Wintermute Difficulty? Opinions!

[elandry13]

So how would you guys rate the Story Mode in terms of difficulty?

To me, the amount of loot is somewhere between Pilgrim and Voyager, but more tuned towards Pilgrim. Weather is probably around Voyager level. The wolves are definitely Stalker in terms of number but more towards Voyager when fighting them.

The quests aren't too difficult, but I guess that depends on how well you handle those sorts of things. I have found it hard to find certain items though.

[SteelFire]

I'm going to say it also feels like a mix of difficulties. Once I hit Milton, there's plenty of stuff to gather and I already had a bunch of cattails by then too... but, that said, knowing what to look for and gather comes from sandbox experience. New players aren't going to find it as easy, same as they would with sandbox.

I haven't had much difficulty with wolves nor have I seen an over-abundance of them at this point, but again, I know to keep my eyes peeled. That said, the couple times I have been attacked, it has been with zero warning by a wolf approaching me from behind; no barks, no growls. Stealth wolves adds a level of difficulty to things.

[SunDrippedDevil]

Originally posted by SteelFire:

knowing what to look for and gather comes from sandbox experience. New players aren't going to find it as easy, same as they would with sandbox.

True. I wasn't thinking from the perspective of a new player.

[SteelFire]

Originally posted by AceGamer0011:

Originally posted by SteelFire:

...Stealth wolves adds a level of difficulty to things.

I believe the term for that is artificial difficulty lol...

I dunno, you could flip it and say that having wolves bark and growl before attacking is artificial simplification, since 1) wolves don't bark, and 2) predators generally don't alert their prey before attacking.

Honestly, I'm good either way they behave or if it's some mix of behaviors. I was just pointing out something that was different that added an element of difficulty over prior sandbox. *shrug*

[Lucid]

I have noted some sound issues, but mine has been wolves making easting noises after being chased off a carcass. It's unnerving to be all alone harvesting the carcass and hearing a wolf eating it.

In agreement on a hardmode option. Kind of hoping it's an unlock after playing through the story mode proper. But I didn't really want the game to be a hard scrabble on my first run through anyway. I'm enjoying exploring the new zones and taking in the story.

[Mud Crab Magistrate]

For new/inexperienced players, the difficulty will be challenging, but not too harsh. The level design in the town does a good job of letting the player learn how to get comfortable around wolves and how to exploit their patrol patterns/spawn cycles.

Personally, I haven't experienced any real difficulty so far. Then again, I did manage to survive over 200 days on voyager with enough supplies to survive pretty much indefinitely.

The only new challenge I had was with the reduced sounds the wolves make and how some wolves will eat the same carcass until you progress further in the story (Their eating sounds are bugged for me and persist even after they left).

[SunDrippedDevil]

Originally posted by AceGamer0011:

Originally posted by SunDrippedDevil:

True. I wasn't thinking from the perspective of a new player.

I think that's the crux of the issue Wintermute has for new/existing players. It can't simultaneously be easy enough for new players and challenging enough for experienced players with only 1 difficulty setting.

Well, that's what difficulty levels are for I suppose.

[SunDrippedDevil]

Originally posted by AceGamer0011:

Originally posted by SunDrippedDevil:

Well, that's what difficulty levels are for I suppose.

...and yet there isn't any.

Hinterland know that experienced players will breeze through Wintermute.

A simply 'beginner/experienced' toggle prior to starting the campaign would allow existing players to enjoy the story whilst managing harsher weather and fewer resources.

Perhaps this was something they wanted feedback for? Let's wait for a dev response.

[Squishdri]

Little confused on the wolf AI in this one, they seem to out right hunt you down for no reason, you could be a 100 feet away and one will come running at you from god knows where, it's silly.

[emavo]

Originally posted by Samurai Jack:

My experience in Wintermute is that the game's been turned back into Wolf Avoider Simulator.

Lmao, I definitely was getting deja vu flashbacks to the beggining of early access before the wolves chilled out.

[konodor42]

It is waaaaay too easy. I have been playing for 10 h now and didn't died even once, got attacked by wolf one time and have storged about 100 pieces of food. Feels like pigeon

[Prince of Jerusalem]

I don't understand why Hinterland didn't give us a difficulty option when starting story mode, I don't mind the cold or the loot scarcity but I do mind avoiding wolves all the time.

[SeniLiX]

Having played nothing but Stalker. Never even a minute of any other difficulty.

To me, it feels easier than what I usually play. The agro zones on the wolves seems more forgiving. So far, I haven't been attacked by any wolves yet, so can't say about the fighting.

[glynne]

A bit too easy. Stalker amount of wolves but they have such a low aggro radius now that they don't really bother me. Pilgrim levels of loot.

[Doze_D]

Wildlife = Stalker
Weather = Voyager
Loot = Pilgrim
Difficulty = Interloper

[glynne]

Anyone who thinks story mode is as hard as interloper has not played interloper.