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How i would fix the problem of toxicity in League of Legends

Goose009·10/1/2016, 10:30:08 PM·3 votes·735 views

How I would fix the problem of toxicity in League of Legends

  1. Define what is acceptable and unacceptable behavior. If people do not know what is expected how can they possibly meet the expectations. I realize there is a summoner’s code. It took me a lot longer than it should have to find, and I was looking for it. Once I found it, it didn’t exactly inspire me to change in any meaningful way. TBH I had a hard time convincing myself to read it all.

  2. Weed it out in the early going. When people are new to league, they are not expecting toxic behavior. After a few toxic teammates goes by they are told to develop a thick skin. This then becomes the norm. Toxicity is the norm. That is a problem. Therefore in pre – 30 games that are filled with people knew to the game, hand out chat restrictions like they are going out of style. As soon as someone exhibits toxic behavior they need to be told that it is not appropriate and will be punished. Once the chat ban ends, if they exhibit that behavior again, temporary ban. 2 or 3 days. If they do it again, longer ban (a week). Etc. you can figure out the punishment. I just think it needs to be stopped BEFORE it starts.

  3. Reward positive behavior. Lets face it, the honor system is broken. I haven’t seen anyone with an honor badge in 2 years or so. Revamp it into an honor reward of some sort. Maybe once you are honored as friendly every 20 times you can have a hextech key? Ultimately it needs to be a known reward that people can strive for. TLDR Don’t just punish bad behavior. Reward good behavior.

  4. Give constant feedback. I want to see every single time someone I have reported gets punished. And show me the report that they got punished for. You don’t have to show me names. Just what was said that was deemed punishment worthy.

  5. Make the loading screen useful. Put tidbits regarding positive behavior in every loading screen. Stats, links to positivity and winning, highlight a player in the current game that exhibits positive play. I realize some of this happens now but it is too infrequent and feels too ‘canned’ as it is. Update the stats so they aren’t the exact same ones from 4 years ago. Have a monthly running total where people are toxic, what is their win percentage vs. not toxic.

I have read somewhere in the past that less than 2% of the community is toxic, the rest is just someone having a bad day. I feel that most of those bad days are caused by other people’s bad days. One guy, rips his team. Then his teammates are on edge and if they get behind in the next game, they rip their new teammates. Rinse Repeat.

Lastly, I think the backlash to cracking down on toxicity is that you turn some of the hardcore players away. You know, the ones that are in bronze because of their teammates. Or the ones that are stuck in plat when they deserve challenger. Again ‘cause teammates. I think the counter argument to that is, how many new players get turned away from the game because of all the toxicity spewed there way? How many casual players are casuals instead of hardcore because of all the vitriol launched at them?

I am willing to bet that people will adapt, or quit. And to be honest, if they quit, the game is better for it in the long term.

4 Comments

Mimy10/1/2016, 10:42:27 PM2 votes

They already do all this...

Nameless Voice10/2/2016, 1:17:01 PM1 votes

Good post. I'll add one more:

  1. Give constant feedback to players about their behaviour. If someone does something bad, they need to know immediately that their behaviour is bad. Most toxicity comes in common forms which can be easily identified. Instead of just using those patterns for later analysis, look at them in real time and inform the player that what they are doing is unacceptable.

Someone intentionally feeding? Going AFK? Immediately show a pop-up indicating that they will be harshly punished.

Someone flaming? Report-calling? Throwing racial slurs? You could go one step farther and automatically block their toxic message from being transmitted, or replacing it with something amusing.

Yes, this might allow players who are really trying to be intentionally toxic to "game" the system and learn what they can and cannot say, but a lot of the toxicity in the game seems to come from people who honestly don't know any better. Educating those "neutral / bad day" players would most likely have a much larger effect than enabling the people trying to game the system. Plus, a system could be implemented to detect people trying to game the system and punish them for it.