Has anyone played this game? If so, what are your thoughts on it.
Well, since I had a discussion with W8taminute about this game recently and he decided to buy it, there's also the idea of having a thread here to see who else is playing this game and perhaps to have a place where we can exchange some tips etc.. I see that a DS thread was already started so no need to start a new one, although it doesn't seem that lively ;)
I will make things easier for me by just copy/paste here what I told W8taminute, since that also answers the initial question in this old thread. So perhaps others want to chime in and tell us their experiences and opinions :)
QuoteHas anyone played this game? If so, what are your thoughts on it.
It's different to all RPGs out there and it's better than good - it's a mind invading experience. That may sound a bit over the top, but you will dream about your experiences in the realm of Lordran. I bought it and was hooked and I'm now 130h+ into the game and I'm not finished with it. Recommended it to Hiimori and my best friend - both said that this is a game like no other and they couldn't stop playing (actually both are still playing the game) and both said that the game sneaked into their dreams as well
Dark Souls is an action RPG, that means you have real time combat. There's no story and there are no quests. Lordran, the kingdom where the game takes place has a background and that may be called the story here, but it's not like in other RPGs where you are a certain character and the game tells you a fleshed out novel like story while you act within that story as the main character, doing quests a la "bring me this, go there, come back and you get some EXP."
Dark Souls is more a scenery to live out your very own adventure, you create your character, your class, that's like in other RPGs (although there are no fixed classes, a class is defined by the various stats of the character and this can be changed later in the game) and then you are thrown into the world. You are an undead, a hollow and you are part of a dark realm without knowing why you are there. The world is huge and there are no loading times, what you see is what you can reach and early in the game someone will tell you just one thing...there are two bells in Lordran. That's it...you don't come closer to a "quest" in DS, you know there are two bells and you are in the world where it's hard to survive. The rest is your very own story
The enemies in DS are dangerous, every one of them is able to kill you and if you don't pay attention and get sloppy, they will. But although DS is often called the most difficult game out there, I wouldn't say so. It's difficult in the way that it is absolutely unforgiving, so if you are making mistakes, if you don't pay attention to what's going on around you, you'll often see the 'You Died' message. However it's the most 'unfrustrating' game I ever played because you have absolute control of your character and the combat is 100% precise. If you die in combat it's not so much because the odds are against you or that the enemy is so much tougher (although there are areas that are too dangerous for you at the beginning, or certain bosses might be hard to defeat at first, but this is fairly obvious then), it's because you either had the wrong equipment or you lost your concentration or both. When you die you are not out of the world. As I said you start as a hollow, an undead and there's humanity to be found in the world. You can use humanity for different things, one of them is bringing back your own humanity, so you are no longer hollow, but human. If you die as a hollow, you lose your soul bag (killed enemies leave souls you collect to level up, to buy stuff, to repair, to modify equipment etc.) and you get a chance to get it back, because it will lay where you died. If you die a second time on your way to the soul bag before reaching it, it's gone. If you are human and die you are back into the undead form but your stored humanity will be part of the soul bag and you can get it back.
So you are wandering through this dark and twisted land looking for treasures, souls, trying to stay alive, and searching fog walls. Behind such fog walls there are bosses, often amazingly designed ones. If you can beat such a boss you get great equipment, a huge amount of souls (or you use the soul of the boss to create amazing weapons, so the choice is yours. Do I use the boss soul to get 20.000 normal souls and buy me 3 level ups at once or do I keep it to bring it to a forge where I can get a great weapon?) and after you have beaten the boss the fog wall will be gone - opening the way to a different part of the world and often to shortcuts back to places you already know.
The dark atmosphere and the music and sound that will creep under your skin suck you in and sooner rather than later you will be in your own story and the game is not just one generic story you play through, it's yours. That of course also means players who always need a guide in form of quests and maps will have a hard time, since there's no explanation of how things work or what to do next - this is all about exploring and trying out.
There's an intense feeling of solitude, you are the Wanderer in the Waste but you are not really alone. You can see other players in your world as phantoms, as ghost-like figures and then you know at the very same time another player is at the same spot as you, facing the same challenges as you do. You can see what they do, fighting, searching or running by, but you can't clearly see what kind of character they are, because of their fading ghostly nature. At the same time you will be seen as such a ghost in their world, you can greet them and wave for example, before they vanish. This way you get a wonderful feeling of being connected with others while you are playing your own game. If you come to a bonfire, fire places all over Lordran you can sit down and this will be the bonfire you will respawn after being killed. Sort of a saving point if you will. You can repair stuff at the bonfire, you can level up etc. all important things regarding your character are done while sitting at a bonfire. And near a bonfire you will be able to see other human players much more clearly. In the area lit by the fire you can see their faces, their equipment etc..
It's a fascinating situation when you made it through a really dangerous part of the world and you don't know where the next bonfire is. If you get killed now with all these souls you will lose them in this new area of Lordran that you don't know and where you will have to come back - and you will have to make it from the last bonfire you were sitting at...and then you come around the next corner, shield and weapon up, ready for an ambush, sweaty hands...and you see a cave with a fire! You come nearer and you see three players sitting at this fire, starring silently into the flames and you know you are safe for now! And these other players had probably the same relief as you when finding the cave. You come nearer and see another player standing at the fire, he bows to you, you raise your hand to greet him back before they are all fading away and you are alone again...you will remember such times!
Players can write messages in fire-letters on the ground to warn other players in their own world about ambushes, traps or give them hints where to find a treasure chest, a large amount of souls, a weapon. Sometimes a message was written by a nasty player...'Here! Treasure...Jump'...what do you do? There's a cliff and you think one can stand on it, but you are not sure, can the message be trusted? Do you jump down to find the treasure? Or do you think someone is trying to lure you into a fall to death? Your decision. Will you give good or bad advice to other players?
There's also the possibility to write a summon sign on the ground that other players next to your dimension (on the same server) will see. They can touch the sign and summon you as a glowing spirit into their world so you might help them to beat a boss or just to wander with them through the dark forest because they don't want to be alone anymore....at least for some time. You can also be invaded by Dark Spirits, players who belong to a certain covenant (there are many of these and one can decide to be part of such a special brotherhood) that seeks to grief others. Such players will appear as red phantoms and try to ambush you. When you see the message on your screen 'Dark Spirit soandso has invaded' you'll get a pumping heart.
You are on your way to the next bonfire, you don't know how strong the invader is, where is he? Will he be a fighter with honor waiting for you on the top of the Undead Burg giving a fair fight? Or will he hide in one of the rooms of the castle and wait for you to come by...and use a poison knife to kill you? Sometimes he can't find you...sometimes it's better to hide yourself and wait...and he will return to his own world...and you leave your hiding and walk on. These invasions can be over quickly because you get killed fast or you kill the invader fast but there are times when such player vs player combat is a thrill. Tactical combat at it's best...two warriors slowly walking around each other, shields up, trying to poke at the enemy to see how he will react....waiting for the opening...only one will stay alive. This is intense stuff I can tell you.
Or you are part of a covenant that is dedicated to guarding a certain area of the realm. I'm a member of the Darkmoon Blades and when I wear my covenants ring I can be summoned by Gwyndolin to punish the sinners in Dark Anor Londor. I will be a blue phantom of vengeance and if a sinner is there more than one Blade can be summoned...but of course the sinner might not be alone himself and when you arrive you see the sinner and two companions and you are there with only one brother of your covenant...but then there's no time left to think about the odds, you have to concentrate on the fight...both Darkmoon Blades standing together, shields up and facing their three enemies...you don't know the other blue phantom but at this moment you both will win or lose together, you both fight for your covenant. With a bit of luck another Blade will join the fight...
Or I can use the book of the guilty to go and try to punish the sinners on my own if they are online. Or with a special tool, a sign I write on the ground I can teleport into the world of a guilty player near me... If am victorious I get a trophy that I can offer to my covenants goddess and get a better rank and some cool weapons...
When you are at your bonfire and 'kindle' it (offering humanity to increase the flames so that you get more health potions (so called Estus flasks) from it) any player nearby at the same bonfire in his world or who recently was at the same bonfire and is now online in the game gets a health potion for free...when clerics do their blessings in their own world you will see a white ring in the air where such a blessing is done. If you are also able to do these blessings and do it where you see such a white circle, both blessings will get stronger, forming a chain of spells over many worlds...
You can see blood stains on the ground and when you touch it you see the last few moments of the player who died there...that may give you an idea what to expect around the next corner...so you can prepare yourself.
This 'this is my story' approach, the perfect combat, the great possibilities in choosing how to play, the dark and huge world, the sound, the unique Single Player merging with Coop and vs. play makes DS so completely different and so immensely satisfying that it will be part of your life and your dreams.
Interesting thing is, it's more lively than ever before. You can see how many players are around because of the phantoms and the messages and summon signs. The game came out in Oct 2011 and I see more players now than in the first half year. Some people don't like this game, some don't have the patience for its unique gameplay approach but there is the hardcore fan-base playing this game forever...some games have the level cap at 50, or 60, or 80...in Dark Souls the highest level is 719 and you need 1,704,000,000 souls to reach it :P
If you love unique games, if you want a different game, a different RPG, then this is it - it will change your life as a gamer :)
Great advice Grim, I can't believe I missed this game when it first came out. Dark Souls is very rich, deep, and satisfying if you're into RPGs. I'm only about 6 hours into the game and having a blast.
What I really find compelling about this game is not the story so much but the freedom to explore and do as you please. Combat is exactly the kind of melee combat I've been looking for since Koei's 'Colosseum: Road To Freedom' for PS2. Button mashing is going to get you killed quickly. Instead you must observe your enemy and keep your shield up. When he makes a move choose the right combo to counter him. Pressing an attack button once is all you need to do. If you button mash what you are doing is queuing up moves without taking into account that in between any of those moves the enemy could plunge a sword into your chest while your trying to execute a move. Patience is key. In real life you would only throw a punch at someone when you see an opening, not rapidly punch the air hoping to land a blow. Meanwhile your opponent looks at you laughing while he flanks you and kicks your backside!
As I get more involved in the game I'll definitely share what I've learned but suffice it to say this is a good game.
EDIT: I forgot to point out that Dark Souls is a thinking mans game so if you truly are a grog you're in for a treat. You have to keep an open mind with this game because it's not like your bread and butter RPGs like Skyrim. The game mechanics are totally different but the experience is no less rewarding.
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Anor Londo is the legendary city of the gods. But the Gods are dead now...it was the throne of the Great Lord Gwyn and his brave knights...the throne is shattered though and the knights are dead...the city is now abandoned...there's no sun anymore, everything is dark...my level 90+ character is gone...after 140 hours into this incredible game my save file is no longer accepted...'New Game' is the only option for me (the 'load game' button is gone and there's only one save file for each character), my hero is dead, he is now laying there in Lordran, somewhere...if you come across a dead body with a shining soul...and you take it, a message will pop up on your screen saying 'Soul of a Brave Soldier' ...use it well and may it grant you strength on your way through this damned land of the undead and lost souls...
...you mighty warrior, rest in peace, I had fun playing the game with you, you were soooo sloooow...but you were so strong! You stood there, like a rock, no matter what happened, what killed others in a few seconds only made you smile...you could wear the armor of Smough like it was a bag of feathers and you could wield the heaviest weapons without stumbling. It was a pleasure to play the game with you - Thank you!
...and now I will start new! Dark Souls, no matter what you throw at me, I will fight everything again, because what your designers achieved with this game is simply...you can't compare it to any other game...it's a masterpiece...try to punish me again, try to kill me as you did a thousand times before, I'm ready and I will see the credits, I will beat you - Praise the Sun!
I AM READY...come on...I'm back into the fight you damned bitch of a game!!!!!!!
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Sold. Ordering when I get back home.
^You won't regret it DV8. Just don't accidently lose your save file like poor Grimnirsson did.
Seriously though, this game is really fun to play.
QuoteSold. Ordering when I get back home.
LOL
I actually thought that in a year old thread with no answers to your question you must already own it or have decided not to play it.
So, welcome to Lordran DV8, the game will be the ticket to a ride you won't forget...and as W8taminute said just make sure not to do anything with the save file. Don't try to copy it (it can only be moved but some try to copy it anyway with some 'tools'), decide where to have it, on the HDD or the USB stick and then never change the storage. When I play DS now I will remove the damn stick so I don't choose it by accident - which is what happened...
Any questions, ask away :)
I assume you both are playing the console version? What's the skinny on the PC version?
Yes, playing the 360 version of the game so I have no info on the PC version. From what I read on the internet it's considered a 'half-assed' port of the console version so if you have the choice I would play on the console.
I'm playing the 360 version as well. I think the controls work better on the console for this game due to the unique way control is handled in this game. Since you don't have to button mash (in fact it is strongly discouraged) and you have to think carefully before choosing which action to take during combat you will not feel rushed. I think a PC/Keyboard/Mouse combo would actually hurt how the game is played versus the convenience of the console controller.
Quote from: DV8 on April 24, 2013, 05:12:13 AM
I assume you both are playing the console version? What's the skinny on the PC version?
I'm also playing on console - this is a game I want to enjoy in an armchair in front of my TV screen and with a gamepad (I only play Matrix / Slitherine / strategy stuff on the PC).
As far as I know, the PC version was a late port (published only because of a players' petition), initially it was only planned as a console game. Initially, there were massive graphical issues with low res textures and slow-downs. There is an (inofficial) fan-made patch which fixes the worst issues, but it doesn't sound very comfortable.
In addition, I think there are more players on the Xbox - and since the game has a strong multiplayer component (messages posted by other players on the floor, summoning signs of players who want to help you defeat a boss), the more players online, the better! Even on the XBox there are remote regions where you will have to wait long for a summoning sign and where you will be forced to fight alone (as long as you don't have friends with a similar level who can give you a hand). Other regions are buzzing with messages, ghosts, and summoning signs (as well as hostile PvP invasions).
Btw, I started my first game as a Sorcerer (just because I'm always a magician in any RPG, but then this isn't a normal RPG...) and quit after 25 hours (level 20+) because I had completey screwed up my skilling. Poor Lucius was dying constantly and didn't manage to do any damage. It was a tragedy!
I then decided to start all over again, this time with a hunter named Strider. I'm now Level 92 (about 100 hours playing time) with a DEX skilling, fire bow+9, specialized in ranged combat, and did many boss fights together with Grimnirsson's lost warrior (RIP!). Still not even close to finishing the game, though! ::)
Hi guys,
Just thought I'd share with you all my adventures in Lordran so far.
Last night I was determined to reach the Undead Parish which is a part of the world that is fairly early in the game and the story that the player must go to. In order to get to the Undead Parish you must pass through the Undead Burg. There is a great bridge that leads to the Parish however it is defended by a giant Bridge Wyvern. Here is what happened to me...
On my way to the Bridge Wyvern I ran into the Taurus Demon. I must have died 3 or 4 times before I realized that the Taurus Demon seems to behave like the monster at the Undead Asylum. So I figured I'll try to get in close and stay inside is hammer strike. After dying 3 more times I finally figured out his pattern and was able to kill him. Yes!!
Then I met Solaire of Astora and had a pleasant conversation with him. He is a member of a covenant and the Lord of Sunlight. After talking to Solaire I proceeded halfway across the bridge to the Wyvern encounter. He killed me over 10 times last night. Although of course it was frustrating I was not at the point of giving up. Dark Souls is so rewarding that difficulties are easily forgiven. There is always another way around a problem in this game it seems so I figured I'd try bypassing the Wyvern until I level up my character a bit and get some better weapons and armor.
I found a way to pass underneath the Wyvern and make it to the Undead Parish. But then some big Rhinoceros animal trampled me to death! It was 12:44 in the morning so I decided to go to bed. Tonight I shall slay me that animal and gain entrance into the Undead Parish!!
My copy arrived today. I can't wait to play it this evening. I'll be asking more questions once I get started. Are there any builds that are more durable initially?
I think good starting classes (with well-rounded talents) are the Knight, the Warrior or the Bandit if you are interested in a strong tank-like character with heavy armor, weapons and damage. The Bandit is probably the best Melee starting class.
I started (my second game) with the Hunter, which is also well-rounded, and put all my first level ups into DEX and END. END is very important for blocking, attacking, running and almost everything, so regardless of what you are planning, you should always put some points into END.
In my first game, I tried the Sorcerer, but I think this class needs some experience (I failed and left him for dead in level 29. Today, with my experience of 100+ hours and 94 levels, I would play him quite differently and will probably even start a new sorcerer some day). If you are interested in magic, a friend of ours made very good experiences with the Pyromancer, who is also considered to be a good starting class.
Grimnirsson re-started the game with a Cleric, so he can probably say more about how this class would be for an inexperienced player. A class you should NOT take is the deprived - it's only for experienced gamers.
You should also know that you won't stay in your class all the time - the classes are named "Starting Classes" for a reason! They only determine your initial stats and equipment, and then you are free to develop your character in whatever way you wish, and you are free to change your path whenever you want to (and can effort it). Since there are hundreds of levels, you can be quite experimental, but for the first 50 levels, you should plan wisely and stick to your plan.
So ask yourself: which is your favorite weapon type: ranged, Heavy swords, needles, clubs, magic... Which is your favorite armor: light, heavy, robes... some weapons scale with your DEX rating, some weapons scale with your STR rating, and if you turn a weapon into a magic weapon, it doesn't scale with both stats anymore. Some magic types scale with FAITH, some with INT, so it's very complex and completely overtaxing for a beginner. Especially since the game doesn't explain anything to you and leaves you alone with only some cryptic hints here and there!
For the start, just consider the general direction you want to take.
Here is a good overview over the starting classes:
http://darksoulswiki.wikispaces.com/Classes (http://darksoulswiki.wikispaces.com/Classes)
You can also choose one starting gift. Here you should DEFINITELY go for the Master Key - it is a great help early in the game, you will find the other stuff sooner of later, and most of it is pretty worthless.
http://darksoulswiki.wikispaces.com/Gifts (http://darksoulswiki.wikispaces.com/Gifts)
Good luck in Lordran and let us know how you decided :)
QuoteMy copy arrived today.
Xbox or PC?
QuoteI can't wait to play it this evening.
If you belong to the Order of Dedicated Dark Soul Players which you'll find out this evening, then you will have this 'I want to play' feeling all the time. A disturbing feeling when you are at work :P
QuoteI'll be asking more questions once I get started. Are there any builds that are more durable initially?
What Hiimori said, nothing I could add here. The good thing is you pick the starting class that fits your play style but you are not stuck with a class. You will be able to constantly adjust what doesn't feel right with your character. The bad thing is you can't respec later so every level up spent is part of this characters build - but this fits to the game, everything you do, every decision counts.
QuoteLast night I was determined to reach the Undead Parish which is a part of the world that is fairly early in the game and the story that the player must go to. In order to get to the Undead Parish you must pass through the Undead Burg. There is a great bridge that leads to the Parish however it is defended by a giant Bridge Wyvern. Here is what happened to me...
Later in the game you will be able to reach this location (as all the others) in more than one way, Lordran is full of shortcuts but you must find and open them first.
QuoteOn my way to the Bridge Wyvern I ran into the Taurus Demon. I must have died 3 or 4 times before I realized that the Taurus Demon seems to behave like the monster at the Undead Asylum. So I figured I'll try to get in close and stay inside is hammer strike. After dying 3 more times I finally figured out his pattern and was able to kill him. Yes!!
Congrats! The Taurus Demon is the first boss (not counting the Asylum Demon here) one encounters and I still remember my sweaty hands when I was in that fight myself. Like you I died, even more than 4 times and it felt great when the beast was finally killed and I was showered in souls :)
But he is a very easy Boss, but that only comes with experience. My Cleric killed him without using of an Estus Flask. If you climb up the ladder to the tower with those two crossbow soldiers, killing them first, then go back to the bridge, running to the second tower until the Taurus Demon appears, again up the ladder...you'll have the opportunity to jump on him and hit him hard. Depending on the weapon this brings down his health bar 1/3 to 1/2 so the rest is pretty easy. Of course if you miss him he will get very angry and you might have a hard time under his feet :P
QuoteThen I met Solaire of Astora and had a pleasant conversation with him. He is a member of a covenant and the Lord of Sunlight. After talking to Solaire I proceeded halfway across the bridge to the Wyvern encounter. He killed me over 10 times last night. Although of course it was frustrating I was not at the point of giving up. Dark Souls is so rewarding that difficulties are easily forgiven. There is always another way around a problem in this game it seems so I figured I'd try bypassing the Wyvern until I level up my character a bit and get some better weapons and armor.
I found a way to pass underneath the Wyvern and make it to the Undead Parish. But then some big Rhinoceros animal trampled me to death! It was 12:44 in the morning so I decided to go to bed. Tonight I shall slay me that animal and gain entrance into the Undead Parish!!
Cool :) Explore this area under the bridge/Dragon you will find a shortcut back to the bonfire in the Undead Burg... But also remember that you don't need to kill all monsters, even the Bridge Wyvern doesn't need to be killed, he is not a boss like the others who open up new locations when defeated (of course it makes things easier and you get experience and souls, e.g. the Rhinos are monsters that don't come back when you sit at the bonfire so killing them does make sense). And he is pretty tough. If you manage to cause enough damage to his tail he will lose it and you get the Dragon Sword, one of the strongest weapons in the early game, but he will still be alive. Killing him is possible with a long range strategy using a bow or in melee if you are fast and/or have a high fire resistance. A good choice is to get the Dragon Sword and let him live until you are a higher level and better equipped.
The great thing with DS is, there is always more than one strategy and different play styles may find totally different ways to deal with the situations. That's also the reason why the game is still fun in your second or even third play-through or in fact any time you replay it with a different character build.
QuoteGrimnirsson re-started the game with a Cleric, so he can probably say more about how this class would be for an inexperienced player.
The Cleric is pretty cool, I like my choice. He is able to use good weapons, has the healing miracle early in the game which gives 5 more times to heal in addition to the 5 Estus Flasks one has at the beginning, so that makes 10 so to say without the need for kindling a bonfire. That's pretty sweet and makes things much easier in the first hours. He belongs to the Way of the White covenant right from the start and that is one of the coop covenants so I see plenty of miracle resonances (strengthening my own mircales) and summoning signs. I was invaded only two times in 10 hours or so by a Dark Spirit and was able to defeat both of them. He is average fast (and lightning fast compared to my previous super-heavy tank) and so far I have no problems and the first bell is already rung as I said to W8taminute yesterday :)
So yeah, I think he is a great class for beginners and vets alike.
What a hard game! I knew it was coming but had no idea. I'm am still stuck just trying to get out of the Asylum!
Welcome to Dark Souls, this game separates the tough guys from the unbreakables :P
So, what class did you choose and on what platform are you playing?
Decided on the hunter for now.
Your platform of choice...a hunter secret? :P
PS3. Switched to warrior. At the boss. One word comes to mind, OUCH.
Make sure you actually hit the Asylum Demon when you jump on him to make the plunge attack and grab your weapon with both hands to inflict more damage. Then stay close to him and go into melee and he should be no problem because a plunge attack is already doing a great deal of damage. Good luck!
Also try to click the R3 while facing the demon so that you 'lock on' to him. Then circle around him real close. Keep moving and circling around him. When the demon takes a swing hopefully you'll be just off to his side where he'll miss. Then plunge your blade into his side or better yet his rear if you can. Rinse repeat and say goodnight to the demon.
Side note: My 8 year old has learned the basics of combat and is able to take on 2 of those skinny zombie guys at a time. She's playing as a pyromancer.
Excellent advice. Thanks!
Quote from: DV8 on April 27, 2013, 09:58:46 AM
Excellent advice. Thanks!
Yes, the Lock-on is fundamental in this game! Once you locked a target, you will always keep it in your focus and can easily roll or circle around it, shield raised, and stab it from behind your shield.
The Taurus Demon isn't very strong; you have to make an initial plunge attack on his head from above (grabbing your weapon two-handed and hitting him while you are falling), this will drain half of his life meter.
Then, when you are on the ground with him, you have to lock him as soon as possible and start rolling like crazy around him. Some more stabs or swings or thrusts (depending on your weapon), and he's done. But you have to be quick about it because he loves jumping high and dropping down on you. His attacks are quite slow and when he makes his strong attack and it misses, he's open for several seconds where you can stab him to death. It's just a question of locking and avoiding him in the very first seconds you land on the ground next to him.
Good luck!
I just returned to the New Londo Ruins (got a heavy beating there by the ghosts and knights when I went there far too early in the game), and now it's almost relaxing there, compared to the places I just left ;)
Ok, a little update about the adventure of my new character, the Cleric. I'm now about 15 hours into the game again, level 33. Opened a few shortcuts, killed the Knight on the tower between the bridge (with the red dragon, which is still alive because I have low fire res) and the Undead Parish, had some farming runs into the Darkroot Garden and killed the Capra Demon in the lower section of the Undead Burg. Next goal is killing Havel, then the Hydra, the Golden Golem in Darkroot Basin and then heading towards the Depths...
This second playthrough so far is much quicker than my first one, will be interesting to see how many hours I need to bring the Cleric up to level 90+ where I lost my old hero after the mentioned 140 hours :)
^Level 33 after 15 hours of play? That is impressive.
I'm currently about 13.5 hours into play and my knight is at level 24. I ran into that same knight in the tower between the bridge and the Undead Parish as well but did not do good. My problem is that I get greedy and try to perform multiple strikes against him before he swings at me again. I think I can beat him but I need to take it slow and calculate my moves more closely.
I did manage to kill the Armored Boar however so at least I don't have to face him anymore. I'll bypass the knight in the tower for now and try to locate the bonfire in the Undead Parish. I know the enemies will be a bit more tough than the ones in the Undead Burg but I recently reinforced my sword and armor +1 each so I'm hoping to be able to take them on.
So, accomplished my tasks yesterday - Havel, Hydra and the Golden Golem are no more :)
Regarding the "Tower Knight" - he has some nasty combos and does a lot of damage with his broad sword, so a shield with Damage reduction 100% is helpful if he gets through. I killed all the enemies in the area including the Knights in the Church to have enough room for maneuver. Then I lured him out so we could fight in the open area in front of the tower. A strong shield, a +5 sword with bleeding and being careful (and not greedy :P) did the trick.
A good strategy is to run up to him so he notices you and comes after you. Then quickly running back on the street and standing on the wall exactly opposing the door that leads to the tower stairs. When he comes out and sees you he will come to the wall below you and you can make a plunge attack on him. But be careful one of his attacks can reach you up there so if you are trying a strong plunge attack (holding the weapon in both hands) there's a short moment when you are extremely vulnerable to this attack. You can also lure him out and run into the church, he usually won't enter the church and with a bow you can shoot him while he is going backwards on the stairs, the arrows will aggro him again, he will come forth, go back, you shoot and so on. Poison arrows would work wonders I think :)
I LOVE poison arrows, I killed many of the larger enemies (dragons, golems, the highly dangerous basilisks, demons) by shooting them with poison arrows until the hit numbers above their heads began to count down (sometimes gaining aquisition by shooting them with cheap regular arrows first and then switching to poison arrows), and then waited until they died. Some are so poison-resistant that the arrows lose their effect after a while, so you have to shoot them again.
The Ring of Fog is also invaluable; I wear it since early in the game and almost never unequip it. The ring drastically reduces the enemy's area of awareness, so they realize you later and turn their back on you earlier. You should try to get the ring as early as possible, I won't leave my bonfire without it :P In combination with a bow, it simply rocks!
Good tips guys, thanks for sharing.
I confronted the 'Tower Knight' last night thinking my +2 sword and +1 Armor, helmet, gauntlets, and boots would be enough to fight him. I was wrong. My stamina is 14 and I have the knight's shield +1 but his strong strike breaks through my barrier and damages me enough to force me to run and drink Estus. Rinse and repeat and I'm defeated. I need either those poison arrows/bolts or some more leveling up and better reinforced armor.
I was so excited however because I defeated an Undead Knight that was guarding the basement key to Lower Undead Burg. Did some exploring down there and found a new friend who is some sort of magic user. Vinheim I think was his name.
Since I started playing Dark Souls I don't play any of my other XBOX games that much. I even bought Dragon's Dogma this weekend per Grimnirsson's suggestion but haven't started it yet!
Quote from: W8taminute on April 30, 2013, 12:07:08 PM
Since I started playing Dark Souls I don't play any of my other XBOX games that much. I even bought Dragon's Dogma this weekend per Grimnirsson's suggestion but haven't started it yet!
Great! Dragon's Dogma is a very good and also quite complex game (although totally different from Dark Souls) with a very innovative MP concept: players create their main character and a "Pawn" who accompanies them all the time. In addition, the player is free to hire up to two more pawns.. from other players! Your own pawn can be hired as well and brings back experiences, stories, hints, tipps, and even items from his travels with other players.
Hiring pawns costs Rift Crystals (the higher the pawn's level, the more expensive), but you can always hire your friend's pawns for free, regardless of level. Since I finished Dragon's Dogma (and started new with New Game +), you can hire my mighty and strong fighter Ser Fulgrim for free :) In addition, Grimnirsson's Nionde is also a great asset, I had her with me for a long time, until I became too strong, she's an excellent ranged character!
But we should open a Dragon's Dogma thread once you started playing, so we won't have to abduct the Dark Souls thread anymore ;)
QuoteSince I started playing Dark Souls I don't play any of my other XBOX games that much.
I did tell you that...I'm sure i did...it's a virus not a game :P
Quote from: HiimoriDragon's Dogma is a very good and also quite complex game (although totally different from Dark Souls) with a very innovative MP concept: players create their main character and a "Pawn" who accompanies them all the time.
Now you have me even more curious. Especially if I can hire friends Pawns for free! I will keep your offer in mind however...
Quote from: GrimnirssonI did tell you that...I'm sure i did...it's a virus not a game
Dark Souls is ruling my life! LOL
Quote from: HiimoriBut we should open a Dragon's Dogma thread once you started playing, so we won't have to abduct the Dark Souls thread anymore
But seriously, you are right. I will open a separate thread for Dragon's Dogma. I'm actually quite interested in seeing how this game compares to Dark Souls and will provide my comments for discussion.
Wow, last night I finally beat the Four Kings in the New Londo Ruins - a great Dark Souls moment! I was hollow, didn't have any human / NPC support, and the first time I went through the fog wall, I managed to grind them down to 50% before they killed me.
Returning there requires some dedication because there is no bonfire in the New Londo Ruins (you have to start from the Firelink Shrine) and the way to the boss is full with ghosts and very nasty Darkwraith knights. When I finally returned to the fog gate for the second time, I went right through it and then I beat the crap out of the Four Kings with my shiny new Uchigatana +14. It was a close fight, though, I was much too slow (the slower you are, the more kings spawn and attack you at the same time), and I my life bar was almost empty when I finished the last king.
A very rewarding fight, but not so hard as some of the other bosses (in retrospective). There were bosses I needed up to 20+ attempts to defeat them! On the other hand, one of the reasons may be that I'm level 95 now... The first time I went to the ruins was around level 30 and this didn't work at all, but at 95, the ruins are not too difficult anymore.
This is so unfair. I've been out traveling all week and I see all these great posts about the game. :'(
^I hate that feeling and I can sympathize with you. Have you had a chance to play some more since your last update?
@Hiimori
Congratulations on beating the Four Kings. You must have really felt proud at that moment!
I had some victories to celebrate as well as some major disappointments last night as well. I went on a major killing rampage in the Undead Parish after upgrading my knight sword to +5. I'm now able to kill Undead Knights with ease and I even took on the Black Tower Knight (the one in the church) and the Channeler in a straight up melee brawl. This rampage netted me over 8800 souls. Feeling cocky I went up to face the twin Bell Gargoyles on the way to ring the bell. While I managed to get the first Gargoyle down to 50% the second Gargoyle burnt me to death very badly. I tried to go back to recover my 8800 souls but this time I figured I'll lay down a Whitestone and call for Solaire's help. At this point I was still hollow and forgot to turn into human form so what happened was I got summoned into another humans game and together with one more human player we defeated the Bell Gargoyles. This netted me about 5500 souls. Upon completion of the battle I was teleported back to my instance of the world right before the fog gate to the Bell Gargoyles. Instead of going back to a bonfire to level up with my 5500 souls I again got greedy and decided to try to recover my other 8800 souls and defeat the Gargoyles alone. I paid the price with my life and now tonight I must try again to get back my 14k + souls!
The best advice I can give, and bear in mind I'm still new at this game, is to not get greedy. Cash in your winnings before facing a big boss monster or you lose it all. Patience is definitely a virtue in this game. ;)
QuoteThe best advice I can give, and bear in mind I'm still new at this game, is to not get greedy. Cash in your winnings before facing a big boss monster or you lose it all. Patience is definitely a virtue in this game.
It is indeed but sometimes when things go smoothly and you have that special feeling of actually
being your character when the combat flows well and all...you go that one step too far and get punished ;)
Quotebut this time I figured I'll lay down a Whitestone and call for Solaire's help
Why would
you lay down a whitestone summon sign? All you need to do is touching
his summon sign while being in human form...
QuoteWhy would you lay down a whitestone summon sign? All you need to do is touching his summon sign while being in human form...
Ah yes. I checked the wiki and you're right. I thought in addition to being human you had to use the whitestone Solaire gives you to call him. Now I'll save it and just use the one that will be there automatically when I'm in human form.
Quoteyou have that special feeling of actually being your character when the combat flows well and all...you go that one step too far and get punished
Yes yes yes. This is exactly how I felt. I thought I had become so powerful that nothing could stop me. Now I know better but Dark Souls is a game that brings out your emotions quite nicely. It is as if you are really there. Very hard to explain but if someone really likes these types of RPGs then they will understand.
QuoteI thought in addition to being human you had to use the whitestone Solaire gives you to call him. Now I'll save it
There's nothing to 'save'. The whitestone is given to you by Solaire and you can use it as a tool to write your sign on the ground (it's your magic pencil). It's not something that you can only use one time and then it's gone (and then you have to go find another whitestone). The Orange and the White writing/rating stones can be used indefinitely...and what you see on the ground if you are human are signs written with a whitestone, not a whitestone laying there ;)
Quote from: W8taminute on May 01, 2013, 12:13:29 PM
The best advice I can give, and bear in mind I'm still new at this game, is to not get greedy. Cash in your winnings before facing a big boss monster or you lose it all. Patience is definitely a virtue in this game. ;)
You just discovered one of the two Cardinal Sins in Dark Souls -
Greed and
Hubris!
And don't worry - this is perfectly normal (well, as normal as it can get in this game...). I cannot count how many times I thought "one more battle, one more corner, one more room, one more cave" while I was carrying a large amount of souls. Most of the time, I died an especially pathetic and embarrassing death then, for example sliding down a bridge and falling to my death or jumping over a cliff instead of attacking an enemy.
I predict: you will experience hubris later, when you are stronger and return to old places like the Undead Parish, thinking that you are strong and invincible now...
Dark Souls is one of the very rare games where you sit in front of your TV and scream out loud, stuff like "oh NOOOOOOO!", or "Nononononono" and feel physical pain when you lose your souls in an especially silly death, caused by your own cockiness or greed.
Yesterday I entered the world of Artorias (the DLC) and had some nerve wrecking moments, too. First, I failed to beat the Sanctuary Guardian several times and thought the DLC was over for me here and now. Grimnisson, who sat next to me on the sofa, suggested some experimental strategies for my build, and I managed to bring the boss down to two tiny lines on the health bar. After a while, I beat him.
When I entered the Royal Wood, which lies behind the guardian, I saw a suspicious walking mushroom in the distance. I thought he was spooky (and I had bad experiences with walking mushrooms in The Depths), so I didn't hesitate for a moment - I nocked a fire arrow and shot the mushroom. It didn't even flinch and died after one shot.
I then realized that Grimnirsson was giving me an awkward side glance. "What did you do?", he asked me. "I shot this creepy mushroom", I answered. "Well", he said, "I just talked to him and he was very friendly. Oh, by the way, did I mention he was a merchant?"
Well, that's Dark Souls - no turning back, no reverting to an older game save - you act and you suffer the consequences. 8)
QuoteWell, that's Dark Souls - no turning back, no reverting to an older game save - you act and you suffer the consequences.
That's another good point about this game. Since you cannot game the system by reloading a save file you must live with your decisions, good or bad. Just like in real life. Even though it would be awesome, you cannot reload your day if you had a hard time at work let's say.
I like this about Dark Souls. This game will teach you patience provided you are willing to learn. It is the reason why people either hate this game immediately or they love it passionately.
QuoteI saw a suspicious walking mushroom in the distance.
Well it was a 'she' her name was Elizabeth and yes she was friendly. And she wasn't even walking, just swaying.. :)
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FxClSD.jpg&hash=ff1c96667b6d5ad478f54f2fe21e6373ca454e56)
"Oh, Hiimori, why did you kill me? Did I scare you so much? And I couldn't even become hollow and exist on, I just disappeared" :P
^LOL!
Well I've cleared out the Depths and I'm so glad that is done. The Depths are a deep dark dank place to be but great for farming titanite and humanity.
I explored Blighttown last night and that is a scary place. Rickety bridges, tons of enemies, and those blow dart foes that fire poison darts at you from afar are very annoying. I decided to leave and head back to Firelink Shrine to reconsider my next steps. Maybe I'll talk to Andrei the blacksmith and use some of those titanite chunks I found in the Depths to augment my favorite sword. :)
Btw have you had a chance to play any more DV8?
Ok I'm a tad bit pissed now. I discovered the location of Alvina the cat lady you talk to to join the Darkwood Forest covenant. By accident I answered no to her first question due to it's confusing text. Now she won't talk to me at all and I missed out on an achievement. According to the Dark Souls Wiki forums I must pay 70k souls to absolve my sin against her, just for answering no? >:(
Oh well...It's no to the Great Wolf Sif then and then after that I'm going to attempt another go at Blighttown so that I can ring the second bell. Or I might go to Rickert of Vinheim and give him the enchanted ember I found in the Darkroot Garden in order to enchant one of my weapons.
The words of cats are confusing, no? As in real life :P
And I said every decision counts in this game... ;)
Good luck!
And the funny thing is I'm a cat owner so you would think I could speak cat. ;D
But you're right, every decision counts and that is a part of what makes the game great. In other news, I'm really loving the stone armour set I found. Although it's heavier than my elite knight armour my guy is moving better but I think it's the high poise of the stone armour.
My GOD this game is rock hard! Got it this week but we've had a guest staying so I haven't been able to play much, but I've seen enough to know it's bastard hard!
It might even be a bit too hard for my tastes, to be honest. I like hardcore games but this is ridiculous...the sheer effort you have to put in just to make it to the next room or building or whatever. My hands really ache after a session because I'm constantly holding the block button!
Still, it is quite compelling and I'm not ready to give up yet. The character development system has lots of possibilities. Things got slightly easier when I kindled the bonfire in the Undead Burg, and slightly easier still when I tried out the axe I'd been carrying. The axe is able to hurt my enemies even if they're blocking with shields.
One of my biggest frustrations at the moment is parrying. I started with a knight who was able to parry with relative ease, but now I'm a wanderer and I just can't get it to work, either with a sword or the axe. It makes the recognisable sound, but I never riposte, I just carry out the basic attack.
Well I haven't got parry/riposte working with my wanderer yet, but I am making (slow) progress. I'd been held up my some armoured boar thing for a while but I finally figured out how to kill the bloody thing. My only reward - a key. Now I have to figure out which door it opens. Cue lots of backtracking, I suspect.
Having fun though. :) It amazes me how much there is to combat, despite there really being only two buttons to attack. This is definitely a thinking-man's action RPG, you can't just button mash (except against rats :D).
I'm sad to miss out on all the online stuff, but I've never had Gold and I'm not about to pay £40 just to have the online features for one game.
QuoteI'm sad to miss out on all the online stuff, but I've never had Gold and I'm not about to pay £40 just to have the online features for one game.
If you are realizing this game is different and you like the experience then this may be a game that is worth one year of gold...to have real people in your world helping you with a tough fight or being always on the edge because other real players may invade your world actually brings an incredible game to a new level. And one year of XBL Gold is cheaper than 40 GBP if you look on ebay. My gold year is 30€, I have never paid more.
Great news Huw I'm glad you're liking this game. It is incredibly hard but once you get used to how combat works and how to read your opponents moves, it gets easier.
Some advice I can give you based on my experiences. Don't worry too much about not being able to parry/riposte just yet. Get used to the basics of fighting like locking onto your target, circling him, backstabbing, and standard block, normal attack, block, heavy attack, etc.
Monsters or bosses can indeed be tough. Sometimes it's better to wander off and level up your character both in experience and better weapons, magic, armor, before facing them.
As for the multiplayer aspect to it I agree with Grimnirsson. I'll add one more comment. Don't become human too early or a veteran might swoop into your world and take your stuff. I have yet to beat a human invader of my world and I'm a level 48 knight with good weapons and armor and some basic magic. But on the other hand if you are having a tough time beating a boss go human and hope that someone joins your game to help you beat the boss.
It's been about a month since I last played but during my last game I was in a forested part of the world (I won't say where in order not to spoil anything for you Huw) which is patrolled by human players that have joined a certain in game order. When my invader approached me I courteously bowed to him before accepting his challenge and he wrecked me to death during my bow. I never had a chance to defend myself. This game teaches you so much. In this case I learned not to be so polite when fighting others online. I love this game!
Thanks for the tips W8! Grim, I'll consider Gold; the online stuff does sound good...
By the way, it was largely this thread that convinced me to buy the game, so thanks to everyone who posted! Dark Souls really gets under your skin, doesn't it? It's a very rare game in that sense. As plenty of people have said before me, when you die it's usually because of a mistake or lapse in concentration, and as such, you're not dissuaded from trying again. Dark Souls has reminded me why I like hardcore games, not girly games like Bison plays. 8)
Got the Drake Sword last night by the way. :D
Wow, what a session! I accomplished a lot of things this evening...reinforced my Estus flask twice, found a blacksmith, rang the first bell and opened up two or three more areas to explore! I've been bitten by this game!
Quoterang the first bell
Praise the Sun! Wasn't it great to stand there on that high tower? After some hours of real tension and interesting fights? :)
QuoteGrim, I'll consider Gold; the online stuff does sound good...
If you would have been connected to other Dark Souls dimensions fellow players near you (perhaps also on their way to the bell tower while holding their weapon...eh...controller...with sweaty fingers) could hear your bell ringing...and you knowing that others will hear that you made it so far would have enjoyed it even more. It's an interesting psychological level XBL adds to this game, it's a subtle thing, really worth the money. You'll get more out of this than out of a CoD MP match tension-wise...
I plan to go back to my Dark Souls realm soon (now that I'm through with the Far Cry 3 story) and to play with my second character (since the first died the 'corrupted save file death' after 130+ hours as I mentioned here) - already over 40 hours again :)
Btw, where is our friend DV8? Lost in Lordran?
Quote from: Grimnirsson on August 05, 2013, 04:57:33 PM
Quoterang the first bell
Praise the Sun! Wasn't it great to stand there on that high tower? After some hours of real tension and interesting fights? :)
Yeah, it really was. I took a couple of minutes to enjoy the moment. :) I was surprised it was so close to the beginning of the game, though.
Quote from: Huw the Poo on August 06, 2013, 02:56:56 PM
Quote from: Grimnirsson on August 05, 2013, 04:57:33 PM
Quoterang the first bell
Praise the Sun! Wasn't it great to stand there on that high tower? After some hours of real tension and interesting fights? :)
Yeah, it really was. I took a couple of minutes to enjoy the moment. :) I was surprised it was so close to the beginning of the game, though.
Well if it puts things into perspective I didn't ring the first bell until several weeks of playing the game. I guess it took me a while to figure out where it was and then to summon the courage and experience to beat the bad guys on the way to ringing the bell.
By the way...what the hell is a blacksmith doing, living in a place like that?!
He had no choice, we are all living there now forever...or at least until Dark Souls 2 is out ;)
Rang the second bell with my new character :)
Praise the Sun! Finally, after wandering there for days I escaped the horrors of Blight Town. Blight Town is a difficult and dangerous place but having only half HP because of being cursed makes it even harder. I suppose I have lost around 35.000 souls there trying to find my way back.
^Congratulations brother on escaping Blight Town. That can be a dangerous place indeed and to have survived, even at the expense of so many souls, is a great achievement worthy of some GamerScore. ;)
Thanks, yes, was a hard time down there, as I said, I was cursed all the time :P
I have now killed the Hellkite Dragon, made my way through Sens Fortress and killed the Iron Golem and am back in Anor Londo. Level 53 again after 42h, faster than with my first character - it was definitely worth to start all over :)
That's quite impressive. I haven't played Dark Souls in a while but when I last left I was still stuck trying to figure out how to exit Sens Fortress. I try not to 'cheat' by reading the area walkthroughs over at Dark Souls Wiki unless I've spent way too much time in any area. It's important to experience the game fully on your own in my opinion before resorting to guides.
QuoteI haven't played Dark Souls in a while but when I last left I was still stuck trying to figure out how to exit Sens Fortress
The way is tricky because of the traps and swinging blades, but it's not really a long way. Make sure you will go up and not down and you'll find the way to Anor Londo :)
QuoteIt's important to experience the game fully on your own in my opinion before resorting to guides.
This!
Prepare to go beyond the terror you had to face in Dark Souls... ;)
^I've already put down $5 at my local GameStop to reserve a copy of this game. Can't wait for 14.March!
I noticed in that trailer there was a multiplayer scene where two red characters were fighting each other. I didn't think this was possible in Dark Souls was it?
No it wasn't as far as I know. Have you played it recently, DS1 I mean? I will start playing DS again beginning of march to prepare myself for DS2, I think I can be at the DLC door again at that time, which means I am where I was when my 1st character was lost.
I haven't played DS1 in a while but like you I plan on playing again soon in preparation for DS2. ;)
Hopefully you can reach the point where your first character was in time for DS2.
Odd, I could've sweared I contributed to this thread, but it must have either been a different thread or a different forum... hmz.. :D
Anyway, I think DS is about the best, most frustrating and most rewarding game experiences I have ever had, period!
Nowhere near to completion of the game, but I am totally in love with it.
The combat system is brutal, but fair and pretty tight. When you die you usually know why.
I am having a hard time with the demon in the lower burg with the two wolves at the moment... Have cleared the tower, sounded the bell. So I am pretty proud no less! :)
You mean the Capra Demon? He can be tough if your character can not take much damage (my old build could and just went through the fog door, killed everything and didn't even need a flask :P ) - it's usually the best tactic to run up the stairs so the wolves follow you while the demon is still on the ground. They will often stand side by side on the stairs so each weapon swing can hit them both, killing them quickly. Jump off and run upstairs again until the Demon stands below you and then make a jump attack. He doesn't need that many hits (ok, depending on your weapon of course). Just make sure to be quick because he will follow you upstairs...
I have the dragon sword, so dmg output is fine.
I can usually kill of the two wolves quickly, but the darn demon always runs up the stairs with me....
The trick with the Capra Demon is when he follows you up the stair immediately jump off and run back to the beginning of the stair case. Wait for him to jump off the little bridge thing then immediately run up the stairs again. Do a jump thrust sword attack on him when he doesn't follow you up the stairs. Rinse repeat. You'll get him eventually.
I love this game as well. This is the kind of game that when you're in a social gathering and tell people who understand gaming that you're a Dark Souls veteran they immediately bow to you in respect. Can't wait for Dark Souls 2 and I am no where finished at all with this game. But that's not going to stop me from playing. :)
I have decided I NEED to have finished DS 1 at least one time before I will start DS 2. I'll probably buy DS2 on day one though. :P