On wich difficulty should I play?

[AdrianEon31]

To me this is a hard question. Grinding for resources, making farms, building your dream base, finding your perfect planet, ships and MTs takes A LOT of time which is why I wouldn't do it three times (once on each difficulty).
Each difficulty has its pros and cons.

The problem with Normal is that it's too easy, I only play that mode in expeditions, I don't feel I'm achieving much by making progress there but it has the most players so it's easier to play with friends who's main progress is made in Normal.

Survival feels good, challenging but not too hard, it's the difficulty on which I started playing NMS so I feel used to it but less guides and tutorials apply to this mode and it has less players and fewer of my friends play this mode.

Permadeath is like the ultimate challenge and it's the only mode on which I've reached the center of the galaxy, I rushed it getting all glyphs before even unlocking the anomaly. Having a good base and making progress here would give you an amazing sense of achievement and it's the most you could make in the game but even less people play this mode and even if you found a group of friends to play with you are only one glitch away from losing everything (literally, one time I clipped through the ground, fortunately managed to load the last check point before dying).

So, wich should I choose? Which would you choose?
Leave your thoughts in the comments section down below, smash that like button and subscribe for more awesome content and don't forget to activate the bell so you don't miss any of my future uploads, buy my merch and support me at patreon .com/.......

[Creative Guy1]

You seem to gravitate towards Survival/Permadeath dismissing Normal as too easy. You love the feeling of accomplishment but don't like to 'take A LOT of time'. You would like to play with other players and friends but they don't play your preferred modes. This leaves you tied up in a somewhat paradoxical loop.
I have 4000+ hours of play over 2 steam accounts and challenge myself in different ways going from Zero to Hero as optimally (and quickly) as possible in all modes using different techniques and strategies. I have over 90+ saves and usually create 2 or 3 new ones each week. Sorry I can't help you choose your path.

[Rick]

I would start on normal, do the story to learn it then have a go at the others, stay away from creative, boring as...

[Dirak2012]

I hate the limited stacks from survival, so it's normal for me.

[Cora]

the limited stacks in survival make resource printing to dump in markets for easy cash all but removed from the game but there are glitches which print more money faster with even less effort available in all 3 of the main modes of the game so i cant source this as a reason to prefer survival. honestly compared to other games ive played regardless of mode NMS is too easy. permadeath is the only mode which forces you to consider consequences and this can and does lead to a very lonely experience which is in keeping with the main story of NMS.

i remember when survival was the normal mode but back then the game was so unstable and we didnt even have multiplayer and so it was a smart decision to create the new Normal mode with a kinder and easier experience so people could even taste the content. but now the game is very stable and there isnt anything to challenge the player regardless of which mode you play. you can kill anything and everything with 1 - 3 shots... run from or avoid any risks or dangers... and those dangers are few and far between and over in a split second. honestly considering all of this. Normal is the best mode for the game because when it all boils down to when you realize the game isnt going to challenge youthe only thing left is what the players bring to the table. as the playerbase finds pvp lackluster and unfun people in normal compete with building music and rare item collection... so the odd encounter with another player is the best thing about NMS and Normal has all the players. sooo...

[Wizard of Woz]

Originally posted by Dirak2012:

I hate the limited stacks from survival, so it's normal for me.

+1

[Know Won]

permadeath is fun till a known and ignored bug kills ya and you lose the save.

[Jon Tolec]

I play Survival. As others have said, if you play Permadeath a bug or little mistake will make you regret it. After gaining some experience there's not much difference between them anyway, you will go a long time between deaths in Survival. I have a three and out rule.

[Geldric™]

Complete Expedition 3 & continue on with that save as it will transfer over to a Normal save in like 9 -ish days.

You already mentioned that you got the permadeath achievement (only reason to play that mode iibh). So the stack size punishment of survival gets tiring very quickly. This is especially true if you plan on building anything other than a simple hut.

YMMV

[Power Button]

I've played on normal mode and I feel like I can do anything by only just my starter ship and exosuit. I dont see the urgency of building exocrafts or purchase a freighter.

I just recently tried survival mode and I have an unpopular opinion, I liked the limited stack.

I died a lot just to reach my ship in the begining of the game, and a lot more when I tried to repair it. It was a snowy planet with extreme wheather.

[Mr. Bufferlow]

At some point, you realize that survival mode is just normal mode with crappy inventory limits and a small strategy requirement to remember to keep your valuable stuff in the storage area of your suit.

If you want to do serial new game starts, it can help create more challenge to the game without being subject to death by a glitch endings that your get with PD.

If you want to play longer term, the value of survival mode goes way down from a challenge view. Unfortunately, it is just not that hard. A lot of players could not divine the mode if they were deposited in a 100 hour save that might be normal or might be survival. Until they played with the suit inventory or died, it would feel exactly the same.

If you really like that "my next step may be the end of me" vibe, go with PD versus Survival. But it will be frustrating when you eventually die from a glitch you had no control over. Make regular back ups and play with ethics and PD with a backup can give you what you want.

[Galadhlinn]

If you really want to discover what is the best difficulty for you to play at, start with permadeath and work your way down. Then it will all be in the proper context for you.

You can thank me later. 8-)

[Alcors]

Originally posted by AdrianEon31:

So, wich should I choose? Which would you choose?
Leave your thoughts in the comments section down below, smash that like button and subscribe for more awesome content and don't forget to activate the bell so you don't miss any of my future uploads, buy my merch and support me at patreon .com/.......

I tried normal but it was too easy and boring, so I switched to survival, I never had problems with limited stack and later on you will have many ships/vehicles anyway. I played permadeath only to get the last achievement. If you decide to play in survival mode and need money feel free to visit:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2218746332

[kutyax]

Originally posted by Dirak2012:

I hate the limited stacks from survival, so it's normal for me.

i am on the opposite side. after a few hundreds of hours spent in normal i started a new game in survival, and i really like the inventory management. another thing i like in survival there are no paradise planets. it is a bit contradictionary, but this way its easier to choose the place where you want to settle down, because there are not a lot of perfect ones. yes, a bit more difficult it is - but in 40 hours i reached the galaxy core, find my perfect planet with a settlement, and maxxed out my s-class fighter on the way.
if you want a bit more than just drifting along carelessly between the planets, i think survival fits well. i dont think it is challenging anyway for anyone who played video games before.
the only big difference between game modes is in survival you will lose all your items from your general inventory in case if you die. but you can store important stuff in the storage inventory, and if you survived the first hour and know game mechanics you wont die anyways.

[Dirak2012]

Originally posted by kutyax:

Originally posted by Dirak2012:

I hate the limited stacks from survival, so it's normal for me.

i am on the opposite side. after a few hundreds of hours spent in normal i started a new game in survival, and i really like the inventory management. another thing i like in survival there are no paradise planets. it is a bit contradictionary, but this way its easier to choose the place where you want to settle down, because there are not a lot of perfect ones. yes, a bit more difficult it is - but in 40 hours i reached the galaxy core, find my perfect planet with a settlement, and maxxed out my s-class fighter on the way.
if you want a bit more than just drifting along carelessly between the planets, i think survival fits well. i dont think it is challenging anyway for anyone who played video games before.
the only big difference between game modes is in survival you will lose all your items from your general inventory in case if you die. but you can store important stuff in the storage inventory, and if you survived the first hour and know game mechanics you wont die anyways.

I'm a wanderer at heart. I deeply despise building bases, so finding a place to settle is not an issue for me.