Let's Talk About Design Values and Runes

gamezzs·Aug 1, 2014·6 votes·1,136 views

Runes, one of the most important behind of the scenes power in League of Legends yet also one of the least talked about. With Riot developers finally deciding on a set of public design values I think now there can finally be a good discussion about the future of runes in the game.

While there are several problem with runes I'm going to focus only those that I can directly link to the values of Mastery and Meaningful Choices

First let's take a quick recap about what Riot has said about their values

Mastery: League of Legends is about the pursuit of mastery and challenge. A player can grow in skill, teamwork, decision making and adaptability, but being the best means learning all paths, not just picking one. We'll always find new ways to reward and support a player’s developing mastery of the game
- ** Adaptability:** Adaptability is both your ability to learn and respond to new ideas, new threats and new changes, along with your ability to play in a variety of styles.
Meaningful Choices: A meaningful choice requires tradeoffs. If it's a no-brainer, it's not interesting. If nobody understands the consequences of their decision, it's not engaging. If there's a better choice rather than a different choice, players become followers rather than pioneers. We support new strategies by ensuring that tradeoffs exist for the game as a whole.

As runes currently stand I see 2 major issues that relate to these values: runes must be bought and runes cannot be adjust in champion select. Obviously there are other issues such as tier 1 and 2 runes, but that is beyond the scope of this discussion(maybe a meaningful choice issue?)

Purchasing Runes: Runes are expensive, in fact buying enough runes to make a full page is the amount of IP as buying several champs. Yet, buying runes doesn't really give a player that much, nor should it. Runes are a level of customization that give players different options about how to a play a champion. It brings a new level of mastery for players, or rather it should/could. Building a rune pages let's a player add there own play-stlye to any champ. Perhaps you run full dmg runes because you like to be aggressive early or maybe you bring mana regen because you like to play safe and spam spells. While the options might be somewhat limited, runes should allow a player to build their style and strategies. Having runes being prohibitively expensive, especially to newer players, preventing this level of mastery from happening. Mostly players simply will not or ever have the amount of IP to get unlock all the runes with the current pricing. Obviously, you can't be playing without any runes but if you are can only select a handful of options you no longer customize but instead generalize. The runes that can fit any situation will always be taken and the is hardly a meaningful choice. That's be before you take into account that by default a player only has 3 pages to take into champion select before they even see who they are playing or playing against. Which leads nicely into the next point:

Runes and Champ Select: As I claimed several times runes should how a player customizes their play style to any situation. In a similar way that masteries are customized depending who you are playing, runes should be a tool of adaptation. The inability to customize runes to fit a team, a strategy, or a lane leaves runes as customization tool that can be customized to any situation. It's hard to adapt with runes because they are planned before hand and "no plan survives contact with the enemy." Perhaps you didn't get the role or champ you wanted or maybe you hate who the other team picked, runes pages are missing that level adaptability that Riot claims comes with mastery. While yes more rune pages can be purchased but that just brings us back to the point above and is missing the big idea that runes should not be about planning before you even get into champ select. Runes should be about how I want to play this champ this game and in this way. While this issue might be limited by technical issues with the client, ideally runes should be editable in champ select much like masteries.

Or perhaps I just missed the point of runes and they're aren't a form of mastery or customization? Thoughts?

17 Comments

Cloud PotatoAug 1, 20146 votes

The problem that prevents runes from being changed is economics. Historically, runes (and rune pages) have been prohibitively expensive due to the strain it put on Riot's servers to store them (they've been there since you could only have 2 mastery pages), and while it could probably be done away with today, two things need to be considered:

The big one is that the whole IP economy has been built upon runes being as expensive as they are. They are the main IP sink in the game. If their cost is reduced or even removed all the IP generated has to be spent somewhere, and it will most likely go towards buying Champions, which will have an impact on the RP economy. The repercussions of this are very drastic but hard to predict, meaning that an attempt to pre-preemptively soften the blow will not likely keep the economy stabilized.

The other, relatively smaller issue is refunding existing players for their IP purchases. As mentioned earlier, the whole IP economy is dependent on runes being a huge sink for IP, and the fact that many players have spent a very large amount of IP on runes means that people will expect to get IP back on any large scale cost changes. This will leave players with huge amounts of IP, which will further destabilize the economy.

Now I would absolutely love a change in the rune system. I'm currently using 10 rune pages, and the only thing keeping me from experimenting with crazy stuff like full crit damage is the IP cost. However, even if Riot opens the floodgates for rune changes, that doesn't necessarily mean that different runes will get used. For example, the extra gold generation given to Supports didn't solve the problem that they were all forced into buying a small subset of items. While we might use the new system to screw around in normals and such, the metagame will probably drift to one rune set, although it would make balancing runes less punishing IP cost wise. Overall there is no simple solution, and the entire economy needs to be rethought in order to free runes from the stupid IP costs.

gamezzsAug 1, 20141 votes

This is a very good point and yes there will be several issues with economics if runes care changed and refunds are supplied.

The issues I have is that while everything you said is true there is still the fact that 'economics' is not a design value. If Morrello comes here says "yeah design values take a back seat to $$$" that's all well in fine but as it stands the fact that is hard and linked to economics is not proper justification for doing nothing.

During the initial reveal of design values Riot stated

our goal is to make a competitive, hardcore game that'll last for decades

Players and designers are both a part of the League of Legends experience and evolution doesn't come through inaction. Our commitment to evolution means we can keep League healthy and dynamic over a number of years.

I cannot see how the current system will survive 10 years even without changes. With their current values I don't see a reason for runes to remain as IP drain rather than a tool of customization for players.

Phoenix Kotori Aug 1, 20141 votes

The problem is riot would either have to raise champions for IP cost drastically, lower IP gains for post lvl20 players a good bit, or have alternative IP sink outside of Champions and Name changes. Or face a potential income lost.

The first 2 would very likely to be take as **highly ** unfavorable with the community even if it came with free runes/rune pages, and the 3rd one isn't easily accomplished. And 4th has other sustainability issues for riot as a company.

gamezzsAug 2, 20141 votes

or have alternative IP sink

Why do we even need an IP sink in the first place?

Phoenix Kotori Aug 2, 20141 votes

Because at the current IP gain rate a player will *eventually *react a point where they own all the champions they are interested in, or all of the champions, and champions are suppose to be accessible, so there needs to be something else for players to spend IP on when they aren't interested in others, or own all of them.

gamezzsAug 2, 20142 votes

I don't see how owning all the champions is a bad thing. Personally I just see a lack of use for IP as a much less important issue than improving the gameplay portion of the game.

Perhaps that's just because I think the IP system is pretty dumb anyway so take my opinion with a healthy grain of bias.

Pika310Aug 1, 20142 votes

I think runes are at a fine place, for the time being. Sure they cost IP, but that's obtained through effort and playing. Once you've bought a rune, it's there permanently, it's not like you're constantly bleeding IP into them. Same thing with pages and having more pages means more different customizations to choose from for different scenarios you believe you may be faced with. If rune pages were customizable in champ select, it would nearly defeat the purpose of having multiple.

If anything, I believe there should just be more options to choose from. Perhaps for a few examples: scaling runes that start super low, but grow incredibly high late-game. Or the reverse, runes that start a little lower than flat and slowly grow to slightly higher numbers near the end. Sort of an exponential-growth type of thing, rather than just a steady growth-rate.

gamezzsAug 1, 20141 votes

I definitely agree adding a greater variety of runes would be help a lot. I am curious about your comment on multiple pages:

Same thing with pages and having more pages means more different customizations to choose from for different scenarios you believe you may be faced with. If rune pages were customizable in champ select, it would nearly defeat the purpose of having multiple.

What is the purpose of having multiple pages, yes you can prepare for more "general" situations, but there are 20 pages of masteries and you can still edit them in champ select. I see having multiple pages as giving you more starting points that you edit and you narrow down the exact game situation.

Pika310Aug 1, 20142 votes

The difference is, masteries and mastery pages are free. Not to mention, masteries have a much more varied and unique number of effects with fewer being useful in specific situations. The most points you can invest into a single mastery is 4, but you may have up to 9 of a single type of rune. Since runes and rune pages cost IP, being able to edit them in champion select favors a player with only 2 rune pages who was able invest more into buying runes without having additional rune pages. On the other hand, having many runes pages allows you to rely less on generic pages and the majority be dedicated to specific situations. This favors the player who has invested in both runes and rune pages simultaneously, IE: they've played more games and invested a larger amount of effort, so are now rewarded with slightly better advantages in dedicated match-ups.

gamezzsAug 1, 20141 votes

Good point, but that brings me back to why I think runes (and rune pages) should be free under riot design principles. Compare buying champions vs runes and the reasons are complete differently: buying who you play vs buying how you play.

Mastery is a core design value, under that goes adaptability. By limiting options the current system goes AGAINST RIOT'S DESIGN VALUES. That's the real point I'm making here, particular about not being able to edit runes in champ select. The current rune system is in conflict with the core design values.

Pika310Aug 1, 20141 votes

Which brings up another issue. If they were to suddenly make runes and rune pages free, what of the players that already own some? In what way can they be compensated and by how much? I suppose they could compensate the full value of all runes and pages, but then suddenly a huge influx of players will be able to purchase a large number of champions, some may even complete the entire roster. Then the problem of, "what do players spend their extra IP on?" becomes significantly more prevalent. They could refund just a fraction of the cost to help buy more time into deciding the answer to that question, yet at the exact same time, they will be punishing every player that has bought runes up to this point, especially more so to the players with much larger rune collections and several pages. Personally, the first seems like the more reasonable solution, but it won't become viable until they've figured out that viable and more permanent place for players to begin dumping excess IP.

gamezzsAug 1, 20141 votes

It's not perfect, but you can't refuse to fix something because it's big or difficult. There are several ways to fix this problem and while few are close to perfect, something should be done. Perhaps the IP system is just flawed, I don't know, but not dealing with a gameplay issue because it might complicate an economics issue(which will happen eventually) is a sign of poor values. You can't expect a game to last decades if you push off core problems because they are difficult.

At the end of the day Riot has said X & Y are their design values. Runes go against X & Y and therefore should be changed. Now this might cause a problem with Z, but unless Riot says Z is a design value it's not important.

Pika310Aug 1, 20142 votes

I'm not saying the rune system is or isn't flawed, but it would be a major oversight if they were to prematurely overhaul it entirely without first coming up with another equal and more permanent outlet to then transition the sudden influx of IP or equivalent compensation.

Hyrum GraffAug 1, 20142 votes

If they were to suddenly make runes and rune pages free, what of the players that already own some?

I feel like with this line of reasoning, you could justify a lot that shouldn't be justifiable.

For example, Pre-rework nidalee. Let's be honest: her spear-chucking was bad for the game. It promoted long periods where your team does nothing except chuck spears and avoid getting engaged on, until a single spear hits and changes the game. That's just not healthy.

With your logic, we'd say, "But what about all those people who mained old nid? Won't they be out of luck?" It's a valid question to ask, but ultimately we need to do what's best for the health of the game.

Pika310Aug 1, 20141 votes

I then continued on after that sentence to suggest a few possible solutions. Please fully read a post before deciding to respond with only partial understanding of that person's thought. In the case of Nidalee, they rewarded the people who mained old Nidalee with her new kit. It's an inherently self-fixing scenario. Runes on the other hand costed a numerically represented amount of effort as a form of currency. This already-spent currency would have to be compensated for in a similar manner to how Nidalee was reworked and NOT completely removed from the game entirely.

TyverusAug 1, 20142 votes

I do agree with your first argument to a limit. Yes runes are expensive but there's the counter argument that you then need to put a bit more thought into if these specific runes are REALLY what you want. do you go with the unique, "my-style" runes that may fail a hundred times before you feel they are worth the ip and learn where they shine? or do you go with the tried and true armor seals that majority of players/roles still require to stay at the baseline but are lackluster? Another counter argument is found when you look at it from a different perspective: If i'm playing against you and you completely steamroll me, i have to make a conscious effort to change my runes to either match or counter your plays. Much more thought that merely moving points around such as with masteries.

To your second point: I believe your definition of adaptability is different than riots and here's why: with the current design you cant say "well shoot, there's a Teemo.. guess i'll change my runes make my life less hell.." and band-aid your champions weaknesses to force your own playstyle and build to work. You have to actively adapt by changing your play/build styles in the game where meaningful decisions are made such as "do i buy all the dmg's? or do i need to go against my normal thought to better serve my team and build different?". Following the first option (changing runes in champ select) doesnt fall into my definition of adaptable since it's a passive decision and how do you truly know that Teemo is going top until you're at the loading screen? you may screw yourself more if you find out that it is actually riven top and support Teemo. Following your train of thought a step further (bit extreme but bare with me) we would need to allow the first 2-5 minutes of a game for rune & mastery changes.

"This favors the player who has invested in both runes and rune pages simultaneously,"

This saying here is nullified by the matchmaking itself since normally you are matched with enemies of similar level, experience & mmr so odds are if you're thinking one way, majority of your enemies are too and have invested in runes similarly unless their influenced by builds or friends on what purchases grant the greatest returns (which once more are still generally the most adaptable runes such as armor seals)

gamezzsAug 1, 20141 votes

I'm going to have to disagree with your first paragraph

you then need to put a bit more thought into if these specific runes are REALLY what you want. do you go with the unique, "my-style" runes that may fail a hundred times before you feel they are worth the ip and learn where they shine? or do you go with the tried and true armor seals that majority of players/roles still require to stay at the baseline but are lackluster?

The answer to that question currently will almost always be use the "tried and tested." How can you experiment with runes to make meaningful choices if you prohibited by cost. Like you said runes are something you can experiment with. When you buy a champ you know what you get and it end there, but with runes you don't know if what you buy will work before hand and since experimentation is expensive chances are you will not buy runes to make a cool new play style you will just buy a new champ. Perhaps runes don't have to be free, but the current cost is disproportional to what they do.