Dynamic Difficulty Levels: PvE game design theory at work (Destiny)

by Kahzgul, Tuesday, December 26, 2017, 14:41 (2373 days ago) @ Cody Miller

Diablo 2: The main game is completable by level 30 for most players. Then there is a "nightmare mode" which sounds at first like a difficulty selection (as it is a repeat of the normal campaign), but is actually a linear progression from the normal mode enemy levels. Nightmare is completable around level 60 for most players, and then hell mode is completable around level 90. Players can level up to 99, putting them easily 10% more powerful than the hardest content in the game. For some players, being the most powerful player they can be is the goal, and they level to 99 as much as possible.

Hell is significantly harder than normal, even when level appropriate. The problem with these systems of adjusting avatar and enemy power with levels is:

1. Expert players must always start the game on easy mode.

True, but outleveling easy mode at the start is fairly trivial. I was frequently able to reach act 2 before hitting level 6 in my last serious foray into D2. Typically you'd want to be level 10+ by that point.

2. It encourages bad players to just level up, instead of explore the game and get better

I have no problem with players playing the game the way they choose.

3. It is too much work for the player to get things such that it is an appropriate difficulty for them.

I am not sure what you're saying with this point, could you please elaborate?

If you are an expert, you have to go out of your way to avoid killing things and leveling up. If you are a novice, you have to spend time grinding to get your level up.

I would argue that part of playing in an expert way is speeding through the game and avoiding unnecessary encounters in order to maximize your gains vs. time invested.

A difficulty selector just gives you an appropriate challenge with less than a second of work. You can even retain avatar power increasing: Deus Ex let you both power up your character, AND select a difficulty level.

Deus Ex didn't feature enemy levels in the way that D2 or D2 do. In a game where only the main character has levels, difficulty selectors are appropriate.