Isn't Blind Pick just a little outdated?
What follows is a concept that I posted on the OCE boards, where it got some significant positive feedback (considering there's not as many board-goers there). This concept is targeted at some of the obvious flaws of Blind Pick and what new champion select experience could take it's place to resolve those issues. My hope is that posting it here on the NA boards it will get a lot more recognition, feedback (whether positive or negative) and, ideally, catch the eye of Riot and lead to a change for the better in-game.
You can find the original thread on the OCE boards via this link.
So Blind Pick has been the standard champion select experience since League was first launched, and it's done it's job fine (for the most part, anyway). However, it seems that these days it causes just a little more trouble than it's worth. Blind pick is, by it's very nature, a chaotic experience. From the chaos, the community developed the idea of "Call Order", to make it a little easier on everyone involved.
Call Order, however, has some pretty obvious flaws. It relies on the cooperation of 5 (more often than not) randomly matched individuals. It is influenced (to whatever small degree) by a given players reflexes, typing speed and internet quality. It is easily abuse-able by those known as "instalockers". At the end of the day, the champ select experience in Blind Pick games devolves into an argument over who got which position a bit too often.
What I want to propose is that Riot retire Blind Pick in favour of a superior (and less chaotic) champion select experience. Something that will allow all players to jump into a game and not get the impression that it will be an instant loss because "xXJacob360Xx" and "GaryTheFruitcake" argued over who got Mid (Note: any resemblance to actual players is completely coincidental).
So, what exactly am I proposing? Well, for now, lets call it "Blind Order" (if you can think of a better name, feel free to suggest it) Here's how it works:
|Team 1|-----|Order for Pick|-----|Team 2| |- |Player 1| |First Pick| |Player 6| |Player 2| |Second Pick| |Player 7| |Player 3| |Third Pick| |Player 8| |Player 4| |Forth Pick| |Player 9| |Player 5| |Fifth Pick| |Player 10|
Naturally (as with Blind Pick), Team 1 can't see Team 2's picks and vice versa. If you're looking to counterpick, then may the odds be ever in your favour.
It may look fairly simple on the surface, but it doesn't end there. To give every player a relatively equal opportunity to get first or second pick, they'll be more likely to be placed as first or second pick the more consecutive games they play as third, forth or fifth pick (similarly to how "autofill protection" works in ranked/draft).
So say, for arguments sake, we have 5 people who got randomly matched onto a team. Person 1 was second pick in their last game. Person 2 had first pick 2 games ago. Person 3 has been forth/fifth pick the last 4 games. Person 4 had second pick 2 games ago, and fifth pick last game. Person 5 has been first/second pick in 2 of their last 4 games.
The pick order, in this case (and based on the provided information), would go something like: Person 3 > Person 4 > Person 2 > Person 1 > Person 5
Advantages:
- Requires no more available champions to access than Blind Pick (available to everyone).
- No longer impacted by individual reflexes, typing speed and internet connection.
- Keeps true to the "blind" nature of the more casual queue types.
- Ideally reduces toxicity in champion select. Disadvantages:
- Longer champion select process.
- Wont be easy to convert the system over to a new "standard" pick type (basically, a lot of effort on Riot's part).
EDIT: So there's been a lot of discussion, and a few alternative concepts, which is good! This thread isn't just about my concept, it's about working together as a community to address some issues with one of the main queues. Ideally, we'd be able to come up with something that addresses the issues, pleases as many players as possible and that Riot would consider implementing. With that said, I'll be trying to add as many suggestions to the main post as possible, starting with something from DrCyanide.
When queuing, you order the 5 positions according to your preference plus a 6th Fill. This order will be saved so you don't have do re-enter it every single time you queue up (Improvement over Draft Queue!). Matchmaking completely ignores these preferences! Matchmaking works the same way it does now, trying to find a group of players with similar MMR. After Matchmaking has found a group, the lobby goes from Player 1 to Player 5 on each team and reveals their most desired role that hasn't already been shown, with Fill players showing Fill instead of being given a role. Players can then pick champions, swap roles, change champions, etc like they do now.
PROS:
- "Fill" doesn't become synonymous with "Support" (drawback of the current Draft system) because it happens in the lobby phase not the matchmaking phase
- Players don't have to fight to type in a role fast, it's already entered and displayed
- Players default to their next preferred role automatically, so you always get your most preferred role when possible
- Still allows the full timer to discuss, plan, and trade
- Simple to understand once in lobby
CONS:
- Since picking roles before you enter queue is something that's happened with Draft Pick for a while now, there's a high chance people will assume that Fill and Support as a higher up pick will result in them always getting Support. This would need to be a huge teaching point to prevent Fill/Support from being bottom picks all the time
- More complexity before the game starts, especially to new players who don't know what these roles are. This could possibly be solved with tooltips at the start and a "Random Order" button to shuffle things up.
If you want to add to the concept/discussion, think I missed anything or simply want to show your support for a new "standard" champion select experience, make your voice heard!
