The Preseason Draws Closer!

[quote=Pheyniex][columns] [indent] [nextcol] [center][img]http://euw.leagueoflegends.com/sites/default/files/styles/wide_medium/public/upload/ps4_article_banner.jpg?itok=rQsdE3eE[/img] [h1][color=#808000]The Preseason Draws Closer![/color][/h1] [h2][url=http://na.leagueoflegends.com/en/news/game-updates/features/preseason-draws-closer]BY MORELLO[/url][/h2][/center] Hey Summoners, Over this week and next week, we'll be kicking off a series of posts that discuss some of our high-level philosophies when it comes to preseason and this upcoming season. You should be able to find our discussions going forward on both the forums and on reddit, but here's a basic overview of some of the changes we'll be making. With the season coming to an end, we've been hard at work figuring out what's next for League of Legends. With preseason the closest thing to a lull between competitive seasons, it's the perfect time to make big changes to balance and core gameplay mechanics. The Live Design team has been listening closely to player feedback throughout this year as we take a look at some of our underlying game systems. Ultimately for this new season, we're on a quest to refine League of Legends while also creating a deeper, clearer and more satisfying player experience. [size=6]So, what's happening?[/size] [img=http://i.imgur.com/VDv9cNh.png] First, let me share this year's preseason goals: [list] [*] [i]Introduce more gameplay and strategy when it comes to map vision and wards.[/i][/list] [list][*] [i]Ensure all roles and positions can experience power-growth and progression in ways that promote skill[/i][/list] [list][*] [i]Improve game pacing and reduce team snowballing[/i] [/list] To us, these goals are benchmarks for a more competitive and enjoyable environment, and they particularly focus on systems in need of love. [size=6]What are you changing?[/size] [img=http://i.imgur.com/VDv9cNh.png] The team will be sharing details on a lot of the specific adjustments to each system, but allow me to give a preview of what to expect: [list] [*] Xypherous and Xelnath (Wizardlock, Right Hand of the 7th Order of Obsidian Blackfire Ebonstone Dark Witchlords) will be coming by to talk about wards, vision and the new Trinket system. Fundamentally we want to shift vision from being less of a raw gold race to more of a strategic part of the game with deeper opportunities for gameplay. We're going to be doing a lot of work here, including a new item slot for specialized vision items, per-player ward limits, and more ward options.[/list] [list][*] A new jungle is inbound – including new items for carry-style junglers, better rewards/gold flow, and a new fourth monster camp that will provide new clear routes and strategies while opening up the jungle role to more champions. Solcrushed will give you the skinny here.[/list] [list][*] Support gold is going to be heavily adjusted to put more money in the pockets of duo-lane supports; we'll also be introducing new items (and refining old ones) to put that gold to good use. Along with this, we're making changes to help core support champions scale their utility instead of their damage to reinforce their unique identity. To discuss this change we've collected all 13 demonstones to summon Xelnath, who will likely destroy us all.[/list] [list][*] Game flow and mathematical system changes will reduce team snowballing. Changes to tower and first blood rewards, assist streaks, dragon rewards, a revised brush layout and experience changes will all create an experience that constantly rewards good play. Our rabid equine FeralPony will be around to discuss these changes.[/list] [list][*] Finally, ricklessabandon and FeralPony will be joining forces to talk about out-of-game strategy, with a specific focus on Runes and Masteries. Masteries will be revamped along with our seasonal update and, while we won't be doing a significant Mastery rebalance (except when targeting specific roles), we'll be aiming to offer more opportunities for diversity. For Runes, our core focus will be on creating more dynamic and balanced Rune options while smoothing out the overall experience of customizing your strategies outside of the game.[/list] [size=6]More strategic options![/size] [img=http://i.imgur.com/VDv9cNh.png] Tens of millions of players with thousands of extra gold, items and options in their pockets will uncover tens of millions of combinations and strats that the Live Design team couldn't dream of (even after months of constant testing!), and we're really excited to see what you'll think up. As an addendum, we do want to pick and choose our battles with these kinds of changes, and the systems we chose to overhaul are the ones that we felt needed the most love while requiring a season break to do right. There are other outstanding projects remaining, so this is by no means an exhaustive list of things we'd like to tinker with, but this post covers the ones we've targeted for this update. Anyway, we'll be taking a couple months here to make rapid iterations to our new systems while fine-tuning these updates, so expect this to be a test of your evolutionary league skills. Balance will typically be a bit chaotic in the short-term but, with extensive changes like these, it's important that we get the right levers in place to get to a balanced state in the mid-to-long term. In the coming days, we'll be following up with a series of posts on our upcoming system changes, so you can expect Xypherous and Xelnath to kick things off with vision changes. You'll also be able to join us on reddit for deeper discussions (no hard specifics!) as we reveal each feature. See you then! [center]______________________________________________________________________________________________[/center] Pheyniex' observations: [list] [*]I had suggested a 4th camp during the "laneswap for golems" debacle, on the blue golem side, so it mirror the red side better. I'm eager to see what they have done about this. [*]Supports either stomp the lane or are forced to trust their teammates to take objectives. Same with junglers, however to a lesser extent. Also very curious about the changes. [*]More Items??? yush pliz!!!! [*]Less snowbally? Poor [[Leblanc]]. However, this will make the game shift to something more like S2, bringing farm up to the table in the pro scene. Regarding low elo, incredibly dramatic comabacks and throws incoming, as well as insanely long games.[/list] [nextcol] [indent] [/columns][/quote]

[quote=Jack Rubino]again u steal mowen work omg. Thief. Btw happy for less snowball ability and curious about the 4th camp[/quote]

[quote=Mowen]Edited it and put it in the news, thanks for posting![/quote]

[quote=Pheyniex]As you can see, jack, I leave Mowen plenty of work... ^^[/quote]

[quote=Annunziato]More jungle changes. While I'm interested in what a 4th camp might bring to the jungle, I have two fears about it. 1 - Riot might nerf all of the other camps to make up for this new camp, which if done improperly, will just make the jungle worse off and we have to spend more time clearing. 2 - They could just end up like double golems, where they might be too much out of the way to bother getting, or they might be too strong in order to actually benefit from taking them on a semi-regular basis.[/quote]

[quote=Bludes]the real question is: How can the season draw something and what? No serious[[lee sin]] I love how they want to change the jungle again and again :P[/quote]

[quote=Lugignaf]4th camp.... FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK THAT! Also, I wanna say that towers are going to be worth more gold to whoever is close by, and less to those bot/mid/etc. to help reduce the "team snowball" The vision changes are gonna be weird, but I might like it as a jungler. We'll see how it pans out. Lastly, trinkets? Weird stuff.[/quote]

[quote=TROLLing1999]FINALLY SNOWBALLING REDUCED... games will not be judged in the first 10 min anymore( hopefully)...[/quote]

[quote=Pheyniex][quote=Annunziato] More jungle changes. While I'm interested in what a 4th camp might bring to the jungle, I have two fears about it.[/quote] the deal with jungling, imo, is that either you gank with profit or risk getting behind for the rest of the game. As an example, Meteo's playstyle made him on of, if not the, best jungler worldwide, since he was always up on farm and items with little lane presence. allowing a 4th camp allows new routes (even though i trust double buff rush will still be better), and more consistent farm, especially if your laners take it once in a while.[/quote]

[quote=Lugignaf][quote=Pheyniex] allowing a 4th camp allows new routes (even though i trust double buff rush will still be better), and more consistent farm, especially if your laners take it once in a while. [/quote] Where are they going to put it though? Are they going to completely change the map to place it in?[/quote]