable be conditional on if damage reduction is telegraphed or not?

Just some food for thought.

RiotCrabDustNov 20, 20172 votes

Yes, those defensive states are displayed in the updated healthbars. Check out the video to see Ali in ult with the DR icon and various champs shredded.

If the counterplay hurts those champs substantially, I'm sure the Live balance team will step in.

CleverCactusNov 20, 20171 votes

What does it look like in colorblind mode?

RiotCrabDustNov 20, 20172 votes

Same as Live.

CleverCactusNov 20, 20176 votes

Nice!

Another question: Do you think it would ever be possible to get champion names above the healthbars? Basically, in addition to the option of removing usernames from the healthbar, have an option to show champion names instead?

EphriellNov 21, 20174 votes

I actually like this idea alot! Options could be •Username •Username/champion name •Champion name •No names

RakeInTheŁakeNov 24, 20171 votes

Are there any future updates with health bars and ui addressing the issue with higher resolutions such as 1440p and 4k?

VayneishedDec 6, 20171 votes

Fellow kids?

MrKakatusDec 9, 20171 votes

https://imgur.com/a/TfgSr Is this a bug or is my health bar supposed to look like this? It's really annoying, because now i have to guess how much health an enemy champion has, i could just click on them and see it in the top left corner, but that takes some time, i prefer to just look at their health bar and see if i can solo then or if i need to call my jungler for help. [slayer-jinx-unamused]