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The whole concept of difficulty levels in games is to offer a challenge. When you need skill, speed and knowledge to complete something, not just button-bashing skills. While a game can be incredibly simple to finish on easy, it could be almost impossible on the legendary setting. Difficulty levels are pointless though. Games are meant to be fun, and if you're literally screaming and pulling your hair out at something which is just too hard, you definitely AREN'T having fun.
I bought Maximo upon release earlier in the year. Supposedly amazing because it had a prequel, although I think this is just an unfounded way to make it look good. One thing which ran solid in Maximo and its spiritual predecessor was the challenge rating. They were both awefully hard. As I said, I bought the game, not because it was the spiritual successor to ghosts 'n' gouls (or whatever its called), but because it was a platformer not designed for a five year old or with a difficulty setting to match. Guess what? The next week it went back to the shop.
Because games like this, which rely on players' skill rather than just letting them have fun do not work. I do not buy games for frustration, but all too often I see games trying to extend their lifespan through difficulty levels. They aren't good. Sure, it can be a laugh in games like Halo to just have the crap beaten out of you, but in all seriousness, in this game only frustration and edginess result from playing the game in hard difficulties.
The simplest games, without difficulty levels are the best. Tetris. Probably the simplest game around. No difficulty levels as such, but an ever increasing speed which results in needing quick relexes. And the game ends if you can't keep up. It's simple. You don't start a game at speed 1 and play until you just make a mistake. You start at speed 1 and the game gradually builds up the challenge until its about 9. Games like this are good - they guide the player in gently, then allow them to devise various methods to cope with the difficulty curve.
So why then do developers see the need to include five different difficulty levels. It is just to increase the lifespan, but it makes the game less fun. A game like Maximo which is devilishly hard can't be fun because it is too stressful. Games are only fun when you can play them an not have to worry about anything. "Oh dear, only five minutes on the clock". "Oh no, I only have one health cookie left". Tension doesn't mean fun, but stress.
And this is why I think the best games don't rely on various difficulty levels. A challenge is great, in the way Tetris does it, but merely giving enemies more health, faster reflexes or less armour doesn't work. I can't see how somebody can have fun playing MGS2 on the hardest difficulty, nor can I see somebody not have fun in GTA3 killing innocent pedestrians. Not gun toting one shot kills people, but no-consequence bystanders.
A good game has to be fun. It shouldn't have harder enemies, but harder objectives. It shouldn't rely on difficulty levels, but have a well balanced curve which continues to stretch a player, but not too far. Fun games, most of all, have to contain gameplay which is fun, and more often than not the case is just to lengthen the enemies' lifebars.
I bought Maximo upon release earlier in the year. Supposedly amazing because it had a prequel, although I think this is just an unfounded way to make it look good. One thing which ran solid in Maximo and its spiritual predecessor was the challenge rating. They were both awefully hard. As I said, I bought the game, not because it was the spiritual successor to ghosts 'n' gouls (or whatever its called), but because it was a platformer not designed for a five year old or with a difficulty setting to match. Guess what? The next week it went back to the shop.
Because games like this, which rely on players' skill rather than just letting them have fun do not work. I do not buy games for frustration, but all too often I see games trying to extend their lifespan through difficulty levels. They aren't good. Sure, it can be a laugh in games like Halo to just have the crap beaten out of you, but in all seriousness, in this game only frustration and edginess result from playing the game in hard difficulties.
The simplest games, without difficulty levels are the best. Tetris. Probably the simplest game around. No difficulty levels as such, but an ever increasing speed which results in needing quick relexes. And the game ends if you can't keep up. It's simple. You don't start a game at speed 1 and play until you just make a mistake. You start at speed 1 and the game gradually builds up the challenge until its about 9. Games like this are good - they guide the player in gently, then allow them to devise various methods to cope with the difficulty curve.
So why then do developers see the need to include five different difficulty levels. It is just to increase the lifespan, but it makes the game less fun. A game like Maximo which is devilishly hard can't be fun because it is too stressful. Games are only fun when you can play them an not have to worry about anything. "Oh dear, only five minutes on the clock". "Oh no, I only have one health cookie left". Tension doesn't mean fun, but stress.
And this is why I think the best games don't rely on various difficulty levels. A challenge is great, in the way Tetris does it, but merely giving enemies more health, faster reflexes or less armour doesn't work. I can't see how somebody can have fun playing MGS2 on the hardest difficulty, nor can I see somebody not have fun in GTA3 killing innocent pedestrians. Not gun toting one shot kills people, but no-consequence bystanders.
A good game has to be fun. It shouldn't have harder enemies, but harder objectives. It shouldn't rely on difficulty levels, but have a well balanced curve which continues to stretch a player, but not too far. Fun games, most of all, have to contain gameplay which is fun, and more often than not the case is just to lengthen the enemies' lifebars.
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Cookie Monster - a God amongst men?
Perhaps....
Perhaps....
Shocktrooper wrote:
> Insane Bartender wrote:
> Shocktrooper wrote:
> It is impossible.
>
> Of course it isn't impossible. If it is possible to do a level
> without
> losing a life (and it must be since losing a life means you have to
> start the level all over again) then it is impossible to complete it
> without using a continue.
>
> It's actually much easier than you think.
>
> I know it isn't impossible, I just wanted to exaggerate it's obvious
> and irritating difficulty, that's all. I will do it one day, but I
> haven't got the game, but I borrow it from time to time off my mate. I
> will do it. I WILL!
>
> Cookie, are you going to send proof to NGC? They said they'd like to
> see proof of anyone having completed Monkey Ball. Do it. They may give
> you a prize.
Yeah i sent a picture of the practice mode screen with master mode levels in view about 2 weeks ago.
If you need to see my proof i posted a pic on my website.
www.gamecube.mygnome.com/whats_new.html
> Insane Bartender wrote:
> Shocktrooper wrote:
> It is impossible.
>
> Of course it isn't impossible. If it is possible to do a level
> without
> losing a life (and it must be since losing a life means you have to
> start the level all over again) then it is impossible to complete it
> without using a continue.
>
> It's actually much easier than you think.
>
> I know it isn't impossible, I just wanted to exaggerate it's obvious
> and irritating difficulty, that's all. I will do it one day, but I
> haven't got the game, but I borrow it from time to time off my mate. I
> will do it. I WILL!
>
> Cookie, are you going to send proof to NGC? They said they'd like to
> see proof of anyone having completed Monkey Ball. Do it. They may give
> you a prize.
Yeah i sent a picture of the practice mode screen with master mode levels in view about 2 weeks ago.
If you need to see my proof i posted a pic on my website.
www.gamecube.mygnome.com/whats_new.html
½pint wrote:
> To unlock the extra levels on SMB, you have to finish hard without
> even losing a life. I've done it... but I lost a life out of
> stupidity on the last level. And the last level is really, really
> easy! Stupid rotating box. ARRGHHHHHH. You can imagine my
> frustration. And games are meant to be fun...
I can feel your pain, 1/2pint.
That must've been the most frustrating thing EVER to happen!
You know, that's given me an idea for a post.
> To unlock the extra levels on SMB, you have to finish hard without
> even losing a life. I've done it... but I lost a life out of
> stupidity on the last level. And the last level is really, really
> easy! Stupid rotating box. ARRGHHHHHH. You can imagine my
> frustration. And games are meant to be fun...
I can feel your pain, 1/2pint.
That must've been the most frustrating thing EVER to happen!
You know, that's given me an idea for a post.
Insane Bartender wrote:
> Shocktrooper wrote:
> It is impossible.
>
> Of course it isn't impossible. If it is possible to do a level without
> losing a life (and it must be since losing a life means you have to
> start the level all over again) then it is impossible to complete it
> without using a continue.
>
> It's actually much easier than you think.
I know it isn't impossible, I just wanted to exaggerate it's obvious and irritating difficulty, that's all. I will do it one day, but I haven't got the game, but I borrow it from time to time off my mate. I will do it. I WILL!
Cookie, are you going to send proof to NGC? They said they'd like to see proof of anyone having completed Monkey Ball. Do it. They may give you a prize.
> Shocktrooper wrote:
> It is impossible.
>
> Of course it isn't impossible. If it is possible to do a level without
> losing a life (and it must be since losing a life means you have to
> start the level all over again) then it is impossible to complete it
> without using a continue.
>
> It's actually much easier than you think.
I know it isn't impossible, I just wanted to exaggerate it's obvious and irritating difficulty, that's all. I will do it one day, but I haven't got the game, but I borrow it from time to time off my mate. I will do it. I WILL!
Cookie, are you going to send proof to NGC? They said they'd like to see proof of anyone having completed Monkey Ball. Do it. They may give you a prize.
Shocktrooper wrote:
> I beg your pardon?
> You've done it, eh?
>
> Must do it as well then. :D
>
> How much practice did it take you to complete Expert mode without
> using a continue?
It took a lot of practice, levels 14, 21, 28 and 48 were my main concerns, so i kept battering away at them in practice mode.
> I beg your pardon?
> You've done it, eh?
>
> Must do it as well then. :D
>
> How much practice did it take you to complete Expert mode without
> using a continue?
It took a lot of practice, levels 14, 21, 28 and 48 were my main concerns, so i kept battering away at them in practice mode.
Shocktrooper wrote:
> It is impossible.
Of course it isn't impossible. If it is possible to do a level without losing a life (and it must be since losing a life means you have to start the level all over again) then it is impossible to complete it without using a continue.
It's actually much easier than you think.
> It is impossible.
Of course it isn't impossible. If it is possible to do a level without losing a life (and it must be since losing a life means you have to start the level all over again) then it is impossible to complete it without using a continue.
It's actually much easier than you think.
To unlock the extra levels on SMB, you have to finish hard without even losing a life. I've done it... but I lost a life out of stupidity on the last level. And the last level is really, really easy! Stupid rotating box. ARRGHHHHHH. You can imagine my frustration. And games are meant to be fun...
cookie monster wrote:
> Shocktrooper wrote:
> Well, just try completing Super Monkey Ball on Expert without using
> a
> continue!
> Just try it! *Shocky starts to sound quite hysterical*
>
> It is impossible.
>
> Ive done it, and done master mode as well. And **Kerrang** is getting
> a copy of my save file. If anyone else wants to send me their card i
> can copy it over for you...For a nominal charge..
>
> I agree to a certain extent with the original post. Whilst having to
> slog through a series of difficulty modes to have "truly"
> completed the game is tedious, i like the challenge anyway.
I beg your pardon?
You've done it, eh?
Must do it as well then. :D
How much practice did it take you to complete Expert mode without using a continue?
> Shocktrooper wrote:
> Well, just try completing Super Monkey Ball on Expert without using
> a
> continue!
> Just try it! *Shocky starts to sound quite hysterical*
>
> It is impossible.
>
> Ive done it, and done master mode as well. And **Kerrang** is getting
> a copy of my save file. If anyone else wants to send me their card i
> can copy it over for you...For a nominal charge..
>
> I agree to a certain extent with the original post. Whilst having to
> slog through a series of difficulty modes to have "truly"
> completed the game is tedious, i like the challenge anyway.
I beg your pardon?
You've done it, eh?
Must do it as well then. :D
How much practice did it take you to complete Expert mode without using a continue?
Well, difficulty modes CAN be very effective. In MGS2 the European Super Hard Mode (or whatever it was called) was actually a brilliant idea- it created the sense of realism and demanded absolutely perfect stealth moves to be performed. No more can you run through several guards- you actually have to play the game as the espionage classic it was meant to be.
However, all too often developers just add harder modes because they have to by some unwriten rule! They simply make the AI better and faster. What difficulty modes SHOULD be about is making more objectives, making the player think more, and making the player explore the game more.
Sonic
However, all too often developers just add harder modes because they have to by some unwriten rule! They simply make the AI better and faster. What difficulty modes SHOULD be about is making more objectives, making the player think more, and making the player explore the game more.
Sonic
Shocktrooper wrote:
> Well, just try completing Super Monkey Ball on Expert without using a
> continue!
> Just try it! *Shocky starts to sound quite hysterical*
>
> It is impossible.
Ive done it, and done master mode as well. And **Kerrang** is getting a copy of my save file. If anyone else wants to send me their card i can copy it over for you...For a nominal charge..
I agree to a certain extent with the original post. Whilst having to slog through a series of difficulty modes to have "truly" completed the game is tedious, i like the challenge anyway.
> Well, just try completing Super Monkey Ball on Expert without using a
> continue!
> Just try it! *Shocky starts to sound quite hysterical*
>
> It is impossible.
Ive done it, and done master mode as well. And **Kerrang** is getting a copy of my save file. If anyone else wants to send me their card i can copy it over for you...For a nominal charge..
I agree to a certain extent with the original post. Whilst having to slog through a series of difficulty modes to have "truly" completed the game is tedious, i like the challenge anyway.
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