Player Balance - Revision history

Staffan Björk at 09:09, 8 April 2022

2022-04-08T09:09:27Z

Staffan Björk at 14:01, 6 April 2018

2018-04-06T14:01:28Z

Staffan Björk: /* Using the pattern */

2018-04-06T13:56:46Z

‎Using the pattern

Staffan Björk at 13:52, 6 April 2018

2018-04-06T13:52:31Z

Staffan Björk: /* Relations */

2018-04-06T13:43:01Z

‎Relations

Staffan Björk: /* Using the pattern */

2018-04-06T13:42:34Z

‎Using the pattern

Staffan Björk: /* Relations */

2018-04-06T13:32:11Z

‎Relations

Staffan Björk: /* Using the pattern */

2018-04-06T13:31:59Z

‎Using the pattern

Staffan Björk at 13:27, 6 April 2018

2018-04-06T13:27:18Z

Staffan Björk at 13:27, 6 April 2018

2018-04-06T13:27:05Z

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 [[Category:Patterns]]
 [[Category:Balancing Patterns]]
 [[Category:Dynamic Patterns]]
 [[Category:Subjective Patterns]]

@@ Line 3: / Line 3: @@
 [[Category:Dynamic Patterns]]
 [[Category:Subjective Patterns]]
 [[Category:Needs revision]]
 [[Category:Needs references]]
 [[Category:To be Published]]
 ''Design structures in a game which works towards players having equal chances of succeeding with actions in a game or with winning the game.''
@@ Line 26: / Line 22: @@
 The main challenge with having [[Player Balance]] in a game is that so many other design features can work against it. The primary one is [[Multiplayer Games]] which is also the pattern that makes there be a need for [[Player Balance]]. Other central challenges to [[Player Balance]] come from patterns that cause asymmetry between players in their possibilities to compete with each other, i.e. [[Asymmetric Abilities]], [[Asymmetric Goals]], [[Asymmetric Resource Distribution]], and [[Asymmetric Starting Conditions]]. Many patterns relate to some of these asymmetries and to players, i.e. players having too powerful [[Abilities]] due to being [[AI Players]], [[Entitled Players]], being in high tiers in games with [[Tiered Participation]], having [[Player Augmentations]] (but these can also be used to boost to [[Abilities]] of disadvantaged players), or having [[Empowerment]]. Others, e.g. [[Invulnerabilities]], [[Privileged Abilities]], and [[Privileged Movement]], cause imbalances in [[Abilities]]. These imbalances may also be caused by imbalances in how [[Skills]], [[Strategic Locations]], [[Tools]], [[Vehicles]], or [[Weapons]] are distributed, which makes [[Procedurally Generated Game Worlds]] or [[Reconfigurable Game Worlds]] a potential source for such imbalances as well (but also tools for working towards [[Player Balance]]).
-Asymmetry regarding resources and starting conditions may also come from games having [[First Player Advantages]], allowing [[Early Leaving Players]], or having to deal with [[Late Arriving Players]] (especially in games where their [[Player Characters]] are subject to [[Game Element Insertion]]) or players that become potential [[Kingmaker|Kingmakers]]. [[Asymmetric Starting Conditions]] regarding [[Abstract Player Constructs]] or [[Characters]] is another way in which asymmetry can break [[Player Balance]] easily (typically significant play testing is necessary to determine that a game is balanced when this type of asymmetry exists). Any type of [[Multiplayer Games|Multiplayer Game]] where players can improve in [[Persistent Game Worlds]], e.g. through [[Abstract Player Construct Development]], [[Character Development]], or [[Crafting]], can create an asymmetry simply due to differences in spent time. Players having support due to external reasons, e.g. [[Non-Player Help]] or [[Purchasable Game Advantages]], can easily also destroy [[Player Balance]]. A more specific example of this can be found in [[:Category:Collectible Card Games|Collectible Card Games]] such as [[Magic: The Gathering]] since it has [[Heterogeneous Game Element Ownership]] and the game elements ([[Cards]] in this case) create various [[Combos]] with each other. Finally, players who are good at a game, i.e. have [[Gameplay Mastery]], automatically break [[Player Balance]] unless all players have the same level of [[Gameplay Mastery]]. [[Game Mastery]] issues can be compounded by imbalances in [[Abilities]] or [[Skills]], i.e. games with [[Player/Character Skill Composites]]. The presences of [[Enemies]] can work against [[Player Balance]] also when they work more against some players than others or [[Enemies]] with different strengths and weaknesses are pitched against different players. However, the latter can also be used to modify the [[Player Balance]] (so the gameplay become either more or less balanced).
+Asymmetry regarding resources and starting conditions may also come from games having [[First Player Advantages]], allowing [[Early Leaving Players]], or having to deal with [[Late Arriving Players]] (especially in games where their [[Player Characters]] are subject to [[Game Element Insertion]]) or players that become potential [[Kingmaker|Kingmakers]]. [[Asymmetric Starting Conditions]] regarding [[Abstract Player Constructs]] or [[Characters]] is another way in which asymmetry can break [[Player Balance]] easily (typically significant play testing is necessary to determine that a game is balanced when this type of asymmetry exists). Any type of [[Multiplayer Games|Multiplayer Game]] where players can improve in [[Persistent Game Worlds]], e.g. through [[Abstract Player Construct Development]], [[Character Development]], or [[Crafting]], can create an asymmetry simply due to differences in spent time. Players having support due to external reasons, e.g. [[Non-Player Help]] or [[Purchasable Game Advantages]], can easily also destroy [[Player Balance]]. A more specific example of this can be found in [[:Category:Collectible Card Games|Collectible Card Games]] such as [[Magic: The Gathering]] since it has [[Heterogeneous Game Element Ownership]] and the game elements ([[Cards]] in this case) create various [[Combos]] with each other. Finally, players who are good at a game, i.e. have [[Gameplay Mastery]], automatically break [[Player Balance]] unless all players have the same level of [[Gameplay Mastery]]. [[Game Mastery]] issues can be compounded by imbalances in [[Abilities]] or [[Skills]], i.e. games with [[Player/Character Skill Composites]]. The presences of [[Enemies]] can work against [[Player Balance]] also when they work more against some players than others or [[Enemies]] with different strengths and weaknesses are pitched against different players. However, the latter can also be used to modify the [[Player Balance]] (so the gameplay becomes either more or less balanced).
-[[Player Balance]] can easily be upset in games due to consequences that rewards certain players without compensating others. Examples of these include [[Extra Turns]], [[Flip-Flop Events]], [[Geometric Rewards for Investments]], [[New Abilities]], and [[Power-Ups]]. [[Combos]] also have this problem but are tied to players performing actions in rapid succession. Possibility to engage in [[Camping]] activities show that players can have gained advantageous positions through their actions which upset [[Player Balance]]. Imbalances are especially likely to occur when the positive consequences for players increase their chances of getting further positive consequences, i.e. if the game contains [[Positive Feedback Loops]] related to such consequences. [[Randomness]] can be used to counter [[Positive Feedback Loops]] and [[Gameplay Master]] but it is a fickle solution to [[Player Balance]] since the [[Randomness]] in itself can disrupt a [[Player Balance]]. While games with [[Red Queen Dilemmas]] by definition have the ability to let other players also become better, this is a fickle solution to [[Player Balance]] which where any player taking a lead disrupts the balance; the pattern is more problematic concerning [[Player Balance]] the more players there are, especially if not all players can participate in the race. Taking the opposite view, [[Player Balance]] can also be disrupted by misfortunes happening to players, [[Player Elimination]] being the most definite one since it removes a player from gameplay followed by [[Player Killing]] that can either cause [[Player Elimination]] or (typically) cause [[Death Consequences]].
+[[Player Balance]] can easily be upset in games due to consequences that rewards certain players without compensating others. Examples of these include [[Extra Turns]], [[Flip-Flop Events]], [[Geometric Rewards for Investments]], [[New Abilities]], and [[Power-Ups]]. [[Combos]] also have this problem but are tied to players performing actions in rapid succession. Possibility to engage in [[Camping]] activities show that players can have gained advantageous positions through their actions which upset [[Player Balance]]. Imbalances are especially likely to occur when the positive consequences for players increase their chances of getting further positive consequences, i.e. if the game contains [[Positive Feedback Loops]] related to such consequences. [[Randomness]] can be used to counter [[Positive Feedback Loops]] and [[Gameplay Master]], but this is a fickle solution to achieving [[Player Balance]] since the [[Randomness]] in itself can disrupt a [[Player Balance]]. While games with [[Red Queen Dilemmas]] by definition have the ability to let other players also become better, this is a fickle solution to [[Player Balance]] which where any player taking a lead disrupts the balance; the pattern is more problematic concerning [[Player Balance]] the more players there are, especially if not all players can participate in the race. Taking the opposite view, [[Player Balance]] can also be disrupted by misfortunes happening to players, [[Player Elimination]] being the most definite one since it removes a player from gameplay followed by [[Player Killing]] that can either cause [[Player Elimination]] or (typically) cause [[Death Consequences]].
-While there are many types of patterns that can work against [[Player Balance]] there are also many patterns that can work towards it. Some of the most effectful ones rely on players and others being able to make actions (either game actions or other types of actions). [[Dedicated Game Facilitators]] and [[Game Masters]] let non-players have great influence on the balance between players and can function as trusted third parties. [[Free Game Element Manipulation]], [[Negotiation]], [[Player-Decided Results]], and [[Sanctioned Cheating]] in [[Multiplayer Games]] all let players have the possibility to work against imbalances that has occured in a game instance or was present at the beginning of a game. Another effectful category of patterns that can promote [[Player Balance]] are based on [[Symmetry]], with [[Symmetric Goals]] and [[Symmetric Resource Distribution]] as examples of more specific patterns. However, these don't work for imbalances based on asymmetry (which is a common cause for needing to think about [[Player Balance]]).
+While there are many types of patterns that can work against [[Player Balance]] there are also many patterns that can work towards it. Some of the most effectful ones rely on players and others being able to make actions (either game actions or other types of actions). [[Dedicated Game Facilitators]] and [[Game Masters]] let non-players have great influence on the balance between players and can function as trusted third parties. [[Free Game Element Manipulation]], [[Negotiation]], [[Player-Decided Results]], and [[Sanctioned Cheating]] in [[Multiplayer Games]] all let players have the possibility to work against imbalances that has occurred in a game instance or was present at the beginning of a game. Another effectful category of patterns that can promote [[Player Balance]] are based on [[Symmetry]], with [[Symmetric Goals]] and [[Symmetric Resource Distribution]] as examples of more specific patterns. However, these don't work for imbalances based on asymmetry (which is a common cause for needing to think about [[Player Balance]]).
-Other patterns do not in themselves work towards [[Player Balance]] but can be used for balancing purposes. Who gets [[Ability Losses]] or [[Decreased Abilities]] can be used to make players possibilities more equal, as can modifications as to how [[Spawning]] occurs or which roles are reversed in [[Role Reversal]] situations. [[Tournaments]] can pitch players against each other so that obvious disparities between players chances are minimized. [[Supporting Goals]] can be provided only to disadvantaged players without necessarily making others feel that their efforts or [[Luck]] is nullified. [[Non-Renewable Resources]] and [[Challenging Gameplay]] can both put limits to how much advantages some players can have due to [[Resources]] becoming unavailable or the difficulty at some point becoming to hard. [[Terraforming Mars]] is an example of the former if one considers the "terraforming scales" and water tiles are [[Resources]]; players that have built [[Abstract Player Constructs]] that let them advance one scale very effectively will at some point no longer have a benefit from this since the scale cannot be raised more.
+Other patterns do not in themselves work towards [[Player Balance]] but can be used for balancing purposes. Who gets [[Ability Losses]] or [[Decreased Abilities]] can be used to make players possibilities more equal, as can modifications as to how [[Spawning]] occurs or which roles are reversed in [[Role Reversal]] situations. [[Tournaments]] can pitch players against each other so that obvious disparities between players chances are minimized. [[Supporting Goals]] can be provided only to disadvantaged players without necessarily making others feel that their efforts or [[Luck]] is nullified. [[Non-Renewable Resources]] and [[Challenging Gameplay]] can both put limits to how much advantages some players can have due to [[Resources]] becoming unavailable or the difficulty at some point becoming too hard. [[Terraforming Mars]] is an example of the former if one considers the "terraforming scales" and water tiles are [[Resources]]; players that have built [[Abstract Player Constructs]] that let them advance one scale very effectively will at some point no longer have a benefit from this since the scale cannot be raised more.
-Patterns supporting [[Player Balance]] during game instance but not doing so through letting people perform balancing actions typically do so through [[Negative Feedback Loops]], with [[Diminishing Returns]] as a somewhat more specific way of achieving this. In contrast, a quite large group of pattern promote [[Player Balance]] by having modifying the fortunes of players opposed to each other. That is, they are applicable in games with [[PvP]] or [[TvT]] gameplay. [[Balancing Effects]], [[Dynamic Difficulty Adjustment]] and [[Handicap Systems]] are all generic ways of doing this with [[Symmetry]] being the most generic. Games can also rely on players working towards balancing gameplay. This is typically done through supporting [[Beat the Leader]] gameplay, with [[Public Player Statistics]] as one way of letting players know who the leader is. This is only a partial solution however since it does not support players that are behind the majority of players in some way. [[Paper-Rock-Scissors]] offers another solution in that even if one player begins to have an advantage against another player there are additional players that the "advantageous" player is fundamentally disadvantaged against. In contrast, specific balancing effects can be to provide [[Privileged Abilities]] or [[Variable Accuracy]] to players based upon their circumstances. Games with [[Power-Ups]] that use [[Randomness]] to determine the effects of getting the [[Power-Ups]] can promote [[Player Balance]] by skewing the distribution of effects based on the players' circumstances. The [[Mario Kart series]] is one example of a game using this solution.
+Patterns supporting [[Player Balance]] during game instance but not doing so through letting people perform balancing actions typically do so through [[Negative Feedback Loops]], with [[Diminishing Returns]] as a somewhat more specific way of achieving this. In contrast, a quite large group of patterns promote [[Player Balance]] by modifying the fortunes of players opposed to each other. That is, they are applicable in games with [[PvP]] or [[TvT]] gameplay. [[Balancing Effects]], [[Dynamic Difficulty Adjustment]] and [[Handicap Systems]] are all generic ways of doing this with [[Symmetry]] being the most generic. Games can also rely on players working towards balancing gameplay. This is typically done through supporting [[Beat the Leader]] gameplay, with [[Public Player Statistics]] as one way of letting players know who the leader is. This is only a partial solution however since it does not support players that are behind the majority of players in some way. [[Paper-Rock-Scissors]] offers another solution in that even if one player begins to have an advantage against another player there are additional players that the "advantageous" player is fundamentally disadvantaged against. In contrast, specific balancing effects can be to provide [[Privileged Abilities]] or [[Variable Accuracy]] to players based upon their circumstances. Games with [[Power-Ups]] that use [[Randomness]] to determine the effects of getting the [[Power-Ups]] can promote [[Player Balance]] by skewing the distribution of effects based on the players' circumstances. The [[Mario Kart series]] is one example of a game using this solution.
 In games with [[Team]], [[Team Development]] can provide [[Player Balance]] if the possibility for development or amount of development is affected by the relative position of players. This can work both in games with [[TvT]] and [[PvP]] gameplay since a player may control a whole [[Teams|Team]] in games with [[PvP]] gameplay. [[Team Development]] can also let players modify their [[Abilities]], [[Powers]], etc. to be better suited against the other players' strategies. The same applies for games with [[Drafting]].

@@ Line 32: / Line 32: @@
 While there are many types of patterns that can work against [[Player Balance]] there are also many patterns that can work towards it. Some of the most effectful ones rely on players and others being able to make actions (either game actions or other types of actions). [[Dedicated Game Facilitators]] and [[Game Masters]] let non-players have great influence on the balance between players and can function as trusted third parties. [[Free Game Element Manipulation]], [[Negotiation]], [[Player-Decided Results]], and [[Sanctioned Cheating]] in [[Multiplayer Games]] all let players have the possibility to work against imbalances that has occured in a game instance or was present at the beginning of a game. Another effectful category of patterns that can promote [[Player Balance]] are based on [[Symmetry]], with [[Symmetric Goals]] and [[Symmetric Resource Distribution]] as examples of more specific patterns. However, these don't work for imbalances based on asymmetry (which is a common cause for needing to think about [[Player Balance]]).
-Other patterns do not in themselves work towards [[Player Balance]] but can be used for balancing purposes. Who gets [[Ability Losses]] or [[Decreased Abilities]] can be used to make players possibilities more equal, as can modifications as to how [[Spawning]] occurs or which roles are reversed in [[Role Reversal]] situations. [[Supporting Goals]] can be provided only to disadvantaged players without necessarily making others feel that their efforts or [[Luck]] is nullified. [[Non-Renewable Resources]] and [[Challenging Gameplay]] can both put limits to how much advantages some players can have due to [[Resources]] becoming unavailable or the difficulty at some point becoming to hard. [[Terraforming Mars]] is an example of the former if one considers the "terraforming scales" and water tiles are [[Resources]]; players that have built [[Abstract Player Constructs]] that let them advance one scale very effectively will at some point no longer have a benefit from this since the scale cannot be raised more.
+Other patterns do not in themselves work towards [[Player Balance]] but can be used for balancing purposes. Who gets [[Ability Losses]] or [[Decreased Abilities]] can be used to make players possibilities more equal, as can modifications as to how [[Spawning]] occurs or which roles are reversed in [[Role Reversal]] situations. [[Tournaments]] can pitch players against each other so that obvious disparities between players chances are minimized. [[Supporting Goals]] can be provided only to disadvantaged players without necessarily making others feel that their efforts or [[Luck]] is nullified. [[Non-Renewable Resources]] and [[Challenging Gameplay]] can both put limits to how much advantages some players can have due to [[Resources]] becoming unavailable or the difficulty at some point becoming to hard. [[Terraforming Mars]] is an example of the former if one considers the "terraforming scales" and water tiles are [[Resources]]; players that have built [[Abstract Player Constructs]] that let them advance one scale very effectively will at some point no longer have a benefit from this since the scale cannot be raised more.
-−
-[[Tournaments]]
 Patterns supporting [[Player Balance]] during game instance but not doing so through letting people perform balancing actions typically do so through [[Negative Feedback Loops]], with [[Diminishing Returns]] as a somewhat more specific way of achieving this. In contrast, a quite large group of pattern promote [[Player Balance]] by having modifying the fortunes of players opposed to each other. That is, they are applicable in games with [[PvP]] or [[TvT]] gameplay. [[Balancing Effects]], [[Dynamic Difficulty Adjustment]] and [[Handicap Systems]] are all generic ways of doing this with [[Symmetry]] being the most generic. Games can also rely on players working towards balancing gameplay. This is typically done through supporting [[Beat the Leader]] gameplay, with [[Public Player Statistics]] as one way of letting players know who the leader is. This is only a partial solution however since it does not support players that are behind the majority of players in some way. [[Paper-Rock-Scissors]] offers another solution in that even if one player begins to have an advantage against another player there are additional players that the "advantageous" player is fundamentally disadvantaged against. In contrast, specific balancing effects can be to provide [[Privileged Abilities]] or [[Variable Accuracy]] to players based upon their circumstances. Games with [[Power-Ups]] that use [[Randomness]] to determine the effects of getting the [[Power-Ups]] can promote [[Player Balance]] by skewing the distribution of effects based on the players' circumstances. The [[Mario Kart series]] is one example of a game using this solution.

@@ Line 24: / Line 24: @@
 == Using the pattern ==
-The main challenge with having [[Player Balance]] in a game is that so many other design features can work against it. The primary one is [[Multiplayer Games]] which is also the pattern that makes there be a need for [[Player Balance]]. Other central challenges to [[Player Balance]] come from patterns that cause asymmetry between players in their possibilities to compete with each other, i.e. [[Asymmetric Abilities]], [[Asymmetric Goals]], [[Asymmetric Resource Distribution]], and [[Asymmetric Starting Conditions]]. Many patterns relate to some of these asymmetries and to players, i.e. players having too powerful [[Abilities]] due to being [[AI Players]], [[Entitled Players]], being in high tiers in games with [[Tiered Participation]], having [[Player Augmentations]] (but these can also be used to boost to [[Abilities]] of disadvantaged players), or having [[Empowerment]]. Others, e.g. [[Invulnerabilities]], [[Privileged Abilities]], and [[Privileged Movement]], cause imbalances in [[Abilities]]. These imbalances may also be caused by imbalances in how [[Skills]], [[Strategic Locations]], [[Tools]], [[Vehicles]], or [[Weapons]] are distributed, which makes [[Procedurally Generated Game Worlds]] or [[Reconfigurable Game Worlds]] a potential source for such imbalances as well.
+The main challenge with having [[Player Balance]] in a game is that so many other design features can work against it. The primary one is [[Multiplayer Games]] which is also the pattern that makes there be a need for [[Player Balance]]. Other central challenges to [[Player Balance]] come from patterns that cause asymmetry between players in their possibilities to compete with each other, i.e. [[Asymmetric Abilities]], [[Asymmetric Goals]], [[Asymmetric Resource Distribution]], and [[Asymmetric Starting Conditions]]. Many patterns relate to some of these asymmetries and to players, i.e. players having too powerful [[Abilities]] due to being [[AI Players]], [[Entitled Players]], being in high tiers in games with [[Tiered Participation]], having [[Player Augmentations]] (but these can also be used to boost to [[Abilities]] of disadvantaged players), or having [[Empowerment]]. Others, e.g. [[Invulnerabilities]], [[Privileged Abilities]], and [[Privileged Movement]], cause imbalances in [[Abilities]]. These imbalances may also be caused by imbalances in how [[Skills]], [[Strategic Locations]], [[Tools]], [[Vehicles]], or [[Weapons]] are distributed, which makes [[Procedurally Generated Game Worlds]] or [[Reconfigurable Game Worlds]] a potential source for such imbalances as well (but also tools for working towards [[Player Balance]]).
 Asymmetry regarding resources and starting conditions may also come from games having [[First Player Advantages]], allowing [[Early Leaving Players]], or having to deal with [[Late Arriving Players]] (especially in games where their [[Player Characters]] are subject to [[Game Element Insertion]]) or players that become potential [[Kingmaker|Kingmakers]]. [[Asymmetric Starting Conditions]] regarding [[Abstract Player Constructs]] or [[Characters]] is another way in which asymmetry can break [[Player Balance]] easily (typically significant play testing is necessary to determine that a game is balanced when this type of asymmetry exists). Any type of [[Multiplayer Games|Multiplayer Game]] where players can improve in [[Persistent Game Worlds]], e.g. through [[Abstract Player Construct Development]], [[Character Development]], or [[Crafting]], can create an asymmetry simply due to differences in spent time. Players having support due to external reasons, e.g. [[Non-Player Help]] or [[Purchasable Game Advantages]], can easily also destroy [[Player Balance]]. A more specific example of this can be found in [[:Category:Collectible Card Games|Collectible Card Games]] such as [[Magic: The Gathering]] since it has [[Heterogeneous Game Element Ownership]] and the game elements ([[Cards]] in this case) create various [[Combos]] with each other. Finally, players who are good at a game, i.e. have [[Gameplay Mastery]], automatically break [[Player Balance]] unless all players have the same level of [[Gameplay Mastery]]. [[Game Mastery]] issues can be compounded by imbalances in [[Abilities]] or [[Skills]], i.e. games with [[Player/Character Skill Composites]]. The presences of [[Enemies]] can work against [[Player Balance]] also when they work more against some players than others or [[Enemies]] with different strengths and weaknesses are pitched against different players. However, the latter can also be used to modify the [[Player Balance]] (so the gameplay become either more or less balanced).
@@ Line 30: / Line 30: @@
 [[Player Balance]] can easily be upset in games due to consequences that rewards certain players without compensating others. Examples of these include [[Extra Turns]], [[Flip-Flop Events]], [[Geometric Rewards for Investments]], [[New Abilities]], and [[Power-Ups]]. [[Combos]] also have this problem but are tied to players performing actions in rapid succession. Possibility to engage in [[Camping]] activities show that players can have gained advantageous positions through their actions which upset [[Player Balance]]. Imbalances are especially likely to occur when the positive consequences for players increase their chances of getting further positive consequences, i.e. if the game contains [[Positive Feedback Loops]] related to such consequences. [[Randomness]] can be used to counter [[Positive Feedback Loops]] and [[Gameplay Master]] but it is a fickle solution to [[Player Balance]] since the [[Randomness]] in itself can disrupt a [[Player Balance]]. While games with [[Red Queen Dilemmas]] by definition have the ability to let other players also become better, this is a fickle solution to [[Player Balance]] which where any player taking a lead disrupts the balance; the pattern is more problematic concerning [[Player Balance]] the more players there are, especially if not all players can participate in the race. Taking the opposite view, [[Player Balance]] can also be disrupted by misfortunes happening to players, [[Player Elimination]] being the most definite one since it removes a player from gameplay followed by [[Player Killing]] that can either cause [[Player Elimination]] or (typically) cause [[Death Consequences]].
-While there are many types of patterns that can work against [[Player Balance]] there are also many patterns that can work towards it. Some of the most effectful ones rely on players and others being able to make actions (either game actions or other types of actions). [[Dedicated Game Facilitators]] and [[Game Masters]] let non-players have great influence on the balance between players and can function as trusted third parties. [[Free Game Element Manipulation]], [[Negotiation]], [[Player-Decided Results]], and [[Sanctioned Cheating]] in [[Multiplayer Games]] all let players have the possibility to work against imbalances that has occured in a game instance or was present at the beginning of a game. Another effectful category of patterns that can promote [[Player Balance]] are based on [[Symmetry]], with [[Symmetric Goals]] as an example of a more specific pattern. However, these don't work for imbalances based on asymmetry (which is a common cause for needing to think about [[Player Balance]]).
+While there are many types of patterns that can work against [[Player Balance]] there are also many patterns that can work towards it. Some of the most effectful ones rely on players and others being able to make actions (either game actions or other types of actions). [[Dedicated Game Facilitators]] and [[Game Masters]] let non-players have great influence on the balance between players and can function as trusted third parties. [[Free Game Element Manipulation]], [[Negotiation]], [[Player-Decided Results]], and [[Sanctioned Cheating]] in [[Multiplayer Games]] all let players have the possibility to work against imbalances that has occured in a game instance or was present at the beginning of a game. Another effectful category of patterns that can promote [[Player Balance]] are based on [[Symmetry]], with [[Symmetric Goals]] and [[Symmetric Resource Distribution]] as examples of more specific patterns. However, these don't work for imbalances based on asymmetry (which is a common cause for needing to think about [[Player Balance]]).
-Other patterns do not in themselves work towards [[Player Balance]] but can be used for balancing purposes. Who gets
+Other patterns do not in themselves work towards [[Player Balance]] but can be used for balancing purposes. Who gets [[Ability Losses]] or [[Decreased Abilities]] can be used to make players possibilities more equal, as can modifications as to how [[Spawning]] occurs or which roles are reversed in [[Role Reversal]] situations. [[Supporting Goals]] can be provided only to disadvantaged players without necessarily making others feel that their efforts or [[Luck]] is nullified. [[Non-Renewable Resources]] and [[Challenging Gameplay]] can both put limits to how much advantages some players can have due to [[Resources]] becoming unavailable or the difficulty at some point becoming to hard. [[Terraforming Mars]] is an example of the former if one considers the "terraforming scales" and water tiles are [[Resources]]; players that have built [[Abstract Player Constructs]] that let them advance one scale very effectively will at some point no longer have a benefit from this since the scale cannot be raised more.
 [[Tournaments]]
 Patterns supporting [[Player Balance]] during game instance but not doing so through letting people perform balancing actions typically do so through [[Negative Feedback Loops]], with [[Diminishing Returns]] as a somewhat more specific way of achieving this. In contrast, a quite large group of pattern promote [[Player Balance]] by having modifying the fortunes of players opposed to each other. That is, they are applicable in games with [[PvP]] or [[TvT]] gameplay. [[Balancing Effects]], [[Dynamic Difficulty Adjustment]] and [[Handicap Systems]] are all generic ways of doing this with [[Symmetry]] being the most generic. Games can also rely on players working towards balancing gameplay. This is typically done through supporting [[Beat the Leader]] gameplay, with [[Public Player Statistics]] as one way of letting players know who the leader is. This is only a partial solution however since it does not support players that are behind the majority of players in some way. [[Paper-Rock-Scissors]] offers another solution in that even if one player begins to have an advantage against another player there are additional players that the "advantageous" player is fundamentally disadvantaged against. In contrast, specific balancing effects can be to provide [[Privileged Abilities]] or [[Variable Accuracy]] to players based upon their circumstances. Games with [[Power-Ups]] that use [[Randomness]] to determine the effects of getting the [[Power-Ups]] can promote [[Player Balance]] by skewing the distribution of effects based on the players' circumstances. The [[Mario Kart series]] is one example of a game using this solution.

@@ Line 80: / Line 80: @@
 [[Randomness]],
 [[Symmetric Goals]],
 [[Symmetry]],
 [[Variable Accuracy]]
@@ Line 102: / Line 103: @@
 [[Spawning]],
 [[Supporting Goals]],
 [[Tournaments]]

@@ Line 32: / Line 32: @@
 While there are many types of patterns that can work against [[Player Balance]] there are also many patterns that can work towards it. Some of the most effectful ones rely on players and others being able to make actions (either game actions or other types of actions). [[Dedicated Game Facilitators]] and [[Game Masters]] let non-players have great influence on the balance between players and can function as trusted third parties. [[Free Game Element Manipulation]], [[Negotiation]], [[Player-Decided Results]], and [[Sanctioned Cheating]] in [[Multiplayer Games]] all let players have the possibility to work against imbalances that has occured in a game instance or was present at the beginning of a game. Another effectful category of patterns that can promote [[Player Balance]] are based on [[Symmetry]], with [[Symmetric Goals]] as an example of a more specific pattern. However, these don't work for imbalances based on asymmetry (which is a common cause for needing to think about [[Player Balance]]).
-Patterns supporting [[Player Balance]] during game instance but not doing so through letting people perform balancing actions typically do so through [[Negative Feedback Loops]], with [[Diminishing Returns]] as a somewhat more specific way of achieving this. In contrast, a quite large group of pattern promote [[Player Balance]] by having modifying the fortunes of players opposed to each other. That is, they are applicable in games with [[PvP]] or [[TvT]] gameplay. [[Balancing Effects]], [[Dynamic Difficulty Adjustment]] and [[Handicap Systems]] are all generic ways of doing this with [[Symmetry]] being the most generic. [[Paper-Rock-Scissors]] offers another solution in that even if one player begins to have an advantage against another player there are additional players that the "advantageous" player is fundamentally disadvantaged against. In contrast, specific balancing effects can be to provide [[Privileged Abilities]] or [[Variable Accuracy]] to players based upon their circumstances. Games with [[Power-Ups]] that use [[Randomness]] to determine the effects of getting the [[Power-Ups]] can promote [[Player Balance]] by skewing the distribution of effects based on the players' circumstances. The [[Mario Kart series]] is one example of a game using this solution.
+Other patterns do not in themselves work towards [[Player Balance]] but can be used for balancing purposes. Who gets
-−
-In games with [[Team]], [[Team Development]] can provide [[Player Balance]] if the possibility for development or amount of development is affected by the relative position of players. This can work both in games with [[TvT]] and [[PvP]] gameplay since a player may control a whole [[Teams|Team]] in games with [[PvP]] gameplay. [[Team Development]] can also let players modify their [[Abilities]], [[Powers]], etc. to be better suited against the other players' strategies. The same applies for games with [[Drafting]].
-−
-[[Player Balance]] can also be achieved in [[PvP]] games through having [[Evolving Rule Sets]] so differences in power between different ways of playing can be evened out over time (one example of a game that does this is [[Magic: The Gathering]]). [[Sanctioned Cheating]] is another way in [[PvP]] games since those players that are disadvantaged often can have bigger gains from engaging in [[Sanctioned Cheating]] without necessarily suffering bigger losses if their cheating is revealed. [[Killcams]] in [[PvP]] games can let players learn about what they or other did to get killed (or to kill someone else) as well as expose killers strategies and locations. Specifically for [[TvT]] games, differences in strengths and weaknesses between individual team members can be mitigated through [[Orthogonal Differentiation]] within the [[Teams]] so the total effect is that the [[Teams]] are balanced and therefore a version of [[Player Balance]] is achieved (one has the same chance of belong to a winning team). Regardless of if games have [[Teams]] or not, [[Self-Facilitated Games]] can have [[Player Balance]] since the players themselves can modify game states and ignore rules for the purpose to balancing the gameplay.
-−
-=== Can Be Instantiated By ===
-[[Public Player Statistics]],
-[[Beat the Leader]]
 === Can Be Modulated By ===
@@ Line 53: / Line 45: @@
 [[Symmetric Resource Distribution]],
 [[Tournaments]]
 == Consequences ==

@@ Line 67: / Line 67: @@
 === Can Be Instantiated By ===
 [[Dedicated Game Facilitators]],
 [[Diminishing Returns]],

@@ Line 12: / Line 12: @@
 ''Design structures in a game which works towards players having equal chances of succeeding with actions in a game or with winning the game.''
-Most players want games to have the rules and structures that give each player the same or better chances to win or succeed with actions as other players. As this typically means that all players need the same chances to win or succeed, most games try to have [[Player Balance]. However, this [[Player Balance]] does not usually consider the skill of players and usually only apply to the beginning of games.
+Most players want games to have the rules and structures that give each player the same or better chances to win or succeed with actions as other players. As this typically means that all players need the same chances to win or succeed, most games try to have [[Player Balance]]. However, this [[Player Balance]] does not usually consider the skill of players and usually only apply to the beginning of games.
 Note: ''this pattern is categorized as a [[:Category:Subjective Patterns|Subjective Pattern]] since players may have subjective feelings if the design structures in place are good enough (or too good) at balancing the fortunes of all players.''