Shared splash-arts and Skin Lines

DeathBurst·May 5, 2016·4 votes·3,317 views

Hey, I was curious about something.

Until now, as far as I can tell, most Skins with a shared splash (e.g. Slaughter Fleet) are the only skins of their line, whereas the recurring Skin Lines with lots of releases (e.g. Bloodmoon) have almost always individual splashes.

So what's the process? How does the skin team decide if a splash should be shared or not, and how do you decide to extend a one-off skin/skin group into a true line with multiple releases over time?

10 Comments

RiotmoonstonesMay 26, 20163 votes

Hi hi!

We utilize a shared splash when there's a group of skins related to one thematic coming out in the same patch. Some examples of that would include Warden, Marauder, last year's Pool Party, as well as the upcoming wrestling skins. The splash has more potential to be more creative and more dynamic as a whole - it's more of a piece of art (and IMO makes for a cooler wallpaper, but that's not part of the decision. ;3)

In most cases, we try to give 975+ RP skins their own splash when possible. Last year, we felt the Pool Party skins would work well together and made for a more interesting, cohesive splash, and some of you guys agreed, and some didn't. It's feedback we've taken and have considered for future splash art.

As far as continuing skin lines, it's a matter of strong thematics that we feel could work on other champions, or thematics that players gravitate to or really enjoy - Pool Party, Snowdown, PROJECT, for example. PROJECT: Yasuo was the first PROJECT skin and players loved the idea, and even went as far to create more PROJECT concepts for different champions.

Speaking in terms of release cadence over time, it really depends on the other content we're releasing in the year. There are some events we can't move skins for - holiday stuff like Valentine's Day, or if we did more Pool Party, we'd want to release it somewhere in the summer months.

DeathBurstMay 26, 20161 votes

Hey, thank you, I wasn't expecting an answer anymore ^^

So to recap:

shared splashes for cheap skin released together, or if there is a good opportunity to make something great
decision to extend a line not related to the splash being shared or not

And for instance:

we could get a shared splash with various Blood Moon champs if the opportunity arises?
we could get more one-off skins in the Beasthunter or Gothic Singed/Nocturne line if the thematic resonate with another champ?

RiotmoonstonesMay 26, 20163 votes

So to recap:

shared splashes for cheap skin released together, or if there is a good opportunity to make something great decision to extend a line not related to the splash being shared or not

Pretty much, yeah.

we could get a shared splash with various Blood Moon champs if the opportunity arises?

Certainly not out of the question.

we could get more one-off skins in the Beasthunter or Gothic Singed/Nocturne line if the thematic resonate with another champ?

Yes! We are never opposed to adding more skins to a specific line.

Side note: You may sometimes see bits of previous champions in an existing skin line make an appearance in the splash of new skins in the line - Like El Tigre Braum in the audience in the new Lucha skin splash -

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/rSpMj1V581w/maxresdefault.jpg

DeathBurstMay 26, 20161 votes

Eh, nice easter egg, didn't notice it before ^^

RiotmoonstonesMay 26, 20163 votes

(We also teased Braum in this splash - the poro with the mustache!)

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/da/fb/5f/dafb5f9cdf5f8852709a149c99e8e73a.jpg

Forbidden SirenMay 26, 20162 votes

There's one skin I felt confusing when sharing a splash art and that's Surprise Party Amumu. I thought it was kind of disrespectful that he didn't get his own splash for a 1350 RP skin, let alone being very tiny in a shared splash art. Granted, it's a great splash art and it portrayed Amumu well of being left out of the party but I still find it awkward that he's not prominent compared to the other 1350 skin in that art (Definitely Not Udyr)

RiotmoonstonesMay 26, 20163 votes

Totally valid feedback! You're right in that it was part of the thematic that we were going with, but I understand your perspective that he didn't get a ton of love in terms of being a higher tier skin.

SukishooMay 29, 20162 votes

I still find it awkward that he's not prominent compared to the other 1350 skin in that art (Definitely Not Udyr)

Definitely Not Udyr is 975 not 1350

Forbidden SirenMay 29, 20161 votes

Regardless, he's still heavily prominent in the splash art compared to Amumu who is tiny in the splash for his high price tag.

Heinous BearclawMay 29, 20161 votes

While we're on the general topic, can you give us any information concerning the Crimson Elite skins? Given that it's been several years since receiving any news on that front, can we safely assume this particular theme has been officially abandoned, and can be considered dead and buried?

I don't mean to be rude, but I feel that if there aren't any plans to continue the line, then I think skin owners should be offered the chance for a refund. These skins were originally marketed as being a counterpart to the Commando line, after all - but that obviously never panned out. Plus, the two extant skins no longer seem up to snuff in terms of model and texture quality - not to mention, they've never really had much similarity to each other nor thematic cohesion to begin with.