The common 'balance' in a game. How do you make it?

[Geocide]

Aight, something I just want to know cuz I'm curious...

When making a game, how do you guys test your way through the game battles so that it isn't to hard or easy? I mean when you enter a cave that reaches pretty far you might have too little hp for all the monsters that lurks inside. You may be able to heal and all but how much MP will it consume? This question is pointed towards myself actually because in my game you only get to have one hero... How would you get through with balance?

Sorry if my description is blurry.

Thanks In Advance.

~Geocide.

[Moosetroop11]

The ponly way to make sure your game is balanced is to play through it over and over again. You can check if an individual monster battle is too hard using the monster groups section, but playing through it the only real indicator.

[Prpl_Mage]

I usually give the game a "FFXII-test".
You try to get through a dungeon using nothing but the attack command over and over. If you can make it out in one piece without healing: far too easy.
If you end up needing healing in between battles: it's pretty good.
If you die: Might want to reconsider some things.
Then equip the best armors/weapons you can find at that point of the game and give it another try. If you can kill most enemies in 1 hit and they damage you 1 each round: far too easy.
If you get your *** butted: far too hard
Then make a magic test. Nothing but magic. If you can kill everything without running out of mana: too easy.
If the enemies kill you before magic kills them: too hard.

You should be able to get the general idea about the difficulty then.

[Geocide]

Thanks for the answers, although the examples you've given is what I expected. I don't have anything against playing through my own game, especially when I know where all the secret items are   

But thanks again and I'll try different tactics like Prpl said.

~Geocide.

[fruckert]

I usually give the game a "FFXII-test".

Nice name

[Prpl_Mage]

Nice name

It requires no skills except using the attack command over and over.

[Rahl]

I loved that game.