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[Dark Souls] Go post in the new thread (pg 100 for link)

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Posts

  • FawstFawst The road to awe.Registered User regular
    Sounds like you bought the digital version in that case.

  • RobesRobes Registered User regular
    Is anyone getting it on both console and pc? I don't want to feel alone.

    "Wait" he says... do I look like a waiter?
  • DacDac Registered User regular
    I'm getting it for console, then selling it when the PC version comes out, I think.

    Steam: catseye543
    PSN: ShogunGunshow
    Origin: ShogunGunshow
  • greeblegreeble Registered User regular
    I'm probably getting it for both. I double dipped on Dark Souls so I'll probably do the same for this. I really like the better graphics of the PC version, but at least for me Dark Souls on the ps3 had a better multiplayer community. (May be a fault of Windows Live so hopefully its better this time) I also have gotten platinum trophies in Demon's Souls and Dark Souls so it would be a shame not to have one for Dark Souls 2 as well.

    PSN/steam/battle.net: greeble XBL: GreebleX

    Let me tell you about Demon's Souls....
    I’ll tell you what happens in Demon’s Souls when you die. You come back as a ghost with your health capped at half. And when you keep on dying, the alignment of the world turns black and the enemies get harder. That’s right, when you fail in this game, it gets harder. Why? Because fuck you is why.
  • CorpekataCorpekata Registered User regular
    edited March 2014
    I'll be getting both because I am a weak willed person (and have some unused credit burning holes in my pockets) but will drop the console version like a brick when PC release hits.

    Corpekata on
    pardzhStabbity Style
  • SpawnbrokerSpawnbroker Registered User regular
    I will be buying the console version followed by PC eventually. I tend to prefer playing the console version because I like to go online, and there are less hackers on PS3.

    Steam: Spawnbroker
  • MrJesse34MrJesse34 Registered User regular
    they made me type in a shipping address, then said free shipping before they let me order though. i really hope i didnt order the digital version i don't have any HD space left. Do they sell additional HDs for xbox?

  • ArchsorcererArchsorcerer Registered User regular
    You can use an USB too.

    XBL - ArchSilversmith

    "We have years of struggle ahead, mostly within ourselves." - Made in USA
    nicopernicus
  • Ed GrubermanEd Gruberman Registered User regular
    edited March 2014
    I saw this on kotaku: Dark Souls Death Counter

    For PC players, you upload your saved game and it will tell you how many deaths you had for each character.

    I'm at 48 in about 5.5 hours (the rest of my gaming time was spent on PS3)

    I kind of like seeing the number after the fact. I think it would bug me if it was there every time you loaded up your game.

    EDIT: And in answer to the Console vs. PC version, I'm getting it on PS3 because I don't want to wait the month and my laptop doesn't play the current Dark Souls very well. I will probably grab the PC version when it's no sale, though or if I ever upgrade my PC to current reasonable gaming standards.

    Ed Gruberman on
    steam_sig.png

    SteamID: edgruberman GOG Galaxy: EdGruberman
  • PLAPLA The process.Registered User regular
    The guide-readers seem to be suggesting
    that many covenant-rewards, for example the Great Chaos Fireball, are obtainable in other ways.

  • VorpalVorpal Registered User regular
    edited March 2014
    Death of the body is meaningless. Only the hollowing of the mind has any meaning. The body is only what remains after what drives it has finally gone.

    I don't think this is correct, this is directly contradicted by dialog in game.

    Your rescuer, Oscar, says " I'm done for, I'm afraid... I'll die soon, then lose my sanity" Note that he says he will die and then go hollow. In that order. Not the other way around. For him at least, physical death is the gateway to becoming hollow. He is clearly mentally stable and sound.

    But undead die many times - what is it about this one death that leads to becoming hollow and not others? Unexplained.

    Also,other NPC's tell you to not die out there, because they don't want you to go hollow.

    Andre : "Don't get yourself killed, neither of us wants to see you go Hollow."

    So this "Die, then turn hollow" chain of events is apparently well understood in the undead world.

    But it's clearly not the *only* route to becoming hollow. We see several NPC's descend into madness and desperation and become hollow without ever having suffered physical death. I would say this latter route may even be the most common one, but it is far from the only one.

    Becoming hollow is thus a constant danger to undead, that will attack wherever you are weakest, on either the physical or mental fronts. Like everything else out there in Lordran, it is coming to kill you and it won't give up. If you show the slightest vulnerability on either front, you're done for. Fits in well with the game overall being so bleak and depressing.

    One very interesting tidbit is from the Crestfallen merchant, when asked where he gets his wares he says : "Where do I get all my things? Stripped off the corpses of fools like yourself. It isn't easy. I have to catch them just before they go Hollow"

    This can be taken in at least two different ways: one is that he find the corpses of people and strips them before they turn hollow and re-animate. Another is that he finds them before they go hollow, then either kill them himself or see them get killed, then remove the equipment before they leave and go somewhere else (possibly another plane?) There could be other interpretations I have not yet considered.

    Also very interesting is that Logan refers to Seath as a true undead. You do get a soul from seath as he dies, and he doesn't leave a corpse behind.

    Vorpal on
    steam_sig.png
    PSN: Vorpallion Twitch: Vorpallion
  • Evil MultifariousEvil Multifarious Registered User regular
    I'm trying to decide what build I'll use for Dark Souls 2

    In Demon's Souls, I used a lightly armoured guy with the meat cleaver, because it was fun to be agile and do a lot of damage, and armour sucked.

    In Dark Souls, I played through the game with a heavily armoured Strength character wearing Havel's armour, who used heavy shields and a variety of fairly heavy weapons (culminating in a lightning claymore), and I also rigged him up to use the teleport-back-to-bonfire spell and use the dragon greatbow. He was lots of fun.

    I also played the early part of the game again just to join the Sunbros and do a lot of co-op, with a warrior-priest who was geared to use a longsword, a heavy shield, wear moderately heavy armour, and use a lot of heals/lightning bolts. I really enjoyed him too.

    I restarted with a lightly armoured character who used dex weapons and bows, because (although bows kind of sucked) I wanted to try a light roll character and ranged attacks. Didn't get too far before losing interest, and had the same result with a full-on magic user character.

    I'm thinking I'll focus on a more agile character this time, a medium-armour character with a one-handed dex weapon and a medium shield, who uses either a bow or some magic for ranged attack options. It's just so hard to choose because I'm not sure what will be the most rewarding for that first play through!

  • RubycatRubycat Registered User regular
    The new stats are gonna take some time to figure out, my first build is probably going to be a giant mess of a sword and board'r

    steam_sig.png
    PSN: Rubycat3 / NintentdoID: Rubycat
    Evil MultifariousstormbringerTurkey
  • Evil MultifariousEvil Multifarious Registered User regular
    a big part of that first play through is just the thrill of finding new, cool things and deciding how to adapt your build to use the items you want

    like my first character got a black knight sword drop very early because I decided I could take on that first black knight in the burg and I had a protracted, deadly duel. and that weapon carried me through like 60% of the game, and it felt great, because i earned it in combat with a tough optional enemy.

    apparently there's some kind of respec option in this one though?

  • VorpalVorpal Registered User regular
    edited March 2014
    My early characters are always a mess, like, ~20 in every stat to use the cool new things I pick up and spells that look interesting, and then lots of health and endurance.

    If there's a respec option that will make me happier.

    Vorpal on
    steam_sig.png
    PSN: Vorpallion Twitch: Vorpallion
  • Foolish ChaosFoolish Chaos Registered User regular
    Corpekata wrote: »
    Has there been any word on when this is launching on PSN? Is it midnight or middle of the day whenever we feel like it type of stuff?

    I decided I was going to my first midnight release, but if I can just download it tonight then I will totally do that

  • PolaritiePolaritie Sleepy Registered User regular
    Yeah, there's supposed to be a respec option this time around. Collect EVERYTHING.

    That said, I want to try something different, since sword/spell and board is all I did in Dark Souls really.

    Two handed flippy ninja incoming?

    Steam: Polaritie
    3DS: 0473-8507-2652
    Switch: SW-5185-4991-5118
    PSN: AbEntropy
  • metaghostmetaghost An intriguing odor A delicate touchRegistered User regular
    Corpekata wrote: »
    Has there been any word on when this is launching on PSN? Is it midnight or middle of the day whenever we feel like it type of stuff?

    I decided I was going to my first midnight release, but if I can just download it tonight then I will totally do that

    Have any of the big Day 1 Digital games ever been available at midnight? I feel like I remember The Last of Us was supposed to, but I don't remember it actually happening.

  • ArchsorcererArchsorcerer Registered User regular
    I wanna know the stats and moveset for the bastard sword and the haldberd(s). I want the bastard sword to be different from the claymore.
    BTW, the Claymore is back and it seems the Lucerne's strong attack trespasses shield like the shotel.

    XBL - ArchSilversmith

    "We have years of struggle ahead, mostly within ourselves." - Made in USA
  • HyperionHyperion Registered User regular
    Alazull wrote: »
    I'm actually kind of cool with the PC release being later, it'll actually give me time to finish DS1 before embarking into 2, which coincidentally will keep me busy enough to avoid most spoilers.

    Speaking of DS1, I've managed to finally find Laurentius and learn some Pyromancy. I even spent a few hours farming souls to upgrade my flame to +9. I've fallen in love with Combustion and Fire Orb, and also started using some sorcery. I've kind of decided to abandon Miracles because the only useful ones I have at the moment heal, and usually if I'm in need of healing my Estus flask can do the job.

    Now I'm kind of at a crossroads with character progression because I want to increase my Intelligence for casting, I also seem to remember seeing an item available that made it so I could cast Miracles with INT as well? That'd be helpful in the future. I also want to increase my Attunement so I have more spell slots, but have a hard time doing so since that's really all it seems to increase. Meanwhile, both my Strength and Dexterity are sitting at 18, which is just starting to get my scaling weapons to the point of being better than my Drake Sword, which means I need to start thinking about new weapons. I figure I'm down with more DEX based weapons; I love the idea of making a Samurai styled character that uses spears, katanas and bows.

    Didn't see this answered, but it sounds to me like you're spreading yourself too thin. Most people pick Dex OR Strength to level up, same with Faith OR Intelligence. My main piece of advice would be to pick one avenue and pump stats there, forgetting about the others. I vote Dex, but that's just me.

    XBL: Jhnny Cash PSN: Jhnny_Cash Steam ID: http://steamcommunity.com/id/hypephb 3DS: 0619-4582-9630 Nintendo Network ID: DBrickashaw
    You might know me as D'Brickashaw on Steam.
  • ArchsorcererArchsorcerer Registered User regular
    And NeoGAf is down. :P

    XBL - ArchSilversmith

    "We have years of struggle ahead, mostly within ourselves." - Made in USA
  • Foolish ChaosFoolish Chaos Registered User regular
    metaghost wrote: »
    Corpekata wrote: »
    Has there been any word on when this is launching on PSN? Is it midnight or middle of the day whenever we feel like it type of stuff?

    I decided I was going to my first midnight release, but if I can just download it tonight then I will totally do that

    Have any of the big Day 1 Digital games ever been available at midnight? I feel like I remember The Last of Us was supposed to, but I don't remember it actually happening.

    I bought GTAV the night of, and downloaded it. It took about 2 hours past midnight, but I did play that night...

  • PolaritiePolaritie Sleepy Registered User regular
    Hyperion wrote: »
    Alazull wrote: »
    I'm actually kind of cool with the PC release being later, it'll actually give me time to finish DS1 before embarking into 2, which coincidentally will keep me busy enough to avoid most spoilers.

    Speaking of DS1, I've managed to finally find Laurentius and learn some Pyromancy. I even spent a few hours farming souls to upgrade my flame to +9. I've fallen in love with Combustion and Fire Orb, and also started using some sorcery. I've kind of decided to abandon Miracles because the only useful ones I have at the moment heal, and usually if I'm in need of healing my Estus flask can do the job.

    Now I'm kind of at a crossroads with character progression because I want to increase my Intelligence for casting, I also seem to remember seeing an item available that made it so I could cast Miracles with INT as well? That'd be helpful in the future. I also want to increase my Attunement so I have more spell slots, but have a hard time doing so since that's really all it seems to increase. Meanwhile, both my Strength and Dexterity are sitting at 18, which is just starting to get my scaling weapons to the point of being better than my Drake Sword, which means I need to start thinking about new weapons. I figure I'm down with more DEX based weapons; I love the idea of making a Samurai styled character that uses spears, katanas and bows.

    Didn't see this answered, but it sounds to me like you're spreading yourself too thin. Most people pick Dex OR Strength to level up, same with Faith OR Intelligence. My main piece of advice would be to pick one avenue and pump stats there, forgetting about the others. I vote Dex, but that's just me.

    Well, STR 26 dex 40 is a common choice too - quality build.

    That said, I also favor dex, because scythes.

    Steam: Polaritie
    3DS: 0473-8507-2652
    Switch: SW-5185-4991-5118
    PSN: AbEntropy
  • LanrutconLanrutcon The LabyrinthRegistered User regular
    At first I was worried that DS2's areas were all bland and samey, but now that people have discovered late game areas I'm feeling a lot better. Some of the environments are pretty impressive, I gotta say.
    And NeoGAf is down. :P

    Exactly, motherfucker :P

    Capture.jpg~original
    Currently playing: GW2 and TSW
  • DarlanDarlan Registered User regular
    I already pre-ordered the PC version when it was 40 bucks, but I'm starting to come around to the idea of picking up the console version this weekend, powering through it, and selling it right away to avoid spoilers before the PC release. Maybe it'll be in a redbox somewhere around here.

  • ArchsorcererArchsorcerer Registered User regular
    edited March 2014
    Salaman would be proud.
    Forbidden Sun
    3 s, (1 - 3 uses)
    Acquired from Royal Sorcerer Navlaan
    - casts a giant, fast-moving fire ball with long-range
    - causes dmg on impact, and then causes more dmg by exploding (one of most destructive spells in pyromancy)

    For the fans of Dragon's Dogma:
    Immolation
    2 s, (8 - 15 uses)
    Acquired from Iron Keep
    - coats your body in flames, inflicting dmg to you over time, but even more dmg to nearby enemies
    - lasts 30 seconds

    Weapon list for those interested: http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/693331-dark-souls-ii/68754916

    Archsorcerer on
    XBL - ArchSilversmith

    "We have years of struggle ahead, mostly within ourselves." - Made in USA
  • PLAPLA The process.Registered User regular
    Well, it's also a spell-list

  • ArchsorcererArchsorcerer Registered User regular
    Everything is a weapon.

    XBL - ArchSilversmith

    "We have years of struggle ahead, mostly within ourselves." - Made in USA
    PLA
  • ViskodViskod Registered User regular
    Are there any pictures of some nice looking environments in Dark Souls 2? I tried to look at some gameplay videos but, all I saw was some really really awful and bland looking castle segments and caves.

  • VorpalVorpal Registered User regular
    I find it odd the Bandit for dark souls 2 has such high starting faith (higher than the knight) but like, nothing in attunement. It would take him ages before he could use even a single faith spell.

    Or the leaked starting stats are wrong.

    steam_sig.png
    PSN: Vorpallion Twitch: Vorpallion
  • Blackbird SR-71CBlackbird SR-71C Registered User regular
    Vorpal wrote: »
    I find it odd the Bandit for dark souls 2 has such high starting faith (higher than the knight) but like, nothing in attunement. It would take him ages before he could use even a single faith spell.

    Or the leaked starting stats are wrong.

    Might be older builds and we'll see a day one patch.

    steam_sig.png
    Steam ID: 76561198021298113
    Origin ID: SR71C_Blackbird

  • LanrutconLanrutcon The LabyrinthRegistered User regular
    Viskod wrote: »
    Are there any pictures of some nice looking environments in Dark Souls 2? I tried to look at some gameplay videos but, all I saw was some really really awful and bland looking castle segments and caves.

    There's a flooded fortress, a jungle covered city, blight giant's tomb town and a super creepy fog covered forest that have impressed me. I don't have links to pics, but there are a lot of people uploading stuff to youtube.

    In a few days there'll be a ton of media around :) I am looking forward to downsampling the shit out the PC version.

    Capture.jpg~original
    Currently playing: GW2 and TSW
  • PLAPLA The process.Registered User regular
    Covenants.
    Wish I had more info on all the "seals", "tablets" and so on. Hard to gauge how much I want something that isn't being described.

    Example: Vanquisher's Seal.

  • LanrutconLanrutcon The LabyrinthRegistered User regular
    PLA wrote: »
    Covenants.
    Wish I had more info on all the "seals", "tablets" and so on. Hard to gauge how much I want something that isn't being described.

    Example: Vanquisher's Seal.

    Pilgrims of the Dark seem reaaaally interesting.

    Capture.jpg~original
    Currently playing: GW2 and TSW
  • TransporterTransporter Registered User regular
    So, HOLY SHIT, I just had an epiphany.

    So I was thinking about the nature of hollows, and come to the conclusion that hollowing basically reduces you to your last base instinct/desire, before your conciousness is annihilated completly.

    Why did I come to this conclusion?

    THE

    FUCKING

    CHURCH.

    Lordran was a city of undead. a safe harbor, in decline, but still. But there is still a mystery there. We take most of the Hollow's wandering around for granted, since, well, they seem sort of purposeless. Their positions make no sense, and most of them just seem like they were wandering.

    EXCEPT AT THE CHURCH.

    Every hollow is in formation.

    About Six Baulder Knight's are at the main door's of the church, as well as one of the big ones.

    And a TON of "normal" hollows are in the top floor of the church.

    But WHY?

    Well, I haven't given that much thought until now. Until it came to me. Why is the gate down? What happens when you venture accross the bridge? DRAGON.

    Long Spoiler
    Basically, shit is breaking down in Lordran. The Undead who lived there, thanks to years of silence from Anor Londo are starting to give up hope. They hear about what happens in New Londo. People start losing their shit.Some guards are sent down to try and maintain order, but then they eventually lose themselves.

    Then a FUCKING DRAGON attacks. People panic. The Baulder Knights in the region try and help some of the normal undead get to the safety of the Church Firekeeper and hold off the Dragon with the help of whatever local militia hasn't gone hollowfied as best as they can. LAUTREC is amoung the knight's who help the civilians get to the church.

    Dragon relentlessly attacks, however, the Balder Knight's as well as the local militia keep getting resurrected at the church because of the Church Firekeeper. However, in the chaos of the Dragon attacks, Lautrec murders the firekeeper because he's a piece of shit, however, his ass is caught, he's thrown in jail, and the firekeeper's soul is kept at the alter as a makeshift grave.

    Between Dragon attacks, and attacks from hollow's trying to get at the remaining citizens in the church, the Baulder Knight's and militia keep defending the people. Eventually, the Dragon get's bored with fighting an immortal army.

    Eventually, the people realize that there is no longer any hope for them.

    But the soldier's will defend. Defend to the very end, if it's the last thing they will do. It's the last thing they desire....

    DARK SOULS.

    italianranmaPLASCREECH OF THE FARGAlazullMorninglordvagrant_windsKoopahTroopahTurkey
  • Rhan9Rhan9 Registered User regular
    And NeoGAf is down. :P

    And nothing of value was lost.

  • PLAPLA The process.Registered User regular
    Wikidot up, now.

  • LanrutconLanrutcon The LabyrinthRegistered User regular
    Rhan9 wrote: »
    And NeoGAf is down. :P

    And nothing of value was lost.

    They have the bestest GIFs!

    There's this one, with a cat, and a funny quip and EVERYTHING!

    Capture.jpg~original
    Currently playing: GW2 and TSW
  • MorninglordMorninglord I'm tired of being Batman, so today I'll be Owl.Registered User regular
    edited March 2014
    Vorpal wrote: »
    Death of the body is meaningless. Only the hollowing of the mind has any meaning. The body is only what remains after what drives it has finally gone.

    I don't think this is correct, this is directly contradicted by dialog in game.

    Your rescuer, Oscar, says " I'm done for, I'm afraid... I'll die soon, then lose my sanity" Note that he says he will die and then go hollow. In that order. Not the other way around. For him at least, physical death is the gateway to becoming hollow. He is clearly mentally stable and sound.

    But undead die many times - what is it about this one death that leads to becoming hollow and not others? Unexplained.

    Also,other NPC's tell you to not die out there, because they don't want you to go hollow.

    Andre : "Don't get yourself killed, neither of us wants to see you go Hollow."

    So this "Die, then turn hollow" chain of events is apparently well understood in the undead world.

    But it's clearly not the *only* route to becoming hollow. We see several NPC's descend into madness and desperation and become hollow without ever having suffered physical death. I would say this latter route may even be the most common one, but it is far from the only one.

    Becoming hollow is thus a constant danger to undead, that will attack wherever you are weakest, on either the physical or mental fronts. Like everything else out there in Lordran, it is coming to kill you and it won't give up. If you show the slightest vulnerability on either front, you're done for. Fits in well with the game overall being so bleak and depressing.

    One very interesting tidbit is from the Crestfallen merchant, when asked where he gets his wares he says : "Where do I get all my things? Stripped off the corpses of fools like yourself. It isn't easy. I have to catch them just before they go Hollow"

    This can be taken in at least two different ways: one is that he find the corpses of people and strips them before they turn hollow and re-animate. Another is that he finds them before they go hollow, then either kill them himself or see them get killed, then remove the equipment before they leave and go somewhere else (possibly another plane?) There could be other interpretations I have not yet considered.

    Also very interesting is that Logan refers to Seath as a true undead. You do get a soul from seath as he dies, and he doesn't leave a corpse behind.

    I don't think those things contradict that statement. They're referring to "you have died". Death of their body is worded as secondary importance. I don't agree that any of that changes the meaninglessness of physical death. Oscar didn't really care about dying. He cared about going hollow. What is it about dying that makes going hollow so risky? The hollow state itself and it's lack of connection with others and initial loss of humanity. You are extremely likely to go insane in that state. For most undead it seems to be a one way trip: respawn as hollow, bang nuts. Many npc's who see you hollow initially react with revulsion or fear, but are then reassured. The main character appears to have a great deal of mental fortitude compared to any other undead and it surprises them. The smith's comment feels more like a habitual reassurance.

    The only route to "going hollow" is losing your sanity. Dying and respawning in the hollow state just usually does the trick right there and then. Not so for you.

    Seath was undead because of the prymordial crystal. You broke the crystal and after that point he's mortal again.
    So, HOLY SHIT, I just had an epiphany.

    So I was thinking about the nature of hollows, and come to the conclusion that hollowing basically reduces you to your last base instinct/desire, before your conciousness is annihilated completly.

    Why did I come to this conclusion?

    THE

    FUCKING

    CHURCH.

    Lordran was a city of undead. a safe harbor, in decline, but still. But there is still a mystery there. We take most of the Hollow's wandering around for granted, since, well, they seem sort of purposeless. Their positions make no sense, and most of them just seem like they were wandering.

    EXCEPT AT THE CHURCH.

    Every hollow is in formation.

    About Six Baulder Knight's are at the main door's of the church, as well as one of the big ones.

    And a TON of "normal" hollows are in the top floor of the church.

    But WHY?

    Well, I haven't given that much thought until now. Until it came to me. Why is the gate down? What happens when you venture accross the bridge? DRAGON.

    Long Spoiler
    Basically, shit is breaking down in Lordran. The Undead who lived there, thanks to years of silence from Anor Londo are starting to give up hope. They hear about what happens in New Londo. People start losing their shit.Some guards are sent down to try and maintain order, but then they eventually lose themselves.

    Then a FUCKING DRAGON attacks. People panic. The Baulder Knights in the region try and help some of the normal undead get to the safety of the Church Firekeeper and hold off the Dragon with the help of whatever local militia hasn't gone hollowfied as best as they can. LAUTREC is amoung the knight's who help the civilians get to the church.

    Dragon relentlessly attacks, however, the Balder Knight's as well as the local militia keep getting resurrected at the church because of the Church Firekeeper. However, in the chaos of the Dragon attacks, Lautrec murders the firekeeper because he's a piece of shit, however, his ass is caught, he's thrown in jail, and the firekeeper's soul is kept at the alter as a makeshift grave.

    Between Dragon attacks, and attacks from hollow's trying to get at the remaining citizens in the church, the Baulder Knight's and militia keep defending the people. Eventually, the Dragon get's bored with fighting an immortal army.

    Eventually, the people realize that there is no longer any hope for them.

    But the soldier's will defend. Defend to the very end, if it's the last thing they will do. It's the last thing they desire....

    DARK SOULS.

    Hey that's beautiful.

    What happens when you hollow? You want your bloodstain back. And revenge.

    Not always of course, but that's your character being a little bit extra special.

    Morninglord on
    (PSN: Morninglord) (Steam: Morninglord) (WiiU: Morninglord22) I like to record and toss up a lot of random gaming videos here.
    Turkey
  • VorpalVorpal Registered User regular
    Vorpal wrote: »
    Death of the body is meaningless. Only the hollowing of the mind has any meaning. The body is only what remains after what drives it has finally gone.

    I don't think this is correct, this is directly contradicted by dialog in game.

    Your rescuer, Oscar, says " I'm done for, I'm afraid... I'll die soon, then lose my sanity" Note that he says he will die and then go hollow. In that order. Not the other way around. For him at least, physical death is the gateway to becoming hollow. He is clearly mentally stable and sound.

    But undead die many times - what is it about this one death that leads to becoming hollow and not others? Unexplained.

    Also,other NPC's tell you to not die out there, because they don't want you to go hollow.

    Andre : "Don't get yourself killed, neither of us wants to see you go Hollow."

    So this "Die, then turn hollow" chain of events is apparently well understood in the undead world.

    But it's clearly not the *only* route to becoming hollow. We see several NPC's descend into madness and desperation and become hollow without ever having suffered physical death. I would say this latter route may even be the most common one, but it is far from the only one.

    Becoming hollow is thus a constant danger to undead, that will attack wherever you are weakest, on either the physical or mental fronts. Like everything else out there in Lordran, it is coming to kill you and it won't give up. If you show the slightest vulnerability on either front, you're done for. Fits in well with the game overall being so bleak and depressing.

    One very interesting tidbit is from the Crestfallen merchant, when asked where he gets his wares he says : "Where do I get all my things? Stripped off the corpses of fools like yourself. It isn't easy. I have to catch them just before they go Hollow"

    This can be taken in at least two different ways: one is that he find the corpses of people and strips them before they turn hollow and re-animate. Another is that he finds them before they go hollow, then either kill them himself or see them get killed, then remove the equipment before they leave and go somewhere else (possibly another plane?) There could be other interpretations I have not yet considered.

    Also very interesting is that Logan refers to Seath as a true undead. You do get a soul from seath as he dies, and he doesn't leave a corpse behind.

    I don't think those things contradict that statement. They're referring to "you have died". Death of their body is worded as secondary importance. I don't agree that any of that changes the meaninglessness of physical death. Oscar didn't really care about dying. He cared about going hollow.

    Both Oscar and Andre make it clear that death of your physical body can lead to going hollow.

    It is therefore clear that death of the body is not something meaningless. Characters advise you to avoid it lest you go hollow.

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    PSN: Vorpallion Twitch: Vorpallion
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