RIOT, could we have better Custom Game Lobby Navigation for people to find ACTUAL Custom Modes?

Shard 1771·8/17/2015, 11:27:23 PM·67 votes·2,851 views

As someone who both plays and hosts a lot of Custom Games, finding ACTUAL Custom Game MODES rather than regular Private or Practice Matches [without Passwords] is very slow and annoying. When you open the Lobby, a good 95% or more are just Games with Default Names by People looking to host a Private Match but forgot to put a Password (or simply don't know they can). Join pretty much any of these and you get Booted instantly. Host an Actual Custom Game, and your match's name will be lost in oblivion if it's any more obscure than the name of Urgot's Ultimate.

...so... Here are a few Simple Ideas:

  1. Make ALL Custom Games PRIVATE BY DEFAULT - that way Private Matches don't get mixed up with Public Matches, and also to let Players browsing for Matches know that they're Actual Options - rather than joining and getting Booted because the Host didn't know there was a Password Option. Just a Check-Box for "Public" will be enough to largely solve the issue.

2.** Add a "game" Filter to the Search Options** - as this will get rid of 95% of the "Custom Games" that are just Private Matches - because, unless Hosts are actually doing something Unique, nobody really bothers to change their Game's Name beyond the Default, which is always "<Summoner Names>'s game" (for example: if I host with the Default Name, it's just "Shard1771's game"). Add this option, or make it default, and it will be an almost as effective fix as the above suggestion - leaving Players with only the Games where the Host actually wants something different than a Practice Match.

3.** Add Tags & Tag Filters to Hosting & Search Options ** - this will allow Players to sift through the Tags they want - Tags like, Private, Custom Mode, [Team Size], Tournament, etc. Just, even here, make the Private Tag the Default.

Riot, do any of these, and you can help foster the Custom Game Mode Community without much as lifting a finger. These are such easy fixes and they will help so much.

It's called the "Custom Game Lobby" - Not the "Unprotected Private Practice Game Lobby". Riot, please make this Happen!

EDIT 1: As The Shady Minion pointed out, this will help everyone, including Players who don't want Randoms dropping in.

EDIT 2: If Private is set to Default, then there should be a Password Prompt before creating the Match. This will prevent ALL Hosts from accidentally forgetting about the Private/Public System.

16 Comments

hi its bard8/18/2015, 12:05:56 AM11 votes

This is a fantastic idea. As someone who regularly enjoys Shard 1771's creative custom game modes I feel like this would encourage more people to play them and other custom game modes. As stated above 95% of games are meant to be private but people just don't feel like making them private. I have done this myself before also before. Whoops. :P Finding new game modes in the community is always fun and this would help new game modes grow. Unlike Smite League of Legends does not have a new game mode every day, just every so often, and to be honest it gets boring playing the same modes over and over and over again so for me playing custom game modes is a great stress relief and always a ton of fun. I definitely believe you should encourage this Riot and keep up the fantastic work_ Shard_. Have a great day.summoner 1

Large Thai Tea8/17/2015, 11:30:59 PM7 votes

I think that would be a great idea for everyone.

iHalo8/18/2015, 12:29:59 AM6 votes

This is a great idea that will affect many people in a better way to help them find a custom game mode. I struggle finding custom game modes like hide n seek or draft racing but if there was something like this to filer everything even more it would be a great help.

XVI Jake IVX8/18/2015, 3:10:32 AM4 votes

You Sir are a genius.

Danlandu8/18/2015, 3:22:25 AM4 votes

Riot needs to see this.

jookjackhatt8/17/2015, 11:44:09 PM4 votes

This is a fantastic idea!! I hope that this happens!!

Løucarche8/18/2015, 2:59:00 AM4 votes

thats a rly good idea!!Jinx

Broken NPC8/18/2015, 5:23:34 AM3 votes

welp shard gl and i hope riot will see this and not ignore it. If they cant do this i hope they tell you lolAmumu

Demonsolder218/18/2015, 7:06:26 PM3 votes

Yes please. I hate it when I create a custom game just for practice only to to forget to enable a password. And then have a bunch of strangers come into my game.

Malicious Fury8/18/2015, 6:05:55 AM2 votes

You take my upvotes and my smurfs' upvotes too.

Valderis Vandala8/21/2015, 12:49:45 AM2 votes

I share your frustration, I've tried searching for custom matches to spectate in the hopes of learning what other players do in game and get a feel for normals before I jump into them myself, but so far this has proven to be impossible for me. There has been only 1 single instance where I was not booted instantly and that was on a useless ARAM game.

I do not understand why people are able to boot spectators from custom games that are open to the public where anyone can join anyway.

Riot really needs to change how this shitty system works because its just not working as is.

IRicochet Runner8/18/2015, 9:21:05 PM1 votes

if anyone has custom games that are fun , add me the only games I play is hide n seek and draft racing.