[Suggestion] Offer the player a choice of Desired Role vs Queue Time

BeeCuz··1 votes·354 views

The newly implemented feature of a fill-role beyond the two player-selected roles is an advancement in the reduction of queue times, and progress is always welcome. This new system also brings to light an issue of game play that points to a further direction forward, and so I'd like to present that avenue.

There is a choice being made between playing a desired role and wait time in queue, a type of trade wherein both desired role and short queue times are wanted. If the testing cycle proves out that this new system has improved queue times, then display that estimated time difference as a cost choice to the player.

Show the additional cost in estimated wait time for desired role selection, and let it be the player's decision to wait it out or hurry it along. Making it the player's call would improve the fit of the mechanism to the population of players.

http://orig11.deviantart.net/24dc/f/2014/144/f/8/celtic_princess_by_selenada-d7jj3m1.png

2 Comments

disregardable1 votes

That basically already exists. If you want short queue times, you pick support. If you want long queue times, you pick anything else. Not enough people are making the choice to have short queue times, so Riot is forcing it on high elo players.

BeeCuz1 votes

{quoted}

...Riot is forcing it on high elo players.

Games at their most basic level are about choices and decision-making. At the level of populations of players it's a mixed strategy wherein fractions of the population will select each option available.

Such a choice may also offer an easier alternative to external mechanisms of play where the players choose whatever role they think will get them a short queue time and then play what they want to play irregardless of stated choice.

http://digital-art-gallery.com/oid/11/640x385_3570__Chess_Game_2d_illustration_chess_girls_fantasy_picture_image_digital_art.jpg

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