Dark Souls (1 Viewer)

[Redress]

So I am thinking of giving the series a shot. Know almost nothing about them, other than the very basic stuff. Start with Remastered or 2? How are the controls with mouse/keyboard? Good class for a first run?

Paging @jmotivator , your advice is requested please.

 

[ASHES]

I played Demon's Souls on PS3 way back when, didn't get past the second enemy before switching games. Gave the type another chance on PS4 with Bloodborne, and handily got my ass handed to me. So, haven't really followed the hype of the Souls games with much excitement. Good luck.

 

[WorldWatcher]

Dark Souls is a fantastic series and I'd recommend starting with Dark Souls Remastered instead of going straight to 2, simply from an experience stand point of lore and the world. I’m a geezer gamer and got back into it a few years ago as an exercise in eye/hand coordination and for mental acuity. I played DS: Prepare to Die Edition, DS2, and DS3. I have Sekiro in the queue now that I just purchased during a Steam Sale. Currently I'm into XCOM. Finished "Enemy Unknown" and doing a playthrough of "Enemy Within" (Unknown but with new DLC structure and content). I've got XCOM2 also in the queue.

The first question to ask yourself is what is your goal? Is it to beat the game? Is it to experience the journey? Experiencing the journey is by far the better approach. As Christopher Odd, one my favorite YouTube gamers says: “Set the vibe, if you don’t know that the means it means lights down low, headphones on, volume up, and let yourself get into it.”

Maybe do some checking on the Wiki and look at character classes ahead of time to figure out your starting class. Over time you will be able to evolve it into pretty much anything you want as you gain experience and assign progression. Basically do you want to depend on physicality or on casting as your major method of fighting? Physical characters get up close and personal to deal damage while casters may have to get close at times, but they deal a lot of damage from range.

If you go with caster then you choose between mage (intelligence based) and cleric (faith based).

If you go with physicality, then it becomes a choice between strength and dexterity to start with. Strength tends toward the traditional Knight/Warrior eventually carrying large swords the deal large damage. They wear medium to heavy armor so that they can take some hits from a defensive standpoint. The other basic option is a dexterity type build welding lighter faster swords (one handed + shield or dual weld). Typically they wear light to medium armor because their defense comes a lot from dodge/rolling to not get hit in the first place. This applies mostly to early game as over time you can morph one style of play into another through character progression. From a physicality standpoint you can start as one “class” and move into what is called a “quality” build where you try to balance strength and dexterity around mid-game. In DS1 I did mostly a strength build for early game and found a claymore fairly early and it served me well most of the game. It did more damage and was a little slower to weld then say a long sword or scimitar, but it also had longer range for sweeps and stabs. In DS2 and DS3 I went with DEX builds adding a smidgen of magic later on, really loved rocking a DEX build with a Katana.

Two pieces of advice for starting out.

#1 Look over the “Starting Gifts” to make your choice. Most are consumables so after use they are gone. One that isn’t a consumable is obtainable later in the game if the right series of actions is taken. The one I’d recommend is called the “Master Key” and basically unlocks certain doors without having to run around and find the key first. I like that because it lowers the frustration level. Although watch out for what you unlock, you might not like it.

#2 Play in online mode, there is a mechanic called invasions. In some cases there scripted invasions from NPCs. However online there are invasions that can occur from other players around the world and that’s kind of neat.

#3 Control the battle space. What that means is if you can, YOU decide where you want to fight enemies, don’t let them decide for you. Look at the path forward and behind you. Don’t blunder forward to quickly and activating multiple groups that overwhelm you. Also be willing to pull back and kite opponents into an area where you have the advantage. And maybe it just means if you die it will be easier to return to retrieve your dropped souls (currency). I found this especially important with invaders that would normally kick my ass. Running back to a known area before the fight typically gave me better combat performance, but like I said made returning to pick up my souls easier.

OK, that’s 3 – shoot me.

WW

 

[Crovax]

Just start with the new one that just came out

 

[jmotivator]

So I am thinking of giving the series a shot. Know almost nothing about them, other than the very basic stuff. Start with Remastered or 2? How are the controls with mouse/keyboard? Good class for a first run?

Paging @jmotivator , your advice is requested please.

I'm affraid I am mostly out of my element. I'm not much of a quick twitch game guy. I thought I could get into the Souls/Souls-like genre with the game Remnant: From the Ashes, but I found that I'm just not entertained by teh "git gud" process.

Though I do know a lot of people who are into these games, so I can give you an acedemic perspective.

On which to play first: 1 (aka. Remastered) is best, 3 is close second, and they screwed up 2.... apparently you can just play 1 and 3 and save yourself the hastle?

As for controls, I don't know anyone who plays with mouse and keyboard. In fact, I don't know many people who play on PC... so I'd guess there is a reason for that.

Hope that helps.

 

[WorldWatcher]

As for controls, I don't know anyone who plays with mouse and keyboard. In fact, I don't know many people who play on PC... so I'd guess there is a reason for that.

I tried, I mean really tried (probably 10-20 hours worth) playing Keyboard/Mouse. The experience sucked. Keyboard/Mouse can be great for twitch shooters (I enjoyed it playing the Metro series), but for close in combat? Well I just couldn't get the hang of it. So I went back to a controller. It may have been different if I was playing a ranged mage or cleric, but with a close combat melee build it was a no-go.

I play on PC and didn't have any real problem with any of the games.

Hope this helps.

WW

 

[WorldWatcher]

One of the most rewarding things about playing the Dark Souls series was...

I played the long game, took my time. But after months of hearing me dying, cursing, and storming around in frustration I finished all three. I was talking to my son (who is now in his early 30's and was a long time gamer) about what to do next. I was thinking Sekiro, but wanted to take a break first.

My son said to me "Da... now you got some chops". I don't know but I think I got more out of that comment then actually beating the game. LOL

WW

 

[jmotivator]

I tried, I mean really tried (probably 10-20 hours worth) playing Keyboard/Mouse. The experience sucked. Keyboard/Mouse can be great for twitch shooters (I enjoyed it playing the Metro series), but for close in combat? Well I just couldn't get the hang of it. So I went back to a controller. It may have been different if I was playing a ranged mage or cleric, but with a close combat melee build it was a no-go.

I play on PC and didn't have any real problem with any of the games.

Hope this helps.

WW

The last console I owned was the original NES, so I'm pretty set in my ways with the Mouse and Keyboard. I own an X-Box controller, I even plug it in one in a while, but it's usually to determine that I still hate controllers.

That being said, I see why a controller is necessary for Souls games since it is more about movement than it is about aiming. Even the ranged builds I've seen in those games seem to play more like turret placement than run-and-gun.

I guess that is why I thought I have a shot with the game Remnant ... but no, while there are definitely run-and-gun mechanics, I still can't seem to find enjoyment in learning boss mechanics.

 

[jmotivator]

One of the most rewarding things about playing the Dark Souls series was...

I played the long game, took my time. But after months of hearing me dying, cursing, and storming around in frustration I finished all three. I was talking to my son (who is now in his early 30's and was a long time gamer) about what to do next. I was thinking Sekiro, but wanted to take a break first.

My son said to me "Da... now you got some chops". I don't know but I think I got more out of that comment then actually beating the game. LOL

WW

In our age group that is quite an accomplishment! Congrats!

I've heard from the Souls folks that Sekiro is great, but a step down in difficulty.

Who knows, maybe you'll inspire me to plug in my controller and fire Remnant back up...

 

[WorldWatcher]

The last console I owned was the original NES, so I'm pretty set in my ways with the Mouse and Keyboard. I own an X-Box controller, I even plug it in one in a while, but it's usually to determine that I still hate controllers.

That being said, I see why a controller is necessary for Souls games since it is more about movement than it is about aiming. Even the ranged builds I've seen in those games seem to play more like turret placement than run-and-gun.

I guess that is why I thought I have a shot with the game Remnant ... but no, while there are definitely run-and-gun mechanics, I still can't seem to find enjoyment in learning boss mechanics.

Paying attention to enemy mechanics is definitely a requirement. Especially the bosses.

There are bosses that will just wreck you if you don't begin to understand their move set. There are other bosses that will just wreck your shit even if you do know their move set, thanks FromSoftware.

One of my favorite love/hate relationships was a boss in DS1 called Knight Artorias (or Artorias the Abysswalker). Man he was fast and just chopped me to bits, over and over and over...

He was the first boss where I actually had to slow down and study HIS movements and tells. Even then trying to beat him on a technical level. It's kind of hard to explain, but I finally got into a mode where I wasn't trying to beat him. I was just learned to survive for longer and longer times. I came to think of it as learning to dance with him and got to the point where I could actually stay alive, there were certain rhythms to his move set that I slowly learned to counter with the proper dodge/roll combination. Only then could I start to think about taking my own swings and doing damage. Ya, learning the dance was the way to think about it. I couldn't survive when I was in a "technical" mindset of "do this than that". Once I got to a zone where I WASN'T thinking about it and let the fight flow, things got much better.

I probably goobered that explanation, it's hard to put into words.

WW

 

[Lord Tammerlain]

Dark Souls is a great series, no idea of how it is on a mouse and keyboard but expect to die a lot.

The visuals are great and fighting among the best in games in have played

 

[ecofarm]

Played Souls 3, playing Elden Ring.

 

[Redress]

Played Souls 3, playing Elden Ring.

We have been talking a bit about Elden Ring in the stickied thread.

 

[beerftw]

So I am thinking of giving the series a shot. Know almost nothing about them, other than the very basic stuff. Start with Remastered or 2? How are the controls with mouse/keyboard? Good class for a first run?

Paging @jmotivator , your advice is requested please.

did you not in 2012 mock dark souls?

You got a lot of kissing up to do, but you can start with the first dark souls, or the second, or elden ring. I truly feel if you have never played elden ring would be the best as the playstyles are far more diverse vs the older dark souls game.

From there I would branch out to earlier games.

 

[beerftw]

Dark Souls is a great series, no idea of how it is on a mouse and keyboard but expect to die a lot.

The visuals are great and fighting among the best in games in have played

All dark souls games are terrible with a mouse and keyboard unless you go full bow spam build. Even on pc it is too easy to use an xbox or playstation style controler, as most do.

 

[Redress]

did you not in 2012 mock dark souls?

You got a lot of kissing up to do, but you can start with the first dark souls, or the second, or elden ring. I truly feel if you have never played elden ring would be the best as the playstyles are far more diverse vs the older dark souls game.

From there I would branch out to earlier games.

I may have based on them being console games, and the flaws are still that they are console games. They could have been decent games if they where designed for PC. Better graphics, better controls.

 

[beerftw]

I may have based on them being console games, and the flaws are still that they are console games. They could have been decent games if they where designed for PC. Better graphics, better controls.

They are on pc but get the lesser attention than the console versions, for example keyboard and mouse work but not very well, as the game heavily favors a controller.

If you want to try them another question is do you want a semi linear experience or open world, dark souls 3 is very linear, dark souls 1 and 2 are linear until around halfway through when they let you decide how and when you want to progress to the end. Elden ring is fully open ended, from start to finish you can choose almost everything in how you want to progress and explore, and the game will severely punish you for choosing wrong, as entire questlines and items are sensitive to where you have progressed, ie a npc questline may dissapear if you go to the wrong area too early, or doing one npcs quesline will brick anothers questline.

 

[bomberfox]

So I am thinking of giving the series a shot. Know almost nothing about them, other than the very basic stuff. Start with Remastered or 2? How are the controls with mouse/keyboard? Good class for a first run?

Paging @jmotivator , your advice is requested please.

Be ready for barrel rolling skeletons and a lot of **** you player lol! Just outsmart the skeletons off a cliff and you’ll be mostly fine.

 

[Crovax]

 

[beerftw]

Be ready for barrel rolling skeletons and a lot of **** you player lol! Just outsmart the skeletons off a cliff and you’ll be mostly fine.

this video sums up strategic dodge rolls

 

[ecofarm]

DS1 is okay. DS2 has the best areas. DS3 has the best bosses. Both have great pvp. I was an invader in DS2 a little and DS3 for awhile.

Play Elden Ring.