My fellow summoners on the Field(s) of Justice!
I bet almost of you would agree with me that PC games is one kind of entertainment just like sports, musics, chess, etc. Personally, I consider playing League to have no difference from listening musics, playing chess, swimming,... on the aspect of entertainment.
+) Some ones find them to be so exciting activities that they can't refuse to get involved
I bet almost of you would agree with me that PC games is one kind of entertainment just like sports, musics, chess, etc. Personally, I consider playing League to have no difference from listening musics, playing chess, swimming,... on the aspect of entertainment.
+) Some ones find them to be so exciting activities that they can't refuse to get involved
+) Some look at them as "a great waste of time", not just for the players but also for the viewers.
+) Some others may look at them as challengers for the limit of human capabilities they wanna break
+) Yet some others may look at them as a potential way to steal some money from other's pockets
+) Well, some may not know what to do when their girls fall in love with another guy, unfortunately for us -- the true summoners -- the guys never drink wine either, so...
For myself, I always think of League to be a team game and somewhat similar to other team games like football, basketball,... The good point for me here is that, League gives us exactly 10 "balls" for the ten players each game, so that we don't have to fight for the only one. The complexity is, you have to learn to master as many balls (champions) available on League as possible, not just the single ball as in football and basketball.
To be an excellent team game player, a football or basketball player for example, you need not just mechanics skill (about how to control the ball) but also knowledge skill (on how to work with other team mates to beat the opponent(s)). To be an excellent League player, you need to know not only how to control (play) the champion(s) but also how to cooperate with other players of your team to defeat the other team.
To be an excellent team game player, a football or basketball player for example, you need not just mechanics skill (about how to control the ball) but also knowledge skill (on how to work with other team mates to beat the opponent(s)). To be an excellent League player, you need to know not only how to control (play) the champion(s) but also how to cooperate with other players of your team to defeat the other team.
+) Weaknesses in mechanics skill would result in failure and loss of many things on playing team games: enjoyment, victory, enthusiasm, etc. How can we enjoy the game if we are weak on controlling the "balls"? With bad mechanics, how can we cooperate with our team mates and manage to beat the opponents?
+) There would be nothing to say for the games in which one team's mechanics is much better than the other: the better team would simply mechanically dominate and beat the other; that would just be a matter of time. Furthermore, if we have enough enthusiasm to practice and experience, at a certain time when we did really master "the balls" excellently with very good mechanics, mechanics skill would reach its ceiling already: some degree of the physical limits of human abilities, the equilibrium state. A little bit better in mechanics would no longer be a big advantage for us on the games.
And always, the two opponent teams must be the same level of mechanics skill. So, how to beat the opponents with the same proficiency of mechanics skill as that of us? Is mechanics all of what needed to be an excellent player of team games? How do and can we break the limit of mechanics skill?
Knowledge skill is the answer, in my opinion. This point, for clarity and easier to understand, I consider team games (including League, football, etc.) in the correlation with real wars between two sides (two sides with the same degree of mechanical strength, or physical equipment and technical skills on using them, of course). Now, which does one side need to beat the other side? They need knowledge about everything which may affect the outcome, including but not limited to: geographical properties of the batterfields, deep analyses of weaknesses and advantages of the opponent and of themself as well, how the equipment would be effectively deployed on the geographical conditions and the same for the other side's equipment, etc. all of what doesn't directly relate to mechanics skill. This is "knowledge skill".
+) There would be nothing to say for the games in which one team's mechanics is much better than the other: the better team would simply mechanically dominate and beat the other; that would just be a matter of time. Furthermore, if we have enough enthusiasm to practice and experience, at a certain time when we did really master "the balls" excellently with very good mechanics, mechanics skill would reach its ceiling already: some degree of the physical limits of human abilities, the equilibrium state. A little bit better in mechanics would no longer be a big advantage for us on the games.
And always, the two opponent teams must be the same level of mechanics skill. So, how to beat the opponents with the same proficiency of mechanics skill as that of us? Is mechanics all of what needed to be an excellent player of team games? How do and can we break the limit of mechanics skill?
Knowledge skill is the answer, in my opinion. This point, for clarity and easier to understand, I consider team games (including League, football, etc.) in the correlation with real wars between two sides (two sides with the same degree of mechanical strength, or physical equipment and technical skills on using them, of course). Now, which does one side need to beat the other side? They need knowledge about everything which may affect the outcome, including but not limited to: geographical properties of the batterfields, deep analyses of weaknesses and advantages of the opponent and of themself as well, how the equipment would be effectively deployed on the geographical conditions and the same for the other side's equipment, etc. all of what doesn't directly relate to mechanics skill. This is "knowledge skill".
In League, knowledge skill would be (including but not limited to): can you give up one or even two turrets to pursue strategic plans late game? Do you know how to get ahead again once you are left behind in lane phase whose opponent is somewhat better than you? What degree would the objectives (Dragon, Baron, etc.) affect a game, what are their weights? How does meta(s) determine the outcome of a game? Why would the meta be like that but not a different format? Can we change it? Why we need an ADC? Why we need to have tanks? Why ADC must go bot together with support? Can I solo bot? If not, why? What about team fights? etc.
While mechanical skills need very much practice to master the "balls" (the champions in League), knowledge skills require us to read and learn and study the foundation below the surface. That's one of the main reasons why I make this site: to provide a source, evergreen and as much reliable as possible, of strict reasoning on the matter of knowledge skill on playing League; that's also to help myself.
As a curious learner, I am very enthusiastic about learning everything of the subjects I care, as well as always want to share what I have learned with the people interested in the subjects like me. All the content will be updated as soon as needed whenever I can.
While mechanical skills need very much practice to master the "balls" (the champions in League), knowledge skills require us to read and learn and study the foundation below the surface. That's one of the main reasons why I make this site: to provide a source, evergreen and as much reliable as possible, of strict reasoning on the matter of knowledge skill on playing League; that's also to help myself.
As a curious learner, I am very enthusiastic about learning everything of the subjects I care, as well as always want to share what I have learned with the people interested in the subjects like me. All the content will be updated as soon as needed whenever I can.
My discussions are mainly based on my own knowledge and reasoning, and so I hope to have as many responses and comments as possible for me to learn. I also hope that the content will help my fellow summoners save quite a bit time and effort on looking for the knowledge they interest in, which hours upon hours sitting in front of a PC to play would not be that helpful, just like I used to be. In my views, the two kinds of skills (mechanics and knowledge) are like the two legs of a person: we cannot walk (in a steady way) with just one single leg, let alone "accelerate". On the other hand, the advance and improvement of one kind will also make the other one advance and improve spontaneously, and vice versa.
Finally, I believe that just like all the other team games, if we do play and learn and study it seriously, it will benefit us many ways: not just a little bit fitter body, or some understanding of socializing or some joy while playing, or a lesson of how to control our extremist feelings of anger and hatred, or some kinda philosophical morals for real life,...
So, my fellow summoners, let's figure out how and what we can get the most out of playing League!
This post was completed; there would be just minor adjustments if any on this post
Last update: January 11, 2016
The Silencekeeper
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