A New Approach to Justice: Hard Lessons
Hi there fellow Summoners!
This is a post, and my opinion, on things Riot should look to doing right away. Of course, as with many matters suggested by community members, it assuredly will not come to fruition as Riot lacks the motivation and willpower to manifest this opinion into any meaningful approach, but we can still wish.
This post will do two things, first, it will identify a problem I feel most of us have come across in or time playing League, and secondly, it will suggest new approaches to punishment and player behavior modification that I feel will strengthen the game for those of us who do not commit these types of infractions and therefore will not be affected by a new punishment system, although we will inevitable reap the rewards of the system, as we shall discuss.
---------- Step 1: Identify a Problem ----------
I think I can say with much assurance, that over the time spent by myself and my fellow Summoner's, we have come across the dreaded "leaver" and their much aligned cousin, the "dodger." The actions of those two types of players has an effect on us all, and it is almost always a negative one. No matter the game mode, those actions usually make the rest of the team angry and upset, often leading to a terrible playing experience, and one that all too often is repeated when playing more matches. This is a problem, as most of us would agree, and the current system, I feel, is one that does not instill into the minds of some Summoner's, the repercussions of their actions. Let's fix that.
Currently, Riot's viewpoint on punishment and player behavior is one of rehabilitation, and the "second chance" mentality. While we can all agree compassion is an honorable thing, in a gaming community, it can feel.. out of place. A person who steals from a convenience store because they haven't eaten in days is illegal, but due to the nature of it, we feel compassionate for their plight and empathize with what they are going through, as we should. This isn't that scenario though, and as such, it should not be treated with the same feelings. Here is where the tough lessons come in
---------- Step 2: The Punishment Change ----------
- Dodging Queue
1st Queue Dodge = 30 Minute Queue Wait
2nd Queue Dodge = 6 Hour Queue Wait
3rd Queue Dodge = 24 Hour Queue Wait
4th Queue Dodge = 3 Month Game ban
5th Queue Dodge = Permanent Game Ban
- Leaving Game
1st Leave = 1 Hour Game Ban
2nd Leave = 24 Hour Game Ban
3rd Leave = 6 Month Game Ban
4th Leave = Permanent Game Ban
All punishments work on a yearly basis. For example, leaving a game in January and then leaving one on May would already put you at the 6 month ban on your next leave, meaning if you left again during the next 7 months, it's a 6 month ban. Likewise, if you left 2 games in January and 1 more in February, you wouldn't be able to play until August. Anymore leaves within the next 4 months and you're done for good.
Queue dodging is bad and annoying, but not really on the same level as leaving a match to a 4 v 5, so the punishment adds one more tier to the same type of yearly schedule.
---------- Conclusion ----------
Now, let us go over the punishments and why they are appropriate, in my opinion. First off, it is not the responsibility of anyone but the player to make sure that they have ample playing time, so the excuses relating to time constraints, such as "gtg to work" or "have to leave sorry!" don't cut it, not with me. You join queue and get in game, you finish that match and then log off. It's that simple.
Secondly, when it comes to emergencies, I get it. I understand things sometimes happen, but if emergencies happen to you often (some players apparently have family members dropping dead every other day..) you should probably stop playing League for awhile and get things straightened out. This is why the first leave is only a 1 hour ban. If you have an emergency to deal with, 1 hour isn't going to run your life, and in fact will let you take care of that emergency.
Thirdly, when it comes to technical issues, Riot has stated that it is not anyone else responsibility to make sure your internet is in good working order and that you have a good connection to the internet and their service. Riot will never punish you if it is their system that goes down, they have said that before. For those who have played League for a long time now, we know what Riot connections use to be like, and it was horrible. Thankfully, their system is doing great these days, for the most part.
And lastly, dodging Queue should be treated equally and enforced in a more spirited fashion from Riot. Not only is it annoying, but it puts players in a bad mood even before matches start and makes the game much less fun. It is more prevalent in ARAM than in other modes, but seeing as ARAM in an official mode, right alongside SR, it should see the same enforcement. Trust me when i say I have played so many champions on ARAM that I either was horrible at, or had never used before. It happens, but that shouldn't give you the right to dodge because you didn't get someone you wanted, at least not without having consequences.
And here is the wrap folks, I believe with this punishment system, players are more likely to weigh the costs of leaving and dodging. With the current system, punishment isn't really defined well enough, leaving many players to casually flaunt the rules and customs of the game. With a known tiered system, players can look at this and say:
"We're losing so badly.. but dang, I have one leave already.. and my next one is a guaranteed 24 hour ban.. and it's Saturday.. Well, I might as well play this losing match and avoid the penalty. "
At least, one can hope. Thanks for reading!
