I'm with Girturkey here ... for me, i'd say my feeling isn't the important thing ... for me it's important if the game is balanced, when i sometime know how to play really good ... what does it help, when the game is balanced for everyone, who just needs more skill? and when everyone is experienced its totaly uneven, cause of earlier changes?
ZeikkoJoin Date: 2007-12-16Member: 63179Members, Squad Five Blue, NS2 Map Tester
TotalBiscuit's most recent mailbox includes a question about balance in asymmetrical games. NS2 i mentioned as an example. Not much insight in the video <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnJvuE3Ht-U" target="_blank">but here you go anyways.</a>
I was thinking about asymmetric gameplay recently and I can't think of any other FPS that has it and is played at a competitive level. Games like cs and dod have some form of asymmetry, but for the most part the weapons are basically the same. L4D is probably the only one but in some ways that is symmetrical as well because of the scoring system, both teams try and win as survivors. I think it is extremely difficult to balance a game that is very asymmetric, and even more difficult to balance melee vs ranged.
Symmetrical games are easy to balance in comparison since both players are trying to perform the same mechanics. The one who does it better wins.
I also don't know how you can balance combat in a game where you get upgrades as it progresses without it feeling unfair. I imagine if I was playing a marine vs marine mod and the other team got an upgrade to give them an extra grenade, if I died to that grenade then I'd feel cheated. Even small improvements to reload speed etc. would create a situation where 1 player is favoured (however slightly) over the other because of the upgrades rather than both being on a level playing field. You don't see that kind of situation in sports or other games. The player winning at tennis isn't given a bigger racket, or the football team who scores isn't allowed to then bring an extra man onto the field.
Comments
for me, i'd say my feeling isn't the important thing ... for me it's important if the game is balanced, when i sometime know how to play really good ...
what does it help, when the game is balanced for everyone, who just needs more skill?
and when everyone is experienced its totaly uneven, cause of earlier changes?
Symmetrical games are easy to balance in comparison since both players are trying to perform the same mechanics. The one who does it better wins.
I also don't know how you can balance combat in a game where you get upgrades as it progresses without it feeling unfair. I imagine if I was playing a marine vs marine mod and the other team got an upgrade to give them an extra grenade, if I died to that grenade then I'd feel cheated. Even small improvements to reload speed etc. would create a situation where 1 player is favoured (however slightly) over the other because of the upgrades rather than both being on a level playing field. You don't see that kind of situation in sports or other games. The player winning at tennis isn't given a bigger racket, or the football team who scores isn't allowed to then bring an extra man onto the field.