Boards›[ARCHIVED] Miscellaneous

Hextech Crafting - New Player Chests to Replace 400 RP

RiotRiot Socrates··43 votes·129,419 views

TLDR: When Hextech Crafting and loot launch, we’re replacing the new player 400 RP bonus with a free new player chest. Read on for the details.

A few years ago now, we started giving players 400 RP when they hit Level 3, as part of progression towards Level 30. With the launch of Hextech Crafting, we’re replacing the 400 RP award with a special new player chest that includes an Ashe champion shard, a Garen champ shard, and enough essence to craft both of them. We’re also including a semi-random skin shard for either Garen (Sanguine) or Ashe (Sherwood).

We’re doing this to combat botting and the selling of leveled League accounts containing rare crafting items (such as Hextech Annie). Because loot chests and keys are under 200 RP each, it might create the incentive for less-reputable folks to try botting.

By subbing in a unique chest that’ll provide new players with a pair of accessible champions and a path to earning a free skin instead of a fixed amount of RP, we can also potentially experiment with mystery gift promotions under 400 RP (previously, those types of promotions may have encouraged botters and even well-intentioned players to create smurf accounts for sending gifts to their main using the free RP).

We’re testing the change on PBE now, but we’re planning to go live with new player chests when crafting and loot appear in an upcoming patch.

132 Comments

SomethingUnknown54 votes

Nice, but can't you just get Garen and his Dreadknight skin for free from Twitter? Maybe replace him with Yi and his "Chosen" skin?

Zechs Merquise7 votes

That or I think getting 2 random 450 IP champions with a random skin for that champion is the best idea. Can bring back a legacy skin if they don't have any cheap ones. Maybe even go as far as to exclude Garen from being one of those random champions.

Dragyen1 votes

[{quoted}](name=Zechs Merquise,realm=EUNE,application-id=cIfEodbz,discussion-id=ZGErnvY4,comment-id=00090000,timestamp=2016-03-04T21:25:18.909+0000) That or I think getting 2 random 450 IP champions with a random skin for that champion is the best idea

silver kayle, AW Kayle, goth annie and so on. no thanks

midder4 votes

2 random 450 IP champions with a random predefined skin for one of the champions you get Fixed

Badmagick4 votes

2 random+ from a predefined set of beginner friendly 450 IP champions with a random predefined skin for one of the champions you get

BatchWizard5 votes

that is a brilliant idea. I am level 30 so it doesn't help me but I recruit new players all the time so it would be nice to get them a skin for free to get them into it. Plus MasterYi is great XD

linydna55552 votes

yea true the sanguine skins ugly no offense;c

Levyathyn27 votes

I don't like this idea. Not in principle, which is fine, but that 400 RP created player choice for me early on, and led to my ability to try out something from the store, buy an item on sale for cheap, and get something I specifically wanted. The element of randomness inherent in even the standard chests sounds like a loss, but even more so the ability for a player to take some currency and pick something, maybe take a chance on a new champion without feeling the cost, or getting a free skin they want.

I know it won't change anything and I'll probably be alone in this, but I'm just not a fan, and I'm glad I got past that point and am already in League so it won't really affect my early days.

Roaranor6 votes

I don't like the idea of getting rid of the 400 RP either, but I'm okay with this change. I'm generally a F2P player, so being given a portion of actual currency I could use in the store just for sticking with the games for a few matches held a lot of weight for me.

On the flip side, I remember playing Coop vs AI matches, and botting being an issue. My Coop vs AI with Twisted Treeline experience in particular was one where, unless I queued up with two others, I was pretty much guaranteed to have a bot in it and that felt kind of miserable. I've also checked out the Crafting system on PBE and it felt really overwhelming and confusing at first. I wanted to play around with it, but I felt like I would somehow accidentally use the wrong shard or something and fuck up a good chance to get something better. So I'm glad that players are getting an early introduction into that system just as I was glad at having an introduction to the store (even more so because the crafting system was more initially intimidating). I'm also a fan of getting two free champs that I can play consistently as a fall back, because I remember that being an issue well in the first week or so. My first week had Caitlyn and Wukong and I liked playing them, but the following week or so didn't really have anyone I was particularly interested in at the time, and I just wanted to have something I could play consistently through weeks like that until I had enough to buy Caitlyn and Wukong.

Not trying to argue your stance, it's a good point. Just thought this was a good place to drop my 2 cents.

Levyathyn2 votes

Appreciate your reply. =)

If this helps botting, I'm all for it. I replied as much on Reddit, and feelings are pretty mixed; many feel the same as I, and bought an early favorite skin or champion with the RP, and have no regrets about it. This camp, I feel, will take hits in population with this new system, as people will generally get the new system and never know they might have had some RP to spend elsewhere.

The other side generally doesn't care; they didn't mind the 400 RP, or 'wasted it' on whatever, or never put importance to it. I can see both arguments, but though I do like the chest I just feel like the announced contents miss a little of that magic. It doesn't help that Ashe and Garen are both very cheap champions, with one possible unlock for the cheapest tier of skin for them each, nothing else. Both also come in many of the starter pack bundles, and Garen is (or was) obtainable for free via League's social joining system.

And I do love that it also comes with a boost to essence, but this does require chests and keys down the line, whereas the RP was just usable whenever, or you could save it and bolster a purchase with some. Now, however, you have people with one of two cheap champions and one of two cheap skins (if the chest comes with enough to actually make it) and then some essence, if any is left over, they'll have to use on future loot. For many players, that could be a long grind through the low levels to start getting chests, and then keys at a lower rate, and eventually get some champion or skin shards they might can use with some essence if they get more to unlock someone they may or may not want.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to drag down something for free here, but I think even a random extra shard in the intro chest might help new players get a little of that feel I started with. Maybe it's a champion they want to look into playing, or a skin they want to look into getting the champion for, or just a little more essence, but I feel like there's something there.

Still, you bring up some solid points, and I have to say I'm not against this. I think I'll more just miss the ramifications it had on genuine players, if not botters.

Roaranor4 votes

I get what you mean. I'd like to see some tweaks to this as well, but overall I think it's a nice step they're taking. The skins are probably my biggest gripe with this as well because it's really lack-luster compared to the old reward.

I'm okay with:

  • Ashe and Garen being the champions they choose for this.
  • It being a cheap skin
  • What it does to combat botting
  • That players are getting anything at all, as opposed to them simply removing the reward altogether

I'm not okay with:

  • Ashe and Garen being the only champs they get from this
  • The skins being restricted to a one of two skins for champion they may not like
  • No modifications to existing systems that overlap with the incentives for this one.

The reason I'm okay with Ashe and Garen being the two initial champions is because of their place in the game. Both have had recent reworks that the majority of the player base are content with. Ashe now feels fun and engaging without being OP or UP. Garen is still... Garen. I think he's still pretty strong, but he's no longer a ban priority. And both of these champs are considered viable picks afaik. The biggest reason is that neither are prone to being abuse cases for items, meaning that any changes to them aren't likely to be huge or double-up'd from changes also going to the items they're abusing (ex. Ezreal with Sheen proc items, Sejuani with Cinderhulk, Rageblade and Devourer, etc etc). They're kits are straightforward and their core items are generally whatever's standard for their class/role.

What'd I like to see changed are pretty much the same for everyone else. The system as it is doesn't really feel rewarding compared to before, though it certainly helps. As it stands, you get two low priced champions. One is already available for free, and both are already included in the starter pack. Also, the skins are one or the other for a champ you might not even want to play. All of this ends up feeling pretty wasteful.

My personal suggestions:

  • Replace the Garen/Dreadknight Garen skin you get from the Twitter campaign with a different champion and skin.
  • Remove Ashe/Garen from the starter pack (as you now get them both for free anyway) and replace with a single 1350 champion that's still a good pick for a starting player (since there are no other 450 champs to replace them with) OR place enough essence in the starter pack that players can choose to use that to craft the chests they get from reward or use for something else).
  • Remove the Ashe/Garen skin option and instead have them gifted a semi-random shard at level 30 that contains a skin for their most played champion that also has a low tier skin. This doesn't quite replace the feeling of being given currency that you can choose on what to spend it on in the store , but it does retain a sense of agency in that you're being given a skin for a champion you choose to play (likely because you enjoy that champion). This also avoids abuse cases where players (or bots) would farm a particular champion simply because that champion only had mid-high tier skins (like Reksai whose only two skins are 1350RP)
Quepha10 votes

Do you realize that Garen is still available for free from subscribing to twitter? This seems like a trap to trick players into spending essence on a champion they don't need to spend it on.

It Hertz When IP3 votes

What, like the times when Riot Girl Tristana and Dreadknight Garen skins have gone on sale? I cry every time I see them on the sale list, because it means at least someone somewhere is paying for them.

Margrave Masane9 votes

Why Garen when he's already one of the free champions ?

Casey Quinn6 votes

Will existing players get one of these starter chests or something similar? I understand if we don't get anything special, though it would be nice. [slayer-jinx-catface] Edit: Just saw Socrates confirm on Twitter that level 30s will receive something special. Yay. \ Braum /

Nixtarma5 votes

I really like the idea of giving new players a free champion early on. It helps to be able to get comfortable with someone.

Would you ever expand that new player pool to include a different type of champion, say an easy mage like Annie?

Dark Star Cho2 votes

{quoted}

I really like the idea of giving new players a free champion early on. It helps to be able to get comfortable with someone.

Would you ever expand that new player pool to include a different type of champion, say an easy mage like Annie?

This, i feel fighter/ mage/ marksman would be a great trio and significantly help new players decide their play style

Quepha3 votes

[{quoted}](name=Captain Chogath,realm=NA,application-id=cIfEodbz,discussion-id=ZGErnvY4,comment-id=00010000,timestamp=2016-03-04T20:30:46.141+0000)

This, i feel fighter/ mage/ marksman would be a great trio and significantly help new players decide their play style

Also you can't get Annie for free from following Riot on twitter.

Sailor Mint5 votes

Great idea, but Garen (and his Dreadknight skin) is already free through the Twitter promotion.

Badmagick4 votes

I like it but I don't think one of them should be garen. Advertise the ones you can get from social media (alistar, tristana, garen) more and change garen to some simple mage like lux so that they are able to get a beginner friendly champ for each role for free.

Edit: I guess jungle's not included so maybe change ashe to someone like warwick and give smite earlier. Or just don't include jungle as most early players wont play that anyway.

Mayan4 votes

Like the others said, Garen can be bought free why would you make him free twice? Also, most people want to use that RP to boost their IP/EXP earnings, and what if they want that one icon in the store? You're taking away their one freedom to buy what they please to forced default champions people might not want.

B0IT4 votes

Great, now you won't be able to buy a xp pack. but you will have a skin to grind your way up to 30. seems logic. tescent, you really want to fuck this game up don't you? your timing is perfect, overwatch just came out and it's seems like it is the next big deal. keep doing your stupid shit! :)

B0IT4 votes

idk. this game was awesome 3 years ago. in every year something came up and made the game so fucking shit. riot should have never sell. tescent is shit, they only care about the money, who the fuck want a garen skin at lvl 3 when we want to reach 30? we need exp.

B0IT4 votes

with that 400 rp you could buy a skin or a boost. nobody gives a shit about your skins tenscent

Sha11tear3 votes

I think thats a great idea but why Ashe and Garen ? Of course these are 2 Champs almost everybody is able to play because they are easy but i dont think that they provide that much of fun unlike Caitlyn or Lux. I personally think giving them 2 random champ-shards and the essences to craft em would be way better.

Duke Anax2 votes

Garen and Ashe are two tutorial champions, a lot of new players will gravitate to those as their first champs.

Sha11tear2 votes

Ye thats right but the first champs i bought were Sivir and Lux ... i didnt really enjoy playing Garen and Ashe in the tutorial. And i think we both know that most of the "new players" are actually smurfsitem 3070 ... but u got a point there.

Chatillon3 votes

I used to never play Garen, and now

item 3094 item 3031 item 3078 item 3742 item 3009 item 3508

Justice comes swiftly, and delivers

lbasal3 votes

WTF 400 RB more fun

LAERTI3 votes

FOR ME THIS ISN'T A GOOD IDEA.ARE SOME PEOPLE THAT WITH 400 RP,THEY CAN GET SOME SKIN THAT THEY WANT WHEN THE CHAMPION OR SKIN ARE IN SALE.SO I THINK TO HAVE 400 RP

redniwediS2 votes

I like the idea of providing new players with some champions of their own. Hopefully a little randomness shows up to prevent low level games from having too many of the same champions every game, but I feel it's a step in the right direction toward improving the experience of new players.

Keep up the good work!

II Paulus II2 votes

[{quoted}](name=Riot Socrates,realm=NA,application-id=cIfEodbz,discussion-id=ZGErnvY4,comment-id=,timestamp=2016-03-04T20:05:11.806+0000)

TLDR: When Hextech Crafting and loot launch, we’re replacing the new player 400 RP bonus with a free new player chest. Read on for the details.

A few years ago now, we started giving players 400 RP when they hit Level 3, as part of progression towards Level 30. With the launch of Hextech Crafting, we’re replacing the 400 RP award with a special new player chest that includes an Ashe champion shard, a Garen champ shard, and enough essence to craft both of them. We’re also including a semi-random skin shard for either Garen (Sanguine) or Ashe (Sherwood).

We’re doing this to combat botting and the selling of leveled League accounts containing rare crafting items (such as Hextech Annie). Because loot chests and keys are under 200 RP each, it might create the incentive for less-reputable folks to try botting.

By subbing in a unique chest that’ll provide new players with a pair of accessible champions and a path to earning a free skin instead of a fixed amount of RP, we can also potentially experiment with mystery gift promotions under 400 RP (previously, those types of promotions may have encouraged botters and even well-intentioned players to create smurf accounts for sending gifts to their main using the free RP).

We’re testing the change on PBE now, but we’re planning to go live with new player chests when crafting and loot appear in an upcoming patch.

Both of those champions are in the starter pack. Surely different champion choice would be better. I tell new players that the starter pack is super value for money but it becomes less so if you give parts of it away.

Blujay122 votes

Speaking of free chests, will you ever do something like CS:GO, where the give out free crates (basically the same as chests in hextech crafting), for watching the pro streams, like LCS for league?

Perhaps by allowing streaming in client to go with the client update, or linking your league of legends account to twitch?

The Yetii Rider2 votes

Not to split hairs or anything here, but I'm genuinely confused as to why this was posted in the Misc board.

Socrates, isn't the point of the Dev Corner to be a place where people coming to boards can just go and read up on all the announcements they missed?

Jesus is Savior2 votes

Garen is already free (through Twitter).

Pick a different champion please.

Portg4sDAce2 votes

I i think Rito to get the 400 Rp form new ac%%%% and give them a hext box is not worth it cose new players whant the RP to get the xp boost/ ip boost that help them to lvl up even faster ..the box is not helping them at all u give them Ashe and garen 450 ip champs ) that u can get them from lvl 3 3 games jsut my opion Rito i think u make a mistake with that my opinion ofc

catburger2 votes

I just hit level 5 on my smurf and no chest

frskydngo2 votes

Not particularly a fan of this. Like others have stated garen is already free through social media. Ashe is 450 ip. That's a first win of the day for maybe two days at worst, or as a new player every few games is easy to accumulate. I liked having the rp around as I got to use it for ip/exp boost.

If anything the hextech system could be level related like summoner spells and that "free" box could happen at that level, maybe around 20 or so.

NoDomeAtHome2 votes

[{quoted}](name=Riot Socrates,realm=NA,application-id=cIfEodbz,discussion-id=ZGErnvY4,comment-id=,timestamp=2016-03-04T20:05:11.806+0000)

TLDR: When Hextech Crafting and loot launch, we’re replacing the new player 400 RP bonus with a free new player chest. Read on for the details.

A few years ago now, we started giving players 400 RP when they hit Level 3, as part of progression towards Level 30. With the launch of Hextech Crafting, we’re replacing the 400 RP award with a special new player chest that includes an Ashe champion shard, a Garen champ shard, and enough essence to craft both of them. We’re also including a semi-random skin shard for either Garen (Sanguine) or Ashe (Sherwood).

We’re doing this to combat botting and the selling of leveled League accounts containing rare crafting items (such as Hextech Annie). Because loot chests and keys are under 200 RP each, it might create the incentive for less-reputable folks to try botting.

By subbing in a unique chest that’ll provide new players with a pair of accessible champions and a path to earning a free skin instead of a fixed amount of RP, we can also potentially experiment with mystery gift promotions under 400 RP (previously, those types of promotions may have encouraged botters and even well-intentioned players to create smurf accounts for sending gifts to their main using the free RP).

We’re testing the change on PBE now, but we’re planning to go live with new player chests when crafting and loot appear in an upcoming patch.

Can't give free RP huh? Smite gives free gems... HoTS gives free gold... dota gives free items... greedy greedy corrupt company that makes a pretty fun game, but who cares nothing for its players. Give us dailies quests and crap like that. =) I am sure if I had software knowledge and a multi-billion dollar revenue I could do a better job keeping the consumer happy and drawing more in, and making less leave given the same game to work with... ;) You greedy turds.

Smart Girl2 votes

why.... would you rather have 400RP or Ashe....

Space Boy Lynk 2 votes

RIP the chance to buy an experience booster.

DoctorShadow1 votes

and on what lvl do i get the chest ???

420 grams1 votes

I think you should promote the free garen and Tristana skin/champ promotions more to new players.

Ilovemyteemo621 votes

Yup same I don't like the idea of getting rid of the 400 RP it helped level up faster by buying boosts with it.

Themaster12771 votes

lo SDX

TheGrandDuelist11 votes

but i didnt get the 400 rp or the player chest

TheGrandDuelist11 votes

im lvl 10 rightnow and still nothing

ModWuks1 votes

{quoted}

im lvl 10 rightnow and still nothing

If you haven't received the chests by the time you re-login, you can submit a ticket to Riot Games Player Support and they can look into it for you.

UnboundHades1 votes

fastest response on a year old post ive seen

ModWuks1 votes

{quoted}

fastest response on a year old post ive seen

I'm a wizard, tbh.

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