Difficulty Settings in a good way

[Evocator1000]

Difficulty settings are a somewhat popular topic.

I’d like to discuss how they could be implemented in a good way. I think there is potentially room here.

Sidenote

I am generally opposed to difficulty sliders, but I think it is still a valuable topic to discuss. Whether or not it is implemented, maybe we can collect some ideas and evoke some inspiration on how it could be done well.

“Good” for me personally would mean, that none of the games mechanics become obsoleted by easier difficulty settings and play styles remain viable for harder difficulty settings. Ideally difficulty settings respect both skillevel and also available playtime of the player. Also I would love it, if seamless multiplayer across different difficulties is possible.

Idea

I’ll propose a somewhat simple option from my pov:
Give the option to reduce/increase enemy density and possibly to increase/decrease experience gain for the player within the campaign only.

• No mechanics become obsolete
• The economy is mostly unaffected (though I personally don’t like balancing around multiplayer economy)
  → Would be affected only at the very start of the game as some players progress faster. If seasons were to be implemented, the options could be disabled for a couple days to allow for racing
• Respects both, the available time and skill level of the player, when it comes to finishing the campaign
• No effect on the endgame
  → The people that want a challenge would just breeze a bit faster through the campaign and focus on the endgame (what they do most of the time anyways)
• It’s easy to understand
• Should be somewhat easy to adjust
• Could be fun to test one’s build/strategies against more enemies
• Makes multiple characters per player more viable (they get into the endgame faster), which i personally really like
• Could work well in multiplayer as exp is character based and number of enemies could scale with number of players as well (much prefer that over enemies simply being stronger anyways)

Additional independent option

Give us an optional “God-/Storymode” toggle, that is obvious and may be reserved for single player only. An option, for when you truly become stuck or tired, suffer from a disability, or just want the story experience

What do you think? Have any other ideas? Feel free to comment and discuss.

Thank you for your time

Links of topics mentioning difficulty sliders:

No way to adjust difficulty

There’s a boss in the first section of the game called Warrick The Torn, and unless I’ve missed something, there’s no way for me to lower the difficulty. There’s also no way for me to grind my stats so that I can be more of a match for him. I get up to level 3 and no more. There’s also no way to customize my weapons to help me defeat him more easily, right? And no way to avoid the fight altogether. I either defeat him, or I don’t, is that correct?. And if I don’t… then I won’t be able to pro…

Difficulty slider

Before I start my topic I have to get one thing out of the way. I love how the game looks. As always with a Moon Studios game, I felt immediately at ease with the game with the feeling it gave off from the get-go. Hats off to those in charge there, seriously. I am a very long time Ori fan. The collector’s edition is still sitting right here atop my shelf and I wear the button every day on my backpack. It’s my favourite franchise. I’m not a diehard gamer, and because of that when I do game, I te…

Difficulty selector

Hello, sorry for my English. I wanted to suggest a difficulty selector or being able to choose the damage you deal and the damage you take. There are people who find it easy or difficult and this way you can give more options for everyone.

Easier difficulty settings/assists

Hello Moon, I love looter RPGs and Ori was an amazing game. However I really don’t enjoy soulslikes due to the difficulty alone. i like some challenge but these kind of games are way outta my league unfortunately although I adore the background worldbuilding, exploration and worlds soulslikes shine with. As a gamer who is outright terrible at games with snail-pace reflexes, can I ask for an easier difficulty option? i could only enjoy Ori on easy after all, not to mention, being a Soulslike wit…

Please do not add difficulty sliders/settings to the game. It would be a waste of resources and time IMO

Please do not add difficulty sliders or settings. This would just make the game either hard to balance or divert much more resources to balancing than needed. And for those complaining about the difficulty of the game. I look at it this way (as a musician) i don’t complain about difficult songs not being easy enough for me to play. That would remove from the art of the piece itself. I view games the same way.

[Chemile0n]

not that i do not like the ideas, but did we really need another difficulty thread? i think it would help your guys cause if you would consolidate all threads and points made. otherwise they will all just get “lost in the woods”

[Evocator1000]

Good point. Any suggestions for a good approach?

We could of couse link them here and vice versa. Or would you go with a “Mega Thread” approach?

[Chemile0n]

honestly, not sure. i would maybe check for the thread with the most votes and replies, and consolidate everything there.

these are the ones with the most traction so far i think:

Easier difficulty settings/assists

Hello Moon, I love looter RPGs and Ori was an amazing game. However I really don’t enjoy soulslikes due to the difficulty alone. i like some challenge but these kind of games are way outta my league unfortunately although I adore the background worldbuilding, exploration and worlds soulslikes shine with. As a gamer who is outright terrible at games with snail-pace reflexes, can I ask for an easier difficulty option? i could only enjoy Ori on easy after all, not to mention, being a Soulslike wit…

Difficulty selector

Hello, sorry for my English. I wanted to suggest a difficulty selector or being able to choose the damage you deal and the damage you take. There are people who find it easy or difficult and this way you can give more options for everyone.

Difficulty slider

Before I start my topic I have to get one thing out of the way. I love how the game looks. As always with a Moon Studios game, I felt immediately at ease with the game with the feeling it gave off from the get-go. Hats off to those in charge there, seriously. I am a very long time Ori fan. The collector’s edition is still sitting right here atop my shelf and I wear the button every day on my backpack. It’s my favourite franchise. I’m not a diehard gamer, and because of that when I do game, I te…

Please do not add difficulty sliders/settings to the game. It would be a waste of resources and time IMO

Please do not add difficulty sliders or settings. This would just make the game either hard to balance or divert much more resources to balancing than needed. And for those complaining about the difficulty of the game. I look at it this way (as a musician) i don’t complain about difficult songs not being easy enough for me to play. That would remove from the art of the piece itself. I view games the same way.

[Evocator1000]

I get your point. I still think it is still valuabe to distinguish between topics and it feels bad/unintuitive to upvote a thread with the wrong message. Linking also seems intuitive. Trying both.

Thanks for the advice

[death_the_kid]

Yeah I really don’t think another post is necessary like Chemileon said not to mention that first post you linked is just a crap one. That person said it straight up they just want a story mode they don’t want the experience of the game at all and they kept pushing back against any helpful advice. Least useful player for feedback for the devs & genre as a whole.

[Chemile0n]

well i appreciate the efford. sometimes i find it so exhausting reading the same suggestions in 10 different threads, that i just don’t have any motivation left to answer the same thing again and again.

and i would also never say a post is crap while everyone is allowed to dislike suggestions, i think a respectful tone is still mandatory. no offense!

maybe we as a community can work together, to bundle our ideas and make this forum more efficient.

[BrasilBorba1]

Im against any difficulty slider in a soulslike game, specially one that will have coop and pvp. I got my as-s handed to me by Worrick 5 times before i killed him with my 1st character and not once did i think he was unfair or impossible, these people need to train parry, dodging and memorize his moveset, but no, its easier to create a thread and whine about it.

[Evocator1000]

Sorry, but did you even read the thread?

@Evocator1000

I am generally opposed to difficulty sliders, but I think it is still a valuable topic to discuss.

I am not a fan of difficulty sliders myself. But if they were to implement difficulty options - What would be a good way to approach them from your pov?

[Evocator1000]

Sorry, mispositioned the links.
Put them at the end, to make it clearer, that there are there only as a frame of reference, that there is interest in the subject.

This posts purpose is to present a different angle on the topic. One which hasn’t been picked up yet, at least not to my knowledge.

Think about the issue creatively instead of somewhat binarily.
→ How instead of Yes/No