Easy mode is the way to go in vidya guys

[metaretro]

I'm not kidding when I say that easy mode has rekindled my passion for video games. Before, I used to push myself to play on higher difficulty settings, and in the end, I felt more pain than pleasure.

Some would say that the reward that comes after the effort is what motivates them to go all the way to reach the pinnacle of satisfaction, but I think that video games are a bad way to do this and that it would be better to channel all your energy into real-life goals that need to be achieved in the long term. I see video games primarily as a distraction and an escape, so why would I want to suffer the same torment as in my life, which I already play in hardcore permadeath mode? I just want to get my dopamine and roll over the enemies that get in my way.

Making games difficult is mostly bad design, a legacy of the arcade era when games forced you to die so you would spend endless amounts of money on the machines. That said, there still needs to be some adjustment so that it doesn't fall into the category of movie games. I would say that the ideal video game is one that focuses on fun and innovative mechanics rather than a frustrating experience.

 

[Mopeybloke]

For me it's usually normal mode. Maybe higher on replays.

 

[Strategist's icon Strategist Strategist]

I'd say there are many genres where some amount of challenge is a necessity. Strategy games for example. Playing chess against tomato cans is boring, you want some type of intelligence and challenge in the AI. And some games find clever ways to make the difficulty part of the narrative like the Souls games. However, I do agree somewhat with the general premise that difficulty isn't a requirement for a successful video game. Saying that difficulty is not necessary anymore is swinging too much in the other direction.

 

[Nelson2001 Nelson2001]

For me I usually play in easy mode or easier to try a game for the first time or enjoy it without so much frustration in order to pass the game and in normal mode to see where I am able to try to pass the game because on hard it would be like a challenge.

 

[metaretro]

For me it's usually normal mode. Maybe higher on replays.

play in IGN journalist mode, you'll have more fun trust me

I'd say there are many genres where some amount of challenge is a necessity. Strategy games for example. Playing chess against tomato cans is boring, you want some type of intelligence and challenge in the AI. And some games find clever ways to make the difficulty part of the narrative like the Souls games. However, I do agree somewhat with the general premise that difficulty isn't a requirement for a successful video game. Saying that difficulty is not necessary anymore is swinging too much in the other direction.

The thing is, many people use hardcore video games as a compensatory activity because they feel that their efforts are not sufficiently rewarded and that other factors are prioritized for success in real life (which is not untrue). As for souls (I'm going to make some enemies here), I sincerely believe that they are one of humanity's worst inventions because the market has been flooded with this type of game ever since and that they exploit precisely the problem I mentioned above.

For me I usually play in easy mode or easier

based

 

[qw90700]

Sometimes when the game is easy the gameplay is not fun and therefore pointless. For some games the actual gameplay is when you pick the hardest difficulty. Recent examples are Metal Gear Rising and Persona 5 Strikers. For example in Metal Gear Rising I have S rank for everything for the most hardest difficulty mode, not to show up or flex me "skills" but just because it was that fun. But then I was resentful for how ranking system was unfair in the game because there are hidden conditions for S rank yet just because the game is fun to play I grinded them anyway.

Then it doesn't make me have fun because it is "hard", it's just about fun gameplay in the way it changed into a fun way. If gameplay is boring but I care about how to game will play out as a story or something only then I just play in easiest way possible and call it a day. If the gameplay is still fun in easy mode then why not but when it is boring I try hard difficulty. Also I may go for normal in my first playthrough and if I like the game enough I go for hard. And sometimes I replay same game for tons of times and it make me play in hardest difficulty for a sense of "normalcy" because easy would be too easy for me at that point.

When it comes to some games they are not fun, they are just unfair: For example Silver Surfer on NES which I have no interest to beat that shit. It's not hot shit to beat that game, I'll make fun of anyone who wasted their life trying to beat it lol. And some games are just grindy time waster BS: For example Dark Souls games. They ain't hard, you just waste your life grinding EXP as soon as you start the game and then every enemy is easy for you what a BS lol. And then there are games that has BS gameplay so it gets times and expertise learning curve to even do simple shit: For example Jet Set Radio which is another game I won't try to "get gud" because game doesn't worth it for me. And there are games that has just junky controls + slow responses + your character is like drunk and these BS adds to its "dude this game is hard" sense and I won't bother with such games.

I guess that's all to sum up my take on difficulty in games and shit.

 

[DAME NINGEN]

It really depends whether you enjoy the gameplay itself for the gameplay itself or you play the game for literally anything else, be it story, art direction, exploration, whatever.

 

[Stingy Perry Stingy Perry]

I only play on easy setting on my first playthrough but sometimes I kinda stop at the middle and switch to a higher difficulty level once I got the feel of the game.

 

[Strategist's icon Strategist Strategist]

And some games are just grindy time waster BS: For example Dark Souls games. They ain't hard, you just waste your life grinding EXP as soon as you start the game and then every enemy is easy for you what a BS lol.

I guess that's all to sum up my take on difficulty in games and shit.

i feel like that is a fundamental misunderstanding of Souls gameplay, or at least the ones I've played. Most levels are designed to be tough but fair and bosses can be beat at lower levels if you understand their pattern or particular weakpoint. They also allow you to grind and brute force your way through the game if that is your preference but it isn't a requirement by any means.

 

[Dr.Kisaragi]

Well for mostly first playthrough I go for easy mode but if this my second playthrough then I go on little harder.

Mostly it depends of my mode

(Is Evergrace a also Souls like? I'm curious)

 

[X y b e r - S k u ll]

Tbh I hate difficulty sliders in games. I much prefer a game just have a set difficulty it's built around since I feel that's when you can really see the devs true intended vision. Understanding a game on its own merits and realising how it works can be deeply satisfying in and of itself. It's why people take some pride or achievement in the idea of "mastering" a game.

I get the feeling takes like yours, which I see more often nowadays, are probably just more a result of people viewing games essentially as junk food, something disposable or quickly digestible to hold them over for a while. That or you're just getting older and have more commitments in life and thus don't have as much time as you used to for things like this (Not saying any of this to be insulting btw).

 

[Tortuga]

Bait

 

[metaretro]

Sometimes when the game is easy the gameplay is not fun and therefore pointless. For some games the actual gameplay is when you pick the hardest difficulty.

It's the opposite: when the gameplay is bad, the easy mode becomes boring, so you add artificial difficulty to maintain a “tolerable” experience.

Rayman Origins is far from difficult, yet it is one of Ubisoft's best platformer game.

Well for mostly first playthrough I go for easy mode but if this my second playthrough then I go on little harder.

fair enough

Post automatically merged: Today at 4:02 PM

I get the feeling takes like yours, which I see more often nowadays, are probably just more a result of people viewing games essentially as junk food, something disposable or quickly digestible to hold them over for a while. That or you're just getting older and have more commitments in life and thus don't have as much time as you used to for things like this (Not saying any of this to be insulting btw).

Your second hypothesis is correct , you see it more often because people grow up and have busy lives, they prefer plug-and-play games rather than having to master complex systems. In fact, why would they need that when they already face enough challenges? At that point, video games become a superfluous activity rather than a compensatory one (the latter being more destructive, in my opinion).

Personally, I'm still young, and in my generation, I see a trend toward souls-like games rather than simple, fun games. Even major franchises like Silent Hill are adopting this formula. Everyone wants to be as competitive as possible and be the next big YouTuber/streamer. One of the reasons why people no longer find video games entertaining.

This quote says it all:

“It took me four years to learn to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to learn to paint like a child.”

 

[qw90700]

It's the opposite: when the gameplay is bad, the easy mode becomes boring, so you add artificial difficulty to maintain a “tolerable” experience.

Honestly I know contrarian pandemic hits hard this month but I really didn't say something different lol.

If gameplay is bad because of easy mode then sometimes when the game is easy the gameplay is not fun and therefore pointless. For some games the actual gameplay is when you pick the hardest difficulty so you add artificial difficulty to maintain a “tolerable” experience until you find your sweet spot raising the diffuculty for fun enough to tolerate playing the game. So it's not opposite, we just used different words. Do you think by fun I didn't mean "tolerating" a boring game so I can have my own way to have fun by raising difficulty of the game?

Which this is why difficulty setting exist and matters in video games so player will adjust their experience to their tolerance level to play the game. If enjoyment is greater than your tolerance only then you can have fun in video games.

I guess us vs them mentality hits hard so hard unless you precisely use the words people would use their contrarian mode being activated. It must be why all new generation kids talk in the same way "u sus groomer W L take deez nuts" lolol.

 

[metaretro]

Bait

not everything is bait bro

 

[qw90700]

Bait

It's not a bait if you ain't a prey!!! Be da hunter!!! lolol

 

[beefbowl]

Making games difficult is mostly bad design

This is not even good bait.

 

[metaretro]

Honestly I know contrarian pandemic hits hard this month but I really didn't say something different lol.

If gameplay is bad because of easy mode then sometimes when the game is easy the gameplay is not fun and therefore pointless.

okay then i agree with you

I guess us vs them mentality hits hard so hard unless you precisely use the words people would use their contrarian mode being activated. It must be why all new generation kids talk in the same way "u sus groomer W L take deez nuts" lolol.

you likely have a high level of neuroticism in the Big Five traits, you take things too personally. I didn't want to seem harsh with you.

Post automatically merged: Today at 4:21 PM

This is not even good bait.

because that wasn't my intention, but you perceive it that way because it offends you. we're just having a discussion bro

 

[X y b e r - S k u ll]

Personally, I'm still young, and in my generation, I see a trend toward souls-like games rather than simple, fun games. Even major franchises like Silent Hill are adopting this formula. Everyone wants to be as competitive as possible and be the next big YouTuber/streamer. One of the reasons why people no longer find video games entertaining.

A lot of people find challenging things fun some people like pushing themselves, that's part of why the Souls games got popular in the first place; they came out in a time where games where starting to get very hand-holdy and thus it gave people a different perspective and let them look at the (At the time) state of modern gaming. Obviously things getting popular are going to lead to cheap imitations or people taking the wrong lessons from them, it happens with everything unfortunately (For the record; I agree that new Silent Hill has no reason to have Souls-like game mechanics and even as a fan of those games, I have no intention or desire to play that new SH).

It could be argued competitiveness is a good thing and a fundamental part of being a human. I do agree games being made to cater more towards streamers HAS been a huge detriment to gaming as a whole, but that's another topic.

 

[dropsmegamega]

I dislike those super tryhard edgy games "we're masochists!!" but most games aren't fun at all without challenge. even a point & click needs some difficulty otherwise its puzzles aren't engaging at all. it's a problem I have with modern nintendo games for example, it's just so easy that its dull.

 

[χKai]

Man, if people wanna play in easy mode with infinite lives cheats, let 'em. If they're having fun I'm happy, and if I don't have to play that way and can stay on my Proud Mode/Critical Mode, or Master Mode, then I'll be having fun and happy too.

I can appreciate when games don't hold your hand and lead you like a little old lady across the street, but still give players the option to have their hand-held modes, especially when you consider that some people have medical conditions which keep them from being able to play games the normal way.

More power to ya, m8te.

 

[Strategist's icon Strategist Strategist]

I dislike those super tryhard edgy games "we're masochists!!" but most games aren't fun at all without challenge. even a point & click needs some difficulty otherwise its puzzles aren't engaging at all. it's a problem I have with modern nintendo games for example, it's just so easy that its dull.

I think that's more of a problem with excessive tutorials and hand-holding than the difficulty itself. Its not like most Mario games are super difficult but they went out of their way to make them impossible to lose and for anyone past the age of 7 they are extremely unsatisfying.

 

[Sorion]

I prefer Normal mode to be honest, I need some challenge to feel rewarded but not too frustrated to outright quit the game, otherwise, other key qualities of the game may be affected, for example, if a JRPG is too easy, a canonically powerful boss can feel like a pushover to the player, ruining the tone of the adventure entirely.

 

[Strategist's icon Strategist Strategist]

I prefer Normal mode to be honest, I need some challenge to feel rewarded but not too frustrated to outright quit the game, otherwise, other key qualities of the game may be affected, for example, if a JRPG is too easy, a canonically powerful boss can feel like a pushover to the player, ruining the tone of the adventure entirely.

Most JRPGs are very easy and can be made trivial through grinding. But I don't find it to be a big issue if the story is interesting and the characters are fun. The only JRPGs where I feel difficulty is important are the strategy ones.

 

[metaretro]

hey came out in a time where games where starting to get very hand-holdy and thus it gave people a different perspective and let them look at the (At the time) state of modern gaming.

Hmm, at that time there were high IQ games like Portal 2 and games that required a PhD in crafting and mechanics like Terraria to navigate the world without a guide.

It could be argued competitiveness is a good thing and a fundamental part of being a human.

I agree that men have competed since the dawn of time, but their societies were based on cooperation. Today, there is excessive competition for dominance, which runs counter to the common good. In my opinion, the success of difficult video games such as Souls is based on exploiting a market made up of young people who are looking for challenges to compensate for their monotonous lives and rewards for their efforts in an unfair world that values networking above all else.

Yes, I know it looks like a schizo post, but I'm serious.