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Dark Souls II |OT++| Bearer of...Seek...Seek...Lest

so i'm LTTP on this ... is there anywhere to go first outside Majula besides Heide's Tower of Flame?

Here's a really rough and simple diagram that I plotted out using Paint (lol) as I played the game the first time around, it really helped me out with the navigation of the world. I share it here so that other gaffers new to the game could benefit from it as well:-

(warning, contains spoilers obviously)

 
Easiest way of thinking of Drangelic and Majula is that it's an attempt to recreate Demon's Souls level select system while trying to make it look like it's interconnected (and that image demonstrates it, notice how the only time branches connect at an end is Lost Bastille, they're always expanding outward otherwise). It's why they gave you bonfire teleporting right away so that you can keep going back to the main hub to level up like you had to in Demon's Souls.

Of course unlike Demon's Souls and Dark Souls they have more hard barriers to getting to new areas, and the entrances to branches from Majula aren't always obvious (like the one that leads to Huntsman's Corpse which eluded me for awhile).
 
Easiest way of thinking of Drangelic and Majula is that it's an attempt to recreate Demon's Souls level select system while trying to make it look like it's interconnected (and that image demonstrates it, notice how the only time branches connect at an end is Lost Bastille, they're always expanding outward otherwise). It's why they gave you bonfire teleporting right away so that you can keep going back to the main hub to level up like you had to in Demon's Souls.

Of course unlike Demon's Souls and Dark Souls they have more hard barriers to getting to new areas, and the entrances to branches from Majula aren't always obvious (like the one that leads to Huntsman's Corpse which eluded me for awhile).

More like they dont know how interconnected open world design is about so they made quick travel as a default option.
 
More like they dont know how interconnected open world design is about so they made quick travel as a default option.

Agreed, I tried drawing up a similar diagram for the first game and it was a mess due how interconnected the world was, with its various shortcuts, hidden entrances and doors leading to and from the same areas.

Every area in DkS1 had at least 3-4 ways of going in and out and were also connected to at least 3-4 zones except for the areas in the peripheries of the game. E.g. Crystal Cave.
 

Morrigan Stark

Arrogant Smirk
I was playing Legacy of Kain: Defiance (PS2 game) today and was reminded at how good the game looks for a 10 year old game. This place reminded me of Shaded Woods, and in motion at 60 FPS it almost felt better... xD

1EF15F2373B590290DA711C9B346BCC6098747EB

Compared to Shaded Woods...

>_>
 
People like to talk on how the lighting got downgraded but I don't think even the best lighting system would save shaded woods with its geometry that wouldn't be out of place in something like Half-life 1 (most notably the room with the BKH chest).
 

Morrigan Stark

Arrogant Smirk
Yeah, the geometry was flat and the textures were really awful. Harvest Valley and Shaded Woods are the only places in the Souls series I'd actually call "ugly". It's a shame because Shaded Woods was pretty cool conceptually and could have been really atmospheric, those haunted ruins with creepy cursed witch pots and prowling lion warriors and stuff. Ah well.
 

Renekton

Member
Yeah, the geometry was flat and the textures were really awful. Harvest Valley and Shaded Woods are the only places in the Souls series I'd actually call "ugly". It's a shame because Shaded Woods was pretty cool conceptually and could have been really atmospheric, those haunted ruins with creepy cursed witch pots and prowling lion warriors and stuff. Ah well.
IINM they are using a completely new engine?

Likely Bloodborne will use the same engine, so fingers crossed they get the technicals sorted out by then.
 

Morrigan Stark

Arrogant Smirk
Why would a PS4 game use the same engine as a PS3 one...? Also, what does IINM mean? You internet kids and your acronyms, get off my lawn!
jk
 

Swordy

Member
Thinking about going back to this game, PS3 version. How is the popularity right now, is there still a lot of PVP/Co-op possible online?
 

wickfut

Banned
People like to talk on how the lighting got downgraded but I don't think even the best lighting system would save shaded woods with its geometry that wouldn't be out of place in something like Half-life 1 (most notably the room with the BKH chest).

16-1-1401063360.jpg


it can look alright
 
People like to talk on how the lighting got downgraded but I don't think even the best lighting system would save shaded woods with its geometry that wouldn't be out of place in something like Half-life 1 (most notably the room with the BKH chest).

It's clearly an unfinished area.

Somehow I get the feeling that the game was pushed out by Namco Bandai by force once again.
 
It's clearly an unfinished area.

Somehow I get the feeling that the game was pushed out by Namco Bandai by force once again.

I dont think so, look at the trailers music, the comics book, the LE content, namco focused into the game marketing but forgot about the game development.
 

Mogwai

Member
Plenty of boss slaying tonight. Velstadt dead in less than 2 minutes. Vendrick dead by kitchen knife in a little over 3 minutes. I managed to kill the Throne Basterds also. I was quite shocked over how easy they die, even on NG+2. The Watcher has no defense whatsoever. He/she is almost as pathetic Dual Dragonrider with a bow.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7f25FAC06Q&list=PLmDYWh3bXyBSOOpsz64rT6bGx0HOxsLvI&index=2

Now, time to finish the memories and get that Giant Warrior Club...
 

grimmiq

Member
Rarely had invasions so far, but had 2 tonight..damn the lag I get in this is terrible..Figured if I was being invaded then I would be the host and the lag would be on their end..nope.

Invader spawns in Heide ruins..Blue Phantom spawns 5 seconds later..Wait with shield up for Invader to cross the bridge..just stands there for about 20seconds..then suddenly Blue Phantom banished and I'm being backstabbed.
 
I haven't played in like 2 weeks..Perhaps i should give the ol girl a spin..

I was wanting to pick it up again yesterday after being away for some weeks. I actually assumed this game used steam cloud for saves but nope! I formatted the drive with my save on it the other day and went to play and only had the option for new game lol. I already had the beat the game but still I was wanting to play the dlc with my character...oh wells. BTW, anyone playing the PC version is it still easy to get summons for boss fights as it was when it initially came out?
 

grimmiq

Member
I was wanting to pick it up again yesterday after being away for some weeks. I actually assumed this game used steam cloud for saves but nope! I formatted the drive with my save on it the other day and went to play and only had the option for new game lol. I already had the beat the game but still I was wanting to play the dlc with my character...oh wells. BTW, anyone playing the PC version is it still easy to get summons for boss fights as it was when it initially came out?

Haven't summoned anyone myself, but I've seen plenty of signs up on NG.
 

Ruuppa

Member
I was wanting to pick it up again yesterday after being away for some weeks. I actually assumed this game used steam cloud for saves but nope! I formatted the drive with my save on it the other day and went to play and only had the option for new game lol. I already had the beat the game but still I was wanting to play the dlc with my character...oh wells. BTW, anyone playing the PC version is it still easy to get summons for boss fights as it was when it initially came out?

As long as you're on the right SM-tier, it's pretty easy to get summons, although there are a lot less of them than a few months ago. I don't know about others, but I avoid placing down signs because completing bosses as a summon pushes my SM up..
 

UrbanRats

Member
It's clearly an unfinished area.

Somehow I get the feeling that the game was pushed out by Namco Bandai by force once again.

They probably just wanted to put too much into it, and rushed individual things.
That's probably why there isn't an organic sense of progression to areas.

The game is rushed in general, yet there's a lot of content.
Quantity of quality, basically.
 

Manu

Member
Any tips for the two-face-spider boss? Last night I beat the giant rat/dog thing and the mages + congregation.

Man, I can't remember most boss names in this game, maybe because there's so many of them?
 

Nitemare1

Member
Ok so did I screw something up.

I fought the Throne Watcher and Throne Defender as soon as I got the kings ring. Nothing else happened. I then realized what wasn't finished and headed to the place with the dragons, and i'm assuming the giants are next. just wondering if I broke the chain of something since everyone says you fight Throne Watcher and Defender and then right to the final boss??? Please tell me I don't have to start over :(
 
Any tips for the two-face-spider boss? Last night I beat the giant rat/dog thing and the mages + congregation.

Man, I can't remember most boss names in this game, maybe because there's so many of them?

One shot the spiders mobs if you can,
one of the heads shoots corrosive stuff while the other uses the laser beam, focus on the acid one but be careful of its legs and its slam attack. Freya is vulnerable to fire I think

You face them pretty fast its not like you get a rest and start exploring around the area. I think there is a bosss every 30 mins.

Ok so did I screw something up.

I fought the Throne Watcher and Throne Defender as soon as I got the kings ring. Nothing else happened. I then realized what wasn't finished and headed to the place with the dragons, and i'm assuming the giants are next. just wondering if I broke the chain of something since everyone says you fight Throne Watcher and Defender and then right to the final boss??? Please tell me I don't have to start over :(

No at all, if you do the other way
you inmediately face the last boss right after defeating the throne defenders
like if you were the boss for the boss.
 
One shot the spiders mobs if you can,
one of the heads shoots corrosive stuff while the other uses the laser beam, focus on the acid one but be careful of its legs and its slam attack. Freya is vulnerable to fire I think

Actually,
I think both heads are capable of switching up between acid attacks and laser beam attacks.
 
So I got Dark Souls 2 today. Got as far as Majula and currently taking in the sights. Jumping into this right after Dark Souls and I gotta say the controls feel a bit off. Movement in particular feels....looser? Can't quite put my finger on it but It's going to take a bit getting used to.

Also the intro cinematic was nowhere near as compelling as the one in Dark Souls. Didn't really do a good job of setting up the world of Drangleic and just felt a little flat. Not a big issue, however, just wish there was more to chew on.
 
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