• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Difficulty Levels in The Witcher 3 (Dark Mode, Permadeath)

Exentryk

Exentryk

Member
Quest Designer Philipp Weber speaking with VG247. More at the link.

The developer expects most people to choose normal difficulty – it’s the default. But “Normal should be a challenge,” quest designer Philipp Weber told me.

“Usually normal is easy, and easy is – well, you can be on your phone while playing.”
Click to expand...

For those who really want to be tested, The Witcher 3 offers something not even the Souls series does – Dark difficulty. Not only does this setting turn it up to 11, it introduces permadeath.

“Dark difficulty is something that many people in the company are very passionate about,”

“Because they want a real challenge. If you die five minutes before the ending, it’s over. There are actually people who have already done it,”
Click to expand...

At the end of my time with The Witcher 3 and CD Projekt RED earlier this month, I decided to nail down precisely how hard the RPG is. Pulling out my notebook and a pen, I drew a simple chart and labelled the Y axis with “Skyrim” at the bottom and “Dark Souls” at the top.

“I don’t know what the X axis is,” I apologised, “But let’s say the Y axis is a difficulty scale. Down at the bottom here is the toughest challenge in Skyrim. Up the top here is the hardest thing in Dark Souls – something really life destroying, you know?”

Weber caught on immediately. “First of all, Dark difficulty would be somewhere over here,” he said, indicating a space on the other side of the table from us. We both laughed.

“So where’s normal?” I asked, handing him my pen.

He only hesitated for a moment before drawing a line exactly in the middle of the two extremes. So there you have it.
Click to expand...
 
L

Lord of Castamere

Member
Good luck to trophy hunters. In that big leak it was confirmed that they out source their trophies. I'd wager there's a 70/30 shot perma death has a trophy/achievement.
 
W

Wagram

Member
Just hoping they have an in between Normal and Dark mode. I hate the concept of perma-death but I really enjoy being challenged with some tougher content. Sadly, normal mode these days is just the new term for easy.
 
Deft Beck

Deft Beck

Member
Technical issues could result in the end of a Dark playthrough and feel crushing to an otherwise competent player.
 
-MD-

-MD-

Member
Is there a "hard" option? Like dark mode but without the perma death?

That's what I want.
 
S

sflufan

Banned
The Witcher 2 had 5 difficulty settings:

Easy – for inexperienced gamers. Geralt meets weaker opponents and receives less damage, while he himself deals more damage. Most battles can be won using only a sword.

Normal – for mid-advanced gamers. The opponents’ levels are normal. The gameplay is balanced. Most battles can be won using a sword and magical signs.

Hard – for very experienced gamers. Opponents deal high damage, and it’s harder to acquire items. Many battles require the use of a sword, magic and alchemy.

Dark - like Insane, but it is possible to load a saved game after Geralt dies. In addition, there is special chapter-specific set equipment for Geralt which potentially makes the game easier if they are gathered and equipped.

Insane – for unusually skilled gamers who expect an extremely high difficulty level. Opponents deal very high damage and no saved game can be loaded if Geralt dies. This difficulty level is more difficult than Hard.
 
R

Rogue_Ledr

Banned
That is so lame.

Why would anyone want to torment themselves like that? Permadeath?

There is challenging and then there is masochism.
 
W

Wiseblood

Member
In Witcher 2 the "permadeath" mode (Insane) and Dark Mode were different things.

I beat Insane in Witcher 2 by pretty much immediately quitting the game the second I felt a fight wasn't going my way.
 
M

MattyG

Banned
This isn't really the type of game for permadeath. I mean, options are good, but it's a bad option. Normal it is, then.

I will be very impressed by the people who finish it in that mode though.
 
W

Winterfang

Banned
The developer expects most people to choose normal difficulty – it’s the default. But “Normal should be a challenge,”
Click to expand...

I'm not buying this. The game should had being easier not harder!! is hard to enough to deal with the awful combat system that rewards blind preparation over reflexes.
 
S

sflufan

Banned
The Poles are a hard people.

They want you to experience a bit of the suffering their nation has endured over the centuries.
 
L

lowhighkang_LHK

Member
I'm glad the CDProjeckt guys know that Skyrim's game design, combat and difficulty setting is a fucking joke. It's a great world simulator though.
 
E

erawsd

Member
its great that its there, but its not a mode Ill ever touch.

-MD- said:
Is there a "hard" option? Like dark mode but without the perma death?

That's what I want.
Click to expand...

There is a hard mode too. Hopefully the only difference will be the permadeath, thats how it worked in Witcher 2.
 
Exentryk

Exentryk

Member
Winterfang said:
I'm not buying this. The game should had being easier not harder!! is hard to enough to deal with the awful combat system to rewards blind preparation over reflexes.
Click to expand...

The combat system in this game means you can beat even higher level enemies with just reflexes, but it will take longer than if you are prepared for the fight. Sounds like a fair system.
 
L

LurkerPrime

Member
Winterfang said:
I'm not buying this. The game should had being easier not harder!! is hard to enough to deal with the awful combat system to rewards blind preparation over reflexes.
Click to expand...

Being a Witcher is all about knowing your enemy and preparing to fight them. It's why there's such a big focus on blade coatings, traps, and alchemy, as well as the whole "silver vs. steel" situation. IIRC this is the reason why meditation was changed the way it was in TW2 - to promote thinking ahead over reacting mid-combat.

I think it's a refreshing change, compared to most games out there. (Not that I'm good at it...)
 
H

HeelPower

Member
For those who really want to be tested, The Witcher 3 offers something not even the Souls series does
Click to expand...

Souls players have always done no death runs.

Don't need to no mode to provide that ;p
 
L

Lord of Castamere

Member
LurkerPrime said:
I don't get this. Shouldn't trophies and achievements be held for actual, you know, achievements within the game?
Click to expand...

If its fair, sure. Regardless most people who get it are going to back up saves anyway.

Dark mode in Witcher 2 wasn't that fair though. In particular shit like curving 1 shot throwing blades.
 
B

Baalzebup

Member
rrvv said:
first RPG that implement Permadeath?
Click to expand...

Huh? Permadeath has been present in various ASCII RPGs (Rogue, Nethack, Angband) since forever, though easily cheated around with backups and whatnot.

Diablo 2 had the possibility of creating "Hardcore" characters who were under permadeath rules. Witcher 2 had it as at least two posters mentioned already.

And these are just a few that came up in an instant. I'm sure there are more.
 
R

robotrock

Banned
MattyG said:
This isn't really the type of game for permadeath. I mean, options are good, but it's a bad option. Normal it is, then.

I will be very impressed by the people who finish it in that mode though.
Click to expand...

Nah man, it's great. This is role-playing.
 
T

texhnolyze

Banned
sflufan said:
The Witcher 2 had 5 difficulty settings:

Easy – for inexperienced gamers. Geralt meets weaker opponents and receives less damage, while he himself deals more damage. Most battles can be won using only a sword.

Normal – for mid-advanced gamers. The opponents’ levels are normal. The gameplay is balanced. Most battles can be won using a sword and magical signs.

Hard – for very experienced gamers. Opponents deal high damage, and it’s harder to acquire items. Many battles require the use of a sword, magic and alchemy.

Dark - like Insane, but it is possible to load a saved game after Geralt dies. In addition, there is special chapter-specific set equipment for Geralt which potentially makes the game easier if they are gathered and equipped.

Insane – for unusually skilled gamers who expect an extremely high difficulty level. Opponents deal very high damage and no saved game can be loaded if Geralt dies. This difficulty level is more difficult than Hard.
Click to expand...

Ok, wait.
So dark in Witcher 3 will be different from Witcher 2?
Too bad because dark was perfect without the permadeath.
I guess I'll pick hard instead then.
 
D

Deified Data

Banned
loaf of bread said:
This just doesn't sound appealling in a game like this.
Click to expand...

No it definitely doesn't, but I love that it's there for people to enjoy.

Personally I found TW1 easy as pie throughout, though I only played on normal. TW2 had it's tough spots on normal, mostly just a couple of poorly-designed bosses, but it got really easy about halfway through chapter 2. Currently replaying it on hard. Haven't noticed too much of a difference yet - once you know how to exploit signs like quen or yrden it's all over - but I'm definitely taking more damage so far.

If TW3 is anything like TW2, and it looks like it is, I'll probably start on hard.

Winterfang said:
I'm not buying this. The game should had being easier not harder!! is hard to enough to deal with the awful combat system that rewards blind preparation over reflexes.
Click to expand...

It rewards preparation and skill in spades - so much so that you often don't need one if you've got the other. And what's blind about it? If you know you're about to fight some bandits, apply some hanged man's oil. Headed to an allegedly haunted asylum? Odds are good you'll need specter oil. Fighting nekkers in an underground passage? Maybe you'll need some cat.

TW2 had at least one boss fight that you absolutely couldn't prepare for, and that was annoying, but for the most part it telegraphs the challenges ahead.
 
W

Winterfang

Banned
LurkerPrime said:
Being a Witcher is all about knowing your enemy and preparing to fight them. It's why there's such a big focus on blade coatings, traps, and alchemy, as well as the whole "silver vs. steel" situation. IIRC this is the reason why meditation was changed the way it was in TW2 - to promote thinking ahead over reacting mid-combat.

I think it's a refreshing change, compared to most games out there. (Not that I'm good at it...)
Click to expand...

This doesn't work in a game when you are walking through a meadow and giant monsters randomly burst from the ground. How are you supposed to prepare for the unknown besides saving the game every minute and reloading the game. Which is not fun at all.
 
L

LurkerPrime

Member
Winterfang said:
This doesn't work in a game when you are walking through a meadow and giant monsters randomly burst from the ground. How are you supposed to prepare for the unknown besides saving the game every minute and reloading the game. Which is not fun at all.
Click to expand...
Probably by having played the game before and knowing how it works extensively. This isn't a mode you jump directly into the game with.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

What are those games so hard on Normal Mode that grown men justify turning down the difficulty to Easy?
2 3 4 5
215
9K
MagnesD3 replied
The Witcher 3 Sequel Comic Announced by Dark Horse
News
0
451
Draugoth replied
Alone in the Dark | Review Thread
Analysis Review 2 3
136
7K
Alan Wake replied
Finally, I played Witcher 3: Complete Edition - my simple review with reference to Skyrim
LTTP
35
2K
Tunned replied
Cyberpunk 2077 devs say developing sequel on Unreal Engine 5 is a "challenge"
Game Dev
32
2K
Dazraell replied
Top Bottom