Support NeoGAF

[cormack12]

Now, onto reasons I feel more strongly about.

First, I oppose exposing a game's internal workings. As Bismarck said, people shouldn't see how sausages or politics are made. Revealing too much strips a game of its magic, reducing it to a tool like Photoshop. I want to experience a creator's vision with their imprint intact. Otherwise, it's like reading Lovecraft's Shadow over Innsmouth but using sliders to simplify its vocabulary, add humor, or toss in a busty barmaid. No, thank you.

Second, exposing parameters turns ferocious hellspawns into emotionally sterile bots with a basic set of instructions. It's like watching a sci-fi or fantasy film where the wires, green screens, or mocap suits are still visible. Filmmakers strive for immersion, making us forget the blood is ketchup and the backgrounds are CGI. I don't see a reason for games to be any different here.

Third, such a broad range of options weakens the sense of community around a game. Anyone who's beaten a FromSoftware title cherishes the achievement, knowing they're part of a group of madmen, nerds, and hardcore gamers. Mastery and Autonomy are often cited as pillars of great games, but we overlook the third: Relatedness. Whether single-player or not, games thrive on devoted fanbases.

Fourth, laying out every option feels like the developers are waving a white flag. For fifty years, game creators delivered engaging challenges without extreme granularity -- what changed? Saying "set it up however you like" shifts the responsibility for fun from developer to player. At least broad difficulty settings like Easy, Normal, or Hard are a compromise, preserving some of the magic.

Fifth, small details matter immensely. Anyone who's missed a train by two seconds gets this. If Doom offered difficulty levels plus a Custom Mode for tweaking, I'd find it less objectionable -- not ideal, but less troubling -- than the current approach.

Sixth, relatedly, many games can be modified via ini files, cheat programs, or console commands. The original Doom had powerful cheats like IDDQD or IDKFA, but they were hidden, not openly promoted. That distinction matters. There's a psychological difference between quietly tweaking a game, knowing it's outside the "intended experience," and being officially encouraged by the creators to do so.

(Side note: the old Doom games respected themselves enough to disable almost all cheats on Nightmare mode and above.)


Seventh, and perhaps most crucially, consider the attached image, it's a famous flow chart every designer knows by heart.

It shows that insufficient challenge leads to boredom, while excessive challenge causes frustration. One might argue this supports customizable difficulty, letting players adjust sliders to stay in the "flow" zone. I disagree. Not everyone can craft a Michelin-star

 

[Zacfoldor]

This man is absolutely 100% correct and the post was insightful. I can't find fault with anything he said. Keep in mind this is not a deal breaker nor does it make DDA a bad game. It just isn't how I would have allowed it to ship if I was running the game. We would make decisions on baseline difficulties and stand by them while also allowing for additional granularity in the accessibility menu. Shared suffering without actually playing together is key to the souls community and a beacon for new players to find.

 

[TintoConCasera]

TL;DR?

I'm not against difficulty sliders, but I have to admit that they give me a vibe of "we didn't balance the game so have fun doing that yourself".

 

[Catphish]

I haven't played it yet (still waiting for it to unlock), so maybe I don't understand, but...

If I am understanding correctly, D:TDA offers granular and customizable difficulty options, yes?

If so, does it also have bog-standard options like the previous games, that auto-set the granular stuff?

Again, if so, what's the problem? If you don't want to customize, can't you just ignore it, set to Ultra Violence, and be on your way?

 

[Fbh]

He talks as if the game didn't have traditional difficulty modes. But I looked up some gameplay videos and it seems like when you hit new game you are still presented with the usual standard difficulties. The other stuff is optional if you want to further customize the game, but it's not like you hit new game and are presented with 20 sliders you need to adjust.

If you want the experience intended by the devs just play with one of the standard difficulty settings.

 

[ZehDon]

Lol, the game has the standard difficult modes DOOM has always had.

If you want to, you can fuck with the sliders to make the game do whatever you want. It saves modders from needing to step in for those looking to tweak one very specific thing to help someone enjoy the game a little bit more. It doesn't create a problem if you don't make it create a problem.

 

[CGNoire]

I completely Disagree.

 

[Guilty_AI]

TL;DR?

I'm not against difficulty sliders, but I have to admit that they give me a vibe of "we didn't balance the game so have fun doing that yourself".

More or less what he said too. I do agree with him, custom difficulties should be fine but there needs to be a clear intended vision.

 

[clarky]

Lol, the game has the standard difficult modes DOOM has always had.

If you want to, you can fuck with the sliders to make the game do whatever you want. It saves modders from needing to step in for those looking to tweak one very specific thing to help someone enjoy the game a little bit more. It doesn't create a problem if you don't make it create a problem.

This man knows whats up.

People are now complaining that there are too many options? lol fuck off.

I just picked Knightmare and off I went having a great time.

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

Is the challenge customization being sold as an "accessibility feature"?
if so... we known why

In terms of game design, doesn't RE4 use some kind of dynamic difficulty? I remember its pacing and challenge being top-notch.

 

[bender]

In terms of game design, doesn't RE4 use some kind of dynamic difficulty? I remember its pacing and challenge being top-notch.

Item drops can increase or decrease based on player performance.

 

[clarky]

Is the challenge customization being sold as an "accessibility feature"?
if so... we known why

In terms of game design, doesn't RE4 use some kind of dynamic difficulty? I remember its pacing and challenge being top-notch.

Its just several levels deeper than the challenge customisation that has existed since forever (easy-medium-hard)

I fail to see why its a negative.

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

I fail to see why its a negative.

It's negative because who is pushing this shit

 

[rofif]

Remember it's the guy who said that painkiller only needs 4 guns because if there are 40 guns, they are all doing the same thing...
I still prefer 40 guns

 

[GymWolf]

Who is this adrian chlamydia and why should i care about his dumb opinion?

The game also has classic difficulty modes, giving more choice to the player is just ice on the cake, doom has never been like dark souls games that have only one fine tuned difficulty (and let's be real, from is not exactly immaculate when it comes to fine tuning difficulty in their games).

 

[analog_future]

I fell deep into the Stagnation Zone while reading the OP

 

[analog_future]

It's negative because who is pushing this shit

Good people who care about accessibility?


Yeah.

 

[Kasane89]

I dont agree with anything he said. And his list for favorite games exposes him being the kind of player that wants to get spoonfed. Thats probably what he means by "Flow". his diagram doesnt make sense for players that enjoy a real challenge in a game.

Who even is he, a gamejournalist? Would explain alot

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

i asked Grok about how this thing was marketed by PR....is this true?

"This was marketed as a solution to the gaming industry's difficulty debate, offering accessibility for newcomers while allowing hardcore players to create "ridiculous experiences." Articles praised this as a way to cater to diverse skill levels, making the game inclusive yet challenging."

I think it's still too early to say. Is this game actually better than the other two, and will it sell significantly more copies? Time will tell

 

[Generic]

All games should have custom difficulty settings.

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

Good people who care about accessibility?

Yeah.

You mean belonging?. Either way. The pragmatic implementation of these things is intended ultimately to increase the game sales (to bring more people to the table). Will see if this is the case.

Regarding game design.... I think it depends on the integrity of the director/designers.

 

[phant0m]

Now, onto reasons I feel more strongly about.

First, I oppose exposing a game's internal workings. As Bismarck said, people shouldn't see how sausages or politics are made. Revealing too much strips a game of its magic, reducing it to a tool like Photoshop. I want to experience a creator's vision with their imprint intact. Otherwise, it's like reading Lovecraft's Shadow over Innsmouth but using sliders to simplify its vocabulary, add humor, or toss in a busty barmaid. No, thank you.

Second, exposing parameters turns ferocious hellspawns into emotionally sterile bots with a basic set of instructions. It's like watching a sci-fi or fantasy film where the wires, green screens, or mocap suits are still visible. Filmmakers strive for immersion, making us forget the blood is ketchup and the backgrounds are CGI. I don't see a reason for games to be any different here.

Third, such a broad range of options weakens the sense of community around a game. Anyone who's beaten a FromSoftware title cherishes the achievement, knowing they're part of a group of madmen, nerds, and hardcore gamers. Mastery and Autonomy are often cited as pillars of great games, but we overlook the third: Relatedness. Whether single-player or not, games thrive on devoted fanbases.

Fourth, laying out every option feels like the developers are waving a white flag. For fifty years, game creators delivered engaging challenges without extreme granularity -- what changed? Saying "set it up however you like" shifts the responsibility for fun from developer to player. At least broad difficulty settings like Easy, Normal, or Hard are a compromise, preserving some of the magic.

Fifth, small details matter immensely. Anyone who's missed a train by two seconds gets this. If Doom offered difficulty levels plus a Custom Mode for tweaking, I'd find it less objectionable -- not ideal, but less troubling -- than the current approach.

Sixth, relatedly, many games can be modified via ini files, cheat programs, or console commands. The original Doom had powerful cheats like IDDQD or IDKFA, but they were hidden, not openly promoted. That distinction matters. There's a psychological difference between quietly tweaking a game, knowing it's outside the "intended experience," and being officially encouraged by the creators to do so.

(Side note: the old Doom games respected themselves enough to disable almost all cheats on Nightmare mode and above.)


Seventh, and perhaps most crucially, consider the attached image, it's a famous flow chart every designer knows by heart.

It shows that insufficient challenge leads to boredom, while excessive challenge causes frustration. One might argue this supports customizable difficulty, letting players adjust sliders to stay in the "flow" zone. I disagree. Not everyone can craft a Michelin-star

All time terrible take

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

All games should have custom difficulty settings.

All games should have a Skip Boss Battle Button.

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

I dont agree with anything he said. And his list for favorite games exposes him being the kind of player that wants to get spoonfed. Thats probably what he means by "Flow". his diagram doesnt make sense for players that enjoy a real challenge in a game.

Who even is he, a gamejournalist? Would explain alot

"Flow" is just a cognitive state where you are deeply engaged.

 

[Kacho]

It's negative because who is pushing this shit

They added sliders because Eternal filtered a ton of players.

 

[Bry0]

Ain't reading all that but yeah, when I saw all the options my first thought is why? I assume the regular difficulty options are balanced as intended and I'm totally ok with having these kinds of options as unlockables, but some people kind of can't help but ruin the game for themselves. Bit of an Apple vs Microsoft design philosophical argument to be made here that is largely subjective though.

 

[simpatico]

It's a cop out. It pleases the people who just want to blow up demons with their favorite gun without being asked to strategize, and it's a cope they can give to fans of Eternal, who got what id was trying to lay down with the mechanics.

Just shows they didn't have a clear vision for the gameplay side of things. Just some cobbled together ideas. Don't like the difficulty? Hey it's not our fault man, adjust your sliders.

 

[Loomy]

I get his position on this, but I wish he would write a piece that long about why Doom or any other game, for that matter have granular difficulty settings.

As other have pointed out, there are a lot of people who want to experience these games, but do not have the dexterity or reaction time to do so the way other do.

If you think the baked in creator balanced difficulties are the truest form of the game, great. Play that. Don't touch the sliders.

If you want to tweak things so you can have a good time with the game without getting skill checked and filtered at a helicopter boss, then wouldn't it be nice to have options there?

 

[diffusionx]

Its just several levels deeper than the challenge customisation that has existed since forever (easy-medium-hard)

I fail to see why its a negative.

Because I expect game designers to design the game. If these sliders end up with settings that result in a superior game then that shows they should have made the game with those settings.

 

[Dynasty8]

Agree with this 100%. This just screams "let's make a game for everyone!!!"

I think it's better to have a game designed with proper encounters, challenges, levels, etc instead of making everything adjustable via sliders.

 

[Traxtech]

Or, ya know, just play the game

 

[clarky]

Because I expect game designers to design the game. If these sliders end up with settings that result in a superior game then that shows they should have made the game with those settings.

They have the curated options as normal.

But maybe you'd like nightmare difficulty but 10% faster because you've been up for 4 days on meth?

I fail to see why thats a negative.

Gamers these days, you'll complain about anything. Its depressing.

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

They added sliders because Eternal filtered a ton of players.

I think dynamic or adaptive difficulty is the way to go, especially for fine-tuning already pre-established difficulty levels

 

[ResilientBanana]

Oh fuck off

 

[lughnasadh123]

I know what challenge makes me the happiest and increases the likelihood of continuing playing that game. Sliders help me achieve that. It'll never make any sense why anyone would oppose them.

 

[12Goblins]

Who is this adrian chlamydia and why should i care about his dumb opinion?

He's on the mount Rushmore of FPS devs

Painkiller
Bulletstorm
Witchfire

Only doom and halflife even come close

I will suspend my judgment on this opinion until I play the game, but I'm guessing he's probably right.

 

[Hero of Spielberg]

How do difficulty settings deprive anyone of any enjoyment of a game? They have their intended difficulty setting and if you want to change that, then it's on you.

Bizarre complaint tbh

 

[Spukc]

Gatekeeping manbaby

 

[clarky]

Because I expect game designers to design the game. If these sliders end up with settings that result in a superior game then that shows they should have made the game with those settings.

Every single person in the world is different. Your idea of a superior game is completely different to mine.

They have the normal curated difficulties just like every other game on the market.

Offering more options is not a cop out. These guys have made some of the greatest games of all time. Again, I don't see the issue.

 

[ReBurn]

I don't know who that is and at this point I'm too afraid to ask.

 

[Peroroncino]

I agree with him

 

[AMC124c41]

Is this the only way people are capable of engaging with things now by complaining and grifting in order to get a reaction?!? Who is this guy and why does he completely ignore the fact that the game has normal difficulty settings that a player can choose from if they don't want to engage with the granular settings?!?
Having the options to play the game whichever way you want does not detract from the experience of said game. His lil' graph makes sense but did it ever occur to him that maybe I can't get into that state of flow by playing the game in any of it's difficulty modes but I might find that flow state by messing with the game speed, enemy health, etc...?

What is critical thinking mister Adrian Chmielarz?

I'm kidding, he just wants the clicks and attention by chatting random shit about the newest release for maximum engagement

 

[coolmast3r]

I agree. Allowing granular difficulty customization as seen in Doom TDA is not the way to go if your intent as a game director is to give players an experience that has a defined vision behind it. Customization like that has always been -- for the absolute majority of cases -- an area of focus for mod creators, and it should definetely stay that way IMO.

 

[Space Runaway]

Yeah the customization modifiers in Dark Age are the type of stuff you used to get access to after beating a game, so you can fuck around after going through the intended experience. Currently they can wildly swing the game so two people playing on Nightmare are having a very different difficulty and there is something to be said for communities and the shared experience.

 

[Durin]

I don't really have a problem with granular difficulty customization (they have set preset modes too), or having more visual tools than adjusting ini values...but I do agree you should obfuscate those options enough that people don't easily take the path of least resistance, and hurt their own experience.

I think you should probably make them harder to find, or unlock after playing through the campaign a bit.

 

[Icymanipulator]

100% agree that it makes the enemies nothing but numbers you can control and dissolves any magic. Also salient is the point about community where everyone experienced the same thing, that simply flies out the window.

Too bad they went this route with doom.

 

[Hero of Spielberg]

Every single person in the world is different. Your idea of a superior game is completely different to mine.

They have the normal curated difficulties just like every other game on the market.

Offering more options is not a cop out. These guys have made some of the greatest games of all time. Again i don't see the issue.

Honestly seems like people just wanting to create an issue out of something.

'Arrgh, I changed the settings on my own game, now it isn't enjoyable and it s different from what the rest of the 'doom community' are experiencing, why would id do this to me?!?!'

 

[Blank Space Invader]

Also, I applaud difficulty customization in games. Don't like it? Don't use it. It is fairly simple unless you're a gatekeeping elitist who somehow believes that video game skill means something in life, as well as unreasonably and foolishly caring how other people play games.

 

[diffusionx]

Every single person in the world is different. Your idea of a superior game is completely different to mine.

They have the normal curated difficulties just like every other game on the market.

Offering more options is not a cop out. These guys have made some of the greatest games of all time. Again i don't see the issue.

Yes, every person is different yet somehow tens of millions of people have played and loved games without these sorts of ridiculous sliders. Like, nobody complained there were no sliders in Super Mario 64. The idea that we need this or it helps is ridiculous.

Just looking at it from my POV, I boot up this fucking game, what sliders are best for me? how the fuck should I know? I didn't design the game.

Again, the job of a game designer is to design the game and understand how their game best operates.

 

[hollams]

My take on his view is that having the difficulty reduced down to sliders makes it more of a generic difficulty instead of a finely tuned one and I do agree with that.