@Riot - Can you add average latency data to your API?

AmazingGoat·3/20/2015, 9:08:50 PM·2 votes·665 views

This is a repost with the added request based on a comment for Riot to add average latency data to the API so we can start to figure some of this stuff out.

Riot,

You have a lot more data than is publicly available. I am guessing you have considered the issue of whether adding counterplay by emphasizing skill shots and mobility is going to exacerbate latency disadvantages, but I wanted to draw this to your attention on the off chance that you have not.

I don't think it's controversial to point out that some champions are easier to play with higher ping. Warwick with a 200 or even 300 ping can still be played at a very efficient level, while playing Twisted Fate, Brand, or Nami with a 300 ping feels awful. What is slightly more controversial is pointing out that this can be true at lower ping values too. Playing LB or Kat with a 40 ping gives you more power than trying to play one of them with a 100 ping. How much so is up for debate, but I do believe that there is a reason that the average ping decreases as you move up solo queue divisions.

I have long been curious, however, whether it has an even bigger impact than the publicly estimated aggregated statistics indicate. Are many of the players with higher pings that have reached higher ELOs consistently selecting champions who are less dependent on latency? Is the average win rate with Kat for players with less than 40 average ping much higher than the average win rate for players with greater than 80 average ping?

Generalizing this last question, if you were to generate a value for each champion which indicates the difference in their win rate for players with less than 40 average ping compared to players with greater than 80 average ping, would this show that champions with skill shots and mobility bias the game further in favor of players with lower latency? If so, would this impact your recent emphasis on adding counterplay via changing targeted abilities to skill shots?

I don't actually expect a Riot response on any of this, although obviously hearing thoughts would be awesome, but I just wanted to raise it on the off chance someone notices this post and can look into this in more detail to see whether it has any balance implications. Personally, I suspect changing the game to emphasize skill shots, dodging skill shots, and mobility is going to exacerbate latency disadvantages, but rather than try to outline why I think that is I thought I would inquire as to whether anyone has gone through the data to look at the issue, and suggest that it might be useful to do so if not.

If possible, it would be great to have average latency information available via the API.

Thanks!

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