Dark Souls: Initial Thoughts

[Pearwood]

Jesus.

You know the humanity you got off of that corpse by the well when you first got out of the asylum? Use that and cash it in at the bonfire to turn yourself into a human.

How is it that people can't figure this out?

That was unnecessary. I do know that, my point remains that you'll spend more time hollow than not.

 

[Rabid Toilet]

It's only self defeating it you thinking it as such. Dark/Demon's Souls design is that you shouldn't fear failure and that every encounter can make you stronger. In fact in Dark Souls they made it easier for you. you just have to not be afraid of the danger out there.

That isn't the case. You don't learn from dying. You are simply forced to respawn. The act of dying in game doesn't intrinsically impart knowledge or favour. Every encounter doesn't make you stronger. It might garner souls, but unless you spend those souls, thereby respawning all the non-boss mobs again, you remain the same. You don't get to practise against bosses without going through all that repetition in order to get back to that boss. Even then they are so big and inexplicable it isn't particularly easy to learn what they do and how they work. The end result is people just use google, and that's the sign of poor game design. Players don't fear the danger they just don't enjoy pointless repetition in a game that thinks it's more than it is.

You do get stronger every encounter. Not as a character, but as a player.

If something kills you, you now know, as a player, what to expect. Whether it's a trap you didn't spot or a move an enemy uses, you are now better prepared to deal with the situation the next time you encounter it.

As for the bosses, it is kind of annoying having to replay the level just to get one more shot at learning them, but they don't have that many mechanics, and it shouldn't take you more than one or two attempts to get a good feel for the fight.

 

[Insideout Ink Demon]

Right, i have no idea how or what that means in game.

soul level can be seen in the level up screen, select (ps3) or back (360) will describe it.
hitting NPC's is classed as a sin, and to attone for that, the price is high (payment in souls suprise suprise) i think you have to pay after you ring the church bell

 

[twistedheat15]

My biggest prob with the game is the weapon atks. They changed a lot of them that worked well to weird screwed up animations. The Halberd which used to atk with the axe part in downward motions now just gets jabbed forward with your char stumbling as they do it. The Morning star just get one big thrust downward, again with your char stumbling. A lot of those weapons didn't need the atk patterns screwed up when they worked fine for what they where most needed for.

Also while not as big of a deal I don't like that my char looks like a old corpse when it's hallowed. I spent like an hr in OCD fulled char customizing, only to find I'm gonna be spending most of my time as a mummy. Either way I like that the enemies are smarter and will follow you up ladders and stairs and actually use better strats then "run in with my cock out flail".

You need more endurance and strength when you are at 1/4 encumberance your attacks are much faster and you move more nimbly overall. Also why does anyone care how your character looks. Once you put your equipment on thats all you see. By the end of the game you will look silly in some way.

Nah I'm already well over the requirements for the weapons, it's just how they changed to animations compared to the first game, exp: maces in demon's used to swing in combo's like a sword, now it just does an overhead slam to the ground that leaves you paused for a bit after. And the char thing isn't a big deal like I said, just didn't like walking around as a corpse after spending so much time on the customizing.

 

[Slycne]

Right, i have no idea how or what that means in game.

soul level can be seen in the level up screen, select (ps3) or back (360) will describe it.
hitting NPC's is classed as a sin, and to attone for that, the price is high (payment in souls suprise suprise) i think you have to pay after you ring the church bell

Does atonement actually bring them back or have some other effect? I was not paying proper attention and killed the undead male merchant in Undead Burg. It's been annoying playing without him, but I've gotten by so far. The katana he drops isn't to shabby either.

 

[Insideout Ink Demon]

Right, i have no idea how or what that means in game.

soul level can be seen in the level up screen, select (ps3) or back (360) will describe it.
hitting NPC's is classed as a sin, and to attone for that, the price is high (payment in souls suprise suprise) i think you have to pay after you ring the church bell

Does atonement actually bring them back or have some other effect? I was not paying proper attention and killed the undead male merchant in Undead Burg. It's been annoying playing without him, but I've gotten by so far. The katana he drops isn't to shabby either.

it stops them being hostile towards you.... as for NPC's you've killed? i've no idea sorry

 

[Slycne]

Right, i have no idea how or what that means in game.

soul level can be seen in the level up screen, select (ps3) or back (360) will describe it.
hitting NPC's is classed as a sin, and to attone for that, the price is high (payment in souls suprise suprise) i think you have to pay after you ring the church bell

Does atonement actually bring them back or have some other effect? I was not paying proper attention and killed the undead male merchant in Undead Burg. It's been annoying playing without him, but I've gotten by so far. The katana he drops isn't to shabby either.

it stops them being hostile towards you.... as for NPC's you've killed? i've no idea sorry

Oh well, the really only annoying consequence was not being able to get the drake sword until I picked up a bow in Darkroot.

 

[TheDooD]

It's only self defeating it you thinking it as such. Dark/Demon's Souls design is that you shouldn't fear failure and that every encounter can make you stronger. In fact in Dark Souls they made it easier for you. you just have to not be afraid of the danger out there.

That isn't the case. You don't learn from dying. You are simply forced to respawn. The act of dying in game doesn't intrinsically impart knowledge or favour. Every encounter doesn't make you stronger. It might garner souls, but unless you spend those souls, thereby respawning all the non-boss mobs again, you remain the same. You don't get to practise against bosses without going through all that repetition in order to get back to that boss. Even then they are so big and inexplicable it isn't particularly easy to learn what they do and how they work. The end result is people just use google, and that's the sign of poor game design. Players don't fear the danger they just don't enjoy pointless repetition in a game that thinks it's more than it is.

You really don't get the design of Dark Souls is easier then Demons Souls. The fact the bonfires respawn enemies, heals you, and restocks potions making grinding easy. If you know you're a bit weak grind the enemies by a bonfire. Infact they're a few spots where you can abuse the bonfire's effect to gain souls easily with little risk on your part. Also when you get killed by a boss trying a again after going through the route to get to it isn't that bad. Getting to the Taurus Demon is a cake walk the enemies are weak and you shouldn't be having a problem versus them if you strafe, backstab, block and counter attack. There's so many ways to tackle an enemy that each encounter is different.

The main thing you have to do is take it slow you aren't in a rush. The boss are big so guess what it's easy for you to read their movement. Next you shouldn't be locking on to them while you're in tight spaces that's common sense if you been playing games since the late 90's. Finally abuse the fucking dodge roll take off the shit you really don't need so you can dodge a bit faster. If you played Devil May Cry and or God of War you really shouldn't have problems with oversized bosses.

Next thing if players are using google or asking around that a good thing because guess what that means they're players that offered their hard earned struggles on a game for nothing to help others that have a hard time. If that's a sign of poor game design I guess EVERY SINGLE GAME WITH A GUIDE ON GAMEfaqs is an result in your mind of poor game design. Finally you must not realize all games are basically pointless repetition. It's just some people are hung up of being told what to do and when to do it all the time in their games. If you suck at Dark Souls so what you're not trying to prove anybody else. The reason why you can't co-op from off the bat because you're suppose to be alone, the entire game is suppose to be based off your own struggles. If you can't progress eventhough there's quite a few resources... It's an option select "Stay Free or Level Up"?

 

[demoman_chaos]

Demon's Souls was hard, Dark Souls is just cheap. Why do they throw so many random uber strong guys in the low level areas? Why do the lowliest of enemies still randomly half health me despite me having some strong armor? Why did they put the 2v1 boss fight so early in the game? Why did they make all the servers split so there are far less people to help and it is neigh impossible to tag with a friend? Why don't they give you any idea where ze hell to go and let me know when I am in an are not suitable for my level?

Demon's Souls is a much better game. The fact it was PS3 only is what I attribute to that fact. On PS3, all players were on the same server meaning more potential allies and messages. It was focused on single-player, with the multiplayer as a non-essential bonus.
Dark Souls is a multiplayer game that you almost have to do solo.

 

[AlternatePFG]

I tried looking for help, spending the last of my humanity (at the bonfire...respawning everything...again), to do so to complete the gargoyle fight because otherwise it's horrendous (the second one spews fire across the entire roof and you die), no one joins.

If you're in human form, you can summon an NPC to help you. He's on the other end of the bridge with the dragon on it. (When getting out, go to right instead of left onto the bridge.) The summon thing is right outside the entrance to the boss, it's slightly a different color from the messages. He'll tank the second gargoyle for you, while you deal with the first. It makes the fight really easy.

A heater shield really helps in the fight, it's resistant to fire. Don't roll out of the way from the flames, block and hold your shield while moving out of range.

If you need humanity, you're going to have to farm that group of three rats by the Undead Burg bonfire shortcut.

 

[ZeroMachine]

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Hey, if you guys aren't in the Dark Souls user group already, we are having a live chat where we discuss Dark Souls while we play.

http://tinychat.com/korten12

Join and talk with us.

Anyone else who also is interested in joining the chat, join!!!

Ohoohoo, totally joining in on that.

Also:

Disregard what you like. It's your lookout. Im not telling you what to enjoy, I'm telling what's wrong with the game. Unfortunately for the gaming hobby this game has seen fit to insert a crazy fog in people's minds that blinds them to a host of very obvious faults.

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please do remember that this is your opinion on what is wrong with the game, it may be a opinion which is shared by some people but it is still an opinion. You obviously do not like this game, that is fine. It happens. But please do not assume that we are being mislead and manipulated. I am not blind to some of the faults in this game, It just does not lessen the experience for me.

Thank you, i'm fully cogniscent of what an opinion is.

I didn't say it was a bad game. I said it was a badly made game.

For instance, if you accidentally attack an npc, there is no cooldown. This means if you accidentally hit a vendor/trainer you are screwed. That might sound amusing, and people may get a good chuckle out of it, but the shortsightedness of that design is embarassing in 2011, and arguing consequences in a game where you can come back to life is a bit fatuous.

These are not faults, these are consequences. The game is supposed to be brutal. It's supposed to be unforgiving of mistakes. It was what they talked about the whole time. Just because you don't like it doesn't make it bad design.

 

[AlternatePFG]

I have no humanity to get into human form. There's nowhere to get humanity. It's so hard to come by that's only been treasure or a boss. The only way to get it is to join another player but noone's looking. It's so cackhanded.
I've tried summoning solaire as well, but he's no use. That second gargoyle is really just absurd, but then that's the name of the game isn't it. Screw the player over. Fine, but that means i've lost humanity and can't recover it. Great. Those rats have never dropped humanity and i've lost interest in grinding at this point since, frankly, that's all i do. Plus getting between the burg and the parish is a massiv epain in the ass.
Don't have a heater shield. I have a black knight shield. I've never seen a heater shield.

Plague rats drop humanity. That's where I got most of mine. You're going to have to go back to the shortcut to the Undead Burg bonfire where you fight 3 plague rats, and just keep on having to respawn them if you want humanity. The heater shield can help, but it can be just as easily done with a knight shield or black knight shield. Blocking really reduces the fire damage. Did you get to the second bonfire, the one right outside the building with the Gargoyle in it? There's a blacksmith and bonfire in there, and from there you only have to fight a couple groups of enemies.

 

[crono738]

I tried looking for help, spending the last of my humanity (at the bonfire...respawning everything...again), to do so to complete the gargoyle fight because otherwise it's horrendous (the second one spews fire across the entire roof and you die), no one joins.

If you're in human form, you can summon an NPC to help you. He's on the other end of the bridge with the dragon on it. (When getting out, go to right instead of left onto the bridge.) The summon thing is right outside the entrance to the boss, it's slightly a different color from the messages. He'll tank the second gargoyle for you, while you deal with the first. It makes the fight really easy.

A heater shield really helps in the fight, it's resistant to fire. Don't roll out of the way from the flames, block and hold your shield while moving out of range.

If you need humanity, you're going to have to farm that group of three rats by the Undead Burg bonfire shortcut.

I have no humanity to get into human form. There's nowhere to get humanity. It's so hard to come by that's only been treasure or a boss. The only way to get it is to join another player but noone's looking. It's so cackhanded.
I've tried summoning solaire as well, but he's no use. That second gargoyle is really just absurd, but then that's the name of the game isn't it. Screw the player over. Fine, but that means i've lost humanity and can't recover it. Great. Those rats have never dropped humanity and i've lost interest in grinding at this point since, frankly, that's all i do. Plus getting between the burg and the parish is a massiv epain in the ass.
Don't have a heater shield. I have a black knight shield. I've never seen a heater shield.

The game is just too awkward and it's just tiresome trying to play it, frankly. I'm so annoyed that the devs allow players to attack npc's as well. What a fucked up idea. We all make mistakes, and we all overlook things. If we didn't there'd be no trade in strategy guides or internet walkthroughs.

If you're so tired of playing it, then sell it and stop bitching at everyone who likes it. Everything you've posted has pointed to you sucking at it. Lack of skill =/= bad game design.

 

[Insideout Ink Demon]

Right, i have no idea how or what that means in game.

soul level can be seen in the level up screen, select (ps3) or back (360) will describe it.
hitting NPC's is classed as a sin, and to attone for that, the price is high (payment in souls suprise suprise) i think you have to pay after you ring the church bell

So as the cost for a level 21 player, ie me, i'd have to pay 42000 souls to fix the situation?

Ok, that's crazy.

I wont deny that.
Do you think you'll stick it out, or trade is ASAP?

 

[Corven]

Um, it is hard, I haven't even made past the opening of the first level.

If only I knew how to take down the giant skeletons, thenI would be set.

You're going the wrong way is your main problem, you're supposed to head up first.

Quick derision from the subject of Dark Souls.....but what in sphincter-clenching christ is your avatar picture of?

Ziltoid The Omniscient, he's the main character from an interesting metal album (named Ziltoid The Omniscient) about a 4th dimensional alien that comes to the planet earth for the worlds best cup of coffee.