Difficult mode on a first run ?

[Ostinato]

Was this a good idea ?
I didn't progress much, I just finished the jobs for Rais and Set the gas for Jeff.
The running agressive zombies began to spawn in countless numbers, I just cannot even reach the target of my new mission (fedex some therebantine in the hangar for Zaid) without being killed by them.
I hardly survive with regular Zs because my weapons just break after 1/2 zombies killed and never have enough metal pieces to repair several times... But when those runners come it's just instant game over. Eventualy I have some luck and throw them from a high roof, but as they sometimes are several at the same time I just cannot progress.

Do you think it is possible on a 1st run ?
I always set max difficulty on 1st run on games like Metro 2033/LL, Wolfenstein, Bioshock etc. etc. (because I hate doing a game several times)
But this one, wow WTF is that difficulty ?? A chance this time I felt like "nightmare" didn't smell good when I launched it !

[Lar Dass]

You need to farm and grind more before doing missions. Try dockets and leveling up crane

[Kunovega]

There's no point in playing above normal difficulty on your first play through of the game, you get nothing out of it, it's just arbitrarily harder with zombies that take longer to kill because you don't have end game weapons

The higher difficulties are there for replay value only

[Manticore]

I started with Hard since beginning and never lowering the difficulty and honestly it's not really a fun ride but a quite challenging nonetheless, that's why i know Nightmare would be too much for me because i can't even handle Hard difficulty properly at early levels..
My advise if you feel it's not fun at all, just try Normal and once you progress better, you can increase the difficulty..

[stcaFylnO]

Different strokes for different folks. I happen to despise Hard, play Nighmare the most, but love the enhanced Survivor Sense and radar in Normal. Initially, I played a partial game on Normal then switched it to Nightmare (after learning the basics). I have started multiple new Cranes, all on Nightmare with no problem, but I've got a lot of meta-information to compensate for poor twitch skills.

Start a different save game on another difficulty. Test the difference, see which you prefer. Keep the old game for progress toward achievements and outfits, since a full Nightmare run will unlock the Hard ones also. You cold use advanced options to start from any unlocked quest point in your other save.

From what is stated in OP, I'd recommend a change in approach. Without going into one of my massive novels, here are 5 tips for all early game difficulties:

1) Regardless of difficulty setting, approach early game like it is survival horror. Escape & evasion is key. Keep this in mind if power leveling, since enemies & weapons scale with Survivor ranks.

2) Skills kill. Use combinations of skills... see "Italian Plumber" achievement for an example. Less durability is lost with one-shot kills. Crane thrives off of skills, but don't ignore crafting.

3) Environmental hazards can kill ridiculous volumes of enemies. Lure, kite, kick, and use skills to increase kills per second.

4) Save weapon durability for when they are necessary, like during random escort missions.

5) Runners (virals): Kick them off tall ledges, since the normal kick does not drain stamina, even on Nightmare. Stomp will be greatly appreciated. This could become a novel, so I'll stop here.

[Reginald CZ]

As you are weak in the beginning, don't play higher difficulty than normal at least for first playthrough.

[Poppi !!]

The game's you've mentioned above ( which I've played extensively ~ just finished Wolfenstein again ), hold your hand and attempt to give the illusion of " difficulty " through periodic sequences of predictable enemy engagement, etc., while loading you up with weapons.

Dying Light doesn't. Hard is actually...hard. You've gotta find your own weapons and supplies. Until you stack up some decent skills, your gonna get punished.

[Ostinato]

Thanks for the answers !
I just tried again using your advices. I managed to get to the hangar unnoticed by the virals and avoiding breaking my weapon (simple hammer... :/) on zombies.
I was just behind the human on the roof, still in stealth, great, and I discovered I can't do a stealth kill until level 13 (I'm level 5)
Well, I think I will just give up...
Maybe I should have made all side quests as soon as they popped but now it's too late, I have to make them with the virals behind me so I can't really level up...

[Poppi !!]

Don't give up man 👎

You know, it's not necessary to complete missions to increase your level. Just go " free roaming " for awhile and the perks come quite rapidly. Plenty of XP to grab.

While your stocking up on supplies and weps ~ jump and climb for Agilty points ~ kill zeds for Power points and you'll be grabbing better perks in no time.

There's a balance between leveling up sufficiently and taking on new missions. You simply need to find yours. You can leave missions your not prepared for and come back when you are.

[@ndy]

while i dont rember how i started by now, i gone nightmare right of the bat, but all i can really is rember the game got really easy once you got the stomp on the head finisher /dont rember name) from strangh lvls wich was soon after prologue
ed: btw i still dont use melee weapons an i am legend 20 by now i also have goldens +kings from prison but meh never really used them since even now you cant really one hit kill them (tho i am taking fast rather than heavy wpns) [ /spoiler]

[stcaFylnO]

Good job progressing!


If you feel stuck, it is possible to backup in the game without starting from the beginning (retain character state, including loot), start a new game from unlocked quest points (new scaled Crane), or even change the difficulty setting in either case:

Ensure that no DLC quests are actively tracked, exit game and go to "Main Menu" > click on "Play" > click on "Play Campaign" > highlight the save file of choice, or "New Game" slot, but do not click "Play" > click to activate "Advanced" > choose to "Restart From Quest", or "New Game From Quest" > click "Select" > choose difficulty and click "Select". If it is a new game, a level scaled Crane will spawn (level varies: 3-15).

Scale Level, Quest Point
03, 03, 03 First Assignment
05, 05, 05 Pact with Rais
06, 06, 06 Siblings
07, 07 , 07 Demolition
09, 09, 09 Arena
10, 10, 10 The Saviors
10, 10, 10 Find the Embers
10, 10, 10 Public Face
12, 12, 12 Rendezvous
12, 13, 13 The Museum
13, 14, 14 Broadcast
14, 14, 14 The Clinic
15, 14, 14 Extraction


Additionally, the game suffers from corruption issues, so it is wise to archive saves and profile. There are reports of people losing all progress, and even all their loot. Backups are also useful in case of other bugs, like the persistent seizure effect during "Public Face". In your case, you could revert to any specific point desired, including checkpoints.

File path: ...\Steam\userdata\<SteamUserID#>\239140\remote\out


edits - proofreading

[Ostinato]

Hey thank you guys for all the advice.
I farmed xp for a long time yesterday and today everything is going way easier.
I also noticed I was trying to do a "difficult" side quest :faceplam:
I just got the "Climb/Run on ennemies" and the upgrade of weapon durability skills (sorry I don't know the names, playing the game in french) and understood how to deal with virals, now going from A to B and doing easy/intermediate side quests is possible !
I can't wait to have the takedown skill and stealth human ennemies outposts !

[Poppi !!]

...👍...

[stcaFylnO]

NIce!

[dozia]

That is how it started out for me in story mode First Mission. I found a fix.

Go to Main Menu(not pause menu while in game) >Options -> Online -> Community Event Participation then turn off participation

[MadBone12]

Originally posted by dozia:

That is how it started out for me in story mode First Mission. I found a fix.

Go to Main Menu(not pause menu while in game) >Options -> Online -> Community Event Participation then turn off participation

This thread has nothing to do with community events. Don't resurrect old threads unnecessarily - there already dozens of newer threads on the topic of the community event.