Presenter: Kevin Young
Authors: Kevin Young
Faculty Advisor: Joshua Price
Institution: Southern Utah University
There are literally billions of variations of a single game of League of Legends. In a game of ten players, with nearly 160 playable characters, more than 175 buildable items, and dozens of other selectable modifications, no game is the same. However, despite all this variation, players at the top level find ways to win consistently despite these variations. So, as we look to the only piece of the game that is relatively unchanging, the map, there should be things that stick out as win-defining. First among these win-defining factors is gold: it lets players buy items, which gives them a numerical advantage and allows them to win fights more often. But almost everything a player can do in a game grants them gold; they gain it passively as the game goes on. What factors of a game other than gold most contribute to a game’s result? Additionally, what factors most contribute to gold advantage, and how impactful is gold advantage to a game’s result? These are the questions I hope to answer. Why does this matter? First and foremost, it gives something to focus on. For players who are not at that top level, it shows what they should be doing that they may not be. For scouts for professional teams, it shows what things to look for. A player who is less than stellar at some parts of the game may be desirable because they are better at the things that matter. With a better idea of what wins games, there is a world of possibilities in ensuring that we win them more.