It would be awesome if we could download replays of our friends

Eedat·May 27, 2017·37 votes·2,928 views

I don't see any harm of being able to download and watch replays of people on our friends list. I have a Masters friend who would like to see some of my replays to give me some tips, but to do so its an unnecessarily complicated process of me saving and sending him the replay file and him having to manipulate the file to get it to play.

I also have lower ELO friends that I would like to do the same but I can't.

Would there be any issue with being able to download and watch other people's replays if they're on your friends list?

I think it would be an awesome feature and one that wouldn't require much effort. Everything is pretty much already there.

27 Comments

Volibear BossMay 27, 20176 votes

You should make this thread on reddit, will get way more upvotes and highers the chance of riot thinking about it.

KairoptraMay 27, 20173 votes

I feel like it's a privacy issue. People may not want others to have such easy access like that for embarrassment's sake. Maybe there should be some kind of system where you can request a certain game and the other person can okay it, kind of like a match invite. How's that sound?

ChaoticPineconeMay 28, 20173 votes

This is probably the best idea (or you being able to pick a few games you want open to the public).

Seems like a lot of work to implement though, and probably would be more of a "someone do it in their spare time" type of thing instead of an actual project.

KairoptraMay 28, 20171 votes

That sounds about right, considering they have much bigger things on their plate.

BatchBustsMetaMay 28, 20174 votes

Id rather just have a privacy setting that you can easily turn on or off. Default option would be off of course when it's first implemented.

KairoptraMay 28, 20172 votes

Not a bad idea at all! +1

Fondling GemsMay 28, 20171 votes

Yeah but there are 9 other people in that game, they all have the right to share it. Also what if multiple people on your friends list were in that game?

KairoptraMay 28, 20171 votes

What does that have to do with it then? They all have the replay and should have no reason to ask for it unless there's a bug, in which case contact Riot Support. They all should have their own copy of it to do whatever they wish with; other people aren't in the equation.

Fondling GemsMay 29, 20171 votes

I was simply asking why one person gets to choose not to let others see the video. This is especially true when previously (and riot mentioned bringing it back) people's games were put on show with or without permission. Furthermore you can already spectate any friend who is currently in game.

I was simply wondering why people would exclusively get to deny other's the ability to download their replays.

Also I was questioning how asking other's for their replay would work if there were multiple friends in that game. It seems very round about and rude to go through asking everyone just because one person denied. It could also lead to people friending other people who were in the game just to get at the replay.

Overall there seems to be a number of needless complications when it comes to asking for permission (Which include having to wait for that person to come online again) when everything but the replay is already available for everyone to see.

KairoptraMay 29, 20171 votes

What I'm saying is that if they already have it, why would they need to share it? They each already have their own copy to do whatever they want with, so sharing isn't part of the equation.

Fondling GemsMay 29, 20171 votes

Because the purpose of this post if about having ways for others to easily downloads OTHER people's replays. Sharing is the whole point of the equation.

KairoptraMay 29, 20171 votes

But what you're talking about is with other people who already should have the replay; you're not making sense.

Fondling GemsMay 29, 20171 votes

Ok lets say we have 3 people. Person A, B and C. They are all friends. Person B and C played a game together. Person A wants the replay of said game.

If person A has to ask permission does the request go to B, C, or both? If it just goes to one of them, say person B, then what stops person A from going to person C and getting the replay from them? What if I request the video from both of them because I don't know who will be on again first, if they both accept then do I get 2 notifications? Does the second person get a notification that the game was already shared?

If neither B nor C choose to share the game with person A then what is to stop person A from going behind their backs and sending person D, who was also in the game, a friend request request purely to try and get the replay from them?

Overall it can cause a lot of conflict and raises the issue of telling people that they can choose to not share games, but not actually letting them lock away that video because any one of the other 9 people can still freely share it.

That is why I am against giving people the option, because it could lead to bad habits and pointless friend requests while also giving imaginary power. Instead people should be able to download replay's of the games on anyone's account with or without permission, since they could have spectated them anyways.

Pretending to give people a decision is pretty silly when the decision has to be agreed upon by all 10 people, and there are 3rd party programs that will automatically record people's games for them anyways, which just breaks a permission system even further.

KairoptraMay 29, 20171 votes

Oooooohh I get what you're saying now. I think that a system for requesting would be more of a formality than anything; I think that people would prefer that it at least felt like a choice. As for "going behind their backs", I think the general rule would be that it's their game, too, they should have the freedom to do with it what the want. Think of it this way: which is sillier? Someone who worked on a movie being able to give a copy to anyone they like, or having to get the consent of everyone who worked on it (cast, crew, etc.) and THEN giving it freely? It's the same basic principle for replay, or at least I think it would be. Clearly, there was some miscommunication along the way; I don't think that all ten people should have to agree upon sharing the replay, but people should at least feel like it's private in that they have to give their consent to share the copy that they own. That way, they would know that they are doing everything in their power to keep that game private, if they feel the need to keep it so. As for multiple notifications, maybe so; I would think that the computer would see them as individual files, but I might be wrong on that account.

Fondling GemsMay 29, 20171 votes

I think comparing it to a movie is a little bit off though, rather than it being a general movie it is a freely shared production. Anyone could come in and watch/record while it was filming. This makes it feel a bit weird if after it is finished you have to ask for permission to view it, but anyone who worked on it, or just showed up while other people were working on it and recorded it can freely share it with everyone.

Suddenly it being your movie (or game as the case may be) doesn't matter, instead all that matters is if someone was watching it happen.

I just have a bit of trouble understanding why I can view any game on my friends list live but I can't view them after they finish. If I download their replay later it isn't as though they would need to get a notification about it so they would only know if I brought it up. If that really offends them for some reason they could just ask me to stop, or worst case just unfriend me so I can't watch any of their games.

I just don't understand fighting for replay permissions when you can already watch them live anyways.

KairoptraMay 29, 20171 votes

Like I've said, people like privacy, or at least the idea of it. We know very well, now more than ever, that our lives are not private. Surveillance cameras keep us in check, making sure we do no wrong while never giving us a second's privacy. Stores like Target track the purchases of their customers and are able send them coupons based on them; very unnerving, though convenient. It's the same basic principle here; people want to feel safe and ignore the fact that they can be seen. People are optimistic that way; we see cameras as a way of keeping us safe rather than the "all-seeing-eye," and we see the stores' surveillance as a thoughtful and a good business move, rather than "cold and calculating". In the same way, people would see needing permission as them being secure with their footage, rather than futile if they can be viewed in-game. Also, I have to admit you're right; the movie analogy is a tad askew. How's this one: Say a group of students are doing homework together after school. The homework was meant to be independent, i. e. it's not something they have to work on together. Once they complete it, should each one have the right to turn in their own finished work, in spite of any different answers? Or should they have to go through the grueling process of making sure they all have the same answer before turning it in? Obviously, the first one is far easier, so I think that clears up our misunderstanding of having to get all 10 people's permission; we're saying the same thing in that regard.

Fondling GemsMay 29, 20171 votes

Fair enough, it just seems very off strange to me. IDK, so long as we get an option that lets us turn on autoaccept so I don't have to confirm people's requests I would be fine with a permission system.

KairoptraMay 29, 20171 votes

I'm down with that idea; the thought of having a setting where people can freely look at your replays is a great idea!

TjGaming06May 23, 20191 votes

yeah but still like i am on my other account in league coz my account got locked and i can't get my awesome game downloaded so this su cks

KhadaverMay 28, 20172 votes

Maybe we should be able to post highlights on our profiles

FutureCreatorMay 28, 20171 votes

We already can, but for some crazy reason you can only watch your own highlights.

KhadaverMay 28, 20172 votes

it's not posting if only you can see it :P just saving

Votable JesterMay 28, 20171 votes

I'd limit it to highlights. Because they at least have control over what they put there.

Replays have the potential of being a bit embarrassing for the player.

ralseiMay 28, 20171 votes

one way around this btw, is to have your friend download the replay, go into their documents, and there's a league folder with a .rofl which is a replay file. Drag and drop the file onto league's shortcut icon and bam, you're viewing the replay.

FutureCreatorMay 28, 20172 votes

I think OP specified that he did this, but that it was a very tedious procedure and should be more streamlined with just having a button that plays the replay.

ralseiMay 29, 20171 votes

oh lol it was tl;dr for me