Bug-Fixing Versus Nerfing

"Nerfing" is a generic term used by the community to describe the act of changing an ability or feature in such a manner that it takes away power from players (for example, changing crossbows into Nerf crossbows). While the term "nerfing" existed before 1999, it came into general use by subscribers to describe the actions of Verant's live team early in EQ 's lifecycle, when it was nerfing a character class, skill, ability, or weapon seemingly on a weekly basis. Nerfing does not include vital bug fixes, although the players may perceive them as such if not properly forewarned.

Developers most often use the term "game balancing" to describe this activity. They are pretty much the same thing with the same effect: They neutralize dozens and even hundreds of play hours for individuals. There's nothing like working for weeks to achieve a skill level and having the developers change the rules overnight because they feel it unbalances the game. It may even be true that a skill or ability is horribly unbalanced and a change is necessary; doing it without warning and discussion with the players, in a for-pay game, is guaranteed to cause outrage and the occasional death threat.

It is also a mistake that almost everyone in this industry makes. For some reason, developers seem to delight in springing takeaway surprises on the players, as if knowing about them in advance will somehow neutralize the change or give the players an advantage. However, nothing angers players more than being presented with a surprise nerf. Predictably, developers seem shocked at the ticked -off reaction from the players every time because they believe they are doing good things for the game.

Some changes are necessary ”even nerfs ”but there is no excuse for not utilizing the community management team to prepare the players for them. If the players know a week ahead of time that a certain change is coming, they can avoid wasting their time playing to advance skills, weapons, or whatever is about to become less useful. And, in the end, it is all about not wasting the player's time.