Many people have asked for a difficulty setting. Some games have Difficulty: Easy/Normal/Hard
I would argue that if such a setting is added, it should be perhaps a set of defaults for a much more complex system. There are many binary opinions in these forums as to what the game should or shouldn't be. For each, there are opinions in favor and against. Why not take the most popular options and make them a toggle so each person can customize their game to what they believe is the correct way? The biggest problem is "balance". But I would argue that the devs only have to balance the game around what they decide are the "Normal" options as opposed to worrying about how each individual option affects balance.
I would like to see a game settings page that includes the following options as Enabled/Disabled:
1) Dialog Dice Rolls (skill checks).
2) Barrels of oil, fire wine, nautiloid tanks, etc.
3) Mobs can create ground/surface effects.
4) Party members can create ground/surface effects.
5) Mobs can have Advantage/Disadvantage Based on height.
6) Party members can have Advantage/Disadvantage Based on height.
7) Disengage, Jump, Hide, Throw, Shove are actions unless performed by a Rogue.
8) Backstab/Position gives no bonus.
9) Companion Romances.
10) Limit Long Rests.
11) Increase the number of short rests from 1 to 3.
12) Eldritch Knights and Arcane Tricksters can learn spells.
13) Only Wizard spells can be learned.
14) Add Exhaustion.
15) Cantrips have no surface effects.
16) Mobs have correct stats, AC, and HP per DnD 5e.
17) Limit to maximum 1 spell + 1 cantrip per turn.
18) Interact with empty containers.
19) Allow a maximum of 1 offhand attack per round.
20) Pickpocketing has consequences.
21) All mobs will actively search for hidden characters.
22) Allow only potions to heal in combat.
23) Require food as a resource with hunger effects.
24) Mobs can use Magic Arrows.
25) Mobs can use potions and scrolls.
26) Mobs can use throwables (potions, vials, etc.)
27) Mobs cast sleep, hold person, and magic missile more.
28) Double the amount of leader/elite mobs in encounters.
29) Enemy archers and spell casters return to cover between attacks.
The next set IMO are not needed because the player can simply not use them even if available. Others have disagreed with my opinion so I present them as additional options here:
a) No food during battle
b) Only allow one swap of equipment per round
c) No throwing food/potions
d) No Dipping
I definitely like the idea of having numerous difficulty options, instead of merely a set Easy/Normal/Hard trichotomy. There could be numerous different aspects of difficulty that are individually configurable, and I would like that very much.
I think your list, however, is too long and includes things that Larian is just not going to change. While to some extent, they want to let players enjoy the game in their own way, game developers also have their own vision. They want to make their own game, and they want players to experience it in a specific way. That's a large reason why most games do not offer many options and significantly impact how the game is played, alter the fundamental design principles, or change how the story is presented.
Hypothetically, it would be nice to have every single thing as an option, complete customization of the game. But Larian is not going to do that. No developer is going to do that.
The ones I think are the most realistic as options are: 1, 10, 11, 13 (I think this is just a bug anyway though), 18, 19 (though I hope this isn't an option, but is in fact just implemented as a fix), 20 (in some form, perhaps, though nothing too complex), 21 (this is surely just unfinished AI and will be fixed anyway), 22, 23, 28, 29 (in the form of just better AI overall), and "a" from the bottom. I think the others are either part of Larian's core design philosophy, or too inconvenient to implement, or too minor to bother with.
But it's a good list, and a good thought. More individual difficulty/gameplay options would be great. I just think we shouldn't get our hopes up too high as to how many of them there will be.
