[IcyScythe]

You know this is something I really like about FS1 and FS2, they're HARD! (at least for me). I'm new to FS2 though (I started it a year and a half ago, got tendonitis, and had a long hiatus), but I'll definitely be playing on Hard for the first way through, more exciting (and it lasts longer). After that, I'll try insane. I can't stand games that are too easy even on hard. FS1 took me a LONG time to finish on hard. The lucifer mission (last mission of the game) took me like 30 tries I believe and finally I gave up and tried it on easy and beat it. Someday, I'm gonna do it on insane.

Just curious but do your wingmen's AI improve as difficulty goes up as well. Also, is the AI improved in fs2_open? (just got it... haven't played yet, I'm waiting for my new joystick to arrive in the mail)

[wighti]

One other thing that bumbed up the difficulty for me was some loadout errors that I got after trying a few different mods.

For instance, last time I with the mission where I had to blockade the node against the NTF with the Mjolnirs as my help ... I didnt have any cyclops to arm  Luckily, even at medium, the mjolnirs are enough to destroy all of the capital ships that come through the node. Sometimes. (Took me a good 10 tries, am now quite convinced it's all down to luck if it's just the mjolnirs. Sometimes they take down the ships really fast and other times they cant hit anything for half the kingdom.)

[Javito1986]

I love playing the games on hard or insane. Never below. I just love the feeling of true danger that other enemy fighters present to you on these difficulty levels. It becomes absolutely essential to rely on your wingmen... and learn how to evade missiles. To me it just feels more like you're a starfighter pilot on those levels, whereas on medium and below I can plow through the opposition as if I were god himself and one sweep of my arm can level entire fighter wings.

Whereas on hard/insane you learn to treat enemy fighters as they deserve: dangerous little buggers. And I just completely run away from Dragon fighters. So much so that on the second to last mission of FS1 I immediately turned around and retreated to the Bastion when the Dragons jumped in, and was like "Oh god Dragons! All is doomed! Repent! Repent I say! Sorry Earth, we hardly knew ye." Of course I eventually forced myself to run -forward- since you're required to jump out to complete the mission.

[Kon]

Insane, n00bs!

 

OK, I play the Main Campaign on Medium and user-made campaigns on Easy.

[Javito1986]

Well I've been making my first play through of the Derelict campaign and it's been exclusively on insane difficulty. I'll tell you guys, it's not easy but -damn- is it rewarding. The dogfights are incredibly fast paced, death comes quickly, and you need to learn to rely on your wingmen and on fire support from cruisers in order to survive. About the worst thing that you can do is allow yourself to be drawn away from the capital ships or your wingmen and pounced upon by Shivan fighters. You really need to be able to avoid missiles too because the Shivans use them liberally, and beam weapons from capital ships are capable of crippling or killing you in one blow.

In other words, I love it. It just makes me appreciate the game so much more. Especially the wingmen AI. Earlier today I was going after a freighter, but between me and it was a whole squadron of Maras. So I had my squad form around me and we charged the Shivans head on, and you guys should've seen the amazing 3.6.9 RC7 visuals that ensued as I had to duke and weave my way through exploding Shivan fighters as the friendly AI pilots tore right through them on the first pass, and then I was through and had a clear shot at the transport. It reminded me of that little moment in the opening of Revenge of the Sith when the clone fighters start shooting their way through the droid fighters to clear a path for Obi-Wan and Anakin. It was just an amazing moment.

And that's why I love the Freespace games, and why I'll be playing on insane exclusively from now on. Sure I die more often, but it beats mundanely plowing through swarms of fighters like some super ace. Lately I've only been scoring 2 - 3 kills per mission and that's because I've been generous with the harpoon missiles.

[Excalibur]

I remember the first time I played the SOC mission. I didn't know what was going on and died in very easy.

I quickly worked out that the myrmidons were "traitors" and shot them while they were still friendly.

And also Love The Treason. There never is enough time to kill all the green ships beside Snipes or whatever he's called.

[Turey]

I remember the first time I played the SOC mission. I didn't know what was going on and died in very easy.

I quickly worked out that the myrmidons were "traitors" and shot them while they were still friendly.

And also Love The Treason. There never is enough time to kill all the green ships beside Snipes or whatever he's called.

[Excalibur]

What does that mean?!@$%^&*(# (no, its not bad laungauge)

[FlyingBadger]

It means you brought this thread back from the dead, as it ran its natural course about six months ago.

[S-99]

what'd he mean by green ships?

[Wobble73]

what'd he mean by green ships?

I think he means the NTF ships in that mission, they're green on the IFF until you turn traitor!

[S-99]

Ok now that makes more sense I like how V made that mission, where you could play it out fighting all those myrmidons by yourself (i've done that a couple of times...never fun), or where you can go ultimately backstabby and kill your guys to have an aeolus warp in. The only downside to going sir backstabby is that your other guys in that mission won't care about getting wiped out, they keep taking out turrets and cargo mindlessly while you wipe them out

[Bob-san]

Can we stop this now, children? This thread died 6 months ago... how dare you revive it!! Make a new one if you want discussion...

[Wobble73]

What does that mean?!@$%^&*(# (no, its not bad laungauge)

It may not be bad language, but that is! 

Oh and Bob-san, this thread has already been revived, it's too late now! 

[Sandwich]

If there is intelligent, on-topic discussion going on in a thread that's been necro'd, I'm fine with it - within reason (exact definition of "within reason" withheld for admin ambiguity ).

[Grizzly]

Hard/Medium

[Bob-san]

This is the Monster of Doctor Excalibur. It shall here forth be forever known, incorrectly, as Excalibur. (Kudos to those who know what I'm talking about, and no it's no quote)






Anyways... I play on Insane... that includes play testing my own campaign on said difficulty level.

[Polpolion]

only one necro beam was necessary.

And I am still working on hard.

[Wobble73]

Easy dropping down to Very easy on missions like Bearbaiting because I'm POOP! 

[Bob-san]

The game is easier on Insane... that is if you're good at avoiding stuff with 0 CFs. Your best friend against missiles is your afterburner. Every missile incoming you can shoot right over. Oh, and your wingmen (generally) last longer.