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Upcoming test for XP gain in Russia

RiotRiot Soundwave·8/31/2015, 6:15:11 PM·33 votes·43,600 views

Hey all,

We're looking to make some upgrades to League’s progression systems long term. Right now we’re thinking about the level 1-30 experience. Specifically, we’re taking a look at how long it takes to level an account all the way to thirty.

The numbers here are pretty disparate: the grind from 1-30 takes hundreds of games, and League’s matchmaking systems can accurately place players pretty swiftly. While we still believe there should be a pretty big buffer between new players and fiercely competitive modes, we think the number of games between 1-30 could be a bit too big. To test that hypothesis, we’re running a test in Russia only, doubling XP gains on the server from 9/1-11/20. After the test concludes, we’ll use the data to inform improvements to the leveling experience on a global scale.

We chose Russia because it’s a younger, growing territory for League, making it ideal to test systemwide changes on. If anything, the test might help Russian players bring some of their friends into the game.

Shortly after the test wraps, we’ll circle back with you, share some of our learnings, and let you know how they could shape future changes.

Let me know if you have any questions!

110 Comments

Phife8/31/2015, 6:17:15 PM12 votes

Any information on IP gains / rune cost?

chide da jungler8/31/2015, 9:00:08 PM8 votes

They is this something you need to test on a server? I feel like I could make the spreadsheet to for you in like 2 minutes.

There is no downside to newer players in ranked. They will simply get sorted in to bronze and be matched with equally skilled players.

Aerolite088/31/2015, 9:01:58 PM7 votes

Please consider eliminating Tier 1-2 runes entirely.

We no longer have the means to remove useless runes from our books and the rune shop UI lacks the distinct warning that's echoed by almost every guide for newbies ever: "Don't brother wasting your IP on T1-2 runes. Not only are they weak and pointless past summoner level 20, but you'll need a fair amount of saved IP (~17-18k) to buy even one full page worth of max-slot-effectiveness T3 runes".

I suppose you could fix the price of all runes at the level of T3 runes and just make them auto-upgrade at the level breaks but that seems like a lot of extra work for a system that wouldn't matter at all once a player hit level 20. Either way, I hope the issues surrounding T1-2 runes are addressed somehow.

ToeKn339/1/2015, 2:04:51 AM5 votes

This might be a little far-fetched but what if there was a system in place that detected a player that was obviously way ahead in terms of skill of where a normal level 6 or whatever player normally is and gives them an option to jump a few levels. In my experience and my friends' experience the 1-30 grind was appropriate in getting us to a reasonable level of skill, but for some players it may be too long. It would also help a smurf because they would obviously win enough to qualify for this.

bK HYper10/4/2015, 3:16:15 PM4 votes

Triple xp and IP gains from 1-30 and then ip gains revert to normal and xp gains obviously disable. That way, leveling is faster but you don't miss out on the ability to get your necessary runes and pick up a few champs so that you can play ranked. Doesn't seem that complicated to me.

Shikigami8/31/2015, 11:05:13 PM4 votes

Hey! Great idea with the double exp gains. A quick suggestion that many have already suggested, but perhaps a quest/achievement system that rewards exp for completion. As you know, there are many bots that powerlevel accounts, double exp will make them both more efficient - make manual leveling more rewarding. Perhaps trying to keep the base exp gain the same (or increase it, all the better) and giving misc. quests like :

A)Play 2 games today (300 exp) B)Master a champion (2000 exp)

These numbers and achievements are arbitrary, but maybe lower exp "daily/weekly" achievements like A, with "permanent" achievements like B that players can work on (and maybe a master achievement for completing all the permanent ones). I'm sure you guys could also use it to replace the "Spells" tab in the profile menu (nobody really uses it).

Doubling exp gains seem like a good idea, but maybe something more engaging to appeal to achievement-oriented players, and I think generally people would prefer it anyway .. maybe giving a bit of ip to the level 30's who will try them too.

Just a thought.

LEGEEENDAAARY8/31/2015, 10:05:20 PM4 votes

[{quoted}](name=Riot S0undwaves,realm=NA,application-id=3ErqAdtq,discussion-id=AtdUNLAN,comment-id=,timestamp=2015-08-31T18:15:11.944+0000)

Hey all,

We're looking to make some upgrades to League’s progression systems long term. Right now we’re thinking about the level 1-30 experience. Specifically, we’re taking a look at how long it takes to level an account all the way to thirty.

The numbers here are pretty disparate: the grind from 1-30 takes hundreds of games, and League’s matchmaking systems can accurately place players pretty swiftly. While we still believe there should be a pretty big buffer between new players and fiercely competitive modes, we think the number of games between 1-30 could be a bit too big. To test that hypothesis, we’re running a test in Russia only, doubling XP gains on the server from 9/1-11/20. After the test concludes, we’ll use the data to inform improvements to the leveling experience on a global scale.

We chose Russia because it’s a younger, growing territory for League, making it ideal to test systemwide changes on. If anything, the test might help Russian players bring some of their friends into the game.

Shortly after the test wraps, we’ll circle back with you, share some of our learnings, and let you know how they could shape future changes.

Let me know if you have any questions!

Hi !

Good changes. 1-30 is way too long to grind.

But what about IP gain? If you double the XP gain only, it means that people gonna reach level 30 without some champs + runes... OR level 30 is all about champion pool and runes diversity, because there's no more level to win. Now there is 126 champs to buy. A full runepage cost about 10k (AD) up to 15k for an AP page (Pen red, health18 yellow, CDR18 blue, AP quints)

I invite you to look at that post on reddit : https://www.reddit.com/r/leagueoflegends/comments/3iy1vk/how_much_ip_is_needed_for_all_champs_2_rune_pages/

If I invited you to play a game, and said that you need 3 years to have full champs, will you play at this game? Pretty much discouraging right?

(bad english, not native language, sorry :/)

Galamarth8/31/2015, 11:21:30 PM4 votes

As a new player here, I can say that the 1-30 level grind, the massive IP grind for runes+new champs, PLUS the lack of something like a sandbox mode where I can test skills are the three biggest barriers to my fully enjoying lol. Closely followed by the bizarre matchmaking system...{{summoner:2}}

SexySoapTurtle8/31/2015, 6:15:59 PM3 votes

kool

ArcticWolf248/31/2015, 6:17:55 PM3 votes

Took a while for you to do this change... its just math XD but im glad Riot is doing something

warpenguin5558/31/2015, 6:26:09 PM3 votes

nice.

Suijinheki9/5/2015, 4:56:49 PM3 votes

Honestly if XP gains need to get doubled to make the grind less painful I'd ask for IP gains to get increased by 5 halves during the progression from 1 to 30 since players hitting level 30 need to be getting IP to purchase their Tier 3 runes as soon as humanly possible at the very least. I don't think XP gains need to be touched. League isn't an easy game to play well it takes a good deal of time playing it or other similiar games (DotA/HoN players swapping over seem to do well fairly quickly). Just look at the statistics for ranked summoner distributions. You have an overwhelming amount (65%<) in Bronze and silver, and 45% overall roughly in silver IV or below. Those divisions will likely swell should this be implemented. Players will need a baseline of game experience before going in and potentially joining solo que matches to maintain some semblance of quality in games for low elo players.

Disneylord12/12/2015, 9:59:13 AM3 votes

I give up on leveling , this game has the most ridiculous slowest exp system that has ever existed in a game and its impossible to go 30 even when you win games

Gidsen8/31/2015, 9:20:48 PM2 votes

This will eventually lead to a larger bronze tier. Maybe bronze will contain the majority of all ranked players in the future instead of silver. The ranked leader would be much more representive. I really like that..

the Anarchit3cht9/1/2015, 8:26:28 AM2 votes

Why not instead of doubling the xp gains, halve the amount of xp required? Same effect, smaller numbers. Less bloating.

Cayno12/6/2015, 12:33:50 AM2 votes

I'm going to post this in a couple places:

Goal: to ease a player into league of legends and give them the right idea // tools to learn the game before reaching 30!

Leveling in league of legends is quite counter productive. You're given poor tools and you learn to play the game wrong. No attack speed on adc. Poor damage for last hitting. You don't get a feel for the "real game" until you're 20 and you have to learn the game all over again.

This is why I suggest this game rework to help inspire new players to have an easier transition into the gaming scene where they can actually group and play with their level 30 friends and have an enjoyable ((fair)) experience.

Level 1-10 All rune slots are unlocked and you're given "practice" tier 3 power runes of every kind. -- Masteries don't exist --

Level 10 transition - 10-20 All practice runes are deleted but rune slots are still unlocked. All Mastery points are given ((30)) ((Optional 18 mastery points for keystone))

Level 20 reward tier -- 20-30 You now have all the options of a level 30 account. Free token rewarded to purchase one champion or rune page // choose option from menu that congratulates player.

Level 30 reward tier: Free Skin Token / redeemable for a skin 975 or cheaper. Summoner Icon reward for reaching 30 // year reached.

This reward tiered system would allow players to be introduced to the game in a study general sense from day 1. It also immerses them into the feel of buying a champion // skin for something other than IP helping them transition into the feel of instant purchasing which is a nice transition for Riot in the aspect of RP.

All in all this system would make it easier for someone to pick up the game than the current "grind" system that teaches you to play the game wrong.

VandenBoo12/13/2015, 12:32:43 PM2 votes

Any updates on this, Rioters?

Karma Deified12/20/2015, 8:48:20 PM2 votes

{quoted}

I give up on leveling , this game has the most ridiculous slowest exp system that has ever existed in a game and its impossible to go 30 even when you win games

{quoted}

As a new player here, I can say that the 1-30 level grind, the massive IP grind for runes+new champs, PLUS the lack of something like a sandbox mode where I can test skills are the three biggest barriers to my fully enjoying lol.

Reading these 2 comments brought up a thought in my head. I brought two new players in this year and if it weren't for playing with a group, I think they would have left before even reaching 21.

I hope to see this change come to NA along with some remedies to the other barriers to getting the full LoL experience.

Go Phuck a Suck8/31/2015, 9:04:49 PM2 votes

If you want to help progression and more newer players get into the game, an actual helpful tutorial might help you out, along witha few incentives like IP chest at levels 10, 20, 30 etc.

CoolKnightST10/13/2015, 5:30:17 PM2 votes

Raising the exp would indeed help the game a lot:

Smurfs will be less problematic between the level 1-30
You can faster play in ranked team, I remembered a time I wanted to play a ranked 5 game with my friends but their where not level 30 yet. Right now the last one is level 29. Now where already tired for even trying it.
Leveling is really boring right now & it feels like talking forever.

ddrox1310/13/2015, 11:59:23 PM2 votes

So my biggest issue with this is the champion pools (and subsequently their IP costs)

If someone doesnt own/know how to play enough champions when they start ranked, they may get stuck into an off-meta pick simply due to their champion pools. My first Ranked game in the top lane resulted me playing Warwick because I had not played much Top lane (I very often played normals with a Top main) and owned no natural Tops. Topwick is fun if you can pull it off, but my lane opp killed me 6 or 7 times in lane when I tried to so much as touch the farm (I think it was a Riven). My first ADC game I went 0/20 on Ashe, as it was my first game on the champion. My next one I went ADC Thresh because I heard from someone that it worked and I knew how to play Thresh (It didn't).

Point is, I went into ranked with a champion pool of Leona, Lulu, Lux, Rammus, Warwick, Thresh, and the 450 champions I didnt know how to play. I got punished to hell. I was ready for one role, and when it got taken I was royally screwed.

I would LIKE to see some way of forcing mastery on multiple champions of different roles before allowance into ranked (maybe force Mastery 3 with one Marksman, one Support, one Mage, one Fighter, and one Tank... or something). I would also personally like to see champion IP costs cut in half and an increase in the ranked champion requirements, but I dont see that happening in the foreseeable future. While I would love to see a faster 1-30, It is pointless if I can only play one character by that time.

Xyrían11/26/2015, 1:10:08 PM2 votes

Soooooooooo.... Could we get any Update on what the "experiment" did result in ?

RedBlazeNinja1/18/2016, 8:23:44 PM1 votes

[{quoted}](name=Riot S0undwaves,realm=NA,application-id=3ErqAdtq,discussion-id=AtdUNLAN,comment-id=,timestamp=2015-08-31T18:15:11.944+0000)

Hey all,

We're looking to make some upgrades to League’s progression systems long term. Right now we’re thinking about the level 1-30 experience. Specifically, we’re taking a look at how long it takes to level an account all the way to thirty.

The numbers here are pretty disparate: the grind from 1-30 takes hundreds of games, and League’s matchmaking systems can accurately place players pretty swiftly. While we still believe there should be a pretty big buffer between new players and fiercely competitive modes, we think the number of games between 1-30 could be a bit too big. To test that hypothesis, we’re running a test in Russia only, doubling XP gains on the server from 9/1-11/20. After the test concludes, we’ll use the data to inform improvements to the leveling experience on a global scale.

We chose Russia because it’s a younger, growing territory for League, making it ideal to test systemwide changes on. If anything, the test might help Russian players bring some of their friends into the game.

Shortly after the test wraps, we’ll circle back with you, share some of our learnings, and let you know how they could shape future changes.

Let me know if you have any questions!

hows is the new gameplay aint played in like 2 years

Very Hard Engage8/31/2015, 6:19:44 PM1 votes

so you'll put even newer players to league into ranked with even less champions/ necessary runes.

FANTASTIC! JUST WHAT I WANTED FOR MY SMURF!

Sandelsj3/7/2016, 4:22:24 PM1 votes

Is this double exp still in the Russian server ? [slayer-jinx-catface]

Arcade Andrew8/31/2015, 11:04:57 PM1 votes

so how does this help anyone who is already level thirty? if this is implemented in the future (across all servers) dont you think players who purchased EXP boosts should be refunded them?

I know itd be quite hard to track down and refund every exp boost ever bought but I know I bought one or two and if youre going to be increasing exp gains, I feel like "well %%%% whyd id bother buying those if riot knew there was a problem"