How hard are you, baby?

MeesterKu

Inneudos aside, what skill level do you typically first play your games on? I personally generally opt for 'Normal' and stick with it throughout the game. There are a few exceptions where I've either needed to downgrade this (Panzer Dragoon Orta) or push it up (MGS2); mind you, I know a lot of people who get the most bang for their buck by playing through on the easiest to hardest skill levels - I guess I just value the initial experience too much, nor do I rarely get time to play through a game on multiple skill levels... especially in the case of very long games like Deus Ex.

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MeesterKu

Zardon

I generally play at normal. but ill agree I had to downgrade on panzeer dragoon as well ! im a lamer

MeesterKu

I don't blame you for starting Orta on Easy, Zardon. I played through on Normal and found it EXCESSIVELY difficult. Then I played on Easy and finished it, barely dying! Talk about a way to balance skill levels. =P

The big secret to being able to do well in the Panzer games is simply to play them until you've memorised everything about that game. Back in the days of Zwei, I just played that constantly until I eventually got 100% shot-down ratio. If I played it now, I'd miss just about everything and die in minutes.

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MeesterKu

toddsmack2k

I start mine on normal. If the game has good replay value well then I will check out the harder skill levels. If I want to go and have a good ol slaughter house round then of course easy. Usually pick easy when i am pissed off though

Zardon

LOL, that made me laugh

MikeDaMan

Every game I play usually is on a difficulty of normal. Like Todd said if the game is fun enough and I feel I've mastered it I'll bump up the difficulty. The funnest games are the rainbow six series in which no matter what difficuty you select they always seem to mix the bad guys around so they aren't in the same spot. I think that feature should be implimented in more games.

JavaFox

I guess we're all pretty soft. I don't care too much about challenge in a game, just enjoyment. One example of a game that was unbalanced levels is CnC: Generals. When the computer is set on "Normal," it seems to be totally incapable of grasping the concept that you have to attack your enemy to win. They won't use superweapons, they won't really attack you... they don't really do much at all. On the other hand, "Brutal" computers will rush you, use their aircraft to an annoying degree, and save up superweapons so they can use all three on you at once. WTF!?!?!?!?!?!

That said, you better not be playing against anything other than Brutal enemies in Generals, people!

Vengeance

Well I chose "Easy, I like to... ease myself in gently" Now that I'm 38 I just cant pull it off like I used to
When I was a teenager and early 20s I used to tear games up on the Nec/Snec/sega Genesis!
But sadly that was a while back.

I'm more like JavaFox now I'm into it for the enjoyment instead of the challenge. I'll leave that up to my son, We play Halo together he'll be 5 next month, and yes he beats me
Of course I suck with a controller, its cake for him.

DriveEuro

I always start normal. Then once I have beaten the game I replay it on hard... if I liked the game. So far my most fav game to play was Red Faction.. It was just so long and at time annoying, that's why I loved it.

craig588

I usually play things on their hardest, but a few games I needed to drop the settings down. I got killed too fast in Deus Ex on the hardest setting. MGS2 was way to easy even on the hardest setting.

MIG-31

i always start on the easiest level then i work my way up once i start getting familier with the game im playing.

mike2h

me too!
got to go with javafox & vengance also. in fact i hardly play fps anymore(yes i am old). i make the occasional run into u2 2003. otherwise it is strategy/rpg all the way!

Kgentatszu]

i chose easiest, especially in action games......but when it comes to RPG, hehehehee.......(except Baldor's gate, other than that i play it at the hardest(

Logla

I always used to play games on the easiest settings then one day, just forgot to change it and started playing everything on normal.
Doesn't seem to make the games more rewarding just makes them last a little longer. And possibly a little more realistic - I mean like - if I was to walk into a Nazi camp during WWII, with little more than a ligh machine gun, I'm sure I would be annihilated within seconds.

Zardon

unless your surname happens to be, stallone or van damme, then you could safely use a toothpick and still kick ass.

Rayder

Depends on the game. Racing games I will usually go normal or hard. I generally mutilate most racing games.

Action games I'll go normal or easy.

FPS's - easy all the way. (I don't play many of 'em, so I tend to suck at them)

RTS's - normal or easy.

RPG's - Normal because they tend to rip you for stuff if you pick easy.


Other than racing games, I never use hard mode. No sense making it more difficult than it needs to be. That's the way I look at it.

Rasta Monsta

I always go for the hardest setting, as I want my games to last as long as possible.

Entendre that, bay-bee!



rasta

Mac Daddy

I think myself NORMAL provides a good reference point.
But remember if it seems to easy or to hard. Adjust ....

It is a Game and is meant to challenging no matter what the type.
Always winning or Always losing becomes ... very unreal

Malus

Brutal is still pretty easy to kill. As long as you build faster than them, you shouldn't have any problems.

wertret

I think "normal" is "the way is meant to be played" by the game designers...

Judas

I usually set to hard... Anything just above normal, that'll give me a reference point of how well the game plays... Racing games are always set at maxium, RPGs, like another has said, easy usually rips you off, normal tends to be leanent, and a little harder gives you some bonuses. FPS, i enjoy sudden death, makes it more interesting in a dark room...