• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Dark Souls |OT5| Definitely better than the sequel

The Llama

Member
How people still using the Drake Sword? Are there still guides telling people to get it, because few people would figure out themselves how to get it.

I'm not even ashamed to admit I'm looking at walkthroughs for help at some points. I've been on-and-off with this game for like 2 years now and I'm finally actually enjoying it. Now that I'm at that point I'm trying to just explore and learn everything myself though.

It's not so much your soul level as your weapon. The drake sword is fine very early on, but it's soon out-classed by almost any other weapon upgraded, it's kind of a notorious trap/newbie helper.

Since you've done the Depths you should have the large ember which will allow you to take a weapon along the normal upgrade path to +10 (9 titanite, 9 large titanite)
take the ember to Andre who can then ascend a +5 weapon to +6
. You've probably picked up loads of weapons, find one you like the moveset of and upgrade it. Check the stats that it scales well with (strength, dex), when you level up those stats it will gain a larger damage bonus.

The drake sword will probably still do you ok for the next area, but after that it's going to be an uphill battle and you will really notice how poor it is in comparison. SL31 sounds about par for the course for where you are on your first playthrough, so no problems there :)

Yeah, I've heard that about the drake sword. I just didn't think I was at that point yet since it still feels like I've just gotten it! Thought I'd be able to get another 5-10 hours of gameplay out of it, but I guess not haha. I guess I'll just see what weapons I have and start upgrading them. It seems like everything only does like 80-100 damage though, but maybe if I upgrade them they'll be better than the drake sword.
 
You can upgrade the drake sword (with dragon scales iirc), I've done a full run with it myself so I know it's useable, but it's certainly not ideal or recommended beyond early game. It's certainly helped a lot of players out early on which is it's purpose I think. In an area or two you'll come across another weapon with a similar purpose, and again it soon outstays it's welcome but can come in handy when you first get it depending on what you're using at the time.

But use whatever you feel comfortable with, there's so many weapons there's always something for every play style. Any +10 weapon should outclass an unupgraded Drakesword and if you really wanted to get OP very early (and spoiler the challenge of the game) the Black Knight weapons are all OP and easy to upgrade, plus
fire
weapons are another early-achievable option for the brave or FAQ-using player!
 

sploatee

formerly Oynox Slider
Painted World is indeed great and it shows that it was first area worked on for the game.

I personally like Dukes, the small puzzle of the stairways, it's confusing at first with all the floors - intentionally so I think. The prison section is unique too. I don't consider the Catacombs post-AL since you can do them any time. I guess post-AL there's just a lot less discovery and shortcuts like in the first section - taking the lift back down to Firelink Shrine for the first time, or finally getting out of Blighttown and realising you're so close to safe ground again when you realise where the exit brings you out (if you didn't already go that way with the master key!), that's amazing and the linear paths to the Lord Souls don't offer that - so I can see why people think the second half is weaker.

Demon Ruins and Lost Izalith suffer because of the enemy and level design, but the idea and look of the areas are just as strong imo, but it does tarnish the experience that it's a whole of lot of recycled monsters to fight down there with not much exploring to do.

My favourite part of the Duke's Archives is where you meet the pisacas - I thought that was incredibly well done. I also enjoyed the tense run from the prison bonfire to the bonfire overlooking the Crystal Cave.

You're right, though, about the linearity and less intricate design. I wonder if I don't notice as much because I'm so in love with the lore. I'm perhaps too blinkered - I'm now about 130 hours in and I'm convinced that Dark Souls is the best game I've ever played and has the depth and aesthetics to stand up to most works of art (yes, I'm that blinkered).


How people still using the Drake Sword? Are there still guides telling people to get it, because few people would figure out themselves how to get it.

I'm on my second playthrough and have never had the Drake Sword. I'd like to try it just to see what the fuss is about, but on my first playthrough I found the Black Knight Sword and that was the end of that.

This time round I'm using a mix of the Moonlight Butterfly Horn and the Demon Catalyst, although I do sometimes go back to the Black Knight Sword when I feel nostalgic. Quelaag's Furysword also seems like fun but my Dex is a little bit too low at the moment (I've gone for strength and intelligence this time around after going for dex and endurance last time around).

I'm trying to prep for NG+ and so killed poor old Griggs and Crossbreed Priscilla. Feels bad :-(
 

Booshka

Member
Have you played the DLC sploatee? That is a must if you are really digging the game. Makes up for the weaker areas of the second half of the game. Which I myself don't mind as much as some people do.

I like Duke's, love Painted World, love the Catacombs, didn't mind ToTG, Demon Ruins was bad/but easy to run through, and Lost Izalith is impressive, but poorly designed, and also easy to run through. New Londo is really cool, and a great boss, and Kiln is really cool as well, even if it is a bit of a wasted space for combat, the aesthetics are amazing though.

I've played this game so much, and gotten so good at it, that I don't really mind the weaker areas in terms of design, because they are so varied that it makes the backdrop of me running through them, or invading/co-op more refreshing. They were also much worse early on in the games life, when the aggro was tuned up all over the game, so Lost Izalith and ToTG were both far more brutal nightmares, ToTG is actually a fun nightmare, Izalith is not.
 
So the general consensus is that the quality of the game begins to drop after Anor Londo...what are you guys' thoughts about this?

I feel it's a bit unfair. The game does get easier - certainly (aside from Gwyn) no boss requires me to git gud like Ornstein and Smough did - but I think part of it is that I'd begun to master the game a bit more.

I thought the Catacombs and Tomb of the Giants were tense and intimidating and I liked (ie was terrified of) the skeleton beasts. I also loved the final area before Nito.

New Londo might be my favourite area in the game - the lore and atmosphere were really something, and the Four Kings are my favourite boss from an aesthetic perspective.

I'm less keen on the Duke's Archives but I think that's due to the colour scheme and I know nobody seems to like the Demon Ruins and Lost Izalith but I really don't mind them. Entering Lost Izalith for the first time was a great experience.

Also, does nobody mention the Painted World of Ariamis? It's an amazing area, on par with Sen's imo.

I like all of these areas with the exception of the lava area in Lost Izalith. The Angkor Wat-style ruins afterward are pretty good, though.

I really like the Duke's Archives (dat library) and Painted World.

And I love everything Oolacile.
 

gogosox82

Member
So the general consensus is that the quality of the game begins to drop after Anor Londo...what are you guys' thoughts about this?

I feel it's a bit unfair. The game does get easier - certainly (aside from Gwyn) no boss requires me to git gud like Ornstein and Smough did - but I think part of it is that I'd begun to master the game a bit more.

I thought the Catacombs and Tomb of the Giants were tense and intimidating and I liked (ie was terrified of) the skeleton beasts. I also loved the final area before Nito.

New Londo might be my favourite area in the game - the lore and atmosphere were really something, and the Four Kings are my favourite boss from an aesthetic perspective.

I'm less keen on the Duke's Archives but I think that's due to the colour scheme and I know nobody seems to like the Demon Ruins and Lost Izalith but I really don't mind them. Entering Lost Izalith for the first time was a great experience.

Also, does nobody mention the Painted World of Ariamis? It's an amazing area, on par with Sen's imo.

I feel like "the second half of Dark Souls 1 sucks" thing didn't happen until DS2 came out and people who liked Dark Souls 2 started saying that as a response to people who preferred Dark Souls 1. Maybe I'm imagining that but I honestly never heard anyone say the second half of Dark Souls 1 is bad until DS2 came out.

Anyway, only area I didn't like was Lost Izalith. With lava and dragon buts aggroing immediately (this was at launch though. They rarely even move now, let alone aggro) it was a pain to get through. And then once you get to the main area, there really weren't any new enemies. Just the Chaos eaters and npc invader were new. The rest were enemies you had seen before and really the enemies were just so easy to run by, it just makes more sense to do that instead of fighting them. I like the design of the place though. It has some really interesting architecture. Its just too bad there isn't much there. I liked the Catacombs, Dukes, and New Londo (though the ghosts can be annoying) as well. Also the dlc is in the second half of the game, which has the best content of any souls as far as I'm concerned. So I really like the second half of the game myself.
 

Booshka

Member
I feel like "the second half of Dark Souls 1 sucks" thing didn't happen until DS2 came out and people who liked Dark Souls 2 started saying that as a response to people who preferred Dark Souls 1. Maybe I'm imagining that but I honestly never heard anyone say the second half of Dark Souls 1 is bad until DS2 came out.

You're imagining this to be honest, majority of players agreed that the second half of the game didn't have the same quality, and definitely not the cohesive world design, like the first half did.

Now, there are plenty of great areas in the second half, and people can go back and forth arguing those, but overall, once you get the Lordvessel, the quality dips a bit.

Why you probably thought this is because a ton of people do like to use the fact that Dark Souls 1 has a slight drop off in quality in the second half, as an argument for Dark Souls 2 being better. It's a pretty lame argument, and tiresome, but it didn't start the criticism of the second half of DkS1.

Hell, Yoshi was bitching about it like 3 days after the game came out, he marathoned the game, injured and partially delirious from a fever while ranting about the second half. To be fair, he shouldn't have been playing in that kind of a state in the first place, but I digress. I remember myself raging pretty hard my first time through Lost Izalith at just how shitty the Dragon Butts were.
 

gogosox82

Member
You're imagining this to be honest, majority of players agreed that the second half of the game didn't have the same quality, and definitely not the cohesive world design, like the first half did.

Now, there are plenty of great areas in the second half, and people can go back and forth arguing those, but overall, once you get the Lordvessel, the quality dips a bit.

Why you probably thought this is because a ton of people do like to use the fact that Dark Souls 1 has a slight drop off in quality in the second half, as an argument for Dark Souls 2 being better. It's a pretty lame argument, and tiresome, but it didn't start the criticism of the second half of DkS1.

Hell, Yoshi was bitching about it like 3 days after the game came out, he marathoned the game, injured and partially delirious from a fever while ranting about the second half. To be fair, he shouldn't have been playing in that kind of a state in the first place, but I digress. I remember myself raging pretty hard my first time through Lost Izalith at just how shitty the Dragon Butts were.

Well I've heard people speak about the quality in such a negative tone that maybe I'm misremembering it. I specifically remember a person I was arguing with about it essentially say that you might as well stop playing after beating O & S because the drop off in quality is so bad that its not worth finishing the game which is just kind of crazy to me. So I think I maybe planting some of those arguments into how I think the second half of DS1 is remembered to me. I recall people complaining about Izalith and some people complaining about Dukes and others complaining about TOTG. I guess I just don't remember it being as negative as it seems to have become since DS2 came out but I suppose I'm wrong on that.
 

Booshka

Member
Well I've heard people speak about the quality in such a negative tone that maybe I'm misremembering it. I specifically remember a person I was arguing with about it essentially say that you might as well stop playing after beating O & S because the drop off in quality is so bad that its not worth finishing the game which is just kind of crazy to me. So I think I maybe planting some of those arguments into how I think the second half of DS1 is remembered to me. I recall people complaining about Izalith and some people complaining about Dukes and others complaining about TOTG. I guess I just don't remember it being as negative as it seems to have become since DS2 came out but I suppose I'm wrong on that.

This was literally Yoshi's opinion, and even he stated it before Dark Souls 2 came out. He just didn't bring it up as much because he stopped talking about the game. Then Dark Souls 2 came out, he liked it a lot, and the arguments of Dark 1 vs Dark 2 included a lot of that nonsense. It's Yoshi hyperbole, most people that like both games wouldn't suggest to literally stop playing after O&S, whereas Yoshi is crazy enough to mean it.
 

sploatee

formerly Oynox Slider
My view is that it'd be a mistake to stop after Anor Londo. But you probably gathered that!

Have you played the DLC sploatee? That is a must if you are really digging the game. Makes up for the weaker areas of the second half of the game. Which I myself don't mind as much as some people do.

I like Duke's, love Painted World, love the Catacombs, didn't mind ToTG, Demon Ruins was bad/but easy to run through, and Lost Izalith is impressive, but poorly designed, and also easy to run through. New Londo is really cool, and a great boss, and Kiln is really cool as well, even if it is a bit of a wasted space for combat, the aesthetics are amazing though.

I've played this game so much, and gotten so good at it, that I don't really mind the weaker areas in terms of design, because they are so varied that it makes the backdrop of me running through them, or invading/co-op more refreshing. They were also much worse early on in the games life, when the aggro was tuned up all over the game, so Lost Izalith and ToTG were both far more brutal nightmares, ToTG is actually a fun nightmare, Izalith is not.

I can imagine Izalith being horrendous pre-patch. As it is now, for me it was just tremendously eerie. I really felt like I was in the belly of Lordran and stumbling across something which had been left for centuries.

I'd like to try the DLC but for some reason I'm a bit reluctant. It might be backlog or it might be fear of Manus (I've heard he will thump me). It took me a full day of retrying to beat Ornstein and Smough the first time and it took about a week off-and-on to beat Gwyn (I tried not to use wikis for my first playthrough). I'm so keen to start on some of my backlog I'm scared I'll need to put two weeks aside to get past Manus!
 

Screaming Meat

Unconfirmed Member
I'd like to try the DLC but for some reason I'm a bit reluctant. It might be backlog or it might be fear of Manus (I've heard he will thump me). It took me a full day of retrying to beat Ornstein and Smough the first time and it took about a week off-and-on to beat Gwyn (I tried not to use wikis for my first playthrough). I'm so keen to start on some of my backlog I'm scared I'll need to put two weeks aside to get past Manus!

It's worth your time, believe me. Forget the backlog and tuck into one of the best DLCs out there, Sploat. It has 3 'God-Tier' boss battles that are worth the price of admission alone.
 

sploatee

formerly Oynox Slider
It's worth your time, believe me. Forget the backlog and tuck into one of the best DLCs out there, Sploat. It has 3 'God-Tier' boss battles that are worth the price of admission alone.


I had a peek at the wiki (I am doing work, honest). I've already killed the Darkroot Basin hydra and freed Dusk. Who I accidentally killed by my finger slipping (argh!). It shouldn't matter, should it?
 

Mistel

Banned
I had a peek at the wiki (I am doing work, honest). I've already killed the Darkroot Basin hydra and freed Dusk. Who I accidentally killed by my finger slipping (argh!). It shouldn't matter, should it?
Her survival is not required for access to the dlc you only need to meet the requirements for to gain the pendent which in turn gains access. But you most likely did not say yes to her help before you offed her, so you will not be able to access it as you can't get the pendant at all this run.
 

sploatee

formerly Oynox Slider
Her survival is not required for access to the dlc you only need to meet the requirements for to gain the pendent which in turn gains access. But you most likely did not say yes to her help before you offed her, so you will not be able to access it as you can't get the pendant at all this run.

I did. I wanted all of the sorceries and bought most of them, my hand literally slipped as I was about to buy the last one. I was gutted.
 

sploatee

formerly Oynox Slider
Not as much as the princess was! AHAHAHAHAH-HAHAHAHAHAH-HAHAHAHAHahahaahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaI'll get my coat.

I chuckled!

On my first playthrough I killed Eingyi by mistake too. I was so tense and anxious to get to a bonfire after killing Quelaag I just killed him on sight.

It was funny this time round using the Dark Hand on Griggsy before I killed him

"Heavens!"

He collapses and then forgets I just Mola Ram'd him

"Heavens!"

He collapses and then forgets I just Mola Ram'd him.

I still felt bad killing him. I liked him, even though he was completely obsessed with Big Hat.
 

Mistel

Banned
I did. I wanted all of the sorceries and bought most of them, my hand literally slipped as I was about to buy the last one. I was gutted.
Then you can still do the dlc just need the pendent as it doesn't care if she's alive or not past agreeing to help her.
 

Tarkus

Member
Souls rule #1 - When standing near an NPC, take your fingers off the trigger buttons!

We've all done it by accident I bet!
Yes. In DS2, I put my controller on a table and ended whacking the Emerald Herald with the Zweihander 2h R2! Luckily she was fine and didn't die or fall off the cliff.
 

sploatee

formerly Oynox Slider
I feel bad because you're all probably right, but I've made an executive decision not to do the DLC on this playthrough. I don't want to burn myself out so I'll save it for my NG+ (when I'll ally with Kaathe instead of Frampt).

Ico and SOTC are calling me. And then Demon's Souls! And then eventually Bloodborne :)
 
I feel bad because you're all probably right, but I've made an executive decision not to do the DLC on this playthrough. I don't want to burn myself out so I'll save it for my NG+ (when I'll ally with Kaathe instead of Frampt).

Ico and SOTC are calling me. And then Demon's Souls! And then eventually Bloodborne :)
The DLC is pretty tough, every enemy hits really hard. Just a heads up that doing it first in NG+ will really amp up the difficulty.
 

Booshka

Member
I feel bad because you're all probably right, but I've made an executive decision not to do the DLC on this playthrough. I don't want to burn myself out so I'll save it for my NG+ (when I'll ally with Kaathe instead of Frampt).

Ico and SOTC are calling me. And then Demon's Souls! And then eventually Bloodborne :)

Souls Thread Vetoes your Executive Decision, you should do the DLC on New Game, NG+ is way harder. Just make sure you have a +15 weapon with good scaling, STR and/or DEX, bring a 100% block shield upgraded for higher stability, Tower Kite, Silver Knight and Balder are excellent, and maybe upgrade some of your armor as well if you haven't, I suggest being able to mid or fast roll.

Other than that, with enough Vitality and Endurance, and perseverance you will do just fine.
 

kaos.

Member
Maybe I'm late, but did you know that, a couple of days ago, GamesRadar has made a top 100 of the best games ever and.... Dark Souls was in the first place?!?

Here's why:

Why Dark Souls is simply the greatest game of all time

A little extract:

From Software’s creation represents everything that is important to video games in the modern era, from polished, core gameplay mechanics, to player agency, to narrative involvement, to world design, to the many, many emotional peaks and troughs of an expertly paced, but organically delivered journey. But it does them better than any other. It delivers them with thought, wisdom, and insight, and never as individual elements, but always an inseparable facets of a holistic, total game design. And that’s why Dark Souls is the greatest game ever made.

Do you agree?

I don't know... but i spent almost 2 years playing only this game, never happened before.
 

JohnCYQ

Member
Haven't posted in awhile. Been farming some large titanites from slimes and souls at the forest convenent area, managed to get a bunch of +10 weapons and +6 armors. Got more questions.

1) From what I can tell, one of the best helms in the game is the Royal Helm from blacksmith Vamos but I don't think I'll be killing him off anytime before I decide to go for NG+. What would be the good substitute to go for in the meantime? I'm currently using a +6 elite knight helm.

2) I've managed to grind to 24str/40dex for now (will get 27 str later on), and I'm considering going either 40 int (crystal magic weapon) or faith (darkmoon blade/sunlight blade) next to pick up weapon enchants. Would it be a good idea to get 25int/40faith instead and use the Tin Darkmoon Catalyst + Darkmoon Talisman to gain access to all 3 weapon enchants? Or am I better off just going with either stat?

3) What other "miss-able" items are there aside from the loot from npc red phantoms?
 

kaos.

Member
Haven't posted in awhile. Been farming some large titanites from slimes and souls at the forest convenent area, managed to get a bunch of +10 weapons and +6 armors. Got more questions.

1) From what I can tell, one of the best helms in the game is the Royal Helm from blacksmith Vamos but I don't think I'll be killing him off anytime before I decide to go for NG+. What would be the good substitute to go for in the meantime? I'm currently using a +6 elite knight helm.

2) I've managed to grind to 24str/40dex for now (will get 27 str later on), and I'm considering going either 40 int (crystal magic weapon) or faith (darkmoon blade/sunlight blade) next to pick up weapon enchants. Would it be a good idea to get 25int/40faith instead and use the Tin Darkmoon Catalyst + Darkmoon Talisman to gain access to all 3 weapon enchants? Or am I better off just going with either stat?

3) What other "miss-able" items are there aside from the loot from npc red phantoms?

1) The only thing that is important in this game is armors' poise (except giant's and havel's armors that also have excellent stats): so feel free to wear what you like... this is fashion souls, after all.

2)If you do mainly pve i would go for int (spells are very useful in pve), for pvp i would go for faith because of stronger weapons' buffs and wrath of the gods.
 

sploatee

formerly Oynox Slider
The DLC is pretty tough, every enemy hits really hard. Just a heads up that doing it first in NG+ will really amp up the difficulty.

Souls Thread Vetoes your Executive Decision, you should do the DLC on New Game, NG+ is way harder. Just make sure you have a +15 weapon with good scaling, STR and/or DEX, bring a 100% block shield upgraded for higher stability, Tower Kite, Silver Knight and Balder are excellent, and maybe upgrade some of your armor as well if you haven't, I suggest being able to mid or fast roll.

Other than that, with enough Vitality and Endurance, and perseverance you will do just fine.


Dammit! This feels like a hostile takeover. I just don't know. I had a plan!

Maybe I'm late, but did you know that, a couple of days ago, GamesRadar has made a top 100 of the best games ever and.... Dark Souls was in the first place?!?

Here's why:

Why Dark Souls is simply the greatest game of all time

A little extract:



Do you agree?

I don't know... but i spent almost 2 years playing only this game, never happened before.

I do need to read it (thanks for posting it, I'll read anything DS-related) but I certainly think its the best game I've ever played - that's including the usual suspects like Ocarina of Time, Mario Galaxy, Metroid Prime, Bayonetta 2, The Last of Us and so on.

This game just has something magical about it.
 
I posted the same question a while back, but what soul level are ppl usually at for co-op and pvp?
pvp meta was kind of established at around SL120-5, co-op depends on the area you're in.

DarkSouls-Co-opguide.jpg

You'll get co-op and pvp at almost any level though, I prefer lower level play and SL60 is about as high as I ever go and still see loads of action and summons (PS3).
 

sploatee

formerly Oynox Slider
Ok fine. I'm doing the DLC. I made it through The Great Hollow and Ash Lake (Siegmeyer :-( I couldn't bring myself to kill Sieglinde) and now I'm saved at the very first bonfire in Sanctuary Garden. Here we go again....
 

Pachimari

Member
Just found this thread thanks to a nice junior in the DSfix thread. I basically hope you guys can help me out. I just got my game running again on max settings on my PC but two things:

1) My character shadow is green. This doesn't seem right, do you know how I can fix it? I have DSfix enabled.

2) Can I remap the buttons on my Xbox 360 controller somewhere?
 

Crisco

Banned
Finally switched from kb+m to a Dualshock 4 on my PC. Definitely a better experience, button combinations are far easier to pull off and there is much more room for error with the thumbsticks than keyboard clicks. Only problem is the damn thumbstick on my DS4 is finally peeling lol.
 

jb1234

Member
I spent the first four hours of the game believing (for some reason) that estus flasks are limited and I would never use them. I must have fought the Taurus Demon (and the route to him) about forty times in utter rage. Turns out the game is actually quite a bit easier when you can heal. :p

(I'm a dumbass...)
 

Curufinwe

Member
I'm playing Bloodborne and enjoying it, but it's making me want to finally play Dark Souls. And the living room where my PS4 is gets so much light it's hard to see the screen in the middle of the day.

My gaming PC is in a nice dark bedroom, but it's very old. Windows XP, E6420 @ 2.8 GHz, 768 MB GTX 8800. Will it run Dark Souls OK and has the Steam version been patched now to allow custom resolutions up to 1920 x 1080? Or do you still need to use DSfix?
 

Ray Wonder

Founder of the Wounded Tagless Children
I just started playing for the first time. I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. Just beat the Bell Gargoyles. This game is fucking awesome. Can't wait to hop back in.
 
Top Bottom