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How To Fix ARAM (LONG POST) (TL;DR INCLUDED) OFFICIAL REPOST

Kim Joey Smurf·11/21/2017, 5:22:28 PM·1 votes·987 views

Long Post (Narrative writing to persuasive writing) (meant persuasive not passive) Very passionate about this by the way! EXPLANATION BELOW! TL;DR @ the bottom! A.) 1. Background: First of all let me say that I have successfully converted (religion saturation) from a 5v5 Summoners Rift play to ARAM Main. But Yes I am a ARAM constantly now. I find the ARAM game mode a lot more less stress inducing from solo q in rank 5v5. I completely enjoy the game mode but sometimes ARAM just fucks with a little to hard for me to play it sometimes. While personally I do want to spend money for champions due to the horrid of blue essence conversion from ip i'm still not invested enough.

A.) 2. I enjoy ARAM for the fast paced leveling up and group fighting that it takes. It is also a quicker game mode and pretty quick as to when you are going to lose/win. Certainly being a ARAM I have noticed a tremendous amount of undesirability that could be solved with just a few simple steps. (Insert Oxiclean guy picture)

A.) 3. Literately a ARAM Main https://matchhistory.na.leagueoflegends.com/en/#match-history/NA1/239656345 (To your surprise it may be, There are ARAM players who just straight up play ARAM)(Or even ARAM ALOT) While I am low level I have seasons of experience. While not proud I have gotten a couple of my past accounts permanently banned B.) 1. Problems: I want to highlight 3 key elements wrong with ARAM

B.) 2. Format, Continuum, & Effectiveness

B.) 3. Format: Now we all know that the format is "5v5, All Random, All mid", while extremely affirmative as to what it is. I know for a fact ARAM can be a break from Summoners Rift, Have just as much fun as Summoners Rift, And be as much of a game mode as Summoners Rift. B.) 4. What are these facts? Well certainly it would be encouraging champs to have fun with, trying new champs, and in general having fun with the game mode. What does this mean? It means the fun of ARAM can be fully utilized to not only have Summoners Rift as the primary game mode but have ARAM as much viability. In Terms of game play ARAM is all for what it is. A fun game mode of "fiesta" of kills sometimes. Not to serious but can be competitive

B.) 5. Back to the main formatting some of the problems that are in ARAM are obvious. Q dodging, champion select, & REROLL optimization. Ever had a champion that you really wanted to play in ARAM? Ever gotten that champion? But on man the Q Dodge now you go into the second Q with a lack of a better word mediocre champion that you didn't want. Of course this isn't so bad if you were on the opposite end you got a bad champion but followed with a good champion. Another scenario is you get the first good champion in champion select but someone someone dodged now you dodge? So on and so forth

B.) 6. To add clarity these are only situations where a problem occurs to the facet of your choice. (Having a champion you don't want etc, Trade-able champions you don't want, a bad reroll, Q dodges, you dodging yourself, not wanting to play the game, players only playing ARAM to hope they get a decent champion) Just to list some

The ordering isn't the best but try and keep up. Lets summarize all the problems ARAM have with numbers 1-10. All of #'s 1-10 are scenarios in which are unfavorable outcomes. What if I could reduce the number of 1-10 to 1-4/5? Well your in luck!

C.) 1. Solutions Remixing the ARAM literately! To fix these irritating issues I have a few solutions to fix them touching on the Format, Continuum, and Reroll! To fix the format I would suggest to fix the champion choice first of all. Now hold your horses it will still be all random all mid. To combat some of the problems listed above ((B.) 6.) Getting a champion you don't want. Well that's tough luck. As the game mode is you still will have to all random the champions. What I suggest to a solution to this would first be a ReRoll Change. Have the meter so that the more you build it up, you eventually get to chose your champion. Woah buddy big leap, What are you doing? Well let me tell you

C.) 2.The fact is grinding for a ReRoll to only have it be disappointing for the most part makes the reroll almost completely useless. What would make more logically sense is to have build enough games win or lose then get to choose the champion you want. After all you are getting random champions, so why not change the feature to add reward? Even with the new blue essence conversion grinding why not have ReRoll grinding? Makes it alot of fun while eliminating the problem of Q dodges as a result. Not only lowering Q dodges but giving players more of a chance rather then being a 1 and done ARAM time type of thing. To explain this a player won't just dodge because he didn't get a champion he didn't want, a trade was denied, or a reroll was unfavored for a champion. Encourages the player not to dodge, build his bar to pick his own champion later in the future, also fixes other players not getting the champion they want. The Rate of this can be adjusted for the amount of games as so, win/lose, time, general ReRoll to pick a champion. (To help counter a constant matchups AOE Team, longer bar build up) I hope you have seen the parallel to blue essence.

C.) 3. Now the above is just for the reroll fixing a multitude of problems in ARAM particular the effectiveness & continuum. The next will focus on format. Again addressing ((b.) 6.) While dodges do suck the most compromising is when you get a champion you like but someone dodges. So on and so forth you get another good one but someone dodges, then you get a bad one someone dodges. As stated in 2. to help fix the problem I just stated I have another solution to ADD. Please note that the reroll will stay the same as it currently is when someone dodges. You receive the reroll back with the option to use it again or not. When someone dodges you have the option to keep or randomize the previous champion. (May receive the same champion in same randomize) due to the fact you chose that and someone dodged previously. A couple of things to address: Same champions, players in q, trade, & what this fixes This fixes ((b.)6.) when you receive a champion you liked but someone dodges you end up getting a worse champion. In terms of game play in accountant of enjoyment, skill, win condition. Also the dilemma of a double dodge in row resulting in other players dodging as so. So on and so forth.

As for the same champions, players in q, & trade. Let me start off by showing how it will work and the beginning of the post (first) dodge (same for 2nd,3rd,4th,etc) all players will receive the option to Keep or ReRandomize (can be given same champions as before regardless of q #). Even with the increase in the amount of time given because of new runes this will encourage the change. The option of Keep Or ReRandomize will be ONLY after a dodge and will have a time limit. Can be adjusted to scale after testing. If none have been chosen the option of Keep will automated selected or a dodge will occur from that player who has failed to accept. (Although to save trouble from 2 unselected players of Keep Or ReRandomize, Keep should be selected).(A concern to be acknowledged though). After the choices have been made exact at the same time for all players (will happen at the same time) they will either Keep the ones they had previously or ReRandomize their champions (just like how it is right now when you go into a Q of ARAM). After the inital Keep Or ReRandomize, You may trade with another player or use your ReRoll. (Note chat will be available for communication purposes)

C.) 4. In regards for the Concerns of champions, players in q I will present some scenario that may offer questionable in due process. (The stage is set for after a post dodge q) Firstly the players will be matched up exactly how it is right now if someone dodges. (However the system decides who is with who)

What if two of the same players on each other sides get placed with each other? In other words regardless of the same or different Q, what will happen if they got the same champion and placed on the same team? Well as it is right now the answer would be quite simple. I would place a barrier to have that happen. (Yes I realize that would not be easy for Riot) What if their premade? Same thing applies Allow me to explain why this is. When two of the same players of the same champion choice cannot be placed together it offers them to either be on opposite teams or in a completely different Q altogether.

What about the same players being in the same Q but opposite teams for more of a advantage? The time slot for Keep or ReRandomize can be adjusted to selective fix that problem. As any player you have to not only know the name of the next Q but also the champion themselves.

D.) 1. Changes/E.) TL:DR The changes are quite clear but this is where I will I simply them for clarity. CURRENT/OLD SYSTEM: All random, reroll into random champions, trade if needed, dodging problems still remain NEW SYSTEM: All random, Post dodge KEEP or ReRandomize, Trade still possible, ReRoll changed to choosing your own champions (Adjustable bar)

F.) 1. Happy to respond to any questions/concerns! Please let me know what you think

Closing: While I may say this system isn't perfect especially in the department of match-making, I'd like to think I addressed them fairly. I do think my idea is much better than the current ARAM, but the current ARAM is enjoyable I really do see this taking ARAM to the next level.

G.) 1. VERY IMPORTANT. ADDRESSING ARAM ACCOUNTS I got the jest of what riot was saying. They said they don't like ARAM accounts because of the small select of champion pools. What they did NOT mention was dodging q and how that has a direct link to it. Two things though To address the ARAM ACCOUNTS. It's quite clear people think this is a problem because it offers a disadvantage to players who personally have unfair champions. I want to make this clear. There are three players. A player who plays both rift/ARAM Only ARAM Only rift. Now naturally the player who plays rift/aram along with the time they have had the account (champions they bought, ip gained, etc) will be at a disadvantage because the ARAM only main will have naturally better fitting champions that accommodate ARAM more. It that is so why can't the same be said for the player on ARAM as opposed to the one who plays both rift/ARAM. You see the double standard here? Now if I played ARAM mostly and played rift sometimes then why couldn't I say why can't I have the champions someone else has when for a advantage that I don't have the champion to counter theirs with but they counter mine.

Stay with me now.... The point is that you can't ask for the two same things then offer a solution that wouldn't work for the same game modes. Because they are different game modes. As a player you have the free rain to do any of these. But if someone has a champion you don't you can't be asked to reward yourself for the sake of a advantage (balance wise to). You as the player chose the champion to buy as you did. If you don't like it then refund it. See but the ARAM main is getting knocked like because the champions they choose to play are what they want. (As for the game mode design allows them to) When the rift/summoners wants a even playing field for whatever champions they chose to buy or got.

You understand?

Also to add about dodging Q. Which my solution fixes. Is that anytime whether your given a champion that you don't want for whatever reason. A ARAM account or RIFT account is that the possibility of dodging will still be there even for the fact of the champion the player got. Affecting all 9 other players.

16 Comments

Dead flag blues11/21/2017, 7:13:36 PM4 votes

"PEOPLE MAY CHOOSE to have a ARAM ONLY ACCOUNT. THERE IS ABSOULTELY nothing wrog with that. If your so concerned about the champions then don't play it. The fact of the matter is some champions will be better in a 1 lane 5v5 MATCH UP. THATS THE CHAMPIONS SKILL SET."

Riot stated themselves that ARAM only accounts were truly wrong. They said it in a Q&A session (can't remember which one, but I'm 100% sure they actually stated it).

"If your so clear on Riot Stance on what they won't do then I suggest you PROVIDE a solution!"

I gave the solutions here. Add more penalty for dodging, unlock the entire champ pool, remove Sona from the mode (or do something about mana regen / reduce the amount of shields provided the same way they did for healings), remove Warmog from the mode (or only allow it to melees, they are the only one who should be rewarded for surviving pokes).

"Exactly! But to your point about unlocking all champions for all players etc. Balancing included"

It's clearly named "ALL RANDOM ALL MID". Not "ALL MID".

"On unlocking champions. Riot is a company one of the goals as a summoner (user) playing the game is that you need to unlock champions. Regardless if a champion is better or useless. That's the whole part of ARAM since its all random all mid. You can't confuse balancing with game play designed for the summoner to unlock champions."

They showed us numerous times that the game is all around SR. You still need to unlock champions to play it. Plus, in my opinion, people would tend more to buy a champion if they can have the chance to try it before, hence getting it randomly in a "fun mode". Also, I bought a lot of skins on my favourite champions in this game, and I honestly don't think that a lot of people buy champions with RP.

My problems with your changes is that most of them are about rewarding "normal players" instead of punishing those who abuse the system. You shouldn't be "rewarded" because you played an amount of games in a row without cheating.

(Sorry I have no idea how to quote your messages, and sorry if I looked rude. I'm not angry against you, I'm just mad that I have to quit a game out of frustration and disappointment instead of just moving on)

Dead flag blues11/21/2017, 6:19:01 PM3 votes

You didn't fix anything here As an ARAM only player, I've recently uninstalled League due to the fact that Riot clearly said "we don't give a shit about ARAM". (I've tried going back to SR, but it's really not or me, too stressful especially with this preseason)

Dodges are indeed a big problem in ARAM and your solution here will only increase the number of ARAM only accounts (aka "I play ALL RANDOM but I don't want it to be random"). Picking your own champ in ARAM is exactly the only thing that shouldn't appear at all. Guess what ? Everybody would instalock Sona or Ziggs each time they can. For the dodges, the only thing needed is a bigger punishment (low priority queue instead of "waiting 15min on another account and coming back to it").

Now let's talk about ARAM only accounts. As far as I remember, since 2013 they do exist. Riot promised us that they'll do something about it. We're almost in 2018, still no news from them. I really don't get the point to go in an ALL RANDOM all mid, if you want to play Sona / Lux / Ziggs / Jayce or whatever every single game. (I have the entire champ pool unlocked, and I mostly got matched against ARAM only accounts - the number of Sona / Soraka / Lux / Ziggs I've faced was almost every single game). The only solution would be to unlock the entire champ pool, yet Riot plays blind about it.

Last problem is "one-sided games". Yes I understand that ARAM isn't supposed to be balanced. But come on, Sona is sitting as 70% winrate since 2012. Recently, they re-added Warmogs into the mode (it was removed in 2014 I think and added again in 2015). The purpose of ARAM is "not going back". So why can this item give the advantage of going back ? It's built on champs that aren't even supposed to build it. I've seen some poke champs getting ROA / Liandry's / Warmog / Morello = being poke machines without being poked against. Let's not talk about Soraka there.

That's the real problems ARAM players face and have been complaining about for years, and I hate the fact that Riot pretend not to see anything. Anyway, I might still read patch notes and all, but as long as this keeps going on, I'm not playing it anymore

Parallel Paradóx11/21/2017, 8:41:20 PM3 votes

As in AVID ARAM League player, Its kinda hard to fix ARAM without it not being random, right? Getting a bad champ to me is just part of ARAM, I like a challenge, I usually win too(pre season 8) The only problem I see in ARAM is ... no one cares. At all. Zero try. Ive been told so many times "It doesnt matter Its aram. Winning Doesnt matter in ARAM" because people dont have the same attitude in ARAM as they do in the other modes.

How do you fix that?

Minarde11/22/2017, 1:24:44 AM1 votes

The fact is grinding for a ReRoll to only have it be disappointing for the most part makes the reroll almost completely useless. What would make more logically sense is to have build enough games win or lose then get to choose the champion you want.

No, it doesn't make the reroll useless because the reroll still accomplishes the goal of "I don't want this champ." And being able to choose a particular champ makes absolutely no logical sense in a mode whose core concept is "You cannot choose a particular champ."

To explain this a player won't just dodge because he didn't get a champion he didn't want, a trade was denied, or a reroll was unfavored for a champion. Encourages the player not to dodge, build his bar to pick his own champion later in the future, also fixes other players not getting the champion they want.

No, it doesn't discourage dodging. Either the reroll bar fills so quickly that ARAM effectively stops being random, or the reroll bar fills so slowly that dodgers feel it's not worthwhile to sit through that many games instead of simply dodging. There isn't a middle-ground here.

When someone dodges you have the option to keep or randomize the previous champion. (May receive the same champion in same randomize) due to the fact you chose that and someone dodged previously. ... When two of the same players of the same champion choice cannot be placed together it offers them to either be on opposite teams or in a completely different Q altogether.

An alright suggestion, though it does have the potential to cause some matchmaking weirdness. First off, players with the same stored champ cannot be in the same game at all, since ARAM prohibits mirror matches. In other words, not only can said players not be on the same team, they can't be on opposite teams either. As such, preventing players with the same stored champ from being in the same game could be incredibly awkward. For premades, it either adds an extra, invisible criteria to consider when trying to play with friends, or it adds counter-intuitive element via forced rerolls. As for solo players, it could add a significant barrier to finding a match among low playerbases (e.g. in high-MMR).

Now naturally the player who plays rift/aram along with the time they have had the account (champions they bought, ip gained, etc) will be at a disadvantage because the ARAM only main will have naturally better fitting champions that accommodate ARAM more. It that is so why can't the same be said for the player on ARAM as opposed to the one who plays both rift/ARAM. You see the double standard here?

No, because there isn't one. For simplicity's sake, let's call the SR/ARAM player Steve and the ARAM player Alice. Steve has an advantage over Alice on SR because Steve has invested more into his account. Meanwhile, Alice has an advantage over Steve in ARAM because Alice has invested less. That's a major problem with ARAM's current champ select.

In every other game mode in League (besides AR URF which shares ARAM's randomness), investing more into your account, whether via time or money, is a good thing. It's good for Riot for obvious reasons; it's good for the individual because it provides options; it's good for other players because it provides variety. However, in ARAM, investing more into your account is bad, since it weakens your champ pool.

You as the player chose the champion to buy as you did. If you don't like it then refund it.

As mentioned above, investing more into your account should always be a good thing. The fact that ARAM accounts are rewarded for investing less is concerning. When some people complain about getting free champions from Riot, that should be a major red flag that something is wrong. There should be no reason that the optimal way to play one game mode is to handicap yourself in every other game mode.

tl;dr: Balance issues, lack of perceived randomness, ARAM accounts, and rampant dodging are ARAM's most pressing problems (plus lack of ranked, but that's outside scope here). The proposed changes do little to address any of those issues.

Kim Joey Smurf11/22/2017, 2:27:24 AM1 votes

To add it simpler when you have a bar that gives you the choice to choose what champion you get. Then players are less likely to dodge for the reason of filling the bar. Even more when they get a bad champion, denied rr, etc. NOW THERE IS A DIRECT CORRELATION WITH THAT. WHAT IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW is that players will instantly dodge if they get a bad champion or at the last second. This affects the other teammates who had a desired champion or decent champion they had. With the current reroll building up the dice for it you still have the repeating process of getting a undesired unfun CHAMPION. ONLY CYCLING THE PROBLEM. MY REROLL CHANGE FIXES THAT BY REWARDING THE PLAYER FOR WITH A CHOICE OF A CHAMPION. THUS ENCOURAGING MORE PLAYERS TO PLAY ARAM.