Implementing skill settings in maps: In real time or when you finish the map?

[URROVA]

In my case i first designed the map with its combat, until it was finished, then implemented skill levels. But i realized implementing skills after you finished is kinda boring, so if i make another map i will to implement them in real time while i build the map.

Do you think is better to implement the skill settings while designing the combat, or when you already finished the map? Wich advantages and disadvantages wold have these ways to implement skills?

Edited December 20, 2023 by URROVA
Bad english sorry

[Stabbey]

You can do it on an encounter-by-encounter basis while testing, but difficulty as a whole will need refinements all the way up to and past the initial release. It's only after getting feedback from playtesters before you can fully refine the map's difficulty.

[Jayextee]

A bit of both, really.

I'll often design an encounter with an intended way and make sure there's a good liberal amount of supplies for it; removing some for UV and maybe adding more armour for ITYTD/HNTR. I often don't touch the monsters until I've played the encounter for myself; boosting it or reigning-in as needed, my usual approach being that there are more distractions/annoyances off to the sides or whatever for UV and certain enemies either 'downgraded' (e.g. shotgunners replaced with pistol guys) or removed entirely for ITYTD/HNTR. I tweak a lot based on my HMP playthroughs, and if an encounter's cool and all but a little much then I'll flag the main offenders as UV-only; I don't consider this 'removing them for HMP', more like I'm making HMP the experience I intend with UV being, kinda, the 'rejected for being too hard' version of the same fight.

Of course, there are other changes I'd make as I'm initially-designing; such as moving keycards to easier/harder locations as per skill level, or unflagging pistol-start weapons in starting rooms for UV (and making players on that setting pretty much have to wrestle their starting weapon from the hands of an enemy, etc).

No one approach is best IMO.