Is there any way to change the difficulty?

[Ekaj Tactless]

As in the title.

[Zidders 'Rockin' Bard' Roofurry]

No. Difficulty ramps up depending upon the value of your ship and components. To make it easier run with a less powerful ship. To make it harder get a more powerful ship and weapons.

[Stromko]

In my experience difficulty depends greatly upon what star system you are in. If you're having too hard of a time in one sector, sneak into the next one and buy a next level shield generator and armor, then come back.

Does it actually just increase with total value of your ship? That's terrible. It explains why Dreadnaught play is so incredibly unfun, aside from the obvious that it wasn't playtested at all since it would take players 20-40 hours to get to it anyway.

However, sector definitely makes a difference. I remember running into Valeria and suddenly there were enemy dreadnaughts all over the place.. then again, now that I have enough to buy a Polaris, there are dreadnaughts all over the place regardless. I just assumed that was linked to story progression.

[nannerpuss]

If you check out the modding discussions, I think someone has already modded it to make it harder. I think the whole concept of being able to jump systems and get upgrades, then go back, really made the game way too easy. But if you can not do that, and try only taking high risk missions, you will die and/or fail missions frequently. Still not the same, but right now it's the only way to make things hard.