Difficulty.

[Rewjeo]

I feel like the question isn't so much "What difficulty?' as it is "What kind of difficulty?" Generally, I'd vote for FE5 (with some changes) but I doubt IS will do that, especially since I'm not sure exactly how they could put in a bunch of different difficulties with an FE5-esque challenge. The easiest part of FE5 is the enemies; that's what IS goes to to increase difficulty nowadays.

[shadowofchaos]

Radiant Dawn has a pretty good balance from easy to normal to hard. It could possibly use one more higher difficulty, but I might just be so used to it.

To casuals or newcomers, easy mode was still brutal. Especially Dawn Brigade Chapters.

Edit: In case you didn't notice, I was messing around. Awakening still was way too easy, though.

I don't remember you contributing to no grind Lunatic+ playlogs.

I will freaking call out anyone that says Awakening wasn't good with its difficulty scaling on both ease and difficulty.

Edited February 9, 2015 by shadowofchaos

[Knight Falchion]

I will freaking call out anyone that says Awakening wasn't good with its difficulty scaling on both ease and difficulty.

With Normal and Lunatic, sure, but Hard wasn't a very good middle ground, at least not until some of the SpotPass chapters (Priam's specifically showed what Hard could be). The jump to Lunatic was huge.

Edited February 9, 2015 by The Legendary Falchion

[AshirogiTrap]

The key isn't difficulty, but difficulty options. The more, the better. Ideally I'd like to see something along these lines:

Easy ; roughly as challenging as Awakening Normal

Normal

Hard

Hard+ ; unlockable, works the same as Awakening Luna+ but with more reasonable enemy stats

Lunatic

Lunatic Reverse

Even more ideally I'd like to see a return of rankings, since a well-executed ranking system addresses the ways to trivialize most FEs (turtling / lowmanning / grinding), but it seems IS gave up on the idea after FE12 in favor of a world map.

edit: a compromise would be having postgame maps with their own individual rankings, FE8/9 employed something similar

This is probably the best way for difficulty to be implemented. That way it can cater to a vast majority of players.

[shadowofchaos]

With Normal and Lunatic, sure, but Hard wasn't a very good middle ground, at least not until some of the SpotPass chapters (Priam's specifically showed what Hard could be). The jump to Lunatic was huge.

I'd wager there would be a bunch of "casuals" that have played older FE games that would disagree with you.

The spotpass chapters, specifically Paris/Priam's is meant to be "postgame".

[Radiant head]

RD's difficulty works, but Hard Mode shouldn't take out weapon triangle and enemy range.

[MisterIceTeaPeach]

No enemy movement range could be a manual adjustable option for people, who liked it.

Edited February 10, 2015 by The Taninator

[feplus]

I will freaking call out anyone that says Awakening wasn't good with its difficulty scaling on both ease and difficulty.

Okay. Awakening wasn't good with its difficulty scaling.

All difficulties feature a plethora of broken options and a regressive difficulty curve (especially on vanilla Lunatic, which falls off a cliff post-Ch.5), and the jump from Hard to Lunatic was excessive. Furthermore, none of the difficulty options are remotely challenging unless you place arbitrary restrictions on yourself, which is disappointing.

[Knight Falchion]

I'd wager there would be a bunch of "casuals" that have played older FE games that would disagree with you.

The spotpass chapters, specifically Paris/Priam's is meant to be "postgame".

That doesn't change the fact that the difference between Hard and Lunatic was massive and that there was much less of a difference between Normal and Hard. There should have at least been another difficulty option between Hard and Lunatic that provided a better feeling of what that rough beginning of Lunatic would be like.

But yeah, I guess the SpotPass chapters were a bad example to use. I forget that they're technically meant to be done post-Grima; I've just gotten into the habit of trying them first. :/

Edited February 10, 2015 by The Legendary Falchion

[Florete]

To casuals or newcomers, easy mode was still brutal. Especially Dawn Brigade Chapters.

Really? I mean, I know as a veteran it's hard for me to see it as anything but a cake walk, but it doesn't seem any more difficult than other FE's easiest modes to me.

The game got a lot of complaints for being very difficult, but I figured those were coming from seasoned game players jumping straight to normal mode not knowing that it was the equivalent of JP hard mode.

But, like, if that is the case, easy mode just needs to be a bit easier. The difficulty scale is still pretty good.

With Normal and Lunatic, sure, but Hard wasn't a very good middle ground, at least not until some of the SpotPass chapters (Priam's specifically showed what Hard could be). The jump to Lunatic was huge.

^Agreed.

[Magical Glace]

Something like FE6, where there is a decent challenge NM and a "very hard" HM.

Just no Douglas BS. Really, I'd have way less trouble getting that gaiden if it was clear in X turns instead...

[Hong]

The Maniac Mode, found only on the Japanese version of Path of Radiance, did difficulty the best IMO. More enemies, less XP, and better stats without going up to ridiculous numbers.

[Zerosabers]

I will freaking call out anyone that says Awakening wasn't good with its difficulty scaling on both ease and difficulty.

The scaling is mostly fine, except hard needed to be a bit more difficult near the middle and end area. The main problem is the difficulty settings, hard mode was too close to normal and not lunatic. There should have been a mode between hard and lunatic so jumping from hard to lunatic isn't so insane.

[Jedi]

Let's hope it gets difficulty just right, like how New Mystery, Sword of Seals, Thracia and Radiant Dawn did.

[shadowofchaos]

There should have been a mode between hard and lunatic so jumping from hard to lunatic isn't so insane.

That doesn't change the fact that the difference between Hard and Lunatic was massive and that there was much less of a difference between Normal and Hard. There should have at least been another difficulty option between Hard and Lunatic that provided a better feeling of what that rough beginning of Lunatic would be like.

This, I can agree with.

Really? I mean, I know as a veteran it's hard for me to see it as anything but a cake walk, but it doesn't seem any more difficult than other FE's easiest modes to me.

The game got a lot of complaints for being very difficult, but I figured those were coming from seasoned game players jumping straight to normal mode not knowing that it was the equivalent of JP hard mode.

But, like, if that is the case, easy mode just needs to be a bit easier. The difficulty scale is still pretty good.

Difficulty scaling, yes.

But anyways, this comes from a bunch of my friends who are newcomers and decided to get one of the easier obtained FE's at the time... The Wii game.

It was met with a little bit of frustration.

[Sentacotus]

With Normal and Lunatic, sure, but Hard wasn't a very good middle ground, at least not until some of the SpotPass chapters (Priam's specifically showed what Hard could be). The jump to Lunatic was huge.

Prior to Awakening, I had played FE7 and RD (through Hard mode) and I personally thought that Hard Classic was the perfect difficulty to play on to really enjoy the game. Lunatic was just brutal and I said no to + with all the randomized skills.

[Radiant head]

To casuals or newcomers, easy mode was still brutal. Especially Dawn Brigade Chapters.

Seriously? Nolan doubles/ORKO's everything and promotes in like two chapters. Yeah you still have to be somewhat careful, but brutal is a stretch.

Edited February 11, 2015 by Radiant head

[Knight Falchion]

Prior to Awakening, I had played FE7 and RD (through Hard mode) and I personally thought that Hard Classic was the perfect difficulty to play on to really enjoy the game. Lunatic was just brutal and I said no to + with all the randomized skills.

I can understand that, but I still think the gap between Lunatic and Hard should be narrowed somehow. My issue is not really Hard mode itself (it's actually the difficulty on Awakening that I play the most) but the huge gap between Hard and Lunatic. From what others have been saying and what conclusions I've come to myself, the best solution to keeping the level of difficulty of Hard that people like while not making Lunatic seem like the hugest slap in the face is to add a fifth difficulty between Hard and Lunatic.

I feel like doing that would keep a comfortable difficulty level for those who aren't into hitting their heads against brick walls while also letting people who want to get into Lunatic get a better taste of what's to come.

Edited February 11, 2015 by The Legendary Falchion

[The Geek]

I think the way it should have been is that Normal should have been called Easy, Hard should have been called Normal, a new difficulty level called Hard would be in place, and then Lunatic and Lunatic+

[Robert Stewart]

I think the way it should have been is that Normal should have been called Easy, Hard should have been called Normal, a new difficulty level called Hard would be in place, and then Lunatic and Lunatic+

Or they could just bring back Maniac from FE12.

[Knight Falchion]

Or they could just bring back Maniac from FE12.

Yes. I'm not sure why they took it out in the first place, but here's to hoping it comes back.

Edited February 11, 2015 by The Legendary Falchion

[shadowofchaos]

Seriously? Nolan doubles/ORKO's everything and promotes in like two chapters. Yeah you still have to be somewhat careful, but brutal is a stretch.

"Micaiah"

Do remember, these are people who are playing FE for the first time. People who feel that Awakening Normal Casual IS HARD but doable.

This is the part where I mention that FE was a niche series because of its fans elitism and people die when they are killed it was notorious for.

[Radiant head]

"Micaiah"

Do remember, these are people who are playing FE for the first time. People who feel that Awakening Normal Casual IS HARD but doable.

This is the part where I mention that FE was a niche series because of its fans elitism and people die when they are killed it was notorious for.

Unless you have real research data, spare me the hypothetical newbie player and his perceived difficulty argument.

I mean yeah Micaiah is fragile, but figuring that out is kind of the point of the prologue.

[Sentacotus]

Radiant Dawn easily had the hardest beginning of the localized FEs out there (Luna+ on Awakening aside aka Fire Emblem: Frederick). Anything above Easy and you have to be careful. Hell my first time on easy in 1-9 (the one with the BK/Micaiah) Micaiah died like 5 times. Once you get past part I the rest of the game is manageable but even then you have DB chapters thrown in against the Greil Mercenaries.

Edited February 11, 2015 by LordTaco42

[Knight Falchion]

Radiant Dawn easily had the hardest beginning of the FEs out there (Luna+ on Awakening aside aka Fire Emblem: Frederick). Anything above Easy and you have to be careful. Hell my first time on easy in 1-9 (the one with the BK/Micaiah) Micaiah died like 5 times. Once you get past part I the rest of the game is manageable but even then you have DB chapters thrown in against the Greil Mercenaries.

This is why I don't understand why so many people are wanting RD's difficulty back; it caters more to the "hardcore" crowd than the "casuals," and we could have a system that caters to both those crowds and the one in between. Maybe I'm just missing something to this argument (it seems like this more recent string of posts was a bit of a digression, but I'm likely just confused), but I don't think it's the best option at this point.

Edited February 11, 2015 by The Legendary Falchion