Boards›Story, Art, & Sound

So Riot just hates Sejuani, right?

Voidac·2/4/2016, 11:05:03 PM·124 votes·10,749 views
http://na.leagueoflegends.com/sites/default/files/upload/beastslayer_splash_1920x1080.jpg

I don't even play Sejuani. I've also never really had a problem with League splash arts before. But in this splash, Sejuani doesn't even feel like part of the group of Beast Hunters. When I first saw the splash, I thought it was a pretty cool action shot. Tryndamere and Draven have finally spun their weapons fast enough to achieve flight, hanging in sweet action poses... and Sejuani is just... down there. Her flail somehow magically extended even though that's CLEARLY not the weapon she uses or how she even uses it.

To be fair, if Riot had given any other champion this treatment, I'd still be nettled all the same. If Trynd or Draven were shoved off to the side, I'd be like wtf. Now, it wouldn't be so bad but... she's not even in a "cool action pose". She's just holding on to a chain... She's the champion who dashes in on a boar and smashes everything up! She should be beating down a beast with her flail... not using it as depicted in the splash. Not only is this an insult to the champion, but to the people who play her. Sejuani is an awesome character who literally gives no fucks. The whole point of the character is "peace is another word for weakness" so you can be damn sure she'd be beating the living hell out of something... but just holding it down for the two manly men to slice up.

You see what I'm getting at here? If Brand was part of a splash and you shoved him in the back corner, I'd be absolutely fucking livid. Sejuani deserves the same respect and so do the people who play her. Another issue I have is her face. No real emotion, just a frown and that big ridiculous horn. Look at Draven and Trynd, they're having a hell of a time. She almost looks pissed about not being the one to be smashing the life out of whatever the hell they're attacking.

I'm not trying to make this about "oh, woman aren't portrayed well in videogames" because I think that's bullshit. Do you see the two guys in this splash? By that logic, they aren't displayed well either. No, there's nothing wrong with an attractive VIDEO GAME CHARACTER. This isn't what I'm complaining about. I'm complaining about the sheer disrespect for Sejuani. She's almost part of the background of the splash when she should be the subject matter just like Trynd and Draaaven.

Another splash I remember having issue with was Corsair Quinn, who happens to be one of my favorite champs... and she's just sitting on a box in the background.

An example of a splash like this done right is the Academy splash. Each champion is displayed well and in their full glory. Ahri and her nine tails, Vlad and Ekko and their combined swag, and Darius bein' all badass. Ekko is obviously in the back, but he's clearly presented and not part of the background.

http://na.leagueoflegends.com/sites/default/files/styles/scale_xlarge/public/upload/academy_skins_splash_final_1920.jpg?itok=BGm6KB0U

92 Comments

Solerian2/4/2016, 11:16:24 PM54 votes

Huge respect to everything in this post, from the arguments about what a proper group splash is to the portrayal of the characters.

I've always hated group splashes because I feel they deserve an individual splash (look at how great Sweetheart Sona is, despite being in a series). I think if Riot wants to continue this trend, each character needs to be clearly defined.

Vera2/4/2016, 11:09:41 PM36 votes

The splash is rubbish when you consider its primary goal is to showcase the champions and their... you know, skins.

skullzx72/5/2016, 5:24:24 AM30 votes

Welp, they Sejuani'd Sejuani's new skin, hows that for ironic?

Dominick Destine2/4/2016, 11:29:08 PM25 votes

Sejuani has been despised by Riot for a long time.

Even the in-game model looks pretty flimsy.

Raven Redeemed2/5/2016, 1:03:23 AM16 votes

Might agree with the Sej thing, but Ekko...

He got more swag than the rest of academy combined! Just look at dem kicks!

Baron of Bread2/5/2016, 4:11:41 AM15 votes

The first time I saw this splash I didn't even see Sejuani. I thought "Cool, Sej is going to get her own splash." Now I am just sad.

To be fair, she is taking up roughly the same amount of space as Tryndamere if you include Bristle as part of Sejuani. The real problem is probably the lack of vibrant colors for her. Trynd has his bright yellows and blues while Draven takes up half the splash and has a lot of purple-red. Sej is mostly blue-gray with some yellows that are muted by the shadow from the beast.

Maybe if they moved the beast's shadow a bit they could make Sej and Bristle more vibrant and eye-catching so the spotlight isn't entirely taken by Trynd and Draaaaven.

TRock152/4/2016, 11:09:49 PM12 votes

ya know what? she does look like part of the background doesn't she?

jQuery2/5/2016, 10:38:12 AM11 votes

It is really baffling how is the most space in this splash art, taken up by an element that is non-existing in the game!

CarameI Frappe2/5/2016, 1:03:59 AM9 votes

The reason why I didn't buy her skin is because of the splash.

Granted, certain champions are worth getting along with certain skins because in-game, they look amazing despite the splash being meh. Here, both the splash and Sej's skin looks ... mediocre. Like, Riot felt like she needed a skin but didn't put as much effort into either project. I'd be like if all the Project characters were placed in a video, and you saw them in action, seeing Zed Fiora Lucian MasterYi animated is so cool but they never included Leona apart from showing her sword laying on the floor. Oh wait that did happen >_> ...

That's the vibe I got when seeing this splash art. Treat each character with dignity and respect please Riot.

AMYS GRAVE2/5/2016, 5:31:54 AM9 votes

I mean, they nerfed her after cinderhulk to take her out of the spotlight almost a year ago. I guess it's working.

revliledpembroke2/5/2016, 6:20:03 AM5 votes

I've pretty much hated every group splash, ever since Pentakill got moved from their individual splashes to the group one. Mainly because, well, it's so hard to see what's going on with the one specific character in you have 4 or 5 others you are looking at in the picture, and that's without the now nigh impossible to see background stuff.

Monkey D Luffy2/5/2016, 9:14:39 AM5 votes

Sej isn't even in a bad state...

KoKoboto2/5/2016, 11:31:50 AM5 votes

They should've made another splashart for these set of skins, one focused on Sejuani than Tryndamere still in the middle than Draven would be in the background. So if you use Draven you see him and you are always able to see Tryndamere, if you use Sejuani you'd actually be able to see her in the splashart. I understand Riot wanted to make a dynamic splashart and I will say that the concept is cool but putting a champion that far into the background is lame.

Captain Aishi2/5/2016, 5:24:09 PM5 votes

what I find particularly sad about that splash art is that sejuani's loading screen icon is a zoomed in version of the splash, so it looks super low-res compared to the others because they had to zoom in on it so it would take the correct amount of space for a loading screen...

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4bL0yxG2QvQ/Vp_iubLymhI/AAAAAAAA3HI/QpZbdx02oTk/s1600/Sejuani_6.jpg

compared to draven

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SJPUVS-RBvw/Vp_iuYT_kPI/AAAAAAAA3HE/PsJZM93j-TM/s1600/Draven_5.jpg

Sahn Uzal2/5/2016, 11:54:07 AM4 votes

In Sejuani's defense, Draven does not have a spine and Tryndamere is the allmighty lord of derp. Sej may only be a small part of the picture, but small Sej does Sej some favor. summoner 31

KING OF MASKS2/5/2016, 8:47:44 AM4 votes

Eh, I think Corsair Quinn is forgivable just because everyone in that splash is just kinda hanging out (EDIT: Except Malphite, didn't realize they edited him in).

I dunno... OP raises some good points, but I just don't care about splashes unless it's a skin I really really like. For example, if for some ungodly reason they "updated" Rugged Garen's splash to some bullshit garbage fucking goddamn action pose filth, I would get on a flight to LA and start a 24-hour picketing of rito's offices. But if (hypothetically) Rogue Admiral Garen was shoved into the corner of its splash (where Quinn is), I wouldn't really care.

Hellioning2/6/2016, 3:02:11 AM3 votes

Oh, yeah. As a big Sej player, I got really annoyed when I saw that splash.

SoMNia2/5/2016, 9:33:03 AM3 votes

Yeah, it's really weird that she's only 1/8 of the splash and looks like part of the background. I know Draven is...Draven, but does he need half of the image? This is pretty absurd. Even just the head of the "beast" they're hunting takes up twice as much space as her.

On another note, I actually really like this skin for her.

Gapybo2/5/2016, 2:29:57 PM3 votes

I think you are extremely overreacting here. The splash art tells a story and it's extremely hard to cramp 3 champions into one splash but they managed to do it well. Especially since Sejuani's boar is huge. I would understand your concern if her loading image was that tiny but it isn't. You don't see the splash art anywhere but on the champion page. You obviously have 0 idea how hard it is to make a good composition for these artworks. Would you prefer if they all stand in a line like a bunch of dummies? How does that represent their theme? This is not riot disrespecting Sejuani. It's them trying to represent the skins and their theme in an original way so stop spewing bullshit.

Rozair2/5/2016, 3:19:29 PM3 votes

I want that reksai skin

Cyraken2/5/2016, 6:42:55 PM3 votes

I agree with all of that but I'm also tired of boob-plate and of every woman having the same stick-thin body time. It makes more sense for a woman, a WAR LEADER like Sejuani to be strong and buff, have more of an Illaoi body type. Actually, with a character like a champion of league of legends -each super human in their own way-, 'lingerie super model' should be the exception, left to a few champions like Ahri, evelyn, and miss fortune, and buff bad ass should be the rule.

Aeszarck2/5/2016, 3:52:40 AM2 votes

I don't especially like how small Sejuani is in the splash, but I'm glad she's at least getting a new skin. A small mention is better than none at all, and though her presence in the splash art looks minimal (even though she's actually doing the most work (at least in my opinion)), I think the actual skin she got looks really cool.

But yeah, champions shouldn't be stuffed in corners unless there's a <really> clear reason to do so.

Also, I thought Corsair Quinn was fine, and played just as much of a role in the art as the other two (three) champions. Out of the three (four) skins in the portrat, she actually caught my eye the most. She looked quite beautiful, honestly.

THESuperStuntMan2/5/2016, 2:11:44 PM2 votes

I didn't even notice; you've got a good point. I personally got caught up in Draven missing half his body.

Deus Imperator2/5/2016, 7:23:20 PM2 votes

I already got poro raider sejuani, is this monster hunter skin even worth buying over that?

Lechet2/5/2016, 5:45:29 AM2 votes

While it's a really great piece of art, I don't think this is a good skin splash for any of them. You can barely make out any of the actual skins. The only one you can even kind of see is Tryn's, Draven's in too bad a position for you to get a good look at it, and Sej is just nonexistent. I literally didn't even notice she was in it until I watched the little trailer video for it.

I'm not a big fan of group splash arts in general but this is one of the worst.

Ralfazar2/5/2016, 1:29:40 PM2 votes

Man WTF why is her weapon STILL a chunk of ICE?! Have NONE of the devs even played any of the Monster Hunter games?! Make it a chunk of BONE gods damnit, if you're going to copy another games take at least do it RIGHT for EVERY CHAMPION.

PapaGreg212/5/2016, 4:34:01 PM1 votes

Positives

  • Love the skin and the loading screen splash is still pretty good.
  • Good value for 750 rp (I bought it)
  • Shared splashes let Riot share resources so they can make more skins

Negatives

  • Don't like shared splashes
  • Definitely feels like a "where's waldo" scenario with Sejuani in the picture
  • Sejuani not only has been overnerfed and can be labeled as a "worse amumu" but she is currently one of the few late game champs in a meta where games are over quickly
Elijah Prophet2/5/2016, 11:38:37 PM1 votes

But in this splash, Sejuani doesn't even feel like part of the group of Beast Hunters.

I did't read past this line. There are three hunters in this picture, and Sejuani is CLEARLY one of them, right there LASSOING A GOD DAMN GIGANTIC BIRD so the other two hunters can put in work. Are you seriously complaining that Sejuani isn't in the foreground of the picture or something....? Some team of artists probably spent hours creating this and you just spent all that time just to shit on it? Get over yourself man. Possibly dumbest post I've ever seen.