Dark Souls

[schild]

Turns out the collector's edition was a piece of shit, but Amazon did in fact get me mine. No one should've been allowed to publish this except Atlus.

Anyway, somehow they made a better game than Demon's Souls. I am now firmly convinced that From Software has, apparently, the brightest, most clever game designers on the planet. The whole achievement is just staggering.

[Morfiend]

Well, shit, I would rather have had the $20.

In other news, the controls on the 360 version are "wonky".  Nevermind the bumper buttons are ass anyway, I have recently found that sometimes a RB press does nothing until I press LB, which is exactly the wrong fucking time to swing your sword.  This could be happening only when I quickly release LB and press RB, so the fix for me is to keep LB pressed while attacking.  I'd love to know if this is present on PS3. 

I can confirm this is present on the PS3 version. I thought it was my controller dying or just general funkyness. Its happened about 5 or 6 times.

[Nonentity]

I'm not reading spoilers in this thread but I'll post them.  Am I blowing your mind yet?

Well, as far as the other things there -

Also, if you're interested in picking up some miracles early on -

[bhodi]

Here's a huge spoilerific post that I pulled off of SA, that has a lot of good info in it. Strategy-guide-esque.

Firewatcher Souls

DO NOT CONSUME THESE!!

Cursed?

Some good early items/npc's

Fire Res Shield:

Magic Res shield:

Strength Sword:

Dex Spear:

Faith Sword:

First Pyromancer Trainer:

First Sorcerer Trainer:

First Blacksmith:


Area Specific Tips

The "areas" are given mnemonics to not give away the name of the location, though they should be obvious for anyone who has entered that area (UA = Undead Asylum).

Area UA:

Area FS:

Area UB:

Area UP:

At this point, you really have two routes-

Area LUB:

Area DG:

From here, you have a few routes, though this is what I have been following and I recommend-


Area TD:

Area BT:

Area QD:

After that area, it should hopefully be obvious where to go next. Also, depending on the NPC’s you encountered, a certain NPC may be missing from Firelink Shrine, don’t worry, this isn’t permanent.

Area SF:

Area AL:

[Rokal]

In other news, the controls on the 360 version are "wonky".  Nevermind the bumper buttons are ass anyway, I have recently found that sometimes a RB press does nothing until I press LB, which is exactly the wrong fucking time to swing your sword.  This could be happening only when I quickly release LB and press RB, so the fix for me is to keep LB pressed while attacking.  I'd love to know if this is present on PS3.  I'm half ready to buy it on PS3 anyway after getting some framerate drop-n-chop around the lake under Fireside(?) Shrine.

I don't have this issue on 360. I really dislike the controller layout (left trigger to parry and bumper to block? seriously?), but it's not broken in the way you're describing it. Try another controller if you have one.

[bhodi]

Anyway, somehow they made a better game than Demon's Souls.

The 100% most annoying thing is the fact that you can't hit select to recommend a message anymore. You have to actually select an item. Thus, no one does it and there are constantly vanishing 0 rated messages everywhere. It's really dumb. I have no idea why they changed it.

[Morfiend]

Anyway, somehow they made a better game than Demon's Souls.

The 100% most annoying thing is the fact that you can't hit select to recommend a message anymore. You have to actually select an item. Thus, no one does it and there are constantly vanishing 0 rated messages everywhere. It's really dumb. I have no idea why they changed it.

I totally agree with this. It is one of the few changes I feel make the game not as amazing.

[Morfiend]

Need help.

In Undead Perish.

[ffc]

Pressing select to write/rate messages was great but I don't mind setting the orange soapstone as one of my quick inventory items for messages.  What bothers me is I would have missed the merchant selling the soapstone if it weren't for a message telling me I was standing on a sniper spot, after which I realized I missed an area and in that area another message tipped me off there was a secret route which led me to this merchant.

Also, holding down X and jiggling the controller around opens motion controls for gestures.  I think this was in Demon's Souls too but I completely forgot about it.

Anyone figure out an easy way to get an Uchigatana? That was my weapon of choice in Demons Souls.

[Ghambit]

Anyway, somehow they made a better game than Demon's Souls. I am now firmly convinced that From Software has, apparently, the brightest, most clever game designers on the planet. The whole achievement is just staggering.

It's firmly game of year, by far.
And it's actually one of the few games I've played that have compelled me to perhaps do some writing, using the game as the engine.  In that aspect alone, it's a beautiful storytelling mechanism.

Has there been any book, tv, or movie talks??

[RUiN 427]

This game.... is brutally good.

[Quinton]

Goddamn.  I'm now very good at getting from the first bonfire in the Undead Burg to the top of the tower, whereupon the  destroys me (got him down to 1/4 health once out of 4-5 attempts so far).  Taking a break, but I'll get him eventually!  This last time I got sloppy and was killed taking out the guards on top beforehand.

[bhodi]

One huge thing you guys may not know is that you should kindle your bonfires. If you kindle them (it costs one humanity) you get double (10) estus flasks from them when you rest there from that point forward. This helped me so much that I can't even describe it.

Also from that point, Quinton, you can actually just run across the bridge, through the room, rest right before the stairs while you run up it, run through the door and off the ledge to avoid all those annoying firebomb skeletons. You'll only have to fight the 2 sword and shield and the one spear and shield skeleton to continue. Like in Demon's Souls, if you experiment a bit you can find the path where you can just run through all the creatures - they won't necessarily follow you.

[Ghambit]

Goddamn.  I'm now very good at getting from the first bonfire in the Undead Burg to the top of the tower, whereupon the  destroys me (got him down to 1/4 health once out of 4-5 attempts so far).  Taking a break, but I'll get him eventually!  This last time I got sloppy and was killed taking out the guards on top beforehand.

[Quinton]

That part I'm good at!  Getting back up there to repeat it without being squished, not so much...

[ffc]

I've died at least 10 times in the area Quinton is stuck at. My attempts to sprint through the area backfire in a number of entertaining ways and a good number of my deaths were trying to make the jump off the bridge the firebomb guys bombard.  If anyone doesn't know, jumping is done by holding O and then pressing O again.  Although in this instance I ended up making the jump by rolling.

About kindling, I think if someone else kindled a bonfire in their game and you are on the same server and standing near the same bonfire then you get a bonus flask.  I had 10 flasks and have never turned human or kindled a fire.  I also just saw a guy sitting at a bonfire in my game and figured he kindled his.

Edit:  The sprinting worked!!  I see enemies trying to continue the chase through the fog, ha ha!  The few times I stumbled upon an enemy too vicious for me I get chased across the map.  I can't shake them as easily as in Demon's Souls.

[CaptainNapkin]

So I assume PS3 is the choice platform for this? Or does it perform equally well on 360 and not really matter?

[stu]

I managed to beat the Taurus Demon

[Yegolev]

I don't have this issue on 360. I really dislike the controller layout (left trigger to parry and bumper to block? seriously?), but it's not broken in the way you're describing it. Try another controller if you have one.

Morfiend has this on PS3, he said, and I'm using the controller that came with my Elite.  The others all suck in comparison.  It's better now but occasionally I miss a swing, probably due to the bumpers being ass.

I think I'm going to have to actually play this on PS3 myself to find out if performance/visuals are better.  Would like to know if there is a performance hit when looking around the underground lake when you enter it, which might answer my question.

[Morfiend]

In frustration I started a new guy. I manged to get past the stupid gate on my new guy, and then I realized there was a ladder I could have taken. It was hidded in shadows. So now I have a dex based guy and a str based guy. That drake sword is so good its not even funny. My Dex guy is having a hell of a time killing the gargoyles, but with the drake sword I did it second try, wasnt even a real challenge.

Does any one have any tips for my Dex guy, he seems to be struggling pretty hard.

[Ghambit]

Can you not use poisons/dot weapons with your dex guy?  Stick and move with light armor.
Go visit that

[Morfiend]

Anyone figure out an easy way to get an Uchigatana? That was my weapon of choice in Demons Souls.

Wont that screw me? So far he is the only way I have found to get arrows.

[ffc]

Wont that screw me? So far he is the only way I have found to get arrows.

You said you wanted easy, you didn't say anything about consequences!  Yes, you will be arrowless for a while.  I'm sure it's available elsewhere but not as early as this.  Better stock up. 

[Khaldun]

I didn't play the previous one.

This shit is hard. I kind of like it though. I have one character I have to delete because I tried killing the first NPC at the starting area. That was a bad idea. Doing a warrior now.

I had no idea what I was doing for a while--I couldn't even figure out how to trade in souls at bonfires for a level. Now I get it--I'm up in Undead Burg somewhere. I keep getting killed by this tall knight or by some demon thing beyond a white door in a tower. I think I need to go get some better shit at the merchant by the spear knights.

I cannot figure out how to use firebombs, though. I keep thinking I've equipped them but it doesn't seem to ever let me switch them in.

I tried a Pyromancer also but it doesn't seem like you actually get magic early on, so that's kind of tough. Ranged does seem like it would help in parts of Undead Burg, at any rate.

[Ghambit]

You're pretty damned well required to have SOME kind of ranged attack, if not at the least enough dex for bow/arrow.  Kiting is integral moreso in this version.  Bow/arrow is the only weapon that gives u near unlimited range in an fps view.

[schild]

This game is a lot more confusing than the last. In a good way. Just placed an order for the strategy guide at Amazon. Damn thing better have decent maps.

[Quinton]

I cannot figure out how to use firebombs, though. I keep thinking I've equipped them but it doesn't seem to ever let me switch them in.

I tried a Pyromancer also but it doesn't seem like you actually get magic early on, so that's kind of tough. Ranged does seem like it would help in parts of Undead Burg, at any rate.

For firebombs, like most consumables, you use the dpad-down to cycle through them and the square button to use them.  Probably easiest to lock on to the enemy you want to throw them at.  The thing with target lock is it limits your movement a bit so you may need to lock, attack, unlock, move around, repeat at times.

Both Pyromancer and Sorcerer start with just a single spell that you can start using partway through the tutorial once you pick up the item that allows you to cast spells (catalyst for sorcerer, for example).  To cast magic you need to wield the item and have the spell selected (cycle through spells with dpad-up) and hit R1 (or L1 if you have the casting item in your left hand instead of right).

[Morfiend]

Now I get it--I'm up in Undead Burg somewhere. I keep getting killed by this tall knight or by some demon thing beyond a white door in a tower. I think I need to go get some better shit at the merchant by the spear knights.

The tall black knight you should skip for now and come back later. The demon thing is the first boss. You will need to beat him to move on.

[Morfiend]

This game is a lot more confusing than the last. In a good way. Just placed an order for the strategy guide at Amazon. Damn thing better have decent maps.

First game in about 15 years I have considered buying the strat guide. But its sold out on amazon. 

[stu]

I was thinking the same thing. Sometimes there's a choice to go left or right, with left being a bonfire around a bend (or down some stairs), and I always seem to choose right until I die a few times and think, What the heck, I'll go left this time. <trot, trot> Oh, nice. A bonfire!

I haven't advanced far in the game, but this happened to me on the Red Dragon Bridge between the Undead Burg and the Undead Parish.

[Khaldun]

I got a light crossbow. I bought bolts. When I shoot it, the bolts sort of dribble down in front of my feet and laugh at me.

I'm a real expert now in clearing to the Taurus Demon without losing any health. Lot of fucking good it does me at level 16, I still get disemboweled by that thing. I tried going back down to the starting area and went down into some skeletons who utterly annihilated me several times.

Trying to decide if this is fun. Sort of on the fence. I don't mind having to play carefully but I would really like the effort of leveling up to yield me some kind of perceptible advantage. At level 16, clearing through to the Taurus Demon doesn't feel appreciably easier in terms of abilities than it was at level 8, just in terms of twitch/game-mechanical knowledge.

Twitch is twitch: if that's what I'm playing, ok. RPG is RPG: time makes me stronger. An RPG that doesn't really make me stronger for time and a twitch that isn't all that twitchy might be not a great mix. But I'm willing to learn.

Also I really hate a game that lets me jump down to a ledge only to find that it's a suicide ledge and nothing more. Especially if I can only jump because of a feature of the game's terrain.

[Yegolev]

I really like the exploration and I'm not ready for a strat guide.  I really like finding things on my own.  I also don't mind jumping down to some ledge and getting stuck or dying; it's pussy exploring if there is no danger in it, like if all of the enemies were pushovers.  The environment is not a pushover either, and requires careful consideration just like the enemies.

Leveling, well it helps me do things like equip a shiny weapon I found.  That's really the big jump for me so far, not adding a couple points to Dex (although that does help).  It's interesting in this RPG though, because souls are used to level as well as purchase things.  So a few runs around UB is what I'm looking at to buy more firebombs and bolts for use on that fuzzy guy... at least that's my plan, and that counts as a "level up".  If the plan doesn't work... well that's really one of my favorite things about this game.  I might discover some weakness or think of a new plan.

[ffc]

I finally got summoned into a game!  And then I discovered I can't heal myself.    Still fun to see the host's approach, which was to charge all the knights in the area we were in whereas I cleared the area in my game pulling them one by one.  We killed 3 of them, but there is a 4th the host doesn't see.  I engage, he runs off, I die.  I'm also fat rolling which isn't helping things.

Oh, about crossbows, you have to target lock on first then fire.

[Khaldun]

I haven't found any weapons, and the only merchant in Undead Burg that I know of doesn't sell anything better than my longsword. So being levelled enough to use something I've never seen isn't making me feel all hot inside. Yes, I've humanized up to improve my drops.

I wouldn't mind dying from jumping if I got to make the affirmative decision to jump in a game with a real physics engine. E.g., I had the ability to clear low obstacles, could look down and make a decision that maybe there was something worth trying to get to. When it's all about "is there a break in the wall or some barrels I can break?" having the answer be, "Roll the dice, who the fuck knows?" is kind of like a really sophisticated version of Dragon's Lair as far as jumping down or finding places goes. Would help if one of the hints you could give was "Don't jump" and it was easier to rate a hint +1, as opposed to "don't trust hint".

[Fabricated]

This game is very mean (yet not flat out unfair) and I want to like it but I don't know if I have the patience.