[Mentalist]

MTS, on 28 March 2013 - 01:10 AM, said:

Too. Poor. Must. Resist. Buying. Bioshock. Infinite...

Summer Steam Sale is coming.
Only 3 more months.

[MTS]

Mentalist, on 28 March 2013 - 04:20 AM, said:

MTS, on 28 March 2013 - 01:10 AM, said:

Too. Poor. Must. Resist. Buying. Bioshock. Infinite...

Summer Steam Sale is coming.
Only 3 more months.

I know, and I can't wait. Bioshock and Tomb Raider, you will be mine!

[tiam]

Was going to buy Dark Souls but the gf said she was going to get it for me for our anniversary present. Shes a keeper and does not understand how this will make me not only ignore her like with Medieval 2 but also take the xbox so she cant even play skyrim while im ignoring her. Shes so cute

Instead ive been considering doing a massive trade in of games of which ill only get a pittance for but there just staying here not doing anything anyway. Ill trade them in get a few quid and pjut it towards the oddly cheaper prepare to die edition. Maybe today though it might rinse my life if so.

[Traveller]

I was looking through the DS thread, and you've been 'just about to buy it' since 2011

[Obdigore]

So if there is a whole dark souls thread, why are you all in hear waxing on rather unpoeticaly about the game over and over again?

Can you at least start rhyming and using a good meter? Thanks.

[tiam]

Traveller, on 28 March 2013 - 08:15 AM, said:

I was looking through the DS thread, and you've been 'just about to buy it' since 2011

Leave me alone!

I was put off first by my brothers review, the fact the gf started playing Skyrim, the fact I got a new laptop thus wanted pc titles, the fact I got Halo 4 and RE6 for xmas aswell as buying Hitman Absolution before that.

You calling me a liar punk?

Yeh my only day off this week so I need to get up and get buying. I shall give my (heartfelt curses at you fuckers for making me want this so bad) first impressions later

[tiam]

So ive traded in all my games near enough, incuding re6 and hitman which i didnt really give a fair chance to.

I got all my new purchases based on the reviews of you good people so...
Dark souls , are you happy now traveller
far cry 3
witcher 2
prototype 2 as i enjoyed the first one

im more excited about witcher than dark souls as it looks very good.

[tiam]

So yeah dark souls. Not sure whats going on ither than im shit at this game. Ive done the training asylum thingy and am now at the part with the graveyard. The menus are tiresome and im not sure ive got the right gear or spells on as im not doing much damage. I went a sorcerer and can only do that soul arrow atm. Nice game and gonna be tricky master but not sure yet about all this hype

[Defiance]

If you want a streamlined game that will hold your hand, Dark Souls isn't for you. It will challenge you, it will frustrate you, it will make you want to slam your controller into your TV screen. And that's (part) of what makes it so great.

Gear is something you should experiment with. You could look online for preferred builds (there's really no perfect build, everyone has their own preferences), but I would experiment with light and heavy armor and different types of weapons to see what you like. Your class only determines your starting stats/items; you can build your character in whatever way you want (if you want a sorcerer who runs around in heavy armor while using dexterity weapons, go for it).

Soul Arrow kicks ass early on, you should have no problems dealing with the first two bosses. You'll be able to buy more spells later on, once you reach a place called "the Depths."

I would not advise going through the Graveyard and Catacombs right now. There's nothing stopping you from doing so, but the Undead Burg is a much easier place to start out.

Get used to blocking, get used to rolling, and study how your enemies attack. Don't expect to kill things in one hit (although, if you stay a sorcerer, it's certainly possible to kill most things with one spell). Be prepared to make mistakes, and don't expect to have the most awesome character you first time through. While I can make it through most of the game relatively easily now no matter how I build my character, it wasn't always so simple. Finally, take your time. About 90% of my deaths came from me getting impatient and trying to rush through things.


The Witcher 2 is great. Not as much replay value as Dark Souls in my opinion (I think it's good for two games), but it's a fun game with a great story, especially if you've played the first. Iorveth is a fucking boss.


Anyway, Metal Gear Solid V. I am so fucking excited. Still not sure whether Ground Zeroes and V are different games, or if it's going to be like MGS2 with pre-coma being the first chapter and 9 years later being the second. Whatever the case, one game or two, I can't wait.

[Traveller]

Jean-Claude Van tiam, on 28 March 2013 - 07:18 PM, said:

So yeah dark souls. Not sure whats going on ither than im shit at this game. Ive done the training asylum thingy and am now at the part with the graveyard. The menus are tiresome and im not sure ive got the right gear or spells on as im not doing much damage. I went a sorcerer and can only do that soul arrow atm. Nice game and gonna be tricky master but not sure yet about all this hype

Anything is going to be a bit of a let down if it's been over-hyped.. try not to let that influence your own experience too much. Yes, the menus are a bit awkward; so is the intrusive HUD, I wish it took up less of the screen really. And not being able to pause can be really frustrating when you're halfway through a boss battle and your kid wakes up or something. But on the whole, it's all about gameplay. The game is designed to make the gameplay itself the reward.. not a load of achievments and targets to complete.

Don't go near the graveyard yet, head up the stairs to the Undead Burg to start off, it's a lot easier. Your equipment in this game REALLY affects your movement - shedding heavy stuff lets you roll dodge a lot quicker, which can be a lifesaver. And keep an eye on the stamina bar... holding block with a shield when you don't need to still uses up stamina.

Oh, and Witcher 2 is awesome.

This post has been edited by Traveller: 28 March 2013 - 09:49 PM

[tiam]

Ah right theres an upstairs. Atm i was going down to the catacombs or that land of the dead with all the ghosts. If theres another way that shud be better. I think i should have went a straight warrior as the sorceror character doesnt take advantage of the combat system.

Its ok so far but im having trouble getting into it with no plot or direction.

[Defiance]

Don't expect much in the way of plot. The game has a ton of lore for those who take the time to seek it out (look up EpicNameBro's videos on YouTube to see just how extensive - and interesting - it is), but the challenge of the game serves as the main motivator to continue moving forward.

Yeah, New Londo and the Catacombs is not the place to go to start out. Of course, there's nothing stopping you from going there (and some people do head that way to start NG+), but the Undead Burg is the only real way to go when you first start out.

It's up to you, but making a melee character to start out with might be good. It will acquaint you with enemy movements and get you used to blocking and rolling. It also makes some of the boss fights a lot more intense (Ornstein and Smough were a fucking joke on my sorcerer).

I guess it's all personal preference, but I loved having to find my own way to go. It was certainly frustrating at times (I kept trying to progress through the Catacombs before I found out about the Lower Burg/Depths), but the sense of satisfaction and reward I got when actually finding the way to go and discovering a new area was amazing. Too many games are linear or provide you with a map and a big pointy quest arrow so that you can never get lost. In Dark Souls I was actually able to feel a sense of discovery, not only the first time through but on my second and third times when I found things I'd previously missed (Covenants, optional bosses - I got most my first time through, but I had absolutely no idea Dark Sun Gwyndolin existed until I happened across his area randomly).

[Silencer]

Defiance, on 29 March 2013 - 12:08 AM, said:

Don't expect much in the way of plot. The game has a ton of lore for those who take the time to seek it out (look up EpicNameBro's videos on YouTube to see just how extensive - and interesting - it is), but the challenge of the game serves as the main motivator to continue moving forward.

Yeah, New Londo and the Catacombs is not the place to go to start out. Of course, there's nothing stopping you from going there (and some people do head that way to start NG+), but the Undead Burg is the only real way to go when you first start out.

It's up to you, but making a melee character to start out with might be good. It will acquaint you with enemy movements and get you used to blocking and rolling. It also makes some of the boss fights a lot more intense (Ornstein and Smough were a fucking joke on my sorcerer).

I guess it's all personal preference, but I loved having to find my own way to go. It was certainly frustrating at times (I kept trying to progress through the Catacombs before I found out about the Lower Burg/Depths), but the sense of satisfaction and reward I got when actually finding the way to go and discovering a new area was amazing. Too many games are linear or provide you with a map and a big pointy quest arrow so that you can never get lost. In Dark Souls I was actually able to feel a sense of discovery, not only the first time through but on my second and third times when I found things I'd previously missed (Covenants, optional bosses - I got most my first time through, but I had absolutely no idea Dark Sun Gwyndolin existed until I happened across his area randomly).

This. Not actually being hand-held and pointed "Go here!" by the game all the time is a major plus, for me. Actually having to figure out where to go and what the layout is, is really brilliant. Learning that heading the wrong way leads to "oh, fuck!" is really satisfying, because it embodies the whole "prepare to die" aspect of a game that is NOT easy.

Similar to the fact that in Two Worlds (which was otherwise pretty horrendous), heading south meant you encountered the stronger creatures. Finding out that testing this theory by running madly south on a low-level character to try and find the nearest Necromancer's Tower on the map (I wanted to join, dammit!) is a bad idea was really fun. "Oh, they weren't kidding!" Kind of thing. Most games you wouldn't have had much trouble going into the "tough" areas too soon. ....still that game's only real positive point, though. XD

[MTS]

MTS, on 28 March 2013 - 01:10 AM, said:

Too. Poor. Must. Resist. Buying. Bioshock. Infinite...

I'm so weak...

[Morgoth]

Defiance, on 28 March 2013 - 09:37 PM, said:

The Witcher 2 is great. Not as much replay value as Dark Souls in my opinion (I think it's good for two games), but it's a fun game with a great story, especially if you've played the first. Iorveth is a fucking boss.


Anyway, Metal Gear Solid V. I am so fucking excited. Still not sure whether Ground Zeroes and V are different games, or if it's going to be like MGS2 with pre-coma being the first chapter and 9 years later being the second. Whatever the case, one game or two, I can't wait.

That's what you think until you start a new game making new choices.

[tiam]

Traveller, on 28 March 2013 - 09:43 PM, said:

Jean-Claude Van tiam, on 28 March 2013 - 07:18 PM, said:

So yeah dark souls. Not sure whats going on ither than im shit at this game. Ive done the training asylum thingy and am now at the part with the graveyard. The menus are tiresome and im not sure ive got the right gear or spells on as im not doing much damage. I went a sorcerer and can only do that soul arrow atm. Nice game and gonna be tricky master but not sure yet about all this hype

Anything is going to be a bit of a let down if it's been over-hyped.. try not to let that influence your own experience too much. Yes, the menus are a bit awkward; so is the intrusive HUD, I wish it took up less of the screen really. And not being able to pause can be really frustrating when you're halfway through a boss battle and your kid wakes up or something. But on the whole, it's all about gameplay. The game is designed to make the gameplay itself the reward.. not a load of achievments and targets to complete.

Don't go near the graveyard yet, head up the stairs to the Undead Burg to start off, it's a lot easier. Your equipment in this game REALLY affects your movement - shedding heavy stuff lets you roll dodge a lot quicker, which can be a lifesaver. And keep an eye on the stamina bar... holding block with a shield when you don't need to still uses up stamina.

Oh, and Witcher 2 is awesome.

I see. A few questions then

-Are estus flasks unlimited i.e. can I use them and do they come back when I go to a bonfire.
-Is there a map of the world? I know you guys love just exploring everything but the fact thats its a huge fantasy world that I cant explore is a bit frustrating.
- As for levelling up what do you sugggest for a sorcerer? I was simply going to not bother putting up my hp or defense and concentrate on attack. I figure that if everything on the game one hits me anyway whats the point in armour.
-Are the items preset? Outside of items gained from boss battles will I gain exactly the same items as you guys when you played it.
- Whats the difference between hollowed and not hollowed?
-Are mages powerful in this or is magic underpowered? Do I need a better catalyst to do more damage?
I have 3 hours until the gf turns up and I will be playing Dark Souls the entire time. It has that long to hook me or im playing Witcher 2.

[Defiance]

-Estus Flasks recharge whenever you rest at a Bonfire. You can also Kindle bonfires, which allow you to have more Estus Flasks (10, 15, and 20). To kindle a bonfire, you must be in human form. It takes 1 humanity to turn back into a human, and then another humanity for each time you kindle the fire (you can only kindle it once until you beat the boss in the Catacombs).
-No map other than the one in your head.
-Intelligence, Attunement, Vitality, and Endurance if you want to play a sorcerer. Reasons being:

Intelligence increases magic damage and also increases your damage with weapons that have Int Scaling (such as Moonlight Greatsword or Moonlight Butterfly Horn). Intelligence soft caps at 45 or so for spells and 50 for weapons.
Attunement to 23 to open up your 6 slots. Don't bother spending any points after this, 6 is max without a certain ring.
Vitality IS important. Not all enemies will one hit you, and with a little vitality you can survive a few hits. This is very important, especially on boss fights; it helps to have a little leniency when it comes to fucking up.
Endurance gives you more stamina, which allows you to block more and run longer. Also increases the amount of armor you can have equipped. Fairly useful, I would worry about Endurance the least though.

Find yourself a shield that has 100% physical block. I believe you can buy the Heater Shield off the merchant in the Undead Burg for 1000 souls; it's the lightest shield that has 100% physical block.

Weapon-wise, spears are always a good weapon for backup since you can hide behind your shield and poke enemies. You'll get better Catalysts later in the game. Don't bother upgrading your Catalyst; that will only increase its physical damage, not magic damage. In terms of the damage you deal with spells, you'll start doing more once you're able to purchase ones like Greater Soul Arrow and Homing Soulmass.

I made a sorcerer a few days ago, Soul Level 86 right now (just have to kill Manus, Kalameet, and Gwyn). My stats are:

Vitality 27
Attunement 23
Endurance 22
Strength 16 (first got it up to 12 to wield Moonlight Butterfly Horn, then 16 for Moonlight Greatsword)
Dexterity 11
Resistance 8
Intelligence 50
Faith 8

You can build your character how you want, but that should give you an idea of how a primary sorcerer who uses a spear or greatsword as backup looks.

[Traveller]

Jean-Claude Van tiam, on 29 March 2013 - 06:56 PM, said:

I see. A few questions then

-Are estus flasks unlimited i.e. can I use them and do they come back when I go to a bonfire.
-Is there a map of the world? I know you guys love just exploring everything but the fact thats its a huge fantasy world that I cant explore is a bit frustrating.
- As for levelling up what do you sugggest for a sorcerer? I was simply going to not bother putting up my hp or defense and concentrate on attack. I figure that if everything on the game one hits me anyway whats the point in armour.
-Are the items preset? Outside of items gained from boss battles will I gain exactly the same items as you guys when you played it.
- Whats the difference between hollowed and not hollowed?
-Are mages powerful in this or is magic underpowered? Do I need a better catalyst to do more damage?
I have 3 hours until the gf turns up and I will be playing Dark Souls the entire time. It has that long to hook me or im playing Witcher 2.

I haven't played through as a sorcerer yet, so I'll trust Defiance on that one.
Not having a map doesn't mean you can't explore - it's the other way round. You can explore properly, and as it's an open world, if you see a tower in the distance, chances are you will be able to get into it at some stage.

The items are preset in terms of what you find lying around, and the armor sets you free up to buy by killing certain bosses.

As for being Hollowed... when you are Hollow, you escape the attention of online invaders, which will make no difference to you since you're offline anyway. When you are human and not hollowed though, the Humanity you carry can be used to boost certain weapons, or kindle bonfires - which means you get more Estus flasks whenever you sit at one. (You can only do this after you get into the game a bit though, but once you can, it's best to boost all fires as much as you can as you're bound to pass back that way later). And some NPC's won't talk to you if you're Hollow.

Endurance was important to me, as it lets you carry heavier stuff and still roll and dodge while wearing it - I don't know how important it is for a Mage though. I still don't know how you can take out the fast bosses with just magic, as it takes a few seconds to charge some spells, and you just don't get that half the time. That's what I learned from some pyro spells anyway.

Armor is good to invest in, however. Everything in the game can only one-hit you from the start - you'll be doing it back before long. But early on I realised that you gain much, much better defence by spending souls upgrading armor sets than on levelling up. The affect is instantaneous - stick new armor on, and suddenly you are able to take shitload more damage.

I think you'll stick Witcher 2 in, and be blown away by the story, characters and generally huge amount of info you get right from the start in comparison. I really liked it, but it was a bit like reading an average book for me - I enjoyed it, but wouldn't want to necessarily read it again. Dark Souls is more Erikson... read it once and wonder what it's all about, then go back again later... and again.

This post has been edited by Traveller: 29 March 2013 - 08:24 PM

[Defiance]

As someone who has played both a Pyromancer and a Sorcerer, I can tell you that it's a lot easier to play a Sorcerer. With the way Pyromancy is set up, it's more of a secondary skillset. While it can be extremely helpful, I can't see someone running through the game with solely Pyromancy (on my Pyro I spent at least half the time in melee combat). With the Sorcerer, however, you have much better range. Generally, I stayed as far away as I could from bosses, let them do their big attacks, and then beat the hell out of them with Soul Spear/Crystal Soul Spear. Using the Power Within also helps (40% increased damage is awesome), and Homing Soulmass/Homing Crystal Soulmass is great as well; you can cast it even if you're too far away from the boss to hit them, and it will automatically attack them when you get closer. I 2-shot Sif that way.

Anyway, just killed Kalameet and Manus. They were a complete joke. Kalameet is a nightmare in melee, but as a Sorcerer I was able to stay far enough away that I could dodge all of his attacks.

Now, time to buy all of the armor that's available, Kindle bonfires to maximum, and slaughter all of the NPCs before I start NG+.

[Traveller]

That sounds kind of fun. I finished Newgame+ still wearing my +5 Black Iron armor, and I was rolling and killing everything in sight, but I was always, always having to watch the equipment weight and use Havels ring just to move about. And I used pyro only as a back up - I boosted the flame right up, which I used to take out Sif, but after that it just got less effective, especially as the later bosses are fire resistant.

So maybe I need to start a sorcerer game... damn, I wish I wasn't at work until 7am.

(And just out of interest, how did you take out the Bed of Chaos as a sorcerer? And where is the dark wood grain ring? I think it's somewhere in Darkroot Garden, but I never did get it.)

Might be worth shifting to the Dark Souls thread for the answer though...

This post has been edited by Traveller: 29 March 2013 - 08:37 PM