Beware of zombies with spoons . . .

[Gabecraft1234]

So I was fully equipped with early game gear, full leather and plenty of axes, when I saw a zombie carrying a large very shiny spoon. So I thought "Thats a very nice shiny spoon you got there . . . GIVE IT ME!" And I attacked the zombie who proceded to two shot me with his spoon. His burp was especially infuriating. In conclusion zombies carrying spoons, especially shiny ones, must be extra hungry for your mystery meat. Why else would they be carrying spoons if not to shovel your brains into there mouths more effectively?

[Six]

So I was fully equipped with early game gear, full leather and plenty of axes, when I saw a zombie carrying a large very shiny spoon. So I thought "Thats a very nice shiny spoon you got there . . . GIVE IT ME!" And I attacked the zombie who proceded to two shot me with his spoon. His burp was especially infuriating. In conclusion zombies carrying spoons, especially shiny ones, must be extra hungry for your mystery meat. Why else would they be carrying spoons if not to shovel your brains into there mouths more effectively?

What difficulty were you playing on? Although zombies with any kind of weapon can be pretty damn deadly in any difficulty.

[Gabecraft1234]

Always play on hard.

I guess it is the masochist in me coming out.

[FlowerChild]

Always play on hard.

BTW really isn't balanced for it anymore. You're free to do so of course, but I suspect you'll be changing the play experience rather dramatically, with I think normal being tough enough.

[DaveYanakov]

I have found that the approriate response is "Hello zombie, that is a very nice iron tool you have there. I think I will hang around til dawn and steal it from your steaming ashes"

[Mr_Hosed]

Always play on hard.

BTW really isn't balanced for it anymore. You're free to do so of course, but I suspect you'll be changing the play experience rather dramatically, with I think normal being tough enough.

I found this out the hard way. 12 deaths just after getting my first iron pick damn near every time... funny thing is, I had 2 years of playing vanilla on hard so I didn't even think to drop the difficulty until just recently. Then I dropped it to easy and forgot you made zombies ALWAYS break down doors, regardless of difficulty.

Zombies with spoons are the worst. Atleast with a sword you know they're dangerous. The spoons are just tempting you saying "You know you don't want to waste your own iron making me, but why not steal me from this dead doofus?!"

Until you realize they ARE swords. Just just look like spoons.

[Marasambala]

Always play on hard.

BTW really isn't balanced for it anymore. You're free to do so of course, but I suspect you'll be changing the play experience rather dramatically, with I think normal being tough enough.

Seriously? I always feel guilty if I don't play on hard.

Maybe that's why I've gotten so frustrated lately...

[FlowerChild]

I only ever play on normal, and that's all I balance for. So, whatever you're getting on hard is just whatever random stuff Mojang has tweaked for their hard mode.

In other words: don't feel guilty playing on normal given that as far as I am concerned, it's all that exists. I've been tempted on many occasions to make BTW fixed difficulty normal only for that reason.

[Vexalor]

I only ever play on normal, and that's all I balance for. So, whatever you're getting on hard is just whatever random stuff Mojang has tweaked for their hard mode.

In other words: don't feel guilty playing on normal given that as far as I am concerned, it's all that exists. I've been tempted on many occasions to make BTW fixed difficulty normal only for that reason.

Honestly, I've looked into this a bit, and there's hardly a noticeable difference between hard and normal. Yes, your hunger goes a bit faster on hard, but it's never an issue if you slab the world over and avoid swimming and jumping. And, yes, monsters hit slightly harder, but I would never have noticed if I didn't know in advance. There was only one thing which was really perceptible to me which was the explosion size on hard. Creepers, TNT, etc. All of them have a much greater blast radius on hard, which could actually be turned into exploit, I suppose.

[RalphKastro]

actually the only thing that changes in explosions on hard mode is the damage to entities, not the blast radious

[woeuntoyou]

I've been tempted on many occasions to make BTW fixed difficulty normal only for that reason.

I think it wouldn't be so bad an idea to fix the difficulty. I've ruined quite a lot of saves for me because I sometimes freak out and turn the difficulty to peaceful instead of facing my death, and it always haunts me to the point where I can't play in that world anymore. I've been doing good on holding myself recently, but it would be nice if it wasn't possible at all.

[CrimsonStorm]

In other words: don't feel guilty playing on normal given that as far as I am concerned, it's all that exists. I've been tempted on many occasions to make BTW fixed difficulty normal only for that reason.

That's quite interesting and encouraging to hear. I had almost always played on hard difficulty Minecraft, both with vanilla and earlier BTW. Pretty soon after you started with the really major early-game changes I found myself dying far too often and switched to playing on normal. While I felt that the balance was a lot more appropriate and fun, I still had a twinge of guilt (particularly in circumstances where I knew I would have died on hard).

For you to confirm normal as the "official" difficulty eliminates a lot of that worry.

[FlowerChild]

Huh...sorry guys, I thought that would have already been clear from previous statements I've made on the subject. I probably should have been more vocal on the topic.

Yeah, I don't really "support" other difficulty modes other than normal in the same way that I don't support creative or what have you. There's no way I can effectively balance multiple difficulty levels as that would just take up way too much time.

Excessive options and all that. As always, I'm focused on creating a single good play experience rather than a more generic watered-down one with numerous options.

As for locking difficulty: I'm definitely doing that by save game in the near future, but the point I've always debated is whether to make the mod "normal only" in terms of completely disabling other difficulty levels. They're kinda two different things for me.

[Vexalor]

actually the only thing that changes in explosions on hard mode is the damage to entities, not the blast radious

I'm an idiot. It appears Mojang fixed the blast radius changing between difficulties as a bug/exploit back in MC 1.3.1. I really should have tested this with uniform surrounding blocks.

[Heilkaiba]

As for locking difficulty: I'm definitely doing that by save game in the near future, but the point I've always debated is whether to make the mod "normal only" in terms of completely disabling other difficulty levels. They're kinda two different things for me.

The only problem with this is I like having a peaceful building world particularly with all the hardcore additions to the mod it is difficult to do so on other difficulty levels and creative takes all the enjoyment out of it. Also if a save is locked to peaceful it won't be possible to get bonemeal, sticky pistons, etc.

[ScubaPlays]

Aren't most of the hardcore additions negated by peaceful difficulty (can't starve to death and no mobs to kill you)?

[will_holmes]

I only ever play on normal, and that's all I balance for. So, whatever you're getting on hard is just whatever random stuff Mojang has tweaked for their hard mode.

In other words: don't feel guilty playing on normal given that as far as I am concerned, it's all that exists. I've been tempted on many occasions to make BTW fixed difficulty normal only for that reason.

To be fair, I play on Hardcore (I feel bad playing anything else) and I get a lot of enjoyment out of it. It is genuinely difficult, but I think a lot of BTW players consider it a challenge to rise to. The fact that people are surprised at you saying that you never supported it goes to show that it hasn't turned out so bad.

[ScubaPlays]

The problem with hardcore mode is that you're missing out on hardcore spawn and living in an ever growing world where you have the chance of discovering one of your old bases in your travels.

[FlowerChild]

The only problem with this is I like having a peaceful building world particularly with all the hardcore additions to the mod it is difficult to do so on other difficulty levels and creative takes all the enjoyment out of it. Also if a save is locked to peaceful it won't be possible to get bonemeal, sticky pistons, etc.

Sucks to be you.

[will_holmes]

The problem with hardcore mode is that you're missing out on hardcore spawn and living in an ever growing world where you have the chance of discovering one of your old bases in your travels.

Eh, this is just my opinion and people can play however they like, but I prefer that doesn't happen, personally. I like a life to tell a neat story with a natural progression, which is ultimately what the whole tech tree thing is all about. "And suddenly I found my old base and skipped right to endgame content" is a bit of a story-wrecker for me.

[Heilkaiba]

Aren't most of the hardcore additions negated by peaceful difficulty (can't starve to death and no mobs to kill you)?

Yes that is why it is for my building world.

Sucks to be you.

Fair enough.

[EtherealWrath]

I like a life to tell a neat story with a natural progression, which is ultimately what the whole tech tree thing is all about. "And suddenly I found my old base and skipped right to endgame content" is a bit of a story-wrecker for me.

Oddly you first have to make a base with the endgame content before you can rediscover it.

[turtlemuncher]

I like a life to tell a neat story with a natural progression, which is ultimately what the whole tech tree thing is all about. "And suddenly I found my old base and skipped right to endgame content" is a bit of a story-wrecker for me.

Oddly you first have to make a base with the endgame content before you can rediscover it.

unless your on a server and you feel like being a dick.