Take On Difficulty Settings!

[RoyaltyinExile]

Expert mode could lock this option out, because it really is kind of a cheat.

Well, that's not going to make release, but it's certainly something we'll evaluate for post-launch support.

More likely, we'd tie it to a difficulty option, set is as disabled for expert, but not lock it out, as Auto-Hover - to some degree- is there to compensate for things we simply can't simulate, like the inner ear balance, etc.


Best,
RiE

[MadDogX]

More likely, we'd tie it to a difficulty option, set is as disabled for expert, but not lock it out

Sounds good to me.

Auto-Hover - to some degree- is there to compensate for things we simply can't simulate, like the inner ear balance, etc.

I hadn't considered that.

[OMAC]

I love auto-hover just as it is now. I think that it should be enabled by default on Expert. BIS could later add an option to disable it on Expert, but that is really unnecessary. As scarp wrote, don't use it if you don't like it!!!

I think the difficulty settings are perfectly balanced right now.

Just my two cents.

[WrathPhoenix]

I love auto-hover just as it is now. I think that it should be enabled by default on Expert. BIS could later add an option to disable it on Expert, but that is really unnecessary. As scarp wrote, don't use it if you don't like it!!!

I think the difficulty settings are perfectly balanced right now.

Just my two cents.

Having flown on all settings by now, i tend to agree.

[Turin Turambar]

Ughhh... no.

Difficulty should change the difficulty of the game. Not the usability of the interface or the realism settings.
Difficulty should change the mission difficulty, the realism modes should be separate of that.

[MadDogX]

Difficulty should change the difficulty of the game. Not the usability of the interface or the realism settings.

This makes no sense at all. In a game like TakOH, there aren't many ways to change the difficulty without affecting realism or interface, because those two aspects make up the bulk of the games difficulty in the first place. In other words, the main difficulty of the game is controlling the helicopter. The more realistic the flight model, the more difficult it becomes. "Helpers" like autohover and auto-trim are there to make controlling the helo easier - they affect the difficulty. In this respect, autohover is in the same category as auto-trim, hence my suggestion to disable it through a difficulty setting.

Btw. enabling and disabling waypoint markers is also interface related, for example. Are you suggesting this should no longer be a difficulty setting?

[Turin Turambar]

I agree it's more complex to change the difficulty in these type of games. But not impossible. If this was a simple fps, the difficulty should change the hp or damage of the enemies, or their numbers. Here, you have to think what is the mission asking you.

Is a mission with a time limit? with a height limit? Is the mission asking you to follow a speedy car? The difficulty should change the missions parameters of failure. Change the time limit, change the height limit, change the car speed or maximum distance in the chase.

If i have problems in a mission, i want the possibility of lowering the mission difficulty, without changing the flight model, that's an intrinsic part of why i am playing it in first place.
Say, Falcon 4 had separate campaign difficulty and comprehensive realism settings.

[CarlGustaffa]

They could disable autohover on expert as long as you are above 1000 feet AGL or something. Who cares if someone engages it at that altitude to answer the phone or take a piss? But I agree it interferes too much at reducing sense of realism.

It's true we lack inner ear sensations, for obvious reasons, but I think the trick is to better use the visual cues we do get, even if more inconvenient than real life. The negatives of auto hover by far outweights the positives. Although not for ground level flight, when flying IFR you'll learn to completely shut off the signals from the inner ear, as they can be very faulty - and solely rely on what your instruments tell you instead. At least as an option to turn off.

@Turin: There is nobody objecting that missions can't be harder on harder difficulties (although I don't think it will be used as much as you suggest). We're just saying that some "helper aids" should be completely disabled on harder difficulties. You can probably set lowest difficulty but choose to toggle off all the helpers.

[zach22213]

I dont like the controls of the aircraft. Giving it is more challenging I just want to have fun. When playing on the easy difficulty setting it should be just as easy as flying in VBS2 or ARMA.

[Derbysieger]

No sorry, flying should offer some kind of challenge even on beginner. With a bit of practice it shouldn't be too difficult to fly on trainee or beginner, especially with auto-trim enabled and wind disabled. It's really not that hard to learn the basics and have some arcarde-style fun. I personally don't want to go back to the A2 FM.