[Idea] Game Difficulity

[DavivaD]

Refresh of this thread.

[True Destroyer]

I'm posting my solution for this here:
a flag should be created that has for example a double value, and is selectable in game, menu, however is also a global value visible in any mission. No idea how to do it or is it easily possible to put something defined via menu in mission enviorment, so it can be accesed via cbot language as constant.

If it is possible, then:
Superlazy version - change all alien scripts to multiply target detection range by difficulty level factor corresponding to difficulty level selected by user.
Lazy clever version? Announce an AI contest on the forum. Winner scripts are being modified and incorporated in the game. (Someone should be delegated to be responsible for this contest though)
Regular lazy version - modify AI scripts by using 'switch(GLOBALdifficulty)' case selector and copy+paste with modifications, so that alien runs one loop or the other from the same script depending on starting global difficulty value.

[krakers]

I think this topic fits here the best. 


I remember (I think at old polish forum) discussion about difficulty level in Colobot. I know it would be probably too hard to implement anythink like that to colobot gold (but maybe im wrong), so I would make a topic where we could left our ideas for future Colobot 2.
I think the best way to make game harder is to make player need to use more programming and use it at more realistic level - like in realrobots. 
So I suggest to make 3 levels of difficulty:
- EASY: no changes in compare to normal Colobot 
- NORMAL: You can use only primitive functions like "motor" (to control engine, not a distance)  instead of "goto" - have to write your own goto using only primitive functions - can only control each part of robot. Can't just use "grab" or "drop" - have to control mechanic arm to make it do that. Just to make it as complicated as real robots but in game. 
- HARD: the same as normal but there is no astronaut you can control and robots can be used only by programming 
What do you think?

// Such a thread was already created a long time ago. Merged. ~ Simbax

[radioactivity]

Without pathfinding Colobot would be actually impossible. Difficulty could be easily raised via putting putting more focus on multi-tasking. Forcing player to use several robots at once would be big change in difficulty already, considering that original Colobot can be easily beaten without programming at all. Lack of astronaut and unability to edit programs mid-game is another huge step in difficulty on it's own

[krakers]

I have to try to complete the game without using "goto" Maybe you're right.
Anyway if low level functions (like taking full control of mechanic arm) will be allowed it would give more capabilities to game. And maybe CBOT could be used as programming language for real robots.

[tomaszkax86]

Pure pathfinding algorithms can be implemented in CBot. But it would be likely too difficult for most players. Nevertheless, the idea of programming-only control over bots was discussed and most people agree it is a nice idea.

My idea of difficulty levels was that each map can have various changes depending on the setting. For example, on hard difficulty there are fewer resources and AI of aliens is better.