Riot Captain Lx and Riot Gnome, the respective animation and game designers at Riot Games are giving us the latest scoop on the new Summoner’s Rift map visual update (VU). After this update goes out, there’s no going back. Say goodbye to the old map and say hello to the new Summoner’s Rift!
Clarity
The first major change on the map is added clarity and readability. The aim was to make the new Summoner’s Rift a lot clearer to interpret, and easier to understand when things get messy – like in huge team fights. The UI is also getting a revamp and an up-haul to look and work better. All in all this will add to a better gameplay experience through improved visuals. As Taric famously said it will be “functional and stylish”.
Mid lane looking slick after trimming some of the grass
Gameplay
While the new map is meant to be aesthetically pleasing, it does not change LoL on any level of actual gameplay. The thickness of the jungle walls and all the jump points (where a champion can flash over a wall for example) remain the same. If anything gameplay is improved by the cleaner and slicker version of the Summoner’s Rift. Automatic pathing is less awkward and no more bumping into invisible walls, all this is improved on in the VU.
Visual Fidelity
You’re probably wondering what does visual fidelity even mean? Captain Lx clarified, explaining that he wanted the new Summoner’s Rift to not only be the map that we “know and love” but go that extra step further and represent League of Legends lore on a deeper level. So through visual fidelity, we’re meant to get the impression that Summoner’s Rift is truly a magic-infused untamed forest/mountain-top battleground.
Gromp replaces the Wraith and the new Jungle looking very forest-y
Thematic Cohesion
The design team wanted to give Summoner’s Rift a “forest or mountain” feel, making it a lot less urban than the original map was. They’ve removed both wraith camps, and replaced them with more forest-like creatures in an attempt to homogenize the forest theme. Furthermore they’ve made Baron Nashor, the big slime monster we’ve come to know and love, bigger and badder, making him look as threatening as he really is and bringing him up to par with the new visually updated Summoner’s Rift.
The Big Bad Baron versus Teemo – Scary!
The main question we are all wondering is “How is this going to affect the FPS performance of the game?” Riot were very proud to announce that due to a significantly lower polygon count in the Summoner’s Rift visual update we can expect it to run even better on worse computers. Even on “toasters” as Riot Gnome jokingly added!
Get the detailed Q&A session and interview with Riot Captain Lx and Riot Gnome here:
So it looks like Riot is going for an edgier, darker feel for their maps. A major complaint that a lot of gamers had was that with this new map Riot were trying to emulate DoTA 2 and that it was too dark. Riot quickly responded saying that the map is a work in progress and they’re going to be listening to any and all feedback that you guys have for them. So if there’s something you don’t like, let your voice be heard!