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Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition |OT| Durante Does In 23 Minutes What From Can't

Zzoram

Member
So serious question, why does almost no one talk to the NPC's in this game. One of the most frequent complaints I've heard about this game is that it doesn't tell you where to go. See: newbies walking into the graveyard/new Londo and getting pissy. Yet the very first NPC you see in Firelink tells you exactly where to go.

People are conditioned now in RPGs to skip NPC dialog and just click through for the mini map arrow/marker to appear for your next quest. This game doesn't have a mini map to mark or put an arrow on, so the dialog matters, but people still skip the dialog out of habit.
 
If the bloodstains in firelink are any indication, newbies try to gank that guy and get killed instead, sending them into an infinite loop of respawning and getting killed by him.

I wonder if it's the open world, just saved my game mentality gone wrong. They figure I just saved at the bonfire, I'll go kill some NPCs for some laughs and then the realization sets in that there's no reloading an earlier save.
 

Grief.exe

Member
People are conditioned now in RPGs to skip NPC dialog and just click through for the mini map arrow/marker to appear for your next quest. This game doesn't have a mini map to mark or put an arrow on, so the dialog matters, but people still skip the dialog out of habit.

Yep this game isnt dumbed down for the lowest common denominator like a lot of games these days, skyrim is a huge example of this.

One of the reasons I like dark souls so much.

To be honest though, the guy says go down to blight town, so I guess they are going down into the catacombs.
 

ixix

Exists in a perpetual state of Quantum Crotch Uncertainty.
http://imgur.com/a/J4cfB

Somehow Lautrec looks exactly as I pictured him.

I always pictured him being bald for some reason.

It's interesting how they make faces for so many NPCs who never take their helmets off. Even back in Demon's Souls there are designs of the faces of characters like Yurt, Garl Vinland, and Miralda in the artbook, even though none of them ever take their helmets off in the game itself.

Guess the attention to detail pays off, though. Even in the console versions it was possible to get a pretty good look at the faces of at least Solaire and the onions, and if you cranked your gamma you could even get a pretty okay idea of what Quelana looked like.

Need some advice on 4 Kings for anyone who has done a SL1 pyromancer playthrough. How? Your kinda limited to 2-3 weapons. I have a Lighting Battle Axe +14 and a reinforced fire club +14, upgrade pyromancer glove +5, and I'm still getting my ass kicked.

Beating them at SL1 isn't really all that different from beating 'em at any other soul level. Reinforced Club is basically the best weapon all around for an SL1 game, just two-hand it and go to town. It's the lack of HP that makes it harder far moreso than the relative paucity of offensive options. Both the Wolf Ring and the Ring of Favor and Protection are fine options to use if you need to be able to soak a hit while chugging Estus or just need more HP. Bellowing Dragoncrest Ring also boosts Pyromancy damage, as does the Dusk Crown, and casting Pyromancy doesn't cost Stamina. Getting into a cycle of smacking with your weapon 'til you're out of Stamina then switching to your flame until it regenerates and it's smacky-smacky time again is pretty much the most efficient way to deal damage.
 
Has anyone ever had a successful arena match? I've yet to have it connect me with anyone.

Got a couple. One guy was nice enough to disconnect after I flattened him with spells using a glass cannon caster (SL72, 297 health, 50/30 int/faith). No streak gain when people disconnect, and there's already no soul/etc. reward for winning in the arena. Awesome.

The arena doesn't seem to serve any purpose other than to dry up PvP in other areas of the game and replace that with a more broken and useless matching system on a couple of crappy maps.
 

Grief.exe

Member
Has anyone ever had a successful arena match? I've yet to have it connect me with anyone.

I'm sure the vast majority of the player base hasn't reached the upper SL brackets or even beaten artorias.

Probably need to wait a couple more weeks and see how it shakes out.


http://imgur.com/a/J4cfB

Somehow Lautrec looks exactly as I pictured him.

The attention to detail blows my mind sometimes.
Lautrec looks perfect. Quelanna looks a lot like quelagg.
 

Eusis

Member
Yep this game isnt dumbed down for the lowest common denominator like a lot of games these days, skyrim is a huge example of this.
Admittedly I do feel like a lot of those games where you can just skip through also tend to have really boring filler text. Dark Souls however usually has interesting plot bits and the important stuff is usually straight to the point (and well voiced!) so the bigger problem is that they don't necessarily repeat the important parts if I talk to them again. Would be nice, if, say, the Crestfallen Warrior's repeat dialogue mentioned where to find the two bells again since you might forget about the Blighttown one by the time you clear the Undead Parish.
 

ixix

Exists in a perpetual state of Quantum Crotch Uncertainty.
Are these their actual official heads in the game's code?

The shots are from a mod that just removes the helmets of all the NPCs. So yeah, they're the actual faces that are overridden by the helmets.

You can actually see most of them one way or another without the mod, it's just way easier without having to line up an angle that lets you see through the eye slits in a helmet or hood or doing the unthinkable and
letting Solaire go crazy
.
 

ACE 1991

Member
Man, this easily one of the prettiest games on PC using Durante's tweaks. Beat the
two gargoyle bosses
today. Dumping most of my points in Vit and End, are there any places I should go to get a new weapon/shield, or not just just yet? I'm just using a longsword +3 and a knight's shield +2.
 

arit

Member
Catarina Knights would be better off without their helmets.

wH0PZ.jpg
 
i think I have gone as far as I can. Dont think I have it in me to go further.

Just finished Blight town.

My options are Valley of the Drake, Catacombs, or New Londo.

All very frustrating.

Maybe I can try again again in a few months, but by then I will be rusty.

ps: I got my first invader in Blight town, I whooped him.

wheres the 2nd bell?

I rung the gargoyle one.

There was a boss?

nevermind-eccbc87e4b5ce2fe28308fd9f2a7baf3-214.gif


I shouldn't make fun, we've all been there, totally lost and not knowing where to go.

But still, :lol
 
I'm fucking up my run of the Catacombs despite having run through it already.

I used a Homeward Bone right after beating
Pinwheel
, but today I tried going right back to the Tomb of Giants (was too weak to try to go there with 26K in souls and 4 Humanity on me), and I was fucked up by the damn skeleton wheels to the point where I'm in
Pinwheel's room
with only have one whole square of health left and no estus at all.

How close is the first bonfire in the Tomb of Giants? Worth it to venture out with my souls+humanity or do I use another bone?
 

Grief.exe

Member
I'm fucking up my run of the Catacombs despite having run through it already.

I used a Homeward Bone right after beating
Pinwheel
, but today I tried going right back to the Tomb of Giants (was too weak to try to go there with 26K in souls and 4 Humanity on me), and I was fucked up by the damn skeleton wheels to the point where I'm in
Pinwheel's room
with only have one whole square of health left and no estus at all.

How close is the first bonfire in the Tomb of Giants? Worth it to venture out with my souls+humanity or do I use another bone?

Honestly its not that far into it. And you should be able to sprint by everything and get there.

You just run down a couple of coffins, then you will see patches, turn left and its down a ladder.

Use a ring of sacrifice. If you don't have one, go ahead and try it anyways. If you do die you can always port to Undead Parish, talk to Oswald, buy some, put it on and then try to run back.
If you wear one, then your bloodstain won't disappear.
 

ixix

Exists in a perpetual state of Quantum Crotch Uncertainty.
I'm fucking up my run of the Catacombs despite having run through it already.

I used a Homeward Bone right after beating
Pinwheel
, but today I tried going right back to the Tomb of Giants (was too weak to try to go there with 26K in souls and 4 Humanity on me), and I was fucked up by the damn skeleton wheels to the point where I'm in
Pinwheel's room
with only have one whole square of health left and no estus at all.

How close is the first bonfire in the Tomb of Giants? Worth it to venture out with my souls+humanity or do I use another bone?

The first bonfire isn't all that close. You've got
about three melee giant skeletons and one giant archer skeleton before the bonfire. That's assuming that you find the ladder to the bonfire on your first attempt and don't take a wrong turn.
The chances of you making it all the way to the bonfire on your first attempt without getting hit are pretty small.

I'd say you're boned.
 
How close is the first bonfire in the Tomb of Giants? Worth it to venture out with my souls+humanity or do I use another bone?

Pretty close, there's a ladder to the left of the NPC you first encounter leading to the bonfire.

edit: You're not boned, don't listen to ixix! You can do it!
 

ixix

Exists in a perpetual state of Quantum Crotch Uncertainty.
If From didn't want us to tell people that they're boned every time somebody asks if they should use a Homeward Bone then they wouldn't have named the emergency escape item something that lends itself so well to sophomoric puns.
 

perorist

Unconfirmed Member
If you wear one, then your bloodstain won't disappear.
Actually ring of sacrifice just makes it so you don't lose souls/humanity in the first place when dying, so if he puts one on he won't need to go back in to retrieve anything. If you had a stain before putting it on, it still disappears if you die on your way.
 
Boo, he did characters without helmets and he forgot Lyn (Sieglinde, for those unfamiliar with her dad's nickname for her, yet another awesome King's Field reference). I wanted to see her face too. :(
 

Grief.exe

Member
Actually ring of sacrifice just makes it so you don't lose souls/humanity in the first place when dying, so if he puts one on he won't need to go back in to retrieve anything. If you had a stain before putting it on, it still disappears if you die on your way.

The second part is actually false, try it. If you die, put one on, then die, your original bloodstain will still be there.

And I did tell him to put one on and try it first, but then prefaced the second part with, "if you don't have one." Telling him to try it anyways, and if he dies go to oswald, buy it, then put it on and you won't lose your souls.
 

ixix

Exists in a perpetual state of Quantum Crotch Uncertainty.
He's totally boned.

See? This is how you respect a developer's creative vision.

Boo, he did characters without helmets and he forgot Lyn (Sieglinde, for those unfamiliar with her dad's nickname for her, yet another awesome King's Field reference). I wanted to see her face too. :(

I don't think they forgot, I think they just haven't finished compiling them yet. I've seen pictures of Ricard (who looks exactly like Oscar), Laurentius (who has a mighty unibrow), and the Darkmoon Knightess (who's actually something of a looker, in spite of the Brass Armor item description) floating around.

I figure they'll get to her eventually.
 
The first bonfire isn't all that close. You've got
about three melee giant skeletons and one giant archer skeleton before the bonfire. That's assuming that you find the ladder to the bonfire on your first attempt and don't take a wrong turn.
The chances of you making it all the way to the bonfire on your first attempt without getting hit are pretty small.

I'd say you're boned.

He's totally boned.

It took me quite a while to find the bonfire, but I'm absolute crap with direction in video games.

Damnit. There goes another bone.

Any tips on how to deal with that pit of wheel skeletons at the bottom? They're the one thing that consistently messes up my run of the Catacombs.

Pretty close, there's a ladder to the left of the NPC you first encounter leading to the bonfire.

edit: You're not boned, don't listen to ixix! You can do it!

Thanks, but I think I'll just play it safe :p
 
I don't think they forgot, I think they just haven't finished compiling them yet. I've seen pictures of Ricard (who looks exactly like Oscar), Laurentius (who has a mighty unibrow), and the Darkmoon Knightess (who's actually something of a looker, in spite of the Brass Armor item description) floating around.

I figure they'll get to her eventually.

Yeah I already saw all those other guys (Mildred and Darkmoon Knightess totally didn't need to hide their faces lol).

I want Lyn dammit. :/

That's awesome. I assumed they wouldn't have put in any work on faces that you'd never see, but some of them are pretty distinct. Mildred clearly had some work put into her face, what with the scars or whatnot.

Mildred doesn't have scars. That's her hair rendering through her face all funny because she's transparent there. Aesthetically she looks extremely similar to Beatrice, body shape aside.
 

ijed

Member
Any tips on how to deal with that pit of wheel skeletons at the bottom? They're the one thing that consistently messes up my run of the Catacombs.

Drop down onto the ledge where you summon Leeroy - You could pick them off from there with a bow or range or just leg it to Pinwheel from there
 

Ridley327

Member
Beat it and have already started onto NG+. Greeted right away in the Undead Burg with an invader who, despite being having pyromancy and me cornered on a walkway where I had no room to dodge them, played like an absolute moron. The real Dark Souls begins!

This is easily a top 5 game for this gen for me.
 
Just bait them. Have you found the shortcut down to pinwheel that leads to a blacksmith.

Yeah, but I didn't find it particularly easier. I have a harder time dodging them in that area for some reason.

Drop down onto the ledge where you summon Leeroy - You could pick them off from there with a bow or range or just leg it to Pinwheel from there

Legging it works? I could just try that, I'm just afraid that one'll ram me from behind. I'm on a melee-based build and waiting for the skeletons to get bored scratching at the ledge so I can pick them off with arrows takes a crazy amount of time.
 
Beat it and have already started onto NG+. Greeted right away in the Undead Burg with an invader who, despite being having pyromancy and me cornered on a walkway where I had no room to dodge them, played like an absolute moron. The real Dark Souls begins!

Undead Burg is a wonderful pvp arena, have spent the last 10 hours of my NG++ there.

Oh, and good luck with the Four Kings. That fight killed me the most during my NG+ run.
 

Ridley327

Member
Undead Burg is a wonderful pvp arena, have spent the last 10 hours of my NG++ there.

I guess I could have ended it there by plunging from the ledge onto him, but I wanted to see what I was up against.

And holy shit, Four Kings gets *harder*?! I barely survived it after using Beatrice as a screen!
 

Raxus

Member
Oh, and good luck with the Four Kings. That fight killed me the most during my NG+ run.

I just havel'ed it and I had kindled so many bonfires my NG+ run was a breeze.

As far as the Pinwheel skeletons. I wish I could offer more support. As a fellow melee hero I feel your pain. They are easy enemies to take down it is just that initial attack and they have a tendency to attack in pairs. Take it slow and try not to get hit head on (easier said than done, I know). If it helps get hidden body and homing missile spells.
 

Alastor

Member
Any tips how to not burn to death when spider queen vomits fire on the whole floor? I'm wearing my most fireproof gear, but I don't have any ring of fire protection. Is there one? I remember I had one in Demon's Souls.

I know I can check all this in the wikis, but I don't want to. I ask about this game only when I'm really frustrated.
 

Raxus

Member
Any tips how to not burn to death when spider queen vomits fire on the whole floor? I'm wearing my most fireproof gear, but I don't have any ring of fire protection. Is there one? I remember I had one in Demon's Souls.

I know I can check all this in the wikis, but I don't want to. I ask about this game only when I'm really frustrated.

just constantly flank her and attack her legs. Watch out for the scream. If an area gets too 'hot' then move away and fight her in an area with much less lava. It is a pretty easy fight. Fire resistance is barely necessary.
 

Ridley327

Member
just constantly flank her and attack her legs. Watch out for the scream. If an area gets too 'hot' then move away and fight her in an area with much less lava. It is a pretty easy fight. Fire resistance is barely necessary.

Yeah, if you keep behind her, you'll hardly ever need to worry about lava; just roll away when she goes for the stomp and keep on her.
 
I just havel'ed it and I had kindled so many bonfires my NG+ run was a breeze.

Yeah I tried Havelling it with Iron Flesh, but they just fucking slaughtered me regardless. Because of their increased hp they just seem to respawn that much quicker. In the end, rolling around and getting the occasional two-handed hit in worked for me, and getting lucky with the occasional Estus swig. By the time I got the final blow in, all Four Kings were pouncing on me. Edge of the seat stuff, that.
 

Alastor

Member
just constantly flank her and attack her legs. Watch out for the scream. If an area gets too 'hot' then move away and fight her in an area with much less lava. It is a pretty easy fight. Fire resistance is barely necessary.

Ridley327 said:
Yeah, if you keep behind her, you'll hardly ever need to worry about lava; just roll away when she goes for the stomp and keep on her.

Heh, I guess I'm doing something wrong then, I swear I try to do that every time but she's just moving constantly, and a a minute after there's barely a spot with no lava on it.

I'll try to stay closer to her next time.
 
Heh, I guess I'm doing something wrong then, I swear I try to do that every time but she's just moving constantly, and a a minute after there's barely a spot with no lava on it.

I'll try to stay closer to her next time.

Careful with that, though. Make sure to run the fuck away when she puts her head down, that's her telegraphing her devastating Aoe attack.
 
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