Please scroll up and read my post.
Also, please, I don’t give a damn about my ToS Elo, but I give a lot about having a Ranked mode play like a balanced game that isn’t complete bullshit due to things like the Spy or Amnesiac. Tweaking things to make Ranked balanced is inherently the point of a game with that mode. Arguing otherwise is just asinine.
Other than that one general insult (I struggle to call it a “point”), you’re basically on the right track here relating to ToL tbh
Honestly I just want a way to not play with noobs. Anything that can do to accomplish that works in my book. An Elo system isn’t the only way.
It is, however, a pretty bad way.
Not surprisingly, I agree with the arguments against Ranked. The ToL community is not just good - it’s outstanding compared to other games. One of the features of ToL as it stands is that experienced players mix with new players. That’s a good thing! It helps remove the stigma of being new! I LOVE helping new players get to know the game through explaining their beginner mistakes. That opportunity is something special.
I play multiple games a day and all of them feel competitive, like people are trying their best. Sure, often one person will leave, but it doesn’t meaningfully impact the game for me - the punishment system is really stellar here. And I think it’s FUN to have a mix of serious players and people just playing for kicks (not trolls, but to have a good time) because gamethrowers and toxic players are actually punished here. It adds a layer of unpredictability, surprise, and good cheer to have someone unexpectedly have “jailed by a hawt pwince” in their logs instead of only seeing the kind of bland and concise logs that I write as an experienced player ("N1 - Jailed | N2 - heal [3], etc.). If everyone was good, the game would be far less interesting. It would feel like a competition and not a game. That being said, I find that 80% of the time, enough people are good that it feels like a balanced match.
I think it’s a good thing and a wonderful thing that the community is decent and friendly enough to help newer players get better and to just have fun playing the game. Adding a ‘serious mode’, Veterans or otherwise, would destroy that beautiful feature.
I’m just going to take a second to point out that this is currently the forum’s top post if you exclude patch notes, announcements, wiki guides, FoL, and meme threads specifically about likes. So basically, it’s the single-most liked suggestion on the entire forum. I’d say that’s decently indicative of the popularity of this sentiment.
If we do add Ranked Mode, we definitely can’t use ELO. I don’t really care about its existence besides that.
just spit balling here…
What if instead of ranks unlocking more competitive leagues, ranked play would unlock class spawns?
For example, you would only have a chance to spawn as king, if you’re not a total n00b…
Not a fan of this idea - I love the equalizing nature of the class selection. It feels random and that avoids the development of a “right” way to play the game.
Problem is there are lots of “wrong” ways to play, which trigger hostility in game. Particularly for a class like king.
Getting abused just because you’re inexperienced isn’t fun. And it’s not fun for a savvier court to have to suffer fools who are in over their heads.
Unlocking the more clutch, or complicated classes over time, could be a solution to this pain point. While providing meaningful progression, and a tangible incentive for better play.
I think this is a great IDEA, but it would be terrible in execution. People don’t like grinding especially as terrible classes. All in all this would be more hostile to new players imo