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Dark Souls 2: Scholar of the First Sin announced for PS4/XBO/PC - April 2015

im actually kinda glad i never bought season pass on pc if the upgraded version is $30 i wouldnt mind picking it up instead lol.
 
Particularly concerning magic, where the system seemed embryonic in terms of options and much less thought out in terms of sustainability compared to the bonfire-based approach and varied schools of spells in DS1/2. It's also rather tiny in terms of content, particularly compared to the behemoth that is DS2.
Magic, what are you a filthy casual?
;)
 
Specifically to Dark Souls 2 - there is a lot of content yes but almost all of it is... kind of dull.
See, this is why we disagree: I had a blast for all the 195 hours I played DS2, so I can't really argue with finding it "dull", as I can't put myself in that position. And you don't just claim that some of it is dull, you say almost all - from my perspective that's just ridiculous.

Using a scandinavian saying, I might be reading this like the devil reads the bible, but that sounds like silly reason for wanting the game to be 60 FPS.

"So that console-only players can get the same fantastic experience", that's what you really wanted to say, right? And english is not my native language, so I might just be misinterpreting what you said.
Well, that would be the politically correct way to say it.
 
Tower of Latria is neat but some of y'all are treating it as something mythic.

I don't remember any area in Dark Souls 2 being that interesting to explore tbh.

this pretty much sums it up. maybe it is because the "good" people from the team went to create bloodborne? I don't know but that what it feels like for me too.

Yeah, I have the same impression. There isn't the same attention to detail and the focus of the game is non-existent.
 
Still looks pretty ugly, they didn't at all implement the graphical quality the game had before it was downgraded.

Also, Scamco gonna scam.
 
I still have no idea what you're talking about, I mentioned AotA as a offhand example of a "free update", to which there are many who charge nothing for existing owners offering FAR greater updates than this garbage. Now your just repeating what I've already said. So you've told me nothing and added a irrelevancy. And to be clear, what was announced IS NOT DLC, it's a "update" to the game, period. Clearly if Namco really wanted they could easily patch the Steam DkS2 to update all this stuff for free with or without the Season Pass. To be clear. Yet, you seem to want to defend money grubbing idiots like Namco.

Where am I looking at this "positively"?

Yeah, i'm saying this DLC is as free as Artorias was, if you didn't buy the game before.
You can buy the Shcolar of the first sin edition and get the 3 dlc for "free", exactly like DkS1.

As for the money grabbig, i really don't see a problem with that, since pretty much every remaster made, has been sold to you up until now, because extra work has to be put in, and that extra work has to be paid.
Some of the updates seem to be free if you own the base game, too, which is appreciated.

I'm not incouraging anyone to run out and buy this for 60$ if they don't want to, and i most likely will not as i said, but i also see people get upset for not reason, when they are just given more options.

Maybe if you put 500 hours into the base game, bought the DLC or even if you just hated it, well then maybe this isn't directed at you in the first place.
For someone who never got to play this, it looks like it could be a decent deal, like any other "GOTY" edition and remaster under the sun.
 
See, this is why we disagree: I had a blast for all the 195 hours I played DS2, so I can't really argue with finding it "dull", as I can't put myself in that position. And you don't just claim that some of it is dull, you say almost all - from my perspective that's just ridiculous.

Dull is a strong word. I played Dark Souls 2 for probably like 100 hours and will pick this ver up to play it again with the DLC. I guess like, vanilla oatmeal is a better term to use (compared to the previous ones). But its still a lot better than most things.

Edit: There better be some sort of scaling discount for PC players for the dx11 version of this.
 
If I'm buying this again, I'm probably will wait until a discount or something.

I had loads of fun with DS2 but it isn't a game that needed to be ported to the new consoles, specially if they had kept their promises for the PC release.
Also, I'd rather buy Bloodborne.
 
I think that's the problem. PC gamers can't look past the vastly better performance and graphics when comparing DS2 to DS1 and especially Demon's. Whilst those on consoles have had to play all 3 games at the same performance level and therefore can only really distinguish the game by the actual gameplay (and I know framerate affects gameplay but I don't mean it in this context).

I prefer the DkS1 and DeS but I switched to PC because of framerate. Then freaking Sony publishes Bloodborne right when I switched to PC.

I recently started playing DkS1 and DeS, and I can't get to play them at sub 30fps; DSfix FPS unlock doesn't fucking work with windows 8 (I tried everything), otherwise I'd play DkS1 more on PC. DeS is really nice to play again, and it is aesthetically awesome, but I had issues playing it after getting used to high framerates; resolution isn't an issue and I still play MECHANICALLY GOOD GAMES at 60fps such as DMC1, DMC3, Castlevania Curse of the Darkness and Ninja gaiden 2 even though they are low res outdated games. Anyway, I do like to play DeS from time to time; there is something about the world, NPCs and speed/flow of combat (less recovery frames on rolls and attacks) that makes me play DeS again--that shimmering though LOL.

It is nice to experience the souls games on 60fps (I finally got to do challenge runs without significant input lag and choppy animations), but I wish I could play DeS and DkS instead. I'd like to see a remastered DeS in the future; I might buy a new gen Sony console if they remastered DeS.
 
DkS2 is kind of a unfinished mess needing no explanation, I was referring to Demon Ruin's/Lost Izalith in DkS1. Demon's was a fully finished product by comparison.

At a certain point it comes down to preference, so if you liked Demon's better than Dark Souls 1 or 2, that's totally understandable.

But to say "half assed".... I think that's a flawed understanding of game design.

Think about Super Metroid, arguably one of the few games that achieved the same heights as Dark Souls. Now imagine that the design team decided to cut each section of Super Metroid into separate chunks. Sure, you could probably have polished those separate parts a bit, but would the game have had the same impact on the whole? I personally doubt it.

Taking into consideration team size, budget, and development time, I think it's astounding that either Dark Souls 1 or 2 are even half as good as they are. And while I agree that some areas are better than others (I thought you were going to use Blighttown as your example, for instance), I wouldn't ever call them "half assed". They personally strike me as the most effortful products of game design in the past decade.
 
Wow. Started responding to all the people asking about the original lighting, then realized this is 22 pages. I'll skim the thread quick....
 
Will probably triple dip, even if it's not the best. I'm part of the problem.


Now. Let's get Dark Souls remastered with all the DLC I've never played.
 
high five brother
i really love the videogame-y design of dark souls 2 encounters. i just love fighting so many dang enemies at once, it's so freakin' fun

Dark souls 2 felt more like a Zelda game with leveling up. I felt like I was on this grand adventure across a mysterious land. Dark souls one did not give me any of those feelings.
 
Considering how good the dlc was this might just work out. If they manage to get the main game up to that standard i will buy at full price without regret.
Unfortunately though i doubt they are going to do anything about the disjointed geography, the games biggest flaw in my opinion.

Well to get the base game up to that standard, they'd have to completely rework huge parts of it from scratch, and i don't see that happening.
I'd rather have them put that time into making DkS3 or whatever a game as good as the DLC were, at this point.
 
I prefer the DkS1 and DeS but I switched to PC because of framerate. Then freaking Sony publishes Bloodborne right when I switched to PC.

I recently started playing DkS1 and DeS, and I can't get to play them at sub 30fps; DSfix FPS unlock doesn't fucking with windows 8, otherwise I'd play DkS1 more on PC. DeS is really nice to play again, and it is aesthetically awesome, but I had issues playing it after getting used to high framerates. Anyway, I do like to play it from time to time; there is something about the world, NPCs and speed/flow of combat (less recovery frames on rolls and attacks) that makes me play DeS again--that shimmering though LOL.

It is nice to experience the souls games on 60fps (I finally got to do challenge runs without significant input lag and choppy animations), but I wish I could play DeS and DkS instead. I'd like to see a remastered DeS in the future; I might buy a new gen Sony console if they remastered DeS.

Yeah I understand that, I have difficulty just switching between The Last of Us:Remastered and Dragon Age: Inquisition as those are the two games I'm playing at the moment. I don't think frame rates affect me that much though as long as it's a stable 30fps for the vast majority of the game. Obviously Demon's and DS1 aren't that at all on console.

I do hope Sony releases Demon's Souls remastered after Bloodborne. Shouldn't take From more than a year tops whilst working on Bloodborne 2 at the same time (assuming Sony have secured more than one Bloodborne game from From). They would be able to get it to 60fps fairly easily as well as improving the graphics. They could also add the sixth archstone. That would be massive!
 
I'm not exactly following the whole Dx9 - Dx11 thing.

I own Dark Souls 2 on steam right now, will I get the Dx11 version as a free update?

Or do I just get some content and the Dx11 version I'll have to buy again?
 
Specifically to Dark Souls 2 - there is a lot of content yes but almost all of it is... kind of dull. A fair amount of it feels aimless, it feels like people just trying to make "content" instead of levels with a point. Like just look at a level like 4-2 in Demon's, you get an immediate feeling of what the level designers were going for (with enemies custom made for that scenario, the grim reaper and those dudes who shoot laser beams a mile away, all meticulously placed). Most of the enemies in Dark 2 feel interchangeable, beyond aesthetics they could work in most areas. Also Dark 2 has a shit ton of bosses, with most of them being pretty bland (in boring circle arenas). I don't think Dark 2 is a bad game but it probably could have used some more focus. Like, if you look at a level/section after completing it and you can't figure out what the "point" of the level is (what element of the game the level is trying to stress) - it is probably a level that should have been removed. Also Dark 2 has the problem that it tends to aggressively reuse ideas from the previous games (and even some enemies/boss) with almost no spin on them.

Magic got more balanced over the course of the series, but this series to me always felt like it was designed around melee weapons (and maybe shields if you wanna be a wimp) with magic as a crutch. Killing enemies from a distance is probably the most boring thing you can do in the Souls games, so I try to avoid it. Also I appreciate image quality and framerate but ultimately game design > all that if there is no choice in the matter.

Not to mention the upgrade system was far deeper in Demon's, bosses far more interesting/memorable AND had tons of ways to beat them with any build. And to add to what you said about weapons in general is from a certain standpoint less = more. I mean fuck even Luck in Demon's had a purpose of doing a great Blueblood build, all weapons seemed to be really focused and thought out both in effects and move sets (Demon's Halberd vs. DkS2 Halberd FYI). Builds were far more interesting due to the limited weapons/armor (still were tons of them) and facilitated a lot of really interesting and well thought out builds. But as we know, "builds" are now nonexistent thanks to Souls Memory, which further kills PvP's technicality and longevity. Not to mention Demon's movement and swing speeds/etc overall movement calibrations were faster than any of the Souls games. Making fights with Red Phantom Sasuki (or whatever) really fun and fast and hard, especially at SL1. Which is another area DkS2 fails, can't do no healing+no consumables+no leveling+no rings challenge runs anymore to the same extreme. Which was by proxy a element allowed for by the quality of the design, tight technical controls and intelligent item placement and non linearity, all striped out or down in DkS2. :(

Your point about regardless of framerate or IQ the game design+mechanics should ultimately decide that foremost quality of the game was great.

Edit: And "magic" is and always has been "easy mode" for any of the Souls games.
 
I remember a lot of people questioning why From would go back to making an exclusive after the multiplatform success of Dark Souls, and I have to wonder if it wasn't to try and get away from Namco who seem to just be taking them for a ride. This is going to drag From Software's name through the dirt way more than it is Namco's, regardless of who's decision it actually was. Of course we won't know for real.
 
Ok, yeah, I'm caught up.

In previous threads, many speculated that the demo lighting existed only for a vertical slice version of the game that they used for demos. Something tells me it would be too much work to make the entire game look that good. I'm 99% sure that will not be in the new versions.

Feel free to ban me if I'm wrong :P
maybe only for a month.... but... I'm not going to be wrong
 
Should have gone with timed exclusivity for Xbox because with Bloodborne coming weeks earlier and how deep the experience of such a game will be, it will definitely hurt sales for the PS4 version. I for one am certainly not going to pick up DaSII over BB.
 
Very excited for this, I picked up the LE of DkSII for 5$ in a once in a lifetime sale, and haven't touched it. Recycling that, and officially saying goodbye to my ps3.
 
Should have gone with timed exclusivity for Xbox because with Bloodborne coming weeks earlier and how deep the experience of such a game will be, it will definitely hurt sales for the PS4 version. I for am certain not going to pick up DaSII over BB.

Why not both? If they're a month apart then I think it's reasonable to get both.
 
The DX11 improvements have to be really fucking amazing for this not to run at 60fps.

I'm fairly certain the current PC version could even afford some SSAA on consoles. The game is super well optimized and runs very well on anything.
 
Damnit the only hurdle with playing this game AGAIN, is not redoing everything and collecting stuff, but several changes that changed my initial overall game experience.

1. I have to redo my character again. Just when I made a really hot female character I have to redo it again with using the character creator that's a tough one, unless of course there is a coffin to re edit your character. I'm sure the opposite sex coffin card has been played to troll players, would be nice if they changed it completely for players.

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2. They nerfed my crystal soul spear to hell and it becomes unusable. 2 slots, jesus fuck...

3. Yes I farmed the Giant Lord to get to level 838. This is an old pic btw.
 
I'm not exactly following the whole Dx9 - Dx11 thing.

I own Dark Souls 2 on steam right now, will I get the Dx11 version as a free update?

Or do I just get some content and the Dx11 version I'll have to buy again?
It's all in the op.

Existing users get

- New characters and events
- Story and world additions
- Various balancing tweaks

Existing users will not get:

- Graphics and performance upgrades (dx11)
- Improved online multiplayer
- Enemy and game design adjustments
 
See, this is why we disagree: I had a blast for all the 195 hours I played DS2, so I can't really argue with finding it "dull", as I can't put myself in that position. And you don't just claim that some of it is dull, you say almost all - from my perspective that's just ridiculous.

Well, that would be the politically correct way to say it.
Durante, you speak my language. Can I get an amen?

Huntsman's Copse is really cool, Norman's Wharf as well, don't get this "everything is so dull" sentiment. Only place I didn't really enjoy was N64 Woods.

I barely get where the idea that the game literally throws enemies at you comes from. There is that one room in Brightstone with the spider dudes, but that's a trap. You can lure them out one by one.
 
Woah! So buying again! Put like 300+ hours into the game. I think I had a lv 375 character before I stopped trying to level up (or was it high 200s??, no I think it was 300s)
 
M°°nblade;140340886 said:
It's all in the op.

Existing users get

- New characters and events
- Story and world additions
- Various balancing tweaks

Existing users will not get:

- Graphics and performance upgrades (dx11)
- Improved online multiplayer
- Enemy and game design adjustments

Honestly that's unbelievable!

How can anybody be excited for this blatant fucking ripoff?
 
Great news. I played Demon's Souls at launch, but have Dark Souls bought yet backlogged, and did not pick up Dark Souls 2 yet.
 
I REALLY REALLLY hope the netcode/etc is better in the PS4/etc version.. As it was kinda bad in PS3. Being lagstabbed from 50 feet away was one of the worst feelings ever...
 
Glad I didn't buy the season pass because it gives me an excuse to buy again. I'll probably get it used, though, since I'll likely be busy with BB.
 
Durante, you speak my language. Can I get an amen?

Huntsman's Copse is really cool, Norman's Wharf as well, don't get this "everything is so dull" sentiment. Only place I didn't really enjoy was N64 Woods

No Man's Wharf felt like the Painted World of Aramis for Dark Souls 2 in that it was a proof of concept for the entire game. It really integrated everything about the game (including the torch mechanic beyond just lighting) in a tight little package.
 
M°°nblade;140340886 said:
It's all in the op.

Existing users get

- New characters and events
- Story and world additions
- Various balancing tweaks

Existing users will not get:

- Graphics and performance upgrades (dx11)
- Improved online multiplayer
- Enemy and game design adjustments

Details regarding the bolded to me are what will make this either acceptable or not.

If these adjustments are bug fixing, then they're full of shit.
If these adjustments are fundamental changes to the gameplay then i'm fine with it.

It's not like people expected R* to patch the first person mode intot he ps360 version of GTAV for free, for example.
And i'm surprised they'll patch in new characters and events for free... it must be minor stuff i'm guessing.
 
See, this is why we disagree: I had a blast for all the 195 hours I played DS2, so I can't really argue with finding it "dull", as I can't put myself in that position. And you don't just claim that some of it is dull, you say almost all - from my perspective that's just ridiculous.

Well, that would be the politically correct way to say it.

The DkS2 DLC is some of the best areas in any Souls game, period. It's vastly more content in terms of sheer size/play time than Artorias, and every bit as good (does everyone forget the dull parts of that well loved expansion? Because I don't. It was great, just not perfect).

The fact that this includes that AND extra content is a great deal. Only game this year I've sunk 100 hours into (we'll see how DA:I keeps up).

All of the B-team nonsense regarding DkS2 needs to stop also. Yes, the game had issues (the way the world is connected isn't perfect, but it also vastly improved pacing, so I'll take the trade-off) but it's easily my GOTY. Combat felt near perfect,visually the art style is still unmatched and it has atmosphere in spades.

Anyone who missed out because of all the Gaf negativity needs to give it a shot. Especially if it's running at 60FPS as I really hope it is (game was incredibly well optimised on PC, it'd be bizarre for it not to).
 
Honestly that's unbelievable!

How can anybody be excited for this blatant fucking ripoff?

You are going to have to justify this.

If you own the game already, you get to see the content.

If you want to play the game on XBO/PS4, then From deserves to be compensated for porting the game and various improvements.
 
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