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Dragon's Dogma |OT| For the night is dark and full of terrors

Tried to take on Drake earlier and got destroyed. It's weak to ice right? I should try that next time. I forgot to equip my ice enchant before setting out.
 
The truly final/best ending has propelled this game to my top 5 of this Gen. Unbelievable. I've never seen so many amazing gameplay elements tied into a storyline like this.

Do you get the 10,000,000 achievement for accumulating over time or do you have to actually have it in your possession?
 

Arcteryx

Member
lol I like how the pawns are useless against metal golems. What's that? We have to attack stuff in the air? Oh I only stare at the ground, sorry Arisen.



FUUUUUUUUUUUUUU, no way to fight this unless you are ranged.
 

v0mitg0d

Member
I'm about to start this up (SO EXCITED!) and I keep hearing it's got some quirks to it. Anyone have any tips for a newb?

How's the ranger class? Melee?

Tips for pawns? I think I hear someone say don't leave the first town w/o finishing all it's quest because they'll disappear/fail?
 

Alucrid

Banned
I'm about to start this up (SO EXCITED!) and I keep hearing it's got some quirks to it. Anyone have any tips for a newb?

How's the ranger class? Melee?

Tips for pawns? I think I hear someone say don't leave the first town w/o finishing all it's quest because they'll disappear/fail?

If you want to do all/most of the sidequests I'd recommend that you try and finish all the ones you have (except for say, kill X amount ones) before progressing story ones. Some will fail, some don't, but best to be on the safe side if you're a completionist. Class = just go with whatever you're interested in. There's not really a 'bad' class, just whatever you prefer.
 

Eppy Thatcher

God's had his chance.
So funny... i never even thought about being able to trade items via the pawn system.. i may bother some of you new game+ people for some good assassin gear!

This game .. I <3 it. Probably gonna transfer all my screenshots sometime today or tomorrow ... show off my boys.
 

v0mitg0d

Member
If you want to do all/most of the sidequests I'd recommend that you try and finish all the ones you have (except for say, kill X amount ones) before progressing story ones. Some will fail, some don't, but best to be on the safe side if you're a completionist. Class = just go with whatever you're interested in. There's not really a 'bad' class, just whatever you prefer.

Ok cool, thinking of ranged be it looks fun! Any specific tips on skills or weapons?

Also how do I share pawns?
 

Aselith

Member
I just started playing this last night and I fucking LOVE it. I love the exploration of climbing up walls and stuff in this game like in the starting area were you can climb up a wall to get to a few items and then jump on top of the pillars to get something else. It's really cool. Never even knew anything like that was in there from the demo.

Also, I usually don't like Japanese buttrock but I really like that main theme.
 

Evolved1

make sure the pudding isn't too soggy but that just ruins everything
Ok... I wanted to play with a different character. So I started a new game, but somehow missed the part where you save seller guy from the goblins on the very first path in the game -- I bypassed him accidentally I guess by going to the beach first (to get the chests) and then the encampment -- and now he's nowhere to be found.

Am I screwed?

He sells good stuff early, and has a quest... do I need to play through the prologue again!? lol
 

AKingNamedPaul

I am Homie
Is it completely illogical to have a mystic knight who doesn't use a shield? I'm trying to re-create Griffith from berserk, but I don't remember him ever using a shield and I feel like I'm wasting the potential of this class. Also not using a staff, so I get a few powers here and there but most aren't that effective.
 

abundant

Member
Is it completely illogical to have a mystic knight who doesn't use a shield? I'm trying to re-create Griffith from berserk, but I don't remember him ever using a shield and I feel like I'm wasting the potential of this class. Also not using a staff, so I get a few powers here and there but most aren't that effective.

You are wasting the potential of the class by forgoing the shield. One of the best things about the Mystic Knight is the ability to self enchant your entire squad with whatever enchantment you want.
 

Dresden

Member
Is it completely illogical to have a mystic knight who doesn't use a shield? I'm trying to re-create Griffith from berserk, but I don't remember him ever using a shield and I feel like I'm wasting the potential of this class. Also not using a staff, so I get a few powers here and there but most aren't that effective.

Just do what you want. Game isn't hard enough that you'll be truly penalized for not using a shield.
 
Ok... I wanted to play with a different character. So I started a new game, but somehow missed the part where you save seller guy from the goblins on the very first path in the game -- I bypassed him accidentally I guess by going to the beach first (to get the chests) and then the encampment -- and now he's nowhere to be found.

Am I screwed?

He sells good stuff early, and has a quest... do I need to play through the prologue again!? lol
I'd like to know this, too.
Is it completely illogical to have a mystic knight who doesn't use a shield? I'm trying to re-create Griffith from berserk, but I don't remember him ever using a shield and I feel like I'm wasting the potential of this class. Also not using a staff, so I get a few powers here and there but most aren't that effective.
Magic Cannon and Perilous Sigil are the abilities that everyone's always talking about and they're sword/mace skills. The group buffs are convenient but unnecessary, and there isn't much need to block anything.
 
This is the only game, in a long while that I have played from 7am straight to 6:30pm. I even forgot to eat, during the week I hardly get to play because of work, and I don't think I'm that far. I was trying to catch this annoying thief running around Cassardis, realised I couldn't go anymore without eating food and turned off.

I'm trying to do everything I possibly can in this lower region before I take this head to the Duke, is this the right way to play?
 
This is the only game, in a long while that I have played from 7am straight to 6:30pm. I even forgot to eat, during the week I hardly get to play because of work, and I don't think I'm that far. I was trying to catch this annoying thief running around Cassardis, realised I couldn't go anymore without eating food and turned off.

I'm trying to do everything I possible can in this lower region before I take this head to the Duke, is this the right way to play?
There really isn't a wrong way to play. The only thing to worry about is becoming too strong such that the main quest loses any sense of challenge, but if you're having fun anyway then it doesn't really matter.
 
Jesus Christ, just had a 1-10fps battle in the Everfall against
a chimera, a black chimera, a lich, and several hellhounds.
. In other words, a fucking spellcasting nightmare. Lol. This game is in desperate need of a PC version.
 

Noaloha

Member
Man, I just did the quest involving "LENOOOOOOORE" -- you'll know what I mean -- and the last stage of that was handled so damn poorly it was laughable; which sort of made it okay, because it made me laugh, but still.. jeez, the whole videogame 'escape from ****' scenario is so trope now that I was a little boggled by how the developers mismanaged the execution of it.

Also my Pawn, Yangus, has recently maxed his Fighter and Warrior proficiencies, so I'm training him up in other classes. Which is a shame, because real Yangus wouldn't be seen dead with a bow in his mitts. As such, I've taken to donning him in an executioner's hood to preserve his dignity. Which means he's gone from looking like this:

hmiLl.gif


to this:

D1IXy.png


Sad really, but it's funny watching his portly frame attempt to clamber about shit.
 

Kevtones

Member
By going to Gran Soren before I did any sidequests and then venturing to areas at night that were over my level I maximized my experience. Nighttime excursions in this game are THRILLING and I haven't been this compelled to explore a game world in a long, long time.

I feel like I've totally done things out of order but each 'wrong' step has made the game even cooler.


I'm kind of freaked out because after 12 hours I think this has a chance to unseat the Souls games as my GOTG. I like it that much.
 

Noaloha

Member
The game comes extremely close (at least, during those couple dozen mid-game hours when its game balance peaks) to accomplishing that dual potency of instilling a certain invested feeling of dread in the player that they'll be overwhelmed if they press the wrong buttons, whilst also allowing the player to experience Extremely Cool-Looking Shit if they press the right buttons.
 

AKingNamedPaul

I am Homie
By going to Gran Soren before I did any sidequests and then venturing to areas at night that were over my level I maximized my experience. Nighttime excursions in this game are THRILLING and I haven't been this compelled to explore a game world in a long, long time.

I feel like I've totally done things out of order but each 'wrong' step had made the game even cooler.


I'm kind of freaked out because after 12 hours I think this has a chance to unseat the Souls games as my GOTG. I like it that much.

I was with you 100% until you hit me with that "unseat souls" comment. I don't think I'm ready to put it there just yet, but I am loving this game much more than I ever thought I would. Exploring the world is way too exhilarating and the lighting is so beautiful. They definitely hit some sort of sweet spot with me in particular.
 

Kevtones

Member
I was with you 100% until you hit me with that "unseat souls" comment. I don't think I'm ready to put it there just yet, but I am loving this game much more than I ever thought I would. Exploring the world is way too exhilarating and the lighting is so beautiful. They definitely hit some sort of sweet spot with me in particular.


Yeah I was probably being hyperbolic and really it'll come down to NG+/post-game quality.

For me, I think it comes down to the world and the non-linear approachability. I feel like I've been playing the game out of order/in my own way. I can only really do that in subsequent playthroughs in the Souls games but here I'm doing it from the outset.

The exhiliration of moving through this game world at night is such an AWESOME experience every time. Each mini-journey feels so fucking epic. I don't care if if I'm traveling 20 minutes for a DLC badge - the journey to it is insanely compelling. I'm a compulsive saver so I guess it helps.

I haven't even ventured into the dungeon below the pawn guild in Gran Soren!
 

bitoriginal

Member
The game comes extremely close (at least, during those couple dozen mid-game hours when its game balance peaks) to accomplishing that dual potency of instilling a certain invested feeling of dread in the player that they'll be overwhelmed if they press the wrong buttons, whilst also allowing the player to experience Extremely Cool-Looking Shit if they press the right buttons.

Totally agree with you.
 

Arcteryx

Member
The game comes extremely close (at least, during those couple dozen mid-game hours when its game balance peaks) to accomplishing that dual potency of instilling a certain invested feeling of dread in the player that they'll be overwhelmed if they press the wrong buttons, whilst also allowing the player to experience Extremely Cool-Looking Shit if they press the right buttons.

Yea, pretty much my findings as well. There isn't much fear of death anymore and the night doesn't bother either once you hit a certain level range. I wish they could have kept that difficulty throughout the entire game. Sure, it comes back in
post game
but it's pretty fleeting there too.
 

branny

Member
The Souls games (DeS in particular) have excellent level design, pacing, and regular enemy encounters. Dragon's Dogma doesn't come close in those areas (mostly because it is designed with a totally different mindset), but it beats the shit out of them when you factor bosses into the equation. You also have a stronger sense of identity with the vocation system, resulting in characters that feel more meaningfully diverse (or just plain viable) in DD. Maneuverability and platforming are on another level with DD, too.

I don't like DkS as much as DeS, but I love both for what they do well in their own ways. It's hard enough comparing DeS and DkS to begin with, so I think DD should be treated as its own beast as well.

As mentioned, there are definite peaks and valleys with DD in terms of challenge and overall enjoyment, but I think that's because the game cultivates a will to linger longer than intended. If there is a sequel, this is the single most important thing I want to see improved. Interesting ideas about carefully preparing for dangerous journeys and night being some unspeakable horror slowly fade as you grow too strong for what you're facing. I know people hate level scaling, so maybe a super punishing difficulty option will have to suffice.

The truly final/best ending has propelled this game to my top 5 of this Gen. Unbelievable. I've never seen so many amazing gameplay elements tied into a storyline like this.
The more I think about it, the more I believe it's up there with some of my favorite videogame stories ever. I've played plenty of things with similar themes/devices/twists (naming them would be huge spoilers), but few pull it off as well this. The story, as sparse and negligible as it is during the game, suddenly becomes a quaint, unforgettable tale that will almost surely propel DD to cult status (similar to other games this gen that, quite honestly, are a lot less fun to play).
 

Papercuts

fired zero bullets in the orphanage.
I have no idea why Dragon's Dogma is constantly compared to the souls games, they're not alike whatsoever.
 
just killed my first
cockatrice
. these guys are tough if your pawns don't know how to fight them or you go in unpreperated. they were as tough as drakes imo. i failed twice before.
 

ElFly

Member
Uh, so I got a quest that says I should accompany Mercedes on a mission, because everyone is scared mercedes will kill herself in it, due to her lack of skill.

But she is asking me to let her do the mission alone.

What should I do?
 

Noaloha

Member
I guess I'd like to highlight that I did cite -

those couple dozen mid-game hours when its game balance peaks

- which I think(?) is a fair average assessment of the time the game really shines during the vanilla playthrough. That's, think about it now, many hours. More than the regular campaign of a lot of A-grade games. I know I personally have been sucked into *massive* play sessions of this game, and, as such, I've been prone to glossing over the degree that it's absolutely demanded my continued attention -- like, it just happened and I didn't acknowledge the fact that I'd just entirely missed my bedtime by an hour or two -- this is a thing, a quality (positive or not, depending on how early you gotta be getting up for work) which has been all too rare recently in the medium.
 
I have no idea why Dragon's Dogma is constantly compared to the souls games, they're not alike whatsoever.

Yeah, they couldnt be anymore different other than the main menu look/feel. I think people were hoping it would have the difficulty and challenge of a Souls game, but unfortunately (or fortunately for some) it doesn't. If the devs goal was to emulate that, they failed miserably. My impression is that it was never their goal to replicate a Souls game. Just wishful thinking on the part of some people.
 

Pookmunki

Member
Good points branny, I tend to lean into the thought that DD is closer to Nier than the Souls games (in terms of structure, gameplay etc).

All good base points to start from for what could be GOTY at this point.
 

burgerdog

Member
How the hell do you climb the ur-dragon's wings? I've had this fool at 5% for 30 minutes and I can't figure out how to climb the stupid wings. Offline ur dragon, by the way. God dammit, I can't believe they don't let you move the camera around when climbing shit.
 
The game comes extremely close (at least, during those couple dozen mid-game hours when its game balance peaks) to accomplishing that dual potency of instilling a certain invested feeling of dread in the player that they'll be overwhelmed if they press the wrong buttons, whilst also allowing the player to experience Extremely Cool-Looking Shit if they press the right buttons.

well put :) ...

Yeah, it's really fun but I wouldn't put it in the same league with Dark Souls (not many games are). Dark Souls was a challenge from start to finish (a fair challenge). Dragon's Dogma suffers from the issue Amalur had in that you basically become an unstoppable god mid-way through the campaign. I'm hoping NG+ provides a lot more difficulty (of the fair variety).

don't know about amalur (haven't played it), but i will say, had i been unable to eventually become a super-destructive bad-ass in, say, skyrim, or either of the bethesda fallouts, i really doubt i'd ever've finished any of them :) ...

demon's souls was, for me, a unique, mind-blowing experience, & i enjoyed it immensely. my gotg, hands down. but, imo, it's level of challenge is not necessarily some kinda universal template that'd automatically make all rpgs 'more fun'. it has it's place, as does getting to be a bad-ass, & i'm not gonna consider an rpg that goes either way automatically inferior or superior. games are best judged on the individual experiences they provide, &, seen that way, yes, i'm having more fun with dragon's dogma than i did with dark souls...

there's challenge, & then there's over-all experience. dd may not be in the same league, challenge-wise, as dark souls, but, having played demon's souls earlier, & far preferring it to dark souls, i'm just finding the over-all experience i'm having with dd to be a lot fresher, more rewarding, & more enjoyable...
 

Arcteryx

Member
Dayum! I finally found a good healer/support pawn(after I switched mine from that to Fighter), she kind of has a weird setup for behavior(Guardian/Nexus), but is doing PHENOMENAL. Her name is Saint Astrea on PSN, in case anyone needs a good healer.
 
Uh, so I got a quest that says I should accompany Mercedes on a mission, because everyone is scared mercedes will kill herself in it, due to her lack of skill.

But she is asking me to let her do the mission alone.

What should I do?
If I'm thinking of the right quest, she isn't asking to go alone. She's just asking if she can go at all. The wording's kind of ambiguous.
 

Ill Saint

Member
Got the game a couple of days ago. Started as a Strider. I have no idea what I'm actually doing in this game, but I'm enjoying it phenomenally.

One question... I've got a quest to kill some skeletons in the catacombs, but can't find the entrance. I found the back entrance just outside Gran Soren, but can't get in through there. Where is it?
 
Got the game a couple of days ago. Started as a Strider. I have no idea what I'm actually doing in this game, but I'm enjoying it phenomenally.

One question... I've got a quest to kill some skeletons in the catacombs, but can't find the entrance. I found the back entrance just outside Gran Soren, but can't get in through there. Where is it?
Did you mark it as your primary quest? That should show you where to go. Either way, you need to cross the bridge north of Gran Soren. It's not too far from there.

edit: scratch that. I saw Catacombs and automatically thought of a different quest. Marking it as primary probably won't help. Just listen to Toodles a few posts down.
 

Noaloha

Member
One question... I've got a quest to kill some skeletons in the catacombs, but can't find the entrance. I found the back entrance just outside Gran Soren, but can't get in through there. Where is it?
Just head through the main story lines, hit the main plot and eventually you'll hit a bunch of 'Wyrm Hunt' quests by a chap named Johnny Maximillian*. One of his quests will take you there. Finish 'em all.

As a general tip -- don't give a single fig over the 'kill x number of whatever' quests. Accept them as you find them but don't necessarily go out of your way for them. You'll be fine.

*Beware of the eventual 'accept Duke's invitation' quest. Do that last, But the game makes that whole quest-loss thing massively apparent anyway.
 
The "kill X amount of" quests aren't meant to be done as quests. They're things you do while doing quests that actually matter. All the main quests take you to areas that you can easily finish off the kill-quests in.
 
Without spoiling anything, can anyone tell me if the game ever explains what the hell the Brine is about? It seems weird how such a massively world-changing entity is just kind of accepted and ignored. Especially since you live in a goddamn fisherman village.
 

burgerdog

Member
Without spoiling anything, can anyone tell me if the game ever explains what the hell the Brine is about? It seems weird how such a massively world-changing entity is just kind of accepted and ignored. Especially since you live in a goddamn fisherman village.

We don't want you to swim so we created the Brine. End.
 
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