Games & Virtual Worlds Series

Balance & Tuning

Understanding Games: How Video Games & Board Games Work

Michael Filimowicz, PhD

Published in

Understanding Games

12 min readJan 3, 2023

A balanced game is one in which all players have a relatively equal chance of winning, regardless of their skill level or the order in which they play. This means that no single player has an overwhelming advantage over the others, and that the outcome of the game is not predetermined.

A balanced game is typically achieved through careful design and testing, and may involve the fine-tuning of rules, mechanics, and components that help to level the playing field and create a more fair and enjoyable experience for all players. Some examples of features that can contribute to a balanced game design include player powers or abilities that are evenly distributed or counterbalanced, randomly generated elements that can affect the game state, and clear and consistent rules that are applied fairly to all players.

Changing a specific number in the game is called tuning, and it’s used to achieve a more even playing experience. To fine-tune an action, one might alter its gains and losses, difficulty, and/or its probabilities. To be fun, a game needs to strike a good balance between being too easy and too hard and not feeling unfair in any way.

Tuning can involve anything from changing a single variable, such as the number of lives a player starts with, to disabling an entire feature, such as the ability to sprint. Remember that if a game has too many outcomes or conditions that allow a player to succeed, then it is balanced as being too easy, and in order to tune that balance, the designer must remove one or several outcomes that result in success or add more failure states to create a more challenging gameplay.

Balanced Games in Context

Game balance refers to the design of a game in a way that allows players to have a fair and enjoyable experience, regardless of their skill level or the strategies they choose to employ. In the context of PvP (player versus player) games, game balance is important because it ensures that players have an equal chance of winning, regardless of their individual abilities or the characters they choose to play as. This can be achieved by carefully designing the abilities and characteristics of different characters so that they are equally powerful and viable options.

In PvE (player versus environment) games, game balance is also important because it ensures that the challenges and obstacles that players encounter are fair and appropriate for their skill level. This can be achieved by carefully designing the difficulty of different areas and enemies, as well as by providing players with the appropriate tools and abilities to overcome those challenges.

Types of Imbalances

Unbalanced actions refer to actions that are disproportionately powerful or weak compared to other actions in the game. For example, in a strategy game, if one unit has the ability to do significantly more damage than other units without any significant drawback, it would be considered an unbalanced action.

Unbalanced events refer to events that are disproportionately beneficial or detrimental to players. For example, in a board game, if one player draws a card that gives them a significant advantage over the other players, it could be considered an unbalanced event.

Difficulty imbalances refer to situations in which some parts of a game are significantly easier or harder than other parts. For example, in a platforming game, if one level is significantly easier or harder than the others, it would be considered a difficulty imbalance.

Asymmetric imbalances refer to situations in which players have different abilities, resources, or objectives, and one player has a significant advantage over the other. For example, in a card game, if one player has a deck that is significantly more powerful than the other player’s deck, it would be considered an asymmetric imbalance.

Strategic imbalances refer to situations in which certain strategies are significantly more effective than others, leading to a lack of strategic diversity. For example, in a real-time strategy game, if one unit or combination of units is significantly more effective than others, it could lead to a strategic imbalance.

Rankability

Rankability is the concept that a game can be ranked or ordered in terms of skill level or power. In other words, it is the idea that some players or teams are better than others, and that this can be quantified or measured in some way. This is often used in competitive games to determine the relative skill levels of different players or teams, and to match players or teams of similar skill levels against each other.

The circular chain of supremacy is a concept that refers to the idea that there is a hierarchy of strategies or tactics in a game, and that one strategy is typically dominant over another, but can be countered by a third strategy, which can in turn be countered by the first strategy, and so on. This creates a “circular chain” of strategies, with each strategy being dominant over some strategies but weak against others.

For example, in a game of rock-paper-scissors, rock is dominant over scissors, scissors are dominant over paper, and paper is dominant over rock. This creates a circular chain of supremacy, with each strategy being dominant over one other strategy, but weak against the third. This concept can also apply to other games, where different strategies or tactics are dominant in different situations, but can be countered by other strategies.

In mathematics, a transitive relationship is a relationship between three elements in which if element A is related to element B and element B is related to element C, then element A is also related to element C. An intransitive relationship is the opposite, where if element A is related to element B and element B is related to element C, element A is not necessarily related to element C.

In game design, these concepts can be applied to the relationships between different game elements, such as characters, abilities, or strategies. For example, in a fighting game, if character A has a move that is effective against character B, and character B has a move that is effective against character C, it might be considered a transitive relationship if character A’s move is also effective against character C. This can create a balance issue if one character or strategy is consistently dominant over others, as it can lead to a lack of strategic diversity.

On the other hand, if character A’s move is not effective against character C, despite being effective against character B, it would be considered an intransitive relationship. This can create more strategic diversity, as players must consider a wider range of factors when deciding which character or strategy to use.

As a result, we can say that items involved in a transitive relationship are rankable, while those involved in an intransitive relationship are unrankable.

Tuning Actions & Events

Game designers tune actions and events during the design process by carefully adjusting the properties and characteristics of different game elements, such as characters, abilities, or events, to ensure that they are balanced and enjoyable for players. This can involve adjusting the power, efficiency, or reliability of different actions, as well as the frequency or impact of different events.

There are several approaches that game designers can use to tune actions and events in their games. One approach is to use playtesting, in which the game is tested by players and the designers observe and gather feedback on the balance and enjoyment of different actions and events. Based on this feedback, the designers can make adjustments to the game to improve balance and enjoyment.

Another approach is to use mathematical or statistical analysis to identify imbalances or issues with the balance of different actions or events. For example, designers can use data on the frequency or effectiveness of different actions to identify any actions that are too powerful or weak, and make adjustments accordingly.

The process of tuning actions and events in a game is an iterative one, and involves gathering feedback, analyzing data, and making adjustments throughout the whole process.

Tables & Spreadsheets

Game designers often use tables and spreadsheets as a tool for organizing and analyzing data when tuning and balancing a game. These tools can be used to track the various characteristics and properties of different game elements, such as characters, abilities, or events, and to identify any imbalances or issues with the balance of the game.

For example, a designer might use a spreadsheet to track the damage output, range, and other characteristics of different weapons in a first-person shooter. They could then use this data to identify any weapons that are too powerful or weak, and make adjustments to the game to improve balance.

Tables and spreadsheets can also be used to track data on the frequency and effectiveness of different strategies or tactics in a game. This can help designers identify any strategies that are consistently dominant over others, and make adjustments to the game to create a more balanced and enjoyable experience.

Tables and spreadsheets are useful tools for game designers because they allow them to organize and analyze data in a structured way, which can help them identify balance issues and make informed decisions about how to tune and balance their games.

Doubling & Halving

Doubling and halving are techniques that game designers can use when tuning and balancing a game to make significant adjustments to the power or effectiveness of different game elements in order to see more clearly their effects in the overall dynamics of gameplay.

To use the doubling technique, a designer would double the current value of a game element (such as the damage output of a weapon) and observe how it affects the balance of the game. If the element is too powerful, the designer can halve the value to bring it back into balance. If the element is not powerful enough, the designer can double the value again to increase its power. This process can be repeated until the element is appropriately balanced.

The halving technique works in a similar way, but involves halving the value of a game element instead of doubling it. This technique can be useful when making smaller adjustments to the balance of a game.

Both of these techniques can be useful for game designers because they allow them to make incremental adjustments to the balance of a game and observe the effects of those changes in a systematic way.

Symmetric & Asymmetric Play

In a symmetric game, all players have access to the same resources, abilities, and objectives. This means that each player has an equal chance of winning and the strategies available to each player are generally the same.

An asymmetric game, on the other hand, is one in which players have different resources, abilities, or objectives. This can lead to imbalances in power and opportunities for players, and can create a more diverse range of strategies and tactics.

Symmetric play can be found in games where all players have the same starting position and the same options available to them, such as chess or Go. Asymmetric play can be found in games where players have different roles or abilities, such as in a role-playing game where the Dungeon / Game Master has a very different viewpoint on the game compared to the other players, or in a strategy game where each player has access to different units or technologies.

Symmetric play can create a more balanced and fair experience, while asymmetric play can create more strategic diversity and allow for a wider range of experiences for players.

Min/Maxing

Min/maxing is a strategy used by players in which they try to optimize their character, deck, or other game element by focusing on a few key attributes or abilities at the expense of others. This is often done in order to maximize the character’s effectiveness in a specific role or situation, or to give the player an advantage over their opponents.

For example, in a role-playing game, a player might focus on increasing their character’s strength and health at the expense of other attributes, such as intelligence or charisma, in order to create a character that is better suited for combat. In a collectible card game, a player might build a deck that focuses on a few powerful cards at the expense of other cards in order to have a more consistent and powerful strategy.

Min/maxing can be a controversial practice because it can create imbalances in the game, as players who min/max their characters or decks may have a significant advantage over other players. Some game designers try to balance their games in a way that discourages min/maxing, while others embrace it as a legitimate player strategy.

Other Player Imbalances in Gameplay

Powergaming is a term used to describe a player who focuses on maximizing their character’s power or effectiveness, often at the expense of role-playing or other aspects of the game. This can involve min/maxing their character’s attributes, choosing powerful abilities or equipment, or exploiting game mechanics to gain an advantage. Powergaming is often viewed as a negative player behavior, as it can disrupt the balance of the game and lead to a less enjoyable experience for other players.

Rule lawyering is the act of using technicalities or strict interpretation of the rules to gain an advantage in a game. This can involve citing obscure or unclear rules to justify actions that are not in the spirit of the game, or using knowledge of the rules to exploit loopholes or exceptions. Rule lawyering is generally viewed as a negative player behavior, as it can lead to conflicts and disrupt the enjoyment of the game for other players.

Twinking is a term used to describe a player who gives their character powerful items or equipment that are not normally available at their current level or stage in the game. This can be done by transferring items between characters, using exploits or hacks to obtain powerful items, or using other means to obtain items that are not intended for their character. Twinking is generally viewed as a negative player behavior, as it can create imbalances in the game and disrupt the enjoyment of the game for other players.

Bibliography & Further Reading

A Game Design Vocabulary: Exploring the Foundational Principles Behind Good Game Design by Anna Anthropy and Naomi Clark
A Theory of Fun for Game Design by Raph Koster
Advanced Game Design: A Systems Approach by Michael Sellers
An Introduction to Game Studies by Frans Mayra
Basics of Game Design by Michael Moore
Blood, Sweat, and Pixels: The Triumphant, Turbulent Stories Behind How Video Games Are Made Blood, Sweat, and Pixels: The Triumphant, Turbulent Stories Behind How Video Games Are Made by Jason Schreier
Board Game Design Advice: From the Best in the World vol 1 by Gabe Barrett
Building Blocks of Tabletop Game Design: an Encyclopedia Of Mechanisms by Geoffrey Engelstein and Isaac Shalev
Character Development and Storytelling for Games by Lee Sheldon
Chris Crawford on Game Design by Chris Crawford
Clockwork Game Design by Keith Burgun
Elements of Game Design by Robert Zubek
Fundamentals of Game Design by Ernest Adams
Fundamentals of Puzzle and Casual Game Design by Ernest Adams
Game Design Foundations by Brenda Romero
Game Design Workshop by Tracy Fullerton
Game Mechanics: Advanced Game Design by Ernest Adams and Joris Dormans
Game Writing: Narrative Skills for Videogames edited by Chris Bateman
Games, Design and Play: A detailed approach to iterative game design by Colleen Macklin and John Sharp
Introduction to Game Systems Design by Dax Gazaway
Kobold Guide to Board Game Design by Mike Selinker, David Howell, et al
Kobold’s Guide to Worldbuilding edited by Janna Silverstein
Level Up! The Guide to Great Video Game Design, 2nd Edition by Scott Rogers
Narrating Space / Spatializing Narrative: Where Narrative Theory and Geography Meet by Marie-Laure Ryan, Kenneth Foote, et al.
Narrative Theory: A Critical Introduction by Kent Puckett
Narrative Theory: Core Concepts and Critical Debates by David Herman, James Phelan, et al.
Narratology: Introduction to the Theory of Narrative, Fourth Edition by Mieke Bal
Practical Game Design by Adam Kramarzewski and Ennio De Nucci
Procedural Storytelling in Game Design by Tanya X. Short and Tarn Adams
Professional Techniques for Video Game Writing by Wendy Despain
Rules of Play by Salen and Zimmerman
Storyworlds Across Media: Toward a Media-Conscious Narratology (Frontiers of Narrative) by Marie-Laure Ryan, Jan-Noël Thon, et al
Tabletop Game Design for Video Game Designers by Ethan Ham
The Art of Game Design, 3rd Edition by Jesse Schell
The Board Game Designer’s Guide: The Easy 4 Step Process to Create Amazing Games That People Can’t Stop Playing by Joe Slack
The Cambridge Introduction to Narrative by H. Porter Abbott
The Grasshopper, by Bernard Suits
The Routledge Companion to Video Game Studies by Bernard Perron and Mark J.P. Wolf
The Routledge Encyclopedia of Narrative Theory by David Herman
The Ultimate Guide to Video Game Writing and Design by Flint Dille & John Zuur Platten
Unboxed: Board Game Experience and Design by Gordon Calleja
Video Game Storytelling: What Every Developer Needs to Know about Narrative Techniques by Evan Skolnick
Writing for Video Game Genres: From FPS to RPG edited by Wendy Despain
Writing for Video Games by Steve Ince
100 Principles of Game Design by DESPAIN