Easy, Normal, or Hard?

[Hobart]

What difficulty settings might you usually start out with when you're playing a game for the first time? And how might your choice of settings vary from game to game?

For me, when it comes to arcade shooters and racers that would allow you to set difficulty, I would always select a "normal" setting. Usually that gets me going until I play the game enough times to crank it up to a harder difficulty.

With strategy games, however, I almost always start on an "easy" or "very easy" mode, so that I can acquaint myself with the mechanics of the game (especially with RTS-style games where the pacing might set you to a disadvantage if you're not quite prepared).

[Suwako Moriya]

It depends. The most common answer would be "normal" since easy can often be too easy and jumping into hard sounds risky sometimes. However there will be times where I may not feel I'm ready thus making easier a more logical choice. There will also be times I'd rather just jump the gun and go for hard.

Granted part of the problem is with replaying. One may decide they'd rather just play a game once then play it multiple times for the sake of experiencing it under multiple difficulties. Also if one can beat "hard" then logic dictates that normal and easy should be possible by default.

[Andrew Cunningham]

Problem is, games often have erratic definitions of the words.
I usually go with Easy, since my goal is to play the game and have relaxing fun without controller smashing frustration. But occasionally easy mode will be gimped and I'll have to switch to Normal.
Or just too easy; Cloning Clyde I ended up playing on Normal, just because I accidentally played there and it wasn't really hard at all.
I don't really understand people who complain about games being too easy. The only game I've played that I thought was unnecessarily easy was Drawn to Life, and that was only in contrast to the excessively hard bosses. Game was not balanced at all.

[Geno]

Almost always start on normal with the only exeptions being rhythm games which I tend to start on easy and Smash Bros. Brawl where I'll start on Hard since I've played Melee a lot and Hard is basically normal in that game.

[Hielostar]

90% of the time, I start on Normal, and stick with it.

I tend to switch over to Easy if I'm trying to unlock stuff in fighting games that doesn't have a particular difficulty level attached (trying to move the process along a bit faster.) The Bleach game for the Wii is the most recent example.

[ADC]

Normal, unless normal is nerfed. Then I go to Hard. I don't do Easy, not because I'm that good at games, but because I have that much pride.

[Collectonian]

I'll always make a valiant attempt at Normal in any game with the options, and will generally be able to finish with some perseverance. With Devil May Cry, if/when I try again I will be using Easy mode because I just plain can't get past the first few levels.

I did also go to Easy mode in Onimusha 2, though it was more to get the medicinal goodies jumping to easy mode got you as I was approaching the end and had none :P

Hard mode? No, I'm not a masochist.

[Pachi]

Usually I always choose "normal", to play the game as the average, everyday gamer is expected to play it. I only play "easy" under two circumstances: 1) if I know it's a really hard game and I want to ease into it first, or 2) if there's some achievement/unlockable I can only get through easy mode. And I only play "hard" after I've beaten "normal".

[Sheldon]

normal, NEVER easy, hard only if im bored and/or theres unlockables

[Mateo_home]

I stick with Normal the majority of the time. I like to start off the difficulty just right. I don't do easy because it just shows you're not very good and it gets boring fast. Hard if there's stuff to unlock or if I feel like I'm up for the challange. Or if the normal mode was just very easy.

On another matter, I could never get past chapter 5 in FE6 Hard.

[TheLaughingMan]

I'd say 90% of the time Normal.

I play Hard when i either love the game and want more after beating Normal, or when i find Normal just too easy.
I play Easy in the very rare instances that Normal kicks my ass so bad i can't take it anymore.

[Phil]

Aother vote for 'Normal'. Gives me more options to tweek the settings if necessary once I get the feel of it.

Come to think of it, the only game I think I've ever gone 'easy' on was Elite Beat Agents.

[Jumbo]

Whatever the default setting is.

[malazar]

For most games, I play on normal. The only exception is if I am playing a game (like Dynasty Warriors) where I have to play a character I dislike to unlock a character I like. Then I pop it on easy to get that done faster.

[Citizen Klaus]

Easy. Yeah, I'm a wuss.

[Lego]

On games like DMC, MGS, and such I choose normal. I remember selecting easy my first MGS game(Subsistence) and playing it on easy. Never died, didn't really take any damage, was a walk in the park. But most of the time for things like Guilty Gear or Timesplitters I'll hit normal since Hard is usually going to punch you in the nuts and steal your lunch money the first time in.

[Nork22]

For a lot of fighting games, I set it on the hardest settings possible. Not only do I learn all the moves for each character faster, I'll be able to understand the mechanics and how to effectively be "cheap".

Any other games, I would set it to normal.

[indigo0086]

Normal usually.

[HitokiriShadow]

I usually start with Normal. Every once and a while I'll start with easy, but that's only if I'm having trouble in normal or it looks like normal may be too tough for the first go.

[Nosredna]

I admit I start on easy to get a hang of the game, then move up to medium after a short while.

[Dylonius Funk]

Normally i'll start at the middle of the road difficulty. Not to hard, not to easy. For games like Guitar Hero and Rock Band i usually do Hard primarily since i find Expert usually isn't that much different, usually just more three note chords. I hardly ever do medium unless it's a song that's giving me a real problem, but it's rare. I was able to complete Over half of Guitar Hero 80's Edition on Hard the first time i was able to play it fromn the begining.

[ADC]

There's another problem, though. Madden has four difficulty settings: Pantywaist, Namby-Pamby, Mostly Pathetic, and BOHICA. Bit of culture shock moving up from All-Pro to All-Madden. And the reason it's a problem is that Madden on All-Pro isn't much of a challenge, but on All-Madden, you can't win a game if you're the 84 49ers and the computer's got the 07 Fish.

[Glorian]

I usually play on normal, but I'll play on easy if the game gives me a hard time. I'm not a serious gamer, though, so I tend to stay away from hard.

[Andrew Cunningham]

Rock Band depends on the instrument.
Guitar and Bass are too easy on Medium, except for faster songs; working on strumming up and down at the moment. Trying to move up to hard, but hit a brick wall at Gimme Shelter and can't get past that intro.
So at the moment I'm actually working on Easy mode, just to get used to strumming both ways slowly.
Likewise, working on Easy mode with drums. I've broken through from total helplessness to smooth sailing, but I still think it's worth working my way up from the bottom.
Singing I did Medium, but not sure I'll go to hard since so few of the songs can be sung in a comfortable range. Wish they'd allowed you to sing in harmony instead of forcing you into falsetto or uncomfortably low all the time. I guess we could all make a list of what we can sing easily and pass the mic around...

[Kinomoto_Shinji]

I don't do Easy, not because I'm that good at games, but because I have that much pride.

QFT

[covnam]

I pretty much always go with normal which is usually the default setting, which is how I usually leave my games. I don't want to be frustrated with playing it on hard or have the game move to slowly because I just started playing it, and easy is usually boring and I often find to be too easy.

I would say that I turn up the difficulty to Hard or higher, but except for a few games, like RTSs which have a high replay value without much repition, I usually end up playing something new rather than replaying an old title.

[Ty]

I'll start with Easy. Anymore when I lose in a game it just makes me not want to play anymore. I play to have fun, not become frustrated. I'll move to a normal difficulty after the first time, but I never try hard modes. Yeah, I'm a wuss.

[Arcturus]

Seeing as the only game I play these days is Rock Band, I play guitar, usually on hard, but I can do about half of the songs on expert.

[TheStrongMan]

For music/rhythm games that I have never played before...I always start on easy

For any other game that I just don't give a damn about and just want to get through the story as quickly as possible...easy

For games that I do give a damn about and/or won't give me an achievement if I pick easy...then I go with normal.

Before the 360, I never played a game multiple times at different difficulties. But with those oh so wonderful (and addicting achievements) I've found that sometimes I'll go back and try to replay through at a harder difficulty.

[itsuka]

With demos, I always start on easy. If they're not comfortable to play on that level, I strike them off my list, because I like comfort gaming.

With shooters, racers or platform games, if I even buy any, I usually stay in easy, and if I really like it and do well, I might try normal as well at some point.

If a true RPG (no platforming or jumping) has more than one level, I'll start out at normal, and perhaps try hard later - or not. Depends on the game. Rhythm games I'll normally start at normal, with an escape to easy if it needs more getting used to. But with these games I'll always try to move up to hard (or even expert) eventually.

[Damo]

Problem is, games often have erratic definitions of the words.
I usually go with Easy, since my goal is to play the game and have relaxing fun without controller smashing frustration.
You and me both. :)

If easy is an option I'll always take that first, learn the game mechanics and neuances, maybe compelete the game, then upgrade the dificulty. Once I've compelteld a game, even if the only unlock is hard mode I'll be more inclinded to play it again.

[Noodle]

Normal (or whatever the default is, if not normal). I want enough of a challenge to make the game worth playing, but I don't want to be frustrated, either.

Sometimes, if it's a game I adore and have beaten more than once before, I might put it on hard in a replay, just to keep things interesting, but honestly, most of the time I never touch the settings.

[Hielostar]

For music/rhythm games that I have never played before...I always start on easy


I forgot about music/rhythm games. All the games in that category (I've played DDR, Pop'n Music, Taiko no Tatsujin, Drummania, Para Para Paradise, Guitar Hero, Rock Band), I started on the easiest setting to get a feel for the game. Some games I've moved to the next level, while others are still at easy for now.

[Suwako Moriya]

I want enough of a challenge to make the game worth playing, but I don't want to be frustrated, either.

Now this is an answer I like as explains in a nutshell why balance is good. Especially if one is planning to play through a game once and not multiple times. If I'm facing a boss I don't want a situation where the second the battle starts, he has a heart and dies. At the same time I don't want to automatically lose because the guy blinked. Although in the case of some games "Easy" can still be challenging and "Hard" can still be pathetic.

[Hobart]

I want enough of a challenge to make the game worth playing, but I don't want to be frustrated, either.

Now this is an answer I like as explains in a nutshell why balance is good. Especially if one is planning to play through a game once and not multiple times. If I'm facing a boss I don't want a situation where the second the battle starts, he has a heart and dies. At the same time I don't want to automatically lose because the guy blinked. Although in the case of some games "Easy" can still be challenging and "Hard" can still be pathetic.
I guess another question that might follow this is: If there are spots within the game that are too easy or too hard, would you change the settings temporarily in the middle of the game to compensate for that?

My first runthrough of Half Life 2 involved running into a few spots that seemed ridiculously tough to beat, even in "normal" mode. At the 20th or so attempt at trying to beat a scenario at that default level, I gave up and switched the game to "easy" in order to end my misery there.

I don't switch mid-game that much, but when worse comes to worse, I'll take it down a notch so I can actually move on.

[malazar]

I guess another question that might follow this is: If there are spots within the game that are too easy or too hard, would you change the settings temporarily in the middle of the game to compensate for that?

I find switching difficulty is a better idea than torturing myself indefinitely with a hard spell. I will always try an encounter several times on normal before giving up and switching though.

[Nosredna]

I agree with you on Madden (although I haven't really played one since 2003). Their difficult levels are stupid as you can dominate in one, then when you get to the next level, computer just crushes you. Although maybe I just pick bad teams :sd: . Crap I just realized ADC and I agreed on something again.......wait the Madden levels are just perfect.....yeah that's right......

[beatmania]

Where's the poll?

[GHardin]

First time through, I play on normal. If it was fun enough to warrant a new playthrough, I'll go through on hard, and sometimes, the hardest difficulty. Strangely enough, I really only do that if the game has an achievements system...it just makes things feel more complete to me. Go figure.

The only exception I make is with regards to games like Guitar Hero and Rock Band; at least with the guitar section, I tend to just skip to hard and graduate to expert, though there are those times where medium is too slow and hard is too fast...just can't find that stupid middleground that works. :sd:

[Hobart]

Where's the poll?
After 30+ posts so far in the topic, this is the most insightful/helpful one yet.

At the very least, you could have provided your two cents in the absence of a direct poll.

[beatmania]

Where's the poll?
After 30+ posts so far in the topic, this is the most insightful/helpful one yet.

At the very least, you could have provided your two cents in the absence of a direct poll.


I'm just interested in the poll.
Kind of useless thread w/o one. No one reads what's written here in these long threads anyways.

[Andrew Cunningham]

It just occurred to me that I can directly blame Astro Boy (GBA) for making me play easy mode.
On easy mode, that's a great game. On normal, I can't get past the first boss.

[Noodle]

I'm just interested in the poll.
Kind of useless thread w/o one. No one reads what's written here in these long threads anyways.

Oh, indeed.... because no one ever has discussions on a forum board. That's not even what they're for. :roll:

If you're not interested in anything but the poll, why bother responding at all? Or post one yourself - the new software allows polls mid-thread you know. Go, have at it!

[quenelf]

Like many others: normal, except occasionally for music games (only the ones where 'normal' is actually hard for a beginner getting used to the controls etc). That aside I never play easy modes. These days video games are generally not too hard on normal mode, and I don't want to remove all challenge from it.

(Says the elf who died - game-over - twice in Super Mario Galaxy today... it doesn't have a difficulty level as far as I'm aware, but yeah, I know, not that hard...)

I don't play hard mode either, except in those very rare instances where I want to replay a game, and where 'hard' mode doesn't seem to be unbelievably hard. Even then it's questionable whether I'll get through the entire game that way. (I started RE4:Wii on hard after completing it once, but haven't got far... will maybe pick it up again. But there are quite a lot of other games to play, so...)

--quen

[Suwako Moriya]

Oh, indeed.... because no one ever has discussions on a forum board. That's not even what they're for. :roll:

Wait you mean to tell me that all my posts have been futile? Still in terms of the whole poll thing. Polls can be nice, but well sometimes it's better to get a more detailed answer that can't always be covered by a poll. Still here goes and the more groups my poll pisses off the better. Also today I learned it's best to get the poll right the first time...

[Dicrel Seijin]

Sorry, I didn't vote in the poll as there is no "ALL" category. :D

I'm one of those that likes to get as much as possible from a game. When I leave a level I like to know that everything has been explored, that anything moveable, destructible, or what have you has been, and that there is nothing I leave behind that is alive. :evil:

I'm currently playing Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance for the PS2 and I have Easy, Normal, and Hard games going simultaneously. Once I unlock the Extremely Hard level, I'm opening up a game for that too.

[joelgundam01]

I usually start the game on normal and see how difficult the game is. If it's too difficult, then I go to easy. If it isn't, then I stay on normal.

[guyver83]

Most games I usually start off normal. For some sport games where I need to learn more of the moves I put it on easy while I learn.

[Suwako Moriya]

In the case of some games you can take certain actions to make things harder or easier. The most obvious being the usual level up vs press forward thing. However to for specific examples.

There's making the final boss of Star Ocean the Second Story harder by getting the unlimited form unlocked, but uh even in universe it's possible for a party around level 100 or so to beat him. Note I said it's possible rather than claiming it's a cakewalk. Still spell stunning is always fun.

Then there's Laura's quest in Unlimited SaGa where who you face in the final battle is determined by an earlier battle. Although I guess which guy is harder depends on who you ask. I'll just say one has an annoying status effect, but then again once you know what protects against it...

[Isuzu Inugami]

Normal, on the theory that gameplay is tuned to its most balanced there. Although I did notch the difficulty down a few clicks on Elder Scrolls when I got eaten by a timber wolf once too often whilst innocently travelling down a well-paved road. Having no challenge gets boring, but being butt-raped every ten minutes gets old too.

[Ayaneko]

I've never played a game in hard mode. It's always normal or easy for me, depending on if one of the modes carries a goodie or something when beaten.

I really enjoy playing video games but for the most part, I'm not too good at 'em. :noodle:

[dejr8bud]

Normal for me usually. Games like DMC or God of War, thats good enough. I'll play through on hard to unlock some stuff. For fighters/shooters normal/hard.

[Krate]

My top priority whenever I pop in a videogame for the first time is to go to the options menu and set the difficulty to the easiest setting. :sd: I'll usually raise the difficulty settings after I get use to the gameplay, though it depends on the game.