More Easy Mode.

So while I see the subject of Easy mode appearing now and then, I wonder what the opinion of the addition of the opposite would do for the fans?

Hard mode.

While we all know the only hard thing about the DS games is the lack of knowledge in the beginning, once you know the strike timings and dodge patterns for the various mobs, the game becomes something of a cake walk.

So how would hard mode come into it?

I thought at first it would simply be, you start at level 1 into a NG+ like environment. But I see there are other ways to ramp up the Hardcore level.

I had thought, maybe give mobs more variety of weapons, to spice up the combat more, but make all weapons (baring the special ones) mob drop only. No more starting a Str build by making a quick sprint into the graveyard for the sword that will likely serve you for the entire game (as mine did) or a dex build.... which would be a quick sprint into the graveyard again...

So yes, no weapons to be found in the world unless it drops. That would ramp up the hard, while also making each playthough more unique.

How about enemy weaknesses?

Undead are rather hardy creatures, so how about they are more resistant to everything that is not their actual weakness? Not managed to locate a flame sword? Good luck dealing with the treemen!

Still I have a few more ideas for a hard core mode, but need to try to word them better.

Would something like this be more approved of in a DS game though?

I've beaten DKS countless times through NG+++ and done a couple challenge runs as well. I know every enemy and every area blindfolded, but it is still not a cake walk, or even easy. You still have to pay attention and play with skill.

Everytime you beat the game it gets a little bit harder, we all know that, but would I like a mode that I could turn on after beating it that would ramp up enemies? No, not if it only adds more health and more attacking power. That results in longer fights, nothing more. Would I like enemy attacks to be faster and less predictable, and the difficulty to be increased in ways such as random enemy placement and smarter AI? Yes, but that shouldn't be an alternative difficulty setting.

BIG TIME MASTER wrote:I've beaten DKS countless times through NG+++ and done a couple challenge runs as well. I know every enemy and every area blindfolded, but it is still not a cake walk, or even easy. You still have to pay attention and play with skill.

Everytime you beat the game it gets a little bit harder, we all know that, but would I like a mode that I could turn on after beating it that would ramp up enemies? No, not if it only adds more health and more attacking power. That results in longer fights, nothing more. Would I like enemy attacks to be faster and less predictable, and the difficulty to be increased in ways such as random enemy placement and smarter AI? Yes, but that shouldn't be an alternative difficulty setting.

And why not?

aprilmanha wrote:

BIG TIME MASTER wrote:I've beaten DKS countless times through NG+++ and done a couple challenge runs as well. I know every enemy and every area blindfolded, but it is still not a cake walk, or even easy. You still have to pay attention and play with skill.

Everytime you beat the game it gets a little bit harder, we all know that, but would I like a mode that I could turn on after beating it that would ramp up enemies? No, not if it only adds more health and more attacking power. That results in longer fights, nothing more. Would I like enemy attacks to be faster and less predictable, and the difficulty to be increased in ways such as random enemy placement and smarter AI? Yes, but that shouldn't be an alternative difficulty setting.

And why not?

It should be built into the game starting at NG+

aceluby wrote:
It should be built into the game starting at NG+

I would disagree, after beating the game I found NG+ to be the most disappointing feature, exactly as Big Time Master described it, more NPC health and damage, but exactly the same.

I would rather a more randomised mob spawns (not totally random you understand but within reason) or increase in possible attack patterns then how it is now.

There's already a thread for this... eh...

Because the cornerstone of the DKS experience is shared difficulty that builds a community. If it has multiple difficulties it just splits the fanbase and destroys and integral part of what makes DKS the game that it is.

When I first played DKS every boss took me hours of frustrating attempts to beat. I relied on the community to help me when I was desperate. About 500 hours later I suddenly feel like for the first time, I have totally mastered PVE. It took that long, or thereabouts. Should I now complain that the game needs to be more hard?

I know some people here are much better than me, but I doubt there are that many. I've always been pretty good at video games, and I figure if it takes me a few hundred hours to master a game thats about as good as it gets.

I mean, just imagine how these forums would look if DKS had two or more difficulty levels. As of right now there are basically two groups, PVEer's and PVPers, but we are all basically one cohesive group.

If you split the game into two distinct difficulties, you'll just create two different "classes" of players, and we all know what happens when people start seperating themselves into classes. No bueno. Better to keep us all a big happy family that suffered the same agonizing experience, overcame the difficulty through sharing knowledge and experience, and are now ancient and mighty warriors who have proven themselves in combat (figuratively).

I still have not mastered PVE to be honest, I still can't make it through catacombs alone. Its the skeleton wheels that oneshot you that I cannot passe without standing on a ledge and arrowing them to death.

Skeleton Wheels cannot one shot you unless you're running down there with base vitality, it's also why Paladin Leeroy is there to be summoned for less able players who cannot or are too afraid to engage them in combat.

aprilmanha wrote:I still have not mastered PVE to be honest, I still can't make it through catacombs alone. Its the skeleton wheels that oneshot you that I cannot passe without standing on a ledge and arrowing them to death.

It don't matter how you beat them, as long as you do!

I never fight that area head on, unless I am a tank character. I always either drop to the ledge and range attack or just sprint through. I don't think mastery means that you can kill every enemy perfectly, it just means you know how to get through the game quickly, without dying, and know the best way to handle any area. Obviously any area with like 15 enemies who are way faster than you and stunlock like crazy isn't meant to be taken head on.

BIG TIME MASTER wrote:

aprilmanha wrote:I still have not mastered PVE to be honest, I still can't make it through catacombs alone. Its the skeleton wheels that oneshot you that I cannot passe without standing on a ledge and arrowing them to death.

It don't matter how you beat them, as long as you do!

I never fight that area head on, unless I am a tank character. I always either drop to the ledge and range attack or just sprint through. I don't think mastery means that you can kill every enemy perfectly, it just means you know how to get through the game quickly, without dying, and know the best way to handle any area. Obviously any area with like 15 enemies who are way faster than you and stunlock like crazy isn't meant to be taken head on.

I found that even with my tank, if the connected with me they would just sit their grinding on the spot (usually ontop of my prone body) until I died

Just keep experimenting. I used to dash through in zig zags until I learned about the ledge. That place is always tense, that's why I love it.

aprilmanha wrote:

aceluby wrote:
It should be built into the game starting at NG+

I would disagree, after beating the game I found NG+ to be the most disappointing feature, exactly as Big Time Master described it, more NPC health and damage, but exactly the same.

I would rather a more randomised mob spawns (not totally random you understand but within reason) or increase in possible attack patterns then how it is now.

That's exactly what was said and exactly what I said should be built into the game starting at NG+.

april, you have 2 topics about DkS easy mode. Are you having problems with this game? I'm sure our members would be willing to help you with tips, co-op, or, even practice in their world.

reim0027 wrote:april, you have 2 topics about DkS easy mode. Are you having problems with this game? I'm sure our members would be willing to help you with tips, co-op, or, even practice in their world.

Ahh I guess the title is a little misleading, I had originally thought it would sound like "making the current game seem like easy mode" when I made it.

This thread was me trying to think of ways to make the game more technically challenging then actually challenging.