he invisible metrics that operate behind the scenes of a game are arguably the most important aspects behind its design, because let’s face it; developers can have the coolest idea for a title on paper, but the magic won’t happen until it’s properly coded with all the information it needs to successfully work.
This is a topic of design that Game Design Professor Ian Schreiber cites to be criminally overlooked, and has taken it upon himself to make GDC 16 the ideal platform to share his views, and their significance in the ever-changing landscape of video games.
The professor defines Game balance as such; an abstract that conveys the appearance of fairness for a player in a game; this is done through a combination of math, projection, and data analysis from play statistics that’re data mined from test exercises from deterministic scenarios and so on.
Perfecting the balance of a game is significantly determined by the practical study of the play test analytics from the initial outline of design that's completed so far—setting up scenarios around these dynamics can create data that’s capable of being interpreted in multiple ways, ways that can determine the things like micro transactions and in game ethics to the flow of play itself.
The data collected can range from anything to polynomial equations to identify rates that distinguish various individual response results from the scenario—molding what he labels as determinism.
According to Schreiber, the determinism to game balance is defined by factors like solvability, and probability, dividing into a smaller subset of rules that responsible for making their intended functions tick. He argues that successful game balance comes from solvability and probability reacting in tandem one another, in a sort of quid quo pro flow.
One example is a subset of solvability, are Transitive mechanics, a construct that works to separate both the effort, and investment from players, scaling the remuneration for their reward in the process. Based on what work is done in-game can then influences the element of probability as well, taking into account advantages, and elements that will define what the odds of success are.
However, Ian does explain that the task of making the concept of probability too intuitive for a player is flawed within itself, and can lead to imbalance that gradually degrade the engagement of the players, because of its effect on the solvability of the game.
Probability isn't entirely stable to calculate, and in addition, it works against the psychology and agency of applying player skill to the task at hand, so Ian claims that the best approach in attuning the principles of probability is to apply Situational Balance. Situational balance plays into tactics that involve a mechanic of the game being triggered after a series of circumstantial conditions have gone into play. He explains that combining the concept of transitive mechanics, and probability to estimate the rough sum of potential outcomes from the respective tactic, and its effectiveness can also be achieved from a certain degree of math that's supported by intuitive communication between these two concepts.
The information can also be used to develop the Intransitive mechanics, and how they come into play, fleshing out what sort of obstacles can reinforce the problem solving matrix offered from the challenge of gameplay, and what sort of scale should be taken into account, in order to ensure a consistent player agency.
These are just some of the preliminary topics to idea of Game Balance, as the Schreiber states that he is only scratching at the surface to the laws and practice behind it, and the modern landscape of the competitive gaming scene, he’s surprised that the subject doesn’t get the amount of exposure he feels that it should for developers today.
Game Balance is a proof of concept that most developers believe to be intrinsically enforced within larger picture of game design, but maybe with more games like The Division, and Destiny continuing to rise in popularity, it’ll be a priority that more developers see fit to preach and practice into the near future of gaming.