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Riot Games has rolled out the ‘Hono(u)r’ system for MOBA League of Legends, allowing players to give each other a pat on the back after a particularly successful or admirable performance in the free-to-play online game.
Here’s how it works: after each match (in the post-game screen) players can give each other a thumbs up in four categories: Helpful, Friendly, Teamwork and Honorable Opponent. After receiving recognition for your positive abilities, these celebratory nods will then be displayed publicly in your online profile so everyone can see what a good egg you are.
The Honor system is designed to promote good play, complementing the game’s Report button and Tribunal features previously instigated to punish purposefully negative players. The eagle-eyed out there will spot that the Honor system bears more than a passing similarity to the Recommendations used in Valve’s rival MOBA Dota 2, but a good idea is a good idea.
Honor points can’t be traded or spammed and will be reset completely if you ever find yourself in hot water with the Tribunal. They’re also not a currency, and do not currently allow you access to anything like fancy new skins or whizzy trinkets – though Riot is exploring the idea of potential bonuses for the future.
“Your total Honor represents your ongoing commitment to making games better for your fellow summoners. It’s not a currency, and you can’t spend it – we’re going to experiment with some potential bonuses to being an honorable summoner in the future,” reads Riot’s FAQ on the subject.
If the whole idea of League of Legends leaves you scratching your head, VideoGamer.com has a jazzy MOBA primer ready and waiting for your immediate attention.