Dark Souls II OT - March 2014 - Leaked Concept Art

In that Q&A, when he asked the guys about making the game more accessible, they never said anything about making the game easier, but they want the game's underlying mechanics to be better understood by the players and still maintain that rewarding sense of progression. Sounds good to me.

I just saw the reveal for Dark Souls II. Looks impressive and definitely current-gen.

actually, i liked their explanation of the previous comments on understandability and storytelling. my biggest fear was that they'd take out the aspect of the story being told through the environments and scouring the far corners for clues. if they think they can state the pillars of the souls games in a better way than past entries, then more power to them (i think they were clear as day) so long as they don't coddle the player. it's always been the ruleset and storytelling delivery that really make the games believable. so many games are dark and gritty now, but they almost never take that aesthetic beyond a surface level.

as for the demo, it seems promising but having it being cut up sequences from different areas hurts it a bit because the souls games have always been about establishing a sense of place.

Nooo current gen :(

Game looks insane though, I don't even have an urge to play Dark Souls anymore.  Can't wait for this.

Here's a trailer that shows off a little bit of new stuff.  Not much in the way of combat though.

How the **** did I miss THIS. *watching*

Current gen.

Pass.

This has already been the longest generations and developers are still too afraid to move on. This industry is f*cked. Too many cowardly publishers milking the asme sh*t over and over again.

Current gen.

Pass.

This has already been the longest generations and developers are still too afraid to move on. This industry is f*cked. Too many cowardly publishers milking the asme sh*t over and over again.

S0lidSnake

Current gen.

Pass.

This has already been the longest generations and developers are still too afraid to move on. This industry is f*cked. Too many cowardly publishers milking the asme sh*t over and over again.

S0lidSnake

Current gen.

Pass.

This has already been the longest generations and developers are still too afraid to move on. This industry is f*cked. Too many cowardly publishers milking the asme sh*t over and over again.

S0lidSnake

To be fair, the chances of it being next-gen were low from the beginning. An old interview with Edge mentioned that the game began development just as the original Dark Souls was finishing up. Probably didn't have access to next-gen dev kits at the time.

That said, maybe they'll still announce it for next-gen at E3. Doubt it, but there's still time.

Run over by a chariot? Pretty funny.

Cool, you can fire the bow while moving now. Maybe I can be a non-useless archer this time through.

Everything looked amazing. Can't wait!

[QUOTE="S0lidSnake"]

Current gen.

Pass.

This has already been the longest generations and developers are still too afraid to move on. This industry is f*cked. Too many cowardly publishers milking the asme sh*t over and over again.

c_rake

To be fair, the chances of it being next-gen were low from the beginning. An old interview with Edge mentioned that the game began development just as the original Dark Souls was finishing up. Probably didn't have access to next-gen dev kits at the time.

That said, maybe they'll still announce it for next-gen at E3. Doubt it, but there's still time.

I really hope it comes out for next gen. Even if the graphics look exactly the same, no PS4 release would be awfully disappointing to me, especially since this demo pretty much eliminated any doubts I had about the game. 

Everything looked fantastic. Perfect way to show off the game, what with all the dying and darkness. No overplayed action sequences or hype music. My concerns have been allayed for the moment- looks like trademark Souls. 

Looks fantastic.

Everything looked fantastic. Perfect way to show off the game, what with all the dying and darkness. No overplayed action sequences or hype music. My concerns have been allayed for the moment- looks like trademark Souls. gpuFX16

Speaking of music, I really, really hope they go back to composition style of Demon's Souls. So much more atmospheric.

[QUOTE="S0lidSnake"]

Current gen.

Pass.

This has already been the longest generations and developers are still too afraid to move on. This industry is f*cked. Too many cowardly publishers milking the asme sh*t over and over again.

c_rake

To be fair, the chances of it being next-gen were low from the beginning. An old interview with Edge mentioned that the game began development just as the original Dark Souls was finishing up. Probably didn't have access to next-gen dev kits at the time.

That said, maybe they'll still announce it for next-gen at E3. Doubt it, but there's still time.

One thing is for sure. Should they announce a Dark Souls III, expect it to be next-gen. That's a promise.

[QUOTE="gpuFX16"]Everything looked fantastic. Perfect way to show off the game, what with all the dying and darkness. No overplayed action sequences or hype music. My concerns have been allayed for the moment- looks like trademark Souls. c_rake

Speaking of music, I really, really hope they go back to composition style of Demon's Souls. So much more atmospheric.

[QUOTE="S0lidSnake"]

Current gen.

Pass.

This has already been the longest generations and developers are still too afraid to move on. This industry is f*cked. Too many cowardly publishers milking the asme sh*t over and over again.

Minishdriveby

They could at least port it to next gen consoles.

[QUOTE="Minishdriveby"]

[QUOTE="S0lidSnake"]

Current gen.

Pass.

This has already been the longest generations and developers are still too afraid to move on. This industry is f*cked. Too many cowardly publishers milking the asme sh*t over and over again.

Vari3ty

They could at least port it to next gen consoles.

They could and maybe they are doing that in secret, perhaps.

[QUOTE="Minishdriveby"]

[QUOTE="S0lidSnake"]

Current gen.

Pass.

This has already been the longest generations and developers are still too afraid to move on. This industry is f*cked. Too many cowardly publishers milking the asme sh*t over and over again.

Vari3ty

They could at least port it to next gen consoles.

Been looking around at story theories. Popular speculation is that this game takes place after the "bad ending" of Dark Souls and that the rest of the world is feeling the effects as a result. That would explain why there's demons outside of Lordran, I suppose. Not to mention the look of abandonment that permeates the the environment. Only, weren't the bonfires supposed to be extinquished as a result? Whatever the case, that would make for an interesting story for sure.

Dark Souls isn't my cup of tea but it's great to see some devs actually sticking to their roots with a series and not compromising difficulty for a more mainstream appeal. I particularly liked when the devs said they wanted the player to experience awareness, paranoia and the threat of possibe death at any moment. Not knowing what to expect when turning a corner or opening a door. The challenge looks great as far as having mere skill and strategy. However, having to start an entire level over because I opened the wrong treasure chestwould frustrate me very quickly.

However, having to start an entire level over because I opened the wrong treasure chestwould frustrate me very quickly.HipHopBeats

I started to strike every chest I came across after my first encounter with one. They're easy to circumvent.

Been looking around at story theories. Popular speculation is that this game takes place after the "bad ending" of Dark Souls and that the rest of the world is feeling the effects as a result. That would explain why there's demons outside of Lordran, I suppose. Not to mention the look of abandonment that permeates the the environment. Only, weren't the bonfires supposed to be extinquished as a result? Whatever the case, that would make for an interesting story for sure.

c_rake

I haven't really heard any theories so far, but I'm under the impression that this might take place at an earlier time frame, especially if dragons are playing a more prominent role in the story. Maybe something that takes place during the whole dragon war thing that was mentioned at the beginning of Dark Souls. That's the first thing that comes to mind.

[QUOTE="HipHopBeats"] However, having to start an entire level over because I opened the wrong treasure chestwould frustrate me very quickly.c_rake

I started to strike every chest I came across after my first encounter with one. They're easy to circumvent.

I'm curious to see how to circumvent giant wyverns shaking up an unstable rope bridge you're trying to cross. Looks like you'll need more than a bow and arrow to take on those things.

I haven't really heard any theories so far, but I'm under the impression that this might take place at an earlier time frame, especially if dragons are playing a more prominent role in the story. Maybe something that takes place during the whole dragon war thing that was mentioned at the beginning of Dark Souls. That's the first thing that comes to mind._Dez_

I thought the point of the war was so humans and gods could inhabit the land? It would certainly be interesting to see that, but I don't think there would have been any signs of civilization at that time.

Besides, I think we're mostly seeing drakes instead of dragons. Only the reveal trailer made any allusion toward there being dragons.

I'm curious to see how to circumvent giant wyverns shaking up an unstable rope bridge you're trying to cross. Looks like you'll need more than a bow and arrow to take on those things.

HipHopBeats

Same. They said there's a way in the video, but man -- I don't know. Looking forward to that area, for sure.

However, having to start an entire level over

HipHopBeats

wait when is this coming out? i thought it was next gen i'm surprised they decided to make it current gen. whatever thats cool i probably won't get a ps4 for a while anyway. i really hope they made some significant changes.

i really hope they made some significant changes.

idunnodude

why

[QUOTE="c_rake"]

Been looking around at story theories. Popular speculation is that this game takes place after the "bad ending" of Dark Souls and that the rest of the world is feeling the effects as a result. That would explain why there's demons outside of Lordran, I suppose. Not to mention the look of abandonment that permeates the the environment. Only, weren't the bonfires supposed to be extinquished as a result? Whatever the case, that would make for an interesting story for sure.

dvader654

The lore is incredibly rich and the story is surprisingly great. The only thing is that you have to search for it, they don't directly tell you what's happening. I'm sure a lot of people hate that, but that's one of its strengths to me. 

Been looking around at story theories. Popular speculation is that this game takes place after the "bad ending" of Dark Souls and that the rest of the world is feeling the effects as a result. That would explain why there's demons outside of Lordran, I suppose. Not to mention the look of abandonment that permeates the the environment. Only, weren't the bonfires supposed to be extinquished as a result? Whatever the case, that would make for an interesting story for sure.

c_rake

Perhaps the bonfires are about to die out and this particular protagonist is trying to reverse what the last character did?

Just a guess.

By the way, has this been confirmed as a sequel or is it possibly a prequel?

GS article confirms there is no easy mode.  I'll be slowly editing the first post into a grand hype thread worthy of both the PGD and DSII now that all of my fears about the series jumping the shark are fading away.

So what did From Software mean when it said that Dark Souls II would be more accessible than its hard-hearted predecessors? Tanimura talked about removing the "tedious" aspects so you can focus on what makes Souls so eminently engaging. For instance, it wasn't until halfway through Dark Souls that you unlocked the ability to warp between bonfires. In the sequel, you will be able to perform this vanishing feat from the beginning. This ties in to the less-restrictive level design as well. Dark Souls II will once again take place in an open world in which each section is ostensibly a level in itself. However, the order in which you progress is more flexible than before. With more choices, you can forge your own path through the decimated world, so having warp points should limit needless backtracking.

The only other "tedious" aspect that Tanimura was willing to talk about pertained to weapon upgrades. This process will be made more straightforward in Dark Souls II. He didn't go into detail on what changes would be implemented, but he did say that grinding would be reduced. This may mean that you no longer have to procure rare items to infuse your weapons with more power. Although such a shift would keep you progressing, it might not be the clear gain that Tanimura envisions. Repeatedly slaying groups of enemies to gain precious shards provided a vacation from the unnerving tension that is such a frequent aspect of Dark Souls. You could cut enemies to shreds without your heart beating through you chest, which let you exist in this dreary world without the accompanying dread. If Dark Souls II lessens the perks of demon slaughter, it could make an already terrifying adventure even tougher to bear.

GS

Sounds fantastic.  The article goes on to make it sound like the challenge is higher, and that there are puzzle elements of some sort this time around.

[QUOTE="c_rake"]

Been looking around at story theories. Popular speculation is that this game takes place after the "bad ending" of Dark Souls and that the rest of the world is feeling the effects as a result. That would explain why there's demons outside of Lordran, I suppose. Not to mention the look of abandonment that permeates the the environment. Only, weren't the bonfires supposed to be extinquished as a result? Whatever the case, that would make for an interesting story for sure.

_Dez_

I haven't really heard any theories so far, but I'm under the impression that this might take place at an earlier time frame, especially if dragons are playing a more prominent role in the story. Maybe something that takes place during the whole dragon war thing that was mentioned at the beginning of Dark Souls. That's the first thing that comes to mind.

[QUOTE="_Dez_"]

[QUOTE="c_rake"]

Been looking around at story theories. Popular speculation is that this game takes place after the "bad ending" of Dark Souls and that the rest of the world is feeling the effects as a result. That would explain why there's demons outside of Lordran, I suppose. Not to mention the look of abandonment that permeates the the environment. Only, weren't the bonfires supposed to be extinquished as a result? Whatever the case, that would make for an interesting story for sure.

Minishdriveby

I haven't really heard any theories so far, but I'm under the impression that this might take place at an earlier time frame, especially if dragons are playing a more prominent role in the story. Maybe something that takes place during the whole dragon war thing that was mentioned at the beginning of Dark Souls. That's the first thing that comes to mind.

Right, I need to check the Q&A again, but I thought they mentioned that dragons were going to play a bigger role, which led me to think this was sometime in the past. The only dragons we actually saw in that first reveal were merely skeletons, so the idea is pretty far fetched. I'm not sure if the Darks Souls 2 reveal trailer shows a dragon or a wyvern, to be honest. It doesn't look like any of the drakes in Dark Souls.

Hm what I've seen so far is Dark Souls 1.5 with a few ideas that already could have been in Dark Souls.

Dunno, so far I'm not so impressed.

Ok, with one exception....that demon breaching the wall behind the door....THAT was a great gameplay idea :)

Solaire of Astora hinted, and the Astora of the Abyss DLC showed that time is flexible in Dark Souls.  It would be interesting if the game allowed you to see pre-Dark Souls and post Dark Souls versions of different areas.  I'm really curious about the hud elements right next to the health and stamina bars.  They imply some sort of day and night cycle, or some sort of passage of time.

By the way, has this been confirmed as a sequel or is it possibly a prequel?IndianaPwns39

They haven't said. All they've said is that the game doesn't take place anywhere near Lordran.

GS article confirms there is no easy mode.  I'll be slowly editing the first post into a grand hype thread worthy of both the PGD and DSII now that all of my fears about the series jumping the shark are fading away.

[QUOTE="GS"]So what did From Software mean when it said that Dark Souls II would be more accessible than its hard-hearted predecessors? Tanimura talked about removing the "tedious" aspects so you can focus on what makes Souls so eminently engaging. For instance, it wasn't until halfway through Dark Souls that you unlocked the ability to warp between bonfires. In the sequel, you will be able to perform this vanishing feat from the beginning. This ties in to the less-restrictive level design as well. Dark Souls II will once again take place in an open world in which each section is ostensibly a level in itself. However, the order in which you progress is more flexible than before. With more choices, you can forge your own path through the decimated world, so having warp points should limit needless backtracking.

The only other "tedious" aspect that Tanimura was willing to talk about pertained to weapon upgrades. This process will be made more straightforward in Dark Souls II. He didn't go into detail on what changes would be implemented, but he did say that grinding would be reduced. This may mean that you no longer have to procure rare items to infuse your weapons with more power. Although such a shift would keep you progressing, it might not be the clear gain that Tanimura envisions. Repeatedly slaying groups of enemies to gain precious shards provided a vacation from the unnerving tension that is such a frequent aspect of Dark Souls. You could cut enemies to shreds without your heart beating through you chest, which let you exist in this dreary world without the accompanying dread. If Dark Souls II lessens the perks of demon slaughter, it could make an already terrifying adventure even tougher to bear.

rragnaar

Sounds fantastic.  The article goes on to make it sound like the challenge is higher, and that there are puzzle elements of some sort this time around.

Less grinding is always a good thing. Glad to hear their cutting back on it.

I'm excited.  Love the first two games.

...and we've got boxart.

The speed at which they are releasing stuff now is making me think the game is definitely coming out this year.

Loving the atmosphere. Seems more and more Demon's Souls esque with each new screen. Same with the box art; appropriately haunting.

one thing i really hope they keep is making the game seamless like in DS.. no loading screens at allFlubbbs

They've said they're going for an open world like Dark Souls, so that should be possible barring any Anor Londo-like entrances to areas.

Some more bits of info... PC is the lead platform this time around.  They are saying 60fps for the PC version and a locked 30fps for the PS3 and 360.  That is good news for everyone.  I'll be getting it on PC day one.

The game was considered for next-gen, but they decided they wanted to release it sooner.  Hopefully this means we get a 2013 release.

More screens:

The environments look so cool.  That first shot reminds me a lot of the tutorial area in Demon's Souls.  Yesterday's walkthrough really made the environments seem very fleshed out.  I'd love if everything was as in depth as Sen's Fortress and Anor Londo.  I love all of the hidden stuff in those areas.

one thing i really hope they keep is making the game seamless like in DS.. no loading screens at all