Black Market Brawlers; a short analiysis

Grouchy Poro·Jul 30, 2015·7 votes·1,435 views

Does anyone else find the game kind of anti-fun in how it reinforces the idea of snowballing (which btw is the opposite of what Riot wanted with previous game design changes)? I've played two games of the new mode so far, both loses, and both in no way fun. If your team fails early game there's no bouncing back like in normal queues, and the whole thing feels over competitive which of course leads to toxicity. The last game I played, I was bot as Twitch in a mirror lane, and we both built flesh eater after not reading the tool tip. In the post game lobby I tried to laugh about it with him and the response I got was 'stfu noob'.

Unless I can find friends to queue up with, I'm not sure playing is worth the summoner icon we're being promised.

Anyways, thoughts?

17 Comments

Forbidden SirenJul 31, 20156 votes

I just want Gangplank's icon but it's a snore-fest just to grind coins and leveling up my brawlers to level 3.

Forbidden SirenJul 31, 20151 votes

Welp, I got the icon. It's bittersweet as I do feel accomplished getting the icon but so... much... grinding...

I had one game I was about to level 3 a brawler and the other team surrendered before I had a chance to upgrade. Making me do the game all over again just to meet the requirement.

Kholdstare13Jul 31, 20155 votes

The mode is hell. The only reason the queue doesn't take 10 years per match is because of the stupid icon. I blame the map it's on. SR is anti-fun to begin with.

meluvulongtime3Jul 30, 20154 votes

Yeah honestly I don't find it all that fun either. Looked at how many wins I needed (8) for the last icon and I just decided it's not worth it. I like the Graves icon from Act 1 the best anyways so I'm just gonna go back to Butcher's Bay.

SKOBODOJul 31, 20153 votes

Some of the new items are cool, but the Kraken are pretty annoying, and getting 15 level 3 upgrades will probably take a while... Feels kind of grindy.

ErockandrollJul 31, 20151 votes

{quoted}

Some of the new items are cool, but the Kraken are pretty annoying, and getting 15 level 3 upgrades will probably take a while... Feels kind of grindy.

I find it less a rush to merc level 3, but rather, optimizing all your upgrades. Merc upgrades do help with their utilities depending on which merc you chose. But unless you have good reason to have the final upgrade. (like maybe with the razor fins) I find it better to pick up offensive and defensive upgrades to be better.

The Iron backs for example, they do get a faster shield refresh when you get your level 3 upgrade. But I find that the utility that the level 2 upgrades give, scale well with the defense upgrade better. Octopods might be another example, since their merc upgrade is entirely utility. If you don't need it, get the offensive upgrades for better pushing power of your minion waves.

SKOBODOJul 31, 20152 votes

{quoted}

I find it less a rush to merc level 3, but rather, optimizing all your upgrades.

If you want the GP icon as soon as possible, you'll want to rush level 3 stats. Not necessarily the utility stat, but some stat should be rushed. 15 level 3 will take some time, considering most games you won't get more than 1 level 3...

ErockandrollJul 31, 20151 votes

{quoted}

If you want the GP icon as soon as possible, you'll want to rush level 3 stats. Not necessarily the utility stat, but some stat should be rushed. 15 level 3 will take some time, considering most games you won't get more than 1 level 3...

ok then, I went with the TF+ Graves icon. Perhaps it's a bit annoying when you need to do specific things instead of optimizing for the game.

SKOBODOJul 31, 20151 votes

{quoted}

ok then, I went with the TF+ Graves icon. Perhaps it's a bit annoying when you need to do specific things instead of optimizing for the game.

The TF + Graves icon is much easier to get, yeah. I would have gone for it if I didn't really want the GP icon, but I wanted the GP icon, so yeah. I guess I'm stuck in this mode for 10-15 more games, with potential frustration when the enemy surrenders and I have 19 Krakens left. Surrender is so annoying in this mode, unless they warn us first. : /

It really should've been Krakens earned, not Krakens spent.

Kholdstare13Aug 1, 20151 votes

{quoted}

The TF + Graves icon is much easier to get, yeah. I would have gone for it if I didn't really want the GP icon, but I wanted the GP icon, so yeah. I guess I'm stuck in this mode for 10-15 more games, with potential frustration when the enemy surrenders and I have 19 Krakens left. Surrender is so annoying in this mode, unless they warn us first. : /

It really should've been Krakens earned, not Krakens spent.

Earned/spent wouldn't be a huge deal without the 15 3s.

But overall NONE of it would be a problem if the game was FUN. Which this is NOT. We're grinding through pure shit for one shiny. Kinda meta considering the mode is ALSO wasting time grinding through shit.

FaRmErXJul 31, 20153 votes

as a person who dislikes summoners rift and laning how much suffering would I have to endure to finish this event ? loved the aram part

arcticnerdJul 31, 20152 votes

My problem with bmb is that it's simply worst then the normal game mode. The idea is decent but it shouldn't have been put on the normal map. It feels like a failed attempt to spice up the normal games and offers very little to make a match feel different. All the the changes made in bmb should have been used on one of the other maps. An aram, twisted treeline or dominion game with these changes would have been better.

Then at least it would haven been competing with normal games.

AquodoxJul 31, 20151 votes

Nothing like seeing an enemy Morgana at full health die by trying to push back a minion wave.

KinjishiAug 1, 20151 votes

Watching enemy champs die from a strong minion is very satisfying. : )

BharhashJul 31, 20151 votes

[{quoted}](name=Grouchy Poro,realm=NA,application-id=LFfTlAky,discussion-id=7zuJhcX3,comment-id=,timestamp=2015-07-30T21:30:29.197+0000)

The last game I played, I was bot as Twitch in a mirror lane, and we both built flesh eater after not reading the tool tip. In the post game lobby I tried to laugh about it with him and the response I got was 'stfu noob'.

So he was just like half the current League players you find in Normals right now?

AMYS GRAVEJul 31, 20151 votes

I think increased toxicity comes from a few factors.

Blind pick tends to be more toxic because it is harder to communicate lane choices effectively.

Many champions can be executed by trying to stop the minion wave. Some champions are weaker than minion waves.

Earning the icons feels grindy, and that annoys us.

LookAug 1, 20151 votes

I like the idea of the game mode hell I even like it to a certain extent. I just don't like when Riot makes you have to earn wins for a reward. Every time I am forced to play for wins I end up losing all interest in the "fun" aspect and just try. If I wanted to try like I have to for these wins I would go back to grinding ranked.

In the future I hope Riot finds something else besides wins for the icon. At this point I really wish I would have chosen the GP icon.