Normal vs. Hard difficulty level

[spaceboy]

That's one of the things that make me so amazed with games like FC2 is the increased AI, when mixed with the graphics, it just astounds me.  One thing that is sticking in my head is in the "guard post action" video clip I posted here where I zoom in on a merc with my crossbow, release, and you can actually see the merc fall/jump awkwardly out of the way - kind of arching his back (very realistic).  The character movement as well as reacting to what I was doing is pretty cool.

[Dweller_Benthos]

I've had the mercs actually side step and dodge a machete attack, and that's with AI Ignore on, so they shouldn't even see me coming. Never noticed it while actually fighting them, but I usually don't get the machete out unless they are on the ground wounded and don't want to waste ammo.

[spaceboy]

Oh man, I love the machete,  use it all the time,  esp. for roadside attacks

[spaceboy]

So I tried the same run on Normal, Hardcore, and Infamous.  Leaving the underground house in NE Leboa, driving the big truck and storming into the guard post around the corner.  I may try more, but my takeaways are this:

Normal difficulty has it's challenges to survival, but you have enough syrettes to get through a fire fight even if storming in like a maniac.  Very fun.

Hardcore is pretty tough and success would hinge on ensuring a good loadout, and employing tactical efforts such as taking cover and not trying to walk around like The Terminator.  The AI seemed to move around more. I might have to try some more on HC.

Infamous is crazy, the AI shoots poisonous bullets, and you'd better snipe at least 3/4 of them dead before even thinking of approaching their homes.  They will kill you. 

Also, I must state I play better while on my 37" LCD vs. the tiny screen I have to look at when recording - it is smaller and with MUCH less definition.

Oh and sorry about the Zebra in the Normal clip...

Normal:
[smg id=28 type=av]

Hardcore:
[smg id=29 type=av]

Infamous:
[smg id=30 type=av]

[Roaven]

Wow. Infamous didn't take long. X_X

[PZ]

Great movies spaceboy - thanks for taking the time to make them and do the research on the difficulty levels - really cool to be able to see how others play the game.  I can learn lots just from watching the action!

[JRD]

Nice videos spaceboy
I haven't played on infamous yet... poisonous bullets?? Don't sound appealing to me.
Hardcore, on the other hand, seems more chalenging, as you said... they move around more and you must use cover a lot.
Truth is: I die much more playing HC, even though I'm more familiar with the game dynamic.
Since I have a quicksave option, its OK to me. If I was on console, maybe normal would be my choice

[spaceboy]

infamous was crazy, I jumped out of the truck with like 3/4 health and b4 I knew it I was down.  I think i see just the corner of a merc to my right so I think he was getting me from behind, but there was no time to react.  Thing is I like mixing up some sniping with some stealth and sometimes just charging in like that so infamous would never w@&k for me.

[PalusMus]

I know I'm probably kinda old for this (58) but I am totally loving FC2 for PC.  I have played it through 3 times....the last time on hardcore.  I'm gonna try it next on infamous.  I'll probably get frustrated pretty quick but I got to try.  I use quick save alot because my eye/hand coordination is pretty bad compared to you guys.  I just found this site and have really enjoyed reading the tips and stuff.  I also d/led the maps and checklist so I can make sure I'm getting every mission before I move on.
Good luck and thanks folks 

[retiredgord]

I know I'm probably kinda old for this (58) but I am totally loving FC2 for PC.  I have played it through 3 times....the last time on hardcore.  I'm gonna try it next on infamous.  I'll probably get frustrated pretty quick but I got to try.  I use quick save alot because my eye/hand coordination is pretty bad compared to you guys.  I just found this site and have really enjoyed reading the tips and stuff.  I also d/led the maps and checklist so I can make sure I'm getting every mission before I move on.
Good luck and thanks folks

[Art Blade]

I know I'm probably kinda old for this (58)

I couldn't help commenting, NICE ONE. In my oppinion, you can't be too old for anything that you actually do, ie play a vidgame. Good to know there's one more guy to rise our average age :) I don't think I have an eye/hand handicap yet I do quicksave a LOT (1.5 careers, 800+ savegames). Just have fun mate :)

[JRD]

I know I'm probably kinda old for this (58)

I couldn't help commenting, NICE ONE. In my oppinion, you can't be too old for anything that you actually do, ie play a vidgame. Good to know there's one more guy to rise our average age :) I don't think I have an eye/hand handicap yet I do quicksave a LOT (1.5 careers, 800+ savegames). Just have fun mate :)

On my first playthrough - 935 savedgame files
And I'm 34... so I think it has nothing to do with age ;)
I agree you are never too old to do whatever you like... play games or skydive or moutain climbing or sleeping in the couch...
Besides, this forum is proud to have a 62 years old player!
So welcome mature players... pop a beer and salute!!!

[Art Blade]

on topic:

I usually play all those games on easy just to make sure the fun factor is bigger than my stress level. "Maybe I'm too old for this" hehe. Nevertheless, I sometimes play normal and catch a glimpse of what higher difficulty levels are like.

I also read in the guide about changed AI (AD) behaviour and experimented with it. I think there isn't much of a change in AD, but I do miss my stack of handgrenades and the ammo/syrette supply is a joke. Your health is so low you die if you jump off a sidewalk. I can't see the fun in this, so I stick to easy :)

[PZ]

I know I'm probably kinda old for this (58) but I am totally loving FC2 for PC.  I have played it through 3 times....the last time on hardcore.  I'm gonna try it next on infamous.  I'll probably get frustrated pretty quick but I got to try.  I use quick save alot because my eye/hand coordination is pretty bad compared to you guys.  I just found this site and have really enjoyed reading the tips and stuff.  I also d/led the maps and checklist so I can make sure I'm getting every mission before I move on.
Good luck and thanks folks

Like the other guys indicated PalusMus, you're never too old to game like this, althought I must admit that I thought the same when I started picking up mu PS3 controller nearly every day...

We're glad to have you as one of our members my friend - we range in age from at least early 20's to the 60's and the bond that unites us all and transcends age is the way that we approach not only the game, but our online interactions.  Enjoy the camaraderie...

[RedRaven]

my first run thru the game was done on easy (and just rushed to the end so could see what the game had to offer) now playing on hardcore with 3 different characters and approaches to it, mostly with marty sniping my way in attempt to complete it with 100% accuracy. biggest difference i`ve noiced is the amount of ammo/syrettes/grenades carried. maybe due to tactics i`m using - no one gets close to me, lots of crouch sneaking and cheeky shots from trusty dragonov. going to investigate the difficulties with a new save, will post any significant findings.

meanwhile, back on the farm.....
  workin on a weapon guide, if somebody could instruct me  on how to upload images will be able to post it up. cheers guys.

and welcome PalusMus, as PZ says your never too old, mid 30`s myself and new to this site but its friendly, useful and interesting.

[PZ]

I guess that I'm kind of like Art - playing on easy... I have a heck of a time aiming quickly and accurately using the PS3 controller - it either responds too slowly or too rapidly and I overshoot the target - annoying at times...

dke58, go to the gallery to upload your images - preferably in jpg format - looking forward to your weapons guide - we've the beginnings of one in the top menus, but nothing concrete so far...

[Zomby Woof]

Just started my second playthrough and have bumped it up from normal to HC.  I'm just getting started, so I've only done the convoy missions and an assination, but I have scouted a fair amount of guard posts.  Most of what I have noticed has already been meantioned.  First off, less ammo (brutal with dart rifle; only having 4 shots with my baby is a dagger  >:( ).  Second, enemys are more active.  I usually snipe, and I've noticed that though they still stop running to look around, their stops are more brief and often behind cover.  Third, mercs are tougher.  When I played on normal, a quick burst with the Mac-10 droped enemies with ease.  So far on HC, I'm lucky to get two kills per clip.  Still I do have to say that so far I've had more fun on HC, it forces you to play a little smarter and watch your ammo. ;)

[Zomby Woof]

Just something else I noticed last night that might interest you guys.  I could be crazy, but I'm pretty sure that when I went from normal to HC the water level droped quite a bit.  Has anyone else noticed this?  All the sudded streams are more narrow, and new rocks and logs have been exposed.  It's pretty hazardous to boat at night.  I kept running in to stuff in places I remember flying through.

I could be wrong, but I think that the little pond jump in between Pala and Mike's is lower too.  Now I see why the Ubi guys put in the ramp, because the car doesn't have enough ground clearance.  It just gets stuck if you take the eastern path.  So now I have to steal the truck from Mike's to get back to Pala (at least smoothly).  Thought that was interesting.

[PZ]

Fascinating - I'll need to change my difficult level - would like to experience a difference in the environment...

[JRD]

Funny... thats one thing I never noticed!!
Think I'll make a go around somewhere with a swamp boat, maybe go from the marina to the bridge and back, then change from HC to easy and do it again to see if I can see something different in water level!!

[Zomby Woof]

yeah, let me know what happens.  I hope I'm not going nuts.  I did just finish my first playthrough, so I had been in the southern region for awhile.  Then started my next playthrough on HC in the north obviously, but I could swear it's different.

[Zomby Woof]

sorry for the double posting guys.  just wanted to let you know that I must be crazy.  I tryed it out, switching difficulties in game on the waterline and didn't see any difference.  Sorry to get any hopes up, guess that's what you get out of a newbie  :P .

[JRD]

No problem Zomby Woof.
Always experiment new things... nothing wrong can come ou of that  ;)

[PZ]

Well, you'd be surprised at how many times I've given slightly inaccurate information due to the excitement of the game - doesn't matter one bit to the rest of us - just gives us another thing to try out!   :)

[Art Blade]

Fascinating - I'll need to change my difficult level - would like to experience a difference in the environment...

I'm on my 2nd through and this time I try to accomplish all missions. Today I did a main mission when Hakim rung me up with a better idea -- I had to destroy the pump and the safety cutoff system at the pump house of MS Pipeline in Bowa.

Before, I sometimes walked or drove around in the canyon between MS Pipeline and TaeMoCo Mine and found a swamp boat sitting in the dry dirt. It looked odd in a dry canyon. Now, to my utter surprise, after the above mentioned mission, I accidently ended up in that canyon again. Only this time it was a river... whoa! I found the boat and drove upriver, and the entire landscape, that used to look somehow odd before, now made sense... of course it doesn't have to do with difficulty level, but with the above discussed change in environment. This one was unexpected but everybody can do and see it :)