Boards›Story, Art, & Sound

@Jaredan - Thank You

Valaran Nara··47 votes·5,331 views

Thank you for revealing who the narrative lead is (you). Thank you for communicating with the lore fans. Thank you for diving head first into a pit full of vipers and flesh eating scarabs to clear up the tumult that has arisen since the start of "The Great Retcon." Despite the personal incidents you had to go through, you're still following up on your promise to speak more to us and to provide context on the world of Runeterra.

I know, despite your best efforts, some people will still be critical, rejecting most of what you say and countering with "...but the old lore!" Regardless, you gave us insight in what the future may come for the lore, or, at the very least, you gave us your plans on how to bring everything together. While I would have LOVED if TF was the gambler in The River King's teaser, I'm even more glad that it was a random person in the world of Valoran. That means, more people who can actually support a story as opposed to every champion having to become a minor character to bring all other stories together. Not only that, but it also means TF still may have a chance encounter with RK. Two different gamblers, but two VERY different outcomes.

So, all in all, I just wanted to let you know there is at least 1 person out there who appreciates your efforts. Keep up the good work!

37 Comments

KING OF MASKS11 votes

Really? We're all going to be supportive of Jaredan now? Have we forgotten that it's been nearly a year with almost zero substantial story content, with the sole exception of Sion (not nearly enough to make up for the massive void)? We've been waiting for more than 10 months, for Christ's sake. It's unforgivable, inexcusable, unjustifiable. I realize that it's not 100% Jaredan's fault, but frankly he's said enough stunningly stupid things in the interim for me to doubt not only his competence as a writer, but also whether or not this lore drought can ever be fully reversed.

So no, I don't appreciate his "efforts" (considering he and the rest of narrative have nothing to show for them) -- and I would also hesitate to call whatever work he's been doing for the past year or so "good," considering we have no idea whether it's shit or not.

This post will probably be downvoted to oblivion, but I think at least some cynicism needs to be injected into this thread.

Sharjo4 votes

The post is unlikely to get downvoted to oblivion, since it's already getting a decent number of upvotes, but regardless I'm gonna stick to the old saying:

"Better late than never."

He's here now, he came and explained stuff, now we see where it goes.

Dextix LT1 votes

You mean he said SOON(tm) and that is explanation? Alright.....

Sneak Dog6 votes

Trundle got removed over two years ago. I'm still waiting for Riot to properly justify that. Heck, Jaredan even stated he disagrees with the one reason I was given for his removal.

I don't like Riots approach to lore whatsoever, but I do think that Reborn, Unbound and Arisen were well written. I'd call them good. I just have no intention of really caring about it if I need to keep in mind that these characters could just get retconned tomorrow.

Jaredan is a person though. He isn't Riot. I appreciate that this person has the courage to talk to us. To tank all the negativity we're throwing at him for what he represents. He isn't perfect, he isn't consistent, he avoids certain topics, but he seems to try and he seems to care. That is what I appreciate.

Valaran Nara4 votes

[{quoted}](name=KING OF MASKS,realm=NA,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=mv75AIXh,comment-id=0004,timestamp=2015-06-22T19:47:50.927+0000)

This is a thanks not because he did a good job the entire time. It's a thank you for, at least, being here now.

yes there's a void. yes, there is no excuse that has NOT been used already. Even NARRATIVE knows that it fucked up, but to continuously batter them will not help.

It's like a rager in game who will cuss and swear and belittle everyone. Doing so will NOT make the game go by better. It will NOT improve your team's performance, and it will certainly NOT help you avoid the Ban system.

We are all fully aware of what's WRONG. I'm bringing attention to what's being done RIGHT and that SOON tm may actually be coming sooner.

Dextix LT4 votes

IF you give them a meter, they will take a mile.

Riots narrative team has shown over and over again, that they have completely lost their touch with the community an the lore itself. IF we let down and say "Ah dont worry, its all ok, we can wait" They wont shit out any lore for a long time.

They PROMISED US! Changes after retcon! Yet these promises still havent been done.

They wouldnt receive such a backlash if they communicated with us in the first place and used their goddamn logic that mother nature gave them, because they were working like they were in their own cookoo land.

Valaran Nara2 votes

[{quoted}](name=Dextix LT,realm=EUNE,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=mv75AIXh,comment-id=000400020000,timestamp=2015-06-23T05:48:24.166+0000)

If you're going to be negative about it all, at least be kind enough to surmise every reason you have to distrust Jaredan and narrative in one post, or just make a counter thread. Every last one of us already knows about the "Soon tm". We already know about what should be 10 months of silence occurring right now. We know of the distrust for everyone. We understand EVERYTHING. Narrative has been given a bunch of negativity during the entirety of those 10 months. I am personally sick and tired of reading, "Soon tm". I'm sick and tired of people bashing Narrative 24/7. Yes, they made a promise. No, they weren't able to fulfill it in a timing we would have ALL preferred, but gosh darn it man, let us at least have 1 thread, bloody ONE where we can be nice. Where we can all get along. Where we can be positive, away from all the cynicism, and anger, and hatred.

What you said in this thread and your arguments are the same exact ones we as a community have heard thousands of times before since things went terribly wrong. I've been watching every single red post that's been dropping into the Story & Art boards. Jaredan is the second person of Narrative to actually stick around as of recently. And I said narrative. Not logistics. Not gameplay development. It says "Narrative." Even though I appreciated it, I did NOT see much when it was only Fauxschizzle a NEW guy. It's somebody who has been here since pre-retcon who identified himself as the lead. Someone, we didn't even think existed. This is not me kissing ass. This is me being optimistic that something may finally happen because the LEAD said so. Not because somebody within a different department did.

Because as of right now. It's either "be optimistic and get excited" or "This shit just isn't happening," and gripe like usual.

I don't like griping.

Dextix LT3 votes

Im sorry, but i cannot be optimistic when i was being lied to by the team that wants our trust now. I cannot be optimistic when they ignore us and do anything they want.

I would be happy and would support them, IF THEY DESERVED IT!

They do not deserve any positive reinforcement. They are the ones that started this shit, that started this mess with their inablity to talk.

You say that we know everything, but now we just have to forget all of what they did to us because their lead said another SOON(tm) message? No. We should not forget, we should make narrative to keep their promises, to keep their job up.

If we wont make them work, who will? If we wont keep them in line. WHO WILL? THey have proved time and time again, that they cannot be trusted with anything without supervision.

There is optimism, and then there is blind optimism. You are using the latter, where you ignore every bad thing done by these corporate suits and would shuffle everything under the rug.

Valaran Nara1 votes

[{quoted}](name=Dextix LT,realm=EUNE,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=mv75AIXh,comment-id=00040002000000000000,timestamp=2015-06-23T14:48:29.605+0000)

Okay, instead of a long drawn out response. I'll ask a simple question with a few bits of added context.

How are we going to make sure narrative keep their promise by yelling if we've done so for the past 9 months? They gave us some small things like Arise, Ekko's comic, all those "nice things". We will still gripe and complain. How do we make them work and get that "End Goal" that we are searching for?

Dextix LT1 votes

Thast the point, they gave us small things. But what they destroyed was a huge universe with a lot of story. They did not replace that. And i doubt that they ever will with releases like ekko which explain next to nothing about a champion.

There are suggestion. First one is voting with our vallets. Meaning not buying RP, until narrative start working.

Other is writing a petition to Riot and Communicating with the higher ups of the company.

Third. Convince the higher ups of riot that lore is a good investment and will bring them cash because lets face it, riot cares mostly about that.

Sneak Dog1 votes

Jaredan is a 'higher up', isn't he? He also states narrative has been very busy reorganising, hiring and 'levelling up'.

Dextix LT1 votes

Hes in narrative, when i wrote higher ups i meant someone higher than the narrative team, which can make them work.

Sneak Dog1 votes

That... sounds contradicting. You want someone outside of narrative to tell narrative what to do so it becomes better? Wouldn't that make it worse, seeing how the person would be out of touch with narrative?

Isn't it less risky to convince Jaredan what the good way to go about lore is? He is from narrative and seems reasonable to me. If he is doing wrong, then with the right arguments he should be able to see that.

Dextix LT1 votes

HA! YOu really think that the narrative team cares about any kind of community response or interaction? Have you seen what they were writing here? Have you forgotten that they just retconned the lore WITH NO INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY?

It is too late and useless to speak to that narrative team. They have their own god complex and refuse to see their own fck ups and think that all they do is the best.

The only way to make them work, is to force them. I dont want someone outside of narrative to tell them what to do. I want that someone to use his power to make them do their jobs, either it would be sacking people for their inability to work or lessening of their wages until they do their work.

We tried communicating with narrative, for over 8 months now. It did not work. Time to find other ways.

Sneak Dog1 votes

They do not deserve any positive reinforcement. They are the ones that started this shit, that started this mess with their inablity to talk.

Jaredan deserves the positive reinforcement for communicating with us. Just because narrative is doing a lot wrong (in our eyes at least), doesn't mean everything they do is wrong.

You say that we know everything, but now we just have to forget all of what they did to us because their lead said another SOON(tm) message?

If you've given up on their lore entirely, you could probably spend your time better than with being on these forums. Your presence here indicates to me that you still care and still have hope, however little. You should be welcoming Riot attempting to better itself, yet remain critical.

Oh, and you can drop the tm. There'll be something in a month:

Thankfully, it seems we have finally got a solution in place and you'll be seeing the fruits of that development within the next month when we'll be releasing some stuff (stuff = things I can't spoil) that will take advantage of the new tech capability.

Don't think this thread ignores all the bad Riots done. This thread simply focuses on some good they're doing.

Dextix LT3 votes

Jaredan deserves the positive reinforcement for communicating with us. Just because narrative is doing a lot wrong (in our eyes at least), doesn't mean everything they do is wrong.

He communicates, but does he say anything real? His messages are like these "Thanks for feedback" and stuff like that, and this basically means "I dont care" by narrative language. Do they ever listen to our feedback?

If you've given up on their lore entirely, you could probably spend your time better than with being on these forums. Your presence here indicates to me that you still care and still have hope, however little. You should be welcoming Riot attempting to better itself, yet remain critical.

Riot isnt attempting to better themselves, they are just fixing their fck ups. Thats not the same. They do not akcnowledge that they fcked up collosally and that the new lore is worse than the old one.

I have hope in the lore, not in the team that makes it. The only hope i have, is the new writer they hired which know what he is doing, but the others deserve nothing.

Don't think this thread ignores all the bad Riots done. This thread simply focuses on some good they're doing.

Read the thread. It isnt focusing, it is blind ass kissing and ignoring of their fck ups and also bashes were taken at the old lore and people who liked it.

Sneak Dog3 votes

He communicates, but does he say anything real? His messages are like these "Thanks for feedback" and stuff like that, and this basically means "I dont care" by narrative language. Do they ever listen to our feedback?

Yeah it's been real. He says things, discusses things, explains reasonings. Heck:

What you will see in a month is a response to feedback, including that on these boards, about

That is from one of his posts.

Riot isnt attempting to better themselves, they are just fixing their fck ups. Thats not the same. They do not akcnowledge that they fcked up collosally and that the new lore is worse than the old one.

They don't agree that the new lore is worse. Right now, it obviously is, but that is because the new lore has very little content.

Read the thread. It isnt focusing, it is blind ass kissing and ignoring of their fck ups and also bashes were taken at the old lore and people who liked it.

Now you're just flaming.

Dextix LT1 votes

Yeah it's been real. He says things, discusses things, explains reasonings.

Of course its "real". He indeed says things. But like a politician with many words he says nothing of content.

That is from one of his posts.

What i see here is another promise, you guys really like to be fed promises huh?

They don't agree that the new lore is worse. Right now, it obviously is, but that is because the new lore has very little content.

It obviously is, but narrative team will never admit that and will never admit that they fcked up with the retcon. That is another thing i hate them for. Its that arrogance.

Now you're just flaming.

No, i just took my pink glasses off and read without them.

I know, despite your best efforts, some people will still be critical, rejecting most of what you say and countering with "...but the old lore!"

Bashes at the people which actually want lore and not whatever is coming out now.

Regardless, you gave us insight in what the future may come for the lore, or, at the very least, you gave us your plans on how to bring everything together.

Never happened. They didnt say what is the future of the lore or gave ANY kind of plans on ANYTHING.

Despite the personal incidents you had to go through, you're still following up on your promise to speak more to us and to provide context on the world of Runeterra.

Speaks only on some threads while ignoring others, ignoring those who have more upvotes, more views, more ideas.

Narrative likes to fck naive people like you. I was once naive like you. But they use this for their advantage to keep bullshiting you.

kitcat3009 votes

He did say, with trepidation, that we can expect major developments in the next month. Hopefully if that expectation is held up most of this rage will die down.

Unfortunately now that everyone has a date to look forward too, another delay will probably be that straw that breaks the camels back.

Xenohaz3 votes

I respect him for being willing to take that risk, especially since he made it personal and made that estimate himself, not telling us "my team is estimating..." etc. or something else where he could relocate blame if things went ugly. More often than not, we're (by "we," I mean lore fans in general - myself very much included) all a bunch of ornery, hard to please jerks to him and his team, and yet he's putting his own neck on the line to make us feel a little bit reassured. Even if the belligerence is justified, the fact that he's actively trying to make us happy, further risking his own credibility in the process, is admirable.

Sharjo6 votes

Jaredan needs a nice comfy neck rest for when his head gets put on the chopping block!

Silly metaphors aside I hope everyone keeps their expectations low and tempered for whatever is to come in the coming month(s). I'm not really sure what to expect, but I know I'm looking forward to it, even though I know I should tread with caution.

As a reference for anyone who wanted/needed to see it, this is from Jaredan elaborating a bit on what's to come, hopefully, in the next month or so, which probably means by the end of July of early August, hopefully.

What you will see in a month is a response to feedback, including that on these boards, about how we introduce a champion to you in their bio/intro/[insert name of background here]. Ant in Oz might put something together on our thinking, if not, I'll be around to talk about it. Plus some other writing I can't talk about. But I think you'll like it.

Think of it as a written format that's a platform to build from. A move towards some of the things we used to do that players on these boards like, in a way that we feel ups that quality we're striving for.

Again, I hope that makes sense. Though I'm fully anticipating some chagrin, I hope people will also see what we're trying to do.

Baron of Bread2 votes

I just hope that putting that date out doesn't turn into a mistake for him. If it does, we as a community should at least try to not explode at him.

Sneak Dog1 votes

I'm just taking it as two months. Delays happen all the time. If it's more than that, I suspect there'll be an apologetic Jaredan admitting that he was optimistic with one month and explaining why it's taking so long. Then people will be angry and have to wait. Happens.

Dextix LT1 votes

Well it would be 10 months since the retcon, so the delay wwould be pretty long dont ya think?

Sharjo2 votes

I would put his date to them planning for late July early August timing, but I'd almost certainly say be prepared for stuff to be delayed. We've had delays before so we shouldn't hold our breath that more delays won't pop up, things do happen.

Sneak Dog7 votes

I concur. I appreciate Jaredans posts a lot, especially those where he explains Riots reasoning, and any hostility of me is aimed towards Riot as a company, not towards Jaredan as a person. He seems to be a kind person that genuinely cares. He even seems to understand our reasoning (though not necessarily agreeing with it) and take criticism.

Heck, I think Riot is writing great lore quality-wise, with examples being Unborn, Unbound, Arisen, the new river champion teaser. I just want to be able to invest in this lore without having to keep in the back of my mind that any character I care about might be removed by Riot the following day.

Irongrinder6 votes

Jaredan's arrival isn't good news in my eyes. It's just another band-aid on the sucking chest wound that is the 9+ months of silence that we've received in terms of narrative progression. Jaredan is just the latest person to say "don't worry, we're working on it!"

You'll have to forgive me if I don't bend down to kiss our "savior's" feet. Let me see results that I can pick up and NOT have my vision clouded by the ever-looming specter of "this is gonna be awesome, just wait and see!" and MAYBE I'll almost care again. I'd care again, except, you know, it's been 9+ months of radio silence, and I don't have it in me to put any sort of stock in what Riot has to say regarding the narrative anymore.

kitcat3001 votes

You know it wasn't just a "wait and see" this time right? He actually gave an ETA this time, which was about a month.

Irongrinder3 votes

If they make the deadline, great, they've successfully broken 9+ months of silence. Nine. Months. This had better be a damn substantial update, and I'm talking about the kind that'll blow my socks off and rekindle my passion for this game's lore.

If they don't make the deadline (spoiler alert: they probably won't) then Riot's right back to square -5 with the narrative community's trust. Which is okay for them, considering they've demonstrated a disturbing level of comfort sitting there all this time.

RiotRiotJaredan6 votes

Thanks for the kind words, Valaran. I'm humbled by the passion of everyone on the boards, whether it's those who agree or disagree with the things I say. I'm trying to do better with my communication, though I know I still have a lot to do and need to be here more consistently. Your encouragement is most appreciated.

Impetual4 votes

To be clear, he hasn't actually seemed to have done anything yet. Let's judge his work based on its quality, after it is actually produced, not its hype.

Valaran Nara1 votes

{quoted}

To be clear, he hasn't actually seemed to have done anything yet. Let's judge his work based on its quality, after it is actually produced, not its hype.

Oh, I agree for the most part. I'm thanking him for the effort of communicating and giving us a small bit of insight. The only hype I felt was when I made this thread and some people agreed with me in thanking him. Not as a part of narrative but as a person who is at least attempting to do something visible (as in, talking with us and not ducking back for 2-3 weeks before making another comment).

Fauxschizzle and Jaredan at least shows that something is happening, and, with the new Bilgewater Event coming soon, we may actually get WORLD building as well as background. Shurima left one hell of a hole, but Bilgewater may flesh out a few details about the world overall. I mean, it has a direct interaction with the Isles via the Harrowing.

GenoXx3 votes

I second this. He did take time to clarify alot of things as well as tell how the direction lore is going. Also explaining why the champions feel "generic". I was going to make a thread saying the same. At least he did this much. Some people are still bringing up arguments tho...

Valaran Nara1 votes

{quoted}

I second this. He did take time to clarify alot of things as well as tell how the direction lore is going. Also explaining why the champions feel "generic". I was going to make a thread saying the same. At least he did this much. Some people are still bringing up arguments tho...

Yeah. Every character, as far as I'm concerned, is truly generic until they are able to get fleshed out. I mean, Batman was technically some generic sob story until he was fleshed out as THE badass of the DC universe.

I mean, think about it. "Wah, my parents died when I was little. Wah, now that I've grown up, I became super strong and can beat up anyone because I'm the main character." ^^^ Lol, literally, that's how a LOT of people make their characters. Parents died, now they're badasses. It's the story inbetween that truly reveals who they are.

Only A Soldier2 votes

I can not upvote this enough.

Dextix LT1 votes

Im not going to kiss his ass until the changes they promised us are going to roll in, over 8 months we have not been given any replacement lore for the retconned one and more than half champs lores are in complete dissarray now.

And no SOON(tm) wont cut to the most of us. Maybe to you. Not to me.

Solideus1 votes

Hear hear! I look forward to the future, but I have loved what we've gotten so far too. Keep it up Jaredan!

More from Story, Art, & Sound

Petition to keep the Bilgewater ARAM map in circulation
Story, Art, & Sound154 comments
1,161
votes
[SUPER IMPORTANT PETITION] Change Sion's ban quote...
Story, Art, & Sound54 comments
597
votes
Can we get an Honor animation?! 4 ways to insult an opponent but none to congratulate them.
Story, Art, & Sound202 comments
578
votes
Petition to make Rengar wiggle his butt when there's a pounce-able target near his bush
Story, Art, & Sound140 comments
476
votes
About this years harrowing...
Story, Art, & Sound357 comments
459
votes
RIOT, please postpone Blood Moon Diana and make it into a Legendary skin.
Story, Art, & Sound236 comments
423
votes

More by Valaran Nara

When you've been getting stomped by your enemy laner the entire early game
Memes & Games22 comments
58
votes
"That beast just s**t you out?"
Story, Art, & Sound39 comments
57
votes
Am I the only one who is getting tired of all these leaks?
Story, Art, & Sound69 comments
53
votes
Am I the only one who thought Sivir...
Story, Art, & Sound23 comments
34
votes
Look at what y'all done, siding with Darius
Story, Art, & Sound21 comments
15
votes
I just saw the Project skins group recall...
Memes & Games20 comments
15
votes