Clarify advantages to higher difficulty levels; need FUN

[wargovichr]

I wish game designers would clarify the advantages of playing higher difficulty levels. Other than tailor making the game to one's own capabilities (the challenge) and the swagger of leading as general, fieldmarshall, or whatever, what's the fun? The enemy units are stronger, more experienced, and numerous, yes. It seems that better SE units may or may not be available. There certainly is LESS prestige points.
Why not MORE prestige points? Why not unexpected in-battle reinforcements, the ability to purchase them (request help from HQ) or utilize them for a limited number of turns, a higher core # level., the reward of an auxiliary unit being added to core after a win...all the things that a brilliant high level commander might expect rather than LESS prestige and GREATER misery only? Where's the fun?
These CHANGES would make the game more FUN on replay at higher difficulty levels.I would imagine there are a lot of first time purchasers that rampage around the world at sergeant level, then quit the game because they figure...what's the point....?
Need clarification.
Need FUN.

[KeldorKatarn]

Well... first of all... you cannot just say "It's no fun". It may be no fun for you, other people, including me, seem to have great fun on higher difficulty. Fun is something very subjective. Look at Dark Souls. That game for me is just highly frustrating (admittedly mostly because I hate the controls, I'm a PC man), but loads of people love that game because of its difficulty level. Others just find it frustrating and no fun at all.

The fun in PzC difficulty levels is the same. I don't get what the fun in Manstein is, when all enemy units have 15 points either, but some people seems to greatly enjoy that challenge and even want more. I rather play at FM or Rommel and enjoy the less prestige, less XP challenge. I guess it's all up to ones personal preferences. My skill level is high but not high enough to play every scenario and win it on first playthough. TO not make me start over and over and over I stick to FM and Rommel. Guderian I find too stressfun, Manstein too frustrating. But hey, nobody ever said playing on the highest difficulty level was supposed to be fun for everybody.

If its too frustrating for you, just play a lower level, what's the problem? sure there could be more difficulty options maybe with different kinds of challenges, but the ones you suggest are just not doable. I'm a game developer myself and I can tell you that intrudicing optional reinforcements and stuff like that to every scenario would just be a nightmare to develop. A scenario would have to be tested and balanced with all these options, does a player buy reinforcements, does he not.... it's hard for slitherine to find testers anyway from what I hear, so that's just not possible in the time and with the manpower for the price that they're offering the game for. And even for more money, balancing something like that is just a huge nightmare.

So yeah, I think the game already offers more adjustable difficulty leels than most games. And yes some are just frustrating for most players, but some enjoy it a lot. And for those, like me, there's always the other difficulty settings. Why does it always have to be "I have to win this on every level possible". Why? Just play at the level where fun and challenge are nicely balanced and forget about the rest. Just have fun!

[Musashi]

I agree with both post. At first I was VERY disappointed in getting even harder to play levels vs maybe a new scenario or fancy weapons. but now one of the new generals does get fancy weapons. So I can beat the game at every level but Manstein, The units are 15 and I just get mauled with core units blowing up on counter attacks and even plain attacks. I sure hope there is something cool about Manstein, as I'm really getting hammered here. Of course I'm not a baby, heck I've beaten the other two uber generals and most of that at decisive.

[2010sjones2010]

I think that the great thing that the developers have done is to include sooooo many variables from cheat codes to changing files that you can adjust your own play settings to introduce as much fun into the game as you want. For example I used the cheat code to enable me to have maximum prestige and all available equipment, and kicked ass right from the out set of DLC '39. Great fun . The higher difficulty levels are really there for you to hone your new found skills and develop as a player. The emphasis on fun changes more towards satisfaction on accomplishing victories at a harder level