Riot Game Design Manager Reveals Champion Balancing Process
Riot game design manager David Capurro recently shared a detailed explanation of how the balance team determines which champions need balancing, the process they follow, and the reason behind the development of the Framework. In a recent post on the Nexus League of Legends site, Capurro sheds light on this crucial aspect of game development.
The Purpose of the Framework
The Framework serves multiple purposes. Firstly, it allows the team to be transparent with players by revealing the reasoning behind their balancing decisions. Moreover, it encourages more input from the player community, enabling Riot to consider their feedback. Capurro acknowledges that complete agreement between the team and players is unlikely, but they strive to enhance consistency and make the patching process more reliable.
Ensuring Consistency and Communication
Riot aims to move away from sporadic or arbitrary balancing decisions and instead focus on patches that are purposeful, well thought out, and effectively communicated to the players. This approach prevents players from feeling blindsided by unexpected changes and eliminates the need to react immediately before a game even begins.
Balancing According to Tiers
The balance team categorizes the game into four tiers: average, skilled, elite play, and professional play. By considering the performance of champions in each of these tiers, Riot ensures that no group feels overlooked or unheard when it comes to balance adjustments. This inclusive approach guarantees a balanced gameplay experience for players at all skill levels.
Riot’s Latest Move Towards Better Player Relations
Through this post, Riot is striving to establish a stronger connection with the player community, as they lift the veil on a previously secretive aspect of the game. Building a more collaborative relationship between the balance team and the players will ultimately lead to improved game quality and greater satisfaction among fans.
Improved Understanding for Better Acceptance
Even if some changes are unpopular among the community, the fact that players can now understand the reasoning behind these decisions is a significant step towards acceptance. When players comprehend the rationale behind certain changes, it becomes easier for both the balance team and the players to move forward.
Riot Games, balancing, champions, framework, transparency, player input, consistency, communication, tiers, game development, player community