Dark Souls II

[Sheikah]

So I decided to order this. Still not sure if it'll be my cup of tea (not played any of the Souls games before) but it looks pretty cool and there's nowt to play on Wii U at the moment, so gonna give it a go.

 

All I really know about the game is that it's supposedly very difficult and you die a lot, which reminds me of Monster Hunter and I ended up loving that franchise so hopefully will enjoy Dark Souls as well.

 

Was just thinking about some newbie tips that could help you, actually.

 

Don't hit NPCs. If it's anything like the last game, they will attack you for the remainder of that playthrough.

 

Walk down narrow passageways with your shield raised.

 

Look out for pressure traps.

 

Red and black characters are invading player phantoms. Yes, they're trying to murder you.

 

Run from the dragon, at least until you're stronger.

 

If you've a heart of gold, don't let them take it from you.

[dwarf]

And red messages on the ground reveal winning strategies that should always be followed.

[Sheikah]

Especially 'Sticky White Stuff'.

[Cookyman]

Fuck the Sun!

 

My copy never turned up today - roll on tomorrow!

 

[The Bard]

I still truly can't be arsed getting through Sen's Fortress. Dark Souls is a game I really like, but I don't have the sort of lifestyle that can tend to the level of couch dwelling focus you need to get anywhere with that game. I'll start playing it again when I go stay with my parents over the summer; all my basic human needs taken care of, I'll finally have time to finish it.

 

Really looking forward to this on PC though.

[Sheikah]

Man, how long you been on that bit? :p The pendulum traps were pretty annoying but it wasn't that long...

[The Bard]

Yeah my problem is that I start it up every few weeks, die, and immediately quit out because I just don't have the patience for it right now . If I made any sort of effort I could get through it in one sitting, but it's so boring that I can't be fucked.

[RedShell]

Started playing this a couple of hours ago, and before even seeing an enemy I already died.

Yeah, was just moving my character around trying to get used to the controls, and accidentally fell down a hole.

Killing myself earned me a Trophy though, which I found rather amusing.

 

Anyway, since then I've customised my character and got kitted out with a sword (chose to be a Knight ), now I'm just wandering around trying to figure out what the hell I'm supposed to be doing and where I'm supposed to be going.

It's been ages since I've played a game like this, where you basically get no guidance at all. Interesting stuff.

[Sheikah]

Damn, you lucky. What's with ShopTo these days? Dispatched Wednesday but didn't come today.

[drahkon]

now I'm just wandering around trying to figure out what the hell I'm supposed to be doing and where I'm supposed to be going.

 

Yes, gaming at its finest. This is how it's supposed to be.

 

Not knowing what to do, not knowing where to go. There's always this constant fear: What will await me around that corner? A saint? An enemy? Pure horror?

That risk when you go exploring. Should I go there? Will I find useful equipment? But what if I die? Will I ever get back my hard earned souls?

There are soooooo many aspects of the game that have to be discovered!

 

These and many other things (atmosphere, music, tone, what you make of your playthrough) define the Souls games.

 

 

Played Dark Souls 2 a bit. Died a couple of times (mainly due to me fighting against a huge enemy almost right at the beginning).

Love it.

 

This weekend...no studying. Just this one video game and the joy of figuring the game's mechanics out by myself and then discussing them here.

[The Bard]

It's patently not supposed to be how gaming should be though, because there's something wrong with your description. An analogy would be a game like Resident Evil where you have the dogs jump through the window, but instead of it utilising that moment once and moving on, satisfied with its one cheap shot, it keeps luring your round corners and knocking the vase out of your hand. The vase in this metaphor is your time, patience and thinly strung sense of masculinity.

 

I just got past all the super super shitty swinging doodads and the unnecessarily cheap floor panel traps which are almost always in long, constricted corridors at the end of which is an enemy blocking your path, so on the off chance you manage not to trigger it, the guy with the fucking snakehead is inevitably going to force you back down right onto the trap that you so gracefully elided.

 

Once you fucking finish that through furiously frustrating and shittily signposted trial and error, you duck your head out onto the roof of the place only to be shitcanned by some troll throwing flaming barrels that somehow set the limestone on fire and send you right fucking back to the bonfire to try that shit again.

 

There's something great about this game, but by fuck does it use one hand to lay the trail of breadcrumbs, while the other waits like a springtrapped boxing glove, ready to sock you in the cock.

 

Edit: Sorry I'm harshing your mellow gaiz.

Edited March 13, 2014 by The Bard

[Shorty]

So did anyone else go completely the wrong effin way? Fought my way through these 6 huge knights to a boss a dozen times before I realised it was too hard even by Dark Souls standards, then finally found the right path tucked away... At least it made the normal enemies feel like a joke.

[drahkon]

It's patently not supposed to be how gaming should be though, because there's something wrong with your description. An analogy would be a game like Resident Evil where you have the dogs jump through the window, but instead of it utilising that moment once and moving on, satisfied with its one cheap shot, it keeps luring your round corners and knocking the vase out of your hand. The vase in this metaphor is your time, patience and thinly strung sense of masculinity.

 

I don't see the problem.

 

Whatever floats your boat :p

 

I think the Souls games' approach to gaming is how it should be. No lengthy tutorials, no characters telling you where to go, what to do, which button to press, how to take a breath...

 

Everything done by subtle clues, atmosphere and tone.

 

Also: The way you describe your experience in Sen's fortress...clearly it's not a game for you. You should stop playing.

 

So did anyone else go completely the wrong effin way?

 

I don't know Probably took the right path as I haven't encountered any enemies that are too strong.

[The Bard]

I like the game, I loved the first 20 hours or so, but then got distracted with other things, mostly work. It's a difficult game to go back to, I feel like you have to build up a certain level of momentum to understand how it works. I also quite like the way it tweaks my anger when it fucks me over. Also a lot of people have said that Sen's Fortress is a bit of a spike in difficulty, so that's probably the problem. Didn't have a problem up until this point.

[RedShell]

Holy shit!:

 

That was my reaction to seeing that screen.

Yeah... gonna take me a while to get my head around this game I think.

 

Up to Level 17 now though, I'm definitely enjoying it so far and the atmosphere is pretty damn awesome. It's such a nerdy fucking game though, the way the NPCs talk is particularly hilarious.

 

Speaking of which, I already messed up on that tip @Sheikah and accidentally hit an NPC when I was just trying to talk to them... Whoops.

[dwarf]

@The Bard is a pussy. The latter half of Sen's Fortress shouldn't pose any problems as long as one concentrates.

When you have another go I'm sure you'll reflect back on your melodramatic guff and blush.

 

There's a really useful bonfire hidden at the end of the Fortress outside on the ramparts though, baffling decision by From to obscure it with a sheer cliff face, but hey ho.

[RedShell]

Only just realised that it's possible to retrieve your souls by going back to the spot where you died. Lost a few thousand souls due to not being aware of that earlier, oh well.

 

I've also noticed that my max HP is getting gradually reduced every time I cark it. "psst, developers of this game, it's difficult enough already yeah"

I thought that leveling up would restore it, but apparently not. What to do? Other than not bloody die, obviously.

[The Bard]

@The Bard is a pussy. The latter half of Sen's Fortress shouldn't pose any problems as long as one concentrates.

When you have another go I'm sure you'll reflect back on your melodramatic guff and blush.

 

There's a really useful bonfire hidden at the end of the Fortress outside on the ramparts though, baffling decision by From to obscure it with a sheer cliff face, but hey ho.

 

Yeah the problem is pretty much that I'm lazy and can't be bothered concentrating on actually playing the game for long stretches of time. I get distracted think "ooh that's a curious piece of geometry" and before I know it I'm dead, at which point I immediately quit out instead of trying again after adjusting my play. That doesn't mean it doesn't have some obtuse design decisions, but I should give it another go. It could be a pretty game too if it wasn't so uneven, how does the second one look?

 

I'm convinced the only thing in this game's design document was an A4 print out of trollface.

[Shorty]

Well if you quit when you die, clearly that's where you're going wrong. This is the one game that dying is supposed to be taken in your stride (especially because you need to go back and get your souls).

[drahkon]

I thought that leveling up would restore it, but apparently not. What to do? Other than not bloody die, obviously.

 

Using a Human Effigy may "revive" you, i.e. turn you into a human meaning you have full health, though I am not sure that's what Human Effigies are used for. Haven't used one so far :p

 

Another option is to be summoned and help kill a boss. I have done that and it works :p Also gives a nice amount of souls!

 

 

Now that the online portion is up and running it's time for some summoning action (PSN, however, decided to sign me out with no chance of signing back in currently -.-)

 

Had to use the small White Sign Soapstone at first which doesn't give you much time in the summoner's world.

Now I've found the - I guess - "real" White Sign Soapstone which is supposed to allow you a longer stay in another world.

Oh man this game. So good.

Just finished an intense journey through an area. Unlocked a nice shortcut and I know that there's a boss ahead (fought him in another player's world, already).

 

I also found a bow. Most useful weapon ever!

Edited March 14, 2014 by drahkon

[Shorty]

The effegies also reduce the chance of being invaded by PVP if burned in the bonfire. And yeah, they give you back full health when used.

[Sheikah]

Only just realised that it's possible to retrieve your souls by going back to the spot where you died. Lost a few thousand souls due to not being aware of that earlier, oh well.

 

I've also noticed that my max HP is getting gradually reduced every time I cark it. "psst, developers of this game, it's difficult enough already yeah"

I thought that leveling up would restore it, but apparently not. What to do? Other than not bloody die, obviously.

 

I should also say, if you die again before getting back to your bloodstain then your souls will be gone.

[dwarf]

One of the few series around where tips/strategies/online communities constitute a major part of the experience. It's fucking awesome in that respect.

[Corsair]

So did anyone else go completely the wrong effin way? Fought my way through these 6 huge knights to a boss a dozen times before I realised it was too hard even by Dark Souls standards, then finally found the right path tucked away... At least it made the normal enemies feel like a joke.

 

Only just got in but cant wait to get started on it. I spent the first couple of hours of the first one trying to go into New Londo and wondering why I couldn't attack the ghosts. This bodes well!

[Cookyman]

Got the game, patching now, here we gooooooo!