Balancing (questions to gurus).
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Balancing (questions to gurus).
Hi, after finishing couple of mainline campaigns, I want to create my own little story. It's actually pretty painless and straightforward to get to the point when stuff starts to happen 
I have couple of questions though.
Say, I want to add new unit type for the default era. Not some special unique one, like Delf, but just a regular one you and your enemies/allies can actually recruit.
Putting aside the need for graphics and sounds which doesn't belong here anyway, the most important thing is balancing. What tools should I use to make sure it's not overpowered or too weak? More importantly, what tools do you use in practice? Spreadsheets? Scripts to simulate AI battles on different maps, with different amounts of gold, recruitment patterns, etc.?
Thanks in advance.
I have couple of questions though.
Say, I want to add new unit type for the default era. Not some special unique one, like Delf, but just a regular one you and your enemies/allies can actually recruit.
Putting aside the need for graphics and sounds which doesn't belong here anyway, the most important thing is balancing. What tools should I use to make sure it's not overpowered or too weak? More importantly, what tools do you use in practice? Spreadsheets? Scripts to simulate AI battles on different maps, with different amounts of gold, recruitment patterns, etc.?
Thanks in advance.
Re: Balancing (questions to gurus).
In a campaign, don't worry too much about it.
All you need to worry about is how that unit preforms in the context of the campaign. If it makes the campaign too easy then it may be overpowered, it you never recruit it because it isn't useful then it is underpowered.
There is no tool, just play testing.
All you need to worry about is how that unit preforms in the context of the campaign. If it makes the campaign too easy then it may be overpowered, it you never recruit it because it isn't useful then it is underpowered.
There is no tool, just play testing.
"There are two kinds of old men in the world. The kind who didn't go to war and who say that they should have lived fast died young and left a handsome corpse and the old men who did go to war and who say that there is no such thing as a handsome corpse."
Re: Balancing (questions to gurus).
Thanks for your response.Velensk wrote:In a campaign, don't worry too much about it.
All you need to worry about is how that unit preforms in the context of the campaign. If it makes the campaign too easy then it may be overpowered, it you never recruit it because it isn't useful then it is underpowered.
There is no tool, just play testing.
Yeah, play testing works, that much I know. Though, I have vague memories of some script to simulate AI battles mentioned somewhere... The point is that I plan to have a scenario when the player is basically "observing" the battle between his enemy and ally, both of which are supposed to be much more powerful then his forces. I'm probably interested more in mini-fractions (if that makes any sense, heh) balancing then custom units...
Re: Balancing (questions to gurus).
That doesn't change anything.
It doesn't matter if you're testing a unit or a faction of units. When you're making a campaign all you have to determine is if the units you use result in the difficulty you want.
If you want the two AI sides to be evenly matched then there is no way to make sure that it is so aside from testing it. There is no need (and as far as I know, no way) to simulate an AI battle when you can just have the AIs fight.
I would discourage having battles where the player is only a spectator. These would not be that fun to play.
It doesn't matter if you're testing a unit or a faction of units. When you're making a campaign all you have to determine is if the units you use result in the difficulty you want.
If you want the two AI sides to be evenly matched then there is no way to make sure that it is so aside from testing it. There is no need (and as far as I know, no way) to simulate an AI battle when you can just have the AIs fight.
I would discourage having battles where the player is only a spectator. These would not be that fun to play.
"There are two kinds of old men in the world. The kind who didn't go to war and who say that they should have lived fast died young and left a handsome corpse and the old men who did go to war and who say that there is no such thing as a handsome corpse."
Re: Balancing (questions to gurus).
Well, say, player has different goal then defeating the bad guy. It's one of the story-driven scenarios, when the focus isn't on the battle itself, but still I want the battle to be interesting. Anyway, it's too early for that stuff, I guess. Need to start with some good ol' kill'em all scenariosVelensk wrote: I would discourage having battles where the player is only a spectator. These would not be that fun to play.
Re: Balancing (questions to gurus).
You want the battle to be ambient noise?
1. Awesome idea!
2. Are you still working on this?
3. Is it necessary for the player to see the end of the battle?
If it isn't then just give the AI gold periodically to keep the battle going and you can throw balance out the window.
If the end of the battle is necessary to the story then just give the side that is supposed to win a bit of gold every turn so that they appear to gradually overpower the enemy.
1. Awesome idea!
2. Are you still working on this?
3. Is it necessary for the player to see the end of the battle?
If it isn't then just give the AI gold periodically to keep the battle going and you can throw balance out the window.
If the end of the battle is necessary to the story then just give the side that is supposed to win a bit of gold every turn so that they appear to gradually overpower the enemy.