A Dark Souls Diary - Day Three

[Terramax]

This would be more entertaining if it were written like the commentator from Big Brother on Channel 4...

Day 3, in the house. Barry wakes up to find a zombie biting his face off.

I'm still alright with it, but I seriously need to get over the hump with these controls. The game is a chore to play right now. That's not unusual for new control schemes, there's always a period of adjustment, but this is particularly bad. We'll see how session 2 goes.

Indeed, I really despite the controls for the 360 version. It's just doesn't feel right, and my character has a habit of performing roles more than once depending on how I seem to press the buttons, causing for some very aggravating moments.

 

[Exius Xavarus]

Rest at the bonfires anyway. The dudes you killed to get to that bonfire are behind you and shouldn't pose much of a problem unless you're going backwards. I play Dark Souls on a PS3 so I can't really say much about controls on the PC, but here on consoles the controls are very smooth. Mayhap try using a Xbox 360 controller(if you have one)?

 

[bullet_sandw1ch]

i think your issue is that you chose the worst version of the game. there is nothing the pc version has that cant be purchased or attained on the console version. the only bonus is that you have slightly better graphics. my opinion?[even though youre not asking for it] cut your losses and buy a console version. you'll enjoy the 2011 game of the year that is dark souls much more.

 

[lacktheknack]

I'm still stuck in the "getting it working" part.

Two registry edits later (?!?!??!????!?!!?!?!?!?!?!?!!!!!), I've deleted a bunch of my Windows folder (DON'T ACTUALLY DO THIS) so I can fit it on my C drive.

Why didn't you install it on another partition?

Because it's supposed to not work on the not-default partition.

Why/How? Only Satan knows.

I installed it on E:\ (technically, in E:\Games\RPG\) and had no problems there. With and without the DSfix, too. It should work with a different partition. OK, maybe I'll have to rephrase that to be clear - if it fails, it shouldn't be the fault of the partition.

Well, mine was on D:/, I did all the other fixes I could find (including REGISTRY MODIFICATION), so I'm reaching the end of my options, and I heard that it can be a problem.

So we'll see.

:/ I wish you the best, man. I can't really help. I just plugged a controller, installed the game and it worked. My friend configured DSfix, since he had already been through all of that and knew which lines to edit. But I did try it without the mod, too and it still worked. Actually, ironically, the mod made me disconnect, since one of the options (not sure which one) caused a massive reduction of the FPS when I lit up a fire. It just went down to 5 or so, and the game told me "Too low frame rate to play online, lol, I'll disconnect you now - back to the lobby with you". Next time I play it, I'll actually tweak it correctly to avoid that.

Aaaaaaaand it did not work.

I don't even reach the "insert key here" screen before it crashes.

GAAAAAAAAH. What now?

 

[Headdrivehardscrew]

Welcome to the wonderful world of Dark Souls.

I first played it on the PS3, where there were only two areas with major frame drop issues.

On PC, I tried with PS3 pads (which... somewhat sucked) XBOX360 pads (which I hate and despise for not being symmetrical and all wrong, would have worked, not for me) and the cordless Logitech Rumblepad II. The Rumblepad II made me enjoy the PC Dark Souls experience much more. The mouse and keyboard idea is... poor, at best. Oh, and even though the software is called X360ce, it really works like a charm with the Logitech one... it works even better, as it's not all upside down and confused like the 360 pad is by default, as Microsoft messed it all up in an effort to not make it obvious they ripped of someone else's gamepad for the lulz.

There is an entry summing everything up neatly in the Steam Users' Forums.

Dark Souls and Rumblepad 2/Force Feedback?

While there is always some risk of failure when tinkering with DSfix, it's really important to keep up to date and maybe start from scratch when updating either the game or DSfix.

 

[WWmelb]

i sympathise with your controller issues and what not, but thanks for an amusing way of writing out your complaints and thoughts, it gave me a chuckle as i could relate to a lot of the instances.

 

[Brainwreck]

Been playing with a mouse with the help of DSFix (to unmake cursor) and some mouse fix. You can find that at the DS Nexus I think.
Game works just fine. Button prompts are still those of the X360 controller, but remembering what button does what isn't exactly hard. Mouse turned out to work just fine for everything, archery was a little difficult until I figured out how to make a reversed mouse acceleration work.
I didn't die even once until I got toasted by the Hellkite on the bridge.

Obviously, I'm a god amongst mortals and should be the leader of a covenant.
Just gotta find a cool name.

 

[DoPo]

GAAAAAAAAH. What now?

Did you try reinstalling the drivers using goat blood? Also, make sure the ancient Sumerian chants are correctly pronounced backwards - you also have to start from the back of the book, not only the bottom of the page. I can't think of anything else.

Oh, wait - which god are you praying to? I think the Norse ones worked better with Nvidia, while the Greek ones were more for ATI. But I've heard you can get better results if you pick a god depending on the exact model of the hardware.

 

[In Search of Username]

This was great fun to read, reminds me of when I first started Dark Souls. It's frustrating to learn but incredibly satisfying when you get the hang of it. Just you wait until you ring that first bell. :') Don't get what you mean about the controls, you're using a controller so they should be the same as on console and for me those controls were extremely smooth. Dunno what the problem is. Do another one of these when you keep playing man!

 

[lacktheknack]

GAAAAAAAAH. What now?

Did you try reinstalling the drivers using goat blood? Also, make sure the ancient Sumerian chants are correctly pronounced backwards - you also have to start from the back of the book, not only the bottom of the page. I can't think of anything else.

Oh, wait - which god are you praying to? I think the Norse ones worked better with Nvidia, while the Greek ones were more for ATI. But I've heard you can get better results if you pick a god depending on the exact model of the hardware.

I have Nvidia. <link=http://i41.tinypic.com/tarp6w.jpg>The goat sacrifice is only needed for ATI.

Anyways, I've updated them, reinstalled GFWL, mucked with the registry, unmucked with the registry, deleted the movie folder, undeleted the movie folder, and done everything conceivable short of sacrifice myself to the From Software Gods.

I guess I'll reinstall GFWL... AGAIN...

 

[DoPo]

I have Nvidia. <link=http://i41.tinypic.com/tarp6w.jpg>The goat sacrifice is only needed for ATI.

That would have been funny, if it wasn't true.
1st try to install drivers on Windows
1. I chose to automatically update the drivers, foolishly thinking it would do so.
2. The download finished, then it continued without a hitch
3. Installation finished and I got a "Restart now" prompt. I did
4. Lololo, the video card now shows like an unknown device. Can't switch to the inbuilt one, since it was Catalyst that managed that. At the same time Catalyst just plain refuses to work at all.
5. I do a system restore because I don't want to bother with this bullshit - if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

2nd try to install the drivers on Windows
1. As before
2. As before
3. I don't get a "restart now" prompt. OK, I'll restart anyway.
4. No trace of change. Catalyst even asks me if I want to update. Again.
5. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

When I tried to install the drivers under Linux. I tried many a time, using different approaches. In the end, every installation ended in one of exactly two ways

1. Absolutely nothing happened.
2. X refuses to work after the restart (this was the most common, if you're wandering).

I guess I'll reinstall GFWL... AGAIN...

Did you supply it with a fresh soul?

 

[thesilentman]

Sounds like you may want to play the game with a controller. Trust me, from what I've heard it'll make your experience a lot less miserable.

I'm playing with a controller.

If the mouse and keyboard is demonstrably worse, it would be outright unplayable. It's bad as it is.

Which controller? I just attached my PS3 controller, set it to emulate an Xbox controller, and off I went. Also, I never needed to change anything in DSFix sans my resolution and unlocking the frame rate (disconnected myself from GFWL, hate invasions).

Also, the fire pits are bonfires. They serve as checkpoints and places to level up, repair armor and equipment, and attuning spells. They also fill up the orange jugs, called Estus Flasks. Those heal you and can be kindled to allow having more than 5 uses (up to ten at first, then up to 20 after getting an item AFTER defeating a boss).

I'm still stuck in the "getting it working" part.

Two registry edits later (?!?!??!????!?!!?!?!?!?!?!?!!!!!), I've deleted a bunch of my Windows folder (DON'T ACTUALLY DO THIS) so I can fit it on my C drive.

Why didn't you install it on another partition?

Because it's supposed to not work on the not-default partition.

Why/How? Only Satan knows.

I installed it on E:\ (technically, in E:\Games\RPG\) and had no problems there. With and without the DSfix, too. It should work with a different partition. OK, maybe I'll have to rephrase that to be clear - if it fails, it shouldn't be the fault of the partition.

Well, mine was on D:/, I did all the other fixes I could find (including REGISTRY MODIFICATION), so I'm reaching the end of my options, and I heard that it can be a problem.

So we'll see.

Dark Souls shouldn't fuck with the registry at all. I have a somewhat old PC (5 years with an AMD HD 5450) and it has no issues what so ever. In fact, it's the only game that played nice with Vista and the Release Preview for Windows 8 and didn't crash even once, even without DSFix.

I'll try my best to help. What exactly is happening when you launch the game?

 

[lacktheknack]

I'm still stuck in the "getting it working" part.

Two registry edits later (?!?!??!????!?!!?!?!?!?!?!?!!!!!), I've deleted a bunch of my Windows folder (DON'T ACTUALLY DO THIS) so I can fit it on my C drive.

Why didn't you install it on another partition?

Because it's supposed to not work on the not-default partition.

Why/How? Only Satan knows.

I installed it on E:\ (technically, in E:\Games\RPG\) and had no problems there. With and without the DSfix, too. It should work with a different partition. OK, maybe I'll have to rephrase that to be clear - if it fails, it shouldn't be the fault of the partition.

Well, mine was on D:/, I did all the other fixes I could find (including REGISTRY MODIFICATION), so I'm reaching the end of my options, and I heard that it can be a problem.

So we'll see.

Dark Souls shouldn't fuck with the registry at all. I have a somewhat old PC (5 years with an AMD HD 5450) and it has no issues what so ever. In fact, it's the only game that played nice with Vista and the Release Preview for Windows 8 and didn't crash even once, even without DSFix.

I'll try my best to help. What exactly is happening when you launch the game?

Nothing.

A window pops up, taking up the bottom right 5/7ths of my screen, hanging off of it.

Then it stays black.

And it continues to stay black until I either move the window (stops responding) or let it sit for two minutes (standard no-information error message).

EDIT:

I have 64-bit Windows 7
Geforce 560 GTX
a 2.4 GHz i7, don't remember the exact model
RealTek sound chip
Antec 1000 watt power supply

Seems standard enough.

 

[thesilentman]

I'm still stuck in the "getting it working" part.

Two registry edits later (?!?!??!????!?!!?!?!?!?!?!?!!!!!), I've deleted a bunch of my Windows folder (DON'T ACTUALLY DO THIS) so I can fit it on my C drive.

Why didn't you install it on another partition?

Because it's supposed to not work on the not-default partition.

Why/How? Only Satan knows.

I installed it on E:\ (technically, in E:\Games\RPG\) and had no problems there. With and without the DSfix, too. It should work with a different partition. OK, maybe I'll have to rephrase that to be clear - if it fails, it shouldn't be the fault of the partition.

Well, mine was on D:/, I did all the other fixes I could find (including REGISTRY MODIFICATION), so I'm reaching the end of my options, and I heard that it can be a problem.

So we'll see.

Dark Souls shouldn't fuck with the registry at all. I have a somewhat old PC (5 years with an AMD HD 5450) and it has no issues what so ever. In fact, it's the only game that played nice with Vista and the Release Preview for Windows 8 and didn't crash even once, even without DSFix.

I'll try my best to help. What exactly is happening when you launch the game?

Nothing.

A window pops up, taking up the bottom right 5/7ths of my screen, hanging off of it.

Then it stays black.

And it continues to stay black until I either move the window (stops responding) or let it sit for two minutes (standard no-information error message).

EDIT:

I have 64-bit Windows 7
Geforce 560 GTX
a 2.4 GHz i7, don't remember the exact model
RealTek sound chip
Antec 1000 watt power supply

Seems standard enough.

It seems to be a redist issue. Did you verify the game files through Steam?

 

[lacktheknack]

I'm still stuck in the "getting it working" part.

Two registry edits later (?!?!??!????!?!!?!?!?!?!?!?!!!!!), I've deleted a bunch of my Windows folder (DON'T ACTUALLY DO THIS) so I can fit it on my C drive.

Why didn't you install it on another partition?

Because it's supposed to not work on the not-default partition.

Why/How? Only Satan knows.

I installed it on E:\ (technically, in E:\Games\RPG\) and had no problems there. With and without the DSfix, too. It should work with a different partition. OK, maybe I'll have to rephrase that to be clear - if it fails, it shouldn't be the fault of the partition.

Well, mine was on D:/, I did all the other fixes I could find (including REGISTRY MODIFICATION), so I'm reaching the end of my options, and I heard that it can be a problem.

So we'll see.

Dark Souls shouldn't fuck with the registry at all. I have a somewhat old PC (5 years with an AMD HD 5450) and it has no issues what so ever. In fact, it's the only game that played nice with Vista and the Release Preview for Windows 8 and didn't crash even once, even without DSFix.

I'll try my best to help. What exactly is happening when you launch the game?

Nothing.

A window pops up, taking up the bottom right 5/7ths of my screen, hanging off of it.

Then it stays black.

And it continues to stay black until I either move the window (stops responding) or let it sit for two minutes (standard no-information error message).

EDIT:

I have 64-bit Windows 7
Geforce 560 GTX
a 2.4 GHz i7, don't remember the exact model
RealTek sound chip
Antec 1000 watt power supply

Seems standard enough.

It seems to be a redist issue. Did you verify the game files through Steam?

Twice and re-install.

 

[thesilentman]

I'm still stuck in the "getting it working" part.

Two registry edits later (?!?!??!????!?!!?!?!?!?!?!?!!!!!), I've deleted a bunch of my Windows folder (DON'T ACTUALLY DO THIS) so I can fit it on my C drive.

Why didn't you install it on another partition?

Because it's supposed to not work on the not-default partition.

Why/How? Only Satan knows.

I installed it on E:\ (technically, in E:\Games\RPG\) and had no problems there. With and without the DSfix, too. It should work with a different partition. OK, maybe I'll have to rephrase that to be clear - if it fails, it shouldn't be the fault of the partition.

Well, mine was on D:/, I did all the other fixes I could find (including REGISTRY MODIFICATION), so I'm reaching the end of my options, and I heard that it can be a problem.

So we'll see.

Dark Souls shouldn't fuck with the registry at all. I have a somewhat old PC (5 years with an AMD HD 5450) and it has no issues what so ever. In fact, it's the only game that played nice with Vista and the Release Preview for Windows 8 and didn't crash even once, even without DSFix.

I'll try my best to help. What exactly is happening when you launch the game?

Nothing.

A window pops up, taking up the bottom right 5/7ths of my screen, hanging off of it.

Then it stays black.

And it continues to stay black until I either move the window (stops responding) or let it sit for two minutes (standard no-information error message).

EDIT:

I have 64-bit Windows 7
Geforce 560 GTX
a 2.4 GHz i7, don't remember the exact model
RealTek sound chip
Antec 1000 watt power supply

Seems standard enough.

It seems to be a redist issue. Did you verify the game files through Steam?

Twice and re-install.

You said you mucked about in the registry. Why not run CCleaner to fix any issues you might have? I usually find that this helps slim down the system after you have installed/reinstalled applications.

While you're at it, do the normal system maintenance tasks ie, defragmenting and Disk Cleanup.

 

[BloatedGuppy]

Regarding the Controller issues, the Xbox360 Controller has basically become the reference-model for most PC games and they offer support for it right out of the box without any issues.
Any similar X-Input-based Controller like for instance this one from Logitech will also work fine if you don't want to give Microsoft any money: http://www.logitech.com/en-us/product/gamepad-f310

I'm using a 310. It seems to forget its bindings at random intervals. Fortunately, I know how to get it back fairly quickly now. Needless to say, suddenly having your control scheme change when you're not anywhere near a fire is extremely annoying though.

 

[MeChaNiZ3D]

*Sigh*...the game is made for consoles. When FROM said they'd do a port with the barest optimisation possible because it isn't their thing, they meant it. Try a controller.

 

[Frission]

I didn't think Dark Souls was so hard. Even on the PC. I just made some adjustments.

 

[lacktheknack]

I'm still stuck in the "getting it working" part.

Two registry edits later (?!?!??!????!?!!?!?!?!?!?!?!!!!!), I've deleted a bunch of my Windows folder (DON'T ACTUALLY DO THIS) so I can fit it on my C drive.

Why didn't you install it on another partition?

Because it's supposed to not work on the not-default partition.

Why/How? Only Satan knows.

I installed it on E:\ (technically, in E:\Games\RPG\) and had no problems there. With and without the DSfix, too. It should work with a different partition. OK, maybe I'll have to rephrase that to be clear - if it fails, it shouldn't be the fault of the partition.

Well, mine was on D:/, I did all the other fixes I could find (including REGISTRY MODIFICATION), so I'm reaching the end of my options, and I heard that it can be a problem.

So we'll see.

Dark Souls shouldn't fuck with the registry at all. I have a somewhat old PC (5 years with an AMD HD 5450) and it has no issues what so ever. In fact, it's the only game that played nice with Vista and the Release Preview for Windows 8 and didn't crash even once, even without DSFix.

I'll try my best to help. What exactly is happening when you launch the game?

Nothing.

A window pops up, taking up the bottom right 5/7ths of my screen, hanging off of it.

Then it stays black.

And it continues to stay black until I either move the window (stops responding) or let it sit for two minutes (standard no-information error message).

EDIT:

I have 64-bit Windows 7
Geforce 560 GTX
a 2.4 GHz i7, don't remember the exact model
RealTek sound chip
Antec 1000 watt power supply

Seems standard enough.

It seems to be a redist issue. Did you verify the game files through Steam?

Twice and re-install.

You said you mucked about in the registry. Why not run CCleaner to fix any issues you might have? I usually find that this helps slim down the system after you have installed/reinstalled applications.

While you're at it, do the normal system maintenance tasks ie, defragmenting and Disk Cleanup.

It was a simple muckaround, I've completely restored it to norm (it was three letter changes).

I've run CCleaner six times, no dice.