[Suggestion] Let's Lower Toxicity - Mentor Program

Prosfis·Mar 10, 2018·14 votes·705 views

I recently created a new account, because most of the players I used to play with have stopped playing, and it is harder to find new positive players past level 30. I've also found that the remaining players on my friends list have become bitter, and like to call other players out in game.

During my playtime in levels 1-5 I noticed an increase in positive and friendly players who were willing to learn and cooperate as a team. Now that I've hit level 10, I see toxic players in most of my games. I fear that the lower levels are filled with toxic smurfs, who drive away new anti-toxic players.

What I propose we do is have a mentor program for players with high honor levels. You can volunteer to play with low level players with the goal of creating a welcoming learning environment. Mentors should do their best to help both teams grow in a non-condescending way. Mentors should be identified to the team(s) before play, so that other players know the mentor's responsibilities. This would encourage listening to advice, and reporting misconduct. Examples of good mentor behavior would be informing an opponent of ability information such as how to avoid Illaoi's curse, teaching a player to focus on last hitting over auto attacking, commending players for good plays and good behavior, discouraging insults and anger, and any other information that one can offer up after years of playing a game with a lot of content.

What would hopefully come out of this for the mentors is new friendships, and a strong sense of improving the League of Legends community. New players should hopefully feel welcomed, and gain friends that will help them throughout their journey through the ranks of League. This effort may encourage new, friendly players to continue playing league for longer, which will improve the overall atmosphere in league.

20 Comments

exitforeverMar 10, 20184 votes

Upvoted

Imperial PandaaMar 10, 20182 votes

But here is the real question.

What is the incentive for being a mentor?

Unless there is something worthwhile, I don't see it being too big. Like maybe a skin line and Mentor Levels. After a game a small pop up comes up. "Did you find the mentor helpful?" After x amount of stars or yes's you gain a mentor level (start at 0). If you get mentor level 1 and keep it to the end of the season you get a Scholar/Mentor skin. If level 2, maybe a skin and a ward skin. (or two scholar/mentor skins).

ProsfisMar 10, 20185 votes

The incentive is a better community. This also gives old players a chance to meet new players, because it is unlikely to happen naturally. There cannot be a very desirable reward for being a mentor, because it will be abused. People would be mentors just to get the reward, and not contribute to the community. The lack of reward would ensure that people are doing this for the cause rather than the reward.

If there has to be some type of reward, then maybe it can be some type of addition to the honor badge that shows up in the loading screen.

Imperial PandaaMar 10, 20183 votes

I disagree with it being abused so long as a few simple restrictions are put in place.

It only levels up if you are given positive feedback.
A player/account may only give feedback a mentor once/twice a month. Additional reviews by the same player/account are ignored. (leave this out of the FAQ page though. -Ideally have at least 1 mentor on both teams. (to try and avoid stomps. Ideally players would have restraint.) [Maybe: - enough negative reviews loses temporary permission to be a mentor.] Maybe have a toggle when you queue to maybe find a mentor game (both for those looking for and to mentor) [If toggle option:- when queue pops include above accept and above champs select/champ lockin to have it say "Mentor". Or a clear label (forced clan name) "Mentor" so team knows.]

Far from perfect, but thoughts.

ProsfisMar 10, 20181 votes

You're right that feedback will be a critical element. There should definitely be some sort of review system for mentoring to keep negative players out.

As far as game balance, mentors could be put into games where lvl 30 players are duo queued with others on the opposing team, but it would be best if there was a mentor on each team. There should probably be a period where mentors can only join coop vs ai games with new players to get the feel for mentoring people without the pressure of a real team on the opposing side.

Thanks for your feedback!

C3st La Vi3Mar 10, 20181 votes

Riot is way too harsh with their judgement and it seems all the feeding or selfish trolls who deserves to get banned gets their ways, if you don't review the gameplay how do you know if the player is playing to win or trolling? trolling is way more annoying than people who has an opinion, that's why there's a mute button isn't it? So why do people even get banned for what they say? Honestly, people are way too sensitive, imagine a society where people can be excluded (or maybe killed/banned permanently for what they say), o yea those society only exists in the dark ages or maybe North Korea. Can't we just stop banning and play the game? Riot management are some of the most toxic communities I've seen. I hope the rioters gets judged the way they do to others. I don't think you deserve to be banned, goodluck though because Riot probably don't care about you or what you think.

Imperial PandaaMar 10, 20181 votes

Da fuq? Are we looking at the same post, mate?

Also, you should see other regions. Some you can get punished for insulting someones mom.

Awf MetaMar 11, 20181 votes

I would want the mentors to be held to a higher standard than the general public.

Imperial PandaaMar 11, 20181 votes

How about an application form? Sort of like mods for the forums. Maybe a small interview.

Awf MetaMar 12, 20181 votes

Not enough. Their games need to be constantly monitored to make sure they NEVER troll new players.

DJOKERMar 11, 20181 votes

[slayer-pantheon-popcorn] Came for the comments.

FurriesAreHotMar 11, 20181 votes

This could go very wrong. I’d wager 85% I’d users who receive a toxicity related 14 day ban are unlikely to change their ways.

ProsfisMar 11, 20181 votes

The mentor system's primary goal wouldn't be to change people. What it should hopefully do, is help the players who are trying out the game for the first time, make their way up the ranks with less toxicity, enabling them to enjoy the game more and stick around.

FurriesAreHotMar 11, 20181 votes

I read this a tad wrong. I see a few issues with it.

Whats the incentive?
Would it really be effective?
If someone is an asshole, would them being with toxic players for their first time change that?

ProsfisMar 12, 20181 votes

Whats the incentive? Grow your social network by meeting new players that you normally would not come across otherwise. Improve your play experience by forming parties with people that are less likely to be toxic. Interact with players in a different way by teaching others the game, creating a positive experience for yourself and everyone involved.

Would it really be effective? I don't know. The only way to find out would be to put it into practice. We need some kind of buffer between toxic players and new players so that people feel welcomed to continue playing and learn without criticism.

If someone is an asshole, would them being with toxic players for their first time change that? I'm not sure what you mean by this. This is not a punishment, nor corrective system. The goal is to welcome new players by giving them a more friendly environment and encourage them to stick around.

IfnethMar 11, 20181 votes

Riot should continue what they were doing with Honor rewards. Maybe they should build detailed, interactive, multimedia guides into the client, showing how to climb Honor ratings to encourage people to do specific kinds of thing.

E.g., Climb from Level 1 to Level 2 by almost never breaking the rules, even if you’re not caught and punished.

GripaAviaraMar 11, 20181 votes

You can't fucking lower toxicity with this piece of shiet matchmaking system. I'm doing everything to fucking stay calm and it works, until the game decides to matchmake with feeders or the skill difference is insane in a row essentially making the game unwinable by start. Every sane person will crack when this shiet happens so often

ProsfisMar 12, 20181 votes

I've gotten stressed playing league before, but I don't take it out on my teammates. When you're losing, the other members on your team also feel that loss. There's no reason to make their day worse by harassing them about mistakes they've made. At the end of the day, you just have to remember that this is just a game, and if you're losing, then you should do your best to play well, just because it is fun. Think of a losing game as hard mode.

rtbf245145554Mar 12, 20181 votes

So, I'm new. Actually new, as of a month ago. Not a smurf. I play a bit better than your normal brand new person because I played HotS before risking League. Here's my new person hot take on the idea.

I wouldn't trust these "mentors" any more than the regular randoms. This would be interpreted as "Riot approved good person" in a heartbeat, and the first instance of someone abusing that trust would wreck it all. Probably make it worse than before.

The real problem is that hitting the Find Match button obligates you to not only stick around some pretty horribly uncomfortable people and situations for 30-50 minutes (or more with the worst people) or else risk being punished, but forces you to assist the abusers enough to not get punished for inting. Now sure, the punishment starts out small, but the psychological tools Riot uses to try and dissuade the assholes from needing to be punished in the first place work really well on people who are fall prey to the psychological tricks of the abusers. You might blithely agree to whatever in the "I agree to never leave a game again" dialogue box, or shrug off the low priority queue as cost of doing business, but I'm here to tell you that plenty do not.

Even if you mute, that doesn't stop the player from griefing, sometimes very obviously and personally even without text, and you know the jerk is there slagging you off behind the mute wall. It's very easy to say "ignore it, focus on what you're doing and learning your champion" but it is an entirely different thing to be in the shoes of someone suffering that abuse. I've played quite a number of games in my month of playing, and can ignore scumbags after a mute, and even I have to ask myself whether it's worth the risk every single time I decide to hit the button. At least once a day I have been forced to admit that I made the wrong call before I even get past champion select.

Not that Riot should alter the LeaverBuster rules at all. They are in an insoluble position. Any grace they give will be abused instantly. But this game was so bad for so long that Riot was forced into making rules that require newbies to suffer abuse or find another game. No mentorship program is going to get around that fact, and it makes it impossble for me to recommend that any of my friends play. I'm too embarrassed to even admit that I play.