The boss fights in that Dark Souls 3 DLC trailer look pretty interesting, it also looks like the game is getting a big boost to the visuals/lighting? Possibly with the upcoming v1.07 patch that is supposedly going to be a "big" patch. Then again it could just be them finally figuring out how to make good visual aesthetics.
It was interesting to see that they recorded the footage without anti-aliasing and seemingly no Ambient Occlusion either (It's also a 30FPS recording of a 60FPS game so I assume it's a recording of the console versions).
This is clearly supposed to be the Painted World of Ariamis?? Or as much of it as any of the other areas in the game are callbacks to DS1 at least. Wasn't actually expecting this, not that I have any doubt it will be good. Still hoping for Londor as the final DLC next year. I don't think anyone expected this one though....
@BelleSorciere I read on Reddit that perhaps they're going to pull an AoA on us and reveal that we are the ones who released the Corvians from the painted world.
What this DLC really puts into perspective for me is just how much Dark Souls 3 is Bloodborne's sequel as the last chapter in the Souls series. Forget the fact that they are running on the same PS4-era engine, that is a given. I'm talking about the unsettling nature of the enemies, locations, and themes of the game. Dark Souls 3 is every bit as macabre and unsettling as Bloodborne in many respects, from Rosaria to Ocerios, and now the scavenging fly creatures and the self-flagellating abomination that is clearly going to be one of the bosses. And the fact that this is all taking place in a painting. It's nightmares right out of Brothers Grimm and Lovecraft. Dark Souls 1 and 2 certainly had some unsettling moments, but there wasn't the level of truly disturbing content that 3 has, and that is a direct result of the full-blown horror of Bloodborne.
Interviewer: How many DLCs do you plan for Dark Souls 3? Compared to Artorias of the Abyss, how much volume does it have? Miyazaki: there will be 2 DLCs. This one, and another in early 2017. If you combine both DLC1 and DLC2, the size would be approximately Artorias of the Abyss, or alternatively similar size to a DLC of a SOULS series. Or perhaps a little bigger. I: In Dark Souls 2, there were 3 DLCs. What new challenges are you trying to achieve for Dark Souls 3? M: There are a couple of different aspects in Dark Souls 3 DLC that we are trying to achieve, but one of them is a continuation of story between the 2 DLCs. This is something new that we are taking on. Another experiment in Ashes of Ariandel is the snowy field, which is a vast large expansive area that the players must survive through the hordes of enemies. We wanted to provide a different experience that the vanilla game offered. I: The snowy field looks very barren and lonely. How did you want it to be interpreted by the players? M: We wanted to create an expansive, open field Dark Souls game. We could have used the motif of a vast desert. However we chose the snow fields because it has an innate tie with the main theme of the DLC. DLC1 contains a very deep lore aspect that we have not explored before in previous expansions. The focus on the strong theme and lore demanded it to be in the snowy field, or it was perhaps the best answer to cater this vision. For the theme and story, we would like the users to experience it first hand. We have showcased most of the snowy fields but the DLC is not only of snow. There are numerous situations, and for one map it is very large field that we've created. Different elements are interlaced in the maps, and some paradoxical elements exist. Our focus was to blow your imagination. I: Were the two DLC's lore and story prepared prior to the release of the series? M: Certainly not. Demon's Souls and Dark Souls have very different themes. However, I believe that the themes I created in Dark Souls can only be completed with Dark Souls 3. Therefore, the theme that Dark Souls 3 has (as well as the theme of the DLC) is from the very inception of Dark Souls franchise. I: In the test play, there was a hoard of well organised wolves. Why did you decide to include a hoard of enemies? M: Previously in Dark Souls 3, the concept of field design was much like a dungeon. This time, when we brainstormed how we could create a large expansive area, we added the best of the ideas that were filtered through the drawing board. As a result, escaping around the woods and coordinating to overcome the challenge of hoards is a new challenge that we wanted to present. Our vision is that the increased speed of Dark Souls 3 would augment this playstyle and provide an entirely new experience to the game. I: Do you have new gimmicks in the stage? Yes, for example, the floor of snow can collapse. Another aspect is the PvP arena. We have different PvP rules and arenas that are newly added. It will be similar in style to Dark Souls, so you can expect 1v1 and team battles that you can choose the rules from. DLC1 has one simple stage, but we are considering adding more in DLC2 What can you talk about DLC2? Haha, if I speak too much I get scolded. Firstly, DLC1 and DLC2 are continuation of each other. However each DLC has its different game composition, map, situations and concepts so DLC2 will not feature another snowy map. DLC1's theme is Gothic Horror, and DLC2's theme is digging deeper into the Dark Souls 3 universe Dark Souls series will end very soon, so what are you trying to achieve to not leave a regret in the DLC? DLC1 and 2 have different points of focus, but for DLC1 the focus is combat. We explored different ways of combat that was not explored previously and put a lot of effort in designing this aspect. The large field and using new tactics to overcome the challenge is a major point we focused on. The last point we are focusing in the DLC, is that Dark Souls had a few themes that it was unexplored. We wish to elucidate part of the end of the story through DLC1 and DLC2. Would you like to bring what you learned in Dark Souls 3 development to the next game? Certainly. As a game designer and as an individual, as well as From Software, Dark Souls is a series that have been supported by the fan's feedback and intelligence. We wish to continue on with what we have learnt. Indeed, it is because of what we learnt we want to create a new IP. Said differently, what we learnt in Dark Souls would be better applied if we took a break from the Dark Souls franchise and challenge ourselves to new IP.
@jjstraka34 In DS3 some bosses aren't bosses. For example, the spider monster in CotD or AL. This is in contrast to DS2, where every other fight was a "boss".
It looks amazing, I'm very interested to see where they are going with it, and even more so what the finale is gonna be later in the year. Again, the fights look VERY Bloodborne-esque (I mean the one in the trailer might as well be Maria transferred to the Painted World) and the one on the chair with the cauldron is the kind of large, bestial, totally unsettling creature that reminds me of bosses like Vicar Amelia and Ludwig.
I remain a little confused about the direction they went with. The Painted World is almost universally loved, but there was barely a hint of of it in the main game in 3 besides the Corvians on the Road of Sacrifices. And I don't see any Corvians in any of the gameplay footage, though the big boss certainly looks like it has bird-like features. But to think they are going to leave at least two of the 3 topics of The Deep/Londor/Angelic Faith unexplored further is disappointing.
There's also the description of the lifehunt miracle, velka's statue and the text hinting at it's location, and the way that the firekeeper's soul seems to duplicate the statue's powers. That last one has some strong ties to the Abyss and the serpents, so maybe there will be a further tie in with Londor/the Angelic faith there. Maybe we'll even meet missing characters like Gertrude.
@jjstraka34 They have done this with most every DLC, though. Based on the history of From DLCs it would be silly to expect the closure of main game open ends.
Comments
http://imgur.com/a/P8ojZ
It was interesting to see that they recorded the footage without anti-aliasing and seemingly no Ambient Occlusion either (It's also a 30FPS recording of a 60FPS game so I assume it's a recording of the console versions).
Anyone watching Killjoys? The lovely Hannah John-Kamen voiced Sweet Shalquoir from Dark Souls 2 (the cat being in Majula )
I could listen to her all day
Miyazaki: there will be 2 DLCs. This one, and another in early 2017. If you combine both DLC1 and DLC2, the size would be approximately Artorias of the Abyss, or alternatively similar size to a DLC of a SOULS series. Or perhaps a little bigger.
I: In Dark Souls 2, there were 3 DLCs. What new challenges are you trying to achieve for Dark Souls 3?
M: There are a couple of different aspects in Dark Souls 3 DLC that we are trying to achieve, but one of them is a continuation of story between the 2 DLCs. This is something new that we are taking on. Another experiment in Ashes of Ariandel is the snowy field, which is a vast large expansive area that the players must survive through the hordes of enemies. We wanted to provide a different experience that the vanilla game offered.
I: The snowy field looks very barren and lonely. How did you want it to be interpreted by the players?
M: We wanted to create an expansive, open field Dark Souls game. We could have used the motif of a vast desert. However we chose the snow fields because it has an innate tie with the main theme of the DLC. DLC1 contains a very deep lore aspect that we have not explored before in previous expansions. The focus on the strong theme and lore demanded it to be in the snowy field, or it was perhaps the best answer to cater this vision.
For the theme and story, we would like the users to experience it first hand. We have showcased most of the snowy fields but the DLC is not only of snow. There are numerous situations, and for one map it is very large field that we've created. Different elements are interlaced in the maps, and some paradoxical elements exist. Our focus was to blow your imagination.
I: Were the two DLC's lore and story prepared prior to the release of the series?
M: Certainly not. Demon's Souls and Dark Souls have very different themes. However, I believe that the themes I created in Dark Souls can only be completed with Dark Souls 3. Therefore, the theme that Dark Souls 3 has (as well as the theme of the DLC) is from the very inception of Dark Souls franchise.
I: In the test play, there was a hoard of well organised wolves. Why did you decide to include a hoard of enemies?
M: Previously in Dark Souls 3, the concept of field design was much like a dungeon. This time, when we brainstormed how we could create a large expansive area, we added the best of the ideas that were filtered through the drawing board. As a result, escaping around the woods and coordinating to overcome the challenge of hoards is a new challenge that we wanted to present. Our vision is that the increased speed of Dark Souls 3 would augment this playstyle and provide an entirely new experience to the game.
I: Do you have new gimmicks in the stage?
Yes, for example, the floor of snow can collapse. Another aspect is the PvP arena. We have different PvP rules and arenas that are newly added. It will be similar in style to Dark Souls, so you can expect 1v1 and team battles that you can choose the rules from. DLC1 has one simple stage, but we are considering adding more in DLC2
What can you talk about DLC2?
Haha, if I speak too much I get scolded. Firstly, DLC1 and DLC2 are continuation of each other. However each DLC has its different game composition, map, situations and concepts so DLC2 will not feature another snowy map. DLC1's theme is Gothic Horror, and DLC2's theme is digging deeper into the Dark Souls 3 universe
Dark Souls series will end very soon, so what are you trying to achieve to not leave a regret in the DLC?
DLC1 and 2 have different points of focus, but for DLC1 the focus is combat. We explored different ways of combat that was not explored previously and put a lot of effort in designing this aspect. The large field and using new tactics to overcome the challenge is a major point we focused on. The last point we are focusing in the DLC, is that Dark Souls had a few themes that it was unexplored. We wish to elucidate part of the end of the story through DLC1 and DLC2.
Would you like to bring what you learned in Dark Souls 3 development to the next game?
Certainly. As a game designer and as an individual, as well as From Software, Dark Souls is a series that have been supported by the fan's feedback and intelligence. We wish to continue on with what we have learnt. Indeed, it is because of what we learnt we want to create a new IP. Said differently, what we learnt in Dark Souls would be better applied if we took a break from the Dark Souls franchise and challenge ourselves to new IP.
- New interview source https://www.reddit.com/r/darksouls3/comments/53xuso/ign_jp_posts_a_miyazaki_interview_of_whats_in_dlc/
just imagining if I had walked through that clock in bloodborne and had got a "tune in next year" message....
I hope that DLC2 will have Ash Lake and Abyss covered lorewise.