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It's only ARAM...

Tom Servo·3/5/2015, 8:18:58 AM·1 votes·767 views

I've been playing League for a few years now, but I don't really care for Summoner's Rift, and Dominion is just ok. I love ARAM. It's my favorite mode to play. I enjoy the randomness of it, the faster pace, the simple map, and the engaging team fights. Yeah, sometimes you get kind of boned when your team comp doesn't even compare to the other team, but that can also make for an exciting game. Some of my favorite matches have involved epic comebacks and close finishes - win or lose.

While I don't mind a loss here and there, and totally expect it, it seems that unless I'm playing with a group of friends, that it has become increasingly difficult to get a win. I understand that the vast majority of players are here for summoners rift and don't take the other modes quite as seriously. Summoners Rift is much more complicated, I get that. I know how at the top, it all comes down to timers, last hits, and playing as perfectly as possible. I just don't want to bother with that kind of stress. I've dealt with enough of that kind of stuff while raiding in an MMO and I'm burnt out on it. In Dominion and ARAM it's more straight forward and your team doesn't have to be 100% perfect to get the W. Still, I'm always befuddled by people that purposely do stupid things and defend their actions by saying "It's only ARAM". It's only ARAM? Don't you want to win? It's one thing to be trying out a build, or get distracted by real life, but why wouldn't you care about trying your best? It just feels like such a waste, getting grouped up with people that just don't care. If you mention something to them about the way they're playing or building, they get defensive and rude.

I like playing and learning different champs. I always try to do my best and strive to improve after every match, but these players are keeping me in ELO hell and I can't get out. Don't tell me "just have fun" when my way of having fun is learning the champ and, if not winning, at least having a great match. Maybe some of these players don't realize they're ruining the game for their teammates. I would ask that if somebody suggests something, even if it annoys you, that you respond politely, and maybe even consider what they're telling you. Just because somebody is telling you something, it doesn't mean it's a personal attack.

I know that not all of these players are trolls. I think it's pretty easy to take offense at something somebody says when you can't see or hear the way they're saying it. Let's be a team.

I expect that somebody responding to this thread may suggest that maybe I just suck. Well maybe, but I'm trying. Maybe I'll be called a whiner too. I'm sure it can be viewed that way. I'm getting exhausted with matches thrown away by people that don't care, and my enthusiasm for the game is waning. Has anybody else been experiencing a lot of this?

8 Comments

Ice Weasel X3/5/2015, 10:43:52 AM4 votes

My personal views on ARAM:

  • Unless you're good with everyone, sooner or later you're going to end up playing a champ with which you're either unfamiliar or flat out horrible. As long as you aren't trying to lose, don't feel bad about not doing well.

  • As a corollary to the above, don't expect teammates to be proficient with their champs. They may not have as much practice with them as you do, so cut them some slack. If a champ is on free rotation, there's a greater likelihood that the person doesn't own it.

  • It's the least "serious" of the regular modes, but common courtesy suggests you don't try and cause a loss (same as any other mode).

  • "It's only ARAM" is a great way to look at things when you lose, since you're often not a full team of people in an ideal comp with champs you all know intimately.

  • Using "It's only ARAM" as an excuse to play troll builds (e.g., full AP Riven) is a shitty thing to do. If you want to try something like that, take it to AI or custom games. "All Random All Mid" doesn't translate to "Throwing is Allowed."

  • Giving up because of team comps is boring. It's a lot more fun to destroy that "completely safe poke/sustain/tank combo" team with your pure melee non-tank team and surprise everyone involved.

TL;DR: Try. Even if you suck. If you're going to lose, do it with dignity. Win or lose, don't hold people to unreasonable standards. Don't ruin games. Don't be a dick.

Not surprisingly, the TL;DR applies to games in general.

Shiroi Kitsune3/5/2015, 8:29:01 AM3 votes

You've got to realize, ARAM is the single lowest stress of all of the game modes and is for most of us, purely there for fun. A lot of people use ARAM as a way to relieve stress after a particularly frustrating Ranked game, or just to try random builds on random champs. The inherent culture of that mode is to just have fun, so you really can't expect people to take it too seriously. It may seem a little harsh, but I guess I'll say it: you can't change other players, it's simply impossible. Either get used to it and learn to enjoy it, or just frustrate yourself with people not taking it seriously (a sign that you're just taking it too seriously yourself).

DoomBot Shelby3/5/2015, 9:43:01 AM2 votes

When reading this, I remembered my first encounter with ARAMs. I was terrified to play anything other than ONE champion, and my friends forced me to play an ARAM where I had no choice. I got Evelynn. I was devastated and didn't know what to build (at the time I didn't really take the time to learn anything about anything), but they told me to just have fun with it and try new things. I did horribly, but it was really nice because no one yelled at me like they would on Summoner's Rift.

Now I play ARAMs for the fun of it. I don't expect a win or a loss, I expect to have a fun time with either friends or random people. Countless times I've seen someone get Sion for the first time and charge right into a turret or right past their entire team and I think it's hilarious. In the end, yes, it is only an ARAM. The very core of that game mode is indeed a challenge to play a champion that you might not normally play, but at the same time you're playing on a map that was originally called Murder Bridge. I mean, you can't even buy unless you die.

Some people may not know how to handle champions. My first Katarina game was in ARAM and I just died countless times from poorly timed engages. I really, really want to believe that no one will be yelled at for being given a random champion that they may not know how to handle. That would have absolutely crushed little noobie me when I played Evelynn.

If you get enjoyment from doing well in a match, I'd recommend going to Twisted Treeline and hitting the random button. People load ARAMs with the expectation to make silly plays and have a good time.

Eleshakai3/5/2015, 1:57:13 PM2 votes

I'll say the same thing I say when this topic comes up about ranked, normals, or any other game...

"It's just a game" or "it's just aram" or "it's just -insert game or game mode-" isn't an excuse to not try. It's a recognition of the fact that the events that occur bear no relevence and have no importance. It is the healthy approach to the game. It's a good way to tell yourself not to get frustrated, or to judge others, or to mistreat others over what is essentially inconsequential. It is also a way to tell others that they're being too serious about something that is, again, essentially inconsequential.

None of that means you shouldn't try though. You should ALWAYS put your heart into everything you do and give every ordeal your best. Always.

Sismanski4/11/2017, 2:58:46 PM1 votes

I even stopped playing for quite a while because people kept saying this phrase. I enjoyed Summoners Rift in the early days, but then it somehow just got old for me. So I played ARAM on custom maps over and over without getting any benefits. It was fun. It was pure ARAM.

Then I was so happy that ARAM finally made it's way to the normal matches and it was fun at first. But after a while I realized that people started to act weird... Tons of AFK, stupid engages, troll build etc. And when pointing out and try to be constructive people said "Hey, it's only ARAM". And I really don't get it... is it fun to troll around? If so, please tell in champ selection, so we all can troll around and have fun together... but no, they just do it randomly.

Thing is, I play ARAM only for about, idk... couple of years now and ARAM is way more appealing and challenging to me than the other game modes or maps. I wish there would be no re-reroll and champ switch implemented for a more pure ARAM experience as it was in it's original custom map days, but whatever. But I really can't get over with that people still after all these years keep saying "chill, it's only ARAM". I don't mind losing, I don't mind if someone is unfamiliar with a champ, or just a noob who started playing or something. But I really do like to give my best to win that match and like to see that attitude from my teammate as well.

But here we are, some people just don't give a shit. Especially can be seen on ranked players, who try to chill in ARAM, which is cool. But why does a Diamond ranked player suddenly have to troll and play like the biggest noob on earth and even intentionally feeding and think THAT is fun? Fun for whom? Only for the troll maybe... And I don't think I'm taking this to serious, because following game rules isn't too serious, it's what separates a game from a toy.

Like said, I have no problem with trolling around and having fun being silly every now and then. But let people know BEFORE start, so they can join in if they like. Or just go back to where you came from!