I got my new PC yesterday and spent all evening setting it up. Spent more time than I wanted to, but before I went to bed I set steam to download and install a few games, one if which was Dark Souls. I got up way too early to check it out and Dark Souls was the first thing I ran, but GFWL being GFWL the distribution Steam gave me did not work on Windows 8. So I made some clicks and got Windows 8 to download a good one for itself, and it did so. Then was the arduous task of signing in and downloading my profile. Still, I did download DSFix in the meantime. Then I was able to start Dark Souls, turn off AA , set my resolution and quit to setup DSFix. But my dog woke up and needed to go out, and I really needed to to go work for a review meeting. DARK SOULS!
I've spent most of my time lately studying for finals (fuck you Analysis), but have had a bit of time to play my strength based character, who has Str 50 and mainly uses a Large Club +15. I've been doing co-op in the Kiln lately, and when another strength based character is used, I just feel sorry for Gwyn. He gets his initial attack in, maybe one more, then the poor bastard just gets staggered to death. I kill time waiting for a summon by killing Black Knights, and as a results I have all the titanite chunks and black knight weapons I could ever use (seriously, let me know if you need some green shards. I've got plenty). I've also started a sorcery character, and I can now see why everyone says that is the easy mode. 31 Int before completing Sen's Fortress is just fun. Sorry if it was already posted, but this under an hour speed-run just blows my mind. That person is playing the game on a level so far removed from my own that I'm just astounded. Their other speed runs are fun to watch while studying, too. We should arrange a PVP night like Reddit does. Although being on the 360 and DLC-less, I might be the odd man out. Would still be fun to see some BF matches, if someone could record them.
The games are the same; if you have a preference for one platform over another, get it for that one. If not, the advantages to the PC version are that multiplayer is free, the DLC is included, and you can make it look really gorgeous if you have a beefy computer, and the advantage of the 360 is that you already have a controller for it, which you might not for the PC. Also the 360 may or may not have a more vibrant community at this point, but it's been awhile since I've had Xbox Live Gold so I can't say firsthand.
Having a controller is most important, so if you don't want to invest in a PC controller, go with the XBox. If you have a console-style PC controller, might as well get it on the PC. It's the more recent release, so the community is more active, so you're more likely to find summon buddies for hard fights. But it's my understanding that the community on both the XBox & the PC is dying down, so it doesn't matter a whole lot. Edit - EXTAAAARRRBAAAAGGGSSS!!!!!!
Also, regarding "beefy". I have a quite aging Dual Core 3Ghz with an ATI 6850 and the game looks far, far, far, far (far!) better than the 360 version and runs just fine. Everything else is valid. I play it with the wired 360 controller - best investment I ever made, since I can play just about everything else with it too (Saints Row, Sleeping Dogs, Darksiders, name-an-action-game-and-it-works); keyboard is a nonstarter for me, no matter how heroic Hammett is. :) Also: JOIN USSSSSSSSSSSS
I would give it a shot but unfortunately I won't be on until tomorrow night. Hopefully someone helps you out.
Made a pyromancer on PC, but it'll transition on a STR build soon enough. The pyro will be for support. I got my attunment up to 4 slots to get that out of the way and will leave it at that. Next will be STR, END post haste, VIT and DEX as necessary. No INT, no FAI. Maybe some resistance? Dunno, never really bumped resistance before.
Hrm, it's $15.00 on amazon for the 360 version, vs. $40.00 for the PC version. Probably I'll go with the 360 version, especially since I don't have a PC controller..
Everything I've read has said that you should never raise resistance; it raises itself naturally as you level. And even if it didn't, your bang for the buck with that stat is supposed to be terrible. Come to think of it, that stat seems to me to be one of the few design weaknesses of the game. If what I've read is correct, then the game is offering you a faux choice which you should never take. That's kinda bullshit, and goes against the "This game plays completely fairly with you" design mantra they seem to have adopted.
Right, which is why I never raised it and I don't know anyone who has. So there has to be something there, right? ;-) Unless it's for people SL300 and want something to spend their souls on.
I didn't get it done last night, so if you (or anyone) want to give it a shot tonight that'll work out just fine.
It doesn't raise itself. You get bonuses whenever you level anything, but what you get from resistance is above and beyond that. It is still terrible though, because it only gives a tiny bit of fire resistance, and while it gives a large amount of poison resistance it's very easy to just equip poison-resist gear when you're at a poison part of the game. http://darksouls.wikidot.com/pendant
But that's for story purposes. OK... so maybe all the starting gifts except the master key are bullshit choices, but they kinda make sense to me. You're intentionally making things harder for yourself to add challenge. But with the resistance stat, you're permanently gimping your character. I dunno. Maybe the distinction is completely in my head, but it feels different.
No, I agree with you, it probably just shouldn't be in the game. That said, there are other bad choices that the game offers you, like leveling attunement above 50 or endurance above 40 (if you don't know exactly what you're doing) or upgrading raw weapons.
It's a pretty good speed run, although I wish the quality of the recording was better. I didn't know, for instance, that it was possible to backstep through the boulder in Sen's fortress and not get knocked down, or that leaving the bomb giant on the top alive means he'll attack while you're fighting the boss (actually, I think I did hear that but just hadn't seen it in action). At any rate, the hp cutting through falls is dizzying at times, as was watching that player stunlock Queelag through the entire fight. The law firm was just a massacre, but watching him completely ignore the catacombs' enemies is something else. Doing the Tomb in complete darkness is just madness, and clearly what I don't know about the shortcuts in the dark there could fill a short book. I think that's a great idea.
I watched that speed run all the way to the end and I did not intend too. That's how enthralled I was by it. Besides higher quality I wish that it was in English too, but that's just me. The jumps into Blighttown were nuts to me. The jump from the staircase in Anor Londo looked so awesome. I have to wonder if the developers consciously put these there for these type of things of if they're something players discovered and are happy accidents. Either way it's awesome. The Tomb of Giants run is sick. I can only imagine the time spent practicing that to make this run. The Demon Ruins lava cheese I had not seen before. That was interesting. The only thing that bothers me about it is the 'shortcut' in the Dukes Archives. It seems more like an oversight on From's part to allow you to have Seath in the Crystal Cave before going to the jail, but this is a minor quibble.
In my own game I ran into networking shitfuckery. The fog gates in the Undead Parish closed so I figured I was being invaded. So I called on some summons but they all failed. And the invaded never showed up, so I guess my GFWL networking is broken. I checked the info in the OP but AFAIK UPnP is not compatible with my Apple Airport router so I'll have to google more about that later today. It was late enough so instead of figuring it all out I just quit and went to bed. That said I feel like a boss during my run through. I'm sure this can only end in tears eventually, though. I am two handed stuff to kill'em dead quicker, and using backstabbing way more than ever. Who knew you could back stab with a mace? I did try the bell gargoyles, but died because I tried to get tricky and use my pryromancy glove in between sticking them with the halberd and the two handing and I just made a mess of myself (kinda like the sentence). No tears, but I felt less of a boss following that. Dark Souls. I won't be doing any SL1 speed runs anytime soon.
You can backstab with almost anything in the weapon category, other than shields, bows, talismans, catalysts. For extra joy, you can compare weapons with and without the hornet ring; some of the modified animations are pretty cool, and the damage boost can really help out in NG+ to quickly clear low level areas.
My one dude, Smartypants, has been getting ALL THE DROPS. He got the sword and shield from the first two black knights, and then the halberd off the one in Darkroot Basin. He's been running with the Gargoyle Halberd (I love this weapon so very very much) and he also got a Balder Side Sword on his very first pass through the Parish. The guy seriously has a platinum rainbow horseshoe stuck up his ass...
You know it's funny, you hear a lot about people getting lucky and pulling an early BK weapon, but the shield is maybe even a bigger help early on and you don't usually hear people talk about it. Well congrats!
Both xbox and PC. I spend more time on the PC these days just because it's convenient to have it right there while I'm doing other things, but either is doable. Since it's GFWLIVEOHSHIT or XBL regardless, you can keep tabs on both communities at once if you expand your friend list (LIZRDKNG).
Hrm, it's tempting. I'll have to see how much I've got in my spending cash slush fund after shopping for xmas presents. Getting it on PC would involve more up front; but I don't have XBL Gold so it would at least somewhat even out (I don't have a wired controller either, but my brother does and I bet I could arrange a trade...) Of course, I've also had my eyes on Dragon's Dogma.... SO MANY CHOICES.
Between the cost of gold and the cost of the DLC, they're probably about the same price, plus the controller will come in handy for other games too. Also you can just wait a couple weeks and keep your eye out for sales, which should be forthcoming since there have already been some great ones (I myself picked up Dark Souls PC for $15 from Amazon on Black Friday). The choice between Dark Souls and some other game ain't no choice at all.
It is for me! In terms of my gaming tastes, Dark Souls is much further outside my comfort zone than Dragon's Dogma seems to be. The latter is described as Skyrim with better combat, which is basically exactly the game I want. The former is apparently punishingly difficult but super rewarding once you master it; I'm a notorious wuss when it comes to playing video games so I'm not sure I'd be able to push through the frustration in order to get to the fun.
It's outside of everybody's comfort zone. Then they play it, and it becomes their comfort zone. It's a taste-redefiner.
Yes, but I am a big wuss when it comes to hard video games. Also: notoriously fickle. Except for Rome Total War, which is like all I've played for the past two months.
I just decided to Google it and learn more, and I find that the URL for the official site is http://www.preparetodie.com. I had to laugh. :)
You mean, let me understand this cause, ya know maybe it's me, I'm a little fucked up maybe, but I'm heroic how, I mean brave like I'm a hero, I come to help you? I make you safe, I'm here to fuckin' help you? What do you mean heroic, heroic how? How am I heroic?
Me, too, dude. I fucking played Batman Arkam * on easy. The Dark Souls rep is worse than its bite. It does require some effort on the players part to decode, though. Don't expect to play it in 12 hours and check it off the backlog list.
The ironic thing about Dark Souls is that you never die. I really like their approach to player 'death' and wish that more games would consider a system that did not have a 'game over' screen, or at least an effective one (if it quick loads a prior save). But, that's probably a topic for a new thread. What I will say is that From has cultivated this OMG ITS SO HARD! marketing ploy so much that I wonder how many sales it's costing.
