Dark Souls: Prepare To Die [IT'S OUT!]

[keonesan]

Wtf Is Dark Souls?
Dark Souls is a spiritual sequel to the hidden gem of a game called Demon Souls. Although it's technically an addition to the growing franchise, it doesn't take place after Demon Souls nor even resembles the original lore. Dark Souls is essentially an upgrade from Demon Souls focusing on gameplay balance such as nerfing magic, replacing healing herbs with estus flasks, and altering some basic gameplay mechanics. The game focuses on bringing a challenge to the hardcore market while creating an immersive world that is filled with complex lore that any "geek" will fall in love with.

Oh, and you'll die... A lot...

Wtf Is Prepare To Die?
Dark Souls was originally only on the PS3 and Xbox 360; however after much fan requests and even the introduction of a petition, a PC version was announced. Prepare To Die will not only be a direct PC port but it will also bring much more content. It will also be available for console as well. The game can also be pre-purchased for $40 on Steam. GO GET IT!!!

Wtf Is Multiplayer?
Dark Souls brings a new online system that's never been seen in games before. As you begin your adventure you will start out undead or "hollow". You will remain hollow until you offer humanity to become human. Being human will buff your stats based on what equipment you're using, but the major part of humanity is that it enables online play. In order to do co-op you will find summon signs (white [or orange if you're a sunbro] signs on the ground left behind by players) scattered around the world in which you can use to call other players into your game to engage in glorious cooperation.

Wtf Is The New Content?
- New Equipment
- Bigger World
- More Bosses
- Matchmaking (HOPEFULLY WE CAN PLAY WITH OUR FRIENDS NOW!)
- Even Harder (OH DEAR GOD WHY!)

Pictures




Videos
[Keonesan] Annoying A Hacker
[Keonesan] When Warriors Collide
[Keonesan] Dem Forest Hunters
Prepare To Die Trailer
Hardcore Trailer
All Saints' Day Trailer
Hot PVP Action

PVP Etiquette
(How Not To Be A cigarette)
With the new PC community that is going to be introduced to this franchise, I want to talk about how to have honorable PVP and duels in Dark Souls.

No Ganking: Two versus one or three versus one just isn't fair. If you're co-oping and you get invaded, let your phantoms take turns against the invader and allow him to heal between intermissions if he so chooses to.
No Healing: It's really stupid, nothing is more annoying than when you almost kill someone and they roll away and chug their estus. That goes towards invaders with their humanity too goddamnit! >:V
No Backstab Fishing: Backstabs are a great strategy to winning a fight and should be used as such. However, they are really laggy looking and can be cheap as balls if you just chain stab someone. Don't do it.
Mob Luring: If you invade then don't use mobs to assist you. If they're ganking you though, go straight ahead.
Miracle Users: God's Wrath... Just don't, please don't.
Bowing: Bow towards your invader or your invade before you fight, honorable duels should be introduced as such.

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[keonesan]

Builds:
If you have the original game, feel free to post your PVP builds and I'll add them to the list.

Owner: Keonesan
Build Name: Cheap-o (PS3)
Soul Level: 120 (Accepted PVP Level)
Vitality: 45
Attunement: 10
Endurance: 60
Strength: 24
Dexterity: 18
Resistance: 10
Intelligence: 10
Faith: 20
Equipment: Giant's Armor, Lightning Man-Serpent Greatsword, Black Knight Shield, Ring of Favor and Protection, East Wood Grain Ring
Slots: Great Lightning Spear, Heal
Description: I run with Giant's Armor and 45 Vitality to tank for health. I use 60 endurance since Great Swords use a lot of stamina and I need the equipment load. I run 20 faith to use Great Lightning Spear. All other stats were ignored. I use Ring of Favor and Protection for additional equipment load and the East Wood Grain Ring for mobility. I call this class cheap-o since I run with Giant's Armor which is frowned upon in PVP. At least I don't use an Uchigatana. :/

Owner: Dissolve
Build Name: N/A
Soul Level: 125
Vitality: 24
Attunement: 14
Endurance: 20
Strength: 50
Dexterity: 23
Resistance: 12
Intelligence: 13
Faith: 50
Equipment: Black Knights Greataxe (arguably one of the greatest weapons in the game)
Slots: Sunlight Spears
Description: PVP in Darkroot Garden

[Tokthree]

I've had it pre-ordered since last month, looking forward to it even if I have to play it capped at 30 FPS and with my 360 controller, it ain't no problem for me

[keonesan]

I've had it pre-ordered since last month, looking forward to it even if I have to play it capped at 30 FPS and with my 360 controller, it ain't no problem for me

So they decided to cap the FPS? God damnit. Oh well, I'm sure someone will find a work-around. I have an XBox-360 controller for this game as well. I really can't imagine the PC controls being superior for a title like this. Who knows, they might pull it off.

[Tokthree]

I don't even care if the FPS is capped to thirty, I've played Battlefield 3 on 14-24 FPS just fine, I got kills and didn't complain about it.
People who really care about having FPS higher than 30 have just been pampered by higher values, I've played games at less than 30 FPS for years and even now that I have a PC that can handle BF3 on high at 50 FPS the only thing I notice is "Hey, it doesn't stutter as much, that's nice".

Then again, I don't know what the recent situation with the port is, they originally stated that they couldn't do anything more than a direct PC port because they have very little if not no experience in the PC development field, but it's been a few months since that article, they might've figured out how to fix some issues since then

[NotKreation]

>Feeling confident after plowing my way through a level
>Enters boss ares
>Sees Iron Golem
>Immediately shuts off console and throws disc out window

My last experience with Dark Souls.

[keonesan]

I don't even care if the FPS is capped to thirty, I've played Battlefield 3 on 14-24 FPS just fine, I got kills and didn't complain about it.
People who really care about having FPS higher than 30 have just been pampered by higher values, I've played games at less than 30 FPS for years and even now that I have a PC that can handle BF3 on high at 50 FPS the only thing I notice is "Hey, it doesn't stutter as much, that's nice".

Then again, I don't know what the recent situation with the port is, they originally stated that they couldn't do anything more than a direct PC port because they have very little if not no experience in the PC development field, but it's been a few months since that article, they might've figured out how to fix some issues since then

Yep, I'm pretty much one of those pampered gamers. I freak out if I get anything lower than 60 fps and even then that's tolerable for me. I'm pretty damn competitive so any advantage I can gain from having a higher fps is good for me.

I can deal with 30 fps if I had to though, I didn't even notice it in L.A. Noire until someone pointed it out.

>Feeling confident after plowing my way through a level
>Enters boss ares
>Sees Iron Golem
>Immediately shuts off console and throws disc out window

My last experience with Dark Souls.

Lol. But that boss is easy.

Stay in the middle of the arena so he doesn't knock you off and keep your shield up. If you're a dex build then roll into him if he attacks. Only attack you have to worry about is if he grabs you which can be avoided by stepping to the right.

If all else fails then summon a sun bro and engage in glorious cooperation.

[NotKreation]

Yep, I'm pretty much one of those pampered gamers. I freak out if I get anything lower than 60 fps and even then that's tolerable for me. I'm pretty damn competitive so any advantage I can gain from having a higher fps is good for me.

I can deal with 30 fps if I had to though, I didn't even notice it in L.A. Noire until someone pointed it out.

Lol. But that boss is easy.

Stay in the middle of the arena so he doesn't knock you off and keep your shield up. If you're a dex build then roll into him if he attacks. Only attack you have to worry about is if he grabs you which can be avoided by stepping to the right.

If all else fails then summon a sun bro and engage in glorious cooperation.

My main build is Strength :c

Also Jolly Cooperation*

[keonesan]

My main build is Strength :c

Also Jolly Cooperation*

forget! I knew I'd screw it up. I just joined the Sun Covenant. :C

EDIT: Also, if you're a strength build then just keep your shield up. If you have enough stamina then you should be fine. Play very passively and only attack when you know you can get away with it. Just whittle him down bit by bit.

I'm also on NG+ and I'm scared to fight the Iron Golem myself. :/

[NotKreation]

I can never dodge effectively when it matters.
That's why i still cant solo the Moonlight Butterfly on my sorcerer :c

[keonesan]

I can never dodge effectively when it matters.
That's why i still cant solo the Moonlight Butterfly on my sorcerer :c

I've never fought Moonlight legitimately. I just summon the stupid witch and have her do all the work. I'm not going to invest into ranged combat for one boss.

I don't have too much trouble dodging since I play as Lann in Vindictus which is built around timed dodges so I guess practice makes perfect.

[tails]

Waiting for reviews.

[keonesan]

Waiting for reviews.

It's a really good game but it probably is a good idea to wait for the reviews. I'm still not entirely sure if the PC port will be good or not. Even if we do get a crippled version of the game, I'll still get much enjoyment out of it.

[Sunthiel]

Ohhh man Dark Souls, can't wait to play after doing so many hours of PVP on the ps3 and so many builds i've done.

Can't wait to fight the new bosses and see the new areas.

(couldn't pick a favorite covenant, but the sunbros are god tier for me and darkmoon high tier)

also lightning spear (the faith power) isn't all that good, i wish it was better

[tails]

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2012/08/09/hands-on-dark-souls-prepare-to-die-edition/

But the PC version has all the problems of the console version. It’s not that the game has somehow become worse in translation, it’s that the power of the PC hasn’t been used to make it any better. In terms of visual design, Dark Souls is stunning, but it’s never been at the bleeding edge tech-wise, which is why it’s so surprising to see it stutter and crawl on the PS3. In some areas it’s not just annoying, it’s functionally detrimental. In a game that challenges timing and encourages caution, the framerate can be a killer.

Although I didn’t see any huge stutters I didn’t see any of the areas that suffered in that way on the consoles. The framerate does fluctuate from place to place though, with some areas noticeably slower than others. There’s no reason that a decent PC shouldn’t be able to handle what’s on screen but the port has been quick and apparently there wasn’t a great deal of PC experience to draw on in the team. I’d rather wait longer and see everything outsourced if optimisation can’t be achieved internally. Is this a literal case of ‘less haste more speed’?

Keyboard and mouse controls are in and can be completely reconfigured, although I have to admit to a fondness for the gamepad for this one. There’s basic visual customisation but the game doesn’t look any different to the console versions from what I could tell, though I didn’t have them side by side. It’s strange to be playing the game on PC at all because even when the petition took off and the possibility grew, it just didn’t seem like something that would happen. I imported Demons’ Souls back in the day because it didn’t seem likely to receive a European release. Now the sequel is coming to Steam in a few days. That’s amazing, but – and it’s the kind of ‘but’ Sir Mixalot would admire – this doesn’t show dedication to our platform. It feels more like taking a look at the premises and deciding whether it’s worth sticking around.