What are the effects of playing on Easy?

Solution 1:

Easy mode will give you more scrap per battle and will reduce the difficulty of battles by lowering the quality of weapons on enemy ships. Achievements and new ship types can be unlocked in either difficulty and will carry through to both difficulties of the game.

Solution 2:

I can't find anything solid on the difficulty settings, there is a quote from one of the developers of FTL stating that the game is supposed to be difficult;

The game is definitely designed to be hard. We're using the difficulty names not in compared to other games / expectations, but compared to what we've designed the 'typical' experience to be.

'Normal' is the normal game. It's what the game is designed/balanced for and intended to be.

'Easy' is for new players or those that prefer a slightly less hardcore experience.

I didn't want to use 'normal' and 'hard' because 'hard' suggests something that most players shouldn't necessarily attempt. In order to experience the game as it was intended it, the player should play (or at least try) 'normal,' hence the name.

This forum post suggests that the following are adjusted based on which difficulty you select;

• Money received
• Enemies have a chance of having better (deadlier) weapons equipped

As mentioned though, I have nothing from a more solid source.