I think this may solve peoples problem with Smart Pings

I Main Swain··138 votes·16,115 views

So I'm sure that everyone has seen smart pings, it's a pretty popular idea to include more pings for better team communication. The first image is what it looks like in case you don't know. Riot said they love the idea, but they have 2 problems with it: familiarity and ease of use. They found that people largely had trouble A) getting used to the different set up because of muscle memory, and B) couldn't usually easily select their desired ping. However, I have 2 potential different designs that could change that.

1st design change: simply rotate the circle 22.5 degrees and move the Enemy Missing, Danger, On My Way, and Assist Me pings back to the up down left and right directions and put the new pings on the diagonals. With the previously proposed design (first image), there is no up down left or right which makes it overall more difficult to use. With the slight rotation however, it could make it much easier and also make it more familiar.

2nd design change: instead of having 1 big smart ping wheel, make 2 (second image). Leave the current set up with g, and add the new pings to v. Just hit v, click and drag just like you do with g. That way it isn't hard to select what you want, and you don't have to worry about the muscle memory problem because nothing was changed, only something was added. People can get used to the new Smart Pings at their own pace.

These images aren't mine, and I don't know who made them. If you do please comment it. Thank you, please give feedback and suggestions.

edit: one thing I didn't think of until today, but it could be a good idea to have an Enemy Inbound ping. There is a danger ping, yes, but lets be honest, we've all had those guys who are just paranoid and danger ping all game. On top of that, say a jinx ults towards your low top laner: if you just ping danger, often times they will just think you're telling them they need to back out, and typing takes too long. I'm not sure what rito says, but I think it could work really well.

73 Comments

SecretAgentHulk22 votes

I like the idea of putting the new stuff on 'v'.

Dudermen1 votes

Yea, i usually use the V only for telling people to fall back, this would be much better. I really think this should get Post Of The Day!! RITO PLS

Rew7112 votes

I saw this before on the Facebook page. If this became real it would be beneficial but it might take some getting use to as well.

Mast3rShake5 votes

Anything new takes getting used to because it is new...

I Main Swain7 votes

that's the thing, it really wouldn't take that much getting used to. Sure, you may forget that you can do more pings through the v button, but even if you do you're in no worse a situation than you were before

Gruenerapfel San3 votes

How about making it customizable? Having the possibility to decide between the standart wheel the big wheel and 2 wheels. Also it would be pretty cool if you can disable smart ping on V.

Malicious Leaf1 votes

That's probably one of the best idea's I've seen. However, may get confusing for other people, as the pings are already super iconic.

Maybe just something that needs to be learned. Not a big problem at all.

Ryster21 votes

The only change I would say is not have the '30' '15' '5' with the "ult up in". Just allow the ping to get the exact cd left on your ulti rather than relying on you to tell your teammates a rough estimate.

acepil0t5 votes

Exactly my thoughts. Great minds think alike, right?

I Main Swain2 votes

when you say that, i assume you mean it automatically reads your ult cooldown and displays it?

Ryster3 votes

yes, exactly

MXXIV1 votes

I guess if this was possible, and Riot wanted to do it, they could just display all ability cooldowns when you hover your ally icon on the left.

Ramaman1 votes

I prefer to have the CD's on the left, next to the champions portraits when you press TAB.

L7xLoTek7 votes

Unsure what all is good and needed (I would like the "warded" for sure and "enemy escape down"), but it's definitely better to use two more robust gesture bases instead of one, just to keep some accuracy in the mess while things are hectic in the game.

As for ult up in X, I think it would be better to just have a timer or a charge bar or somesuch with the portraits instead of manual pings. Or if you want a manual ping just a generic "wait for cooldowns" kinda deal.

I Main Swain2 votes

That reminds me of something i thought of a while ago. what if, next to the thumbnail of the champs on the side of your screen, there was a cooldown timer or a chargebar (or an indicator for summoner spells)? and now i realize that's exactly what you just said...oh well good idea thanks for the feedback!

Skaypegote1 votes

Well, seeing that they have the icon on your teams portraits showing ult up/ult down, they could possible change the small dot to a box, which lights green when up, and changes to a number when down.

BADxW0LF1 votes

I like that idea. But maybe instead of a number, or even a chargebar, the circle could fill out slowly (either up like filling up a cup of water, or clockwise) and the color of the filling would be gray until ready when it would change to green.

I Main Swain1 votes

ya, that's exactly what my thought was. except they might want to make it fill as gold or something for dem colorblindies

Skaypegote1 votes

Well, that works for multiple reasons. One for the colorblind, and two, so that when it's near up, but isn't, your team doesn't mistake it being up in a teamfight.

Hilltop Sunset1 votes

Seriously, why is that not a thing by now? Knowing when a teammate has ult up is so useful, and honestly clutch in so many situations. It makes it so you don't have to be in skype/raidcall with someone during a fight to know if they'll have ult up soon or not, and eliminates the need to type in tense situations.

Bardîan Angel6 votes

I prefer different the second design with a separate menu for V pings.

I also think the ult should send in the text the seconds left on ultimate automatically.

dialMARK4acti0n4 votes

I like the on on the left

AvariceSyn3 votes

I like the way that DotA and Strife deal with calling out information, you can alt click your abilities or enemy portraits to call out your cooldowns or missing respectively.

TinyBooty3 votes

This would be excellent to have.

Nazarith3 votes

i like this

Marthian3 votes

I see a lot of posts about this, but on the Ult up in ping. I really think it should just be visible on the UI to begin with.

PaperMache72 votes

I like everything, but the ult up one, it should just be plainly visible to everyone on your team (countdown next to your icon, the way some program used to do it).

denipon2 votes

I like the ideas that were presented here. I sometimes get frustrated with the lack of information conveyed in he current pings. I have to say though, that it's not very often that I am in a game with people that use all the smart pings.

I Main Swain2 votes

really? I use all the pings at least several times a game, its just better communicating and makes you and your team perform better 90% of the time

iMaB3AST2 votes

Riot listen to the man

Elesys1 votes

Hmm I was wondering... Couldn't "alt + right-click" simply be different from "alt + left-click"? That way, there would be an easy access to either of the 2 smart ping circles. I don't remember how it currently is, but it shouldn't pose much problem, would it? Also...

  • I'm for "wait for cd" rather than "ult up in...", as it is way too situational and isn't what most people flame others for anyway.
  • "Warded" is nice, no questions asked.
  • "Enemy escape down"... I'm mitigated. Maybe rather something like : "block enemy there". This would be much more useful in many cases and more explicit as well.
  • "Enemy ult down"... I'm not sure this one is too useful. Maybe something like: "take care of this" or something, to tell someone else to head for an objective or push...

But all in all, it's a nice idea to have more smart pings. I'm just concerned about such a convoluted circle, even more so if there's no right/left/up/down choices, instead having only diagonal choices. Separating it into 2 circles sounds way better, but putting on a "random" key like V... It's not intuitive and easy to "miss" with your thumb having to move around already. If "right click + alt" and "left click + alt" can be different, it's the best there can be!

Mistress Madoka1 votes

This Would Create Problems With champions like Shaco and Annie who's secondary Characters are controlled with either Alt+Right Click or Point Mouse+R

TenSpeed1 votes

bump, and I want this bad. make it happen already Rito! summoner 4

Malicious Leaf1 votes

Brilliant idea. Obviously not related too much, but a helpful ping would definitely be "ward here." Being a support main, that's something I would like for me ADC to convey to me.

More related, I think the two different wheel idea may be more suitable. One for assistance or movement, one for utility and intel.

fingles0071 votes

thats a great idea and it would really help junglers know when to gank

Vakabiel1 votes

This was subbed months ago under a different summoner name and thread: http://forums.na.leagueoflegends.com/board/showthread.php?t=4462108

Akuma Kai1 votes

This is unnecessary IMO. No one even listen to pings anyways lol so I really don't see this doing much for the game.

I Main Swain2 votes

correction: no one in bronze v (or at least deserves that rank) listens to pings. saying adding better communication to the game wouldn't benefit it at all is like saying making a champ deal true damage wouldn't make them any stronger.

ƒetaliòne1 votes

The "Ult up in" would take time to get used to rather than just type it out.

I Main Swain1 votes

that's the thing though, you wouldn't have to worry about getting used to it because even if you forget about it, youre in no worse a situation than you were without these pings. the only disadvantage is that the enemy team, should they utilize it properly, would have a communication advantage. one suggestion that seems popular is that the ult up circle by the thumbnail image of your champion slowly fills up, starting golden and turning green when your ult is ready, or just having it show numbers (which I feel may be slightly distracting depending on how they do it)

Krbzz1 votes

This really needs to be implemented into. Maybe when the new SR comes out? @Riot

derfence1 votes

Great idea i love that!

Junkο1 votes

Riot said they won't do it because you could easily use the wrong ping and send the wrong message to your team.

I Main Swain3 votes

erm, not with the system I suggested at length...

The5lacker1 votes

Offensive actions and commands should be on G, Warnings should be on V.

Shro0mie1 votes

I feel like the extra pings shown would only be used in advanced premades. In solo q when ppl say flash down in lane x I never/rarely seen a change in behavior as the jungler is looking more to how pushed the lane is/fed/health than flash. And in premades the most efficient communication tool to call these would be through headset and require a whole team working together to get their lanes appropriate pushed/held back for appropriate gank on champ x without z. Which you will never see in solo q

Also why would we need a fall back when we can mark danger on the champion, then a missing signal on where the enemy's are based on our last sighting and intuition, this should be enough for any player with any amount of common sense to make an appropriate route for retreat

SmokingPuffin1 votes

Smart ping V would be spiffy.

Really want "warded" ping (V+up?) and "enemy on the way" (V + right?) ping.

qrvzyPpXia1 votes

+1

MXXIV1 votes

More ping would also make the game way easier here in europe, where not everybody speaks english and I have big problems with non English speakers (no offense Poland).

More from Gameplay

More by I Main Swain