Dynamic Difficulty in Godot: Adapting to Player Skill

Posted by Gemma Ellison

July 17, 2025

Forget static difficulty sliders that offer nothing more than enemy health buffs. We’re diving deep into creating a truly dynamic difficulty system in Godot, one that adapts to the player’s skill and keeps them on the edge of their seat. This isn’t about simply making enemies tougher; it’s about crafting an experience that feels challenging yet fair, constantly evolving and throwing new curveballs.

Difficulty Tiers with Unique Enemy Behaviors

Most games treat difficulty as a simple multiplier. Enemy health goes up, damage goes up, and that’s it. That’s lazy design. Instead, think about how enemy behavior can change. In Godot, we can use state machines to control enemy AI.

For example, a “Normal” difficulty enemy might simply chase the player. A “Hard” difficulty enemy could use cover, flank the player, or even call for reinforcements. The possibilities are endless.

# Example: Enemy AI State Machine
extends Node

var state = "PATROL"

func _process(delta):
  match state:
    "PATROL":
      patrol()
    "CHASE":
      chase_player()
    "FLANK":
      flank_player()

func patrol():
  # Basic patrol behavior
  pass

func chase_player():
  # Chase the player directly
  pass

func flank_player():
  # Move to a flanking position
  pass

We can then connect this state machine to the game difficulty setting. When the game’s difficulty is set to “Hard,” enemies will use more complex behaviors. This adds a new layer of challenge that goes beyond just raw stats.

A common pitfall is making the behavior changes too drastic. Start subtle. Instead of instantly making enemies super aggressive, introduce gradual changes like slightly increased accuracy or quicker reaction times.

Dynamic Spawn Rates Based on Player Performance

A truly dynamic difficulty system should adapt to the player’s skill. If the player is tearing through enemies, the game should respond by increasing the spawn rate. Conversely, if the player is struggling, the spawn rate should decrease.

This can be achieved by tracking player performance metrics such as kill streaks, accuracy, or even damage taken. In Godot, we can use signals to monitor these metrics and adjust the spawn rate accordingly.

For instance, let’s say we track the player’s kill streak. If the player achieves a kill streak of 5, we increase the spawn rate by 10%. If the kill streak reaches 10, we increase the spawn rate by another 15%.

# Example: Adjusting spawn rate based on kill streak

var kill_streak = 0
var spawn_rate = 1.0

func increase_kill_streak():
  kill_streak += 1
  if kill_streak == 5:
    spawn_rate += 0.1
    update_spawn_rate()
  elif kill_streak == 10:
    spawn_rate += 0.15
    update_spawn_rate()

func update_spawn_rate():
  # Code to actually change the enemy spawn frequency
  pass

A mistake many developers make is tying spawn rate directly to player performance. This can lead to frustrating spikes in difficulty. Instead, use a smoothing function to gradually adjust the spawn rate, preventing sudden changes.

Introducing Dynamic Events to Challenge Players

Beyond enemy behavior and spawn rates, dynamic events can add another layer of challenge and unpredictability. These events can be anything from a sudden wave of powerful enemies to environmental hazards that appear unexpectedly.

Think of it like this: the game is constantly assessing the player and then throws special events to keep the game fresh.

Examples of dynamic events:

A supply drop with powerful weapons appears, attracting a large group of enemies.
A section of the level becomes flooded with toxic gas, forcing the player to find a safe route.
A boss enemy suddenly appears in a previously safe area.

In Godot, we can use timers and random number generators to trigger these events at unpredictable intervals.

# Example: Triggering a dynamic event

var event_timer = Timer.new()

func _ready():
  add_child(event_timer)
  event_timer.wait_time = rand_range(30, 60) # Random time between 30 and 60 seconds
  event_timer.one_shot = true
  event_timer.timeout.connect(trigger_dynamic_event)
  event_timer.start()

func trigger_dynamic_event():
  # Code to trigger a random dynamic event
  var event_type = randi() % 3 # Randomly choose an event
  match event_type:
    0:
      spawn_powerful_enemies()
    1:
      activate_toxic_gas()
    2:
      spawn_boss_enemy()

The challenge here is balancing the events. If they happen too frequently, they become predictable and lose their impact. If they happen too rarely, the player might forget they exist.

Practical Godot Code Examples

Here are a few concrete examples to illustrate how to implement these concepts in Godot:

Example 1: Enemy Behavior State Machine

# Enemy.gd
extends CharacterBody2D

enum {
    IDLE,
    CHASE,
    ATTACK
}

var state = IDLE
var speed = 50
var player: KinematicBody2D

func _ready():
    player = get_tree().get_first_node_in_group("player")

func _physics_process(delta):
    match state:
        IDLE:
            velocity = Vector2.ZERO
        CHASE:
            var direction = (player.position - position).normalized()
            velocity = direction * speed
        ATTACK:
            # Placeholder: Implement attack logic here
            velocity = Vector2.ZERO

    move_and_slide()

func _on_visibility_notifier_2d_screen_entered():
    state = CHASE

Example 2: Adjusting Spawn Rate

# Spawner.gd
extends Node2D

@export var enemy_scene: PackedScene
var spawn_timer = Timer.new()
var spawn_rate = 3 # Seconds

func _ready():
    add_child(spawn_timer)
    spawn_timer.wait_time = spawn_rate
    spawn_timer.timeout.connect(spawn_enemy)
    spawn_timer.start()

func spawn_enemy():
    var enemy = enemy_scene.instantiate()
    enemy.position = global_position # Change to a random position within range
    get_parent().add_child(enemy)
    spawn_timer.start()

func adjust_spawn_rate(new_rate):
    spawn_rate = new_rate
    spawn_timer.wait_time = spawn_rate

Example 3: Triggering a Dynamic Event

# EventManager.gd
extends Node

signal dynamic_event_triggered

func _ready():
    randomize()
    call_deferred("trigger_random_event")

func trigger_random_event():
    await get_tree().create_timer(randf_range(5, 10)).timeout # Wait 5-10 seconds
    dynamic_event_triggered.emit()

    queue_call("trigger_random_event") # Loop to next event

Conclusion

Creating a truly dynamic difficulty system is more than just tweaking numbers. It’s about crafting an experience that adapts to the player, keeps them engaged, and provides a meaningful challenge. By focusing on enemy behavior, spawn rates, and dynamic events, you can create a game that feels both fair and exciting, no matter the player’s skill level. Don’t be afraid to experiment and iterate until you find the perfect balance. The result will be a more rewarding and enjoyable experience for everyone. Remember to test your changes frequently and gather feedback from players to fine-tune your system.