Dark Souls II

Mickeroo

Is all the online features working ok on xbox again?

iamanengine

There's the rat boss where there is a tonne of them and one in particular which you have to kill, that's in Grave of Saints.

There is another

Giant Rat boss

in

the Pharros place.

Both are just optional bosses to join the Rat Covenant.

Sunlight Spear is soooooo OP!!! I love it

richymcdermott

I Am Interested in peoples thoughts but how are people finding the difficulty of Dark Souls 2 so far ?

To me dark souls 2 seems easier than dark souls 1 and sort of shares the same difficulty as demons souls.

Of course I have no problem with it since I never truly felt the soul series were as hard as people said they were but I find it really cool how dark souls 2 is designed to be tuned to the players liking.

enemies dying off after a while I feel was for players new to the series would help them after a while before they got frustrated and stopped playing and stuck it out without entirely giving them complete help.

also hardcore players of the series have options to completely change the game by making enemies harder if they choose wish.

Quite an Interesting approach and keeps to sides happy though there are some things I question what they did new but alot more positives than negatives.

krudler

tok9 wrote: »

Wait what rat boss are we on about?

There was some battle I had but it was just against a load of rats... unless without knowing there was one bigger rat! :P

Afterwards I could join the rat king covenant.

there's a load of regular ones then a fancy ass one with a mohawk arrives and he's the boss fight, annoying more than hard if you get surrounded I just dashed from one end of the chamber to the other and horsed loads of firebombs at em

Mickeroo

Calex, just seen on reddit for getting NPCs through the boss fights you can use a ring called the Red Eye Ring which will

make the boss more aggro towards you rather than them

Not ideal, but this is Dark Souls

Kiith

Has anyone used the bonfire ascetic in an area yet? How much harder does it make the enemies, and does it actually change their abilities and attack patterns like From hinted it would?

krudler

richymcdermott wrote: »

I Am Interested in peoples thoughts but how are people finding the difficulty of Dark Souls 2 so far ?

To me dark souls 2 seems easier than dark souls 1 and sort of shares the same difficulty as demons souls.

Of course I have no problem with it since I never truly felt the soul series were as hard as people said they were but I find it really cool how dark souls 2 is designed to be tuned to the players liking.

enemies dying off after a while I feel was for players new to the series would help them after a while before they got frustrated and stopped playing and stuck it out without entirely giving them complete help.

also hardcore players of the series have options to completely change the game by making enemies harder if they choose wish.

Quite an Interesting approach and keeps to sides happy though there are some things I question what they did new but alot more positives than negatives.

I think it's a good balance tbh, not being able to farm enemies constantly is constantly pushing you into other areas, I'd say I killed those two big knights and archer outside O&S's area more than any other enemies in the previous game :pac: Some parts are infuriating others you breeze thought. I think that's more to do with not knowing the "correct" route through the game yet though, I have my areas I go before others in DS1 but this you're all over the place, that'll change with subsequent playthroughs though.

I do think some of the bosses are harder and designed for co-op. The sentinels and gargoyles, good christ I got annihilated on those solo.

Mickeroo

krudler wrote: »

I think it's a good balance tbh, not being able to farm enemies constantly is constantly pushing you into other areas, I'd say I killed those two big knights and archer outside O&S's area more than any other enemies in the previous game :pac: Some parts are infuriating others you breeze thought. I think that's more to do with not knowing the "correct" route through the game yet though, I have my areas I go before others in DS1 but this you're all over the place, that'll change with subsequent playthroughs though.

I do think some of the bosses are harder and designed for co-op. The sentinels and gargoyles, good christ I got annihilated on those solo.

I haven't had a boss fight that felt as epic as O&S/Kalameet/Atorias/Manus yet though, or as satisfying when I beat them. Smelter Demon is the closest it's come yet for me.

Overall I think the game is better though, the co-op and invasions are done better, the combat is more varied once you get used to it too.

My biggest complaint is the limited effigy supply. A good solid area to farm them indefinitely or just a merchant that stocks them would go a long way, or even reward a few when you beat a boss like in the previous game.

richymcdermott

krudler wrote: »

I think it's a good balance tbh, not being able to farm enemies constantly is constantly pushing you into other areas, I'd say I killed those two big knights and archer outside O&S's area more than any other enemies in the previous game :pac: Some parts are infuriating others you breeze thought. I think that's more to do with not knowing the "correct" route through the game yet though, I have my areas I go before others in DS1 but this you're all over the place, that'll change with subsequent playthroughs though.

I do think some of the bosses are harder and designed for co-op. The sentinels and gargoyles, good christ I got annihilated on those solo.

The sentinels Kept killing me aswell till I decided to use my shield then I bet them after my second time. The gargoyles killed me three times , I didn't find them as annoying but I could defiantly see people having trouble with them

iamanengine

6 sunlight medals in the bank. Anyone know what you get for Rank 1 in the Heirs of the Sun Covenant?

Hoping to God that you can get Solaire's gear in this, would make it so epic!!

Really should get back to my 1st playthrough, had just made it to Drangleic Castle, but having way too much fun!

Eggy Baby!

No way. You can play this as a tank.

I disagree. Poise seems to be totally nerfed. In DS1 I could s**t on groups of enemies attacking me even without the wolf ring and without flinching at all. Now when I take two hits in a row by generic hollow enemies I flinch like mad, lol.

In 1 it was much easier to score backstabs (and I tried to get backstabs often) but in this, backstabs are pretty tricky and risky because you aren't invincible during them. Plus, they are really time-consuming. The game just hates my tactics....:)

On another note, there is a serious scarcity of titanite shards. Unlike Andrei in the first one who had infinite shards, they seem to be in really short supply here. In the previous game I had most of my stuff upgraded to +5 at least early enough in the game (before I got to Quelaag). In this, I have a +2 B-tard sword and a +2 Longsword. My armour is mostly +1. Shield isn't even upgraded (I changed my shield recently).

krudler

Mickeroo wrote: »

I haven't had a boss fight that felt as epic as O&S/Kalameet/Atorias/Manus yet though, or as satisfying when I beat them. Smelter Demon is the closest it's come yet for me.

Overall I think the game is better though, the co-op and invasions are done better, the combat is more varied once you get used to it too.

My biggest complaint is the limited effigy supply. A good solid area to farm them indefinitely or just a merchant that stocks them would go a long way, or even reward a few when you beat a boss like in the previous game.

Yeah the effigy thing made me stop playing a couple of times, was stuck on something, no effigies to summon help, no real fresh areas to go. If they were pushing co-op big time then completely limiting people's ability to do it is just contradicting their own mechanic. Least if you get could one from being summoned it'd be a good trade off.

krudler

richymcdermott wrote: »

The sentinels Kept killing me aswell till I decided to use my shield then I bet them after my second time. The gargoyles killed me three times , I didn't find them as annoying but I could defiantly see people having trouble with them

I had gold pine resin so the first one was grand, it was when the other three arrived it got chaotic, the lock on targeting isn't as good as the first game either it kept locking me onto the one furthest away from me instead of the one battering me lol

It's weird as well how if you lock onto something and retreat or move in the opposite direction and say throw a firebomb, it doesnt throw it at the target it throws it in the direction you're facing. That section in the Lost Bastille where you open a door and a load of those soldiers come legging out I locked onto one , ran back to get some space then proceeded to throw two firebombs at nothing while shouting at my dope of a character :pac:

It's a pity there's a couple of shonky control issues like that as the first one had super tight combat, maybe they'll patch it I dunno

Mickeroo

Eggy Baby! wrote: »

I disagree. Poise seems to be totally nerfed. In DS1 I could s**t on groups of enemies attacking me even without the wolf ring and without flinching at all. Now when I take two hits in a row by generic hollow enemies I flinch like mad, lol.

In 1 it was much easier to score backstabs (and I tried to get backstabs often) but in this, backstabs are pretty tricky and risky because you aren't invincible during them. Plus, they are really time-consuming. The game just hates my tactics....:)

On another note, there is a serious scarcity of titanite shards. Unlike Andrei in the first one who had infinite shards, they seem to be in really short supply here. In the previous game I had most of my stuff upgraded to +5 at least early enough in the game (before I got to Quelaag). In this, I have a +2 B-tard sword and a +2 Longsword. My armour is mostly +1. Shield isn't even upgraded (I changed my shield recently).

They've just changed the stats requirements for poise, as you level up it get's better and you're not staggered as easily. I can' remember which stat it is though, possibly ADP. Also look for The Ring of giants, it boosts your poise in a big way.

I've been finding backstabbing enemies quite easy so far I have t say though, obviously only in one on one situations though.

Titanite will get more common as you progress too, If you join a certain covenant you'll also get loads of titanite chunks at other people's expense I had roughly 4 of my weapons upgraded from +4/5 to +10 within a couple of hours the other night

Apart from special weapons that require dragonbone or twinkling titanite everthing just uses normal titanite now so you no longer need to go hunting down green or red titanite for certain things.

richymcdermott

There are alot of questionable things I am surprised they still went with outside of the beta.

For Instance some walls you hit to unlock a hidden path others you press a button up against a wall and others you blow up. I find this to be very confusing upon the player and should of been one or the other, adding different ways to unlock a hidden path is just a headache and people will miss out on alot of loot in the process.

I also feel the lock on target as you said is abit of a mess couple of times with me yesterday it lock on a target I killed and then start jumping from different enemies having me then killed.

Bonfire placements so close to the enemies spawn is a huge issue , not even two seconds from some placements when you get up you are automatically attacked, not even smart design its just plain stupid.

I am about 50 hours in and I am sort of let down by some of the boss choices , alot of them are not very memorable compared to previous games in the series. a series that gave us ornstein and smough, sif, artorias , kaleet I would of expected better designed bosses than we got.

still is an amazing game and some of the positive upgrades and changes they made , made it a worthy sequel to one of if not my favourite game of all time.

iamanengine

Yeah to be fair when I got DS1 it was probably a year after it was released so a lot of the issues, such as a lack of effigies could be patched

ShadowHearth

Mickeroo wrote: »

I haven't had a boss fight that felt as epic as O&S/Kalameet/Atorias/Manus yet though, or as satisfying when I beat them. Smelter Demon is the closest it's come yet for me.

Overall I think the game is better though, the co-op and invasions are done better, the combat is more varied once you get used to it too.

My biggest complaint is the limited effigy supply. A good solid area to farm them indefinitely or just a merchant that stocks them would go a long way, or even reward a few when you beat a boss like in the previous game.

If I would be to bitch about Dark Souls 2, it would be in Boss aspect too. So far only one boss made me go WooooW, this is cool!

The rotten boss, It was so visually cool, but such a disappointing fight

. All the other bosses were very generic and extremely predictable in patterns. The deeper I go in to game, the easier it gets for me. Right now, the actual zone enemies give me more of a challange then bosses. The last boss that really made me go " FUUUUUUUUUUUUU " was Najka, even so, I gave up on her one night and came back in the morning to one shot her, with zero damage taken.

The 4 main/ish Bosses ( bon fire ones ) are the most disappointing bosses from a bunch.

Eggy Baby!

Bonfire placements so close to the enemies spawn is a huge issue , not even two seconds from some placements when you get up you are automatically attacked, not even smart design its just plain stupid.

AGREED. That bonfire in Sinner's Rise is a disgrace. Its right beside three crossbowmen for god sake....

Mickeroo

richymcdermott wrote: »

There are alot of questionable things I am surprised they still went with outside of the beta.

For Instance some walls you hit to unlock a hidden path others you press a button up against a wall and others you blow up. I find this to be very confusing upon the player and should of been one or the other, adding different ways to unlock a hidden path is just a headache and people will miss out on alot of loot in the process.

I also feel the lock on target as you said is abit of a mess couple of times with me yesterday it lock on a target I killed and then start jumping from different enemies having me then killed.

Bonfire placements so close to the enemies spawn is a huge issue , not even two seconds from some placements when you get up you are automatically attacked, not even smart design its just plain stupid.

I am about 50 hours in and I am sort of let down by some of the boss choices , alot of them are not very memorable compared to previous games in the series. a series that gave us ornstein and smough, sif, artorias , kaleet I would of expected better designed bosses than we got.

still is an amazing game and some of the positive upgrades and changes they made , made it a worthy sequel to one of if not my favourite game of all time.

Yeah the lock-on is a bit broken when there's multiple enemies. Most of my deaths outside of boss battles are a direct result of the camera deciding to spin around of its own accord or the lock on changing from the enemy attacking me to an un-aggroed one nowhere near me.

Zapp Brannigan

I really did try not to buy this...

Should have it tomorrow.

krudler

Eggy Baby! wrote: »

AGREED. That bonfire in Sinner's Rise is a disgrace. Its right beside three crossbowmen for god sake....

THAT, you can get shot sitting at the bloody thing.

Mickeroo

krudler wrote: »

THAT, you can get shot sitting at the bloody thing.

First time I went back to straid too, got mobbed by those exploding mummies.

Kiith

Mickeroo wrote: »

First time I went back to straid too, got mobbed by those exploding mummies.

I ****ing hate those guys. Getting mobbed by them is a death sentence.

krudler

Kiith wrote: »

I ****ing hate those guys. Getting mobbed by them is a death sentence.

The ones on the way into The Gutter, under the broken bridge, so there's guys who run at you, and explode, and you're in water, and can't run. Oh Dark Souls..

ShadowHearth

krudler wrote: »

The ones on the way into The Gutter, under the broken bridge, so there's guys who run at you, and explode, and you're in water, and can't run. Oh Dark Souls..

Thats one of the very few places where I just played Cheesy: Long bow pew pew off the bridge!

krudler

ShadowHearth wrote: »

Thats one of the very few places where I just played Cheesy: Long bow pew pew off the bridge!

Me too, just stood in the middle and shot em from afar then went on my merry way.

Well, the second time, after I nearly threw my joypad through the tv :pac:

iamanengine

penev10 wrote: »

Am starting to get properly stuck in to DS2 now, have the day of work and all!:D

Have been trying to avoid the thread as everyone is miles ahead of me, am only in Forest of Fallen Giants:P Am keeping a blog of my thoughts/progress just for my own edification: http://drangleic.blogspot.ie/ Am trying to capture the going in blind feel so I can look back when I'm an embittered veteran and pat my past-self on the head!

Was just having a look at your blog there and seen this.

"Got my White Soapstone from Pate (new Solaire?)"

:P

johnny_ultimate

So all the Primeval Bonfires rekindled

(a few nasty surprises after Duke's Dear Fredja aside

:pac:) and about to head in to Drangleic. Getting there!

Finally got Homing Soulmass, which is as delightfully powerful as I'd hoped. But Firestorm is definitely my discovery of the day, almost regret not spending some souls on pyromancy earlier.

Oh, for those looking for effigies, found another x5 spot:

head down the well near the first Brightcove bonfire!

Although I have a plentiful supply of them at the moment thanks to abuse use of my pair of Life Protection Rings

Mickeroo

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

So all the Primeval Bonfires rekindled

(a few nasty surprises after Duke's Dear Fredja aside

:pac:) and about to head in to Drangleic. Getting there!

Finally got Homing Soulmass, which is as delightfully powerful as I'd hoped. But Firestorm is definitely my discovery of the day, almost regret not spending some souls on pyromancy earlier.

Oh, for those looking for effigies, found another x5 spot:

head down the well near the first Brightcove bonfire!

Although I have a plentiful supply of them at the moment thanks to abuse use of my pair of Life Protection Rings

Do the rings keep you human if you die?

Personally I thought the bug that makes you human after a successful co-op would have been a really good game mechanic.

Can anyone tell me what the difference between a dark and regular pyro flame is?

Eggy Baby!

The worst run between bonfire and boss is in Sinners Rise...to get to the boss you have to fight through about 6 royal swordsmen/crossbowmen, three water giants, and loads of those bandage jihadis, all while trudging through water. The NPC summon nearly always dies before i get to

the last sinner.

And then if you get killed by the boss, you have to go through it all over again while trying to protect the NPC summon....