Dev, i'm so disappointed RUNNER is no longer for me.

[syruphant]

I finally admit that after 18 hours of play. For me dev, the game has become too hard, and is now frustration instead of fun.

I really don't understand the supposed gain by getting rid of the difficulty choice. Why reserve the game to hardcore players ?

Of course you will say that easy mode is just ending levels, normal mode is getting gold and hard is getting gems.
But first of all, the game never say that clearly. I had to read in the forum to understand what you dev wanted. For me it is a flaw.
Second, i think it's a terrible idea, because the gold gives a hint of the good path, and the music it does when you get it, is also a feedback you can't have if you just try to end the levels. The game IS design to make you get the gold.
Third it is very unsatisfying too see 0/100 gold or 0/25. When you look the game from the perspective of a casual or even regular player like me, you can't feel rewarded. The game gives you the message that you fail short. Even if you try to get 100% gold in a world, you need to make the "impossible" levels ! I try for an hour on the first one and never pass the 4 steps with obstacles. So i have to accept the fact i will never 100% a world. Of course it discourages me to even get the gold in regular levels. Why don't just make a separate world with the "impossible" levels ? Everybody would be satisfied. Hardcore would still have extremely hard levels to master, and regular players won't feel they can't really complete the game.

Then i try Runner2, to remember if i was just more patient at the time. And i realise many things.
1. Runner 3 is way more beautiful than the 2. I forgot how simple the graphics were. You expended your universe in every way and it is terrific.
2. You still have the level design science (even if i don't like the free part in Runner3, it's like another game, loses consistency. Why don't put the vehicules on a sort of rail. For instance the plane should be controled on 5 parallel layers)
3. The levels were way shorter ! And it does change a lot. I'm pretty sure, with the same difficulty level in Runner3, but on shorter levels or with a second checkpoint from world 2, my feeling would have been VERY different. Pretty sure i would have had more fun, just because hard parts would have been cut in smaller slices. This is why the game Celeste has its success. The difficulty is screen by screen. Even the save system allows you to quit a level anywhere you want.

That's why Runner 3 feels so fustrating. For example, at the very end of the level 2-5, you have a very fast section. But if you miss one gold or gem, you have no ennemy or hole to fall before the finish line. So you can't try this difficulty and try to figure out the perfect sequence if you don't re play the level from the very beginning each time !

In the end, the best part of the game are the retro challenges... And i'm pretty sure i get there more satisfaction because the levels are short (even if i have a sluggish feeling when i end the levels, because the music keep on playing. It is very strange, it's like you don't feel you end a level).

I played Runner 2 for 27 hours, and make it 100% in normal mode. I have a lot of fun and an intoxicating experience.
I played Runner 3 for 18 hours. End the game. But never feel intoxicated or rewarded (we need to unlock retro challenge by getting gold and/or gems. Not by replaying levels randomly to find a vhs somewhere). And I needed a completion feeling. I replay the levels in world one for 100% gems. But never get the one in the "impossible" levels. So in the end, i don't feel i accomplish anything. And i don't want to play the game anymore. I decided to quit. The game leaves me with a frustration feeling only... I felt excluded by it and i'm very sad.

[awp]

We're actually in the middle of adding additional difficulty levels, if you wanna wait for those!

[RenStar]

I hope the different difficulty levels don't really change the level design or take off gold and gems from it, just give us more checkpoints and that's perfect, I still want to play the levels with their original level design, because the level design in this game is really good
Also, I love that you guys are listening to feedback and adding difficulty levels in the game, thank you so much

[Link_Z]

As long as you don't need to do everything again in lower difficulties for 100% (in case you add more achievements) I'm fine with this.

[awp]

@Link_Z you are correct; the other difficulty modes will not be required in any way to get achievements etc. If you're happy with the difficulty currently present in the game you can completely ignore the easy mode and you'll be none the worse for wear!

[Link_Z]

Yay! Thanks awp.

[ToxicBoo]

Something tells me easy mode won't alter the impossible levels at all, am I right?

[RenStar]

I hope they do, is literally the only levels I think need extra checkpoints actually
To be honest all I want easy mode to do is to add checkpoints, the level design is good already

[Link_Z]

if impossible levels get easier difficulties they'll lose their charm and sense of challenge.

Just my two cents.

[RenStar]

Impossible levels need more checkpoints to be less annoying, I don't want they to change the level design, just more checkpoints so I don't have to repeat the same thing over and over again because the levels are too long and it gets tedious and not fun

[akhsavi]

Originally posted by awp:

We're actually in the middle of adding additional difficulty levels, if you wanna wait for those!

I don't have this game yet, so, probably, my opinion doesn't count, but I have no fcuking clue why do you need another difficulty - just add checkpoints like it was in R2's longer levels and that's it.

Those who like to stroke their ego and, apparently, have to much leisure time to please their gamepad's erogenous zones beating the same level for hours would just jump over them to get their so-called challenge, but people with actual jobs and responsibilities will be more than grateful.

[Pink]

I do plan to play this game eventually, and I'm with Link_Z on this one.

Add whatever you'd like to the game to ease things for those who struggle, and at the same time include an achievement to beat the game on the highest difficulty - which will generate even more replay value among players.

[awp]

@akhsavi - funny you should say that, as that is EXACTLY what we are doing for the easier difficulty - adding checkpoints, for the most part. We're going to do some testing and as always take all the feedback we get into consideration!

[RenStar]

I love you guys so much

[Inoss🐙]

+ 1 for new achievement for the current difficulty... if everyone can 100 % the game with easy mode... you will make sad hardcore gamers who actually like the difficulty of Runner 3...

[syruphant]

@awp: thank you for trying to accomodate the game to more players. "additional difficulty levels" like in new stage or new difficulty setting ?
Anyway, i'm pretty sure adding checkpoints is able to make the difficulty fun again. So i'm curious to try that and wait for it.