Weekend Confirmed 103 - GDC 2012 special

Attention gamers: stop being normal.


Ok, I can't keep it in any longer. There's something that needs to be addressed. I popped in Mass Effect 3 and, like any self respecting gamer would, I cranked the difficulty to max and then I noticed a problem. Everyone on my friends list, of which many are playing a character imported all the way from Mass Effect 1, were playing on normal difficulty.

What gives?

It's like the modern gamer is completely allergic to challenge. The modern gamer wouldn't know what challenge was if it walked up and kissed them on the cheek. Here's a reality check, when you play on normal, it's like you approach the enemies of the game and say "hey there, listen, I don't really want a challenge ok, I just want to walk through this game without having to try. When you see me coming could you please shoot around me and in my general direction? Feel free to even hit me a few times just to make me feel like I'm actually surviving. Just make sure you fall down and play dead and let me through after I've got my little illusion of being an actual badass. Oh, and hey, Mr Puzzle over there, I don't really want to figure you out, well I'd like to try for at least a minute but after that could you, y'know, make an arrow point to you or give me the answer on the screen? Thanks, much appreciated".

Gamers these days don't want enemies that are trying to stop them, in fact if that happens they'll accuse the game designer and blame them. Let's face it, modern gamers want enemies that just give the illusion that they're trying to stop us. Heck the modern gamer is so allergic to challenge that when Dark Souls came along (a game that presents little challenge if you simply pay attention) people who owned it felt like they had something naughty, like a snuff film or their dad's porno. It was a dare just to play the game.

Modern games should look at your gamerscore and just simply deny you the ability to play on normal cause let's face it, if you just manned up a tad you could do it without a problem. If you play on normal, you're absolutely robbing yourself of the feeling of accomplishment. When you get the feeling of being outgunned and outnumbered and you need to overcome your enemy to win, then the game is fun. When you finally beat that enemy that, that boss, you;ll actually feel like you've done survived more than hollow, simulated danger. Don't believe me? Challenge yourself, play on a difficulty one step higher than your comfortable with. What's the worst that could happen? You might actually, shock horror, get better at the game and, God forbid, become more skilled. Playing on normal is like getting a free pass to succeed. If you were playing tennis or chess against someone who was letting you win would you feel accomplished and challenged?

I can already hear your excuses. Oh but Shadow, I'm more interested in the story and the plot. If it's a story you want, go to the movies. The characters don't animate and move awkwardly like wooden puppets(unless you wind up seeing one of the Star Wars prequels), the lip syncing isn't out and there's no quick time events. Oh, but Shadow, I'm more interested in the atmosphere and the world and the journey. If that's what you want, go find a geocache, go climb a mountain, the real world doesn't have low res textures, there's no polygon limit and you won't get caught on scenery.

Of course not.

Let's face it, what you really want is to slay shit, blow stuff up, shoot people with sniper rifles, explore ancient tombs, solve mind numbing puzzles, shoot magical fire from your hands and shag blue aliens. Crank up the difficulty, feel the burn, feel the pain, experience the joy of overcoming a challenge that's actually trying to hold you back. Don't worry about not having fun or getting frustrated because can't beat things the very first time. You paid for this your games so stop robbing yourself.

I'm gonna help you out, here's what you're gonna do. First, go here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btPJPFnesV4 Now, go to your game now, bring up the menu, take a deep breath, let the music wash over you, you're not normal, you're a warrior, a soldier, a winner. Now just do it, turn the difficulty up. Stop being normal.