Poll: What difficulty level do you usually play on?

[Mozared]

Usually on easy. I'm more interested in the storyline and graphics of a game than in actually increasing it's longevity.

That said, I do participate in some high end stuff in MMORPGs.

 

[Borntolose]

I usually start on normal but if I like the game enough to play it again then I do so on a higher difficulty.

 

[Troublesome Lagomorph]

Hard. If its too hard on that, then i go on normal or what ever is between. Usually I go back to hard since most difficulties under hard are too easy.

 

[MicrosoftPaysMe]

I start with normal then when i beat it i play on the hardest, usually unlockable, difficulty.

 

[Laura.]

In co-op games, my friend and I usually start off on the middle difficulty and work our way up through the ranks from there.

I agree. Coop is a different matter.
I play L4D in advanced and Dawn of War II in hard, but that's probably because me + friend = way more awesome that just me. Either that or it's just that 2 or more humans together kick the crap out of the AI.

 

[Georg8]

Hard because I have lots of free time. Though if I end up getting my ass continually handed to me I will change it to medium. I only really play the insane mode if I'm trying to do achievements.

 

[Blackadder51]

I always go for medium and then hard

 

[TheNightGoat666]

I said Medium, although I usually venture into hard mode. i really like it when you can change the difficulty at any time in games like in mass effect or fallout. i remember back when I was a little kid, and i would start a game on hard, realize it was impossible for my futile earth child hand eye coordination, and i would wish i could change the difficulty, but by then, it was too late...

 

[SimuLord]

I start with whatever the game's default setting is (usually Normal/Medium), then if I find the game to be ridiculously easy (either because the game's designed such or because I mastered it) I ratchet up the difficulty until it's challenging without being ludicrous.

If I just plain suck at the game on Normal, I'll dial it down to Easy or even "Very Easy". I hate to admit it but I had to do this with Oblivion when I first got the game because I was that bad at it after not having played an action-type game in several years. By the time I got Morrowind (a year later, as it happened) I was able to hit the ground running from the word "go" on the default difficulty without running into too much trouble. It helps that Morrowind's combat is more about mouse clicks and die rolls than Oblivion's...there's not much skill in it.

 

[llamastorm.games]

Depends on the game
Usually go for normal difficulty so 2/3 or if there is 4 difficulties i go for 2 out of 4.
Unless its something that is more marketed more for youngsters, then i go for the hardest one straight away, because its going to be easy still.
Also i figure if you havent played the easier mode you wont be able to compare, so the harder modes will be all you know.
Also if im generally new-ish to that game franchise or genre of game i go for an easier mode.

 

[danosaurus]

Hard.

Sometimes, if that's not challenging enough, I'll employ midgets to sporadically papercut me and squeeze lemon in my eyes during boss battles.

 

[RollForInitiative]

I agree. Coop is a different matter.
I play L4D in advanced and Dawn of War II in hard, but that's probably because me + friend = way more awesome that just me. Either that or it's just that 2 or more humans together kick the crap out of the AI.

For my friend and I, it's partly because two players are better than the AI - we need more challenge - and partly because ridiculous difficulty levels are less frustrating when you have a friend to laugh with when everything suddenly goes completely and catastrophically wrong.

 

[Grayl]

I chose medium. It's how the game was "meant to be played", I guess.

Plus, easy is usually too easy.

 

[War Penguin]

I usually play on hard... okay, I'm lying. I play on medium... Okay, I'm lying again. I play on easy.
Actually, I play medium and if it's too easy I go on hard and if it's hard I go on easy. So I play all before deciding.

 

[Laura.]

(...)and partly because ridiculous difficulty levels are less frustrating when you have a friend to laugh with when everything suddenly goes completely and catastrophically wrong.

Yes, it's true that when you are playing with friends you can laugh at a lot of stuff that would be frustrating in single player. (reminds me of my old WC3 tower defense days)

 

[Summerstorm]

Normaly i play on "normal". In D&D games i play with all rules. Also i like it as difficult as possible, without having the CPU cheat or having unfair advantages.

On a side note: I play my new Street Fighter IV (PC) on easy... holy shit, Seth is just a mean MF... he raped me playing Sakura 12 times in a row (after i had no problem killing him with 4 different character before without ever dying)... holy crap.

 

[m_jim]

I'll typically start a game on hard because I like a challenge. If I don't get my butt kicked from time to time, I know that I'm not playing on a hard enough setting. For the second playthrough, I'll typically bump it up a notch to a higher setting. That being said, I hate when the "hard" setting on a game simply gives enemies more health, rather than a more sophisticated AI; if I see that, then I won't feel too bad about taking it down to medium.

I always play on easy first, then, depending on my interest in the game, I do it again on harder difficulties.

Most proud of reaching the Sniper Ambush in CoD 4 on Hardened, and beating Wanted: Weapons of Fate on all three.

Try beating the ferris wheel part of CoD on Veteran (or Mile High Club for that matter). That is a lesson in perseverance.

 

[SsilverR]

always Hard ... it forces you to get better in less time