The gaming industry has long grappled with creating a dynamic and seamless platform that both challenges and rewards players adequately. Characteristic to this dilemma is the emergence of 'ELO hell' within the popular multiplayer game, League of Legends.
It has become standard for top-ranking players to develop smurf accounts. These accounts are made when players attain a certain level and wish to experiment with new characters or roles, a practice becoming increasingly commonplace across most multiplayer games.
However, this model is beginning to show cracks. Even players with consistently low-ranking scores have begun to create smurf accounts in a desperate attempt to evade the dreaded ELO hell. This is a state where winning brings negligible LP, while losing costs players excessively, making upward mobility nearly unattainable.
The situation poses an ominous challenge to developers. In response, League developer RiotIksar has disclosed plans for a comprehensive system transformation in a bid to remedy the issue and make the dreaded ELO hell much harder to get lodged into.
Anticipated Game Changes in 2024
Achieving a satisfactory gaming process that warrants adequate rewards and rankings has always posed a challenge within competitive multiplayer games such as League of Legends. For any game to function successfully, it is inevitable that only a limited number of users can reach the top, while the majority spread out across the lower ranks.
However, a significant number of disgruntled players who persistently failed to climb up the ranks have resorted to creating smurf accounts. These accounts enable them to rapidly ascend the rankings by exploiting the fresh status of these accounts that attracts more LP.
RiotIksar, in a bid to placate disheartened players, has outlined the company's plans to overhaul the Multiplayer Match-Making Rating (MMR) system multiple times throughout 2024.
The Yet-to-be-revealed Riot-Made System
RiotIksar shed some light on the proposed changes, stating that the company plans to transition to a differently structured, proprietary system at the break of the new year. This transition would be followed by the potential incorporation of a new system referred to as 'trueskill 2' later that year, which is still being evaluated for its suitability.
The specifics about this Riot-made system are still very much confidential. Despite that, Riot is adamant that even a slight adjustment to the system can bring about significant improvements when compared to the system currently in place.
Trueskill 2: A Potential Game Changer?
'Trueskill 2' is a unique skill rating system originally developed by Microsoft and its first-party studios for subsequent Halo and Gears of War titles. The model is strategically designed to cater to team-oriented games and ensures fair matchmaking by aligning players of varying skill levels into a balanced game lobby.
This system is somewhat complex; it evaluates a player's skill level based on a combination of different factors, including KDA and other game statistics. However, it's difficult to assess the applicability of these metrics to League of Legends, where characters or roles don't necessarily perform statistically well even in winning games.
As such, Riot is hesitant about fully integrating the trueskill 2 system into the game. Nevertheless, the company acknowledges that immediate enhancements are necessary and should not be put on hold while they continue exploring the viability of the new system.
The Importance of Backend Changes
Backend adjustments may not be the most exciting aspect of game development, but they are undeniably essential in providing a smoother and more enjoyable gaming experience for players. The efficiency and effectiveness of Riot's new system remain to be seen, as they embark on this transformative journey throughout 2024.