UWE's approach to balancing the game- Could it be better? (discussion)
meatmachine
South England Join Date: 2013-01-06 Member: 177858Members, NS2 Playtester, NS2 Map Tester, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Supporter
South England Join Date: 2013-01-06 Member: 177858Members, NS2 Playtester, NS2 Map Tester, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Supporter
Does UWE have a particular ethos to how the game should be balanced?
It seems to me that right now most of the balance changes revolve around tweaking numbers and removing features that would be considered OP or 'not fun'.
Would you agree with this statement? Do you think that it could be done better?
I was recently reading about the balancing of various games (mainly RTS/MOBAs like starcraft and DOTA) and someone made a comment that got me thinking- they claimed that more of the 'hardcore' games balanced things by making certain features MORE powerful, often by adding content. You could interpret some of the recent changes to be done like this (eg nade launcher megabuff) however in the case of my example it FEELS more like a huge nerf to whatever was meant to counter nades. The main thing I took from it is that there are actually METHODOLOGIES for balancing, and it got me thinking about what UWE's approach is intended to be if any.
I'd basically like to know what UWE's intention is with balancing the game- simply trying to get the winrates to 50/50? (seems like a durrrr question but I'm serious, humour me here).
As an ex-competetive now-casual player I'd really like to see the game balance changes based more around introducing new content to make the features of the game more expansive, without being constrained by long-standing paradigms. I think the game's in need of new content to take it above what it is currently. If you were to ask me personally, I'd say the thing that would most help the game and possibly make balancing it easier (though that is probably a huge matter of debate) is a new level of tech, for either team. If you want me to go more into detail then please ask (I'm sure y'all think its a dumb idea right
) but what I'm interested in is what your opinions are on the questions I have carefully emboldened in this post 
It seems to me that right now most of the balance changes revolve around tweaking numbers and removing features that would be considered OP or 'not fun'.
Would you agree with this statement? Do you think that it could be done better?
I was recently reading about the balancing of various games (mainly RTS/MOBAs like starcraft and DOTA) and someone made a comment that got me thinking- they claimed that more of the 'hardcore' games balanced things by making certain features MORE powerful, often by adding content. You could interpret some of the recent changes to be done like this (eg nade launcher megabuff) however in the case of my example it FEELS more like a huge nerf to whatever was meant to counter nades. The main thing I took from it is that there are actually METHODOLOGIES for balancing, and it got me thinking about what UWE's approach is intended to be if any.
I'd basically like to know what UWE's intention is with balancing the game- simply trying to get the winrates to 50/50? (seems like a durrrr question but I'm serious, humour me here).
As an ex-competetive now-casual player I'd really like to see the game balance changes based more around introducing new content to make the features of the game more expansive, without being constrained by long-standing paradigms. I think the game's in need of new content to take it above what it is currently. If you were to ask me personally, I'd say the thing that would most help the game and possibly make balancing it easier (though that is probably a huge matter of debate) is a new level of tech, for either team. If you want me to go more into detail then please ask (I'm sure y'all think its a dumb idea right
) but what I'm interested in is what your opinions are on the questions I have carefully emboldened in this post
Comments
UWE have said time and time again that a simple 50/50 win rate is not their priority, although something they do consider. And new content is on the way in the form of an upcoming content patch (female marine, new map, etc). There's nothing as drastic as a completely new tier of tech, but there is definitely new additions to the game that are more than just cosmetic.
http://unknownworlds.com/ns2/natural-selection-2-balance/
http://unknownworlds.com/ns2/natural-selection-2-balance/
edit: biz beat me to it, but I got an extra link, so I win
Just check out the "balance" mod and you'll see NS2 moves forward by randomly adding a bunch of stuff that sounds cool, and then keeping the stuff which they think works.