Hard Mode Discussion

**GrAVit** · 09-21-2018, 07:31 PM

https://frictionalgames.blogspot.com/201...-mode.html

Quote:What is the Hard Mode?

It is really just as the title suggests: a mode that makes it harder to beat the game. You know, in case The Dark Descent wasn’t stressful enough for you.
The Hard Mode has the following features:

- Autosaves are disabled, and manual saving costs 4 tinderboxes
- Sanity dropping to zero results in death
- Less oil and tinderboxes throughout the levels
- Monsters are faster, spot the player more easily, deal more damage and stay around for longer
- There is no danger music when the monsters are near.

So in summary: the environments are harsher, the monsters more unforgiving, insanity is deadly, and death is final – unless you pay a toll.

You can pick between normal mode and Hard Mode when starting a new game of Amnesia: The Dark Descent. The mode changes some fundamental elements of the game, and therefore can’t be changed halfway through.

Who's as hyped for this as I am? As someone who really loved the gameplay mechanics of Amnesia but didn't feel like the core game was challenging enough, this is just what I needed.

Haven't played the campaign in years, so this is an excellent chance for anyone to return to this game. Big Grin

I can just imagine how crazy the chase scenes with the water lurkers are going to be now that they're even faster. Moreover, I think death upon complete sanity loss is exactly what the game always needed, since it never felt punishing enough otherwise. lol
Also a great use for all those leftover tinderboxes!

Quote:How does this affect achievements/trophies?

Beating the game on Hard Mode will earn you a new trophy called Masochist. Because, you know, you pretty much have to be one to complete the mode.

The mode affects the Illuminatus achievement, which you can’t get during playing in Hard Mode as it reduces the amount of tinderboxes throughout the level.

The Masochist achievement.

And of course they couldn't release this without some kind of reward for our efforts. Looking forward to unlocking this new achievement!
Release is on September 28th. Will definitely be streaming / recording myself playing this! Wink

**fancreeper** · 09-22-2018, 02:49 AM

I am really hyped for this, since my whole play-style in Amnesia revolved around monster search music and quick monster despawns. I can't wait to try it!

**TwiK999** · 09-23-2018, 03:04 PM

Can't wait to do this.

Does anyone know what "zero sanity" refers to? Is it when Daniel collapses briefly?

And also, what is the toll you can pay if you die?

**fancreeper** · 09-23-2018, 07:03 PM

(09-23-2018, 03:04 PM)TwiK999 Wrote: Can't wait to do this.

Does anyone know what "zero sanity" refers to? Is it when Daniel collapses briefly?

And also, what is the toll you can pay if you die?

I think you are right about sanity. Instead of collapsing, you just die instead. As for dying, I am not quite sure. I don't really understand what they mean when they say "You can only save with 4 tinderboxes". In normal Amnesia, when you die, you don't go to the last save point, instead you respawn and you keep all your items. Does this mean that in the hard mode when you die, you go to the last save and have to redo everything again?

**Mudbill** · 09-24-2018, 04:33 PM

Either that, or you'll have to do the entire thing in 1 sitting unless you spend tinderboxes to save the game. Maybe only hard saves across multiple sessions cost tinderboxes.

**fancreeper** · 09-25-2018, 04:38 PM

Another thing I am quite curious about is monster despawn time. How will it work for scripted monsters like the ones in the wine cellar or the archives? Will they become hostile now?

**fancreeper** · 09-26-2018, 02:59 PM

I was thinking about the hard mode recently and I found something pretty funny. So they made zero sanity result in death, right? Remember the part at the end of the game when you do the blood ritual thing? If you do it too quickly, you lose sanity completely. I bet that a lot of people will not notice this and just rush the last part thinking they beat the game, but instead they will just meet death. Not only that but if death is final, that means they just lost to sanity right at the end. Just a funny thought.

**GrAVit** · 09-26-2018, 03:21 PM

(09-25-2018, 04:38 PM)fancreeper Wrote: Another thing I am quite curious about is monster despawn time. How will it work for scripted monsters like the ones in the wine cellar or the archives? Will they become hostile now?

I would imagine they will disappear as they're scripted to just act as "cinematic hallucinations". Meanwhile those guys that spawn to patrol (like the ones in the Storage or Prison) will probably stay around for much longer. Although, it remains to be seen. I hope I'm in for a surprise!

**fancreeper** · 09-26-2018, 06:22 PM

(09-26-2018, 03:21 PM)GrAVit Wrote:
(09-25-2018, 04:38 PM)fancreeper Wrote: Another thing I am quite curious about is monster despawn time. How will it work for scripted monsters like the ones in the wine cellar or the archives? Will they become hostile now?

I would imagine they will disappear as they're scripted to just act as "cinematic hallucinations". Meanwhile those guys that spawn to patrol (like the ones in the Storage or Prison) will probably stay around for much longer. Although, it remains to be seen. I hope I'm in for a surprise!

What happens if there are multiple monster spawns? Take Choir for example, there are 6 monster spawns in a rather small area. Is there going to be one monster patrolling the whole area? Maybe 6 monsters at the same time? I am not quite sure, but I guess we will find soon enough! Also, apparently this mode was mainly made by one new recruit, which is quite amazing!

**GrAVit** · 09-27-2018, 01:03 AM

(09-26-2018, 06:22 PM)fancreeper Wrote:
(09-26-2018, 03:21 PM)GrAVit Wrote:
(09-25-2018, 04:38 PM)fancreeper Wrote: Another thing I am quite curious about is monster despawn time. How will it work for scripted monsters like the ones in the wine cellar or the archives? Will they become hostile now?

I would imagine they will disappear as they're scripted to just act as "cinematic hallucinations". Meanwhile those guys that spawn to patrol (like the ones in the Storage or Prison) will probably stay around for much longer. Although, it remains to be seen. I hope I'm in for a surprise!

What happens if there are multiple monster spawns? Take Choir for example, there are 6 monster spawns in a rather small area. Is there going to be one monster patrolling the whole area? Maybe 6 monsters at the same time? I am not quite sure, but I guess we will find soon enough! Also, apparently this mode was mainly made by one new recruit, which is quite amazing!

I reckon the Choir is going to be the hardest area to beat. Especially if the monsters are now faster and can see you more easily... it's going to be hard alright. Gotta be sure to save before that. haha