Harder Arcade mode as an option/mode

[MrChocodemon]

I don't play much arcade mode but from what I read here, the general rule seems to be "make it harder".
What about the possibility to increase difficulty in small steps for a score multiplier.

Like if the player pays 100Essence or so to a character in the basis, you can unlock the difficulty.
This modifier would only increase enemy dmg and enemy health and gives a small score multiplier when the players dies/finishes.

That way, people who want it harder can make their own challenge, without the need for entire new difficulty settings.

(And for 250 additional Essence you can unlock "every enemy is elite")


To clarify: These options should be toggable somewhere and not be unlocked and permant from this point.
Somewhat like the classic mode in the new SuperSmashBros

 

[Own]

I gotta be honest, I hate it when developers increase difficulty in games by going 'Multiply their stats' and nothing else. All you do is make the game last longer to someone who already knows how to kill and survive everything.

Bastion had an amazing way of doing it: You go to the Shrine, you pray to the Gods and they increase your difficulty in very specific ways. Some of them are stat buffs, but not all.

Hense [Hen·suh]
+ Enemy attack damage
Acobi [A·koh·bee]
Defeated enemies drop a bouncing spark with delayed detonation.
Lemaign [Le·main]
The Kid's movement speed is slowed after connecting with an enemy attack.
Pyth [Piith]
+ Enemy movement and attack speed
Jevel [Jeh·vell]
+ Enemy armor
Yudrig [Yooj·drig]
Touching enemies deals additional damage.
Roathus [ROH·thus]
Enemies never drop Tonics upon defeat.
Micia, [Mih·sia]
Enemies regen health over time.
Olak [O·lihk]
Enemies randomly turn translucent; all attacks will pass through.
Garmuth, [GAR·muth]
Enemies will randomly block and deflect attacks.

Each one you toggle on increases your reward in the game, meaning if you wanted the absolute maximum score or prizes, you had to toggle them all on.

That's why I hope if there is a difficulty increase system, it's more like the a fleshed out version of the Candy suggestion here: http://secretsofgrindea.com/forum/index.php?threads/more-ways-to-spend-essence-upgrading-npcs.3577/

Being able to change the mechanics of the game in subtle ways and potentially get ridiculous score by adapting to them seems entirely too addicting.

It's also why I like the Elite system. Sure, they all have increased stats, but most all of them get a unique mechanic you have to watch out for too. Boars have no wait time after charging, bees sweep much longer and quicker, Pumpkin Mages fire tripleshots, etc.

Hell, the Elite Boar alone is regarded as a proper boss or game ender when it shows up in Arcade.

 

[Teddy]

That's why I hope if there is a difficulty increase system, it's more like the a fleshed out version of the Candy suggestion here: http://secretsofgrindea.com/forum/index.php?threads/more-ways-to-spend-essence-upgrading-npcs.3577/

It's quite possible we're going to give the Candy NPC a spin! Just like with the "skill mastery runs"-thing, it's a good way of extending the lifetime of Arcade Mode and giving it some more emergent qualities.

 

[Own]

It's quite possible we're going to give the Candy NPC a spin! Just like with the "skill mastery runs"-thing, it's a good way of extending the lifetime of Arcade Mode and giving it some more emergent qualities.

That'll make me immensely happy. Hopefully you guys ask for some community difficulty-mechanics to toss in, I've got plenty more than I bothered to write there that I'd love to see. Like Bursting Brew, every enemy spawns a bomb on death. Or Manasnatcher Brew, makes every skill / spell cast drain EP to 0. That one would be very interesting. If you can't spam skills, making the most out of them by charging them up suddenly becomes overwhelmingly important. Maybe you have to reach floor # as a challenge with these effects on before you can unlock them as brews, if you don't unlock them with essence?

... come to think of it, a lot of these would actually make for pretty good debuffs for enemies to inflict. SoG is lacking a little bit in the enemy spell department, where they can ruin your day without actively damaging you.