Then don't play on Normal?
Problem is, if the normal settings doesn't follow DnD rules, what will make the hard mode follow it? Ennemies will be HP sponge, they will have more spell, damage, etc, it will NOT be closer to a DnD experience, it will just be harder to play.
I want a DnD game that feels a DnD game, the challenge for me is included in the RULEBOOK. I don't want to much powerful enemies, I want rules that follow what the game is supposed to be based on!
I get that now, more or less, by simply not taking a LR after each encounter. I get that now by not eating food during combat. I get that now by not changing my gear during combat. A whole lot of things that are readily available, and yet, here we are, telling everyone else what they must conform to because reasons. The funniest response I've gotten to this so far equates to "Wait, you expect me to not take advantage of things I see as exploitive???".
Robert can we both agree the response " It's not a problem if I can ignore it" isn't exactly an answer to everything? Most of your posts reflect that ideology in my opinion. The thing is it can be the answer. And it goes together with " Play the game the way you want it". That's precisely what Larian did in DOS2, and it worked very well. That's why BG2 sleeping system worked very well just as the one in BG3 does the same. But it's not an answer PRECISELY if we speak about the difficulty level.
On the highest difficulties, you use every mechanic in the game or at least that's what could be expected. You admit the player knows everything and you can punish him for each mistake he makes. If there's no mercy for the player then you have to make some assumption as to the current power level of the said player.
AKA => He's on full spells, knows every AI tricks, where are the enemies, and might have some special consumables. That's the assumption BG2 creators made. It worked. Every encounter that wanted to be difficult assumed you have everything. BG3 can do the same and it won't be a problem. It will most likely be balanced around it.
Now your point is "why balancing the game if i can do it myself?". Or at least that's how you make it sound. And it's valid argument to some extent, I played the game exactly this way and had fun.
BUT
Beating a game on the hardest difficulties it's to some extent a way of accomplishment and having to "ignore the cheese" consciously to avoid it can give the player the impression that he's making it hard for himself. The game isn't a challenge. He is.
IN CONCLUSION:
Can we come back to discuss how can we make a sleeping system that doesn't assume you use it before every encounter BEFORE we invent the nighmtare difficulty in assumption mobs have to be ready for every spell the player can launch at them at the given time?
On this aspect BG3 will copy BG2. It's not a bad thing, more spells to use per encounter? More strategies to discuss with you coop teammates? Cool!
They won't change it in BG3 and it's predecessor shown they don't even need to ^^ Yet, it's still interesting to discuss it. Try to find a way for the D&D resting system to find it's way to PC without being overly complicated or changing the gameplay for the sake of changing the gameplay. It has to serve it, and add something to it. For now, it adds a spell Gatling gun. Can it add more depth if done differently? Resource management can be a very interesting feature if done correctly.
