Difference between revisions of "Difficulty Levels"

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(→‎Alien Stats: Adjusted table widths, alignment.)
(→‎Difficulty Levels: adding a couple more, less obvious, effects; cleanup)
 
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*Veteran
 
*Veteran
 
*Genius
 
*Genius
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*Superhuman
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*[[Superhuman]]
  
−
On higher difficulty levels, a larger number of aliens will appear on each mission, and their [[Alien Stats|stats]] will be higher.  It is not known if difficulty influences any other aspects of gameplay.
+
The difficulty level chosen has several effects, described below.
  
−
== Alien Deployments ==
+
==Geoscape Effects==
 +
 
 +
===[[UFO Interception]]===
 +
 
 +
Intercepting [[UFOs]] becomes substantially harder on higher difficulties. The cycle time of all UFO weapons is reduced by an average 3 frames per difficulty level (they fire more often), resulting in greater total damage to [[craft]] that enter a UFO's weapon range. Additionally, the time before a UFO begins to outrun a slower X-Com craft (such as an [[Interceptor]]) is reduced by 30 frames per difficulty level, making it harder to crash-land or destroy UFOs before they flee.
 +
 
 +
===[[Alien Retaliation]]===
 +
 
 +
While most [[Alien Missions]] remain unchanged across the difficulty levels, the aliens become far more proactive about destroying X-Com as difficulty increases. The chance per successful interception for the aliens to [[Alien Retaliation|retaliate]] increases by 4% per difficulty level (from 4% on Beginner to 20% on Superhuman!). Furthermore, the aliens will launch automatic Retaliation missions one month earlier per difficulty level.
 +
 
 +
=== Scoring ===
 +
If the funding nations [[Scoring|score]] X-COM badly for two consecutive months, they can decide to terminate the organization. The minimum bad score trigger is affected by difficulty:
 +
 
 +
{| {{StdCenterTable}} width="30%"
 +
|- {{StdDescTable_Heading}}
 +
! Difficulty
 +
! Minimum score
 +
|-
 +
| Beginner
 +
| -900
 +
|-
 +
| Experienced
 +
| -800
 +
|-
 +
| Veteran
 +
| -700
 +
|-
 +
| Genius
 +
| -600
 +
|-
 +
| Superhuman
 +
| -500
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
==Battlescape Effects==
 +
 
 +
=== Alien Deployments ===
  
 
The total number of aliens found in each UFO or mission type are the same for Beginner and Experienced difficulty levels.  On Veteran/Genius level approximately 20% - 40% more aliens will appear than on Beginner/Experienced level (depending on UFO type).  On Superhuman level 50% - 100% more aliens will appear.  See the "Alien Deployment" section of each [[UFOs|UFO]] page for specific numbers.   
 
The total number of aliens found in each UFO or mission type are the same for Beginner and Experienced difficulty levels.  On Veteran/Genius level approximately 20% - 40% more aliens will appear than on Beginner/Experienced level (depending on UFO type).  On Superhuman level 50% - 100% more aliens will appear.  See the "Alien Deployment" section of each [[UFOs|UFO]] page for specific numbers.   
  
−
== Alien Stats ==
+
=== Alien Stats ===
  
 
Several key alien stats will increase with each difficulty level.  The alien stats which change are:
 
Several key alien stats will increase with each difficulty level.  The alien stats which change are:
  
−
<table {{StdCenterTable}}>
+
{| {{StdCenterTable}} class="sortable"
−
<tr {{StdDescTable_Heading}}><th align="left">Stat</th><th width="80">Beginner</th><th width="80">Experienced</th><th width="80">Veteran</th><th width="80">Genius</th><th width="80">Superhuman</th></tr>
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|- {{StdDescTable_Heading}}
−
<tr><td align="left">[[Strength]]</td><td>100%</td><td>102%</td><td>104%</td><td>106%</td><td>108%</td></tr></th></tr>
+
! align="left" width="300" | Stat
−
<tr><td align="left">[[TUs]], [[Energy]], [[Psi Strength]], [[Psi Skill]]</td><td>100%</td><td>104%</td><td>108%</td><td>112%</td><td>116%</th></tr>
+
! width="110" | Beginner
−
<tr><td align="left">[[Reactions]]</td><td>100%</td><td>106%</td><td>112%</td><td>118%</td><td>124%</th></tr>
+
! width="130" | Experienced
−
<tr><td align="left">[[Firing Accuracy]]</td><td>50%</td><td>106%</td><td>112%</td><td>118%</td><td>124%</th></tr>
+
! width="100" | Veteran
−
<tr><td align="left">[[Armor]]</td><td>50%</td><td>100%</td><td>100%</td><td>100%</td><td>100%</th></tr>
+
! width="90" | Genius
−
</table>
+
! width="120" | Superhuman
 +
|-
 +
| align="left" | [[Strength]]
 +
| 100%
 +
| 102%
 +
| 104%
 +
| 106%
 +
| 108%
 +
|-
 +
| align="left" | [[TUs]], [[Energy]], [[Psionic Strength|Psi Strength]], [[Psionic Skill|Psi Skill]]
 +
| 100%
 +
| 104%
 +
| 108%
 +
| 112%
 +
| 116%
 +
|-
 +
| align="left" | [[Reactions]]
 +
| 100%
 +
| 106%
 +
| 112%
 +
| 118%
 +
| 124%
 +
|-
 +
| align="left" | [[Firing Accuracy]]
 +
| 50%
 +
| 106%
 +
| 112%
 +
| 118%
 +
| 124%
 +
|-
 +
| align="left" | [[Armor]]
 +
| 50%
 +
| 100%
 +
| 100%
 +
| 100%
 +
| 100%
 +
|}
  
−
These percentages are modifiers to base alien stats, which can be found on the [[Alien Stats]] page. Unlike all other aliens, [[Zombie]] stats will not increase; all stats will be at "base" level regardless of difficulty level.
+
These percentages are modifiers to base alien stats, which can be found on the [[Alien Stats]] page. Unlike all other aliens, [[Zombie]] stats will not increase; all stats will be at "base" level regardless of difficulty level. Zombie-spawned [[Chryssalid]]s will also always have base stats. In addition the USG states the aliens' "remember" the location of X-COM units longer on higher levels.
  
 
== Known Bugs ==
 
== Known Bugs ==
  
−
All DOS versions of X-COM have a bug which causes the difficulty setting to revert to "Beginner" after the first [[combat]].  [[XcomUtil]] can be used to fix this bug.
+
All DOS versions of X-COM have a bug which causes the difficulty setting to revert to "Beginner" after the first [[combat]].  [[XcomUtil]] and several other utilities can be used to fix this bug.
 +
 
 +
[[Category:Enemy Unknown/UFO Defense]]
 +
 
 +
=== Dynamic Difficulty Adjustment System ===
 +
 
 +
Quoting from Julian Gollop's [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LP7VjbuNEzg&t=30m53s] at 'Classic Games Postmortem - XCOM: UFO Defense' at Game Developers Conference 2013:
 +
 
 +
"The way this worked was very simple. Basically, if you did very well on the last three previous tactical missions and you absolutely trounced the aliens, the aliens would ramp up their own technology level and deployments more quickly. If, on the other hand, conversely you did very badly, the aliens wouldn't throw in some extra stuff. So it kinda adjusted the difficulty as you went along."
 +
 
 +
This was never implemented, however. Instead it resulted in the now infamous difficulty bug.

Latest revision as of 10:28, 21 July 2018

X-COM has five different difficulty levels that can be selected when starting a game:

The difficulty level chosen has several effects, described below.

Geoscape Effects

UFO Interception

Intercepting UFOs becomes substantially harder on higher difficulties. The cycle time of all UFO weapons is reduced by an average 3 frames per difficulty level (they fire more often), resulting in greater total damage to craft that enter a UFO's weapon range. Additionally, the time before a UFO begins to outrun a slower X-Com craft (such as an Interceptor) is reduced by 30 frames per difficulty level, making it harder to crash-land or destroy UFOs before they flee.

Alien Retaliation

While most Alien Missions remain unchanged across the difficulty levels, the aliens become far more proactive about destroying X-Com as difficulty increases. The chance per successful interception for the aliens to retaliate increases by 4% per difficulty level (from 4% on Beginner to 20% on Superhuman!). Furthermore, the aliens will launch automatic Retaliation missions one month earlier per difficulty level.

Scoring

If the funding nations score X-COM badly for two consecutive months, they can decide to terminate the organization. The minimum bad score trigger is affected by difficulty:

Difficulty Minimum score
Beginner -900
Experienced -800
Veteran -700
Genius -600
Superhuman -500

Battlescape Effects

Alien Deployments

The total number of aliens found in each UFO or mission type are the same for Beginner and Experienced difficulty levels. On Veteran/Genius level approximately 20% - 40% more aliens will appear than on Beginner/Experienced level (depending on UFO type). On Superhuman level 50% - 100% more aliens will appear. See the "Alien Deployment" section of each UFO page for specific numbers.

Alien Stats

Several key alien stats will increase with each difficulty level. The alien stats which change are:

Stat Beginner Experienced Veteran Genius Superhuman
Strength 100% 102% 104% 106% 108%
TUs, Energy, Psi Strength, Psi Skill 100% 104% 108% 112% 116%
Reactions 100% 106% 112% 118% 124%
Firing Accuracy 50% 106% 112% 118% 124%
Armor 50% 100% 100% 100% 100%

These percentages are modifiers to base alien stats, which can be found on the Alien Stats page. Unlike all other aliens, Zombie stats will not increase; all stats will be at "base" level regardless of difficulty level. Zombie-spawned Chryssalids will also always have base stats. In addition the USG states the aliens' "remember" the location of X-COM units longer on higher levels.

Known Bugs

All DOS versions of X-COM have a bug which causes the difficulty setting to revert to "Beginner" after the first combat. XcomUtil and several other utilities can be used to fix this bug.

Dynamic Difficulty Adjustment System

Quoting from Julian Gollop's [1] at 'Classic Games Postmortem - XCOM: UFO Defense' at Game Developers Conference 2013:

"The way this worked was very simple. Basically, if you did very well on the last three previous tactical missions and you absolutely trounced the aliens, the aliens would ramp up their own technology level and deployments more quickly. If, on the other hand, conversely you did very badly, the aliens wouldn't throw in some extra stuff. So it kinda adjusted the difficulty as you went along."

This was never implemented, however. Instead it resulted in the now infamous difficulty bug.

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