Riot: Should you be rewarding required positive behavior?

The Highest Noon·Jul 11, 2017·2 votes·468 views

The honor system is great--it gives us the personal opportunity to show our support for a person's positive demeanor within a game. Issues come when you are practically paying someone to follow the rules. Is that a good thing on Riot's part? Ethical issues aside, I'm seeing people who refuse to communicate because they think it'll get them a "staying cool" honor. There are people barking orders without listening to others because they think it'll get them "shot-calling" honor. I just logged in to get a key fragment for whatever honors I received whenever, which is nice and all but honestly I think it's better in the long run if we AREN'T PAID TO FOLLOW THE RULES. Yes, not being toxic is a rule. Yes, communication is a rule.

8 Comments

YourQQJul 11, 20174 votes

[{quoted}](name=Ya Boi McCreeroy,realm=NA,application-id=ZGEFLEUQ,discussion-id=bbuIYnYq,comment-id=,timestamp=2017-07-11T04:04:13.996+0000)

The honor system is great--it gives us the personal opportunity to show our support for a person's positive demeanor within a game. Issues come when you are practically paying someone to follow the rules. Is that a good thing on Riot's part? Ethical issues aside, I'm seeing people who refuse to communicate because they think it'll get them a "staying cool" honor. There are people barking orders without listening to others because they think it'll get them "shot-calling" honor. I just logged in to get a key fragment for whatever honors I received whenever, which is nice and all but honestly I think it's better in the long run if we AREN'T PAID TO FOLLOW THE RULES. Yes, not being toxic is a rule. Yes, communication is a rule.

You're reading way too much into it and think it's the system. Those players existed before the system. It's your perception that changed. Also, I found that many people interpret someone making a call without wasting time typing "would you please" etc. as "barking orders." This isn't a dinner party. It's a competitive game and you're making way too many assumptions about people's intention.

The Highest NoonJul 13, 20171 votes

{quoted}

You're reading way too much into it and think it's the system. Those players existed before the system. It's your perception that changed. Also, I found that many people interpret someone making a call without wasting time typing "would you please" etc. as "barking orders." This isn't a dinner party. It's a competitive game and you're making way too many assumptions about people's intention.

Those players existing does not change the fact that throwing money at people like that, promotes people like that. And barking orders is barking orders, no matter how much you try to justify it.

Imperial PandaaJul 11, 20172 votes

I believe this is a classic example of positive reinforcement. Someone you are teaching/training doing well? Reward them.

Is it required? No. Does it help? In my opinion/experience, somewhat. I haven't personally had any of your examples, which is why I say somewhat. Just by having the honor screen immediately come up helps promote giving honor to someone.

Should you be punishing people for negative behavior? That is negative reinforcement. In this case it is usually in a progression system unless severe.

So why only use negative? Use both! :)

GeauxxJul 11, 20171 votes

What's your stance on participation trophies?

Imperial PandaaJul 11, 20171 votes

A waste of money to provide. But then you may as well only have something for 1st place and nothing else.

I would ask for a different comparison since participation trophies/ribbons do cost money (however cheap/expensive).

I will also admit to potentially being biased on the whole thing though. In my school system (teacher, not that it matters) they do award ceremonies and award students for Academics (Principal's list, A honor roll, B honor roll.) but also for behavior. Students getting an award are more likely to continue and those who may have made a few mistakes may try to better themselves.

I realize I just argued for both sides, I just hate the phrase "participation trophy" Maybe. xD

The Highest NoonJul 13, 20171 votes

[{quoted}](name=That Juicy Booty,realm=NA,application-id=ZGEFLEUQ,discussion-id=bbuIYnYq,comment-id=00000000,timestamp=2017-07-11T04:36:10.497+0000)

What's your stance on participation trophies?

Participation trophies are great so long as you give better trophies to the winners lol

The Highest NoonJul 13, 20171 votes

[{quoted}](name=Imperial Pandaa,realm=NA,application-id=ZGEFLEUQ,discussion-id=bbuIYnYq,comment-id=0000,timestamp=2017-07-11T04:33:31.449+0000)

I believe this is a classic example of positive reinforcement. Someone you are teaching/training doing well? Reward them.

Is it required? No. Does it help? In my opinion/experience, somewhat. I haven't personally had any of your examples, which is why I say somewhat. Just by having the honor screen immediately come up helps promote giving honor to someone.

Should you be punishing people for negative behavior? That is negative reinforcement. In this case it is usually in a progression system unless severe.

So why only use negative? Use both! :)

The thing is, the honor system was already rewarding players if they also played well and climbed the rank ladder too. Since Riot claims overall positive gameplay increases win-rates, we can say that loading screen banners are a positive incentive. As well, just being honored got you loading screen badges. Now they're adding actual paid-for content?

Imperial PandaaJul 14, 20171 votes

Maybe the extra stuff was unnecessary. Are you referring to the capsules a Level 3 or just the key fragments?

Two things I really enjoy about the change:

The after game screen. Yes you can skip honoring someone, but it is already their and encourages honoring.
The key fragments being connected to it. I know mathematically you get the same amount of keys as before, but it feels like I'm earning the limit the drop at now. Instead of maybe 1 key frag for a week of games, I might be getting 2 or 3.

Something I didn't notice before at the end of OP. Yes, not being toxic is a rule. Communicating is not. It is encouraged but the only way not communicating is punishable is when you force your team into a situation. (As in the Support Smite cases)