Riot what is rank supposed to measure?
I guess when I think of rank I think of a players ability to play at a consistent skill level over a period of time. Obviously, with seasons being so long part of reaching your actual rank takes time and grinding. So why is it that this system forces a majority of players to prove, grind, and find their actual rank while giving other players free handouts?
I have already bitched enough about new accounts and high starting mmr. Pretty much just ruins the concept of ranked for new players so I will just skip over that part.
But whats up with placements and accounts that have been previously ranked? It is widely known that playing placement matches generally bring your rank down, especially at the start of a new season. It is also know you can't generally only play 10 games and be your "true" rank. So how come this ranked system forces some players to play hundreds of games to achieve a rank while others have the option to only play 10? Lots of players complain about the ranked system for various reasons. I like it overall, but I do think one major problem with the current system is how ranked is defined.
Right now the current system has conflicting definitions.
- Rank being your true skill level.
- Perseverance to achieve actual rank over time .
So which one is it? I am fine with the definition in this system being both, but right now you have some players where rank = close to true rank, and others = rank + # of games played trying to prove it. Shouldn't rank be defined the same for everyone and not solely based on when and how you do in your stupid 10 placement games?
For example if your true rank is plat or higher you can't even get your true rank off of placements. You have to play games to climb from gold, since gold is highest you can be placed after placements (for new accounts). Now for prior season ranked accounts I am pretty sure your rank still drops in diamond or plat even if you do your placements late and do well in them. So why does this change for low elo and why does it change player to player?
There is not doubt that if you start playing the season from the start you will drop in rank. That is fine, you have roughly a year to climb. Some players will climb, others don't care enough and sit at a rank lower than their actual skill since they don't play the hundreds of games like their supposed to. But then other players will just wait all year, do their placements and get placed in their prior season rank even with terrible placement games and not forced to climb at all? Like how does this make sense? Do you not see how this is conflicting? If ranks are supposed to be assigned closely based on your placements then you should be able to be placed up through master after placements........ And if your supposed to have to play games to achieve your true rank then everyone should have to do that, not just players who start playing at the beginning of the season.
Where is this coming from? Most recent example is an acquaintance. Season 5 rank = gold 5. Hardly plays most of the season, plays placements this week and goes 4-6 and gets gold 5....... Now I do believe he is probably a gold level player but don't you see the irony? He didn't have to prove anything this season while a majority of players actually had to prove their ranks. It just completely messes up the meaning of ranks in this system. I do believe he is good enough to reach gold, so if you say "well it gave him close to his actual rank" I get that. But the system doesn't do that for most players and that's where the problem lies. There are plenty of players lower rank than their actual skill level who won't achieve their actual rank because they won't put in the time. Hell this player probably isn't his actual rank either. But since he was only gold 5 last season and only won 40% of his placements its hard to argue his actual rank is higher than gold 5, yet the system gave it to him for free. I know for a fact if he got placed silver 1 or 2 he would not have played any games to reach gold 5 or higher.
So to summarize. As a veteran player who is not very good at this game, I find it frustrating that rank meaning changes drastically from player to player. It is widely known your not supposed to reach your actual rank in League of legends by just playing few ranked games. But at the same time, many players can benefit and not be forced to play many games while others have to played hundreds to achieve the same rank pretty much solely based on when they play 10 worthless placement games. I find this very conflicting and wish Riot would take a stance on what rank actually means in League of Legends and creates a system that is consistent throughout the year.
Tl,Dr Rank meaning changes based on when you play placements throughout the season and from player to player. Wish Riot would take a stance and define rank in League of Legends and keep the definition consistent throughout a season.
