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

Quikies83

Member
I also went ahead and copied all my backups to another folder and reapplied the Ds and DSC fix..
still no Load Game... I had probably 6 toons...
 

Soulhouf

Member
After more than 2000 hours on the PS3 version, I finally started the PC version 2 days ago and... it's strange. The feeling of the game isn't exactly the same as on PS3. Is it because the frame rate is different? For instance Rolls and jumps in particular became more difficult to gauge...
I have a quite powerful PC and tried to increase/decrease the effects of dsfix to see what it does but I ended up disabling all the AA and bilinear filtering because I don't like the effects.
What are the recommended ones?

Also sometimes and for no reason, the frame rate drops during 1-2 sec. I noticed it especially when you change area. Really strange because I did never notice that on PS3.
 

Sullichin

Member
After more than 2000 hours on the PS3 version, I finally started the PC version 2 days ago and... it's strange. The feeling of the game isn't exactly the same as on PS3. Is it because the frame rate is different? For instance Rolls and jumps in particular became more difficult to gauge...
I have a quite powerful PC and tried to increase/decrease the effects of dsfix to see what it does but I ended up disabling all the AA and bilinear filtering because I don't like the effects.
What are the recommended ones?

Also sometimes and for no reason, the frame rate drops during 1-2 sec. I noticed it especially when you change area. Really strange because I did never notice that on PS3.

Yes, if you can't maintain a solid 60fps it's not worth enabling 60FPS. The console framerate is bad but dropping from 60FPS to 40 for a second or two like you mentioned is really jarring. I know what you mean, it changes the feel. That's why I still play the PC version at 30fps even though I can run much more demanding games at 60 fine. Although I keep FPS unlock ON in DSFix, and cap it at 30. I get better performance this way, a smooth 30fps that feels better than consoles. As for DSFix effects, I mostly use it just for the increased rendering resolution. I render the game at 1440p, my monitor is 1080p so that downscaling takes care of aliasing, and it looks great. In fact, the game performs better for me when I choose a high rendering res, otherwise my GPU goes into low power mode or something. I also have AO on, but the intensity set to the lowest because it looks too dark to me otherwise.
 
Really weird, even for a game like this, that the creators designed a level like "Tomb of the Giants". It takes a lot of faith put on the shoulders of players from the developers part, to think most of them will go through this.

Let me explain, you can't see anything. I got like 40 pebles and used them all, had to navigate by hugging everywall shield raised and hitting the targeting button constantly to aim spells at those giant skeletons.

And they didn't include say a spell or something to light the way. Also is too bad that the pebles that drop in shalow ground don't stay there forever, i was trying to create sort of safe pathway with those stones.

Anyway, this does comes as a surprise. So far is the level that has taken me the most time and tries.
 

zkylon

zkylewd
Really weird, even for a game like this, that the creators designed a level like "Tomb of the Giants". It takes a lot of faith put on the shoulders of players from the developers part, to think most of them will go through this.

Let me explain, you can't see anything. I got like 40 pebles and used them all, had to navigate by hughing everywall shield raised and hitting the targeting button constantly to aim spells at those giant skeletons.

And they didn't include say a spell or something to light the way. Also is too bad that the pebles that drop in shalow ground don't stay there forever, i was trying to create sort of safe pathway with those stones.

Anyway, this does comes as a surprise. So far is the level that has taken me the most time and tries.
there are three ways to see in tomb of giants:
a)
swapping your shield for the skull lamp you find in the catacombs
(not really spoilery)
b)
using the miracle "light"
(not really spoilery)
c)
equip the sunlight maggot (in lost izalith shortcut, needs level 2 chaos covenant)
(most spoilery)

it's one of my favorite areas of the game

so fucking tense
 
I already killed Letho (sp?) . Should i see any of your spoilers? I've managed so far withouth using any kind of help, so i don't want to ruin anything and ill probably wont replay the game XD
 
I already killed Letho (sp?) . Should i see any of your spoilers? I've managed so far withouth using any kind of help, so i don't want to ruin anything and ill probably wont replay the game XD

Unless you are playing a non-English version, there is no one in the game named Letho, nor anyone close to that name I can recall.
 
Unless you are playing a non-English version, there is no one in the game named Letho, nor anyone close to that name I can recall.
Or is it Lito? Or Nito?, that's the Lord of the death. He rest in a sarcophagus deep down the Tomb of the Giants. Has a cloud of miasma surrounding him, while sumoning skeletons. Isn't he the reason to go to the catacombs in the first place?

So with him death vanished, anything of what Zkylon wrote can be considered spoilers? I don't think i'll need to get back there. I think of the 4 required souls the 4 kings are the ones remaining since i havent figure out how to kill them.
 

zkylon

zkylewd
right, nito

well you already beat the tomb so you might want to read the first two

the third spoiler is one that you can't normally find on your own unless you're trying all the covenants so you can spoil yourself that and it'll be alright
 
Yes, yes but no.....

Tried the Skull lamp only thing it did was weak sauce swings. This is bad feedback on the side of the developers. It can't be solely my fault here. They should patch that up, but of course they won't. Bad design choice with this item.
 

Arjen

Member
Yes, yes but no.....

Tried the Skull lamp only thing it did was weak sauce swings. This is bad feedback on the side of the developers. It can't be solely my fault here. They should patch that up, but of course they won't. Bad design choice with this item.

Ehm, did you try using L1 in stead of L2?
 
Ehm, did you try using L1 in stead of L2?
Edit: Wait no, i assigned it to the right hand. It's not my fault entirely that i had to go through this section practicly blind folded.

Yes, i equipped the lamp in the right hand, yet it is absurd that it has a completly different function acording to in what hand rests. So i picked the lamp, read the description and equip it. Pressing buttons just promped the lamp to make swings and nothing else.

So of course i assume the description is false and it was just the writers way to "spice" the myth around the lamp a bit more.

What they should have done was, make the lamp cast light every time it swings that way i might get "clued in" and try to equip the lamp in the other hand.

They needed that type of feedback there for the player. Most of the game's charm rests in going in as clueless as possible, so i got screwed there for not consulting any sort of guide.
 

zkylon

zkylewd
Edit: Wait no, i assigned it to the right hand. It's not my fault entirely that i had to go through this section practicly blind folded.

Yes, i equipped the lamp in the right hand, yet it is absurd that it has a completly different function acording to in what hand rests. So i picked the lamp, read the description and equip it. Pressing buttons just promped the lamp to make swings and nothing else.

So of course i assume the description is false and it was just the writers way to "spice" the myth around the lamp a bit more.

What they should have done was, make the lamp cast light every time it swings that way i might get "clued in" and try to equip the lamp in the other hand.

They needed that type of feedback there for the player. Most of the game's charm rests in going in as clueless as possible, so i got screwed there for not consulting any sort of guide.
eh I just figured a lantern would go in my left hand

I mean if you don't figure out it can be very punishing but that's dark souls in a nutshell

edit: I mean, you get a lamp just before the super dark zone, you gotta take that as a clue and experiment, shit like that

Got to the last boss and he killed me with like 3 attacks... Am I supposed to be super powerful at this time to survive several of his attacks?
you're not really supposed to survive 3 attacks from anyone
 
eh I just figured a lantern would go in my left hand

I mean if you don't figure out it can be very punishing but that's dark souls in a nutshell

edit: I mean, you get a lamp just before the super dark zone, you gotta take that as a clue and experiment, shit like that
And experiment is what i did. That's why im resting part of default in the lack of feedback.

How's this for experimentation:
-Picked lamp, asigned to right hand. Lamp is out in hand everything is still dark. Not even an increase from the standard "spectral" light that emanates from the character.

-Touched every button, prompting the character to swing. No increase in lighting whatsoever.

-So ok, maybe the lamp needs to be charged. Aproach a Bon Fire, touch every button. Nothing.

-Wait, maybe those lights and candles in the enviroment. No.

-Wait, there where some lights in that room with the guy doing weird stuff. No.

-So ok then, maybe they got a bit creative with the lamp description and is just a special item to trade, give or plays a pasive roll in a subsequent quest.

Proceeds to go by the catacombs in almost total darkness just using pebles...
 

NG28

Member
And experiment is what i did. That's why im resting part of default in the lack of feedback.

How's this for experimentation:
-Picked lamp, asigned to right hand. Lamp is out in hand everything is still dark. Not even an increase from the standard "spectral" light that emanates from the character.

-Touched every button, prompting the character to swing. No increase in lighting whatsoever.

-So ok, maybe the lamp needs to be charged. Aproach a Bon Fire, touch every button. Nothing.

-Wait, maybe those lights and candles in the enviroment. No.

-Wait, there where some lights in that room with the guy doing weird stuff. No.

-So ok then, maybe they got a bit creative with the lamp description and is just a special item to trade, give or plays a pasive roll in a subsequent quest.

Proceeds to go by the catacombs in almost total darkness just using pebles...

IIRC, you have to hold in R1/RB.

edit - if it's in your right hand.
 
Put it in your character's left hand and then hold L1/LB to hold it in front of you like a shield. That will cause it to light up your surroundings.
 

zkylon

zkylewd
And experiment is what i did. That's why im resting part of default in the lack of feedback.

How's this for experimentation:
-Picked lamp, asigned to right hand. Lamp is out in hand everything is still dark. Not even an increase from the standard "spectral" light that emanates from the character.

-Touched every button, prompting the character to swing. No increase in lighting whatsoever.

-So ok, maybe the lamp needs to be charged. Aproach a Bon Fire, touch every button. Nothing.

-Wait, maybe those lights and candles in the enviroment. No.

-Wait, there where some lights in that room with the guy doing weird stuff. No.

-So ok then, maybe they got a bit creative with the lamp description and is just a special item to trade, give or plays a pasive roll in a subsequent quest.

Proceeds to go by the catacombs in almost total darkness just using pebles...
uh that's nice but like seriously I think using it in your left hand it's pretty obvious

like, by that time you're bound to have tried using a sword on your left hand or your shield in your main hand and seen that they act differently depending on which hand you equip them.
 

Dave1988

Member
So, I got Dark Souls yesterday and I'm stuck on character creation (lol). Are there any guides out there on how to create a character that doesn't look like a victim of a failed plastic surgery?
 
So, I got Dark Souls yesterday and I'm stuck on character creation (lol). Are there any guides out there on how to create a character that doesn't look like a victim of a failed plastic surgery?
It's not the best facial creation certainly. It's not super important though, a lot of helmets and headgear hide the face and when you're in hollow form your character is going to look even worse, like an unrecognisable decrepid zombie, so just do the best you can, but don't spend too long it's not really worth it!
 
Put it in your character's left hand and then hold L1/LB to hold it in front of you like a shield. That will cause it to light up your surroundings.
Well is too late, that's what im complaining about. I had to do the Tomb of Giants withotuh light.
uh that's nice but like seriously I think using it in your left hand it's pretty obvious

like, by that time you're bound to have tried using a sword on your left hand or your shield in your main hand and seen that they act differently depending on which hand you equip them.
There's no logic for not giving any feedback when the lamp is out no matter in what hands rests. If there was any in the first place then i would have easily figure out that i would need to equip the lamp in the left hand if i wanted to attack and light my way.

It's an oversight on From's part.

On a more positive subject i was pleased to see they have implemented dynamic shadows in the sequel when carrying a light source. DOesn't compensate for the fact that the game is targeted at the now crappy 360/ps3 specs but it is something. XD
 

AutumnAve

Member
done, I can help with Gwyn now. I will put my sign down right next to where first black knight is. Just make sure you kill it before you look for my sign.

EDIT: White Sign Down, Starring Jamie Foxx and Channing Tatum.

I'm up to 104, I'm on my way

edit:
Killed by a black knight need an extra minute.
edit:
THANK YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!
 

Dyno

Member
Public Service Announcement Featuring Information You Already Know...

So a Lightning Great Axe +5 is a very nice way to go. You get 350 points of physical and electrical damage. I'm down in the Demon Ruins two-shotting Capras and three-shotting Tauruseseseses. I two-shotted Black Phantom Kirk and then I three-shotted another Black Phantom who I suspect was racist against the living. Also Demon Firesage, allergic it seems to either the veritable mass of iron or AC current coarsing through it.

This is the first weapon I've constructed that turned the game into flat-out easy mode in both PVE and PVP. It needs a 32 strength which you can get early on, titanite chunks from Anor Londo, and the slab from Demon No. 2 at the Asylum. So you can have this really powerful weapon as soon as you can warp, which is to say mid-game.

Not bad, not bad.
 

AutumnAve

Member
Public Service Announcement Featuring Information You Already Know...

So a Lightning Great Axe +5 is a very nice way to go. You get 350 points of physical and electrical damage. I'm down in the Demon Ruins two-shotting Capras and three-shotting Tauruseseseses. I two-shotted Black Phantom Kirk and then I three-shotted another Black Phantom who I suspect was racist against the living. Also Demon Firesage, allergic it seems to either the veritable mass of iron or AC current coarsing through it.

This is the first weapon I've constructed that turned the game into flat-out easy mode in both PVE and PVP. It needs a 32 strength which you can get early on, titanite chunks from Anor Londo, and the slab from Demon No. 2 at the Asylum. So you can have this really powerful weapon as soon as you can warp, which is to say mid-game.

Not bad, not bad.

I am terribad at enhancing/leveling weapons, in my OG run, I had quite a few weapons pushed to +5, and a couple with elemental enhancements, a chaos katana (booty) and a lighting broadsword (booty) so, for NG+ I want to right the wrongs of my noobishness. The Lightning ascended Great Axe is the truth?
 

Booshka

Member
Public Service Announcement Featuring Information You Already Know...

So a Lightning Great Axe +5 is a very nice way to go. You get 350 points of physical and electrical damage. I'm down in the Demon Ruins two-shotting Capras and three-shotting Tauruseseseses. I two-shotted Black Phantom Kirk and then I three-shotted another Black Phantom who I suspect was racist against the living. Also Demon Firesage, allergic it seems to either the veritable mass of iron or AC current coarsing through it.

This is the first weapon I've constructed that turned the game into flat-out easy mode in both PVE and PVP. It needs a 32 strength which you can get early on, titanite chunks from Anor Londo, and the slab from Demon No. 2 at the Asylum. So you can have this really powerful weapon as soon as you can warp, which is to say mid-game.

Not bad, not bad.

It's a Strength weapon with B Scaling, you should be taking it to +15, especially if you are going to at least 32 STR, and even more so if you go to 40. I could only see taking it elemental if you were min/maxing for 2H and only had 22 STR or something.

Elemental STR weapons make no sense though, they have B or A and one of them has S scaling at +15. So much more pure damage across the board against all enemies.
 

AutumnAve

Member
It's a Strength weapon with B Scaling, you should be taking it to +15, especially if you are going to at least 32 STR, and even more so if you go to 40. I could only see taking it elemental if you were min/maxing for 2H and only had 22 STR or something.

Elemental STR weapons make no sense though, they have B or A and one of them has S scaling at +15. So much more pure damage across the board against all enemies.

I've played this game for about 100 hours, and I don't understand a word of that. >.< "Scaling?"
Edit:
Its against my principle, but I guess I'll go read up on this on a wiki site.
 

Sullichin

Member
I've played this game for about 100 hours, and I don't understand a word of that. >.< "Scaling?"
Edit:
Its against my principle, but I guess I'll go read up on this on a wiki site.

Quoting myself from an earlier post in this thread, hope this helps:

The "parambonus" section of the item detail screen shows you what stats a weapon scales with. The below screenshot shows the screen I'm talking about. In that screen, the weapon has C scaling in strength and dexterity. The "+175" part shows how much damage is added from my strength and dex stats. S is the best, then A,B,etc. The icons in that section represent strength, dexterity, intelligence, and faith, in that order.
C4414FD9FB22E7A4B5774D8894060DC57562134F
 

zkylon

zkylewd
I've played this game for about 100 hours, and I don't understand a word of that. >.< "Scaling?"
Edit:
Its against my principle, but I guess I'll go read up on this on a wiki site.
weapon damage "scale" with certain stats. a weapon that has A scaling gets more damage out of that particular stat than a weapon with B or C scaling

so if you have a sword with 150 base damage, that has A scaling STR, and D scaling DEX, and you have 100 STR and dex, your final damage would be

150 + A * 100 + D * 100 = 150 + 1 * 100 + 0.25 * 100 = 275 final damage

don't pay attention to the actual numbers (I have no idea what the exact values would be, but just think S>A>B>C>D), but that's the logic behind how scaling works.
 

Dyno

Member
It's a Strength weapon with B Scaling, you should be taking it to +15, especially if you are going to at least 32 STR, and even more so if you go to 40. I could only see taking it elemental if you were min/maxing for 2H and only had 22 STR or something.

Elemental STR weapons make no sense though, they have B or A and one of them has S scaling at +15. So much more pure damage across the board against all enemies.

The Great Axe begins with Str C and Dex E. Once levelled up it gets a Str B. I prefer to do a +15 upgrade with a weapon that starts with Str B (like Demon Great Machete or Manserpent Greatsword) or even better one with Str A (like Demons Great Axe.)

For elemental weapons what is key is high base damage. There are weapons with high base damage but medicro stat scaling (such as Great Axe.)

The proof is in the Wiki! A regular +15 Greataxe deals 350 physical damage and you get B/E scaling. The Lightning Greataxe deals 350 phyical and 350 Lightning. You will never get 350 damage with a B/E scaling. In this case Lightning is the way to go.
 

Sullichin

Member
The Great Axe begins with Str C and Dex E. Once levelled up it gets a Str B. I prefer to do a +15 upgrade with a weapon that starts with Str B (like Demon Great Machete or Manserpent Greatsword) or even better one with Str A (like Demons Great Axe.)

For elemental weapons what is key is high base damage. There are weapons with high base damage but medicro stat scaling (such as Great Axe.)

The proof is in the Wiki! A regular +15 Greataxe deals 350 physical damage and you get B/E scaling. The Lightning Greataxe deals 350 phyical and 350 Lightning. You will never get 350 damage with a B/E scaling. In this case Lightning is the way to go.

Nah +15 is the way to go, always, unless you only have base stats for the weapon. With 40STR the greataxe has 599 AR, all physical, for one hand attacks. 599Physical > 700 Split damage, definitely.
 

Morrigan Stark

Arrogant Smirk
Nah +15 is the way to go, always, unless you only have base stats for the weapon. With 40STR the greataxe has 599 AR, all physical, for one hand attacks. 599Physical > 700 Split damage, definitely.
Yep. This guy knows what he's talking about.

Never only look at the AR, people. Split damage makes a huge difference. Plus, non-split damage weapons can be buffed, whereas elemental and magic weapons can't.
 

PatzCU

Member
Dark Souls GAF,

I just started playing this wonderful game for the first time and am absolutely blown away so far. Really digging the difficulty, lack of hand-holding, and incredible atmosphere. With that said, like all newcomers to this game, I'm having some difficulties. I know everyone says to go in blind, and I'm attempting to do that, but I just want to get a gauge on what should and shouldn't be approachable at the beginning so I am not banging my head against an immovable object.

I'm in the Undead Burg, SL 7 or so I believe.
Near the beginning, I've encountered a knight with gold armor that absolutely murders me. My attacks can't even effectively pierce his armor so I figured, no sweat, I can come back it seems optional. I proceed a little further, up a tower and onto the ramparts above the Burg. On the ramparts, I'm assaulted by some ridiculously huge demon thing that just smashes me to pieces. As this part does NOT seem optional, am I supposed to kill him? I just want to make sure he is kill-able at my low level before I spend hours learning the fight. Perhaps I should be going a different route?

Thanks for any advice!
 
Dark Souls GAF,

I just started playing this wonderful game for the first time and am absolutely blown away so far. Really digging the difficulty, lack of hand-holding, and incredible atmosphere. With that said, like all newcomers to this game, I'm having some difficulties. I know everyone says to go in blind, and I'm attempting to do that, but I just want to get a gauge on what should and shouldn't be approachable at the beginning so I am not banging my head against an immovable object.

I'm in the Undead Burg, SL 7 or so I believe.
Near the beginning, I've encountered a knight with gold armor that absolutely murders me. My attacks can't even effectively pierce his armor so I figured, no sweat, I can come back it seems optional. I proceed a little further, up a tower and onto the ramparts above the Burg. On the ramparts, I'm assaulted by some ridiculously huge demon thing that just smashes me to pieces. As this part does NOT seem optional, am I supposed to kill him? I just want to make sure he is kill-able at my low level before I spend hours learning the fight. Perhaps I should be going a different route?

Thanks for any advice!

Yeah, you'll want to kill it. (The second enemy you mentioned, not the first. You can kill the first, it's just a bit tricky at that level.)

A couple of quick tips on that boss that are spoiler tagged, in case you still want to fight him completely blind:

First, make sure you take out the archers by climbing up the ladder behind you before fighting him. Then, once he jumps off the building run BACK to where the archers were. Climb up, and then do a plunging attack on him. Does a ton of damage. You can also get some Gold Pine Resin that will give you lightning damage, which helps a ton in this fight. To get that, you need to go find the merchant in the Undead Burg, and buy the Residence Key. That'll open a door near that knight you saw, which will lead to a chest with the resin. Buff it up before fighting the Taurus demon.
 
Dark Souls GAF,

I just started playing this wonderful game for the first time and am absolutely blown away so far. Really digging the difficulty, lack of hand-holding, and incredible atmosphere. With that said, like all newcomers to this game, I'm having some difficulties. I know everyone says to go in blind, and I'm attempting to do that, but I just want to get a gauge on what should and shouldn't be approachable at the beginning so I am not banging my head against an immovable object.

I'm in the Undead Burg, SL 7 or so I believe.
Near the beginning, I've encountered a knight with gold armor that absolutely murders me. My attacks can't even effectively pierce his armor so I figured, no sweat, I can come back it seems optional. I proceed a little further, up a tower and onto the ramparts above the Burg. On the ramparts, I'm assaulted by some ridiculously huge demon thing that just smashes me to pieces. As this part does NOT seem optional, am I supposed to kill him? I just want to make sure he is kill-able at my low level before I spend hours learning the fight. Perhaps I should be going a different route?

Thanks for any advice!

No spoilers: Yes you should, and can, kill him.
-----
Very vague strategy hint:
Use the area to your advantage

More specific strategy hint (don't read unless you've tried a few times):
Look to your rear.

Very blunt strategy spoiler (basically how to win, I don't advise reading this unless you've spent hours on the area)
Go up the ladder.
 

PatzCU

Member
Awesome, thanks for the tips guys! I'm not going to read your spoilered text at the moment but may have to give in later if I can't take him out on my own. Truly awesome how Dark Souls just throws you in the deep end right from the beginning. You want to take out these undead/demon lords? Have at it, no one is stopping you.
 
Awesome, thanks for the tips guys! I'm not going to read your spoilered text at the moment but may have to give in later if I can't take him out on my own. Truly awesome how Dark Souls just throws you in the deep end right from the beginning. You want to take out these undead/demon lords? Have at it, no one is stopping you.

Good luck! Overcoming the challenges of Dark Souls is some of the best experiences I've ever had in gaming. It's going to feel awesome when you beat this boss.
 
Top Bottom