This week we talked about the concept of balance when it comes to game development. For some games, balance is one of the most important things to get right. I feel that balance is more important for multiplayer games that constantly introduce new content to the game. When I think of balance, I think of Overwatch. Every time a new hero is introduced to the game, there is a new issue of balance. Usually when a new character is put into the game, it is either overpowered or encourages a new meta to form around that character which then throws the balance of the game off. Sometimes when a new character is put into the game, their new abilities can encourage players to choose certain characters to either compliment or counter the new character. This then can even make characters that were perfectly balanced before, seem all of a sudden more powerful or completely useless in the face of a new meta. I understand that it can be extremely difficult to predict how the balance of the game will be affected when adding in something new. I think what adds a new layer of difficulty is creating a new character that has its own unique abilities and place within the game and trying to predict how the game will evolve. In the video we watched, I found the statement “balance isn’t everything” to be interesting. I think this also can been seen in Overwatch since there are many players whose love for the characters matter more to them than how balanced they are in the game.
During class we even discussed the issue of spawn camping. This represents that balance in a game also comes from the maps. When I think of map balance, I think of Halo. There are certain multiplayer maps in Halo that are a little bit unbalanced. One teams base may be a little more open than the other. If a team were to reach a certain area of a map first, then they will be able to spawn camp the enemy team and there isn’t much to be done about that.
Works Cited
Fullerton, Tracy. Game Design Workshop: a Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative Games. CRC Press, 2019.
