Skyrim was ‘personally rebalanced’ by producer Jeff Gardiner just 2 weeks before launch: ‘Well, I hope this is good’

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As Skyrim prepared for its upcoming release, just weeks away, there was a dispute brewing among former Bethesda producer Jeff Gardiner and the designers regarding balance. With Gardiner’s extensive background in both creativity and design, he decided to take independent action to resolve the disagreement himself.

According to Gardiner, “At one point, I had a disagreement with the designers. They were focusing on balancing the game using data, simulations, and AI. However, I pointed out that players do actions such as retreating and double-tapping. Their approach involved running AI simulations where an NPC and monster would fight, and if more than 50% of the time the simulated player won over 10 times, they considered it balanced. My argument was that the AI doesn’t perform the same actions as a human player does.

Fundamentally, the AI didn’t exhibit human-like gameplay; it was predominantly aggressive, leading to a balanced experience in Skyrim for players who tended to bypass many fundamental combat rules. Notably, Gardiner had observed a similar pattern in the previous Elder Scrolls title, Oblivion.

In Oblivion, you encountered a problem with Clannfear enemies who’d trap you in what they call “stun locks,” which can be incredibly frustrating for players. However, when the AI got stuck in these stun locks, it would behave differently than the player. In Skyrim, I stepped in, experimented with various character archetypes, and adjusted the creatures, weapons, and other aspects of the game accordingly. Just before release, I spent two weeks fine-tuning these changes, hoping that they would improve the overall experience.

This individual found confidence in his ability to make such decisions because he had earned respect from the designers over time. However, not all producers have a design background, and some may not even need to delve into the intricate details. In my case, I’ve spent many years doing creative work at a high level, which gave me the responsibility for these decisions.

It’s been such a long time since my initial experience with Skyrim that I can’t say for sure if it felt evenly balanced, but I do remember my journey having both high points and low points – effortlessly overpowering hordes of creatures in one moment, only to be brutally defeated by vampires and dragons the next. That’s exactly the kind of rollercoaster experience I look for in a Role-Playing Game (RPG).

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2025-02-22 18:32