The Shattered Elden Ring Thread: Tarnished Edition - (Shadow of the Erdtree p. 85)

[Chimpzy]

Do these pc issues come as a surprise tho? Because let's be honest, for all of FROM's talents, technical prowess is not one of them, never has been. Not on pc, obviously, but not on console either for that matter. I mean, Bloodborne, Dark Souls 3 and Sekiro all had less than stellar performance on the console too, and who can forget Blighttown in og Dark Souls? And judging from DF's early impressions, Elden Ring is no exception.

"You see that mountain? You can stutter there!" Because the joke was right there.

 

[hanselthecaretaker]

I played about three hours last night, mostly exploring the southeast corner of the map. Happy to report the lowly PS4 version runs smooth as butter from what I’ve seen so far. Didn’t spend much time on Torrent, but recall that also being smooth in the network test. While not Horizon: FW levels of technical splendor visually, it still is IMHO FROM’s best looking game on the whole. What really shines is the art design, which even after a short while easily exceeds what’s in their previous games. Looking up at the night sky with what is seemingly thousands of glowing grace pedals falling (from the Erd tree I’m guessing) around like leaves left me awestruck. Happened upon an elevator that went down for literally one minute into a New Londo/Profane Capital-esque place, but retreated upon seeing the ominous messages. I didn’t even have proper clothing or a shield yet, being a Wretch.

There is an exhausting amount of options available in character creation. I spent maybe 15-20 minutes making some draconian dude and only tweaked maybe 20% of the available categories before calling it good. The models actually look like people now which is a big plus, but of course that can be augmented into pretty much whatever one’s imagination desires. And yes, gender mixing and matching is integrated fully from what I could tell. Not as explicitly as Cyberpunk though, thank god. Naughty bits remain covered.

There is also a healthy amount of tutorials this time around, where every new thing you discover be it item or initially accessed menu screen has a prompt detailing what it’s for. This could probably be turned off but I find it helpful as a one-off, given most of the stuff is either brand new concepts or tweaks to existing design, like in terms of combat. Speaking of, there are a lot more useful mechanics there as well, and even at 30fps the commands feel snappy. Quick rolling has nearly no recovery frames and there are more melee options now too, like dedicated kicks and barehanded combos.

FTR after three hours I died as many times. One of them was due to an ill-fated, highly rated curiosity (figures!). Another was from an angry bear, which amazingly enough was sleeping at the spot when I returned stealthily to retrieve my runes. He/she? never knew I was there.

 

[XsjadoBlayde]

Me tryna find a local politics stream last night to listen to



And even on the PS5, Elden Ring has a pretty distracting "judder" effect on the framerate right now on yes the 'prioritise framerate' option, so have gone back to Forbidden West until potential later patch can smooth things out. Demon's Souls remake was the last one I completed so it's a tiny bit jarring with the performance downgrade on the newer super-hyped title. Do we need to give this to Bluepoint too?

Though Limmy still going against the grain like a stubborn Scottish mule I see

 

[SilentPony]

Despite critical acclaim, Elden Ring is currently 'mixed' on Steam

"Elden Ring? More like stuttering."

www.pcgamer.com

A From Software game with graphical and frame rate issues requiring emergency patches to fix?!? OH! SAY IT AIN'T SO! Next you're going to be saying video game sights deliberately ignored issues for the sake of getting a 10/10 review and clicks!

 

[EvilRoy]

A From Software game with graphical and frame rate issues requiring emergency patches to fix?!? OH! SAY IT AIN'T SO! Next you're going to be saying video game sights deliberately ignored issues for the sake of getting a 10/10 review and clicks!

Weirdly enough, I didn't see any framerate issues on PC in spite of my GPU being exactly the minimum requirement (which the game somehow argued was enough to run most graphical settings on high? Figure that one out). It ran smoothly with excellent load times and no major performance drops.

Not to say I had no issues. After an hour of play last night I'll be starting over tonight because I missed some kind of cutscene with my screen just going totally black on two occasions. And I hate my starting weapon, but it's mostly missing the cutscene. Fucking axe has no reach whatsoever. And the cutscenes.

 

[SilentPony]

Weirdly enough, I didn't see any framerate issues on PC in spite of my GPU being exactly the minimum requirement (which the game somehow argued was enough to run most graphical settings on high? Figure that one out). It ran smoothly with excellent load times and no major performance drops.

Not to say I had no issues. After an hour of play last night I'll be starting over tonight because I missed some kind of cutscene with my screen just going totally black on two occasions. And I hate my starting weapon, but it's mostly missing the cutscene. Fucking axe has no reach whatsoever. And the cutscenes.

I just think its hysterical the selective amnesia gamers have for From Software launches. Now I like From games, BloodBorne, Dark Souls 3 and the Lost Kingdom games especially, but I also remember. I remember the crashes and frame rate chugging of Bloodborne and the emergency patches. I remember DS3 crashing, the server timing out, being kicked out of the game during boss fights. Sekiro crashing to the desktop.
From Software games are ambitious and really push graphical settings. There is always to-scale bugs and issues From just can't test for. They can't realistically test 5 million players logging on at the same time. They can't test every rig, with every weapon, in every corner of every map to see if there is some game breaking glitch. At least for the first month players are just QA testers paying for the privilege of doing work.

 

[FakeSympathy]

Currently clocked in at 4.5 hours here.

Strangely enough, the game seems to stutter on the one of the early boss encounters, the tree sentinel (he's the big armored dude riding a horse you've seen from network test videos and trailers). The game stutters whenever the sentinel is doing a big attack. It messes with my timing as the frame rate keeps fluctuating, leading to my death. Otherwise, the game runs at perfect 60 fps for me. It's so weird because I have just beaten Margit, another tough boss with several big attacks, and there was no stutter there.

The controller issue was easy enough to fix; Settings -> Controller -> General Controller Setting -> And checking on/off for the controllers. From here, you can simply choose to exit out then reconnect the controller and restart the game. I am using XB1 Elite Controller, and decided to take one step further, and checked out "Xbox Extended Feature Support", which requires a system restart. Taking this extra step seemed to have made the controller work.

I honestly think the launch status of this scale is tolerable. We've seen WORSE launches. Compared to launch disasters of the past, this game at the very least isn't broken at the fundamental level and its mechanics working.

Looking past the launch issues, I can say for certain this is probably the most ACCESSIBLE souls game. It's still balls-breaking hard, but this game IMO made two changes that makes it more accessible to first-timers compared to other soulsborne games.

First, the exploration is a lot safer. I haven't encountered any areas where you take damage from falling. Unless it is a 100% pitfall, I found myself landing safely from any height. Also, because the overworld is pretty big, and groups of mobs are scattered, you can explore any part of the map without any risk of triggering them. Normally I would loath open-world design, but this overworld is perfect in its size and activity. Not excessively big map nor the repeated activities within each region (I'm looking at you, Assassin's Creed!). There are dungeons that revert back to the traditional exploration of the past Dark Souls games, but thanks to the ability to jump and no fall damage, they are easy to explore.

Second, the spirit summons does make fights easier. Remember how I said I beat Margit? Yeah, that took several attempts. But the lone wolf spirits helped by making the boss target them, and I hit him from the side. Following the tradition of the series, if you summon an NPC or another player the boss becomes harder with higher HP and maybe damage resistance. But your spirit summons count as an item (replenishes after reaching the next sight of grace), and you use them over and over again. I can totally see a lot more people solo-ing each boss by abusing the crap out of the spirit system.

Overall, although I understand why people are upset and they have the right to do so, I think they are making way too big of a deal out of the launch issues.

 

[hanselthecaretaker]

Currently clocked in at 4.5 hours here.

Strangely enough, the game seems to stutter on the one of the early boss encounters, the tree sentinel (he's the big armored dude riding a horse you've seen from network test videos and trailers). The game stutters whenever the sentinel is doing a big attack. It messes with my timing as the frame rate keeps fluctuating, leading to my death. Otherwise, the game runs at perfect 60 fps for me. It's so weird because I have just beaten Margit, another tough boss with several big attacks, and there was no stutter there.

The controller issue was easy enough to fix; Settings -> Controller -> General Controller Setting -> And checking on/off for the controllers. From here, you can simply choose to exit out then reconnect the controller and restart the game. I am using XB1 Elite Controller, and decided to take one step further, and checked out "Xbox Extended Feature Support", which requires a system restart. Taking this extra step seemed to have made the controller work.

I honestly think the launch status of this scale is tolerable. We've seen WORSE launches. Compared to launch disasters of the past, this game at the very least isn't broken at the fundamental level and its mechanics working.

Looking past the launch issues, I can say for certain this is probably the most ACCESSIBLE souls game. It's still balls-breaking hard, but this game IMO made two changes that makes it more accessible to first-timers compared to other soulsborne games.

First, the exploration is a lot safer. I haven't encountered any areas where you take damage from falling. Unless it is a 100% pitfall, I found myself landing safely from any height. Also, because the overworld is pretty big, and groups of mobs are scattered, you can explore any part of the map without any risk of triggering them. Normally I would loath open-world design, but this overworld is perfect in its size and activity. Not excessively big map nor the repeated activities within each region (I'm looking at you, Assassin's Creed!). There are dungeons that revert back to the traditional exploration of the past Dark Souls games, but thanks to the ability to jump and no fall damage, they are easy to explore.

Second, the spirit summons does make fights easier. Remember how I said I beat Margit? Yeah, that took several attempts. But the lone wolf spirits helped by making the boss target them, and I hit him from the side. Following the tradition of the series, if you summon an NPC or another player the boss becomes harder with higher HP and maybe damage resistance. But your spirit summons count as an item (replenishes after reaching the next sight of grace), and you use them over and over again. I can totally see a lot more people solo-ing each boss by abusing the crap out of the spirit system.

Overall, although I understand why people are upset and they have the right to do so, I think they are making way too big of a deal out of the launch issues.

I think it’s a backlash of the game getting “perfect” scores. If it had an 80-90 average and the performance was seen as the main issue, people would likely be more forgiving. It’s the latest example of why numerical/graded review scores are mostly toxic clickbait to generate headlines and are designed to excuse most people from taking the time to read actual thoughts or the why behind it. Then they spend more time than ever arguing back and forth pointlessly about why or why not a score was wrong or right.

I personally so far have had worse issues with past FROM games, even though those were also perfectly playable on the technical side barring occasional slowdown or frame pacing stuff.

I think most of the worst reactions of this are simply that: reactionary to the idea the game is perceived as 10/10.

Spoiler: The ACG one is a good example…

On one hand he says “the game is still fully playable”, and “if it’s just a patch that popped out right at the end and made things worse, that’s fine.” Um…ok? Then later says the issues are “amazingly bad news”. Dramatic much? I guess some people rely on that tactic to generate more traffic.

 

[FakeSympathy]

I think it’s a backlash of the game getting “perfect” scores. If it had an 80-90 average and the performance was seen as the main issue, people would likely be more forgiving. I personally so far have had worse issues with past FROM games, even though those were also perfectly playable on the technical side barring occasional slowdown or frame pacing stuff.

I think most of the worst reactions of this are simply that: reactionary to the idea the game is perceived as 10/10.

Spoiler: The ACG one is a good example…

On one hand he says “the game is still fully playable”, and “if it’s just a patch that popped out right at the end and made things worse, that’s fine.” Um…ok? Then later says the issues are “amazingly bad news”. Dramatic much? I guess some people rely on that tactic to generate more traffic.

It reminds me of the release of Skyrim (the original) and Witcher 3. Despite their flaws both on launch and on fundamental levels, people were throwing 10/10's everywhere. I did love both games, but it was so weird to see people getting salty either because the "game isn't perfect and not worth 10/10" or "HOW DARE YOU SCORE THE GAME 8/10 WITH LEGIT CRITICISMS?"

 

[BrawlMan]

​

 

[SilentPony]

It reminds me of the release of Skyrim (the original) and Witcher 3. Despite their flaws both on launch and on fundamental levels, people were throwing 10/10's everywhere. I did love both games, but it was so weird to see people getting salty either because the "game isn't perfect and not worth 10/10" or "HOW DARE YOU SCORE THE GAME 8/10 WITH LEGIT CRITICISMS?"

Its weird that gamers often view games as an intended experience, rather than a product. Like Elden Rings is not intended to have glitches, bugs, framerate drops, server timeouts, etc...therefore its unfair to judge the game with those in mind.
But its a product. Its being sold. Regardless of what its intended to be, its still what it is. We wouldn't give a pass if a movie only had half its audio, or turned into a slideshow during the big Avengers action scenes. We don't shrug and say the bananas at the market weren't intended to have mold on them, so just judge the banana part.
Intended experience vs actual experience. Its an odd one.

 

[Casual Shinji]

Its weird that gamers often view games as an intended experience, rather than a product. Like Elden Rings is not intended to have glitches, bugs, framerate drops, server timeouts, etc...therefore its unfair to judge the game with those in mind.

You're telling me the rusty-ass controls, horrible camera, and annoying lock-on AREN'T intentionally designed that way in every Fromsoft game to make it hard, but is just them not knowing how to make it gud?!

 

[hanselthecaretaker]

Its weird that gamers often view games as an intended experience, rather than a product. Like Elden Rings is not intended to have glitches, bugs, framerate drops, server timeouts, etc...therefore its unfair to judge the game with those in mind.
But its a product. Its being sold. Regardless of what its intended to be, its still what it is. We wouldn't give a pass if a movie only had half its audio, or turned into a slideshow during the big Avengers action scenes. We don't shrug and say the bananas at the market weren't intended to have mold on them, so just judge the banana part.
Intended experience vs actual experience. Its an odd one.

And the thing that gets dicey is it’s often different for everyone. Hell, some people had a perfectly (well, nearly at least) good time with Cyberpunk: 2077 too.

With movies, they are definitively constant products and won’t change from one Blu-Ray player or Netflix account to the next. Or if they do, the player or Smart TV needs troubleshooting.

 

[Brokencontroller]

I have been playing on playstation and i havent noticed any performance problems. I think this is a pc problem, maybe then trying to fix the netcode exploits?

 

[SilentPony]

You're telling me the rusty-ass controls, horrible camera, and annoying lock-on AREN'T intentionally designed that way in every Fromsoft game to make it hard, but is just them not knowing how to make it gud?!

View attachment 5645

Eh, fair. Im on record that I think a significant part of Dark Souls 1 difficulty was a combination of stiff controls, awkward camera angles, and just bad level design and progression. Pair that with frame rate drop and glitchy hitboxes and you've got an insufferable 'git gud' cut classic.

 

[Casual Shinji]

Eh, fair. Im on record that I think a significant part of Dark Souls 1 difficulty was a combination of stiff controls, awkward camera angles, and just bad level design and progression. Pair that with frame rate drop and glitchy hitboxes and you've got an insufferable 'git gud' cut classic.

The scariest thing about Blighttown was the smallest wooden protrusion in the level collision-ing you off to your death.

 

[hanselthecaretaker]

I have been playing on playstation and i havent noticed any performance problems. I think this is a pc problem, maybe then trying to fix the netcode exploits?

Wasn’t listening closely to all the complaints but kinda wondering if it still happens in offline mode.

 

[hanselthecaretaker]

The scariest thing about Blighttown was the smallest wooden protrusion in the level collision-ing you off to your death.

It always baffled me how FROM (minus DS2) can generally be so good with hit boxes on dynamic enemy models yet generally so bad with static environmental collision.

 

[Brokencontroller]

It always baffled me how FROM (minus DS2) can generally be so good with hit boxes on dynamic enemy models yet generally so bad with static environmental collision.

I dunno about hit boxes. Ive been hit with some fucking bullshit. I think they are better with adaptable i-frames.

 

[hanselthecaretaker]

I dunno about hit boxes. Ive been hit with some fucking bullshit. I think they are better with adaptable i-frames.

Yeah for sure there’s some bs especially in DS2 (F.U., Pursuer). Perhaps it’s a combination, as i-frames are only active during rolls IIRC. There is generally a thing about hitboxes though.

Spoiler