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A nightmare for IronStylus: why Narrative shouldn't treat the lore as a blank slate.

CupcakeTrap·12/2/2014, 3:09:31 AM·48 votes·4,126 views

http://ddragon.leagueoflegends.com/cdn/img/champion/splash/Leona_0.jpg

So far, Narrative is treating the lore largely as a blank slate. Though I hate to disturb the tranquility of our beloved Parrot Sovereign, IronStylus, here I will risk doing so in order to illustrate why Narrative's "blank slate" attitude is problematic.

Shock Reveals: Great for new content, terrible for rewrites and retcons

The blank slate attitude goes hand in hand with Narrative's favorite toy: the shock reveal.

A shock reveal slams new content down without warning, and (obviously) also without any prior discussion with the community. That's fine for brand new material, including material that continues a prior storyline, or fleshes out in greater detail events that are already established. Want to write a story about Ezreal sneaking off to spy on Noxus? Go for it. Make it a shock reveal if you like. Same for putting out a story that illustrates Xin Zhao's escape from the arena, or a new music video, or some awesome artwork of established events.

However, because shock reveals (by their very nature) preclude any possibility of meaningful community engagement—community interaction that happens early enough in the development process to meaningfully affect it—they are deeply inappropriate for rewrites and retcons that tear up the foundations of League's lore rather than building upon them.

Incoming: lots of new material, likely full of retcons and rewrites, likely coming by shock reveal

In a recent thread, IronStylus confirmed my suspicions that Narrative is working on a truly massive block of new lore, which I expect will invoke massive rewrites of existing characters and settings, launched by shock reveal with no prior community input:

As for communication, our team is dealing with NEARLY the amount of information, story and world building that Narrative is creating. I do not envy their task.

If Narrative persists in its present MO—retcon of established lore by shock reveal—then "more lore inc" is anything but reassuring.

A parrot-lord's nightmare: what if Narrative went after Leona?

Imagine how people would feel if one day they logged in and Leona was redone as a growling Noxian with black armor. But still called Leona. Imagine the shock and dismay of all those people in the community who'd drawn Leona artwork, or written Leona lore, seeing their devotion to the character nullified. Now imagine these people logging in to ask "WHY?!?!" and seeing Narrative post something like, "oh, gosh, we're sorry about that, but we hope you'll enjoy telling new stories with our new Leona, who we think is a much more interesting character. (We felt that Mount Targon was really constraining her, and that she'll have much more interesting story opportunities as a Noxian.) Stay tuned! We've got tons of new Leona lore coming, and I think you'll really enjoy it. I wish I could share more, but it's all under wraps, haha." I think you can imagine that there might be a lot of monitors with keyboards shoved through them that day, and a lot of community artists sobbing over their tablets.

Leona is one Champion. An awesome Champion, but one Champion.

Multiply accordingly and you'll understand why we're not exactly happy with Narrative's "assurances" that they're writing lots of lore, and we'll be so "excited" when it all comes out.

And if you don't think that Narrative is making such drastic changes, well, I hope you're right. (Leona is in some ways a poor example: they'd never order a full VO rework of her. But many of these beloved Champions from League's older days are slated for such a rework, and could easily suffer that sort of fate.) But so far, they show essentially zero concern for the damage they do. They're treating an established, organic universe as a blank slate, ripping up pieces and stabbing new components down into the foundations without any regard for the damage they do to the community in the process. This approach is fundamentally flawed and has us very, very anxious.

Meaningful community engagement

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VsiKOJOXMJU We're Trundle and Karma, woooooaaaaahhhhh! Let's say that Narrative were to see such horrible visions in their nightmares and, sweat upon their clammy brows, immediately phone IronStylus to tell him they weren't going to retcon Leona into a Noxian after all.

"What are you talking about? Of course you aren't! Oh, you guys," he might jovially reply.

"But wait!" Narrative might next proclaim, in this increasingly unlikely tale, "Is that not what we are about to do to so many other Champions? How shall we avert this terrible nightmare? Speak comfort to us, community!"

Here is my prescription.

  • Recognize that you do not have a great track record for predicting what the community would say, if you asked them. (Recall that Dev Blog post announcing the Great Retcon? One thing that came out was the "reassurance" that they had definitely considered all the points people were making in the comments. There was a trial before the League and Summoners were sentenced to oblivion—just a trial in absentia. This predictably failed to soothe us.) So get the genuine article: come talk with us.
  • If you're thinking about rewriting a major established story element, stop and reconsider. "I think it might be a liiiittle better if…" is not a sufficient rationale. That's all fine when you're still at the drawing board, sketching out a brand new universe. Once the universe goes live, retcons should be highly disfavored. "Meh, Vayne really should be from Piltover instead of Demacia" is the sort of thought that should be followed with, "but whatever, let's just write in a connection to Piltover for her, instead of trashing her whole background."
  • Give us some indication of what Champions, settings, and other story elements are up for retcons. Do a rework thread similar to the threads that Champions get prior to gameplay reworks or VUs. Tell us what you're thinking, and ask us what we think. The decision is still yours at the end of the day, but at least give people who are in the path of your bulldozer a chance to make their case.

But enough about Narrative, because we know they're going to "Bah! HUMBUG!" this thread and go back to planning their shock rewrites.

To the community

Let's plan for the worst and hope for the best. Keep reminding Narrative that they could turn over a new leaf anytime. In the meantime, get ready for the storm. Develop community lore. Write fiction. Draw art. Devise community theories about the lore. Create vividly and unapologetically. If you want to write stories about the League and Summoners, do it—and support each other. Walk around Runeterra like you own the place. If someone tells you you've been retconned, laugh and keep on summoning.

76 Comments

Finnical12/2/2014, 3:22:13 AM16 votes

My membership in the Institute of War will never be revoked, I will be a Summoner regardless of Riot's behavior. Let the League of Legends never die, and may the league of mobility/adc's/retcons eventually be seen as a mistake leading to a glorious return to form.

I want a surprise revert.

Starlighte12/2/2014, 7:21:00 PM10 votes

You know, every day I log onto my computer, open Chrome, pull open red tracker and S@20 and hope that I've been living some awful nightmare this entire time, or at the very least that Riot would pull a Finales Funkeln (and meet the community halfway).

But they haven't, and each day that goes by I lose more and more faith from the Narrative team over this retcon. Not only that, but what has changed since 3 years ago beyond the retcon? Narrative still barely talks to us, especially about things of actual substance. CT you've articulated this point far more eloquently than I ever could have. They really only care about shock reveals, because they think that is better or more interesting, meanwhile those of us who claim to be "dedicated _____ mains" all dread the day that Narrative will lay their gaze on our champions all "Eye of Sauron" style.

Seriously, I hope they finally start re-engaging the community on this topic. I can't tell you how frustrating it is to hear Jaredan continue saying "the retcon is here to stay, and we aren't having this conversation anymore." It's what you would expect to hear when you're 15, telling your parents that a 8:30PM bedtime is unreasonable for several different reasons, and they KNOW they're losing the argument so they just throw their weight around and close the dialogue.

My hope for Narrative to really engage the community in meaningful dialogue about direction, or lack thereof, is ebbing on a daily basis. Before long of this I'm just going to stop caring about lore. And I rue the day that happens.

DG Ashabel12/2/2014, 7:24:28 PM7 votes

Imagine how people would feel if one day they logged in and Leona was redone as a growling Noxian with black armor.

This example goes too far, considering that the retcon already threw Leona off the rails.

Consider this: with the Solari destroyed, the public spotlight offered by the Institute was a major contribution to Leona's state of mind. As the only remaining public figure of her religion, she needed to remain a gentle and compassionate paragon because her actions would now be the only thing to remember the Solari by. The Institute therefore offered a reason for her to stay on her path, and it provided a neutral ground for her to interact with Diana and therefore for their relationship to grow.

Now that the Institute is gone, my bets are that the lore team will rewrite Leona into a morose avatar of solar vengeance who is chasing Diana around with a sword.

OuttaControl5612/2/2014, 7:13:52 AM7 votes

Yeah. They haven't taken Leona and turned her into a Noxian. The messed with Skarner and Shurima, I guess, but thats unfinished business that can't be judged. (Yet. If they take another two years to update then I have an issue with the Lore). Your attitude towards what has occurred to the lore is a purist approach, no change or new development that the Narrative has produced has made you happy. Which sucks.

I thought the Sion lore would have been interesting to you. Or the Harrowing lore to be a nice breath of fresh air compared to a year ago. But apparently even these nice developments aren't enough. Remember last year, when the last time a Rioter had posted on the lore forums was about a year ago? I'd say community engagement has increased. As 'Meaningful' community engagement, I'm confused of what you mean by this. What would be meaningful to you? Thats subjective, if anything.

LANWhale12/2/2014, 5:11:28 AM6 votes

In Summoners we trust. Besides that though i'm glad some one has posted something like this, usually people only post how bad the retcon was without saying how Narrative should of handled it. Any ways I believe in you CupcakeTrap and my are woes be heard. In CupkaceTrap we trust.

Fried Noob12/2/2014, 6:03:40 PM4 votes

Your fears seem really baseless, to the point that you have to make up a ludicrous example to explain your point. We have one full lore of a previous champion and it is a vast improvement while maintaining his identity. They made it so that Sion was a badass leader that was resurrected as a living symbol of Noxian ideals that turned him into an undead monster. Compared to the old lore that was interchangeable with Urgot's, they kept his identity while sprucing up the lore. They did not, as you are stating with your dumb Leona example, make him a cowardly Demacian spirit.

Narasimha12/2/2014, 7:08:27 PM4 votes

Out of curiosity, did you find a way for Rek to fit in the League? And lets not go down the "She was captured route", thats a dead end already. Though it does raise some interesting questions as to how she could even be captured in the first place.

Chromatic Eagle12/2/2014, 12:32:50 PM2 votes

I'm not sure you should be speaking for IS's (probably going to regret that initial) state of mind. I don't think they're going to rewrite Leona considering her lore is one of the least attached to the League, besides her judgment. Yes, IS could publically say he's ok with a rewrite but be crying on the inside, but he seems like a flexible guy. He might be able to provide some input or even ask the fans how we see her. He's done that for Taric and Poppy so far.