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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Drawmack" data-source="post: 3283283" data-attributes="member: 4981">As I see it there are three major issues with creating a "balanced" RPG. The problems draw nice paralells to computer science, heck they are both rules based systems, so I'll be drawing my analagies there.1) It is impossible to come up with an all encompasing definition of balance that can be applied to everyones style of play. This is analogeous to a computer program that can determine what sort of animal you are thinking of from physical traits. Take dogs for example. Do all dogs have fur, tails, four legs, two eyes, two years, etc? If we cannot even comprehensively define the term balance we cannot even hope to apply it.2) In order to sell a game to the largest number of possible people, we need to genericize the game as much as possible. If we define balance comprehensively, we pidgeon hole our game and limit our audience. For example the most balanced game I ever played was toon, anyone seen a new edition of this recently?3) In order to truly balance the game you would have to test every possible combination of features, just like with software. DnD cannot be balanced for the same reason that MS will never release an OS that has no bugs from day 1, it is impossible to test all of the features. Take a first level rogue and attempt the following. Create one rogue with every possible stat in every possible location of every possible race. Okay so 10 years later when you're done with take, apply every possible combination of skill point selections to every one of these charaters. Are you getting the point yet? In the old days classes had set skills and abilities, and the system was more balanced. Players clammored for more options and the industry responded with more player options. However, balance was sacraficed for player option becuase it forced the system into an untestable state. The only way to even begin to approach balance in an RPG is to first limit your audience and secondly limit their options further limiting your audience. Wow, you think the industry is in danger now - how about if that happened?</blockquote>

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