A while ago, there was a thread on what constitutes as a good Easy/Normal Mode; OP made their game with Hard Mode in mind, so they asked what the purpose of Normal Mode should be.
https://feuniverse.us/t/what-makes-a-good-easy-normal-mode/25317
I answered that ideally, Normal Mode should be used introduce areas where players can learn and exploit the mechanics. It should purposefully have wiggle room that can allow alternative strategies so that the players feel like they gamed the system, when in reality that was all intended. The issue then, arises, on how to build the walls of challenge on a standard foundation. Plenty of games, official and fanmade, not just in Fire Emblem, have the problem of simply raising stats and levels and calling it a day. Sometimes, this can backfire and cause unintended issues. For example, in FE6, Rutger starts off as an enemy, so his stats naturally increase, making him an invaluable asset in Hard Mode runs. Meanwhile in Pokémon Black and White 2, the way the experience formula worked meant that Challenge Mode was actually easier than Easy Mode; constantly facing foes of higher levels meant that you were far less likely to be underleveled unless you constantly swapped out Pokémon. Even if you have the stats perfectly tweaked, some people just aren’t interested in playing the game again, but with just a little extra tedium. Since you already made Hard Mode, I presume that you already have a good idea on what obstacles you want to place and what scenarios should exist that challenge the player. That being said, I would like to propose some ideas:
-Quantity is sometimes a quality all by itself. Have you considered alternative enemy formations? Switch things around. Maybe swap around a few classes and weapons if you feel like it.
-Provide alternative scenarios, not just harder scenarios. If you really want an incentive to attract people, don’t be afraid to create new situations or chapters FE8 is simply * chef’s kiss * when it comes to this. Ephraim Mode is considered by many to be harder than Eirika Mode, but you didn’t really know that when you first played. Instead, it just gave you two different routes that ultimately converge. At the same time, it also provided different perspectives into the story, which together form a relatively more complex understanding of the heroes and Lyon. Now, this can be a bit tricky, especially when it comes to FE6 reworks. Some people try to have Roy and co. go through Ilia and Sacae, and I can kind of see why. But instead of sweating bullets on trying to write together a whole new plot, why not just edit individual chapters at a time? Change up the geography or make it so that a character appears earlier. Make sure that Lunatic Mode is really an Arranged Mode that provides room for the players to put their skills to the test.
-Plot out your vision and stick to it. At the end of the day, not everyone will see eye to eye. Some people pick up FE8 and play one side and then never play it again. But often at times, games (especially fangames) tend to do worse if they try to appease to a fastidious audience that 90% of the time doesn’t understand how game design works. Focus on one thing that you want to experiment on, and then work from there.
4 Likes