Halo: Combat Evolved Forum
This topic has moved here: Subject: Game Design: Balance Theory
  • Subject: Game Design: Balance Theory
Subject: Game Design: Balance Theory
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I came across a great site, sirlin.net, and read an article on the theory of game balance. Sirlin brings up some intereting observations regarding balance, including this moment of Zen in his article: "A multiplayer game is balanced if a reasonably large number of options available to the player are viable—especially, but not limited to, during high-level play by expert players." Given this definition of balance, would you say Halo: Combat Evolved is a balanced game?

In my opinion, yes. To qualify my argument I'll use the controversial pistol as my example. People complain that it beats everything, which is true, but the pistol will not beat everything everytime. In certain situations you'd be better off with a rocket launcher, shotgun, sniper, or plasma rifle. This is not why the pistol brings balance to Halo however. The reason I believe Halo: CE is a balanced game is because of the vast options the pistol provides the moment a player spawns.

When a player respawns in a match with a pistol, they have the option to attack or retreat right from the start, where they could only run with other low to mid power weapons. No mid-power weapon in the game other than the pistol has the ability to do that. With other weapons you're forced into retreat, and by then you might as well admit defeat against a good player. The beauty of Halo: CE is that your options aren't limited to attack and retreat. Powerups and weapons with easily predictable respawns, coupled with good map design, allow a player at a disadvantage to bide their time and gather the items necessary to even the odds. Again, like Sirlin said, the key to balance is a variety of options, which the pistol, powerups, and clever map design expand on.

There are of course other nuances to Halo:CE's gameplay, but I don't feel like writing a book at the moment. And if you read all this, thank you and I hope you enjoyed the read. Please give me some feedback as I'd love to hear your thoughts on the subject.

  • 02.25.2006 1:53 AM PDT
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I agree. The pistol was a good go-to weapon if another weapon fails. If your rocket missed the tank, whip out your pistol. If you can't snipe the sniper, whip out your pistol.

Also, the pistol matches the player's skill; it doesn't matter who shoots first.

  • 02.25.2006 6:11 AM PDT

humans and covies had very balanced weapons. Humans just had to reload, and couldnt use heavy weapons. But the good thing was, humans could use the covies weapons too.

  • 02.25.2006 6:07 PM PDT
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I'd say the only imbalanced weapons of halo that needed improvement to give them value would be the needler and AR. Every other weapon was highly specialized with the exception of the pistol, the pistol was a great over all weapon which gave slight power into all areas (long/mid/close) but could still be overcome by superior skill (faster headshots with the same gun) or superior specialised weapons in that area (a sniper can be challenged by the pistol but can still overpower it if a level of skill is applied at long range, a shotgun will usually win in close combat, and at mid range the slowwing power of the PR could outright disable the aiming of a pistol user).

Interesting find though. Would you say an equal level of fairness and baloance is applied to halo 2? I personally don't.

  • 02.25.2006 8:05 PM PDT
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Yeah, I never found as much balance in Halo 2 as I did in Halo 1. A while ago I used to think that Halo 2 was more balanced, but then I changed my mind.

Part of the reason Halo 1 is so much more balanced than Halo 2 is because there is no dual-wielding and not much auto-aim. I hate the noob combo (PP/BR) not only because it is hard to dodge, but because it is EASY to use.

I organize weapon balance into two categories: dodging and using. If one of those is easy and the other is hard, then it is unbalanced.

  • 02.26.2006 6:01 AM PDT
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Posted by: Vitamin Zawaz
Yeah, I never found as much balance in Halo 2 as I did in Halo 1. A while ago I used to think that Halo 2 was more balanced, but then I changed my mind.

Part of the reason Halo 1 is so much more balanced than Halo 2 is because there is no dual-wielding and not much auto-aim. I hate the noob combo (PP/BR) not only because it is hard to dodge, but because it is EASY to use.

I organize weapon balance into two categories: dodging and using. If one of those is easy and the other is hard, then it is unbalanced.

Thought I remembered debating you about the Hal vs Halo 2 topic.

Well in anycase my view still stands and I agree that Halo is more balanced.
More balance = more fun for me.

The fact that 2 people of obviously better skill can play competitively against 3-4 other people in a flag game attests to this. I had a 45 minute One flag CTF game on Hang'em High with my cousin against 4 other players where half of themthat knew how to play the game, but that was it, and the other 2 were mediocrer (in my group that I play with). It was one of the closest games I have played inm awhile.

Why?

Because there happens to be 3 snipers with the game type we played with, and with out the pistol at the spawn each team would have had no problem winning should they get control of 2 snipers. Couldn't recall how many times I killed/covered the flag carrier with that sniper, and the pistol was the only way they got near me.

This is just one example, I'm sure there are others like it.

  • 02.26.2006 6:39 PM PDT