A stat-track for cash, stat? I don't know, I am not sure about this one, chief. As much as I'd love to find some positives (which we'll still do!) in this system, there's a lot of things to be worried about here. Anyways, let's talk about the main topic at hand. League of Legends' Eternals Systems.
The Eternals system is a game mechanic which lets you track down your stats with a champion. It can be as trivial as takedowns, assists and kills but it can be as unique as counting a killed champion in a certain ability. These are the two different series for a champion in the game. The basic ones are obtainable by using blue essence or RP and the unique ones are only purchasable by RP. Now, this is where we'll start about pointing out the problems within the system
The Bad
Basic af
The first issue arrives at the problem that the Eternals that you can only buy via in-game currency are the basic ones. Tracking down kills/deaths/assists in a lifetime basis can be super trivial to a player that it makes no sense on why should a player buy it. Things like this means nothing if you do not main a certain champion, why bother? There's also an underlying problem that it would not equate that much in the grand scale of things. Sure, you have 10k kill on Yasuo, but will that translate to the game or is it just because you grind so much that you accumulate that much kills for Yasuo. In the end, it really is just a big flex nothing less.
The Unique ones are locked in RP, the premium currency of the game. This is a frowned-upon way of selling it as people does not have all the money to buy said Eternals. There are 160+ champions and if they are selling it expensively, I don't see the reason to buy each one of them. You can buy a champion skin which is worth the buy rather than a stat-tracker for something you would barely care while playing.
The Majestic Flex
The Eternals bring in a problem in the game once it gets implemented. FLEXING. Yes, I know, we know, flexing in games are not uncommon and it has been there since the dawn of gaming, but bear with me. It gets worse. In a MOBA game, you should consider that the game is being played as a team. If so, teamwork and cooperation is needed to win a game. If a player decides to only pad their stats in their Eternals rather than cooperating for a team win, wouldn't that be detrimental to the ecosystem of the game, especially ranked matches.
Let's even go down to the specifics of the game. In a team fight, there would be a unique eternal that requires you to do something to score a single point in it. If the player sees an opportunity to do what is said in the Eternal, chances are, they will do it, all for the sake of "progression". But what if doing said move is not the best solution in that team fight. What if you need to reserve a skill to prevent a teammate from dying, but rather than doing that, the player opted for the eternal score. Let me tell you, it will stink.
Being competitive is in one of the ways that League is still floating above, people love ranked. But if players prefer to do things in Eternals rather than what is needed in a ranked game to win, it won't help the current game.
Progression for the sake of Progression?
While playing in ranked matches are one way to improve your game and be counted as progression, some players want to see their progress in other ways than showing off their ranks in the ladder. This is where Eternals come in and help with that problem, while it does show your lifetime goals, does it really impact that much in the game?
It's a simple stat-tracker with a price. Besides, they have done stat-tracking back then in the earlier season, back where the old client was still implemented. Albeit, showing only things in Ranked, it still shows progress of a player in their playthrough in ranked. But if they have already done in the past, they could have simply moved it in the new client but not only limiting to ranked matches but even in normal matches. It should not also be locked in a price, they should give it free. Having it locked can bring in problems for those who want to experience a full game but felt it lacked because their desired progression are blocked by a paywall.
The Good
Unlockable by Loot
According to Riot, some eternals are unlockable via Eternal Capsules which they will launch as a free reward in ranked splits. This capsule works the same as it champion capsules work each time you level up. It contains Set Shards which is the equivalent of the skin/champion shard. You know how to unlock it fully? ORANGE ESSENCE!
While others still frown upon the gacha mechanic of the game. It's the best thing you can do to obtain Eternals for free besides the Blue Essence one in the shop.
Something to Spend Blue Essence
Some veterans are clearly amounting a lot of Blue Essence in the game and has been rotting away for some time ago. Sure, there are Blue Essence Emporiums from time to time which they can spend it on, but sometimes it still is not enough, with the Starter Series of the Eternals, they now have sometime to buy other than the waiting for the Emporium.
They might be interested in using those for their mains to prove their veterancy in the game and as much as we abhor flexing, it's more of showing your mettle and resilience in this game.
Conclusion
While there are clearly a lot of bad things that we can see in Eternals, we still cannot deny that this is something new for League. Despite taking a bad turn, they still have the chance to do it right in the following patches. LOL is a live service game after all, if they want to prove that they listen to the fans, they should take feedback to heart and see if they can do it better.
Some players have been attributing to Apex Legends and CS:GO to implement stat-trackers but with better incentives rather than just a stat-tracker, but what about you guys, what are your thoughts regarding Eternals, does it sway good for you or the opposite, tell us below!
The Eternals system is a game mechanic which lets you track down your stats with a champion. It can be as trivial as takedowns, assists and kills but it can be as unique as counting a killed champion in a certain ability. These are the two different series for a champion in the game. The basic ones are obtainable by using blue essence or RP and the unique ones are only purchasable by RP. Now, this is where we'll start about pointing out the problems within the system
The Bad
Basic af
The first issue arrives at the problem that the Eternals that you can only buy via in-game currency are the basic ones. Tracking down kills/deaths/assists in a lifetime basis can be super trivial to a player that it makes no sense on why should a player buy it. Things like this means nothing if you do not main a certain champion, why bother? There's also an underlying problem that it would not equate that much in the grand scale of things. Sure, you have 10k kill on Yasuo, but will that translate to the game or is it just because you grind so much that you accumulate that much kills for Yasuo. In the end, it really is just a big flex nothing less.
The Unique ones are locked in RP, the premium currency of the game. This is a frowned-upon way of selling it as people does not have all the money to buy said Eternals. There are 160+ champions and if they are selling it expensively, I don't see the reason to buy each one of them. You can buy a champion skin which is worth the buy rather than a stat-tracker for something you would barely care while playing.
The Majestic Flex
The Eternals bring in a problem in the game once it gets implemented. FLEXING. Yes, I know, we know, flexing in games are not uncommon and it has been there since the dawn of gaming, but bear with me. It gets worse. In a MOBA game, you should consider that the game is being played as a team. If so, teamwork and cooperation is needed to win a game. If a player decides to only pad their stats in their Eternals rather than cooperating for a team win, wouldn't that be detrimental to the ecosystem of the game, especially ranked matches.
Let's even go down to the specifics of the game. In a team fight, there would be a unique eternal that requires you to do something to score a single point in it. If the player sees an opportunity to do what is said in the Eternal, chances are, they will do it, all for the sake of "progression". But what if doing said move is not the best solution in that team fight. What if you need to reserve a skill to prevent a teammate from dying, but rather than doing that, the player opted for the eternal score. Let me tell you, it will stink.
Being competitive is in one of the ways that League is still floating above, people love ranked. But if players prefer to do things in Eternals rather than what is needed in a ranked game to win, it won't help the current game.
Progression for the sake of Progression?
While playing in ranked matches are one way to improve your game and be counted as progression, some players want to see their progress in other ways than showing off their ranks in the ladder. This is where Eternals come in and help with that problem, while it does show your lifetime goals, does it really impact that much in the game?
It's a simple stat-tracker with a price. Besides, they have done stat-tracking back then in the earlier season, back where the old client was still implemented. Albeit, showing only things in Ranked, it still shows progress of a player in their playthrough in ranked. But if they have already done in the past, they could have simply moved it in the new client but not only limiting to ranked matches but even in normal matches. It should not also be locked in a price, they should give it free. Having it locked can bring in problems for those who want to experience a full game but felt it lacked because their desired progression are blocked by a paywall.
The Good
Unlockable by Loot
According to Riot, some eternals are unlockable via Eternal Capsules which they will launch as a free reward in ranked splits. This capsule works the same as it champion capsules work each time you level up. It contains Set Shards which is the equivalent of the skin/champion shard. You know how to unlock it fully? ORANGE ESSENCE!
While others still frown upon the gacha mechanic of the game. It's the best thing you can do to obtain Eternals for free besides the Blue Essence one in the shop.
Something to Spend Blue Essence
Some veterans are clearly amounting a lot of Blue Essence in the game and has been rotting away for some time ago. Sure, there are Blue Essence Emporiums from time to time which they can spend it on, but sometimes it still is not enough, with the Starter Series of the Eternals, they now have sometime to buy other than the waiting for the Emporium.
They might be interested in using those for their mains to prove their veterancy in the game and as much as we abhor flexing, it's more of showing your mettle and resilience in this game.
Conclusion
While there are clearly a lot of bad things that we can see in Eternals, we still cannot deny that this is something new for League. Despite taking a bad turn, they still have the chance to do it right in the following patches. LOL is a live service game after all, if they want to prove that they listen to the fans, they should take feedback to heart and see if they can do it better.
Some players have been attributing to Apex Legends and CS:GO to implement stat-trackers but with better incentives rather than just a stat-tracker, but what about you guys, what are your thoughts regarding Eternals, does it sway good for you or the opposite, tell us below!
