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Quick Gameplay Thoughts: June 7

RiotMeddler·6/7/2019, 4:15:41 PM·1 votes·130,594 views

Hi folks,

Usual Disclaimers

These posts will often contain talk about future work we're doing, or planning to do, that isn't yet guaranteed to ship. The nature of the work could change or, depending on what we discover, projects mentioned may get delayed or even stopped. If you'd like to see a Tweet whenever a new one of these posts goes up: https://twitter.com/RiotMeddler

Zac revert refinements

Going to talk today about various bits and pieces people have been bringing up a fair bit recently. First up, Zac's R revert. In addition to putting some straight power into him in 9.12 we're also looking to get some stuff working like it used to with the original version of this ult. That includes blob generation on each bounce for 9.12. Also looking to get VO lines back in that used to play with his ult, not sure on exact timing on those yet though.

Shen Q and Hail of Blades

Wouldn't normally focus on an individual bug (for one thing I just don't normally have the context on where a fix is or isn't up to). Did want to follow up on this particular one though. We've got a fix for Shen not triggering Hail of Blades on Q empowered AAs in 9.12.

Chat on Loading Screen

We talked about this when the changes to the new loading screen were rolling out earlier in the year but haven't touched on it since. Short version is we've decided to deprioritize this work for now. It's something we'd still like to do at some point, conclusion was that the Client and UI engineering time needed for it would be better spent elsewhere right now though. Should be able to talk about some of the projects we chose to prioritize instead pretty soon (realize it's hard to assess a call like this without context on what was being traded off with what).

Support Item Changes

Similarly we made some changes to support items a while back to address some problematic uses in other positions. Our goal at the time was to then do some further work, find better long term improvements to those items in general. That work has shown some promise. Our current thinking is to ship it in preseason.

Non SR Game Modes

And finally also seeing quite a few questions or suggestions crop up about non SR game modes recently, particularly Nexus Blitz, ARURF, ARAM and TT. We should have some details to share next month on how we'll be approaching those modes late next month, including when the non permanent ones will next be available.

http://ddragon.leagueoflegends.com/cdn/6.24.1/img/champion/Ziggs.png

164 Comments

AIQ6/7/2019, 4:19:47 PM42 votes

Hey Meddler,

With Warwick he has a slew of Gameplay bugs affecting him ATM especially on his W. Are these being looked into?

Since Shyvana lost the Vote. Is it possible to get 3 QOL buffs? The Elder Drake Scaling (I don't know if you remember that.) Total AD on her W ratio so AP/On-hit Shyvana is more seamless. And Gaining fury while dead. Shyvana is the only champion who's ult Cooldown stops while dead.

Oh and how's jungle seen on a "Riot" level? Thanks

Tantarboy6/7/2019, 4:21:00 PM21 votes

I'm a bit afraid of what will be said about TT honestly, i really don't want to see it gone

Tylosus6/7/2019, 4:19:44 PM17 votes

Hey Meddler, are you and the balance team looking at mechanic changes for Akali to close the gap between her Pro and Solo Q performance? Something similar to what Aatrox recieved?

mkwstar6/7/2019, 4:46:18 PM12 votes

Riven's winrate has been climbing up frighteningly fast, now surpassing 52% as per lolalytics. When will she receive cold, hard nerfs instead of a power-neutral pseudo-nerf?

Altonius Amakiir6/7/2019, 6:06:55 PM10 votes

I really hope we can get rotating game modes back. We were told they would be getting traded off for more permanent game modes or events like star guardian that you guys would make more regularly (though not anywhere close to rotating game mode regularity). And I really don't feel like we've gotten the trade-off value.

Like, we didn't get Nexus Blitz as a new permanent gamemode, Clash is still dragging it's feet getting live (not that I have any faith at this point I could even get the people to do it anymore after the leap of faith to get them to do it last time blew up in my face), and we haven't been getting much in the way of event gamemodes. In 2017 we got Dark Star, Invasion/Star Guardian, and OVERCHARGE/Project event gamemodes, in 2018 we only got Odyssey. With 2017 as our example year, I was thinking this trade-off could be worth it, but given we didn't get Odyssey until 9 months in, and it was the only event we got, AND that the justification for that was the Clash and Blitz work that has not come or will not come; I'm fairly annoyed over what we lost in exchange.

Sure, we've had some traditionally rotating gamemodes come back for a bit despite rotating game modes stopping, but most of it has been variations of URF or not really a full gamemode (Butcher's Bridge, map accents, and addition of Poro King to Blitz instead of a proper snowdown event). I have not seen Ascension, Hexakill, or Definitely not Dominion in a very long time. Doom bots, Hunt of the Blood Moon, Legend of the Poro King, and Nexus Siege are rarely seen. With the gamemodes we get being determined by popularity and URF always being in demand, we may never see a lot of these gamemodes again. Not to mention we were told of work being done a year ago to get Hexakill on the new client and still haven't seen or heard anything about it.

My point is that rotating gamemodes were important, it helped keep the game fresh for me, and gave my friends a motivation to play the game beyond just summoner's rift. A lot of my friends like League, but find regular games a bit of a slog. They feel pressured to play good, but don't necessarily play often enough to match the ones of us that play near daily. And they don't have the confidence because of that to play other champions. Back when rotating gamemodes were around, I could always without fail get them to play a bit more and stagger out normal games for them with the rotating gamemodes. They understood the rules were so different that they didn't have to be good, the enjoyment was in the mode itself, not much else. I'm not getting that at all in LoL anymore. There's nothing to stagger out normal games with, ARAM doesn't really do that for me anymore given the random aspect, there are no rotating gamemodes, and events are few and far between. Personally even I'm starting to burn out.

painkills6/7/2019, 7:02:50 PM8 votes

Please bring back short, choose-your-own-champion game modes.

I don't always have time to get a full SR done, but want to play. My only choice is ARAM, but then I get champs I'm not always interested in playing.

Can we please get Blitz or Blood Moon back? Permanently? Once a month?

LL Justice6/7/2019, 5:58:39 PM6 votes

Anything formation galio mid and ap bruisers item? galio mid was nerfed in a patch that was suposed to Buff him? Hes sitting at 43% winrate this patch mid and support Is gone too so theres no where hes playable

Nòvá6/7/2019, 7:47:34 PM6 votes

Speaking of the loading screen changes...

Any chance we could get champion mastery banners back on the front side of the loading screen? The back side is fine as it is in terms of displaying the specific number of mastery points, but I really miss the little banners and having to click through all the players during the loading screen to see their mastery icon isn't very fun.

Thanks!

puckmungo6/7/2019, 9:37:16 PM6 votes

Can we please get some comments on Akali?

She was recently nerfed and nobody from Riot is saying anything about her. What's the roadmap moving forward? Is Riot happy where she is or can we expect further nerfs? Is changing her kit even a consideration?

TheBozozo6/7/2019, 4:24:28 PM5 votes

What happened to the Ziggs icon?

KsSoHyôKo6/7/2019, 4:29:15 PM5 votes

Hey Do you have any news to share about the teemo changes ?

Groove Crusader6/7/2019, 4:57:23 PM4 votes

Any word if there's some Aatrox animation bug fixes in the pipeline since he's being worked on again?

Infernape6/7/2019, 4:22:29 PM4 votes

And finally also seeing quite a few questions or suggestions crop up about non SR game modes recently, particularly Nexus Blitz, ARURF, ARAM and TT. We should have some details to share next month on how we'll be approaching those modes late next month, including when the non permanent ones will next be available.

I wonder if bringing back rotating games modes is on the table.

Jenivie6/7/2019, 8:31:28 PM4 votes

Any specific reason for the Irelia nerfs for next patch? She already struggles enough against every other top laner basically, whats the reason for them?

Falrein6/7/2019, 4:48:25 PM3 votes

Hi Meddler!

Can I ask about what you think Syndra's state in the current meta is? I'm quite curious. I don't play often, and I'm not a god on Syndra, but I do feel like she's a bit weak... I don't know if that's the case or if I'm just bad honestly haha, please enlighten me!

FSRER6/8/2019, 6:32:12 AM3 votes

Welp, lets hope item 3309 makes it back into the game.

Fardale6/10/2019, 6:40:47 PM2 votes

Probably a bit late to the party for a red reply but; Do you have any opinions on the oracles item in ARAM? It was a good idea once upon a time, but since you guys went to the trouble to rebalance stealth to invis/camo, I find that the item hinders more champs then it should. At the very most perhaps it should just have a sweeper effect on invisible champions. Or perhaps removed and place a cap on trap based abilities like in ARURF.

Cheers

Wendígo6/7/2019, 4:28:32 PM2 votes

You could just spare us the waiting and announce TT is becoming retired, we all know that's what's happening

Kadexe6/7/2019, 4:51:32 PM2 votes

No comment on #lifeofapatch?

rag6/7/2019, 5:16:34 PM2 votes

What are your thoughts on the Swain changes in works right now?

Feels like his tiny player base are all concluding that he needs work on his early game mana sustain and general lane phase and that his scaling isn't the frustrating part of his kit outside of his ult being a 2 minute CD at all ranks.

Is Riot's vision for Swain's kit supposed to be a scaling champ with a weak early?

BITEZ ZA DUSTO6/7/2019, 5:38:43 PM2 votes

Hello Meddler

Anything at all on Syndra ? Any updates on the W fixes or changes since the last W """fix""" made her worst. You said you were looking into that. Any fixes to her bugs or news on her in general? Maybe even a Thigh buff now that Qiyana exists?

Sincarnation6/7/2019, 6:06:39 PM2 votes

Hey Meddler, hope all is well on your end Few questions that kind of bounce around

  1. Is there plans or work on AP bruiser itemization? With Sylas and now Morde coming out I feel like the hole is in their itemizations is somewhat stifling the vision for the characters. Both I think would fit their images more as a sustained fighters mages rather than pure AP burst mages, but maybe thats just me.

  2. The life of a patch guys threw out a question about new dragons, and it got me wondering, do you guys think it is a problem that the two most valuable drakes (mountain and infernal) are also the blandest least risky dragons to take? Are there plans to potentially spice them up?
    Cloud and Ocean have gimmicks that make them more thematically interesting but a bit riskier, any plans to do something similar for drakes? I've been wanting a massive AoE sunfire on infernal and maybe some terrain spawning nonsense on mountain for a while

Skynix86/7/2019, 10:19:05 PM2 votes

any viktor Qol toughts? Viktor item 3070

HikenNo Ace Sabo6/10/2019, 7:55:37 AM2 votes

just please make arurf available all the time

World Ender6/7/2019, 4:24:11 PM1 votes

While you're at it bugfixing Shen Q, do you think it would be possible to make the Q also be an auto reset?

Tengokunokage 6/8/2019, 2:42:58 AM1 votes

Why not limit 1 item support in the game so this will actually solve the funnel mid and the frostmancy thing and if it is not a good change can you tell us why ?item 3310 item 3301 item 3307

1 more thing i used to love playing thresh smite and rush the item 1401 after my item 3401 is it possible to undo the changes to the interaction between the 2 items (u can't buy both )

Agent Corgi6/7/2019, 4:53:13 PM1 votes

Hi Meddler, How are you today? I know it's probably WAY too early to go into details about it, but I was wondering if you guys have anything going on for Preseason.

I remember hearing something about "Simplifying Item Paths" and Itemization changes, but was wondering if there were more details surrounding that (or if that is really what's happening later this year).

DCYOUNG8886/7/2019, 5:33:50 PM1 votes

Off topic and out of curiosity but what house did you pick Meddler? I picked the Council and we were so close to getting first place.

WindLord70706/7/2019, 5:33:06 PM1 votes

Can you comment on the leaked items? When I saw there might possibly be a new hp/attack speed item I got really excited.