User blog comment:LivesByProxy/Ward Variety & Sight Options/@comment-27802145-20160226194126/@comment-26815373-20160226221052

I know what you mean about not having god-like map awareness and being semi-incompetent (I'm guilty of both myself ;n;) but hopefully wards with unique functions can give players equally (or more) valuable info and promote good practices(?).

I think this pic shows some good locations where the observer would work. It does require good placement and angling on the player's part, but could very well make the enemy jungler's job more difficult (a good thing, right?). He or she can see the 'beam' of sight the ward emits, and so can play around it. Maybe clever junglers can use the beam to their advantage, making their presence known, to draw an enemy laner or the opposing jungler's to him (relieving pressure from your mid-laner, or opening top for a quick push).

Regarding the Beacon, I wanted it to be the closest to the original sight wards / totem ward. It grants normal vision around it, but I was trying to add some extra 'umph' to it. I thought it being placeable on terrain, and being capturable would be fun / cool (a sort of 'light the beacon' mini-game). And while it could be fun to contest such an objective, I think the real fun is in mind-gaming your opponent. I was hoping such a ward could open up the opprotunity for baits, picks, or clever tricks (as a Shaco main, being able to disappear / abuse the brush / fog of war is so much fun)! Imagine the enemy sees you trying to capture this ward, so their top and jungler run to stop you, except you capture it before they get to you. The last thing they see is you retreating toward your jungle. But you and your jungler were really just sitting out of sight behind the terrain, waiting for the enemy to stick their neck out! (which they do, easy double kill, gg wp.)

I think audible / visual pings on all the wards might lessen the Snitch's uniqueness, but it isn't out of the question. I do wonder how gold costs, ward durations, and ward limits could be managed to make the vision game less taxing without making it too safe (too much info is makes the game less exciting).