The problems with Diversity and Balance in video games.

So no doubt most of you have heard about the new Juggernaut changes That riot is working on, and their brand new stance on champion balancing and design. Rather than round out a champion's strengths and weaknesses, they are now going by the philosophy that to reach true balance, one must "make a champions strengths stronger, and their weaknesses weaker", and constantly strive to give them a unique niche they can call their own.

Let me tell you a little story Riot.

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I knew a guy who used to make a living off designing new character classes for an indie D&D-esque role playing game. He was a pretty creative guy, he'd churn out as much as 10 new character classes a month. Each felt cool with their unique identities and niche roles. It kind of felt like your Ideal League of Legends. Anyway, he invited me over to play test one of his new character classes with some others one day, so I skimmed over the 100 or so odd classes and found one that peaked my interest. He designed a lancer class whose specialty was being an arrogant knight who excelled at Jousting tournaments. Well, I love So I chose to play test the lancer as he sounded pretty cool. So we started our campaign and it was set in a pre apocalyptic waste land filled with insane peasants and cannibals. Suffice to say I got F-d over. i felt so useless to my team by the end that our DM took pity and produced a random Jousting tournament quest to make me feel somewhat useful. And somewhat being a very key term. And who prospered the most in that campaign but his friend who picked a class specifically designed to get bonuses from killing insane godless peasants. I felt like I would of been better off just playing a Paladin or a Fighter.

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Speaking of Jousting tournaments, wanna know what one of the more balanced PvP games in history is? Joust. Two dudes, on two ostriches, with the same lances. Literally the same. 100% skill matchup. You know what would make League 100% balanced? Reducing the champion roster to one. Five 's versus five 's. One build path, no items. That is true balance.

But we can't do that, because it's League of Legends, and that game -might- get boring. So instead you're going the root of releasing and reworking hundreds of different champions with unique NICHE's.

And here's the problem with Niche's in video games. When you have a champion whose identity is gathering chimes around a map to build up a stronger late game, another whose identity is activating crystals and getting neutral objectives, and a champion whose identity is soley on KILLING OTHER PLAYERS and dealing damage. You're going to want to play that one. The one that does video game things. Because at heart, many of us long for the satisfaction of beating up another player and winning. This is why entire genres of video games have been made to cater to just that.

And I know League isn't Call of Duty or Street Fighter. But when you have Call of Duty or Street Fighter

All of the sudden those chime collecting, crystal activating Lancers don't feel as satisfying.

End rant.