What's your default starting difficulty?

[Odysseous2]

If those are the only three choices (easy, normal, or hard), then I always start on hard.

If there are more settings (like very easy, very hard, etc.), then I always start on the second-to-hardest.

 

[monken8]

I always start on easy this makes it so that i can enjoy the story and get used to the game
if i like it enough to play it again i usually play on hardest to give my self a challenge

 

[Codeman90]

Depends on the game. Usually I always play on the average difficulty. The only games I'll ramp up the difficulty on right away are Civilazation Games and the Total War series. Those ones are too easy on normal difficulty.

 

[Chessrk]

Depends on the genre, but usually one of above the default difficulty.
I'd like to think:

Hard -> Genre Experienced

Normal -> Casual Gamer or New to the Genre

Easy -> No thinking/ No Patience/ Interactive Movie Difficulty

 

[Dimitriov]

Normally hard, this choice only becomes difficult if there are like five difficulty levels. For example: easy, normal, hard, very hard, insane.

In that situation I would generally start on the second highest difficulty level.

 

[Fishyash]

Normal basically. The main reason I pick normal is because the acctual difficulty will vary from game to game. For example, mass effect 1 I struggle on normal and mass effect 2 I find insanity easier than mass effect 1's normal.

I don't usually change the difficulty either until I beat the game. What if there's a massive difficulty curve?

But yeah I work my way up from normal (sometimes jump it up a couple of difficulties if the game was easy the whole way through) if the game is deemed worthy for me to play a second time.

 

[Kenny Kondom]

most games normal. If it is part of a series i have played before, hard. But RTS.... my god, you cannot win on certain levels of difficulty!!! maybe its because i suck and cant use the advanced macros, but Jee-bus Chris-t!

 

[Zeema]

Hardiest Option: For the trophies cuz im a Trophy Whore

 

[The Eupho Guy_v1legacy]

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

Agreed. Most of the time I play on normal difficulty, but when I started Torchlight, I chose Very Hard. I died a bit at the start, but by the time I reached the last boss it had turned in to "hold the right mouse button down and chug health/mana potions until everything falls over".

 

[Aethren]

Three difficulties? Hardest.

Four? Second-hardest.

 

[chase miller]

normal, if it's to easy i get bored really fast

 

[Dalek Caan]

Normal. So I have the challenge but can focus on the story. The the hardest then the easiest.

 

[Creator002]

Usually the easiest setting. If I don't start on the easiest, I will eventually switch to it.
I like getting the story quickly. Unfortunately, sometimes it means I don't get any better and any harder game will stuff me up on the easiest setting.
Dragon Age 2 is doing that to me right now. I'm stuck on a side mission, on casual.

 

[AdamRBi]

Again, depends on the game.

More then often though It'll be normal mode, even on a few games that I know I'm not good at. After that if I decide to play through again I lean one of three ways based on my experience.

If I found the game easy and fun to play and it's a genre I really enjoy I switch to hard.

If I never fully mastered the game, but feel like playing it again, I play again on normal.

In the rare case I loved the story to death and was ok with the gameplay I may switch to easy just to feel like a badassProviding the Easy mode doesn't involve hand holding. while I get to experience the story faster then the first time.

 

[Trivun]

I always go for the default option, or if I have to choose one, then I go for 'Medium' or 'Normal'. Basically, that gives me a challenge while not being too difficult, and I can always replay it on 'Hard' or 'Legendary' or whatever later if I need to for Achievements or whatever

 

[swenson]

Normal. And I refuse to change it. (the sole exception to that so far was once or twice in Dragon Age Origins in some particularly hard fights, but I only changed it for those and ultimately finished the game on normal difficulty)

In a game like Mass Effect where there's more than just three difficulties (in ME, I think it goes Easy/Normal-for-people-who-haven't-played-FPSes-before/Veteran-if-you-have/Hardcore/Insanity), I'll take the one that's just above normal. I like a bit of a challenge. But I typically leave it at that and don't bump it up to anything higher except for achievements.

 

[cgmetallica1981]

Always the hardest available. I don't know why, I just like it that way.

 

[PissOffRoth]

Depends on the game. Shooters I pick the hardest because that's the only difficulty that offers any kind of challenge. Other games with an actual learning curve, I start on the middle-most difficulty and work up from there.

 

[Twad]

I usually start at normal. The game is (i think) generally balanced at this difficulty.

Unless its a STALKER/Crysis game, where i play on master/Delta.

 

[Stall]

The one between normal and hard. If that doesn't exist, then I just go with normal.