I posted comments below in another thread. But I have thought more about it and decided that I would make a poll.
WG state that the RNG element in certain rolls is 25%. One of (and a few other) reasons that World of Tanks has not become a successful esport is that the 25% RNG is seen as too high by professional players and teams. League of Legends is run by Riot Games. Riot do not use the term RNG, but they talk about input variance and output variance. Input variance is the unpredictability of certain spawns in LoL.
In World of Tanks input variance could be said to be the unpredictability of tanks in the lineup one, two or three SPGs, the numbers of lights or TD,s or the map randomly chosen from the rotation.
Output variance in LoL is the chance to crit. For awhile Riot has attempted to increase input variance to make LoL less predictable, but decrease output variance. LoL is a successful esport game. One of the effects of reducing input variance in World of Tanks would be less chance of getting an ammo rack. While ammo racks are enjoyable, and seeing the turret of an enemy tank fly of, how much effect would it have on gameplay and enjoyment if the chance of that happening were reduced. If War Gaming took the same approach to World of Tanks as Riot has taken to LoL:
- Would World of Tanks become any more popular as a esport?
- What would be the effect on gameplay of a reduction in RNG?
- What would the effect be if instead of 25% RNG rolls were reduced to 22.5%, 20%, 17% or some other percentage? What about leaving shell damage at 25%, but reducing the RNG on shot placement to 22.5%?
- What if RNG remained at 25% but certain things were no longer subject to an RNG roll? World of Tanks presently has a great many RNG rolls. What would be the effect on gameplay of reducing the number of things that were subject to an RNG roll?
- A reduction in RNG almost inevitably increases the importance of player skill. This results in good players becoming more dominant and average and less good players having a harder time. Would that be a good thing in World of Tanks? Is there a level where reduction in RNG in World of Tanks might be acceptable? If so where?