Minimap - Champion portraits

uoJ1JDiOtU·Jun 17, 2014·15 votes·3,371 views

With the update to the minimap, I was hoping to implement a feature that changes the smaller portraits indicating location to match your champion's skin. If not for all champs skins then at least for Ultimate skins. When I play Spirit Guard Udyr, it kinda annoys me to see his default portrait on the minimap, especially as it was so expensive.

Anyone else like to see this feature implemented? Anything to add to the suggestion? REMEMBER TO UPVOTE TOPIC, SHOW THEM WE WANT THIS!

http://strawpoll.me/1934578

18 Comments

RiotLtRandolphJun 17, 201416 votes

I'm not an expert on this, but the thing that would worry me would be making it so you have one more bit of translation you need to do to understand the minimap at a glance.

Skins on a model are definitely carefully designed to preserve silhouettes so it's fairly easy to tell skinned champs apart, but each skin's portrait on a small circle might be pretty hard to read.

Certainly would be nice to feel that much more attachment to your skin, though...

ZanryuEUJun 17, 20146 votes

That's quite right.

A simple solution to this would be that only one self can see his own skin on the minimap/square (bottom left) similar to SGU/PFE.

Failbot DeployJun 17, 20148 votes

You could always set up a toggle function in the menu for it so players can opt into it. It may be too much cost vs. return, but could remove the burden for those who aren't familiar with the skins.

Diabolus DracoJun 17, 20142 votes

Then at the very least do this only to the most expensive skins (legendary - ultimate) so as an extra way to show that they are, since I can't come up with a better term, special from the rest.

It wouldn't be that hard, since the amount of legendary to ultimate skins is very limited and they're so characteristical and known that it would be impossible toconfuse them.

Though as an extra-extra, you could make it so that in the ultimate skins the icon changes alongside the champion (stances for Udyr and armor for Ezreal).

uoJ1JDiOtUJun 17, 20142 votes

Having it change by stance would be a wet dream. I'd also like if the Pulsefire's R was a special icon on the minimap when shot.

uoJ1JDiOtUJun 17, 20143 votes

I really feel that this would be the cherry ontop of Ultimate skins. And I can imagine a few things to address your concerns:

Skin portraits could be only visible to the player (client side)
There are currently only 2 Ultimate skins, you could implement a "did you know" during the load screen to make all players aware that the map portrait is different (also doubles as advertising selling the new feature of ultimate skins for those who don't follow league news)
toggle as Failbot Deploy suggested

There may be more solutions that thw community can provide! Reply my fellow icon enthusiasts!

MimowaeJun 17, 20141 votes

I'm, in all honesty, all in for this. Sure, it will be one more bit of translation for the minimap but I highly doubt that will drastically affect gameplay at all.

MackleDogeJun 17, 20146 votes

There isn't any reason to complicate gathering information from the minimap. Map awareness is already pretty bad from most people and I have zero interest in seeing my teammate say "didnt know that skin LOL" after they get ganked and die because they weren't paying close enough attention.

MimowaeJun 17, 20141 votes

Even if they "didn't know that skin", the portrait has a border that tells you if they are on your team or not. So, that excuse isn't valid. (What if they are color-blind? That's what color-blind mode is for...) I mean, my map awareness is decent at best. There are often times where I'll catch a glimpse of a different colored portrait border sneaking past a ward. I didn't have enough time to be sure exactly who it was but I know someone from the enemy team is in our jungle. You really don't need the best of attention to figure out there is an extra enemy nearby.

MackleDogeJun 17, 20144 votes

I'm aware it isn't a valid excuse. But it will be a used excuse. There isn't any reason to complicate gathering information from the minimap. Spending time and resources on this just so that people can feel like a special snowflake is ridiculous, and that's coming from someone that has one of these skins.

queso619Jun 17, 20142 votes

You should add a poll so we can vote to answer your question.

uoJ1JDiOtUJun 17, 20141 votes

I treid to edit and add one, but was unable. My apologies for the inconveniance.

AbiwonKenabiJun 18, 20142 votes

As others have said, this makes a bit of a mess of the minimap. Readability is most important when it comes to gameplay aspects, and the minimap is probably the most if not one of the most important things about League's HUD. Whether you're a new player or a veteran, getting confused by the skin portrait instead of the regular portrait can be the difference between turning a gank into a double, and getting your ass handed to you. We have certain expectations, and consistency is key to this game.

TL;DR I like cool fancy things like this, but not if it sacrifices gameplay. Varied portraits would make readability more difficult than necessary

Spicy Sugar ClitJun 18, 20142 votes

Ultimate Skins need this. Make it happen rito plz!

AnAcidRapperJun 17, 20141 votes

Make a strawpoll url = strawpoll.me. But I do agree. The icons should be changed for Ultimate Skins. But Riot probably just overlooked it. They may update this if someone brings it to attention.

uoJ1JDiOtUJun 17, 20141 votes

http://strawpoll.me/1934578

WulfyJun 18, 20141 votes

How about the skin face appears on HUD just for you, in the lower left.

Big Bunny BJun 18, 20141 votes

You would have to know not only every champs regular skin (not hard) but then every champs skin and what that looks like, then try to piece together which one is which at a glance? The minimap shouldn't be a puzzle.