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Feedback on LeaverBuster

CyanGryphon·4/7/2016, 12:44:31 PM·1 votes·269 views

I am interested in having a discussion about LeaverBuster

I had sent an email to mailto:[email protected], and the Auto-reply was quite clear that all in-game issues be directed here.

I'm a father, and while I enjoy playing LoL, it is something that comes after the needs of my home and family. With a young daughter, that often means interruptions to games that I am playing - especially if she wakes up early or late, is sick, hurts herself, etc.

Life happens.

More often than not, when this happens, I can communicate to my team and the other one my apology for needing to leave. I do my best to be polite about it, as I understand that life comes first. Most other players do to.

But... that's not how LeaverBuster works. You leave a game, you get penalized. You leave multiple games within a month, you end up being asked to wait a combined 1 hour 40 minutes, plus queue times to play this game.

There is no grey area here - no context. You leave, you get punished.

Now, I could understand this making sense in ranked games. But ARAM? Normal? Are these not supposed to be casual gaming experiences? Should there not be opportunities within the league community for people to play games while still acknowledging that some times people will need to leave that game before it's completed?

If LeaverBuster is designed to deter people from leaving games, how many people are you pushing away from playing at all, because they are frustrated with not only the time requirements of a game, but of the time requirements of the punishment for leaving a game when required?

I understand you are trying to deal with a whole bunch of issues with the LeaverBuster system. Rage Quitters, bad behaviour, etc could be dealt with through the tribunal without LeaverBuster, correct?

So, who does this leave? People who are having hardware, connection, latency issues? People who leave games due to family concerns? And people who leave for other reasons?

LeaverBuster doesn't actually reform anyone who falls into the computer issues or family issue groups. It just frustrates them, that they cannot play, and they are forced to ensure obscene wait times for games.

I don't imagine I'm the target demographic for the game, so maybe no one cares about this issue. But I know this happens to more than just me, and I expect my demographic has a lot more money to spend on this game than most students. Isn't there a better way to address leaving games that doesn't punish casual gamers like me?

Let me know what you think!

3 Comments

SmokedAlmonds4/7/2016, 1:00:48 PM1 votes

The problem is that leaving has such a monumental impact on the game. You leaving essentially ends the game and throws away at least 20 minutes of 9 people's lives. It just has such a huge impact that I can't see any other way to handle it. Everyone else in the games you leave have lives too, but they still managed to fit the game into it without ruining it for others. Non ranked already has lesser punishments for leaving, but the issue is time and enjoyment. Not just your rank.

People with hectic lives and computer/connection issues aren't collateral damage of leaverbuster. They are part of the reason they exist. The solution is just different. Rage quitters need an incentive not to leave, but everyone needs to be mindful of their schedule and equipment when playing a game where your presence is make or break. Rage quitters are malicious. People who can't manage their time or have technical issues are negligent.

You may need to tighten the belt on when you decide you have enough time to play, or it may mean you have to quit altogether. But with the impact that leaving has, you just can't be allowed to continue leaving games at that rate, for any reason.

How many times can you really ask 9 random people be ok with throwing away 20 minutes of their lives for you?

Firu4/7/2016, 1:10:24 PM1 votes

I think the Leaverbuster system should be implemented the same across game board modes. Regardless if its normal, ranked, or ARAM, people are playing to enjoy the game. Someone leaving during a match dramatically reduces the enjoyment of the game for at least 4 of the other 9 players. Probably all 9 players though sometimes people do just enjoy those 5v4 wins (guilty here).

Also, it is a slippery slope if they relax the rules based on game mode. If people are less punished for leaving/AFKing in a normal match, then should they be given less strict punishments for other offenses such as verbal abuse, etc? I personally don't believe so.

Kei1434/7/2016, 1:27:39 PM1 votes

i was in your boat before. I have left games becuase my daughter decides to not sleep and need me to rock her back to sleep.

I've been punished with 5 min x5 leaver buster queues. I'm able to play enough games for the punishment to decay, and BAM. Life hits again and I'm punished again with 5 min x 5 leaver buster queues.

point is, you must leave a TONNE of games for you to get 20min x5 leaver buster queues.

For a periord of time, I've stopped playing League unless I have someone taking care of them (aka their grandma). I suggest you do the same.

Keep in mind I've left all different queue types; dominion, TT, SR, ARAM, feature game modes. I've also served my punishment in all those game modes as well. pushiment is punishment, if I've made other's gaming experience go bad, I'll have to pay for it no matter where I go.