In the Balance: Towards a Taxonomy of Game Balance
Summary
Game balance is a crucial yet polarizing aspect of game development, sparking debate among players and developers alike. We aim to explore the diverse dimensions of game balance, offering a unified taxonomy to guide more effective game design and player engagement.
Role
UX Research, Project Management
Tools
Docs, Excel, Qualtrics
Team
Samuel Shields, Sungyeon Yoon
Timeline
January 2024 - Present
Problem
We aim to understand the unclear, varied definitions of game balance that challenge developers in creating consistently engaging experiences.
Process
Literature Review
Conducted an extensive review of existing academic papers on game balance, analyzing 100+ publications to gather varying definitions and frameworks for balance.
Taxonomy Development
Synthesized findings into a taxonomy that categorizes game balance into ten unique dimensions, providing a structured framework for the concept.
Survey
Designed and distributed a survey to gather player perspectives on game balance, focusing on their definitions, perceptions, and emotional responses to imbalance in games.
Iteration and Analysis
Collected and analyzed 40+ players responses to identify trends and understand how player definitions of balance compare to academic perspectives.
Outcome
Unified Taxonomy of Game Balance
Created a taxonomy with ten distinct dimensions of game balance, addressing both academic and player perspectives, which provides a cohesive framework for understanding balance.
Academic vs. Non-Academic Perspectives
Identified areas where player expectations align with or differ from academic views, especially regarding difficulty, variability, and aesthetics, giving insights into where developer focus may need adjustment.
Practical Design Recommendations
Developed actionable guidelines for game designers, helping them prioritize balance dimensions according to player expectations and improve engagement across various game genres.
Reflections
Key Insights
Bridging academic theories with player perspectives adds practical value, highlighting the importance of aligning design practices with real-world player expectations.
Challenges
Synthesizing diverse definitions of game balance across academic sources and player feedback was challenging due to the subjective, multifaceted nature of balance.
The survey’s limited sample size and demographic scope may affect the generalizability of findings, suggesting that future studies could benefit from a larger, more diverse participant pool.
Limitations
The survey’s limited sample size and demographic scope may affect the generalizability of findings, suggesting that future studies could benefit from a larger, more diverse participant pool.
The evolving nature of game balance indicates that the taxonomy may need ongoing adaptation to stay relevant with industry advancements.
For Future Implications…
Proposed areas for further study to refine the taxonomy and enhance understanding of balance in emerging gaming contexts, supporting both research and practical applications.
As gaming genres and technologies evolve, this taxonomy could become a standard in game design education and practice, highlighting the value of inclusive, player-focused research to enrich game development.