GotGame posted a new video interview with Global Producer Atsuo Yoshimura of Bandai Namco who talks about the new Dark Souls II DLC called Scholar of the First Sin.
More information.
More information.
Dark Souls II - Video Interview @ GotGame
- Thread starter Couchpotato
- Start date
There is another interview with Atsuo where he hints that PC users who have already bought Dark Souls II might get a discount.
http://youtu.be/s9gFHXMRqtc?t=4m54s
Since this release is mostly aimed at the next gen consoles and to do the xbox one version they need to do a directX11 version anyway I'd say this is probable, but you never know.
After finding out how much has been changed, how there are a lot more monsters and their placements are all changed, item placements are changed, hag stocks a branch, etc, I'll definitely be picking this one up if we get this discount.
It would be a dream come true to get to play Dark Souls II for the first time again.
http://youtu.be/s9gFHXMRqtc?t=4m54s
Since this release is mostly aimed at the next gen consoles and to do the xbox one version they need to do a directX11 version anyway I'd say this is probable, but you never know.
After finding out how much has been changed, how there are a lot more monsters and their placements are all changed, item placements are changed, hag stocks a branch, etc, I'll definitely be picking this one up if we get this discount.
It would be a dream come true to get to play Dark Souls II for the first time again.
Or even better, leave DS1 alone and do a PC release of Demon Souls with a few changes like unlimited carry weight included.
I don't have a playstation but playing Demons at my friends place was what prompted me to run out and buy Dark Souls for my xbox the very next day. I can't remember wanting to play a game so much as I did after a few hours with Demons.
It's just the perfect RPG for me, kinda like a roguelike. All awesome combat, exploration and traps and secrets. I don't want to talk to NPCs, I want to explore the dungeons!
Or what about these Chalice Dungeons for Bloodborne? Random dungeons! Bring some of that to DKS2!!
I don't have a playstation but playing Demons at my friends place was what prompted me to run out and buy Dark Souls for my xbox the very next day. I can't remember wanting to play a game so much as I did after a few hours with Demons.
It's just the perfect RPG for me, kinda like a roguelike. All awesome combat, exploration and traps and secrets. I don't want to talk to NPCs, I want to explore the dungeons!
Or what about these Chalice Dungeons for Bloodborne? Random dungeons! Bring some of that to DKS2!!
Funny thing is, I'm not seeing any of this for the most part. I don't see any changes to mob placements and very little in the way of merchant stock items… though I did acquire the Agape ring.
On NG+1 and NG+2 I also defeated Aldia, the newly added boss with the scholar of the first sin version of the game. But as the video shows that large troll looking mob, I never see that in forest of the lost giants. In fact, after having played through NG+2 entirely with the Scholar of the First Sin installed, other than the Aldia boss fight, I have yet to see any newly placed mobs or changed mobs whatsoever.
That's because you are not playing Scholar of the First Sin. The patch that was released recently is NOT Scholar of the First Sin. Scholar of the First Sin is not out yet. The whole thing is a big cash grab to me.
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- Jul 9, 2010
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This is how I felt too.
Hearing they were going to split the online community sounded like a terrible idea!
But at that time I thought it was just changing from dx9 to dx11 that was happening. Why does changing a graphics option mean we have to be separated from everyone else?
But the fact is they've changed so much that they're saying its a completely different game. Improved AI (Monsters chase you forever!), changed monster locations and more monsters, changed item locations, new weapons, new invasion NPCS, +1 co-op buddies and +1 invaders, etc
I think, for me at least, this is something I want to play. I've already played so much Dark Souls II that to start a new character I'd have to delete an old one. Out of character slots!
The opportunity to start level 1 characters again with everyone else and have everything switched around so we don't know the layout by heart is something I'd genuinely like to experience.
And, hey! If From Software says "its worth paying for, its like a completely different game" who am I to argue? These guys have earned my trust already!
My problem with this is that the current version has some glaring issues which will never be fixed. My main issues with the current version are the awful lag in PvP (and sometimes co-op) and the weapon degradation bug.
If they don't fix the netcode, PvP is going to be an absolute nightmare in SoTFS. On the other hand, if they do fix it in the new version, then it is a complete insult to the people who already bought their product.
Splitting the multiplayer community (as you've already mentioned) is a really horrible idea. I also don't understand why saved games are not compatible. I spent over 400 hours on my current character, and I'm not giving that up.
I don't know how much of a discount they are going to offer, but I just can't see any reason to buy the new version. I certainly got my money's worth out of DS2. Companies like CD Project have earned my respect with the way they do business. I'm not particularly impressed with Bandai Namco. Your mileage may vary.
If they don't fix the netcode, PvP is going to be an absolute nightmare in SoTFS. On the other hand, if they do fix it in the new version, then it is a complete insult to the people who already bought their product.
Splitting the multiplayer community (as you've already mentioned) is a really horrible idea. I also don't understand why saved games are not compatible. I spent over 400 hours on my current character, and I'm not giving that up.
I don't know how much of a discount they are going to offer, but I just can't see any reason to buy the new version. I certainly got my money's worth out of DS2. Companies like CD Project have earned my respect with the way they do business. I'm not particularly impressed with Bandai Namco. Your mileage may vary.
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- Jul 9, 2010
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Yeah, the lag in PvP sucks but I think that's more about ping than bad netcode. I know the options menu lets you restrict play to your region, but Australia doesn't have a regional server so I'm looking at probably 200 ping to Japan or 280 to USA west.
Not sure what to make of this "weapon degradation bug". I've heard it exists and is tied to the game being 60fps when it should be 30, BUT I started playing on xbox360 and then later moved to PC and while weapons do wear out a lot faster than DKS1 I can't say I really noticed any difference between the platforms. I liked the weapons wearing out faster, personally. Was a reason to have 2 or 3 equipped and make use of them.
The discount, if any, hasn't been announced. But if their attitude is to reward players like me who pre-ordered, bought all DLC, etc, with a respectable discount then I'll pick it up. They do have to host new servers for the game so there is a small cost for them. But if it turns out there's no discount I will be pretty insulted. Since all new players will obviously get Scholar the dx9 community is pretty much doomed. (Though I believe playing the dx9 game is still an option for Scholar buyers. I imagine in steam they'll be two separate shortcuts rather than a dx9/dx11 option in a menu somewhere)
A DLC was about $10? I thought they were worth it for sure. Stuff like Flynns ring had application that carried over to the base game and enhanced it. If dx11 is going to be $10-15 I'm sure it will be worth it.
Not sure what to make of this "weapon degradation bug". I've heard it exists and is tied to the game being 60fps when it should be 30, BUT I started playing on xbox360 and then later moved to PC and while weapons do wear out a lot faster than DKS1 I can't say I really noticed any difference between the platforms. I liked the weapons wearing out faster, personally. Was a reason to have 2 or 3 equipped and make use of them.
The discount, if any, hasn't been announced. But if their attitude is to reward players like me who pre-ordered, bought all DLC, etc, with a respectable discount then I'll pick it up. They do have to host new servers for the game so there is a small cost for them. But if it turns out there's no discount I will be pretty insulted. Since all new players will obviously get Scholar the dx9 community is pretty much doomed. (Though I believe playing the dx9 game is still an option for Scholar buyers. I imagine in steam they'll be two separate shortcuts rather than a dx9/dx11 option in a menu somewhere)
A DLC was about $10? I thought they were worth it for sure. Stuff like Flynns ring had application that carried over to the base game and enhanced it. If dx11 is going to be $10-15 I'm sure it will be worth it.
That´s probably because, AFAIK, the degradation rate is actually exactly the same on all platforms for the most common actions (hitting enemies).
The difference only takes place when hitting dead bodies (or bodies vanishing upon death) and friendlies, which generally causes more degradation than usual - probably a way to punish players for superfluous moves and ganging upon a single enemy.
Since it´s not particularly intuitive, I´d prefer if there was some in-game explanation for it, because as it is it´s perhaps a bit too sneaky for its own good.
There are some moves where it may occur more commonly on a killing blow - in particular pancaking because a weapon spends some time within a body afterwards.
Personally I wouldn´t be surprised if the 60 fps degradation rate is the intentional one - it´s pretty obvious the mechanics is supposed to be notably bigger deal than in DS1 (weapon degradation bar in UI, rings slowing degradation or items changing looks when broken).
Me as well, it encourages using/trying out more weapons and it doesn´t come with the hassle of having to maintain items one by one since resting at bonfires returns everything to full automatically, therefore is a fun feature in my book.
Yeah, that´s about the price I think it should be sold at to people who already own the game with DLCs.
From what I´ve seen so far, the enemy changes seem mostly cool - I really dig that they seem to have included new invaders with AI á la DLCs (in addition to the Forlorn dude) and I really like touches like a lone Syan knight in FoFG, hollow soldiers attacking the giant-trees or Heide knights´ reallocation.
That said, I´m a bit wary of some other potential changes, mainly the supposed increase enemy count - if it´s done sensibly at a select few places then I´m all for it, but in some of the videos it seems like player was taking less damage than usual, leading me to suspect they may have increased enemy count across the board and balanced it by making the opposition less hard-hitting, which is not the kind of mix I´d be particularly fond of. For that reason I´m, atm, sort of glad the changes are exclusive to the new editions.
Also, personally I think they´ve made the various versions thing way too confusing - particularly in naming the old-gen "GotY" versions the same as the current-gen editions when the latter come with enhancements not available in the former.
Looking forward to the new iteration, at any rate.
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