MULTI Dark Souls II (PS3/X360/PC) Hype Thread - Listing For Next Gen Consoles + Live Action Teaser

[phantom01]

Dark Souls II (PS3/X360/PC) Hype Thread - Listing For Next Gen Consoles + Liv...

Just downloaded the ticket hopefully i will get in

 

[manigamer]

[h=1]Dark Souls II Beta Delayed, Sign-Ups Start Today[/h]

Dark Souls fans interested in signing up for the previously announced beta for Dark Souls II should know that there's been some rearranging of the dates associated with this deadly dose of diabolically good fun.


It's a good news/bad news situation for Dark Souls fans today, so let's start with the bad news since fans of the game probably like that sort thing.

THE BAD: The previously announced PS3-exclusive Dark Souls II beta has been delayed by a week and will now begin on October 12 instead of October 5. There will also be a second round of beta testing beginning October 27, 2013.

THE GOOD: Those interested in checking out the beta can sign up beginning today by visiting this page on the Sony PlayStation Network website where you'll get additional details about the beta.

Dark Souls II is set to arrive on PS3, Xbox 360 and PC in March 2014. Until then, check out the above E3 gameplay video to help hold you over.

 

[TrueCoolGuy]

Dark Souls 2: a lesson in painfully balanced gameplay

“Our reaction that was; our thinking behind how we designed the game itself hasn’t changed, just how we falsely communicated it. But I hope we can continue to communicate to players that the game won’t be easier at all, and it’ll be as challenging or even more. We wanted to make sure we deliver the full, pure Dark Souls elements more directly to players.

“It’s hard to quantify how much harder it is. The challenges are still there, but just enough for me to be able to play the game, over come the barriers and difficulties in the game, and still have that sense of achievement when the difficulties are conquered. We are still balancing the game to a point where it’s conquerable but not to easy and not too difficult. We’re still doing a lot of trial and error, but I don’t think any players will be upset by how we’ve balanced the game. I think we will be able to meet the expectations of fans – both hardcore and new.”

After checking out forums and sites in my quest to beat the original Dark Souls it became clear to me that completing the quest is often worn like a badge of honour. Doing it once isn’t enough for some players however, and to those players Miyazoe happily confirmed that From Software is trying to revisit the way New Game+ works in Dark Souls 2. The feature is also a question of balancing, but seasoned players can rest assured that it’s currently in the works.

The world of Dark Souls 2 itself will require a greater degree of balancing than ever before, considering the play of light and dark, as well as new traps just waiting to slaughter careless adventurers rushing into areas blindly. We’ve already seen a rather terrifying rope bridge being torn out from under players by dragons, and pitch black areas that can only be illuminated by swapping out your shield for a torch. The dilemma of sacrificing your primary means of defence for visibility is both fiendish and inspired in equal measure.

I simply had to ask Miyazoe if Dark Souls 2 will include another savage boss battle like Ornstein and Smough, and to what extent players will have to grind in order to pass them. Of course, given the game’s expanded open world structure, it’s likely that such a bottleneck won’t exist this time around, but as a fan of the ruthless duo I really wanted to learn more.

“As much as the dev team is still balancing the game, I think there will be key moments in the game – not just challenges by story or difficulty – but there will be key enemies and bosses in the game that will challenge the players enough. There will be areas where we’re revisiting some of the boss battles as well, where you’ll be able to encounter boss battles part-way through the stage.

“You won’t have to start from one venue, go through to the end, beat the boss and then start from a new venue. There will be be areas where you can meet the boss halfway. if you’re good enough or paying enough attention you might be able to defeat them early. We’re trying to create a more interactive gameplay flow so that we sort of break a little bit in terms of the traditional ‘start point, boss and then new start point’ mechanic. I think that’s one of the challenges we’re trying to overcome through game design.”

Source: VG 24/7

Damn this game is going through some heavy balancing. Most devs don't even put in a quarter of this much effort when it comes balancing and play testing. Looks like some form of World Tendency is back from Demon's Souls. The guy talks about light and dark, and there were a few glimpses of black phantom versions of regular enemies in demos showcased in recent conventions.

Beating bosses halfway through is a smart way to change the pace of the game. It'll also give people the option to choose the easier version of the fight or the more difficult one, kind of like the Ornstein and Smough fight from Dark Souls.

 

[TrueCoolGuy]

Details for North and South America versions of the Network Test released. Basically, you don't have to do anything. Sony will pick candidates based on Dark Souls saved data, Playstaion Plus and more. Codes will be sent out on Oct 12, candidates will receive them through the XMB of the PS3. There will be more codes sent out then spots available in the beat. Meaning even if you got the code, if you redeem it after all the spots have been taken, you will not be let in. So it's first come, first serve and judging by how eager Souls players are, I imagine all the spots to be filled up within 10 minutes of the codes being sent to everyone.

There are 5000 spots available for the first stage of the test on Oct 12, the pool will be expanded on the second stage on Oct 26. People who get into the first stage will be automatically transferred to the second stage when it lauches. The file size of the Tester version of DkS II will be around 3.7GB. Submitting duplicate entries will get you disqualified, sharing any information about the test will get you disqualified.

Stay tuned to the official Network Test site for more information on both the UK and NA tests. This will also probably be where you will be submitting bugs, glitches and balancing inquiries from the test.

 

[Wolfy]

signed up ... with fingers cross!

@TCG leme know if you get in bro, I might skip beta due to GTAV

 

[TrueCoolGuy]

New trailer and info from TGS. Someone update the thread title please, this game is as unrelenting as ever.

DARK SOULS II - ACHING BONES - YouTube

Holy hell! The info from TGS just broke all boundaries of hype that I had for this game!

• Your HP can decrease to 50% of total health if you die continuously without reviving youself using a Human Effigy.
  
• Remaining Hollow will not save you from being invaded, you can be invaded at any given time! (Unless you play offline of course)
  
• White Phantoms will stay in your world for only a limited time. The more enemies they kill, the faster they'll fade away from your world.

This is turning out to be a more hardcore game than Demon's Souls and Dark Souls.
This is the opposite of what all the casuals were pandering for. The game relies on improving your skills and getting better at the game more than ever. There's almost nothing left to carry people, either get better or you're gonna have a bad time.

Some more info on the PS3 beta coming this October. It'll include 90 minutes of gameplay and 2 separate bosses, so a pretty chunky piece of the game. All the more reason for me to get in but I really don't feel comfortable with spoiling 2 bosses for myself.

 

[Raza7154]

Bwahahahaha remaining hollow won't save any asses now

sadly enough, that was a tactic i employed at various times... but fuck that shit, let's go ALL IN!!

 

[TrueCoolGuy]

Bwahahahaha remaining hollow won't save any asses now

sadly enough, that was a tactic i employed at various times... but fuck that shit, let's go ALL IN!!

You can join a certain covenant "Way of Blue" and get a Blue Sentinel automatically summoned into your world when a Black Phantom invades your world. The sentinels will be actual players wearing a certain item, they'll be a part of the "Guardians of Blue" covenant and will wait to be summoned to help people who get invaded.

So there are mechanics in the game that will help new players but it'll be sparse help, they don't want people to fall on these kind of mechanics and use them as crutches.

 

[Raza7154]

problem with me was always the latency.... that's why i could never really enjoy PvP.... at best there was like a 2-second delay... i could deal with the noobs, but anyone with decent gear, and idea on how to play the game, and the items work, completely pawned me.... it's like he swung the sword, i dived to the side, and whoa, i'm dead....

 

[TrueCoolGuy]

Dark Souls II is going to be present at the Eurogamer Expo in London. And they're gonna hold a contest, the first person to beat the Mirror Knight boss will be win the following:

• Dark Souls II Black Armour Edition signed by Fromsoftwares.
• Confirmed Access to Dark Souls 2 limited closed beta.
• A Sony Playstation 3 signed by Fromsoftwares.
• Twelve month subscription to Playstation Plus.
• Exclusive Dark Souls 2 T-shirt and Posters signed by Fromsoftwares.
• Turtle Beach Ear Force PX22 Gaming Headset.

God! This is so unfair. I want that signed copy. FUUUCK!

 

[TrueCoolGuy]

26 minutes of leaked footage from the Japanese beta for Dark Souls II.

DARK SOULS

DARK SOULS

This game is dark as hell and I don't just mean atmosphere wise, I mean you can't see anything in this game. You almost always need a torch to light your way. Multiple beta testers are saying that the game plays more like a horror game than an RPG at times.

 

[TrueCoolGuy]

Codes for the beta are gonna be sent to all possible candidates on 8th Oct 11am PT. That's 11pm PK time. So be sure to be signed in on PSN at that time to see if you were worthy enough to get an early taste of Dark Souls II. Though keep in mind that getting a code won't mean you'll definitely get into the beta, there are only 5000 spots available for the first phase of the beta. An access of 5000 codes will be sent to candidates so if all the spots fill up before you redeem your code then you're out of luck. Try again when the next phase of the beta begins.

The PSN store will update somewhere between 1-6 hours after the codes are sent, so don't be surprised if you can't immediately redeem your code. It's all a guessing game at this point, good luck.

Here's the official beta update from a Namco Bandai Community Manager on reddit.

INTRODUCTION

Hey guys. Here is the latest information on the Dark Souls II Network Test for North and South American players I am posting versions of this information on the Dark Souls website and on Facebook as well. REMINDER: There is no registration process.Select users will receive codes from Sony which will redeem the download. There is limited space available.
OTHER TERRITORIES

If you are looking for information for other territories please see DARK SOULS II - NETWORK TEST and find your territory in the drop-down menu in the upper right or https://www.facebook.com/darksouls. I don't have all the details for those, but I'll try to point you in the right direction. If you are from Australia, this Facebook post should have helpful information.
OCTOBER 12TH TEST

Select users will receive a message at 11:00 AM PT, October 8th for the October 12th testing round. The download will be available whenever the PlayStation Store updates that day. More than 5000 users will receive the message, but only 5000 will be able to download the client. It is first-come, first-served.
Contrary to my previous understanding, we will not be able to share additional download codes for the October 12th testing round since it is such a limited pool.
OCTOBER 26TH TEST

For the next, much larger testing round, select users will receive a message (Everyone in this round will receive the exact same code) at 11:00 AM PT, October 22nd for the October 26th testing round. We will also post that code on Facebook.com/DarkSoulsII for everyone to get. The download will be available whenever the PlayStation Store updates that day. There are many more spots available in this round, but it is still limited and is available on a first-come first-served basis.
~~~~~~~~~
UPDATED FAQ

~~~~~~~~~
Q: What time is it where I live at 11:00 AM PT?
A: This website is amazing and will answer all of your Time Zone questions from now until forever.
Q: Is this a full-on Beta for the game?
A: Absolutely not. From Software is just stress-testing their servers. This network test drops you in the middle of the game with very little direction. We are looking for experienced Dark Souls players to test out features and make sure everything performs up to expectations.
Q: I am the hardest of hardcore Dark Souls players. GET ME IN!
A: I'm doing my best to give you all of the information so that you'll have the best chance at joining the test. In the end I'm sure some folks will miss out and I'm sorry for that :/ Honestly I'm at odds with the fact that I don't want to spoil any of the game for myself!
Q: Once I redeem the code and download the client am I guaranteed access for later testing rounds?
A: Yes
Q: What happens if I can't redeem the code?
A: That means that particular testing round is full.
Q: Is there a way to register so that I definitely get a code?
A: No, there is no registration. Just having a PlayStation account gets you in the lottery to receive a message to test the game.
Q: Why isn't there a sign-up process?
A: We're working with SCEA and this is the best way to run things from their end.
Q: If I don't get into the Network Test will it be the end of the world?
A: Maybe... Who knows, man.
Q: I have more questions / I'm angry / I just want to tell you how awesome you are

A: Feel free to leave any questions/concerns in the comments here and I'll try to answer, or you can find me on Twitter.

 

[Xerolt9]

Seems like TCG is the only one interested in this game ._.

 

[Radical]

PC version for me.

Also, I wish they made this for Vita too. Dark Souls on the go is like the greatest thing ever!!!

 

[TrueCoolGuy]

Seems like TCG is the only one interested in this game ._.

We can't all be perfect.

PC version for me.

Also, I wish they made this for Vita too. Dark Souls on the go is like the greatest thing ever!!!

It doesn't seem like it'd be a good portable title to me.

 

[Xerolt9]

Dark Souls Vita isn't a good idea. This game requires patience and persistence. Handhelds strike me as devices that you'd use to pass the time with casual games.

 

[Radical]

Then again, you lack foresight!

RPGs are perfect for portables..

 

[TrueCoolGuy]

Then again, you lack foresight!

RPGs are perfect for portables..

Exactly what Xerolt said. This isn't some casual game that you can pick up, play for an hour then drop. You'll get nowhere if you play a Souls game like that.

 

[Radical]

I have pretty much mastered both the games playing like that, it's just you noobs

- - - Updated - - -

Also, Vita is not your typical casual oriented portable. It's controls are pretty much like a regular console & it is in need of some really hardcore rpgs..

 

[Xerolt9]

I can imagine playing a JRPG on a handheld, sure. But Dark Souls? No.