From Software The Dark Souls Discussion Thread

[Vaarna_Aarne]

If you want to take a break, you can always exit the game and when you come back later you start from exactly the same place. This game uses something which can almost be called "continuous save".

Though IIRC this also means that the area resets, so you might come back just to be stabbed in the ass. Don't you also get kicked out of boss areas on restart?

You can't pause in this game. Although AFAIK for 200 hours of gameplay there is no random attacks if you're standing in a cleared, safe area so you can safely bang your GF or have dinner while leaving the game idle, you should note that you can't STOP KILLING ME BIG ASS DRAGON LET ME FIND MY HEALING POTIOARRRRGH

Of course the real "oh shit" moment without pause is when it's about shit.

 

[Elwro]

If you want to take a break, you can always exit the game and when you come back later you start from exactly the same place. This game uses something which can almost be called "continuous save".

Though IIRC this also means that the area resets, so you might come back just to be stabbed in the ass. Don't you also get kicked out of boss areas on restart?

The area does not reset. I've never tried it during boss fights, though.

 

[Cowboy Moment]

Area does not reset, but you do get kicked out of the boss' room. Not sure to what extent it preserves your state exactly; I do know that you don't get any of the estus flasks you've used back, so it's not a straightforward game load, but I'm not sure, for instance, what happens if you run in, pick up your souls, and then quit. Do you still have the souls after loading the game? I would assume no, but I've never tried it.

One thing you can do, of course (and speedrunners occasionally abuse this) is quickly quit if you fall off a ledge - if you were fast enough, you'll be fine after loading.

 

[praetor]

Area does not reset, but you do get kicked out of the boss' room. Not sure to what extent it preserves your state exactly; I do know that you don't get any of the estus flasks you've used back, so it's not a straightforward game load, but I'm not sure, for instance, what happens if you run in, pick up your souls, and then quit. Do you still have the souls after loading the game? I would assume no, but I've never tried it.

it saves the state you were in when you quit, so all the souls, humanity, spell casts you had, the regular enemies killed, etc is saved, but the boss (obviously) resets (except for BoC's "phases")

 

[Grim Monk]

Okay, the amount of praise Dark Souls got form you guys finally lead me to take the plunge...

I bought the game yesterday, and its just finished downloading...
I've just created an GFWL Offline Profile, and started the game.

Now for the main reason why I was reluctant to buy the game:
I don't have a controller.
I'm not experienced in their use since I've never owned a console in my life.
Thus I will to attempt to play with KB/M

So some help with modding the game would :D be appreciated.

 

[praetor]

DSFix: blog.metaclassofnil.com/?tag=dsfix (for resolution and other graphical amenities)
DSMFix: http://pages.cs.wisc.edu/~petska/ (to fix the mouse control)
and there's some texture mods on the dark souls nexus, but you can live without those (and there's a "connectivity fix" but you're playing offline (a huge mistake unless you're in huehueland with huehuelag) so you don't have to bother)

 

[Cowboy Moment]

Area does not reset, but you do get kicked out of the boss' room. Not sure to what extent it preserves your state exactly; I do know that you don't get any of the estus flasks you've used back, so it's not a straightforward game load, but I'm not sure, for instance, what happens if you run in, pick up your souls, and then quit. Do you still have the souls after loading the game? I would assume no, but I've never tried it.

it saves the state you were in when you quit, so all the souls, humanity, spell casts you had, the regular enemies killed, etc is saved, but the boss (obviously) resets (except for BoC's "phases")

So you CAN pick up your bloodstain and quit to effectively leave the bossfight? That's useful to know.

 

[Grim Monk]

DSFix: blog.metaclassofnil.com/?tag=dsfix (for resolution and other graphical amenities)
DSMFix: http://pages.cs.wisc.edu/~petska/ (to fix the mouse control)
and there's some texture mods on the dark souls nexus, but you can live without those (and there's a "connectivity fix" but you're playing offline (a huge mistake unless you're in huehueland with huehuelag) so you don't have to bother)

Got them both, only the the DSMFix you posted is outdated and did not work.
Used this one instead: http://steamcommunity.com/app/211420/discussions/0/864979455329386779/

I'll put off installing the texture packs until the future.

Also you convinced be to sign up to GFWL, since that's "the way it's meant to be played".

Now I'll to get "invaded", and see "writing on the wall"...

Don't think I'll be able to invite any friends over since I've just joined GFWL so don't have any yet.

So I might not get the "connectivity fix" patch for now.

 

[Cowboy Moment]

Grim Monk just FYI, you can create an offline profile on GFWL and ignore all the online features if you so desire. As for invasions/summoning, you can basically opt out of them while playing online anyway, and that's probably a good idea, DS pvp is pretty terrible for a new player, and summoning can trivialize some bossfights which are otherwise challenging and very awesome.

 

[Invictus]

That Gaudost is exactly the sort of living decline that popamole creates nowadays, blaming the difficulty, level design and even citing "plataforming" for his retardneess. Dark Souls is a tough game, even hard but it is not an unfair game; 95% of your deaths are due to ignorance, lack of attention or poor planning.
Notice I never mentioned player skill at all, that is because the game let's you employ all sorts of tactics and tricks to cover up any mad gamer skillz deficiencies; you suck at dodging, try a heavier armor and shield approach, you suck at melee try pyromancy, you still need help then get some magic backup, you STILL need help use ranged attacks and some poison too

Anor Londo is the perfect example of this philosphy; you can fight straight up, use magic or just plain run. Once you get to the "killah" section you can try running, learning the shooting timing you can even walk it or cheese the silver knight with some poisoned arrow...it depends on how you want to play it.
But blaming the game on beign "hard" or "unfair" is beyond retarded, the game always gives you options to go foward in case your skillz are not up to the challenge plus you can always go back to other areas to get better gear, new spells or grind a few levels and try again.
The game is close to perfectly balanced and it always tries to teach you how to play...but if you domnt want to play that way you are free to develop new techniques and startegies that fit your style
If you are too stupid to learn, plan ahead, adapt or expect the game to cuddle your ass go back to pressing awesome buttons in popamole land
PS I wouldn't wish my worst enemy to play this game K&M

 

[Clockwork Knight]

I also randomly fell of the ledge to my death a lot of times while trekking back to firelink shrine through undeadburg while fighting the melee guy who for whatever stupid reason stands on a 40 cm wide ledge leading out of the tunnels, right outside the door yet right outside of sight.

Did the ledge move into your way or something?

 

[Ninjerk]

I also randomly fell of the ledge to my death a lot of times while trekking back to firelink shrine through undeadburg while fighting the melee guy who for whatever stupid reason stands on a 40 cm wide ledge leading out of the tunnels, right outside the door yet right outside of sight.

Did the ledge move into your way or something?

He probably has lockon 24/7

 

[Heresiarch]

Is this gaudaost the one who keeps defending Diablo 3?

 

[meanwhileInPoland]

Is this gaudaost the one who keeps defending Diablo 3?

yep thats the retard

 

[aris]

That Gaudost is exactly the sort of living decline that popamole creates nowadays, blaming the difficulty, level design and even citing "plataforming" for his retardneess. Dark Souls is a tough game, even hard but it is not an unfair game; 95% of your deaths are due to ignorance, lack of attention or poor planning.
Notice I never mentioned player skill at all, that is because the game let's you employ all sorts of tactics and tricks to cover up any mad gamer skillz deficiencies; you suck at dodging, try a heavier armor and shield approach, you suck at melee try pyromancy, you still need help then get some magic backup, you STILL need help use ranged attacks and some poison too

Anor Londo is the perfect example of this philosphy; you can fight straight up, use magic or just plain run. Once you get to the "killah" section you can try running, learning the shooting timing you can even walk it or cheese the silver knight with some poisoned arrow...it depends on how you want to play it.
But blaming the game on beign "hard" or "unfair" is beyond retarded, the game always gives you options to go foward in case your skillz are not up to the challenge plus you can always go back to other areas to get better gear, new spells or grind a few levels and try again.
The game is close to perfectly balanced and it always tries to teach you how to play...but if you domnt want to play that way you are free to develop new techniques and startegies that fit your style
If you are too stupid to learn, plan ahead, adapt or expect the game to cuddle your ass go back to pressing awesome buttons in popamole land
PS I wouldn't wish my worst enemy to play this game K&M

Wow, you must be really smart. You can learn, plan ahead AND expect the game not to cuddle your ass. I wish I had your skills, because I was totally expecting the quest compass to autoguide me through the game with the occasional press button quick time event to advance the cut scenes. Too bad that you are projecting so hard, that you haven't figured out at all what my (single) issue with this game is.

I also randomly fell of the ledge to my death a lot of times while trekking back to firelink shrine through undeadburg while fighting the melee guy who for whatever stupid reason stands on a 40 cm wide ledge leading out of the tunnels, right outside the door yet right outside of sight.

Did the ledge move into your way or something?

Not literally randomly. It seems pretty obvious to me though, unless it's a strange chance, that they put that undead there just to troll you for those times that you forgot for a split second that he was standing just right there, or that the game locks onto the target below, making you automarch into your death unless you react within the same split second. Which is not my cup of tea in games.

 

[Cowboy Moment]

I will agree that the way lockon can work is unintuitive at best. Especially so early in the game, when you're not comfortable enough with the controls to not rely on it. And in general, camera control sucks with analog sticks. I actually found it easier to play without lockon with KBM and dsmfix, than with a controller. Ditto for situations where you need to do more than two things at a time (like running while moving both sticks), controllers suck for that as well.

Frankly, if DS2 has proper KBM controls - mouse controlling facing and WASD for movement relative to the direction you're facing - I might just play it that way.

 

[aris]

My main problem with falling in dark souls, is that it says fuck you to a large part of what I feel dark souls is very much about: Building a character and finding awesome gear in hidden places by exploration; as far as I understand, it doesn't matter if you have 10 vitality or 50 vitality, you take the same percentage of your health when you fall either way, and as far as I know, it completely ignores armor. To my knowledge, there is no item that can reduce fall damage either.

 

[Tommers]

My main problem with falling in dark souls, is that it says fuck you to a large part of what I feel dark souls is very much about: Building a character and finding awesome gear in hidden places by exploration; as far as I understand, it doesn't matter if you have 10 vitality or 50 vitality, you take the same percentage of your health when you fall either way, and as far as I know, it completely ignores armor. To my knowledge, there is no item that can reduce fall damage either.

There is a spell though.

 

[Vaarna_Aarne]

My main problem with falling in dark souls, is that it says fuck you to a large part of what I feel dark souls is very much about: Building a character and finding awesome gear in hidden places by exploration; as far as I understand, it doesn't matter if you have 10 vitality or 50 vitality, you take the same percentage of your health when you fall either way, and as far as I know, it completely ignores armor. To my knowledge, there is no item that can reduce fall damage either.

There is a spell though.

Who'd seriously waste the slot to that outside of some very specific kind of PvP troll strategy or to skip Great Hollow (is this one even possible)?

 

[Tommers]

Who'd seriously waste the slot to that outside of some very specific kind of PvP troll strategy or to skip Great Hollow (is this one even possible)?

Dunno. I experimented with it in great hollow but it didn't stop you dying if you fall a long way, just reduces a bit of damage.

In fact I think I tried it on the rafters in Anor Londo too and it didn't help.

 

[Vaarna_Aarne]

Who'd seriously waste the slot to that outside of some very specific kind of PvP troll strategy or to skip Great Hollow (is this one even possible)?

Dunno. I experimented with it in great hollow but it didn't stop you dying if you fall a long way, just reduces a bit of damage.

In fact I think I tried it on the rafters in Anor Londo too and it didn't help.

Yea, always seemed like a pretty useless spell, same as the sneaky spells. Slots are just too precious for that kind of stuff.

 

[Delterius]

Kinda sad. Just saw another opinion that respawning monsters are nothing more than an archaic inconvenience. Well, to this player over here the fact that I can't effectively create new safe zones across Lordran goes a long way in estabilishing the game's climate of isolation. Hope this sentiment isn't widespread in the community.

 

[Vaarna_Aarne]

Doubtful, bonfires aren't really that much different from stage selects and the like.


Oh yea, on the earlier subject of the PC version, there's one thing I do think it does better... In the PC version you can skip the grind you personally don't care about with cheats and save editing. I sure wouldn't want to redo all the grinding and farming I've done.

 

[Invictus]

Nah Gaudost it doesn't require much inteligence, that is the definition of wisdom (at least according to D&D) where I actualy LEARN from my previous experiences to try different things I hace tried before. If I watch the movement patterns of a monster, learn his attacks or, god forvid, I actually experiment some attacks or cheesing (like using arrows to kill the archer guy who keeps knocking me off the ledge).
To be honest it is no big deal to be able to learn from your mistakes, a little thing called real life works pretty much the same way, oh and beign prepared means using that experience to plan ahead for similar circumstances.
If this is all to confusing or inteligent-like don't worry kid; I understamd your issues...beign raised on popamole must be a terrile thing. But don't worry, you can go back to Diablo 3 and feel the powah of awesome buttons and press X like a retard to win

 

[Average Manatee]

Yea, always seemed like a pretty useless spell, same as the sneaky spells. Slots are just too precious for that kind of stuff.

The invisibility spell is basically a cheat.