The Dark Souls Thread

[Wang Mandu]

I stopped playing because a Steam backlog is bad for your health. Not because I wimped out.

I can't believe an Internet petition actually worked and PC exclusive content for a multi-platform game? This must truly be the end of days. The rumor is it's GWFL which is .

[The Bill]

Awwwww yeah. Time to sell off my PS3 copy. So glad I didn't come close to finishing the game.

Everytime I entertain the idea of getting this game-- almost always specifically cause everyone in this thread seems to love it so much-- I envision it ending as you have said above. The game 5% done and me trying to sell it for 10 bucks...

Yeah, I sometimes feel like I'm missing out, then I remember the shit fits I used to throw as a youth (and this summer playing Duke Nukem Forever) and I realize I get mad, I mean heart attack inducing mad at video games. I'm not doing that to myself over something as trivial as software from Japan.

[Wang Mandu]

New Bosses - Including Artorias of Abyss, Chimera of Tomb, and more
PVP Online Matchmaking System - Quick matching for co-op or PVP
New Areas – Including Oolacile Tomb, Old Ruins and more
New Enemies – Including Abyss Guard, Chained Prisoner and more
New NPCs – Including Hawkeye Gough and more
New Weapons and Armor – Equip some from the new bosses, enemies, and NPCs

I like the sound of all this new extra content.

[spacehamster]

And all this stuff's gonna be PC exclusive? Fuckin'... fuck this shit. Fuck.

Geoff/Bill, I'm sure I've told you this before, but really, you'll hate this game.

[The Bill]

And all this stuff's gonna be PC exclusive? Fuckin'... fuck this shit. Fuck.

Geoff/Bill, I'm sure I've told you this before, but really, you'll hate this game.

I love the idea of finding the different weapons and leveling up and going from being a weakling to a bad-ass.

But DUDE!!! That's like every D&D style RPG.

I'm intrigued with the graphics and setting of the Dark Souls. Seems less Power Metal, more Black Metal, if you will. Though, Skyrim fills this desire, as the last I played, I'm now the scary horsemen, whom gallops on a nightmare stead and wears a mask of morbid dread... I might have lost my horse.

[Spooky Apparition]

this didn't take long: http://www.change.org/petitions/namco-b ... ndows-live#

[Spooky Apparition]

And all this stuff's gonna be PC exclusive? Fuckin'... fuck this shit. Fuck.

maybe the new stuff is too technically demanding for consoles? a few months back the main dude was really apologetic about the technical issues, so i'm guessing they wouldn't release the new stuff for consoles if it's as bad as blighttown and some other areas (side note: on my second playthrough i haven't had any slowdown whatsoever, even in blighttown... weird).

but if there's no technical issues, i find it hard to believe they wouldn't release the new stuff as DLC at some point. they'd have hundreds of thousands of people who'd buy it instantly. goddammit i don't want to have to get a new PC just for this

[spacehamster]

goddammit i don't want to have to get a new PC just for this

Sigh. I've been thinking about doing just that for a while now, basically put together a PC just for gaming and hook the TV up to it, and I might do it next year. If this stays PC exclusive, it's pretty much a done deal.

Since I'm blathering in this thread anyway, I haven't played in a while what with Mass Effect 3 and all, but I've been thinking about Dark Souls vs Demon's Souls, and it pretty much comes out even for me. Dark Souls has a lot more variety, the way the world's put together is flat-out mindblowing and the boss fights are vastly superior, but the increased size also means there's less attention to detail. For example, how many variations of Soul Arrow do you really need? Demon's Souls had far fewer spells, but they were all very different from each other and seemed to be there for a reason, not just for the sake of numbers. And the way some creatures respawn in some levels, but become single-kill enemies in others for absolutely no reason except gameplay convenience really bugs me. Plus some of them are all over the place, while others are restricted to particular areas (like all of them in Demon's Souls), and there doesn't seem to be any logic attached to this either.

I dunno, I'm sure this seems like idiotic nitpicking, but one thing I really, really loved about Demon's Souls was how its world was 100% consistent internally. It had a logic that permeated everything from the creatures to the levels to pretty much every single game mechanic, and Dark Souls seems a bit... wishy-washy by comparison. Of course it makes up for that in spades by not having several boss battles that are basically "stand in this corner and shoot arrows at the shapeless blob" or several "different" areas that are really just slight variations on "scary castle". But it pretty much evens out for my tastes.

[Wang Mandu]

And all this stuff's gonna be PC exclusive? Fuckin'... fuck this shit. Fuck

They'd be stupid to not put it out if it's possible but no word yet. They might be keeping mum in order to drive up PC sales. I could see Namco saying after the release, "We're proud to announce new content for the console versions as well!"

I just hope the port isn't shoddy performance wise. I'm guessing they used GFWL because the 360 online code is probably the same. Still, Valve would have been more than happy to assist them with Steamworks.

Funny how a little ol' studio like From Software will support gamepads in the PC version but Bioware couldn't figure out that absolutely vexing mystery.

[Let Us Help You]

Never played these games since I'm PC only, but after hearing about what it's like, it sounds like my kind of thing and I'm looking forward to this port. Has anyone played the old game Severance: Blade Of Darkness, and is the combat in this like that? When that came out loads of people hated it and gave up on it pretty quickly because of the difficulty and intricate combat, but for me it's still the best melee system 11 fuckin years later.

As for GFWL, I'd rather not have it. I've only got it for SSFIV:AE and haven't had a problem with it, but I'd just prefer to keep everything on Steam, especially the achievements.

[a world of no]

I really WANT to like it. I love the idea of finding the different weapons and leveling up and going from being a weakling to a bad-ass. But I feel like the frustration factor will just kill me.

[Ghost Dad]

To be fair, it's the sluggish game mechanics (or deliberate pacing) that make this game tough. And I don't even think it's as hard as any of the 8 bit megaman games.

[riley-o]

outside of the first one, the 8bit megaman games are all easy and can be beaten in a couple hours.

[Spooky Apparition]

when you get the dark wood grain ring, the feel of dark souls changes fucking dramatically. it's not sluggish at all... sometimes it actually seems too easy. that ring combined with a double-upgraded +5 pyromancy flame (which doesn't use your stamina at all) eliminates about 90% of potential frustration. i beat ornstein/smough in ng+ in about 3 minutes.

also, 'cubes/bill, you can summon other players into your game at basically any time, and a lot of NPCs can be summoned before boss fights. you'll have some frustration no matter what, but if you just want to keep progressing through the game, it's not difficult to do it if you use the online features.

[spacehamster]

To be fair, it's the sluggish game mechanics (or deliberate pacing) that make this game tough.

I don't understand this at all. The pacing of the combat is what makes it work for me. You generally always have time to think about what to do. If the game moved faster, it'd be unplayable.

[riley-o]

outside of the first one, the 8bit megaman games are all easy and can be beaten in a couple hours.

yeah you haven't even played this game so.

[Blair]

when you get the dark wood grain ring, the feel of dark souls changes fucking dramatically

Just looked up this ring.

GOD FUCKING DAMN IT!

When they release the additional content version, you better believe I will leaving a roadrunner-esque trail of flames leading to that invisible ninja.

FUCK.

[Friendly Goatus]

when I first found him, I killed the FUCK out of that ninja. I thought he would drop something that made me invisible but the ring was pretty cool too.

[Blair]

I didn't even know the ninja was there. I had read something about joining the forest covenant to get that ring, but I couldn't find any concrete specifics. I killed that invisible souls-farming thief a hundred times instead of kicking him off the ledge trying to get that fucking ring.

[Ghost Dad]

To be fair, it's the sluggish game mechanics (or deliberate pacing) that make this game tough.

I don't understand this at all. The pacing of the combat is what makes it work for me. You generally always have time to think about what to do. If the game moved faster, it'd be unplayable.

Trying to pull off back stabs and having your character freeze like a dope is what mainly pissed me off. Happens constantly on the silver and black knights.

[spacehamster]

Trying to pull off back stabs and having your character freeze like a dope is what mainly pissed me off. Happens constantly on the silver and black knights.

Okay. I almost never do backstabs, so I guess it comes down to play styles. Whenever I know I'm going up against black and silver knights, I just bring a big shield and slicerdice 'em when their swords are bouncing off of it.

[riley-o]

just put a solid ENTIRE WEEKEND into this again

accomplished lots in NG+ including getting smough's soul and finally getting seath's tail fuck yeah

[Spooky Apparition]

started my third playthrough this weekend. i'm finally starting to level up intelligence so i can use some higher-level sorceries... fuck, i wish i did this earlier. tin crystallization catalyst + crystal homing soulmass + rushing fools as the soulmass hits them never ceases to be fun. i'm aiming to be able to use the crystal soul spear at 44 intelligence, then i'm going to stop leveling up at about SL120 for maximum PVP hijinks. still haven't messed around with miracles much (although i do have all of them )

[Spooky Apparition]

accomplished lots in NG+ including getting smough's soul and finally getting seath's tail fuck yeah

did you think O&S were far easier in NG+ than the first time through? it only took me about 4 tries, compared to 10+ the first. four kings took an embarrassing amount of time in NG+ though i can never predict which bosses will be easier or harder in NG+. i think i died more at the hands of the goddamn centipede demon than i did gwyn.

[The Schwartz]

started my third playthrough this weekend. i'm finally starting to level up intelligence so i can use some higher-level sorceries... fuck, i wish i did this earlier. tin crystallization catalyst + crystal homing soulmass + rushing fools as the soulmass hits them never ceases to be fun. i'm aiming to be able to use the crystal soul spear at 44 intelligence, then i'm going to stop leveling up at about SL120 for maximum PVP hijinks. still haven't messed around with miracles much (although i do have all of them )

crystal homing soulmass is definitely the most deadly thing in the game if you put enough time into it, you can walk through without doing any combat