Difficulty Settings

[timsfitz]

I have logged an absurd amount of time into this awesome game. Over 1700 hours according to Steam. Naturally, at least for me, what once was difficult has become easy, if not routine.

I hope with the new contract/money/science system there will be adjustable difficulty settings. Otherwise, although still fun, I fear the new money and reputation system will be mostly just decoration, as my space program will inevitably be filthy rich early in the game with maximum prestige.

Yes, I could use mods and keep creating new challenges for myself, but an option to simply reduce contract rewards, and increase reputation punishments would probably be fairly easy to implement, and reintroduce a level of challenge I have not felt for a long time in this wonderful game.

Without difficulty options the new career mode will almost certainly be designed for people with 0 to 200 hours of experience, not "expert" players for whom Eve missions and Tylo landings have become almost a chore.

Does anyone else feel this way?

[Random Tank]

I think it'd be cool to have money optional as a sort of difficulty choice, and to have (when they get round to adding them) re-entry heat and life support optional too.

[Red Iron Crown]

There should be some sort of difficulty scaling.

Personally, I'd prefer it if the physics and part performance stays the same regardless of difficulty level. Control difficulty by altering the rate at which science, reputation and money are earned.

[Javster]

There should be some sort of difficulty scaling.

Personally, I'd prefer it if the physics and part performance stays the same regardless of difficulty level. Control difficulty by altering the rate at which science, reputation and money are earned.

It would be much fairer. I don't want to see a spaceplane which "gets to the Mun in easy and LKO in hard"

[Russoft]

One of my other favorite games is Silent Hunter. By simply adjusting realism settings, the game is well suited to novice players who simply want an arcade game and advanced players who want a realistic simulator. If there were toggles for money hi/med/low/off, life support on/off (I actually don't think it's necessary at all for the game, but I digress), re-entry heating on/off, respawning kerbals on/off, science low/med/hi, Force IVA on/off, Quicksave on/off, equipment reliability perfect/hi/med/low, etc, then I don't see the need to change the physics. Just add or remove other challenging aspects.

[timsfitz]

One of my other favorite games is Silent Hunter. By simply adjusting realism settings, the game is well suited to novice players who simply want an arcade game and advanced players who want a realistic simulator. If there were toggles for money hi/med/low/off, life support on/off (I actually don't think it's necessary at all for the game, but I digress), re-entry heating on/off, respawning kerbals on/off, science low/med/hi, Force IVA on/off, Quicksave on/off, equipment reliability perfect/hi/med/low, etc, then I don't see the need to change the physics. Just add or remove other challenging aspects.

I definitely agree, that would be fantastic. Xcom enemy unknown uses a similar system of toggles to optionally increase the difficulty.

[LethalDose]

One of my other favorite games is Silent Hunter. By simply adjusting realism settings, the game is well suited to novice players who simply want an arcade game and advanced players who want a realistic simulator. If there were toggles for money hi/med/low/off, life support on/off (I actually don't think it's necessary at all for the game, but I digress), re-entry heating on/off, respawning kerbals on/off, science low/med/hi, Force IVA on/off, Quicksave on/off, equipment reliability perfect/hi/med/low, etc, then I don't see the need to change the physics. Just add or remove other challenging aspects.

I definitely agree, that would be fantastic. Xcom enemy unknown uses a similar system of toggles to optionally increase the difficulty.

Yep. I full agree with these. People are going to come in and say "this is what mods are for", but I disagree. These toggles should be stock.

[[email protected]]

I'll be a voice of dissent.

I hate difficulty settings in general because of the way they tend to get implemented, so I don't want to see engine efficiency, structural strength, or DV requirements change...but I wouldn't mind seeing some additional toggle options such as Xcom enemy within has that increase difficulty by more innovative measures, many that mods already do. So I just don't really see a need for it.