The Balance Team has some news regarding both Standard and Startup formats, and is currently recruiting for two open positions in the team: One for a regular Balance Team member and one for a newly created seat for a Startup Curator!

While the Balance Team has taken responsibility for the Startup format back over a year ago, we have been wary of introducing changes in the form of possible bans. When looking through our Standard Balance List lens, the format seemed fine. Despite some powerful cards like Endurance or Drago Ivanov being easy to deploy in many decks, the side balance largely felt healthy and it was hard for us to find ways of rebalancing that without significant impact on the format.

Yet, we have come to realise that inaction might not be the best approach for Startup. Given the limited size of the card pool, players can find themselves out of options for exploration with such powerful cards limiting the number of viable decks capable of withstanding that power. While we aim to minimise changes for change’s sake in Standard, stirring up the format, skimming the most powerful and ubiquitous cards once in a while might be preferable for Startup, freeing up space for other decks and archetypes to shine through.

For that reason, we want to involve you, the community, in the process. While we in the Balance Team do play and enjoy Startup from time to time, it is you who know the needs of the format and the player base the best. We want to invite you to join the Startup Format Panel!

The Startup Format Panel will meet 3-4 months after a new set release and consist of a number of players to discuss the state of the format and come to a conclusion about what changes might be helpful to revitalise the game for the players most engaged with the format. While the final responsibility for possible bans stays with the Balance Team, we will be involved in the discussion process and expect to enact the final recommendation of the panel without changes in most cases.

To organise and supervise the panel, we create the new position of Startup Curator. Outside of the direct work in the Startup Format Panel, this person will also be communicating with the various teams inside the organisation, advocate for the needs of Startup all throughout the production process and make sure that the format receives the support it deserves.

Startup Curator

As the Startup Curator, your main responsibility will be the formation and supervision of the Startup Format Panel. As this is a new institution, you will have a lot of freedom in shaping the composition and role of that panel. You will chair the Panel and be responsible for communications with the rest of the Balance Team and the organisation about their discussions. Furthermore, you will be present in interdepartmental discussions in the organisation and make sure that Startup is considered in important decisions.

This role places a great emphasis on communication skills – a large portion of the job of the Balance Team is leading the discussions in the Panel. This is a role with a high profile and requires communicating the decisions and results of Panel discussions to the wider public. Furthermore, it requires interdepartmental communications inside the Null Signal organisation, interfacing with various parts of the production process.

This role does not require in-depth knowledge of the competitive Netrunner metagame, yet being generally interested in the Startup format and the competitive mindset is helpful.

To apply as Startup Curator, please fill out this form by August 27, 2023.

Duties:

• Organise and Chair the Startup Format Panel
• Help with communicating the Panel’s decisions to the community via blog articles
• Advocate for the needs of the Startup format with other departments in the Null Signal organisation

Skills:

• Some knowledge about the competitive meta of the game
• Strong communication skills
• “Plugged in” to the Netrunner community to gather feedback from community members of various skill levels

NOTE: This is a volunteer (unpaid) position, as are all positions in Null Signal Games.

Balance Team Member

As a Balance Team Member, you will help ensure the health of competitive Netrunner formats via the Standard Ban List. You will discuss potential changes with and digest feedback from Null Signal Games playtesters, help with communicating balance changes to the wider Netrunner community, and keep a close eye on the overall health of Netrunner formats to help inform the Balance Team’s decision-making. You will work primarily with the Balance Team, the Development Team, and Netrunner playtesters.

This is a role with a high profile and a great deal of potential impact – the Balance Team’s decisions affect all official Netrunner tournaments, and, as such, the experience of Netrunner players as a whole.

This role requires you to have in-depth knowledge of the competitive Netrunner metagame. It does not require you to be a high-level player yourself – the Balance Team already contains several high-level players, and players with a broader perspective on the game may offer something unique and helpful to the team.

This role places a great emphasis on communication skills – a large portion of the job of the Balance Team is discussion with playtesters and other Balance Team members. Opinions on balance decisions often differ or even clash, so being able to clearly and effectively communicate is essential. For the same reason, being “plugged in” to the wider Netrunner community offers an additional advantage – the wider the range of opinions on the game you can easily consult, the more holistic a perspective you can bring to the Balance Team’s decision-making.

To apply to join the Balance Team, please fill out this form by August 27, 2023.

Duties:

• Contribute to decision-making on future ban lists for the Standard format
• Help with communicating the Balance Team’s decisions to the community via blog articles

Skills:

• In-depth knowledge about the competitive meta of the game (not necessary to be a high-level competitive player)
• Strong communication skills
• “Plugged in” to the Netrunner community to gather feedback from community members of various skill levels

NOTE: This is a volunteer (unpaid) position, as are all positions in Null Signal Games.

Our current team acknowledges that the tabletop industry as a whole needs to do a better job with diversity. We are prioritizing those applicants that can bring to NSG different experiences and points of view than what we currently have on our team.