Why boost the aliens' aim and crit in classic?

[Euphytose]

I just started a second playthrough in classic and I noticed that the aliens crit a lot more. I checked the changes and sure enough, they receive bonuses. This is an artificial way of increasing difficulty, not fun at all. Simply removing the "dumb decisions" and making them always do the best move would have been enough. Should have kept those numbers options for impossible.

[Euphytose]

I read the interview, they did it because people always expect to hit past a certain threshold, and this was made to replicate the feeling without showing the numbers.

[Nefrogitis]

Originally posted by BaronBrixius:

its just a troll youre wasting your time XD

Your bed manners leave a lot to be desired.

[A Mongoose]

So having read this forum, let me get this straight.

People have been sending you direct links to the most in-depth XCOM wiki there is, to the exact page that details the differences between the difficulties, clearly saying how Classic is the most balanced difficulty, but since you're apparently a genius who knows everything about the game (except how to play on difficulties above normal where the game doesn't cheat in your favour), they and the wiki page, as well as everyone who edited that page (and by extension, possibly everything on that wiki and everyone who contributed to those pages) is wrong.

So back to the original question. Aliens' aim and crit chances are boosted in the harder difficulties because there are people out there who enjoy suffering.

[The Unmobable spés]

it´s classic man, prepare to suffer... A LOT. It´s intended to be hard. Original Ufo defense from 1994 was a real pain in the back on higher difficultys than normal. It´s just the way the game mechanic works.

[red255]

classic is fine. most of the enemies for the first few months have 4 or less HP. means you can't just grenade them. need to hit with a laser which most of them do 4-7 damage.

theoretically the aliens hit harder but you really shouldn't be letting them take shots.

[mike_hanna211]

Seems going from Normal to Classic is a huge step in difficulty.

NORMAL
Alien AI is shackled; Aliens can make sub-optimal actions and are less likely to use grenades and abilities.
The games will cheat for you on Normal difficulty, with 4 or fewer soldiers:
Chance to hit is 120% of displayed value.
For hits that have at least a 50% chance of hitting, chance to hit is increased by 15% (absolute) per consecutive miss, with no upper limit.
Alien chance to hit is reduced by 10% (absolute) for each consecutive.

Normal mode only
Missing a shot which had at least a 50% chance to connect adds +15% to the next such shot you make, cumulative. The counter resets when a shot hits, but otherwise has no cap.
If on easy with exactly four soldiers active, or normal with four or less, shots with a stated accuracy higher than 95% are capped down to 95% - unless they would reach 100% or more, in which case they are unaffected and should always hit

CLASSIC
Alien AI is unshackled; Aliens use grenades and special powers more frequently.
All aliens receive a +10 Critical Chance bonus.
All aliens that use ranged weapons receive a +10 Aim bonus.
Chryssalids and Zombies receive a +2 damage bonus.
Berserkers receive a +1 damage bonus.
Thin Man has damage reduced by 2 points and Health Points (HPs) reduced by 1 point.
Mutons, Heavy Floater, Drones, and Outsiders receive a +2 HP bonus.
Sectoid Commanders and Cyberdiscs receive a +4 HP bonus.
Sectoid Commanders and Ethereals receive a +25 Will bonus.
On the Enemy Within DLC, Muton Elites have 18 HPs on Classic, instead of 14 on the vanilla game.
Also on the EW DLC, Mechtoids have +2 HPs and +10 Aim than on Classic. Seekers have +10 Aim and +10 Defense.

TL;DR

Normal mode SLIGHTLY benefits X-COM, while Classic mode VASTLY benefits the Aliens. Classic is not fair at all, and as noted above gives NUMEROUS advantages to the Aliens, while giving none to X-COM.

Sources:
http://xcom.wikia.com/wiki/Game_difficulty_(XCOM:_Enemy_Unknown)
http://www.ufopaedia.org/index.php/Difficulty_(EU2012)
http://www.ufopaedia.org/index.php/Chance_to_Hit_(EU2012)#When_The_Game_Cheats...

EDIT: Normal mode only provides the above with 4 soldiers or less. So, using a 5 or 6 man team negates those hidden bonuses and provides THE FAIREST gameplay.

[Garou]

Just beat the game on classic today and it felt like challenge at times but in the endgame your soldiers get overpowered and with proper tactics you destroy the last mission. Just needed one sniper with double tap and good aim to take care of the most sketchy situations.

[[PHNX]Kordarus]

yawn...

This thread still going? I thought we settled this already and all agreed that Classic was the most balanced difficulty.

All the Best,

Gambia Dragon

[mike_hanna211]

Originally posted by PHNXKordarus:

yawn...

This thread still going? I thought we settled this already and all agreed that Classic was the most balanced difficulty.

All the Best,

Gambia Dragon

You didn't and I even linked the proof that Classic is not the most balanced using the links someone else in this thread provided. I just actually read what was in the links.

[Nefrogitis]

Their comprehension skills leave a lot to be desired, or maybe that English isn't their first language.

[Stardustfire]

sorry taking all that is on a wiki as fact is blantly sayed err.... naive?
like i already sayed its not that classic aliens get buffs, but normal aliens get DEBUFFS. when u want a proof look at MP Alien stats and u will find that MP Aliens have Classic dif. stats, not normal dif. stats. And that woud be a little weird if normal dif. was the wanted balance with no buffs like u read wrong at the wiki.

[asd]

Originally posted by Nefrogitis:

Their comprehension skills leave a lot to be desired, or maybe that English isn't their first language.

Your "bed" manners leave a lot to be desired as well.

[asd]

Classic doesn't vastly benefit the aliens, that's Impossible. Classic is the most balanced difficulty where neither side has any significant advantages over the other.
And even if the aim bonuses don't apply at 6 man squads, the AI is still "shackled", and they still make mistakes that they shouldn't normally make, letting you win easily. Not exactly fair. And the health and aim bonuses are much needed. You can kill a thin man with a single grenade on Normal.

[KatArus]

Idk why ppl like this game so much. No flashbangs (EW added them, ok), underbarrel grenade lanuchers, air support, medevac team, scout drones, or thermal visors, ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ don't even have the courtesy to give you live satellite feed on the operation area forcing you to go in blind. Your 'paramilitary' are just a bunch of shaking ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ that freak out and panic after any loud fart and can't even ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ shoot straight. It's like a ♥♥♥♥♥♥ game of chess where your opponent has 4x amount of pieces and your attempts to take them can either do nothing or randomly not do enough damage for a takedown. Not only you are at mathematical disadvantage, the game also cheats giving enemy stronger units for free regardless of your progress. Sure, you can beat the game. Eventually. At least, you can't run out of ammo?

[Stardustfire]

when u want to run out of ammo play the Originals UFO Defense and XCOM Terror from the deep, there u need ammoclips as well as long u dont use laser.