I generally care more about plot and atmosphere, so I don't see a problem with easy modes whatsoever.
That being said, I do think there is an argument to be made against them when they're so easy they ruin the immersion of the game. In survival horror, for example, if whatever wants to kill you doesn't feel threatening enough I can see how it would ruin the atmosphere.
I play most games on easy because a) I'm bad at video games and b) I generally play for story/to de-stress and easy is the best fit for me. I understand it isn't for everyone though, which is why I'm glad when they give options. Some people like a challenge, that's how they get their enjoyment. None of it is right or wrong, just different strokes for different folks.
I honestly don't care for an Easy mode, i'm not really good at videogames anyway.
The One and Only KeybasH.
I generally don't go for easy mode unless I already beat the game and just want to blow through it really fast because I enjoy the story or something.
I always found it really weird that so many people care how other people play video games, though. Different people have different levels of skills/time to devote to video games. I mean, I always find it weird when people in their 20s or 30s are still trash talking about video games like they are still 17 or something. Time to take the sand bag off the gas pedal, buddy. Different strokes for different folks.
For example, I like Dark Souls challenge stuff as much as the next guy, but I'm not going to act all flabbergasted and spout memes at people because they won't play a single player game--in a session that I will never see--in the style that I would play in.
I understand the need to broaden the "audience", but am disappointed by the "dilution" (in general). I had to take a look at "Nut's" post (reference). I feel the same way.
It's akin to the dulling down of society (in general), parallels. One step further and it's life on "auto-pilot". Autonomous cars, because most are too daft to control an auto, or too busy "contributing" to social media, or just swinging "vines". Painful, when you think about it (really).
Many would like to ride a street/dirt bike, many cannot. However, some choose to override this innate deficiency, crash, and hurt themselves and/or others. Many fancy themselves as "race car drivers", we all know how that turns out. How about the group of "master pyrotechnician's", or "chemical engineers" (if you get the "social media" reference", you get this) on Youtube?
What about those who "can", have strived to achieve"it", only to be joined by "Bob, Steve, and Phil", who happened to stumble upon "it"? The elitist's of that exclusive group have been robbed, their accomplishments "belittled".
When I'm around, everyone that was "God" at MvC has their ego crushed. They cannot use "Simple". My eldest is pretty good at pulling off combos. I do this, because at one time I was pulling off "Infinite" combos on Killer Instinct. Lazy kids these days. I used to walk backwards to school, every day. This was in the snow, up hill both ways... with land mines... and tactical snow troopers, plus you had to keep your eyes peeled for snow-camo Storm Shadow. This is in Southern California, so there was an earthquake every 5 minutes.
Seriously though, it pisses me off that some games have a prerequisite for the highest difficulty setting, namely; Beating it a dozen times on a dozen different shades of "Easy Peasy". Also, the additional Dark Aeon's+ included in the PAL release of FFX made me absolutely livid. It's Japan's way of saying "the US has a much higher percentage of "stupid lazy" than the UK. Pissed (because true).
It may sound mean, but if you can't, just "don't". It's that simple. If you disagree and aren't familiar with guns, go buy several, plus munitions, and "goof off" with those. (Please don't)
Now that I'm done with my rant. "East Mode", I'm all good with that. Honestly, it's probably the only way I'll ever get a chance to "complete" a game from now on (kids/wife/life). I'm team "Easy". Go "Cheat Mode"!!!!!
But you can't really apply that broad perspective to gaming, which is a medium whose most important goal is to bring joy to the players. Saying "if you can't do it, don't" kind of misses the point of what gaming in general is about.
Gaming is for everyone and therefore should be accessible to everyone - and they can play it however they want.
You completing a game on insane mode doesn't detract from my achievement of completing it on easy. I still sat and played it, sat and completed it. Sure you may have done a few harder battles, maybe a more difficult puzzle - good for you, but we both completed the game!
To be fair, the PAL release came a full 6 months after the NA version.Originally Posted by Vasher
I don't mind their existence but I'd prefer if they said at the time of choosing whether it has any bearing on the actual plot of the game (Inaccessible secret endings and the like). I like to pick easy in genre's where I'm not particularly strong and just want to play for the story elements.
Also if it's a mixed gameplay sort of game I want to know what gameplay elements effected by the difficulty. I like full difficulty puzzles but if there's combat involved I'd like something from easy to medium for that.
Sure it's stuff I can google but if a game is 5 years old I run the risk of stumbling onto spoilers.
Last edited by blackmage_nuke; 05-05-2016 at 10:52 AM.
Kefka's coming, look intimidating!
Have a nice day!!
How so? I mean, it's not an exclusive group, for one. And the elitists will always have their shouts of "I played this game on X difficulty in X manner, so I am the greetest!" regardless of how many people baby step their way through the same game. How have these achievements been belittled by someone else playing the game in a different way?
It's not a case of can't though. It's a case of can, but not at the same skill level as some other individuals.It may sound mean, but if you can't, just "don't". It's that simple.
I find myself in a similar boat as Wolf Kanno here. When it comes to easy modes deliberately put into the game by the creators, I have zero problems with them. I mean the whole point of them being there is to be used by those that want to use it, so why would I ever condemn it?
But when it comes to cheat modes I can't say that so one-sidedly. To me that is akin to reading the solution to a mystery novel before tackling the mystery yourself. When I play a game, I want to experience what the creators prepared for me the way they want me to; cheating would be completely missing the point. At worst it could even be considered disrespectful.
To give an easy example, imagine a cheat mode for Danganronpa where shooting any bullet at any statements instantly wins the argument. Or Phoenix Wright, presenting any evidence at any statement instantly advances the story. Sure you can still enjoy the games this way, no question, but it's completely circumventing the entire purpose of these gameplay segments, and I wouldn't be easily convinced it's actually for the player's benefit to do that.
Though of course this argument has holes in it and only applies to very specific cases. For one, author's intention is not as important for everyone as it is for me, in which case simply playing the game the way you like them best is obviously the best way to go about things. Secondly, 'tackling the mystery yourself' is not always the point in the first place. If you don't really lose any of the game's storytelling experience by using cheats, naturally there is no harm in doing so, and in fact, not having to struggle could just as well improve your experience.
But to bring it back to the subject that kicked off this whole discussion though, cheat modes in FF VII/VIII/IX, I do think it's probably harmful to the overall experience of the games to be using these extra modes. You may be saying they were put in the game by Square Enix themselves, but I still question the intention behind that; while it surely makes the game more accessible, I can't help but feel that going through the games with cheat modes is missing just a liiiittle bit of the originals' magic. You *can* separate the story and gameplay of these games, sure, but it overall benefits from the two playing off one another, and that's just lost this way.
Most of the time though I don't care enough to say anything. The amount of games I've played where any of this is actually relevant is pretty low anyways and telling someone else how *they* should best enjoy a game feels pretty arrogant.
I don't exactly know what cheats you're talking about, but if the creator of a game didn't want cheats usable then they wouldn't put them into the game. You can't speak for the creators intention if they have offered you things like a "god mode" "infinite ammo" "spawn *X* vehicle" etc.
If it's something modded into a game that the author didn't create then I guess you can make a case for it being detrimental to the intended product, but that is the trade off you have to make to get amazing mods for games like Skyrim, which in a lot of ways enhance games above and beyond what the original intention was.
Sometimes I only want to play a game quickly to see the story unfold and experience the game a little. In those instances I play on easy in order to play QUICKLY.
there was a time when i would never play on easy... but now my backlog has gotten so big, easy is a welcome time-saving option... most of the time higher difficulty usually translates into more enemy HP or more waves of enemies, which means more time slogging through opposition to get to the next bit of story... on the subject of cheats i like how some games give you cheats but disable your ability to earn trophies if you use them, that should be more common with in-game cheats...
Okay, so those who can't, won't.
And all of those developers will lose potential sales because they're elitist snobs who think only the hardcore deserve to play their games.
And the real developers who are committed to providing enjoyable experiences for everyone to partake of in their RECREATION TIME will dominate the market.
It's entertainment. People should be allowed to do what they want with it.
If that's not why you're gaming, maybe you're doing it wrong.
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