Random Gaming Thoughts (Read OP Before Posting)

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Re: Random Gaming Thoughts (Read OP Before Posting)

Postby OL » Wed Feb 10, 2016 4:20 pm

AnimeGamer183 wrote:...you just have to kill all the enemies again (the most obnoxious part about this game)...


No, you really don't.
The thing about the Souls series is that you're supposed to learn from each death. If you die, it's wholly your mistake; the games are solidly-made enough that you generally can't blame anything on glitches or bugs, or the controls not functioning properly, or balancing issues, or anything of that sort. Actually, that's exactly what From Software specializes in: balancing. It's the reason there are so many entries in the Armored Core series, for example; they'll use the same graphics and mechanics from one entry to make the next, but with a whole slew of new balancing tweaks in place. They've been doing this for two decades now.
Anyway, back to the point: you're meant to learn from each death. You're meant to memorize enemy placements so you know exactly what's around every corner. You're meant to die to every enemy type, so you know what to expect from them and what their weaknesses are. The Souls games (and Bloodborne) use death as a literal mechanic in their gameplay; since you die so easily, the fact that you're immediately resurrected is your greatest tool toward progression.
Think of it like a videogame version of Groundhog Day, but with giant cleavers and Lovecraft monsters.
The whole point of the games is to stop thinking of dying as a detractor, and start using it as a learning tool.
Bottom line: you don't have to kill all the enemies again. You can run right past them.

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Re: Random Gaming Thoughts (Read OP Before Posting)

Postby AnimeGamer183 » Wed Feb 10, 2016 4:48 pm

Yeah I realized that after going through this same area so many times, ill watch the enemies default movement patterns, just stand there watching... GREAT FUN... no you probably dont have to kill each and every enemy but the main point is that all of them re-spawn after you die. The game is such a troll too, the saving system is very unclear but it saves for you, your items are still used up after you respawn (it doesnt just load the last save file), but the locks and doors and levers you have pulled and opened stay open, its a weird design choice to me, im used to just having the level completely reset with items I previously had (load my last save basically), nope not here (and damn them having the triangle button be the heal item short cut, i keep hitting it thinking its going to take me to the menu like so many other games). The combat is very clunky, you get stuck on walls, you cant do shit once so many enemies corner you, there are certain areas that invite you take a path that is surely to be the death of you. Its just a slow paced game that requires alot of rinse and repeat and it seems like its huge wall to climb in the beginning, truly a sado-masochist of a game on every level basically, still I want to like this game so much more and see what else is here but the game is getting in its own way. Perhaps its just i have not played another entry into the From Software Souls games (this was the first one that looked like I might really like it), and I am still not sure how exactly these play yet, but so far its been one mixed feelings fest and not gaining any progress, certainly going to eventually push me away from the game if this continues.

Also on another note, im completely stumped by the games story line so far, I know im a hunter and im up against a zombie infestation of some sort in late 1800s europe or something? The Hunters dream place is the safe haven in some kind of other plane or dimension im going back and forth from, and other than that, im clueless what everything else means or why im even fighting these people, its been very vague on story so far.
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Re: Random Gaming Thoughts (Read OP Before Posting)

Postby OL » Wed Feb 10, 2016 5:55 pm

Story-wise, don't try to put it into any kind of real-world context. It isn't based in the real world, it isn't based in the 1800s... it's all fantasy and horror, told with a completely nightmare-style of coherence. The one thing to understand about the Souls games from a story standpoint is the way the director likes to tell them.
Henry posted an interview with the guy a while back where he mentions how, as a kid, he used to check English books out at the library. And, being Japanese and having a limited grasp of English, he could only understand certain lines, certain parts of the story. So he used to fill in the rest of the story with his own imagination. There were definite parts he could understand, and the rest was left up to him to imagine.
He makes the Souls games and Bloodborne with that same sensibility in mind, hoping to inspire the same experience he used to have as a kid. You get cutscenes here and there -- mainly at the very beginning or before bosses -- but the rest of the story is told by the environment itself, or by the item descriptions in your inventory, or by the placement of certain enemy types in certain locations. Every detail is a possible explanation for some other mystery. There likely is a canonical explanation for the story, but the director keeps it to himself.
There's a huge community on youtube dedicated to dissecting the various parts of the Souls series and Bloodborne, hoping to give extra context for those that can't quite make sense of it. To me, the best parts of the story come out through watching these videos or reading other people's interpretations of things. It's all pretty fascinating when they start pointing out connections that make total sense.
VaatiVidya is probably the most notable youtuber who makes these videos. Here's his channel:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCe0DNp ... VaTundyr9w
And just a quick overview of the basic story for the game (contains spoilers, of course):
phpBB [video]
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Re: Random Gaming Thoughts (Read OP Before Posting)

Postby Raithos » Wed Feb 10, 2016 6:13 pm

AnimeGamer183 wrote: there are certain areas that invite you take a path that is surely to be the death of you.

OL wrote: :hello:

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Re: Random Gaming Thoughts (Read OP Before Posting)

Postby AnimeGamer183 » Wed Feb 10, 2016 6:32 pm

I thought so lol

The random stair case that leads directly to the mob of enemies surrounding a burning fixture in the middle of the street, yeah definitely the fastest way to get through this part of the game *dies within seconds* :lol:

Well I may have to start the game over entirely, I have exhausted all my healing items trying to get through this part also the triangle button thing I mentioned earlier *sigh*... its just not looking that im going to be able to actually play through this game. Perhaps this is what I get for trying to come out of my gaming comfort zone.

As far as the story stuff OL mentioned, it sounds fascinating, so I would say the story is more left up to interpretation than your usual RPG that lays everything out for you.
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Re: Random Gaming Thoughts (Read OP Before Posting)

Postby MiTT3NZ » Thu Feb 11, 2016 12:35 am

My MGSO character. Not sure if he looks like me or I look like him.

Image

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Re: Random Gaming Thoughts (Read OP Before Posting)

Postby Kenny » Thu Feb 11, 2016 12:48 am

We need to play sometime.
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Re: Random Gaming Thoughts (Read OP Before Posting)

Postby MiTT3NZ » Thu Feb 11, 2016 12:50 am

Steam?
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Re: Random Gaming Thoughts (Read OP Before Posting)

Postby Henry Spencer » Thu Feb 11, 2016 1:11 pm

A Message From The Assassins Creed Team(s?) - We have decided there will be no Assassins Creed games releasing this year.

http://blog.ubi.com/a-message-from-the- ... reed-team/

Oh no, is the world turning upside down, whatever will we do? What's going on? A year without a single Ass Creed game? What are Ubisoft doing? Wow.

Sorry if this new ruins your week, Orange. :(
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Re: Random Gaming Thoughts (Read OP Before Posting)

Postby AnimeGamer183 » Thu Feb 11, 2016 2:16 pm

Good, glad to see those udders getting a break for this year at least...
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Re: Random Gaming Thoughts (Read OP Before Posting)

Postby OL » Thu Feb 11, 2016 6:16 pm

Henry Spencer wrote:
Sorry if this new ruins your week, Orange. :(


Nah, I'm good with it. Was expecting this was the case anyway. I liked Syndicate a lot, but I think it's to the point where it needs another major change-up.
I'm actually hoping this is because they're trying to go all-hands-on-deck with Watch_Dogs 2.
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Re: Random Gaming Thoughts (Read OP Before Posting)

Postby AnimeGamer183 » Thu Feb 11, 2016 9:51 pm

Does anyone know what all this "Season Pass" business I keep seeing is? Is it legitimate or just more money companies expect us to fork over so we can enjoy games like we always have?
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Re: Random Gaming Thoughts (Read OP Before Posting)

Postby OL » Thu Feb 11, 2016 10:24 pm

It depends on the game. Usually it just means you'll have access to all future DLC that comes out for one initial price. I've only bought a season pass once, and it was long after the game had been out for a while, so it was marked down anyway.
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Re: Random Gaming Thoughts (Read OP Before Posting)

Postby AnimeGamer183 » Thu Feb 11, 2016 10:33 pm

That makes me want to unleash the dormant gurmpy gamer in me! As if DLC wasnt bad enough... I guess with the recognition of gaming as a sport (so um yeah... they are airing competitive gaming tournaments on ESPN now, FYI), but I just dont like the idea of gaming having a "season" like a professional sports team and the like, especially if its not an online multi-player or actual sports game.

Video games is reminding me more and more of the drug game, first DLC, microtransactions, then Season Pass, buts all just a way to chop it up put in the cut and present options with different prices depending on how much you are willing to buy at once. Wish I could get a full games worth of content for one price all released on physical media like the old days...
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Re: Random Gaming Thoughts (Read OP Before Posting)

Postby Calshot » Thu Feb 11, 2016 10:57 pm

AnimeGamer183 wrote: Wish I could get a full games worth of content for one price all released on physical media like the old days...

They have those. They're called "Game of the Year Editions".

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