LadyDay

Awww, I'd like to meet and play with you too! We are indeed on the same wavelength I think. 
I know I've been absent. I haven't been gaming for a while., except for The Sims 4. That's why I've not been here. Generally sometimes I play a lot, sometimes not so much. Other hobbies take my time too and I'm an artist, so I spend a lot of time drawing and painting. But I still exist 😀

Either you or @LadyDay (who I haven't seen in some time), because I always feel like I'm on a wavelength with both of you and like we'd have a great time. I also relate to you because of matters of disability. Gaming gives both of us a breathing space, and it'd be fun to share it.

Good to know you still exist :) Well, even if you're not actively gaming a lot, we'd still love to see more of you around here! 

@kingpotato and I were talking about difficulty settings on Skyrim in another thread, and how we both felt compelled at one point to play the game on the Legendary setting.
It got me to wondering how folks usually select a difficulty level at the start of a game, or what leads one to raising or lowering it in the middle of a playthrough.
I would say that my goal is usually to have the difficulty setting so that the harder fights in a game are just at the edge of my capabilities. That way, I'm challenged to improve my abilities, but in a way which isn't overly frustrating.
How do you decide on your difficulty level? Do you want to be challenged only with the harder fights, or with all of your fights? Do you want a game to be extremely hard, or just hard enough to keep you growing your skills? Or would you rather a game be relatively easy?
@kingpotato @Alyxx @The Blackangel @DylanC @Executor Akamia @xXInfectedXx @SpaceExplorer @skyfire @UleTheVee @LadyDay

It will be Fallout New Vegas as per recommendation of @StaceyPowers

It will be Fallout New Vegas as per recommendation of @StaceyPowers

I nominate @The Blackangel @kingpotato @DylanC @UleTheVee @xXInfectedXx @Alyxx @Executor Akamia @killamch89 @LadyDay
All have been very active contributing to conversation this month!

Thank you for always wanting to include the noob! 🙂
I really get more invested the more I play the game. The more I get to know the character and the more I see the story unfold and the more I'm entertained by it basically. Take Skyrim. The storyline is good, but what's really gotten me invested is getting to know the amazing world more and more as time has passed. With Left4dead, as far as I remember, I got invested because the game is just hilarious (and I was playing it with a great friend - whi I unfortunately don't have him anymore). The Sims I get invested the more I develop the characters, which takes time. As far as I can remember I never really got invested in Borderlands or Portal 2, but I also only played them shortly, so long ago I don't actually remember what the games were like. So yeah, a combination of time, commitment, entertainment and story. 

I'm an amateur writer. I've finished 2 novels, a few short stories, and a shitload of unconventional poetry. I don't know if that counts as a craft or not, but I enjoy it because I get to be god (or in my case goddess) and do whatever I want to the characters. I can get out my frustrations and be as cruel or kind as I want.

That pretty much sums up my view of this issue. 
I also think that there is a nuance in this topic which we keep bringing up, but not necessarily pointing out, which is a difference between "difficulty" and "accessibility."
I mean, even on an "easy" mode, Sekiro/Souls/etc probably would never really be playable/accessible for me because the entire structure and play style of the game doesn't suit my abilities. Both my executive function and performance anxiety will always get in the way along with my general personality.
I don't think a dev can do anything about that--that would be one of those impossible challenges @DylanC mentioned.
But I still don't see a problem with providing an "easy" mode so that those who could feasibly get something great out of playing a game like Sekiro or Souls on a lower skill level can enjoy it.
I also don't think it should be a requirement, but I see no good reason not to do it.
Mostly, I am bothered by arguments which boil down to, "My enjoyment of this hard game is contigent upon others not being able to beat it on their level."
It seems most sensible (and decent) to derive enjoyment from one's own experience, not from another person being deprived of their lower-skill equivalent of that experience.

Once again, DlyanC says exactly what I've said before in a less aggressive manner.
But still, I SAID THIS BEFORE GUYS COME ON!

I am not questioning the developers right to create exactly the game they want, I am questioning the necessity of it. 
I can't say I know my gaming history enough to know about these games lowering difficulty or this game Cuphead. I'm a complete noob.

I still don't see why a game shouldn't have an easier mode if it should have an extremely extra legendarily hard mode? You can make the "normal" setting hard and still have an easier mode. This is not the same as developers lowering difficulty across all settings. Of course the game should have an extra hard mode along with the easier mode.
Unless it's a fear of losing bragging rights because less skilled players beat the game too? That can be amended by pointing out that one used the extra hard mode while doing the bragging.

I once again find myself agreeing with you. As you know, I have disorders that means I don't have the reaction speed, multitasking capabilities, concentration etc. of the average person. I don't like the idea of being excluded from enjoying good games because of this. I can't just "git gud".  

I find that is the games you describe pander to the sort of elitism of people being so intend of being snowflakes that they suddenly don't like something anymore if it becomes too popular with a larger crowd, even if it's exactly the same game that they fell in love with in the beginning. Is it necessary to have games that force being a niche by only allowing people without f.ex. disabilities that lower reaction speed significantly (like me) to enjoy it. Why should I not be allowed to enjoy a niche game? Of course the game creators have a right to create games like this, but I don't think it's particularly something to be proud of. 

You're my designated Fallout mentor 😄 

I think the idea would be an app which would "gamify" real life but be customizable based on one's needs. I too certainly would be angry at the thought of needing to meet unreachable task standards (I have a restricted amount of "energy/willpower units" on many days due to chronic pain), but I wouldn't mind if real life were more ... well, rewarding. Games do well activating a dopamine response, but real life chores do not. And even with my disability, I must rely largely on myself to exist :/
Incidentally, dopamine helps to reduce pain, so anything that spikes it can help me with my life. I often feel better while gaming. I think this is largely because it is night time, but I sometimes wonder if the dopamine effects of gaming also help.

This I believe I agree with. I think my position is that I would hope developers aim at making games accessible to less skilled people too, but of course it should not prevent the developers from creating their vision. I have to agree with you both on this (Dammit 😄 ). 

That is a good argument. Touché. 

It is... Because I don't think any less of you for thinking the opposite of what I think. We're just having friendly debate and that's all that matters.

There is a game style I bet none of you guys have chosen. Butt naked Wabbajack!!!  There is nothing scarier than a naked dragonborn with a random magic stick terrorizing Whiterun.

Yes. Everything is straight forward.
I haven't been here long enough to notice that.
Dunno.
Yes. It's approachable and simple.
Yes, it was easy and I didn't experience any errors.
 
Yes, very. Especially @StaceyPowers has been wonderful. She's a big asset.

Minesweeper 😄 Does that count? 

Thank you. You've given me such a warm welcome! I'll make sure to play some more games 🙂

That's awesome, I'll have to get that! Steam also have 50% on Oblivion today, so I'm ending up with a nice little Elder Scrolls collection!