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[Deified Data]

I meant the helmet protects him from face-melting.

Never seen him without the helmet, though.

Either that or it protects his tiny, delicate head from injury.

 

[thewhitehawk]

The funny thing is that Tomb of the Giants is the only place listed in that post where you can really get "stuck." Both of Blighttown's bonfires are fairly close to a way out of the area, and the Catacombs' only bonfire was close to the entrance.



True, but most areas in Dark Souls that have more than one or two bonfires do so out of necessity because they're less linear than Demon's Souls' worlds.

The Catacombs has two bonfires, if I'm not mistaken.

 

[Polioliolio]

What's with his tiny ass head?

Solaire has big poofy home-made armor.
You can put it on any character and it makes them look a bit fat.

 

[Thorgal]

Is 3 man Gank squads like in the first game (dat forest ! ) still going to be a thing ?

 

[Randam]

You could get stuck in blighttown.
If you fought your way through to one of the bonfires and then realized that you are not strong enough.

Or when your weapon broke down there.

Now you could just warp back to Andre.

 

[Jackben]

Warping discussion in summary:

"Dark Souls as we knew it is dead, shut down the thread, it's all over."

 

[jyx]

Counting the days.... Question: I have an american account on psn. Can I download the game there. What about payment?

 

[Deified Data]

Is 3 man Gank squads like in the first game (dat forest ! ) still going to be a thing ?

If you're invading Way of Blue members, it's almost a guarantee. =)

Not sure if it summons one or two spirits to help you. And you can't really control who you summon.

 

[The_Darkest_Red]

Warping might make the game worse, it might not. Instead of thinking about how it would affect DkS I'm going to wait and play the game it's actually a part of (DkS II) before coming to any hard conclusions.

 

[Chitown B]

The game tears like crazy on the 360. Nothing to do with capture cards or anything else, watched the game being played last night in person and like I said it was some of the worst tearing I have seen since Darksiders.

oh great. I f'ing hated Darksiders' tearing.

 

[Sanctuary]

The funny thing is that Tomb of the Giants is the only place listed in that post where you can really get "stuck." Both of Blighttown's bonfires are fairly close to a way out of the area, and the Catacombs' only bonfire was close to the entrance.

Catacombs had two bonfires and the Tomb had two bonfires.

You could get stuck in blighttown.
If you fought your way through to one of the bonfires and then realized that you are not strong enough.

Or when your weapon broke down there.

Now you could just warp back to Andre.

If you could fight your way to the bonfire, you were strong enough to not get stuck. Especially when the game can be beaten at SL1.

 

[Chorelz]

Hype mode on!

 

[The_Darkest_Red]

Hey Orayn, did you know the Catacombs had two bonfires?

Spoiler

 

[Vazra]

Ugh this wait is terrible.

 

[Thorgal]

If you're invading Way of Blue members, it's almost a guarantee. =)

Not sure if it summons one or two spirits to help you. And you can't really control who you summon.

I secretly hope they still do .

It's so incredibly satisfying when you manage to kill all three of them .
It's almost the ultimate mark of shame in my book .

Small story of bragging :

Spoiler

You know the cliff close to the church in that place ?
If you jump at the very last second you can just clear that gap.

I once lured a a 3 man gank squad to that place and then jumped across the chasm and then i was daring them to make that jump .
All 3 of them missed that jump and scored me a nice 900.000 souls .
My day was made then and there

 

[Deadstar]

Just checking in on my fellow stream-avoiders. Still standing?

Doing fine here. No interest in seeing the streams. The fun of Dark Souls is discovering things for the first time. I did watch some of the official trailers but not all of them. I can wait till Tuesday.

 

[Mupod]

If you're invading Way of Blue members, it's almost a guarantee. =)

Not sure if it summons one or two spirits to help you. And you can't really control who you summon.

There's a big difference between 'random guy comes in to maybe help' and gank squads who stand at your spawn point with TWOP and dark magic casting before you can even do anything.

I heard spawn points are more randomized now, so that might help. And white phantoms have a time limit.

I plan on joining the azure guardians at least early on, and if I get summoned for help I'm just going to make a beeline for the red. Not because I think 2v1 is dishonorable or anything, but because I know better than to think the host will be of any use. Based on my experiences with dark souls it'll be a race against time just to get the invader down before the host panics and falls off a ledge or something.

 

[Screaming Meat]

Warping might make the game worse, it might not. Instead of thinking about how it would affect DkS I'm going to wait and play the game it's actually a part of (DkS II) before coming to any hard conclusions.

Sensible poster is sensible.

The fact that there is a central hub for all the merchants and the like arguably necessitates some kind of early warping.

I never played it, but did warping ruin DeS...?

 

[Baldwin_the_First]

I heard on the wiki chat from a guy that supposedly have both version of the game that the framerate is really bad on PS3 compared to the 360 one. Like in the 20-24 fps. Any truth to that?

 

[ced]

I heard on the wiki chat from a guy that supposedly have both version of the game that the framerate is really bad on PS3 compared to the 360 one. Like in the 20-24 fps. Any truth to that?

No.

 

[koryuken]

Do you guys think the pvp soft cap will be increased from 125?

My guess is its going to be either 150 or 200... too many attributes now. Every PVPer will need to max out ADP for the fast movement and poise.

 

[Deified Data]

There's a big difference between 'random guy comes in to maybe help' and gank squads who stand at your spawn point with TWOP and dark magic casting before you can even do anything.

I heard spawn points are more randomized now, so that might help. And white phantoms have a time limit.

I plan on joining the azure guardians at least early on, and if I get summoned for help I'm just going to make a beeline for the red. Not because I think 2v1 is dishonorable or anything, but because I know better than to think the host will be of any use. Based on my experiences with dark souls it'll be a race against time just to get the invader down before the host panics and falls off a ledge or something.

Yep, I plan on joining the same covenant for my first playthrough.

I think the time limit on summoned phantoms will definitely curb ganking, despite the announcement of voice chat and limited co-op. Between that and soul history-based match-making I think From has really refined the online structure of Souls to a well-oiled machine.

I heard on the wiki chat from a guy that supposedly have both version of the game that the framerate is really bad on PS3 compared to the 360 one. Like in the 20-24 fps. Any truth to that?

So we're potentially faced with another Dragon's Dogma Dilemma or D.D.D. - do you want the low framerate version or the screen-tearing version?

 

[Garcia]

Warping might make the game worse, it might not. Instead of thinking about how it would affect DkS I'm going to wait and play the game it's actually a part of (DkS II) before coming to any hard conclusions.

Warping only helps the game as a whole. Dark Souls managed to make you feel overwhelmed and belittled by the environment because of all the constant threats it kept presenting to you as you tried to go from one bonfire to the next.

By the time you get the Lord Vessel it is pretty obvious that they were aiming to include the Warping Option from the get go (and this is evident because of the invisible wall of Tomb of the Giants). They only decided not to include it from the beginning just to fool everyone into thinking they were playing a longer game.

And that is true because you still keep unlocking shortcuts after you acquire the Lord Vessel.

 

[Baldwin_the_First]

No.

Is your answer based on what you've played of the game? Or a simple guess as to what you've seen from a stream? I'd love to know for sure since I'm getting the game on PS3.

 

[Morrigan Stark]

Nope, Solaire's dreamy as fuck.

Whoa, did you make that? Or is it some mod of Solaire without the helmet? First time I see a male character actually look good (tiny head aside ) in Dark Souls. Wish I knew the parameters...

 

[Sickbean]

Warping only helps the game as a whole. Dark Souls managed to make you feel overwhelmed and belittled by the environment because of all the constant threats it kept presenting to you as you tried to go from one bonfire to the next.

By the time you get the Lord Vessel it is pretty obvious that they were aiming to include the Warping Option from the get go (and this is evident because of the invisible wall of Tomb of the Giants). They only decided not to include it from the beginning just to fool everyone into thinking they were playing a longer game.

And that is true because you still keep unlocking shortcuts after you acquire the Lord Vessel.

Respectfully disagree with this.

I think not being able to warp early is part of 'earning your stripes' so to speak - having to prove you can traverse the world and deal with the constant pressure.

The Lordvessel is like a reward for getting deep into the game, and part of a system of empowering the player, a bit like the Ocarina of Time

 

[Vazra]

The warp talk again.

 

[ced]

Is your answer based on what you've played of the game? Or a simple guess as to what you've seen from a stream? I'd love to know for sure since I'm getting the game on PS3.

It's been posted numerous times from different reviewers that the PS3 version does not tear like the 360 version in the streams. They have also said the FR is solid with the exception of a ton of spell particles and enemies at one time.

That's more reliable than "some anonymous wiki chat guy".

 

[Sullichin]

I have the PS3 version. I'm not really going to talk about it yet but I'll say that the framerate isn't great on PS3. I haven't experienced anything near as bad as blighttown, but there are frequent intermittent drops that don't last long. I am sensitive to this. Long load times are a bummer because I'm dying so much. For what it's worth I don't think the warping is breaking the game. I'm going away now.

 

[The_Darkest_Red]

The warp talk again.

It's Dark Souls II, I guess there has to be some kind of pre-release controversy, haha.

 

[Santiako]

For those in the know, how does the respeccing work? Does it give you all the souls back, or does it just let you redistribute the attribute points?

 

[HeresSomeWeapons]

So, I preordered this game forever ago, before they announced the Black Armor Edition, and I recall hearing that all preorders would be automatically upgraded to the BAE unless you preordered the CE instead. But now I'm hearing that might not be the case and I could end up stuck with the standard edition. Can anyone confirm or deny that all preorders get the Black Armor upgrade?

 

[theechrisfox]

I have the PS3 version. I'm not really going to talk about it yet but I'll say that the framerate isn't great on PS3. I haven't experienced anything near as bad as blighttown, but there are frequent intermittent drops that don't last long. I am sensitive to this. Long load times are a bummer because I'm dying so much. For what it's worth I don't think the warping is breaking the game. I'm going away now.

I'd rather have that big seamless world split up into 4 or 5 zones than to deal with load times that break immersion and really just cause boredom in between every single death. I bet a few 'zones' could help with the framerate too, maybe? But I guess such is the world of Souls that we hold so dear.

 

[Vazra]

For those in the know, how does the respeccing work? Does it give you all the souls back, or does it just let you redistribute the attribute points?

Spoiler

I believe you need to go where the journey began and use it there to get all points back. It is a rare drop but some dude who is like level 84ish has 2 of them on his run. But he has been playing it like crazy.

 

[mellow]

I haven't really seen any good STR weapons in streams yet, I really hope it's not second best again this time around.


Though I did see one guy swinging around a greatsword (that looked just like the one guts uses in Berserk) as fast as a dex weapon. I think it was the one from the BETA. I never used it in the BETA, was it always that fast though? or is that the merits of adaptibility, I still don't really know much about that stat.

 

[Zukuu]

so it seems every stat has secondary stats attached that level as well, when you boost said stat. EVERY stat will increase HP a little on top.

Vigor governed attributes:
HP, Petrify Resist

Endurance governed attributes:
HP,Stamina, Poise, Phys Def

When increasing his END 1 lvl his HP, Stamina, and Poise increased. When he adds another lvl (2 lvl total) Phys DEF goes up.

Vitality governed attributes:
HP, Equip load, Phys DEF, Poison Res

Attunement governed attributes:
HP, Spell slot, Cast speed, Curse RES, Agility

STR governed attributes:
HP, ATK:Str, Phys DEF

When increasing 1 lvl in STR his HP, ATK:Str went up. When he adds another lvl (2 lvl total) Phys DEF goes up.

Dex governed attributes:
HP, ATK: Dex, Poison BNS, Bleed BNS, Phys DEF

When increasing DEX 1 lvl his HP, poison BNS, ATK: Dex , and hp went up.

Adaptability governed attributes:
HP, Poison BNS, Poison RES, Bleed RES, Petrify RES, Curse RES, Agility, Poise.

When increasing adaptability (ADP) 1 lvl his HP, poison BNS, poison RES, went up.

 

[Santiako]

Spoiler

I believe you need to go where the journey began and use it there to get all points back. It is a rare drop but some dude who is like level 84ish has 2 of them on his run. But he has been playing it like crazy.

I know it's a drop, but what I want to know is if it resets you to SL1 and gives you the souls back to spend in leveling, effectively allowing you to delevel, or if it keeps your current SL and only allows you to redistribute the points (all the points), thus eliminating the problem of overpowered SL1 gankers.

 

[Cloud Strife]

Can anyone watching the streams testify to the usefulness of Adaptability? Only thing I'd like to know going in.

 

[Chitown B]

Catacombs had 2 bonfires.

I never found the second, I don't think. Couldn't warp to either one, which was BS

 

[Deified Data]

Whoa, did you make that? Or is it some mod of Solaire without the helmet? First time I see a male character actually look good (tiny head aside ) in Dark Souls. Wish I knew the parameters...

Nah, I think that's what he actually looks like in vanilla. Here's a few more:

Lautrec looks amazing.

 

[Vazra]

I know it's a drop, but what I want to know is if it resets you to SL1 and gives you the souls back to spend in leveling, effectively allowing you to delevel, or if it keeps your current SL and only allows you to redistribute the points (all the points), thus eliminating the problem of overpowered SL1 gankers.

It refunds the souls you spent on leveling up. So it seems it is a proper delevel.

 

[Chitown B]

I'd rather have that big seamless world split up into 4 or 5 zones than to deal with load times that break immersion and really just cause boredom in between every single death. I bet a few 'zones' could help with the framerate too, maybe? But I guess such is the world of Souls that we hold so dear.

the solution is to stop dying.

 

[Akainu]

I'm watching this and the walking animation is hard to watch. It was better in the beginning when only wearing those tattered rags. Is it just the female model? Maybe just the armor worn? It like the upper body isn't attached to the lower.

edit: also watching this person play is torture. D:

Spoiler

so horrible.

 

[Santiako]

It refunds the souls you spent on leveling up. So it seems it is a proper delevel.

I see, thanks. I would've preferred the other way tbh.

 

[SargerusBR]

the solution is to

Spoiler

get gud

.

FTFY

 

[nynt9]

Destroys a essences of the series.
Getting stuck in depths/blighttown, or catacombs/tomb of giants, or ash lake and having to fight your way out were things that made dark souls the great game it is.

I don't think getting stuck in blighttown was the essence of Dark Souls or that it was the thing that made the game great, but I guess YMMV.

 

[gunderic]

So, I preordered this game forever ago, before they announced the Black Armor Edition, and I recall hearing that all preorders would be automatically upgraded to the BAE unless you preordered the CE instead. But now I'm hearing that might not be the case and I could end up stuck with the standard edition. Can anyone confirm or deny that all preorders get the Black Armor upgrade?

Where did you preorder from and where are you hearing this news about getting stuck with the standard edition?

According to Amazon when I emailed them today to ask what was up with my lack of a delivery estimate for my preorder, the game is on back-order. They didn't say when it would be available. I will be extremely upset if this means that whenever it does ship, it will be the standard edition and not the black armor edition. (I am in the USA and placed my preorder several weeks ago.)

By all accounts, it sounds like someone really messed up.

 

[Deadstar]

Where did you preorder from and where are you hearing this news about getting stuck with the standard edition?

According to Amazon when I emailed them today to ask what was up with my lack of a delivery estimate for my preorder, the game is on back-order. They didn't say when it would be available. I will be extremely upset if this means that whenever it does ship, it will be the standard edition and not the black armor edition. (I am in the USA and placed my preorder several weeks ago.)

By all accounts, it sounds like someone really messed up.

This was posted earlier in the thread but I have a collector's edition on preorder. My delivery estimate was the 13th. I changed the shipping from 1 day and then back to 2 day and now it's scheduled for the 11th. I also did this with that strategy guide and it worked.

 

[Garcia]

Respectfully disagree with this.

I think not being able to warp early is part of 'earning your stripes' so to speak - having to prove you can traverse the world and deal with the constant pressure.

The Lordvessel is like a reward for getting deep into the game, and part of a system of empowering the player, a bit like the Ocarina of Time

I suppose we'll just have to respectfully agree to disagree. I understand where you're coming from but if the game didn't arbitrarily decide to break its own rules by placing invisible walls I wouldn't have anything to complain about.

The only reason why those exist is because those 3 areas (Tomb, Archives and Izalith) have dead ends you cannot escape from on foot.

I won't ever understand how a good part of the fan base loathe some of the things I consider the worst and most detrimental to the experience. To me the first game was irregular, unevenly paced and filled with unfortunate choices that didn't contribute to enhance the feeling of despair.

I just decided to move on and wait for the next game to land.

 

[Sanctuary]

So we're potentially faced with another Dragon's Dogma Dilemma or D.D.D. - do you want the low framerate version or the screen-tearing version?

Unless you play DD on PC.
Also, the screen tearing on the 360 version of DD was the most overblown thing ever. Yes, it definitely existed. No, it wasn't game ruining and no, it wasn't on screen all of the time. You primarily only saw it when quickly panning the screen around.

so it seems every stat has secondary stats attached that level as well, when you boost said stat. EVERY stat will increase HP a little on top.

Whoa, shit. That's kind of a relief then. It just means that the points in Adapt won't be a total failure just to reach Dark levels of speed, and you also won't have to dump quite as much into VIT (*cough, I mean VIG).