Feels like intentionally missing the mark here.
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Do people who only play easy games not care about overcoming challenge?
- Thread starter oni-link
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Feels like intentionally missing the mark here.
Depends a lot on the game, i feel like only a few games "deserve" my time, so i only care about overcoming difficult challenges if f i'm really enjoying the game, if not, i'll just beat it on easy or go play something else.
Real life can be cruel, sometimes i get home a little early from work, which gives me a little more time to play a game that i've been thinking about the entire day but then i realize that i just wanna chill a little bit and play with my cat...
I feel bad when i see kids dying of hunger, if you feel bad for someone just having a good time with his videogame, then i legitimately feel bad for you too.
Real life can be cruel, sometimes i get home a little early from work, which gives me a little more time to play a game that i've been thinking about the entire day but then i realize that i just wanna chill a little bit and play with my cat...
I feel bad when i see kids dying of hunger, if you feel bad for someone just having a good time with his videogame, then i legitimately feel bad for you too.
Zap Rowsdower
Banned
A bunch of modern adventure games are already like this though. 80 Days gives the original Verne novel a run for its money, Kentucky Route Zero has a fantastic grasp of literature and stage and implements them masterfully in the framework of a video game, and What Remains of Edith Finch is such a clever and creative character study that feels literary. The indie scene have been making great strides.
Even easy games or those played on easy have challenge to 'em cause on a blind first playthrough ya never know whats coming next an how to prepare for or deal with it. Its not like your an all knowledgeable master of a game from the first moment ya pick it up. That challenge of heading into the unknown is good enough for me!
...besides if I ever somehow got sucked into a videogame I'd be SO doomed if it weren't an easy one!
...besides if I ever somehow got sucked into a videogame I'd be SO doomed if it weren't an easy one!
That means there are very few real gamers! Since hard modes almost always locked behind beating the game on easy/normal first. An most gamers sell/shelve a game once they've beaten it in order ta move onto the next game in their list!
Yup! I dun care how loud people scream that Mega Man X is "easy" (which brings up the question of why its beloved by 'real gamers') its not for me! The NES MM's are far less challenging/frustrating!
perfectsil
Member
This
I'm not saying it's odd or unusual if people don't like difficult games, I'm very clear in the OP that people can enjoy games for many reasons
My point was games are unique when compared to other mediums, they can tell stories and do world building in a way that novels or film or TV can't, by making huge worlds that are full of lore and environmental storytelling
Another thing they can do is give you the thrill of beating a boss that pushes your ability and skill to it's limit
Being so engaged and focused on a games systems and mechanics, learning how and when to use them to overcome a boss or section of a level that seemed impossible to you only half an hour ago, and then finally overcoming it, your heart pounding, is something you don't really get from other mediums
If you opt to only ever play easy games, or games on easier modes, then you don't really get to experience that aspect of what the medium can offer, which of course is fine. I understand that not everyone enjoys that, and I play all my games on "normal" (though I do like playing harder games to get that fix of adrenaline)
Which ones that? If its 2/3/4/5/6 then you just jet through there with whichever one of the flying powerups the game has! I never do block sections "legit" cause they come in 2 varities: the one in which ya die instantly for failing and the one in which you don't die and just have to try over and over again with no conequences. Both of which are dumb!
...ssssssssssssssuuuuuuurrrrrrrreeeeeeeee...
SeanIfOnly
Neo Member
I use to be all about my gamerscore and only playing on harder difficulty but at age 35 with a stressful job and a lovely wife my life has changed the way I play games. Beyond playing fewer games, and less online time late into the night on games like COD, I also try and pack in as many games as possible. Playing on "easy" allows me to experience the latest games and consume stuff at a pace that allows me enjoy the culture part of gaming.
Skyr
Member
Thanks for the tips actually.
Will check out 80 Days and Kentucky Route Zero.
I played through Edith Finch and Gone Home already and loved them.
So I agree the Indy scene is definitely making great advancements in video game storytelling. AAA game developers can learn alot from them.
Very much this. Video games are my escape from every day life. I'm challenged enough with work, home; I don't need that kind of hardships in my hobbies.
Pilgrimzero
Member
If I was young and had the free time to play challenging games I would. As a an adult with family and a job, Im more in it for the story with a nice easy pace.
I play most games on normal but Ill crank it down if I have to.
I play most games on normal but Ill crank it down if I have to.
sotojuan
Member
This, though I usually do Medium, not Hard.
The amount of games with a story good enough that stands on its own (or almost on its own) is tiny.
Man Called Aerodynamics
Member
This.
do you want the film to have constant exposition explaining the plot the characters and everything that's going on in simple terms every 5 minutes or so in case you weren't paying attention?
I dont mind some brain teasers that can be overcome (thinking a game like Braid). I dont like a game that physically challenges me, like requiring ridiculous reflexes and/or memorising and unleashing complex button combos to win. That just feels like stress and work to me. Anything requiring deep thought and forward planning also feels like too much work, hence why proper RPGs terrify me and are not interesting to me, while something like Shenmue ticks all my boxes and gives me the immersion without the need to think too hard about it.
For people that do care about "overcoming challenge", do you always put games on the hardest difficulty?
For me, sometimes I want a challenge, sometimes I don't. Halo is a good example. Every time a new one releases I blitz through it on easy to drink in the story so I won't have to worry about spoilers on my travels, then I'll go through it again soon after at a more engaging pace.
For me, sometimes I want a challenge, sometimes I don't. Halo is a good example. Every time a new one releases I blitz through it on easy to drink in the story so I won't have to worry about spoilers on my travels, then I'll go through it again soon after at a more engaging pace.
That depends really as people can get enjoyment out of a challenge.
Captain Tuttle
Member
I find this hard to believe
I tend to try out the hardest difficulty in many games I play. Also, I normally do Heroic and Legendary for Halo games, sometimes even skipping Normal and lower entirely.
D
Deleted member 325805
Unconfirmed Member
I have enough stress in my life, I don't need it in games as well, they're supposed to be my escape. If I keep dying in a game I'll turn down the difficulty. These days I'm more interested in the story/experience. That being said I've still completed all the Souls games, but they're a special case.
I think it depends. Usually when I get annoyed, or outright just don't care for a game's game play, but still want to experience the story/characters, the thrill of beating a tough segment or boss is lost on me because I didn't enjoy the try in the first place or not enough to keep at it. In those cases, I personally don't mind lowering the difficulty to play more of the parts of the game that I actually enjoy.
I use skulls as well!=pNot all skulls?
darth_infamous
Member
Even with that on easy you tend to have enemies that will do less damage to you so you can escape certain situations, probably dumber a.i., more health and item pick ups so you might not die as often and some games have waypoints/arrows/etc. showing you where to go next. So easy is still not a challenge for a blind playthrough unless they made some parts of the game harder on easy.
That is not the same thing. If a movie is "difficult" I have a little food for thought. If a game is too difficult then I can't finish it.
Sugarmonkey
Member
After reading through all of the posts (including the guy who is most likely trolling for negative attention), it looks like the answer is that most of the people who play on easy don't do it because they don't know any better, but because they've either done it before (when younger, when they had less responsibilities, etc), or because they prefer video games as a way to escape a tough day and / or relax, and not to be challenged or solve some puzzle or memorize some pattern.
I echo most people a bit younger or around my age (44) when I say that I prefer to play some games on "easy mode" because I'm a home owner, a father, and a small business owner. I don't have 12 hours to devote to gaming anymore. I want to be entertained. Now, when it's a type of game I'm really proficient at (FPS), I crank the difficulty way up because I'm good at it and want a challenge in small bursts. Do I give a shit whether someone else is missing out by choosing easy mode? Of course not. That's life baby! Some people love shit I find weird, or hard to fathom, but to each their own. And for anyone who says other people "should" do the thing they like, they probably could take a look at why they do it in the first place - i.e. likely using gaming as a way to feel superior to their fellow humans.
Berserking Guts
Member
My enjoyment of challenging games is about me, not you.
DarkMaigle
Member
If I want challenge I'll play PVP, I'd rather beat some other person than the programmers idea of my skill level. If it's single player then I want to stomp the fuck out of everything.
woopWOOP
Member
I always play on Normal atleast. Regular challenging. Unless it's a shmup, then it's super duper easy mode. I can't deal with tiny bullets one shotting me.
I hardly ever bother with Hard modes or above. Unless I'm super into a game or franchise it usually just becomes too frustrating to enjoy.
I hardly ever bother with Hard modes or above. Unless I'm super into a game or franchise it usually just becomes too frustrating to enjoy.
Excellent! It's the goofs who don't understand that not everyone cares about or needs some high challenge game to get enjoyment nor is it what games are all about. I don't understand (ugh) gamers who 'feel sorry' for people who play games on easy mode.
More_Badass
Member
Most of these considerations of difficulty in this thread seems to revolve around action games, shooters, fighters, etc, where you can tweak challenge through damage or health or whatnot
Im curious how people consider difficulty in puzzle games, like Spacechem or Hexcells, or in text adventures/interactive fiction? Those are unique in that you cant simply change some variables to make it easier or harder, but rather the challenge tends to come from learning and applying rules or learning through experimentation and testing assumptions.
Im curious how people consider difficulty in puzzle games, like Spacechem or Hexcells, or in text adventures/interactive fiction? Those are unique in that you cant simply change some variables to make it easier or harder, but rather the challenge tends to come from learning and applying rules or learning through experimentation and testing assumptions.
texhnolyze
Banned
I agree with OP. Devs designed their games so that the challenges are important part of the experience. For example, if you're playing on easy you might miss what people consider make the game good. You won't get it because you don't experience it. Therefore,normal is the minimum difficulty level for me and I always aim for hard in the beginning.
If I want to relax, I'll watch a movie/drama/anime instead.
If I want to relax, I'll watch a movie/drama/anime instead.
BenjaminBeaumont
Neo Member
There is an interesting piece on the Caine and Rinse podcast website called The Subjectivity of Difficulty, which addresses difficulty in games and a lot of the points discussed here, the third part is linked below. They are all worth a read.
Personally I'm drawn to games that present a challenge to me because I like the rush I feel when I finally overcome those goals. Finally killing some random black knight in Dark Souls 1, that I had literally spent maybe like 3 - 4 hours trying to kill, was a game changing experience for me. He wasn't a boss, or a miniboss even, rather just some black knight blocking my path very early on in the game, nevertheless the rush I felt when I finally defeated him at the end of an extremely tense and thrilling battle was exhilarating. My whole gaming life changed after that moment, I knew that if a game didn't provide me the chance to feel that level of exhilaration.. it wouldn't have the motivation to finish it or the desire to even start it tbh. Now, do I look down upon games which present a low difficulty level or the gamers who enjoy them... f no. Everyone plays games for their personal reasons, playing Dark Souls meant that for my gaming life is almost entirely about the rush of overcoming a difficult challenge.
I don't understand why this ends up being a debate. Some people enjoy challenges in games. Others enjoy narrative or exploring open worlds or whatever.. why do we need to try and convince others to feel the same way about games that we do?
https://caneandrinse.com/the-subjectivity-of-difficulty/
Personally I'm drawn to games that present a challenge to me because I like the rush I feel when I finally overcome those goals. Finally killing some random black knight in Dark Souls 1, that I had literally spent maybe like 3 - 4 hours trying to kill, was a game changing experience for me. He wasn't a boss, or a miniboss even, rather just some black knight blocking my path very early on in the game, nevertheless the rush I felt when I finally defeated him at the end of an extremely tense and thrilling battle was exhilarating. My whole gaming life changed after that moment, I knew that if a game didn't provide me the chance to feel that level of exhilaration.. it wouldn't have the motivation to finish it or the desire to even start it tbh. Now, do I look down upon games which present a low difficulty level or the gamers who enjoy them... f no. Everyone plays games for their personal reasons, playing Dark Souls meant that for my gaming life is almost entirely about the rush of overcoming a difficult challenge.
I don't understand why this ends up being a debate. Some people enjoy challenges in games. Others enjoy narrative or exploring open worlds or whatever.. why do we need to try and convince others to feel the same way about games that we do?
https://caneandrinse.com/the-subjectivity-of-difficulty/
Pretty much the bold is my opinion as well. This entire topic reminds me of the recent thread asking whether the option to skip bosses should be included in games.
My thoughts on this and that are both that people have vastly different reasons for enjoying the games they play. Just looking at the mainline souls series between the four games, fans of each have different favorites. And the reason for these different favorites is because they appreciated different aspects of the games.
At the end of the day I don't understand why so many people are bothered by the idea of someone playing on easy, or skipping bosses. If someone has a book and wants to skip chapters, they're well within their right to do so, it's no skin off my nose.
autoduelist
Member
I only like challenging games. If the game is easy, I feel like I should be doing something else, like reading a book. If the game is too challenging [I struggle with memorizing patterns, so find something like shmups hard even though I excel at twin stick shooters], I play something else. That said, without challenge I'm bored out of my mind. Click click click win just feels like the ultimate in wasting my life away.
lastplayed
Member
I feel too old to be challenged in games to be honest. I play to be immersed in a world and enjoy myself. I have enough challenges at work and in my real world hobbies to overcome.
Cuningas de Häme
Member
I like a decent challenge, if it means something that makes me think. Like various puzzle games or adventure games. It is fun to solve problems.
I don't play games to get frustrated. Why would one want to raise their aggression levels? I play on a difficulty level that makes a game fun. Often it is on normal or little easier. It is nice to just run and gun in a MoH game but still have to be careful not to die.
I don't need to grow my epeen doing hard stuff. I do what I do for me, not for anyone else.
EDIT.
I prefer a game where challenge comes from the gameplay itself, not from a difficulty setting. I feel like puzzle games do this best.
I don't play games to get frustrated. Why would one want to raise their aggression levels? I play on a difficulty level that makes a game fun. Often it is on normal or little easier. It is nice to just run and gun in a MoH game but still have to be careful not to die.
I don't need to grow my epeen doing hard stuff. I do what I do for me, not for anyone else.
EDIT.
I prefer a game where challenge comes from the gameplay itself, not from a difficulty setting. I feel like puzzle games do this best.
I'm going to sound strange, but the older I'm getting, the more I do harder difficulties. Funny enough games that I couldn't beat on the hardest difficulty as a kid and teen I was able to beat as an adult.
As long as a puzzle is not overly abstruse, I tend to find overcoming that kind of challenge much more satisfying than, say, eventually beating an annoying boss in an action game that I've died to umpteen times, and just feel glad it's over!
Games like The Talos Principle, The Swapper, Q.U.B.E. and of course the Portal games, I love the kind of challenges those games throw at you. To quote the person deriding people who play on easy earlier in the thread, it is much more "like a pump at the gym, except for your brain". I did come away from The Talos Principle with a pretty bad headache on a couple of occasions though haha.
Freshmaker
I am Korean.
I usually like poking around in games just because I like exploration. So I'm not satisfied when I beat a boss in dark souls for example. I'm just irritated it took so long to unlock the gate to the next area.
CitizenCope
Member
That's pretty much most hard difficulties in games in a nutshell.
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