Ask Riot: Chromas and ChampUp

Welcome to Ask Riot, where we focus on your questions and give you answers.

This week, we talk about the future of chromas and deciding which champs to update.

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How do we select which Champions get full Visual & Gameplay Updates (VGUs)?

There are a bunch of factors we have to consider when selecting our candidates for a VGU, so I’ll go over both the biggest reasons behind our choice of update projects and a few of the smaller ones. Usually, the selection is based on a combination of everything below and where we think we can get the most value across the board.

The Big 4

1. Player Request - This is arguably the most weighted of all the reasons. We’re regularly sending surveys to League players across the globe - some of you have probably filled them out! One of the things we ask players is whether they think particular champions need an update or rework. We’ll use the data from these surveys – as well as other sources – and build a list of the champions most players are eager to see updated. We usually look at the top 10-15 on this list when considering new update projects.

   
   
   

2. Overall Design / Art / Theme Level - We keep internal ratings that describe how well we think potential update candidates are hitting various quality bars - generally design, art and theme. A low design score might indicate a champion with an unhealthy or dated kit. Art issues include problems like an older model / FX. Theme rating might be low for champions with a theme that doesn’t really resonant with most players (Galio) or champions with thematic mismatches (Poppy looking like a Tank but playing like an Assassin).

   
   

3. Potential of a Champion's Archetype - This relates to when a champion has a super strong theme but it isn’t really being executed on well. Pre-update Fiora was a good example of a champion that wasn’t particularly “low quality,” but to us she seemed full of opportunity to better execute a “Fencing Duelist” that would be super resonant with players. Essentially, we’re looking out for champions who we think have a ton of untapped potential we can unlock by executing on them today. Someone like Irelia, for example, is high on our list for this reason – it’s pretty clear that the idea of a champion using levitating blades is really freaking cool, but right now you could replace Irelia’s weapon with almost anything and the kit would still work. The idea of a cutting-edge execution on a champion with levitating blades is super exciting for the Champion Update team!

   If you look at our recent and upcoming reworks you can see they each fall into a different category. Ryze was selected largely for game health concerns (#2), Yorick is one the most requested by players (#1), and Warwick is a champion we feel has huge potential given a modern execution (#3). Those aren't the only three reasons though, which brings me to the fourth, and least common, reason.

   
   

4. Other Events / Projects going on around Riot - This usually isn’t a factor, but sometimes there are events or projects being worked on by other teams around Riot that lead us to prioritize an update for a specific champion. The Gangplank VGU for the Bilgewater Event is a great example of this kind of decision.

Other Reasons

So those are the big reasons, but there are a bunch of smaller ones that can also impact our decisions. The reasons below would never single-handedly cause us to choose a champion for an update, but if we are torn between several different champions that fulfill the criteria above, then some of the reasons below could be the deciding factor.

Team Excitement - When we’re deciding which champions to get to work on next, we also send a survey out to the Champion Update team to see which champions they’re most excited to work on. Again, this won’t determine anything by itself, but if we have two potential updates that we feel represent equal player value, then team excitement for one of the projects could sway the decision. Also, sometimes one of our designers or artists might have a particularly strong pitch for one of the projects we’re considering, which could make the difference in what we choose to do.

Champion Diversity - Long-term, we attempt to work on a range of different champions for our VGUs. For example, we try to avoid doing too many dark characters or too many light characters back to back, or sequentially updating two champions from the same faction. We also try to hit a number of different classes - we probably wouldn’t want to do two assassins in a row, for example.

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Everything above factors into which champions we decide to explore next, but it’s important to note that not all champions we explore end up going into production. We usually have 2-3 champions in early exploration at a time, and it's only when we land on an awesome design, narrative, and art direction for them that we go into production (at which point they get put on the Champion Update Schedule). Sometimes we ultimately don’t find something cool enough to go into production, so we put them down temporarily and move on to other champions on the list.

Hopefully this clarifies how and why we select particular champions for VGUs, but I’ll be sticking around in this thread for awhile to answer any more questions you might have!

– Reav3, Lead for Champ Update Team

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What happened with Chromas?

In an earlier Ask Riot, we answered why there haven’t been any Chromas lately, and now we’re happy to share another update.

As part of our process to improve chromas, our first move was to go back to the basics. We wanted to make sure we really answered the following question: “Why would I, as a player, want Chromas?”

Here’s the thing. I love skins and have a lot of them. But there are certain skins I always go back to. Arcade Miss Fortune is one of my favorite skins, and looking at what you guys are playing, it’s one of your favorites, too. And if I can play her in a rainbow of options, that sounds pretty cool to me. Chromas are meant to deepen your experience with a piece of content you already own, love, and play the shit out of. It’s that simple.

Next, how do we address your feedback? Player reactions towards chromas centered around bundling, aesthetics, and pricing, so that’s where we put the majority of our focus:

• We unpacked chromas so you can buy them individually, while still allowing you to buy them in bundles for a discount.

• We revamped color schemes and added patterns and textures.

• We priced chromas at 290 RP each, and we’re also introducing recurring IP sales that will take place twice a year. The first IP sale goes from August 25, 2016 to September 8, 2016 and includes all chromas launched before August 2016. During the IP sale, chromas will be sold individually for 2000 IP.

We’re excited about these changes and are set on continually improving chromas and making them a fun feature for your favorite skins. We’re excited to hear what you think about these latest updates in the comments.

– SuperCakes, Lead for Personalization (Skins) Team