Hello everyone. I'm guessing a proper introduction would be in order. I've been haning around Destructoid now for quite some time, and during that time I've met some pretty cool people. In case you're wondering, I don't turn down any friend invites. I've been gaming from the age of three years old, since my little nubby fingers could press the buttons. I'm an easy going person with a great sense of humor and I live in the Chattanooga, TN area. As far as gaming is concerned, I'll play just about everything but sports games. I do have my favorites though. Action, Adventure, Platforming, 3PS (Third Person Shooters), and arcade style racers.
As I previously stated, I recently got my hands on Bioshock 2 after not having the chance to delve into it upon its release. Now, I don't play very many FPS titles at all. As a matter of fact, the first Bioshock was the first FPS I had beaten since the first Call of Duty. So, I started up a game on the Normal setting. I expected a challenge and that was fine but after getting my big metal ass handed to me a few times in a row I decided to drop it down to Easy. When I did, I get a warning about how lowering the difficulty would affect Achievements.
Why are developers still doing this at all? I could actually care less about achievements all together and it's my least favorite thing about todays consoles but to punish players for playing on Easy is just wrong. Just out of curiosity, I looked up the Bioshock 2 achievements and discovered that the only one I can't get is the one for beating the game on the highest difficult which I wasn't going to do anyway. That isn't so bad, but I have seen some titles lock out nearly everything just because you lower the difficulty. It's an absurd practice that needs to be put to rest.
Do you know what I discovered though? I enjoy the game far more on the Easy setting. I play games to have fun. Part of that fun in Bioshock 2 is being a Big Daddy and playing the game on the lower difficulty gives me the feeling of being pretty bad ass. Shouldn't playing as a Big Daddy feel like that? I'm sure those of you who have more skill at FPS titles get the same feeling from playing on Normal or higher but for me, I'm quite happy having fun on Easy and I intend to stay that way from now on regardless of the title I'm playing or what it does or doesn't do to earning achievements.
On a side note, screw you Mega Man series. I know there are a great many of you Mega Man fans out there and that's great for you but I learned something yesterday after downloading Mega Man 10 that I have suspected since the first Mega Man. I hate the Mega Man games. Want to know why? Because he's this advanced robot but he can't shoot straight up?! Really? Dr. Light couldn't give him rotating shoulder joints but he can give him a freaking arm cannon and make him able to absorb other robot's abilities? There are many other reasons I dislike the series other than that, of course, like the names of the enemy robots. Sheep Man? Come on! I don't have much experience with the X series, maybe it's much better, but the traditional Mega Man series frustrates the hell out of me. Sorry Mega Man fans, I wish I could share your love for the Blue Bomber, I just can't.
hahahahha, playing on easy is my secret shame....why? because videogames raised me with the belief that I'm weaker for playing that way, but if I can advance faster to enjoy the game, why can't I play on easy?
I'm a Medium/Normal guy myself. In fact, the only game I can remember playing on Easy in recent memory was Metro 2033, but in that case, I really had no choice :(
For something like Bioshock I can definitely see switching on easy and just taking everything in, but normally I put it on medium or hard just so a game can last me longer, it feels a bit empty if I blow straight through it. But maybe that’s just me, one time I was really enjoying a game and forgot to save when I turned it off, then when I found out I was ecstatic that it would last three extra hours before it was over.
Well, I just picked up the Zero Collection, and went right on to the normal mode. It wasn't too difficult for me, but after I died on the Final boss in Zero 1, I decided to try Easy mode. Total garbage. Seriously. You have at least 5x more health, all your weapons upgraded, basically infinite E tanks, and death spikes all covered up. It took all the fun out of the game for me.
I'd rather die a bunch of times and feel badass when I finally beat it, then blaze through everything without any challenge whatsoever.
The Achievements system is there as a reward system for gamers who complete a challenge. So same as a runner in the London Marathon wouldnt be eligable for a medal if he'ld only run half the way and caught a bus to the finish line, you dont deserve the same Achievements as gamers playing in a higher difficulty. Weather there should be a seperate set of rewards for playing in easy mode is another matter.
Personally i love playing difficult games like shmups for the challenge, im not into the whole achievements system since I personally dont need such a flawed epeen stroking system to tell me ive completed something hard, I know myself and that in itself is enough.
I usually start on the highest difficulty, then lower it if necessary. Partially for achievements, but also just to do it. I like proving to myself that I can beat CoD on Veteran, or suffer through an awful game like Infernal on hard mode. The Achievements/Trophies are, in theory, designed to reward skill. That's why lowering the difficulty often affects achievements.
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As I previously stated, I recently got my hands on Bioshock 2 after not having the chance to delve into it upon its release. Now, I don't play very many FPS titles at all. As a matter of fact, the first Bioshock was the first FPS I had beaten since the first Call of Duty. So, I started up a game on the Normal setting. I expected a challenge and that was fine but after getting my big metal ass handed to me a few times in a row I decided to drop it down to Easy. When I did, I get a warning about how lowering the difficulty would affect Achievements.
On a side note, screw you Mega Man series. I know there are a great many of you Mega Man fans out there and that's great for you but I learned something yesterday after downloading Mega Man 10 that I have suspected since the first Mega Man. I hate the Mega Man games. Want to know why? Because he's this advanced robot but he can't shoot straight up?! Really? Dr. Light couldn't give him rotating shoulder joints but he can give him a freaking arm cannon and make him able to absorb other robot's abilities? There are many other reasons I dislike the series other than that, of course, like the names of the enemy robots. Sheep Man? Come on! I don't have much experience with the X series, maybe it's much better, but the traditional Mega Man series frustrates the hell out of me. Sorry Mega Man fans, I wish I could share your love for the Blue Bomber, I just can't. 
I'd rather die a bunch of times and feel badass when I finally beat it, then blaze through everything without any challenge whatsoever.
The Achievements system is there as a reward system for gamers who complete a challenge. So same as a runner in the London Marathon wouldnt be eligable for a medal if he'ld only run half the way and caught a bus to the finish line, you dont deserve the same Achievements as gamers playing in a higher difficulty. Weather there should be a seperate set of rewards for playing in easy mode is another matter.
Personally i love playing difficult games like shmups for the challenge, im not into the whole achievements system since I personally dont need such a flawed epeen stroking system to tell me ive completed something hard, I know myself and that in itself is enough.