Balance is the key to any product and also to Games. This presentation is a compilation of key concepts that helps people understand the process behind balancing a game.

1. Game
Balancing
Compiled by
Arun Babu J S

2. Game Balancing
Over Power
Dominating
Too Many
So Easy
Boring
Playable
Under Power
Surrendering
Too Less
So Difficult
Frustrating
Not Playable

3. Game Balancing - Misconceptions
Not all Games are Balanced
Attaining perfection in Balance
It is okay for a Game to not be Balanced.
Balancing can be achieved by tweaking few variables and hence can be done at the
after implementation

4. What is Game Balancing
The process of achieving Equity
among all elements of games
during the design to deliver fair
play.
Remember Equity and Equality
are two different terms.

5. Determinism
Chess and Checkers like Games
No Randomization
Abide by strict movement and
strategies
Involves a Pattern
If you crack the pattern - you are the
master - Rubik’s Cube

6. Non-Determinism
Randomization
Distinct gameplay experience due to
varying emergence
Reflex - Quick Thinking and Acting
Methods are defined to success - But
no Strategy

7. Symmetric or Asymmetric
Symmetric Games - Game where all players will have same starting position, rules
and equal capabilities.
Achieving symmetry is an easy way to achieve Balance
Asymmetric Games - Different starting points and character traits for each player.
Complex in design.

8. Solvability
Make sure your game is solvable.
And Don’t keep it too obvious.
Trivial Solvability- Easy - Simple Solutions to solve the Game
Theoretical Solvability - Complex - Beyond Human Mind - Involves long play time to
solve

9. Intransitive Game
Games based on random choices on certain options.
Involves Luck Factor
Simultaneous decision making
No optimal move based out of the game.
Equal Probability to Win or Lose.
Build Conflicting relationships

10. Game State Information - Solvability
Deterministic Game reveals complete information of game states
Non-deterministic - partially
Intransitive - No Clue

11. Meta Game
Game Surrounding the Game
Formed by Leisure activity in Game not focussing on the core mission or the goal.
Involves collecting resources, Strengthen their profile.
To have advantage to win the game.
Imbalance in Game effects Meta Game and vice versa.

12. Things to Note
Balance vs Fun
Balance with respect to the Scope
Competing equally skilled players
Patches - Not an excuse for not doing early balancing
Mods - Encouraged carefully

13. Balance in Single Player Games
Maintain the Challenge Level Appropriate
Easy or Hard
Pacing
Handling Varying Player Curve

14. Balance in Symmetric Games
No Dominant Strategies
Game Objects Balanced

15. Balance in Asymmetric Games
Harder to Balance
Achieve Equity in Resources
Compare Players
Balancing Conflicts ?

16. Strategies in Games
Dominant Strategies will turn other strategies meaningless
Players don't choose sub optimal strategies once the dominant one is discovered.
Suboptimal strategies can be removed.
Or All Strategies can be balanced.

17. Balance in Game Objects
Becoming too Strong or Too Weak
No element should become a Dominant one
Be proportional
Present a Cost / Benefit Ratio.

18. How to Balance
Playtest
Use Math - in places required
Start from beginning
Opinion from Focus Groups - Designers
Record Decisions

19. Thank you