What's your default starting difficulty?

[3LANCER]

Normal. Except in games where it's a know fact that even normal is too easy, then I pick Hard.

 

[Zenn3k]

Normal

If it turns out to be too hard for me on that setting (which is rare), I'll lower it, likely because at that point I simply want to finish the game or finish the story I've become invested into.

Sometimes I'll increase the difficulty if normal is too easy that I'm feeling bored.

The only exception to this has been Fallout: New Vegas, which I ran on "Hardcore" the first time through, because its VASTLY more fun like that.

 

[L3W15 M]

Hard. Unless it ruins story by frustrating you every 2 seconds then move down to normal

 

[Deef]

If it's a plot oriented game, or something with a lot of scripted events where it's better if you keep up the pacing, then I will play on normal the first time, so I don't ruin the experience with frequent deaths. If if isn't that kind of game, or it's a game I've already beaten once before, then I will up the difficulty to the max for a challenge.

 

[Dethenger]

Depends on how many difficulties there are. If there's the basic Easy, Normal, Hard, I go for Normal; but in the case of, for example, Halo, and there's Easy, Normal, Heroic and Legendary, I go for Heroic, and do Legendary later (also applies to Recruit, Regular, Hardened, and Veteran in CoD).
In sum, I go for the one a step below the hardest.

 

[The Night Shade]

Normal once and then hardest difficulty

 

[Treblaine]

Normal.

That's the "normal" mode isn't it? The way the devs intended.

 

[pppppppppppppppppp]

I usually go one difficulty setting up from normal, but not the highest setting.

I'll go back down a difficulty if it's too hard, but I will never go below normal. I'll usually quit the game before going below normal.

 

[sune-ku]

I tend to go one down from the hardest - usually 'hard' if there's 4 options or 'medium' if there's 3. I like my challenges (and it makes games last longer) but also want to leave something for a second play through.

 

[King Toasty]

Usually normal. I like to work my way into a game.

Mass Effect 2 is fucking brutal, though. I'm only on hardcore and the husks are gangraping me. :c

 

[trigz04]

The hardest they I can play on.

 

[scar_47]

I usually go for hard I like the challenge but if it too tough I will knock it down to normal, if theres more than the big 3 I go fo the second hardest since in games like that the hardest difficulty is usually ridiculous.

 

[Fiad]

Most of the time normal, then will move onto a different difficulty once I beat it.

 

[RetardedKitty]

It depends.
Long time ago I just started to believe that 'Normal' difficulty is how the game was intended to work and how the game was made to work for proper experience, as the difficulty it self says 'Normal'
But it depends on the game for example Alan Wake, I know that for a lot of people that game was a disappointment but I loved the plot and the game it self so much before i even got it that i decided to start playing it on Hard from beginning and then i jumped to Nightmare and personally i wasn't disappointed because i decided to make the 'complete mission without using weapon' achievements on Easy level and they were so easy as just pure boring.

So usually Normal
Some game on hardest difficulty possible.
Very rarely on Easy

 

[loc978]

Normal, I prefer to learn the ropes in a game at its default setting. I'm boring that way. I will often set the difficulty up if I'm breezing through the game, though... but if I'm dying left and right, I continue to slug through it. I don't do easy.

 

[Peter Whitmore]

I usually always start on Normal difficulty. It's what the designers intended, right? If it's a rhythm game, I started on the lowest level of difficulty and work my way up.

And to all the people saying they play FPSes on the highest difficulty, I'd like to see you play Serious Sam on Mental difficulty.

 

[zuro64]

normal, medium or casual wich are the same difficulties but in different games!

 

[Hafnium]

Normal, almost always, even on second playthrough. I like games to be reasonable challenging, but not unfair like giving bonuses to enemy units in Total War-games, that bugs me a lot.. I'm also not interested or amused by dying all the time.

 

[EvilestDeath]

Normal because I like to see what the dev's think the average gamer is capable of. Unless there is a 4 difficulty scheme like Easy, Medium, Hard and Expert/Advanced/Veteran. In that case I chose the one above normal to get a challange but not take on the game where it is suppose to be for replay value.

 

[Knight Captain Kerr]

I tend to play games in normal. If i'm really good at the game i'll try hard I may also change settings of stuff. I have always played New Vegas on hard and hardcore and I play Bioshock with Vita Chambers off.