Terminology I will attempt to define:
Balanced.
Unbalanced.
Broken.
New terminology I reccomend to aid those three:
Useless.
Less useful.
More useful.
Too useful.
Paradigm altering.
In the old trio, these definitions, while changing from person to person, generally seem to hold true:
A balanced mechanic is currently defined as a game mechanic that has a requisite number of disadvantages or a general lack of advantages of equal quality to the advantages or lack of disadvantages. It has a pro for every con, and a con for every pro.
An unbalanced mechanic is currently defined as a game mechanic that has either too many or too few of either advantages or disadvantages. Normally applied only to game mechanics with too many advantages.
A broken mechanic is currently defined as a mechanic that changes the game paradigm and simultaneously devalues other intended and/or balanced mechanics.
In my reccomended five terms for game balance, I'd have:
A useless mechanic is a mechanic whose function has no relevant effect on the gameplay. A player will completly or nearly completely ignore this mechanic.
A less useful mechanic is relevant to gameplay, but not effective enough in terms of game balance. A player won't go out of the way to get an item with a less useful mechanic, but he will utilize one if nothing better comes along.
A more useful mechanic is relevant to gameplay and worth applying in the relevant situation. A player will go out of the way to get an item with a more useful mechanic, and will prefer it over a less useful mechanic.
A too useful mechanic is so poweruful and relevant to gameplay that it is preferred over all other options in most situations. It isn't necessarily unbalanced, but the game will center around this item.
A paradigm altering mechanic is so overpowering that it alters the very premise of the game with its mere presence. Players will be forced to prefer this mechanic, or be irrelevant.
Why the next five definitions?
Because games are often filled with mechanics that are ill-labeled with the first three. From the point of view of making a Tribes game, the jetpack is a balanced item. From the point of view of making a ground FPS, it's overpowered!
When you think in terms of old Tribes games, the new repair pack could be unbalanced! But hypothetically, in terms of Tribes: Vengeance, it may be very balanced.
Which is why balanced isn't a very good benchmark for design. In T1 and T2, the energy pack was balanced; yet it was too useful. Except for the required use of the repair pack and those maps where people could shuck the energy pack for the shield, then the energy pack was it!
If you instead define things in terms of use, including to the point of breaking the game paradigm, you still cover things that are potentially game breaking, whi...
I didn't feel like writing anymore. Here is the half-post. Whatever.
Balanced.
Unbalanced.
Broken.
New terminology I reccomend to aid those three:
Useless.
Less useful.
More useful.
Too useful.
Paradigm altering.
In the old trio, these definitions, while changing from person to person, generally seem to hold true:
A balanced mechanic is currently defined as a game mechanic that has a requisite number of disadvantages or a general lack of advantages of equal quality to the advantages or lack of disadvantages. It has a pro for every con, and a con for every pro.
An unbalanced mechanic is currently defined as a game mechanic that has either too many or too few of either advantages or disadvantages. Normally applied only to game mechanics with too many advantages.
A broken mechanic is currently defined as a mechanic that changes the game paradigm and simultaneously devalues other intended and/or balanced mechanics.
In my reccomended five terms for game balance, I'd have:
A useless mechanic is a mechanic whose function has no relevant effect on the gameplay. A player will completly or nearly completely ignore this mechanic.
A less useful mechanic is relevant to gameplay, but not effective enough in terms of game balance. A player won't go out of the way to get an item with a less useful mechanic, but he will utilize one if nothing better comes along.
A more useful mechanic is relevant to gameplay and worth applying in the relevant situation. A player will go out of the way to get an item with a more useful mechanic, and will prefer it over a less useful mechanic.
A too useful mechanic is so poweruful and relevant to gameplay that it is preferred over all other options in most situations. It isn't necessarily unbalanced, but the game will center around this item.
A paradigm altering mechanic is so overpowering that it alters the very premise of the game with its mere presence. Players will be forced to prefer this mechanic, or be irrelevant.
Why the next five definitions?
Because games are often filled with mechanics that are ill-labeled with the first three. From the point of view of making a Tribes game, the jetpack is a balanced item. From the point of view of making a ground FPS, it's overpowered!
When you think in terms of old Tribes games, the new repair pack could be unbalanced! But hypothetically, in terms of Tribes: Vengeance, it may be very balanced.
Which is why balanced isn't a very good benchmark for design. In T1 and T2, the energy pack was balanced; yet it was too useful. Except for the required use of the repair pack and those maps where people could shuck the energy pack for the shield, then the energy pack was it!
If you instead define things in terms of use, including to the point of breaking the game paradigm, you still cover things that are potentially game breaking, whi...
I didn't feel like writing anymore. Here is the half-post. Whatever.
