Meta: Balance Vocabularly

What follows is written with limited knowledge of the internal workings of the balance team and whatever practices they've adopted.

This is a broad topic, so I'll keep it short--I think it would be useful to identity and define more baseline terms and concepts that can be used when discussing the strengths/weaknesses/balancing of a given unit or faction.

Consider DPS: it's a derived quality, not rigorously defined, but is a useful construct when we talk about general effectiveness.

How can we identify more useful concepts like DPS? Consider the blog on MtG R&D lingo here, and the definition for "Knob", reworked for FaF:

"Knobs – These are elements of a [unit], usually involving numbers (things like [mass cost] or [damage]), that give the [balance team] the ability to adjust a [unit] for balance purposes. The more knobs, the better for play design."

I think that's a useful concept, not only for first-line balance discussion, but also in how it makes "have all the relevant knobs and their interactions been recognized when a suggestion is made?" a straightforward method for assessing how much thought has been put into a given balance suggestion.

"Knob" is one possibility. DPS as a distribution instead of a single number is another. I'd like to hear more!

DPS as a single metric is often the only one considered in most discussions - but you are so right - balance is a MUCH wider subject .

You have to look at the resource investment (not just mass) to arrive at, not only that DPS, but the associated HP and mobility factors that go with it. Range and AOE should also represent major modifiers to DPS cost - it takes more resources to fashion a longer ranged weapon - and more again to have a weapon that can affect an area - the bigger the area - the more resource costly that should be (especially with the linear AOE in this game).

Platform matters - and basic motivation should affect valuations - hovercraft for example, have versatility - but acceleration and inertial issues. Submersible units would require substantial reinforcement over a non-submersible unit, etc. Tanks have a mobility advantage over walkers in some circumstances, but are at a disadvantage in others - those are just some aspects to consider.

Having done that across a group of roughly comparable units - you need to examine those metrics - and put them in relation to other classes. For example, are air units performing better, or worse, in those respects - is this the fundamental reason that air dominates the game ? Are they getting a free pass in relation to everything else ?

You cannot boil it down to anecdotal observation, if the basis is not quantifiable - then neither will be the results.

FWIW, this game is one of the biggest candidates I've seen for 'DPS' (+cost+HP) being factored against 'other stuff'. Particularly how the 'alpha damage' tends to make a unit better against its own or a higher tech level, but often worse against lower tech! Not to mention 'AOE', speed, range, and so many other factors!

I love how even something as universal as DPS is so called into question in FaF.

When I look into balance comparisons between units like harbinger vs othuum, I just love how the DPS and hitpoints get adjusted by AOE, alpha damage, shields, move speed, range, and even abilities like reclaim!

I think it's a great indication of the fact that the ultimate 'test' of balance is often (though not immutably) how often they are used in high-level games, with important consideration for game-type... Rather than just entering values into a spreadsheet and comparing.

(Regarding harbinger vs othuum, specifically, I imagine it goes something like:)
Othuum > harbinger...
Except when aeon player uses range to deny side-weapons of othuum...
Except when othuum uses target-fire and movement to leverage AOE...
Except when harbinger uses speed to deny the above
except when othuum uses terrain to deny the above
except when harbinger avoids terrain to deny the above
except when othuum uses walls to deny the above
except when harbinger uses reclaim to deny the above.

(Or something to that effect).
I basically just love how much more goes into just about every unit interaction that just cost, DPS and hitpoints.
(Though cost, DPS and hitpoints are certainly some of the most important stats agreed!)