Josh Sawyer of Obsidian Discusses RPG Player Archetypes Over Difficulty Settings

In a recent video on his YouTube platform, Josh Sawyer, the design director at Obsidian, shared his insights on the concept of difficulty within video games. He emphasized that rather than merely presenting players with unchanging challenges, it is crucial to understand their motivations and desires from the gaming experience.

A viewer, known as agroggybog, inquired about the potential of offering highly detailed difficulty settings to players. They elaborated on their experience as a dedicated modder, exploring the intricacies of titles such as Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire to adjust player stats—an approach that represents a deep level of difficulty customization.

The viewer sought Sawyer’s perspective on the advantages and drawbacks of allowing players to delve deeply into game modding officially. Sawyer responded candidly, stating, “If it cost nothing—which it does not—then I would say let players in-game set their difficulty options however they like. And when it comes to exposing data tables and letting players mod that stuff, let ’em do whatever the heck they want.”

Throughout his evolving career, Sawyer noted how the nature of these discussions has shifted. He referenced earlier games from Black Isle and Obsidian, such as Icewind Dale, Neverwinter Nights 2, and Fallout: New Vegas, which naturally facilitated this degree of difficulty customization through modding. He acknowledged that today, it has become “more difficult to expose those things, especially on a data level.”

When addressing the idea of implementing “micro-difficulty” settings within games, Sawyer expressed that this aspect tends to be deprioritized, considering the constraints and challenges inherent in game development. He clarified, “I’m not saying this is the way it should be; I’m saying this is the way that it typically goes in game development.”

In his approach to crafting difficulty settings in RPGs, Sawyer prefers to focus on different player types rather than simply categorizing them by their skill level. He stated, “I don’t think, ‘This is an easy player, this is a hard player.’ I think you have players that come to the games for different reasons. It’s more about ‘What are they trying to get out of this game?'”

To illustrate this concept, he identified three primary categories of RPG enthusiasts that Obsidian aims to engage:

• Explorer:Individuals who are often pressed for time and seek enjoyment from a compelling narrative without the need to revisit challenges.
• Adventurer:The average RPG player who desires a moderate level of challenge, yet may not be familiar with complex terminologies.
• Survivalist:Those who thrive on high-stakes gameplay, completing formidable challenges like Pillars of Eternity’s “The Ultimate Challenge” or engaging with Fallout 4 on Survival mode.

While the three archetypes may seem simplistic, they effectively encompass the variety of RPG players Sawyer has encountered throughout his career. Reflecting on personal experiences, he noted how his circle of friends has shifted from Adventurers to Explorers and Survivalists in their gaming preferences.

One intriguing point Sawyer made was that “Survivalists aren’t necessarily interested in Pentiment,” highlighting the fact that not every player is drawn to non-combat narratives. However, upon closer examination, the intricate web of choices and consequences in Pentiment might resonate with Survivalists, as it reflects immersive mechanics that appeal to their gameplay style.

As the video drew to a close, Sawyer reiterated ideas he previously discussed in an interview at last year’s GDC. He advocated for starting with intricate mechanics that can be simplified according to player preferences. For instance, he mentioned the concept of bullet drop found in games like Call of Duty, which might be thrilling for Survivalists but potentially frustrating for Explorers and Adventurers. His proposed solution? Allowing players the option to disable these features entirely.

Ultimately, Sawyer concluded that providing players with more nuanced difficulty settings is a significant advantage. He expressed a desire to prioritize this aspect of game design further, recognizing its importance in enhancing player satisfaction.