Comment on What's The Point Of Hard Games, Anyway? [Game Maker's Toolkit, 12:22]
Fiivemacs@lemmy.ca 2 days ago
some people live the challenge in games.
some people enjoy cozy games just to have fun
both are absolutely good and correct in their own light.
jonathan7luke@lemmy.zip 1 day ago
As someone who likes the difficulty of Hollow Knight and Silksong (despite being pretty bad at the game), I think the best point in the video is that it would be really nice to give the player options. I would still play on the hard setting, but there are friends I have who would love exploring the map and seeing all the amazing art, but I can’t recommend the game to them because I know they’d be super frustrated within an hour or two.
FlihpFlorp@piefed.zip 1 day ago
Dead cells has something called assist mode. Doesn’t disable achievements or anything. Personally I use it as a second chance, the only setting I’ve touched is lives. Normally in the game you die, get sent back the start. With assist mode you can respawn (either at the level start or door you crossed). I usually have it on one life extra to avoid the “that was so bullshit” deaths but still keep death an actual consequence
It also has some stuff like bigger parry windows, lower enemy health and damage.
IMO it’s great because people can make the game as causal and forgiving as you want
Segab@beehaw.org 1 day ago
Those are great because they don’t change the nature of the game. You just adjust the difficulty of the self-imposed challenge. It’s still essentially the same experience. If you ruin the game for yourself by setting it too easy that’s on you.
When people say stuff like “I just want to explore Elden Ring”, that’s like watching behind-the-scenes content or looking at a concept art book of a movie without watching the movie. It can be enjoyable but it’s not a complete experience, you’re missing the original context entirely. I wish people realized that.
FlihpFlorp@piefed.zip 1 day ago
I agree with you in that people are missing out but I’m of the mind that if that’s how they want to play the game, let them. Back to dead cells, there’s also a mechanic called aspects where the game will warn you that achievements are disabled and it may make the game too easy (maybe idr if actually tells you or just implies it). So they partially or completly remove challenge. But some people don’t want to challenge themselves they just want to nuke rooms. And I’ve done that few times and being an unstoppable force of nature via abilities can be fun
Another example is settlements with my buddy in no man’s sky. Yes he’s missing out on game content such as all building and timers wand watching the settlement grow. But he just doesn’t find that fun but rather building intricate bases and structures
Where you say people can ruin the challenge by making it too easy 1000% agree. In dead cells nothings changing me from setting that one extra life I get, to unlimited, effectively bashing my head against a level or boss till I clear, leaving death with no consequence and as such, making it so I don’t have to git gud. My comfort zone is difficult, but a little room for error
As for the part of easy mode or just exploring is like behind the scenes content or art books, I’m gonna have to disagree. Maybe I’m taking that to literally or missing something but I’d consider those supplemental to the original media. Like I don’t need to see a behind the scenes video to enjoy Skyrim, maybe I’ll pay more active attention to level design or how things are place to draw attention. But I can still fully enjoy the city of Whiterun without knowing the city was designed to route you through the shopping district, through the temple and up the castle.
I see it more as a different approach or focus. People who value exploration want that to be the focus rather than having a super tough fight. Some people want both, where that super tough fight is part of the journey see what’s across that clearing over there
TLDR, it’s about finding that sweet spot between challenging and comfortable people ARE missing content but it’s a trade off for what they find enjoyable