An Anarchist's Take on the Summoner's Tribunal.

First of all, let me just say that League of Legends is my favorite video game. So, when I offer my criticism here, it should be clear that I'm not bashing the game overall. My issue is with the Summoner's Tribunal which, I believe, may do more harm to the community than good.

On a cursory level, despite the Tribunal, it seems that there are still many belligerent and petty players who actively work to ruin the game experience for other players. Arguably it could be worse without the Tribunal, but a lot of people would probably suggest that this is an impossibility (considering that the League of Legends community is often presented as one of the worst gaming communities). Again, don't get me wrong, I think the LoL community also offers some of the best aspects in regard to online gaming communities -- particularly when it comes to the forums and people involved with the competitive scene. Nevertheless... a lot of casual players will never be involved with those aspects and will notice more prominently the hostile and obnoxious players they encounter in normal games. And I don't feel that the Tribunal has adequately worked to quash that negative aspect of the game.

Why I'm sticking with League of Legends and am not impressed by DOTA 2.

I've looked at the all the various articles & threads comparing League of Legends with DOTA 2 and I've played both games. And, after all things considered, I'm simply astounded by the claims made by DOTA 2 players who argue that it's a more difficult and better designed game. Again and again I see the same old arguments that don't seem to hold water. So... I wanted to take a few moments to debunk some of their claims (which even many die-hard summoners have seemingly conceded).

Foremost of all claims made by proponents of DOTA 2 is that their game has a higher skill-ceiling than League of Legends. I believe that one of the primary reasons for this claim lies in the fact that DOTA 2 champions scale more extremely and thus end up dishing out more damage -- meaning that one false step, or a champion with a slightly better combo, is more likely to instantly kill you (or your entire team). But this doesn't make the game more skillful, it makes the game less fun. Yes, mistakes are punished more harshly, but this is because the champions in DOTA 2 are generally much more powerful and it is easier for a champion to snowball and nuke an opponent down more quickly. This makes comebacks less likely and that, also, makes the DOTA 2 less fun to watch and play.

The next most common argument regarding skill is that creep denying is more difficult and thus more attractive to more capable players. But really... creep denying is just glorified farming -- and it's hardly the most intriguing part of any game in this genre. Not only that, but creep denying delays interaction between opponents in a lane. This is because players can stick closer to their towers to farm. But, at the same time, if they are both competently denied, it delays interaction because leveling becomes more difficult and items take longer to acquire. And then, both the champions of a heavily denied lane probably won't be able to contribute very much to team fights in the mid-game. Because of the need to stay in lane and farm, most DOTA 2 players admit that the first 20 minutes of their game is much slower paced than a League of Legends match (which often has a level one team fight at the red or blue buff camps). 

Ashe (AD Carry) League of Legends

What is this blog all about?

I thought I'd start things off simply and ask an easy question that I know I can answer.  What is this blog all about?  It's about League of Legends.  Bet that one caught you by surprise!  Anyway, I plan on posting articles about the game and its community.  And also... guides, video commentary, fan art, and more.   

It may take a while to get rolling, but if you subscribe to this page, and if you're at all interested in League of Legends, I promise you won't be disappointed.  Also, if it's more convenient, you might prefer following this blog on Twitter , Facebook or Tumblr.  I hope you'll consider supporting this blog as it's put forward by some who truly appreciates the game and hopes to improve the community.

Cheers!