Dark Souls

[Zaki]

I dont mean I land and try to heal first thing, but he has normally killed me before I manage it!!
Gonna go and do another route instead

Roll just before you hit the ground!

[rmoxon]

I'm finding playing this an hour at a time is the best way for me as it usually results in some sort of progression but without the rage rising too much. There's some sort of overall appeal to it despite the frustration it causes where each and every encounter is like a little puzzle box that you feel the urge to solve. That said it's very much one of those games that is greater than the sum of its parts with an immense amount of areas for improvement. It's one that the player probably shouldn't like as much as they do. So yeah, good stuff, but certainly not a GOTY runner.

Blasphamy!!

For me this is easily game of the year (so far anyway) and if it wasnt for the framerate and NPC summon issues that i mentioned earlier would be absolubte perfection.

I feel it is simply one of the best games ever made.

I do think that you are not doing the game justice at all by playing it in such short bursts though, both this and Demon's Souls have always seemed to me like the type of games that require lengthy sessions to fully apreciate (which could be why you dont seem to be appriciating it fully).

Plus its about 100 hours long so playing it in such small segments you might still be at it this time next year!

[Brad]

I don't even boot it up unless i know I have at least 5 hours spare!

[Silvergun X]

I need to jump on this again after today I think - I've been getting into Forza 4 a lot recently so that's taken my Dark Souls time away which is a big shame especially considering

->Open Spoiler<-

I know I only have a couple more bosses left before I fill that Lordvessel and take on Gwyn.

[rmoxon]

I don't even boot it up unless i know I have at least 5 hours spare!

Yeah, as you get further into the game it takes about 5 hours to actually progress past some bits.

In fact i have been on the boss/bosses in Anor Londo for what seems like longer than that now. They are an absolubte nightmare.

I refuse to pussy out and summon the NPC's to virtually kill them for me though.

[Silvergun X]

Yeah, as you get further into the game it takes about 5 hours to actually progress past some bits.

In fact i have been on the boss/bosses in Anor Londo for what seems like longer than that now. They are an absolubte nightmare.

I refuse to pussy out and summon the NPC's to virtually kill them for me though.

Yeah, that was a massive difficulty spike for me - Everything else throughout the game has been manageable.

What kind of build are you running again?

I did it with a DEX build at around SL50:

->Open Spoiler<-

I used a Longbow+7 and a Rapier+10, along with an upgraded Hollow Warrior Shield +6 for the comparitively high stability that came with it (around 70~75). All my armor was very light (Crimson set found in Blighttown)

I kept a lock-on with Ornstein as much as I possibly could, constantly stepping backwards. The shield was capable of taking almost all of their blows without any damage to health.

Keeping a lock on Ornstein, I made sure I could ALWAYS see Smough. As soon as Smough went to attack and miss, I then went in, stabbed Ornstein a couple of times with the shield still up then backed off and repeated. It didn't matter if Ornstein went to attack, the shield would've just soaked it up completely and Smough wouldn't have been a problem as he was cooling down from his missed attack.

As soon as Ornstein was down, I then locked on, switched to Longbow in right hand with Shield in left, and kited the hell out of Smough by staying at maximum lock-on distance, firing a couple of arrows, then very quickly pressing Y and holding the shield up in case he lunged forward and attacked, and actually hit.

[rmoxon]

Yeah, that was a massive difficulty spike for me - Everything else throughout the game has been manageable.

What kind of build are you running again?

I did it with a DEX build at around SL50:

->Open Spoiler<-

I used a Longbow+7 and a Rapier+10, along with an upgraded Hollow Warrior Shield +6 for the comparitively high stability that came with it (around 70~75). All my armor was very light (Crimson set found in Blighttown)

I kept a lock-on with Ornstein as much as I possibly could, constantly stepping backwards. The shield was capable of taking almost all of their blows without any damage to health.

Keeping a lock on Ornstein, I made sure I could ALWAYS see Smough. As soon as Smough went to attack and miss, I then went in, stabbed Ornstein a couple of times with the shield still up then backed off and repeated. It didn't matter if Ornstein went to attack, the shield would've just soaked it up completely and Smough wouldn't have been a problem as he was cooling down from his missed attack.

As soon as Ornstein was down, I then locked on, switched to Longbow in right hand with Shield in left, and kited the hell out of Smough by staying at maximum lock-on distance, firing a couple of arrows, then very quickly pressing Y and holding the shield up in case he lunged forward and attacked, and actually hit.

I'm about level 50 too, I started as a Knight and have a pretty balanced build that I think is somthing like:

Vitality: 26
Enduance:19
Strenth:19
Dexterity:19
Resistance:16

And most of my other stats are at their starting level or near it.

I have a shield with 70 stalbility and 75% lightning reduction (which i thought would help with Ornstein).

Ive tried the fight with different armor but have actualy done best with Havel's set. It makes you move like a snail but the maasive damage reduction seemed to be helping a bit.

I have been trying roughly the same strategy that you suggest but without as much luck, I cant seem to ever get any kind of substatial attack in on Ornstein without being beaten all over the place by them both.

[Supergoal]

For me it's quite likely to be game of the year. Put in over 30 hours and still feel I'm learning the game. I'll agree with others that playing in 1 hour bursts isn't long enough. This game was just a filler till I got my hands on other 'bigger' games but now this is THE game.

[briareos_kerensky]

I'm about level 50 too, I started as a Knight and have a pretty balanced build that I think is somthing like:

I faced O&S is the late 50s, black iron set, black iron greatshield and a +3 black knight sword; started as a knight and focused on strenght and endurance (dexterity was -and still is- at 19, never put a point in resistance and vitality was around 20 at that time). I would wait for Ornstein to dash forward, quickly disengage and attack Smough, one/two strikes top, two handed, from the rear. Ornstein alone, albeit empowered, was extremely easy.
If you have troubles with the first phase you can summon Solaire after clearing the room from the archer and the two giants, he won't kill any of the two bosses but at least he'll distract one long enough for you to kill the other.

[Neon Ignition]

I just can't do longer stints than an hour or so, the game gets boring pretty quick in longer stints for me due to the high amount of repetition. It's holding out longer than Demon's did for me though so it's already technically onto a winner and I don't mind playing for the long haul

[Supergoal]

I have a question about weapons. How do you know how much strength is needed to wield certain weapons? I have a couple of powerful looking weapons but I can't work out how much ability I need.

[Blaiz0r]

This game has completely consumed me, I prefer it even to Demon's Souls, definitely a GOTY contender.

I know some people have trouble with the multi player aspect but when it works it's glorious, the reason why you can't part up with friends is because it adds to the feeling of loneliness and disparity throughout the game, only joining forces seldomly with other lost souls, how easy would the game be if you could just coop with two friends throughout the whole thing?

There are times for example in Sens Fortress where I can hardly leave the first room without getting summoned, but it does depend on level, I imagine NG+ will be better for this as players will have a larger spread of levels to summon phantoms from.

[ItsThere]

I have a question about weapons. How do you know how much strength is needed to wield certain weapons? I have a couple of powerful looking weapons but I can't work out how much ability I need.

It tells you on the inventory screen - if it is red then you don't have enough (strength for example) to wield the weapon.

[Kaido]

Although you can wield some weapons with two hands if your strength is short. Also strength requirements are split from faith requirements on holy weapons so you only get the physical damage for example.

[Blaiz0r]

Yeah, when you dual wield your strength counts as 150% for the purposes of the weapon strength prerequisite.