How Riot misshandled the proggression update

In a world where your time is a currency in online games, people that have spent countless hours in a game look for a single thing. It is not free loot. It is not even premium currency or unlocks. Its very simple really - they seek recognition for their efforts. So when you see all these complaints about the leveling changes and the comparisons to HoTS, its because people want for their time and effort spent during the years of playing to be recognized by everyone in their games. Your changes to the system are good and healthy to the game, don't confuse this for a rant against change. But in your eagerness to please everyone you messed up when it comes to the people that have been here for years and no we don't want free loot. All we seek is aknowledgement and recognition. I sencerely hope that by the time the changes hit us you would've reevaluated the way you handle older players in relation to the level update.

I hope you keep doing the great job you've been doing for the past 9+ years (I realize you had the game in development long before your beta release). There are always mistakes when it comes to constant change but there is no shame in doing a mistake as long as we learn from them and get better and in my eyes you've been doing just that. Sincerely from an old closed beta player who doesn't post very often.

EDIT: I guess I have to clarify that I'm not talking about the runes issue, I'm talking about the account level changes and how once the update hits there will be no distinction between someone who just hit 30 and someone who has played for years.