Dark Souls 2 for consoles is a month away. What do we know about the PC version?

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Artorias

Platinum Member
Feb 8, 2014
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Apparently I'm not even half way through the game and I'm SL 113. I did quite a bit of co-op but it feels like leveling is much faster.
 

EDUSAN

Golden Member
Apr 4, 2012
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im lvl 70 aprox and i got 2 of the great souls (about to get the 3rd one), so i dont know if it is THAT much longer.
 

smackababy

Lifer
Oct 30, 2008
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After a few hours this weekend, this is such a better version than the PS3 one. The game looks so much more crisp (at max settings) and runs so smooth. Great success!

Been playing offline attempting to get the no deaths and no resting at bonfires rings. Sadly, I keep falling off a cliff or something silly and dying. =(
 

EDUSAN

Golden Member
Apr 4, 2012
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how can you beat the game without resting in bonfires? that means you never travel, and you never replenish the estus?
 

smackababy

Lifer
Oct 30, 2008
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Pretty much, yes. I believe you can homeward bone (at least, I hope so, because I've been doing that). I've never done both in the same run (I did a no death and a no bonfire, but separately on PS3).

The way it works is you can touch the bonfire, you just can't rest at it. So, if you die, you get all your stuff replenished and such, but you can't rest on your own. The way I am doing this run (because I can't die) is by only touching the Majelm fire and porting to that one. The farthest I've made it was to the Vedstalt, or right before him, at least. Died trying to go through the fog door. =(
 
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EDUSAN

Golden Member
Apr 4, 2012
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i was reading in reddit that there are some ways of getting your stuff refilled without dying and without using bonfires... helping someone as a phantom, when you get back you get healed and replenished...or something lke that
 

smackababy

Lifer
Oct 30, 2008
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i was reading in reddit that there are some ways of getting your stuff refilled without dying and without using bonfires... helping someone as a phantom, when you get back you get healed and replenished...or something lke that

Yes, but dying as a phantom counts as a death. I also prefer to do it offline so I don't get invaded (because I am really just power gaming through and don't have an ideal build).
 

TheSlamma

Diamond Member
Sep 6, 2005
7,625
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I haven't been invaded in this one at all. Did they do something to change that?

Honestly it's kinda nice lol
 

DucatiMonster696

Diamond Member
Aug 13, 2009
4,269
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Yes, but dying as a phantom counts as a death. I also prefer to do it offline so I don't get invaded (because I am really just power gaming through and don't have an ideal build).

You still get invaded in off-line mode by red NPC's. Though you may not consider it to be similar to real life players since it's the game controlling those characters however you can't escape the invasion mechanic even in off-line mode.
 

DucatiMonster696

Diamond Member
Aug 13, 2009
4,269
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So what are peoples thoughts on using KB+M in DS2?

Its completely doable and viable. For me however I've just grown way to accustom to the gamepad because I've played DS1 with just a gamepad. I will add that having a programmable mouse with extra buttons like the Razor Naga or Logitech 6600 is a big boon in being able to map keys to your mouse and as well as having a custom setup to perfect your gaming with a KB+M combo.
 

EDUSAN

Golden Member
Apr 4, 2012
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I had written a ton of things that change from ds1 and things that stayed the same...

but if you want a real comparison the phrase should be: "its the same as Dark souls 1, in a different setting"

edit: if you are used to playing dark souls, the game is the same. If you are new to dark souls, the game now has a tutorial and the beginning of the game makes a better job at making you understand the basics
 
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smackababy

Lifer
Oct 30, 2008
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I would say the idea is the same: punish bad behavior with mechanics. But, a lot of the mechanics are different. Parrying is different (and can be done with two handing now). A new stat called Agil determines how fast you roll now (and it goes up with ADP and ATT). You can not activate a bonfire without resting at it. Simply lighting it is enough to save it as your last bon fire. Summoning no longer relies on soul level, but soul memory brackets. Soul memory is how many souls you've collected. A lot of people are crying about it, but it has worked just fine for me on PS3. The highest bracket though has no upper limit. So, you could get matched up with a complete maxed character on a SL260 or so.

As far as the actual PC version, the difference is mainly this was codeveloped on the PC while DS1 was a straight port only meant to satisfy fans who requested it. This version is so much better. It is also VAC enabled and cheaters will eventually get weeded out.

You still get invaded in off-line mode by red NPC's. Though you may not consider it to be similar to real life players since it's the game controlling those characters however you can't escape the invasion mechanic even in off-line mode.

Yes, but NPC invaders don't stop you from going to the next location. You can fog wall out and continue without encountering them. Players, on the other hand, lock you into that zone until you fight them. Also, since my build is really for speed and PVE, fighting a PVP build isn't going to be fun.
 

smackababy

Lifer
Oct 30, 2008
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Allocation of stats into things like END, VIT, etc. I put a ton into ADP for the AGIL boost that I wouldn't both in a PVP build. Plus, maxing STR for melee, where I'd stop around 40 in a real build. It is almost entirely dependent on avoidance and being nude, thus I put nothing into stats accounting for those. A PVP build would also have different weapons and stuff.
 

artemicion

Golden Member
Jun 9, 2004
1,006
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I haven't been invaded in this one at all. Did they do something to change that?

Honestly it's kinda nice lol

They actually changed it so that you can be invaded while in Hollow form, so theoretically, there are more opportunities to be invaded than before.

I got invaded for the first time in
Belfry Luna after I joined the Bell Keepers covenant
. After that, I started getting invaded a lot, which is super annoying. I don't know if it's my internet connection, or the servers, or what, but invaders seem to be able to backstab me from the front/sides, which is super cheese. Also, don't know how the game mechanics work, but does rolling make you invulnerable in PVP? My attacks are clearly hitting people as the roll toward or around me, yet the hits don't register. Could be a network connection issue as well and the guy isn't where my computer thinks he's at. Haven't been able to fend off a single invader.

Lost my voice from screaming at my monitor over the weekend. Nobody in my house understands why I play this game. #darksouls2
 

smackababy

Lifer
Oct 30, 2008
27,024
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Connection plays a part in it, for sure. There are invincible frames during the roll, but they are different than in DS1. There is a good chance the damage you're doing is taking a bit to register due to lag or they are just good a timing their rolls.
 

Revolution 11

Senior member
Jun 2, 2011
952
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In terms of damage, scaling, and ease of use, what is the better early-to-mid game weapon?

Bastard Sword, Heide Sword, or Fire Longsword?

Also, I am not sure if the total damage types of a weapon includes the figures in blue or if they are additional bonuses based on stats?
 

McWatt

Senior member
Feb 25, 2010
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It depends on your stats. I'd just go with whichever you like the most based on its moveset. Keep in mind that actual damage done scales nonlinearly with the damage stat on your sheet. Look up the modeling people did from DkS1, where it was shown that it's almost always better to have 300 listed damage of one type (e.g., physical) that 350 split across two types (e.g., physical and fire). The breakeven point depends on your target, but as a quick DkS2 example my longsword +0 outdamages my heide knight sword +0 by quite a bit on my L30 character with only physical stats boosted so far.
 

EDUSAN

Golden Member
Apr 4, 2012
1,358
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for a 1st run, in which you dont know what weapons there are, and what weapon you like just try to level up STR or DEX according to the weapon you just found that you want to use.

u find a weapon? equip it even if you dont have enough power to use it correctly, go to a safe place, check the moveset: 1handed quick hit, 1handed slow hit, Forward + slow hit, press B + quick hit, run + quick hit, then repeat using 2 handed.
If you feel you like the weapon, check its requisites, match them and use it until you find a weapon you like more and repeat.
You wont need too much str and dext to equip like 80% of the weapons.

Im lvl 90 and i only have like 30str and 20dext, i can use almost any weapon, except some very specific ones that need a TON of str or dext or something like faith. When I have too many souls and im afraid of losing them i level up HP, END, and a bit of Vit (+ equip weight), you can never have enough of that.

Whenever you start a 2nd playthrough, you can, this time, start from the beginning knowing which weapon you are gonna use this time and get the minimun secondary stats for that weapon

or... there is an item now that resets your stats and give you back your souls, right?
 

smackababy

Lifer
Oct 30, 2008
27,024
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or... there is an item now that resets your stats and give you back your souls, right?

Sort of. There is an item that lets you reallocate all the points you've spent in stats again. You find a few per run (not burning ascetics).
 

EDUSAN

Golden Member
Apr 4, 2012
1,358
0
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i know, i have a couple but i never used them so im not exactly sure how they work

its the hollow vessel or something like that
 

smackababy

Lifer
Oct 30, 2008
27,024
79
86
Soul Vessel I believe. You talk to one of the old hags at the start of the game and she offers to use let you reset.