How do you play a game with several difficulty levels?

[Cupcakes HD on youtube]

Do you ease yourself into it? Or jump in all at once getting your a** handed to you?

Skill can overall improve faster if you jump in all at once I notice. But sometimes it just makes it unplayable or unenjoyable. Then if its too easy and you play through it you might not feel liek playing through it on a harder difficulty.

What experiences do you guys have with levels of difficulty in videogames?

[Cupcakes HD on youtube]

Errantum

I always play on Normal unless the game is great and there is an achievement/unlockable for playing the harder difficulties. Otherwise, what purpose would it serve to go out of my way to stress myself out?

Skillz untold! Or youtube video material if someone wants to do that. Or bragging. But true.

[DynaSuarez Wrecks]

Teh HARDCOREST cuz im 1337! emotion_dealwithit

No seriously, I'll play on the standard unless I know what I am getting into. Otherwise, I'll find the funnest one. For Mass Effect 3, I went straight to the hardest because I was familiar with the first two games and because Mass Effect is one of those games that gets more enjoyable as its difficulty goes up (unless you're playing the Platinum multiplayer; that's just fake difficulty). For Dragon Age 2, I went with the second-to-hardest because I was familiar with Origins, and in Origins, I went with the second-to-hardest after playing on all difficulties because I deduced that that was the funnest setting (normal was too easy and hardest was too tedious).

[A Court of Owls]

It really depends on the type of game. Usually I play on normal and then, depending on how difficult the game was, I might go to a higher difficulty. The exception is FPS, which I have a fair amount of experience in, so I will go ahead on a higher difficult from the start.

[ventti 60 original papers]

I ease myself into it by playing easy... sweatdrop I do go up in difficulty levels, though, once I've conquered easy.

[dumb lucario]

Always to the hardest difficulty, because anything lower than that is for casuals.

In seriousness: I always start on easy mode...

[Reno Takamiya]

Well, first I take the game out of it's case and stick it either into my handheld or my console. Then I wait until I get to the start screen so I can choose new game and the difficulty I want to play. That's how I do it. emotion_awesome

Seriously, I usually only play on Normal in the majority of the games I play. I don't really see the point in replaying the same game in a higher difficulty. Especially if the only thing that changes in the game is the difficulty. Which is another reason why I don't replay the majority of games out today. I'll only do that if they happen to have choices & real outcomes, multiple endings or if I just honestly enjoyed the game.

The only time I ever checked out a higher difficulty was European Extreme in Metal Gear Solid 2. I didn't complete a playthrough of it though because I already completed the game prior to just trying out the new difficulty. I just wanted to see how difficult it could get. I've also never been a real big fan of achievements and trophies. So, if there's one that needs me to play on a higher difficulty I probably won't go for it. Which it also really depends on the criteria I have for what I like in games. (Linear games are usually games that I don't play more than once for the most part) If the game happens to be one of the few I really enjoy, then I'll probably persuade myself to play on a higher difficulty. Though that's a really slim probably.

[Mikleo]

Typically, I play on Normal only unless there's a reward for playing on a harder difficulty. And since I play RPGs the most, usually the bonus is more exp or something.
Sometimes I'll try starting on harder than normal if I think it's too easy but it tends to be just difficult enough on normal for me. I play games for myself too so there's no point to playing games any higher than normal or even lower just for a story.

[Exotahu]

Normal.

[Robert Ramos]

I usually start at normal since I figure that's how the game maker usually intends for the game to be played. If there's anything to unlock at the different difficulties, than I may change it.

Some games, though, I just have to make it as difficult as possible so I'm somewhat challenged. Two examples of this are oldschool Street Fighter games and also wrestling games where I turn off all indicators and everything.

[Toxilicks]

I start at normal, then depending I'll either play a harder level, or just leave it.

[YunaSama]

Depends on the game... Kingdom Hearts games always go on the hardest difficulty (though LeechGrave in 358/2 Days almost made me regret that)... Same goes for games which gameplay I'm already more then familiar with... Most games I play on Normal... And some games that are known to be really hard or aren't my usual type of gameplay go on easy... cat_smile

[Cupcakes HD on youtube]

Errantum

Dizzy_Solace

In other words: attention whores. Thankfully I care more about actually playing games than wasting my time trying to impress simple-minded people.

not just attention whores, some people like a challenge, it makes a game last longer that they payed for.