Reflection Post

Final Blog Post

VG Impact, Spring Split Issue
^
Link to magazine

Final work planning

I plan on compiling information and layout until Friday. Then they article will be assembled and placed into the layout. Images will follow that night. Saturday a final run through will be done along with the reflection post.

Layout

I've decided on a layout for my two page spread that features 3 large photos and 2 smaller boxes for smaller images. In addition to this my table of contents features a lot of photos to keep the page active. For the cover a large cover photo is going to be used with a title spread across, Here is a bland template showing the layout of the cover.

Lucidpress

I have made even further progress. Photos have been compiled into a single folder and will be formatted this weekend on the article. In addition detailed outlines are complete. Just time to put the final piece of work together. :)

Magazine software and creation

I chose to use Lucidpress for my magazine creation. It offers all of the materials I need and a great format to convey my information. Images will come from my pictures taken from Season 4 world championship and a trip to NA LCS studio in LA. Also, in game screenshots will be included.

Last part of magazine

So finally, I will be concluding the article with a wrap of what has been discussed from parts I-VI and then comment on how the Spring Split affected the meta, and how this meta shift will carry over into the Summer season starting in June. Also, which teams will come out of this tournament ready for the Mid Season Invitational in Shanghai or how teams can put this season in perspective and prepare for Summer. Can't wait to see how the season turns out.

Part V and VI

   For part V of my magazine spread I plan on addressing contested pick and ban champions that have an impact on the match. In competitive League of Legends teams can ban 3 different champions before each match. This is done to remove comfort picks from another player or to remove a champion that the other team may deem too powerful against their composition. Champion select and pregame is just as important as the actual match itself. Many games are won or lost in champion select just because of counterpicks and team coordination and strategy. Here is a list of ban-rates in competitive play that can sway games in the current meta.
NALCS pick-bans

NALCS most banned


For part VI I will address predictions based on previous match ups and all other factors discussed in the article. Here is an example of a previous match that will be discussed. I plan on covering all of the matchups in the playoffs.

1. C9 vs. TSM
2. NRG vs. Liquid
Immortals vs winner of 1
CLG vs winner of 2

Part III. and IV.

      For part III of the magazine article, favorites and underdogs will be discussed regarding the NALCS Spring Playoffs. In this section I will utilize statistics gathered from the links listed in the previous posts as well as analysis from commentators collected from recorded broadcasts. In my article I intent to cover the six teams in the playoffs by rating them according to an A, B, and C ranking. 2 teams in each tier. These tiers represent, based on spring split performance, how well they are expected to preform in the postseason.

   For part IV. of the magazine article will include discussion over key matchups in the playoffs. Including both teams and individual players on said teams. Description will include references to prior match-ups and individual play-styles.

Part I. and II.

    Here I will detail some research examples that will be used in the main article regarding the current state of the NALCS Spring Split heading into the playoffs as well as how the playoffs are structured.

      Current Standings
   
      NA LCS Player Statistics

      NA LCS Power rankings

    Utilizing these statistics, power rankings, and current standings I will comment on what teams are on point, slumping, what key players could make or break a season, etc. This information will be very useful later on in my article to identify favorites, underdogs, and predictions. This will allow for a clear set up for the article on the actual event by establishing the situation regarding the North American playoffs and spring season championship.


   Using the description listed here I will also explain the structure and format of both the normal NALCS spring split that has lead up to the playoffs as well as the structure of the playoffs and championships themselves. This is necessary to establish an understanding of the process to readers unfamiliar with the system.
   
    Playoff Structure

Starting the main magazine

    Today marks the day in which my magazine spread will begin to be constructed. In preparation team logo permission was requested today. In addition the format of the tournament has been researched. As a result of my research, a general outline for the magazine spread has been planned. It would follow an order as such

         I. Introduction and current state of the NALCS Spring Split
         II. Description of how NALCS Spring Playoffs work
         III. Favorites and underdogs
         IV. Key Matchups
         V. Contested Pick/Bans- Keys to victory
        VI. Predictions
        VII. Conclusion, direction heading into summer split.

The Direction of the Project

      Due to the fact that this project is a supposed issue of a magazine I have decided what to do specifically regarding League of Legends and E-sports. The upcoming North American League Championship Spring Split Championship is the prime LoL E-sports event around this time of year. As a result, I've decided to choose this as my specific topic regarding my magazine.
    LoL Spring Championship Las Vegas
      In a similar fashion to traditional sporting competitions the LCS includes various organizations, a playoff system, and individual brands.
 NA LCS orgs. and playoff scenarios
     I plan on discussing the event in detail regarding who is the the front-runners, who could be a dark horse, etc. In addition to predictions and event analysis current meta team compositions as well as contested picks and bans will be addressed.

Blog Research

     In an effort to both discover more about the in-depth life of an E-sport athlete as well as to see another style of blog relating to E-sports, I check out the blog of the Cloud 9 support player, Hai Lam.
Hai Lam's Blog     His blog provided useful insight into the way the birth of E-sports and it's subsequent growth in popularity changed the lives of many aspiring professionals. As a result of checking out his blog I think it would be a great idea for my blog to include an interview section with an E-sport Athlete. Luckily, I do in fact personally know a player who has achieved both one of the highest ranks in North America as well as stint on a semi-professional team. In addition, I've contacted several players within the LCS(League Championship Series), and I do believe I will be able to get a hold of one for a few questions. An interview section as part of the project will be a useful article to include.

LoL Esports: Introduction
       
         To most people sports are limited to physical activities like American Football, Basketball, etc, but something is beginning to pick up steam among the younger audiences. E-sports, aka Electronic Sports, simply known as Video Games as a spectator sport has been sweeping the globe in popularity over the last two years. But it's not any video game but one single game in particular. Riot Game's League of Legends. Released in late 2009 the game surged in popularity and is currently the most played video game in the world by a large margin. Along with the popularity of the game itself, a competitive scene began to develop. As a result, several competitive Leagues began to spring up around the world. Now over 80 million unique users are playing every month.
       
       Due to my interest as both a player and fan, I've decided to do my AICE project displaying the current trends in LoL E-sports as well as exploring the players behind the famous accounts.