Dark Souls II - From Software Responds

Couchpotato

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MCV has a response from From Software about the Dark Souls II graphics downgrade. It looks like the PC version might be affected also. So this is not good news.

The developer of Dark Souls has at last responded to concerns about the visuals offered by the game’s retail release.

Consumers last week launched a campaign aimed at both developer From Software and publisher Namco Bandai, alleging that the graphics on offer in the shipped retail version of the game are significantly different from preview material being circulated as recently as a few weeks before launch.

"Throughout the game development process, a game is constantly being balanced not only in game playability, but also in the realm of resource management,” From told MCV.

“A developer is always challenged with creating the most rewarding gaming experience while delivering continuity in graphical quality, gameplay dynamics, and balance within the game. The final version of Dark Souls II displays the culmination of this delicate balance and we’re very proud of the positive media and fan reception for the game.”
More information.
 
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Like showing a beautiful, crisp bike for the child at the store that he will get as Christmas present [if he gets good grades], then when the time comes the bike is packed out of the box and its metal is full of scratches and peeling paint, its treads are worn, the sidewalls damaged.

- WTF? - would a child say inspecting the "brand new" present?
 
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Marketing has never been about honesty. Why are people surprised?

Most games tend to look better in the PR light - and you can't expect developers to prematurely downgrade visuals when they're showing off their games.

If you don't want marketing to work like this, then stop supporting the monetary system.
 
Would be nice to know if PC version will have additional detail, probably not, the console kiddies would piss their pants in anger and they will probably try to avoid any type of war between the different versions.
 
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More a bit disappointed than surprised I guess.

And it is the principle of the thing (there was no need for the downgrade on the PC i.e.) rather than worrying that it will adversely affect the game's quality (I am fairly confident it will not).

P.S. Nice analogy with the bike I have to admit :)

Would be nice to know if PC version will have additional detail, probably not, the console kiddies would piss their pants in anger and they will probably try to avoid any type of war between the different versions.

Yeah, this. It is just meh...
 
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They should keep a high setting for the PC version, it's ridicules if they don't!

On the other hand there'll probably be an unofficial fan-made patch upgrading the graphics within a couple of days if they don't... so I wouldn't worry too much.
 
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Publishers/developers are doing this more often now than in the past, starting with the Aliens: Colonial Marines fiasco.

I am sure this has happened in the past, but maybe not to this degree. It is becoming blatant these days, maybe because they are still developing for previous gen consoles with thier limitations.

I have seen the graphic comparison between what was shown previously and the released version of DS2, and the differences are very noticable. I don't care much about graphics, but the feeling that you have been lied to or 'conned' does not go well with me - I think it is called 'misrepresentation' in legal terms.
 
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I just can't believe the internet drama about a few pixels in a game.
 
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I haven't seen the difference and I won't check as it will probably just tick me off.

I don't care much about the graphics it's not like the first one was a technical marvel. I do care about deception and bait and switch tactics however.

If they will do this to their core customers what will they do to their niche pc market. It makes me plenty worried about their promises of a proper pc port. I'm just going to cross my fingers that they at least give us good K&M support. Anything above that will just be icing.
 
On the other hand there'll probably be an unofficial fan-made patch upgrading the graphics within a couple of days if they don't… so I wouldn't worry too much.

No, not the type of graphics we're talking here, in the comparison images there's a ton of more detail including completely new meshes, better lightning. That's not something a modder can do, not for a game without any modding tools. We might get tools to update the textures again though.
 
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I just wanted to say I have been playing dark souls 2 since the release and it looks great. Lots of people are saying they prefer the original graphics of the trailer. overall I like the new look ,plant growing up walls, ruins should look like ruins. The old graphics made the game look to clean. Its only my opinion but dark souls 2 is a great game and its graphics are a lot better than the original. If these types of scare mongering articles put you of then your really missing out.
 
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fanboy much? ;) I'm pretty sure most people will still buy the game regardless, that's not really the point here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykbT03r_9Zo

the new graphics are far more "clean" with far less detail and much worse lightning. I do agree that the added moss is a nice touch though, it could be added with ease to the "old" graphics so its not like they'd have to chose between the two..

I just read that the demo was in fact shown on a PC so i guess there's at least a slim chance that the PC version will look better. http://www.reddit.com/r/DarkSouls2/comments/20f2rd/demo_footage_of_dark_souls_2_ran_on_a_pc/
 
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I don't understand what's so hardware intensive. We're not talking BF4 graphics and they pretty much blur or make dark anything past 25' or so.

I'm guessing it's just poor optimization of code.
 
I don't understand what's so hardware intensive. We're not talking BF4 graphics and they pretty much blur or make dark anything past 25' or so.

I'm guessing it's just poor optimization of code.

Remember they are using a new engine for DS2, the world is bigger than DS1 and it is on previous generation of consoles and so the graphics had to take a knock on effect (or the programmers were using a PS3 pad putting code blocks with each other rather than actually typing any new, optimised code :lol:).
 
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Do people imagine that From is offering sub-optimal graphics just to screw with people? I'm sure they would have liked the game to both look great and run with 30 fps in all areas, but apparently that wasn't possible.

The lighting is pretty terrible, but the game overall looks plenty good to me. The art design is more important than texture resolution and such IMO.
 
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Usually I don't like being called a fanboy . Am I fanboy . When I cames to darksouls yes iam lol. I don't mind one bit.
I have heard the pc version is going to have better graphics over the console version. Still I would wait for the first reviews for the pc release.
 
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I wouldn't get my hopes up that the PC version is going to be significantly better. This is simply not a company with much experience on that platform.
 
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Do people imagine that From is offering sub-optimal graphics just to screw with people? I'm sure they would have liked the game to both look great and run with 30 fps in all areas, but apparently that wasn't possible.

The lighting is pretty terrible, but the game overall looks plenty good to me. The art design is more important than texture resolution and such IMO.

But it's the art design that has been stripped down.. and no, no one believe they did it to screw with anyone, that'd be a pretty dumb strategy ;) This is very common these days, another example is Watch Dogs which looked absolutetly stunning in the first video, while now it looks quite mediocre..

Sometimes the graphics are nicer in the demos as a pure marketing gimick. For example; show the game with superior graphics on superior hardware and trick people into thinking that's the final product (or even that the final game will look even better since its beta/alpha). Sometimes its because they just couldnt get the performance at an accepable level, sometimes i guess its both..
 
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Been playing on Xbox. Some areas look great. Most areas look exactly like DS1, more or less. First boss fight is particularly bland, everything looks flat. Still a great game.
 
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