Our Approach to Game Balancing
When we say that season0 is a time for experimentation, discovery, and learning, that doesn’t apply to just GMs. On our side, the team is hard at work fine tuning the mechanics of the Virtual Basketball Association (VBA) to ensure we have a balanced, and most importantly, fun game.
When we make game balance updates, we’ll be regularly releasing Patch Notes to update our community because as web3 builders, we believe in giving our community transparency on our goals, principles, and approach to help you make the smartest decisions when it comes to managing your team.
season0 Goals
Before we outline what balance looks like in the VBA, it’s important to first recognize our goals for season0.
1) Establish a core game loop
Our first priority is to establish a fun core game loop that makes the game approachable for newcomers and engaging for veteran GMs.
2) Make sure the game is fun
We want our GMs to habitually turn to the VBA for their fix of fun: to elevate their heart rate, get their minds racing with theories, and connect them with other passionate fans.
3) Ensure the game makes basketball sense, but is not a 1:1 parallel to the NBA
At the end of the day, the VBA is about basketball, and that means our games should make basketball sense. However, basketball sense does not mean NBA sense. We are building a world that exists in the Metaverse, and that means things can happen in our league that can’t happen anywhere else.
4) Establish a meta
In competitive games, the meta often dictates the majority of game play. In the NBA, the meta in evolved from focusing on dominant big men to floor spacing and 3&D wings. We want the VBA and its community to discover and establish a meta where there are dominant strategies and counters until rule changes (like hand check fouls) or new play styles (like Steph Curry) shake things up.
What is Game Balance?
Knowing this context on our goals, we can dive deeper into what “game balance” looks like for the VBA, because inherently, balance is married to the fun.
No “One Size Fits All” Dominate Strategy
In the VBA, there will be no unbeatable builds, no aces in the hole, no trump cards. Every move will have a counter move, so GMs will be in constant motion to address weak spots on their teams as they face new opponents.
Don’t Majorly Disrupt the Current Meta
Changes made to the game will redirect and correct, not upend the rules of the world. For example, if you have a slasher who’s played against every other archetype and putting up 40 points a game, every game, a balance update wouldn’t extinguish their talent. Rather, the update would change something, such as help defense, to make the ecosystem more competitive.
What is our Game Balancing Approach?
We will constantly re-evaluate the rules of our world as we build the best game possible. But do not worry, our updates will look like ripples, not tidal waves, and will come in one of three fashions: Hot Fixes, Game Tunes, and Meta Changes.
1) Hot Fixes
Hot Fixes will come out quickly and without a set cadence, as bugs that need immediate attention require immediate fixes.
2) Game Tunes
Game Tunes will be released less frequently and on a more predictable basis to make changes such as nerfing an overpowered play style, or making a weaker play style more powerful. However, these changes aren’t planned to drastically alter the existing player hierarchy.
3) Meta Changes
Meta Changes will only happen between seasons (or mid-season if a season runs too long). These changes would be substantial, and could change the order of existing compositions.
Thank you for your support and joining us on this journey. We’re excited to continue sharing our progress and thoughts in the spirit of transparency and the ultimate goal of building a fun experience for our community. If there’s other topics you’re interested in, please let us know.
Our next game balance update will focus on interior offense and 3&D wings is coming soon.
