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<blockquote data-quote="HeapThaumaturgist" data-source="post: 3202252" data-attributes="member: 12332">Take two games.&nbsp; We will, for the moment, assume they are each as interesting, varied, and fun as the other.In one we have outrageous imbalance problems.&nbsp; In the other we don't.Why not play the one that doesn't?There's nothing inherent in keeping an eye to balance that says we have to make things bland and uninteresting.&nbsp; It is a balancing act, of course, but it's just unrealistic to decide that since the platonic ideal is unattainable we should scrap the exercise and run wild in the streets.&nbsp; You don't play Ars Magica assuming that the Magus and the grog are supposed to do the same things.&nbsp; The imbalance is written into the game for a purpose.&nbsp; It's just not the same game at all, the &quot;balance&quot; sought is a different thing.&nbsp; If there was an option available that made a grog more powerful than a Magus, would that be imbalanced?&nbsp; Suddenly when some people are supposed to be playing grogs to the Magus and we give each of the grogs a man-portable shoulder-fired tactical nuclear device we've got a problem.I think FUN things can be designed which are BALANCED things.&nbsp; Not doing so is sloppy and nothing more.&nbsp;&nbsp; It may not be a perfect balance, but obvious glaring imbalances for the sake of &quot;New Shiny and Fun&quot; isn't cool.&nbsp; Just unpolished.--fje</blockquote>

[QUOTE="HeapThaumaturgist, post: 3202252, member: 12332"] Take two games. We will, for the moment, assume they are each as interesting, varied, and fun as the other. In one we have outrageous imbalance problems. In the other we don't. Why not play the one that doesn't? There's nothing inherent in keeping an eye to balance that says we have to make things bland and uninteresting. It is a balancing act, of course, but it's just unrealistic to decide that since the platonic ideal is unattainable we should scrap the exercise and run wild in the streets. You don't play Ars Magica assuming that the Magus and the grog are supposed to do the same things. The imbalance is written into the game for a purpose. It's just not the same game at all, the "balance" sought is a different thing. If there was an option available that made a grog more powerful than a Magus, would that be imbalanced? Suddenly when some people are supposed to be playing grogs to the Magus and we give each of the grogs a man-portable shoulder-fired tactical nuclear device we've got a problem. I think FUN things can be designed which are BALANCED things. Not doing so is sloppy and nothing more. It may not be a perfect balance, but obvious glaring imbalances for the sake of "New Shiny and Fun" isn't cool. Just unpolished. --fje [/QUOTE]

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