competitive balance

Competitive balance is a concept used for good game making in multiplayer, player versus player games where different characters have different stats.

Basically, no single character type will be better than the other character types.

So if the character types are warrior, archer, and mage, a game that maintains competitive balance will have archers beat mages, mages beat warriors, and warriors beat archers for example.

Note that this is a generalized concept. An archer could theoretically beat a warrior in a fight in the above example, but generally, warriors will have the advantage over archers.

Also known as Elemental Rock Paper Scissors when elements are involved.

*Playing Super Smash Brothers Brawl*
"So who are you gonna be?"
"I like Meta Knight. I'm gonna be him."
"Are you crazy? He breaks competitive balance he's so over powered!"

by suntan50 March 30, 2016

"checks and balances" system

A form of government-operation whereby you are guaranteed "level" or "fair overall" treatment if you are generous with your "checks" to bribe local/state/federal officials, or if you are sufficiently rich (i.e., you have a large enough "balance" in da bank) that said officials feel obliged to make special allowances for you.

We may ostensibly have a "checks and balances" system, but it never seems to help out "da little guy" very much.

by QuacksO January 1, 2019

harmonic balancer

The main drive pulley of an engine; mounted on the fromt end of the crankshaft. Harmonic balancers are weighted to keep the crankshaft balance in order to reduce vibration.

Frank: The dang harmonic balancer is frozen to the crankshaft!
Allan: Probably gonna have to use a harmonic balancer puller, Frank.
Frank: Wow! They actually make those?!
Allan: Yep

by Carburetor1963 July 21, 2018

smart balance

Frankie’s favorite butter

I can’t eat my toast without some smart balance!

by Fatman July 28, 2018

Wii Balance Board

A Wii accacory that can weigh things and detect their balance and has a maximum weight of 330 lbs

The Wii Balance Board is used in some Wii games

by Pat1225 August 23, 2018

Gustavio's balanced self

Gustavio's balanced self is really helpful. I do appreciate that. I never tell him enough. I never do many things enough. But this is about Gustavio. His balanced self.

Thank you, Gustavio's balanced self, for being there. Better late than never. Better digital than nothing at all.

Gustavio's balanced self, I still have so much work to do. Scary when I think of it. Coffee?

by Krkič January 20, 2019

system of checks and balances

Refers to a totally-legal but still-somewhat-devious practice of writing personal checks for comparatively-minuscule bills --- like maybe just two or three bucks for a bag of fresh vegetables from a roadside farm-stand --- instead of paying them in cash, and then secretly hoping that the checks’ recipients will not want to bother going to the extra effort of cashing said “tiny” checks, and thus your bank-account’s “balance” will be unaffected by your purchases.

Practicing the “system of checks and balances” can have varying degrees of success, depending on various factors, such as how strapped your checks’ recipients are for cash, how accustomed they are to cashing/depositing checks, or how willing/able they are to accept checks, especially for such paltry amounts (here’s where paying with checks at an unattended “drop the money in the slot” or “place the money in the cup/jar” merchandise-stand can be a good idea, since there will be nobody there to balk at your paying with a check). Extra points if you “embellish” the checks with flowery praising messages about how wonderful the sellers’ merchandise/service is, since it may stroke the people’s ego so much that they will prefer to “frame it rather than cash it” (again, especially since the check is for such a small amount, and so its value might likely not mean all that much to the person’s overall budget) when deciding what to do with your checks.

by QuacksO September 9, 2018