Which is unfortunate because I like most of the artifacts of online play (bloodstains, messages, cooperative play) and now I have to remove those from my game because someone is basically spamming invasions.
Well that's the other thing - it's more of a kludge when playing the PC version.
What I am frustrated with right now is: Being invaded twice by the same guy, being invaded by a guy with an endgame item* while I was playing a character that just started a playthrough, and being invaded while hollow.
* plus the logistics for this appear to be unworkable on a legit character
PC version does not. I have to turn off my internet in some way to go offline. So I go into the game, disconnect from the network, get the "You are now playing offline" message, and reconnect to the network.
Weirdly enough, there are NPC invasions in Dark Souls 2 that ONLY occur in offline mode, though they are both in designated PvP areas (Belfry Luna and Grave of Saints), so it's weird they don't offer the option. You can actually level up the Bell Keepers simply by continuing to try spawn the Mad Warrior in Belfry Luna.
Today I learned that some Dark Souls players consider playing offline to be cheating.
Given the nature of internet connections, or even the fact that the most popular Darks Souls streamer, LobosJR, often plays offline so he can use difficulty mods, I'd say that's a pretty bullshit take. I mean, as I mentioned before, those offline only NPC invasions are there specifically to simulate the experience for people who don't enjoy it.
All my invasions the last two days have been multiple ones by the same person. I'm willing to engage them the first time and defend my honor. After that I'd just like to move on, so I just took a knee at the bonfire and they killed me anyway. The problem is that people who do this for hours at a time are specifically camping places they know are bottlenecks. I was trying to figure out how to clear the Ruin Sentinel room in Drangleic to still have one enemy left to open up the last door, and this one particular invader just wouldn't leave well enough alone. I beat her once, she came back twice. After a bit I just don't see the point. It's not the PvP system in Dark Souls that pisses me off (it's as good as any has ever been). As is always the case, it's the TYPE of person who gravitates towards PvP in games who irritate me.
The weird thing is, 75% of the people who have invaded me haven't been worth a crap, in all 3 games. I've never actually lost a legit 1v1 duel (in which I choose to engage) with someone who didn't have a specific build. You would THINK human players would be harder than bosses, but, funny enough, they behave pretty much exactly like the NPC invaders in Dark Souls 2 do. From programmed the AI on those things to an absolute tee.
Today I learned that some Dark Souls players consider playing offline to be cheating.
Given the nature of internet connections, or even the fact that the most popular Darks Souls streamer, LobosJR, often plays offline so he can use difficulty mods, I'd say that's a pretty bullshit take. I mean, as I mentioned before, those offline only NPC invasions are there specifically to simulate the experience for people who don't enjoy it.
Yeah, I agree. I think that take is primarily self-serving bullshit by people who like to camp high traffic areas.
All my invasions the last two days have been multiple ones by the same person. I'm willing to engage them the first time and defend my honor. After that I'd just like to move on, so I just took a knee at the bonfire and they killed me anyway. The problem is that people who do this for hours at a time are specifically camping places they know are bottlenecks. I was trying to figure out how to clear the Ruin Sentinel room in Drangleic to still have one enemy left to open up the last door, and this one particular invader just wouldn't leave well enough alone. I beat her once, she came back twice. After a bit I just don't see the point. It's not the PvP system in Dark Souls that pisses me off (it's as good as any has ever been). As is always the case, it's the TYPE of person who gravitates towards PvP in games who irritate me.
Yeah, this. If I'm just going to get invaded by the same guy over and over again, how exactly am I supposed to get to the next bonfire? I get the feeling that he's trying to screw with people who are genuinely trying to progress in the game. Why else camp that particular area?
The weird thing is, 75% of the people who have invaded me haven't been worth a crap, in all 3 games. I've never actually lost a legit 1v1 duel (in which I choose to engage) with someone who didn't have a specific build. You would THINK human players would be harder than bosses, but, funny enough, they behave pretty much exactly like the NPC invaders in Dark Souls 2 do. From programmed the AI on those things to an absolute tee.
I found the guy I faced to be pretty difficult. I'm not all that good at PVP in general, though.
When we talk about "Dark Souls level design", it's seems we are always talking about Dark Souls 1, and how the whole world was entangled and folded on top of itself vertically. Dark Souls 2 may not have great "Dark Souls" level design, but it has absolutely stellar video game level design. Every single area has an effective theme and idea it is trying to get across, executes on it, then moves on to something different and just as interesting. I can't fathom how anyone could do the fight with the Looking-Glass Knight, walk across the massive chain to Brume Tower, get pushed back by the frigid wind of Eleum Loyce, or hear the siren's calls in the Shrine of Amana and think this game is anything less than brilliant. Not only that, but NG+ is actually more than math in this game. You get new enemies nearly everywhere, new loot, hell even some of the boss battles ramp up. This tapers off in the second half of the game as I think they just ran out of time, but Dark Souls 2 is a game you simply cannot see all of without playing it at least twice.
Dark Souls is a singular experience that transcends video games. Which makes it easy to heap praise on for any number of reasons. But Dark Souls 2 is better at just being a video game.
DS2 areas may execute their themes well, but as video game areas they are often quite lack luster: rather empty corridors that you run through to get to the next one.
All good points but I'll never get over riding an elevator in a windmill up to a lava lake.
I don't think it's actually meant to be in a lake at surface level, I think it's meant to be in a volcanic area in the center of a mountain. I'm also fairly certain it was originally supppsed to be UNDER the Forest of Fallen Giants but had to be repurposed when they had to start from scratch with the assets they had.
The reason the way you travel between areas in Dark Souls 2 doesn't bother me is because the geographical distance you are traversing is infinitely larger than the first game. Drangleic is a kingdom, Dark Souls may have taken place in Lordran, but it's really just what is above and below the city of Anor Londo. If Drangleic was made to-size, it would be Skyrim. Clearly that would never work in a Souls game, so they had to find a way to shuffle you around the various parts of the kingdom. It turned out to be (mostly) corridors and elevators.
I've compared it before to Baldur's Gate 2. There isn't a hint of the open wilderness exploration of the first game. You fast travel to various maps that are essentially their own scenarios. Some of them (especially the sea kingdom with the fish/lizard folk) seem very disjointed. Doesn't take away from the overall experience.
@jjstraka34 It doesn't bother me, it more amuses me.
I think if the elevator in Earthen Peak had gone down instead of up that would have worked wonderfully...but then you have the Old Iron King DLC and it would be weird again.
i had the crow claws, wolf sword, both eye rings and carthus beacon. i gave up on it because I was often a hit or two short of the bonuses popping before the enemy swung at me and the healing was really unreliable.
but now they've gone and increased charge rate, so it might work... even though everything is already dead
yup, murdered the last people to murder last saturday.
I used to be a little interested in pvp, but in ds3 I never invaded anyone who didn't have two buddies and with this dlc it's become 4-5 on one, every time. I gave up after the 4th gank in a row
Comments
Also, I had no idea that the fog gate animation was interruptible. Lovely.
What I am frustrated with right now is: Being invaded twice by the same guy, being invaded by a guy with an endgame item* while I was playing a character that just started a playthrough, and being invaded while hollow.
* plus the logistics for this appear to be unworkable on a legit character
All my invasions the last two days have been multiple ones by the same person. I'm willing to engage them the first time and defend my honor. After that I'd just like to move on, so I just took a knee at the bonfire and they killed me anyway. The problem is that people who do this for hours at a time are specifically camping places they know are bottlenecks. I was trying to figure out how to clear the Ruin Sentinel room in Drangleic to still have one enemy left to open up the last door, and this one particular invader just wouldn't leave well enough alone. I beat her once, she came back twice. After a bit I just don't see the point. It's not the PvP system in Dark Souls that pisses me off (it's as good as any has ever been). As is always the case, it's the TYPE of person who gravitates towards PvP in games who irritate me.
The weird thing is, 75% of the people who have invaded me haven't been worth a crap, in all 3 games. I've never actually lost a legit 1v1 duel (in which I choose to engage) with someone who didn't have a specific build. You would THINK human players would be harder than bosses, but, funny enough, they behave pretty much exactly like the NPC invaders in Dark Souls 2 do. From programmed the AI on those things to an absolute tee.
Dark Souls is a singular experience that transcends video games. Which makes it easy to heap praise on for any number of reasons. But Dark Souls 2 is better at just being a video game.
The reason the way you travel between areas in Dark Souls 2 doesn't bother me is because the geographical distance you are traversing is infinitely larger than the first game. Drangleic is a kingdom, Dark Souls may have taken place in Lordran, but it's really just what is above and below the city of Anor Londo. If Drangleic was made to-size, it would be Skyrim. Clearly that would never work in a Souls game, so they had to find a way to shuffle you around the various parts of the kingdom. It turned out to be (mostly) corridors and elevators.
I've compared it before to Baldur's Gate 2. There isn't a hint of the open wilderness exploration of the first game. You fast travel to various maps that are essentially their own scenarios. Some of them (especially the sea kingdom with the fish/lizard folk) seem very disjointed. Doesn't take away from the overall experience.
I think if the elevator in Earthen Peak had gone down instead of up that would have worked wonderfully...but then you have the Old Iron King DLC and it would be weird again.
New balance patch will be nerfing the summoner class. Finally!!
A few are on the steam post about the patch.
but now they've gone and increased charge rate, so it might work... even though everything is already dead
I used to be a little interested in pvp, but in ds3 I never invaded anyone who didn't have two buddies and with this dlc it's become 4-5 on one, every time. I gave up after the 4th gank in a row