The PBE and balancing system needs work. Players, now is your chance to voice your ideas!!!
Before I begin, READ THE POST. This is not a thread about Riot being incompetent, or a thread about balance in general. And yes, I am aware Riot makes mistakes. We all do. Now that that's been covered, let's begin.
#What is the PBE?
The PBE is a separate server designated to test new content that has not yet hit live. It's also meant to get player feedback on possible balance changes such as buffs, nerfs, reworks, or QoL changes. It also is very useful in finding and fixing bugs. Well, at least that's what it's supposed to be.
See, the PBE is a great idea, don't get me wrong. If Riot threw everything they came up with at live, the game would be as balanced as a drunk dolphin on a spinning log. But it's not exactly doing what it was meant to do, at least according to the players. Changes such as the recent Xin Zhao buffs and certain reworks have come across some negative light because of how disruptive they have been to the balance of the game. It's one thing to change up the game to keep it interesting, it's another to create mass discord in the harmony of the game and its community, To be frank, the PBE doesn't do its job.
#Ok, so how do we fix it?
Well, recently reading a Rioter's post about how they do playtests, it got me thinking... what if instead of just throwing out content and letting the players run wild with it, the PBE was actually more controlled? Let's be honest, most of the PBE testers are either there for bragging rights or to play with skins they don't have on the Live server. I know this sounds a little harsh, but we need to drop some of the dead weight and get things done. The PBE needs a way to test the HELL out of all the content Riot throws out, and I'm just one guy typing on his computer wracking my brain thinking of ways to come up with this. Then it hit me.
Ask the players.
You guys play the game. You guys love it. You guys thank Riot (deep down inside, we all do). You guys complain to them. All because League of Legends is not Riot's game... it's OUR game. That's what makes this game so charming, so warm. You don't get shunned by big companies, you don't get given the cold shoulder by huge game developers like Blizzard (heh), and you sure as hell don't usually see employees of a game this big coming and talking about their personal lives and favorite cheese strategies in the game. League of Legends is where you get all this. We are a community, so let's act like it.
So what I'm doing is this: comment with your ideas on possible ways to fix up the PBE. To improve balance, play testing, and communication between the developers and the players. If an idea is found to be particularly good and people like it, I'll add it to the list and credit the person who came up with it. Here we go.
#Possible Solutions
1. Exclusively test new content The idea behind this is to basically dedicate all the server resources into testing new content that affects balance, and allowing content like skins to be a part of that. There are several ways to go about this, one being that the champions, item, or game mode be the only content allowed to be tested. At least one person has to play that champion or the one associated with the item. Additionally, the game mode could be mandatory (I think they already do this, forgive me if I'm wrong), and if this isn't a stretch, replace custom games with sandbox mode. Allow players to test interactions, flush out bugs and unintended effects, and make it work.
Another way this could work is to create certain days where one set of content is being tested. For example, if a rework for Swain were in the works and Lee Sin was getting a nerf to his ultimate, they could test Swain's large-scale rework for a week, maybe less. Lee Sin's nerf would come with the other set of changes, like changing the hue of Sona's hair tips or something.
Pros and Cons Pros: This would create a controlled environment where players could go to the PBE to test out new changes. As more and more of that specific content is tested, more detailed information would come in, and feedback would be valuable in that regard. Going back to my Swain example, Rioters would get lots of reports that Swain's new passive doesn't interact properly with wards, and the minions he summons with his spells refuse to attack around pink wards. Riot can instantly detect this and fix something so small, just because the concentration of players testing the content was so high.
Cons: The freedom of the PBE would feel compromised, as people wouldn't be able to try new builds or tactics or something they think would be cool with the new content in mind. Additionally, it would feel a little too much like the new system, except more restricting. Additionally, players might provide biased feedback that could ruin the balance of that specific content, resulting in disaster.
2. Reserved for a better idea. This paragraph is reserved for a player who had been brave enough and thoughtful enough to put their vibrant ideas onto the page, and came up with something truly beautiful and magnificent. Even better than shooting a rainbow gun while riding a unicorn through a pasture of daisies.
Feel free to post your ideas, guys. We are the lifeblood of the game, so let's come up with ideas. How would you change the PBE, and the balancing system in general? Put whatever, and be nice! Fighting will result in a time out. Or... a text-based one...
One last thing: Riot. If this thread gets anywhere and we actually come up with good ideas, it'd be best if we got a response of sorts. It can range from an essay about the effect of waffles on certain bacterial colonies to a short and simple "I like that idea." Just because you have red in your username doesn't mean you aren't part of the community, we're all people here. Come talk to us!
