A more serious ARAM?
All I play is ARAM.
I would like to see a more seriously-taken ARAM.
Too many people pub ARAM as a "form of relief for losing in SR."
I take it seriously and try my hardest, and I get teammates who tell me, "It's just ARAM," as they completely ignore team strategy. This leaves me using build and gameplay strategy to try to win, while 1 or 2 members of the team don't care whatsoever and dive endlessly, refuse to peel, and test builds like they would in a custom game.
It's the mode people play when they're too drunk to play with their ranked team or they're too tired to play with people who take a match seriously. I get it. ARAM started out as a mode to officialize a fun free-for-all that people used to have a chill game that no one really cared if they won.
I really do get it.
What I would like to see is an alternative mode of ARAM where players give their all, trade/roll to help their team comp, and have a reason to give a crap about the game they are playing.
I'm sure I'll get a plethora of responses saying, "Stop playing a mode designed for random fun and start playing ranked." Again, I get it. All I want is an alternative to that situation. I don't like the time SR takes to complete. I don't like the chance for one player to ruin the whole game (yes, I've won plenty of 4v5 ARAM's), and I really just want to jump straight to teamfighting instead of the 10m early grind and messing with wards and bosses.
My hope is for a version of ARAM that has a reward worth "trying for." I get so frustrated when I play well enough to find myself among Diamond players in ARAM, only to have a 6 game streak of playing with people that don't care, landing me in Silver land.
What I'd like to see in a serious ARAM: -all champs unlocked for the mode (no smurfs with pure uber ARAM champ buys and extreme penalties for dodging) -no weighting for free champs (yes, Riot, I know you weight free champs) -a reward for end of season (even just a summoner icon so others know you play ARAM like you care)
Feel free to flame me for whining or call me out for not playing other modes. It's the mode I like, and it's treated like a sideshow for the "real game."
I won't be watching this closely or editing, but those who support a better ARAM experience with players that actually try, please post feedback or alternatives to my suggestions.
Cheers all, and know that if you find me in ARAM, I'm trying to pull my weight in every match the best that I can.