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Dark Souls internal rendering resolution fix (DSfix)

Zeliard

Member
there's no reason for bad keyboard controls, none, they have been done well before in the same genre. Critizising From for this is legitimate, PC gamers bitch about bad Gamepad controls as well, i don't see why complaining about keyboard controls is somehow wrong.

I'm not at all saying that a game of this sort can never be designed to work with kb/m, but that since it was designed entirely for gamepad with no notion that there'd ever be a PC version, you can't be hugely surprised that a pad is ultimately the best option.

My larger point is simply that with a machine as versatile as the PC, you shouldn't have to feel forced to use kb/m for everything out there. It's a good idea to keep a pad around for cases such as this where a pad is ultimately the superior option, regardless of the reasons behind that.

It's in console land where they're stuck with one input no matter what in almost everything. We don't have to deal with that issue with PCs. It's a huge platform strength, why not make use of it?
 

patapuf

Member
Coming fom a space sim background, I see the benefit of designing a game around a specific input. I have 0 problems with using a controller with a game that was obviously designed around one.

there is absolutely nothing that dark souls does that requires a controller though. Unlike in many simulations.
 

Sethos

Banned
Coming fom a space sim background, I see the benefit of designing a game around a specific input. I have 0 problems with using a controller with a game that was obviously designed around one.

but they work. Just like thrid person action games work on keyboard. The reason dark souls doesn't is because From did a poor job, not because Dark Souls can't work on a keyboard.

That's why, not because of "specific input".
 

Durante

Member
Yeah, I agree. There's nothing inherent in the design of Dark Souls that means it wouldn't work well with kb/m controls. It's just a bad implementation.
 

patapuf

Member
I'm not at all saying that a game of this sort can never be designed to work with kb/m, but that since it was designed entirely for gamepad with no notion that there'd ever be a PC version, you can't be hugely surprised that a pad is ultimately the best option.

My larger point is simply that with a machine as versatile as the PC, you shouldn't have to feel forced to use kb/m for everything out there. It's a good idea to keep a pad around for cases such as this where a pad is ultimately the superior option, regardless of the reasons behind that.

It's in console land where they're stuck with one input no matter what in almost everything. We don't have to deal with that issue with PCs. It's a huge platform strength, why not make use of it?

It's not about what is best. I'm aware that the best option is a controller, that's fine. It's that the keyboard controls are barely functional, they are really really bad. and they don't have to be.

The point is From did a very poor job, but since they didn't even unlock the resolution that was to be expected i guess. And it's my own fault if i'd like to play with a keyboard.
 

Hargenx

Member
I have a PC and a Xbox, and a prefer to NOT use my Xbox controller in PC games, yeah it crazy, but is how I prefer to play on my PC.
 

Yoshichan

And they made him a Lord of Cinder. Not for virtue, but for might. Such is a lord, I suppose. But here I ask. Do we have a sodding chance?
edit: wrong thread ._.
 

Zzoram

Member
What did I just do...

y8H1Q.png

You made the right decision. This game looks and runs so much better than on PC. They also fixed some bugs and balanced some items/weapons. No complete list of patch notes is available so far but the PC version definitely has changes since the last console patch.
 

D3RANG3D

Member
"Oh the controls suck donkey dick? Well use a gamepad, you aren't a real PC gamer without a gamepad. PC promotes freedom of choice, USE GAMEPAD!"

LOL, this is ridiculous!

Yeah, I agree. There's nothing inherent in the design of Dark Souls that means it wouldn't work well with kb/m controls. It's just a bad implementation.

I rebound the keyboard controls, but the mouse gets wonky, you can possibly fix that too :p
 
For people who have a controller, controls are really a non-issue since they work great.

But as for the keyboard and mouse, it seems to me of all the things that could be modded this would be the easiest? I mean wouldn't all you need is a program that rebinds keys and can put a dead zone in the mouse? Dont' common programs like Motion to Joy even let you do this?
 
I wish this mod would inspire Namco and From to hire a PC port developer to take pass over the source code to find opportunities for optimizations and better keyboard and mouse controls. I'm sure there are plenty of opportunities.
 

Zeliard

Member
It's not about what is best. I'm aware that the best option is a controller. It's that the keyboard controls are barely functional, they are really really bad. and there is no reason for that.

The point is From did a very poor job, but since they didn't even unlock the resolution that was to be expected i guess. And it's my own fault if i'd like to play with a keyboard.

I'm not defending From here, I'm defending the platform. Every console shooter is much shittier with a pad than it would be with a keyboard and mouse, but on console you are still forced to use a pad (with rare games also featuring motion control options).

I haven't tried Dark Souls' kb/m controls, and I'm sure they are complete dogshit. Given the rest of the port, that seems a given. There is no defending From there, much like there is no defending them with the graphical elements.

What I'm simply saying is that yes, the reality is the kb/m controls are shit, but there are ultimately other ways to control the game. You aren't limited to a single input that - if it's shit - you are totally screwed no matter what. The first Dead Space's mouse lag was horrible enough that it's the only shooter I've ever played on PC where I used a pad. I was glad to have a pad around for times like that even if I would have much rather played it with kb/m.
 

patapuf

Member
I'm not defending From here, I'm defending the platform. Every console shooter is much shittier with a pad than it would be with a keyboard and mouse, but on console you are still forced to use a pad (with rare games also featuring motion control options).

I haven't tried Dark Souls' kb/m controls, and I'm sure they are complete dogshit. Given the rest of the port, that seems a given. There is no defending From there, much like there is no defending them with the graphical elements.

What I'm simply saying is that yes, the reality is the kb/m controls are shit, but there are ultimately other ways to control the game. You aren't limited to a single input that - if it's shit - you are totally screwed no matter what. The first Dead Space's mouse lag was horrible enough that it's the only shooter I've ever played on PC where I used a pad. I was glad to have a pad around for times like that even if I would have much rather played it with kb/m.

What i'm arguing is that: "the game was designed around a pad, that's why the controlls are shit" is not true. The controls are bad because From implemented them badly. The whole: "don't complain about the controls, use a pad!" irks me. The complaints are valid.

I have a pad btw. but i don't attack those that'd rather use a keyboard.
 

Cdammen

Member
Bloody hell this game is kicking my ass. I'm stuck on the second boss. I know the procedure but it's insane how much damage he does. I get struck once and lose half my health, and them I'm stuck between the wall and him awaiting death.

Also, love how contrived the "co-op" is in this game. Why even include it? :D

Still, I love it. It feels like a real adventure game of old. Lots of secrets, dangers, and a lot of "how does this work" and all the "a-ha!" moments that go with it.

Oh yeah, thanks Durante. The game looks so much better with your patch.
 
How bad is the KB/M support in this game? You decide --> You Tube demonstration

Yeah that's pretty terrible.

It doesn't change the fact that the game controls great and is awesome with a controller. Those guys tell everybody to buy the 360 version instead. That is totally wrong. If you have a 360 then you have a 360 controller, hook it up to your PC. With Durante's fix this is the definitive version of the game. Again it sucks that keyboard and mouse controls are bad. I'm not apologizing for that. I'm just saying for anybody who owns a controller it's a non-issue.
 

Zeliard

Member
What i'm arguing is that: "the game was designed around a pad, that's why the controlls are shit" is not true. The controls are bad because From implemented them badly. The whole: "don't complain about the controls, use a pad!" irks me. The complaints are valid.

I have a pad btw. but i don't attack those that'd rather use a keyboard.

From implemented everything badly. It's a terrible port.

Would it be ideal if the kb/m controls were playable? Of course, but it would also be ideal if the rest of the port was up to even the lowest standards.

The beauty of the PC is that that doesn't have to be the end. Complain about the terrible kb/m controls, of course, but also use a pad to play it. The two aren't mutually exclusive. You can be understandably upset that you can't use your favorite form of control, but also realize that you aren't strictly limited to that at the end of the day.

Why force yourself to play an otherwise great game with terrible controls when you don't necessarily have to? Until/if From or someone else fixes the kb/m controls, gamepad is the much better option, so use one. It's indefensible that the kb/m controls aren't better, but it's also the reality of things.
 

grkazan12

Member
Thank you so much for the fix Durante, you single handedly influenced me to purchase this game and I salute for your awesome efforts.
 

IronRinn

Member
Something is definitely wrong.

I'm downsampling at 1.5x and DOF 1080 on a worse computer and I get a constant 30fps.

Try turning off any graphics overlay programs or any unused programs. Fraps also beats up some people's config for some reason.

Tried doing this last night. Turned off Afterburner completely and didn't use Fraps and the framerate was still inconsistent. Particles especially hit it hard and more than two enemies on screen make it dip and dive. I can't even raise the resolution beyond 1920 x 1080 because the game simply crashes. Very strange.
 

BloodyBonzai

Neo Member
How do you get the compatibility section to come up in NVIDIA inspector? As you can guess I dont play Skyrim due to the inability to dodge. Kingdoms of Amalur all the way, that is until Dark Souls came out.
 

JanKowalski

Neo Member
Maybe it does, I didn't even bother trying M&KB for this game.
But that's not the point. "Other games in this genre do it nicely" is a damn poor argument.
This game was specifically designed to use this control system, and so it obviosuly works far better with it.

I have no doubt you could make this sort of game work flawlessly with a m&kb, but you would need to design it from the start with that in mind, you can't realistically expect to change the control system entirely and have both options working equally fine.

In the end what really matters isn't even "could it be done right, eventually?" but "If you already know that there is a clear winner, an option that is vastly superior to the other, just use it and be done with these rants".

Sorry, but this is complete BS. What makes this game almost unplayable on K+M is the terrible mouse aiming/looking. It's a trivial thing to do properly, even in 3rd person games. There is nothing in Dark Souls design, that prohibits proper mouse look inplementation.

If this was done properly, this game would not only be as good with K+B, as it is with a controller, it would be even better IMO. It would be more satisfying with K+B, because you wouldn't have to rely on a silly lock-on system to do the aiming for you.

Also, people FFS, you can rebind the keys. I've seem many people say that keyboard keys are bad. You can use whatever you want! You can't rebind mouse buttons though AFAIK. I'd like to be able to block with RMB, for example. But that's not the main issue.
 

BloodyBonzai

Neo Member
I think I figured out how to apply ambient occlusion through NVIDIA inspector. In the section labelled Unknown for settingID Ambient_Occlusion_Flags (0x002C7F45) I changed the Setting Value to 0x00000029 (Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim) because I cannot find a sectionID labelled Ambient Occlusion Compatibility as shown in Durante's instructions. Is this what I am supposed to do?
 

Zeliard

Member
I think I figured out how to apply ambient occlusion through NVIDIA inspector. In the section labelled Unknown I set Ambient_Occlusion_Flags (0x002C7F45) to 0x00000029 (Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim) because there is no section labelled Compatibility. Is this what I am supposed to do?

Do you have an updated version of Inspector?

I don't think it's really working, regardless. At least nobody seems to have gotten it to work.

I read somewhere you could use the fable settings to force SSAO.

I tried that one but ended up with screwy shadows on my character.
 

Htown

STOP SHITTING ON MY MOTHER'S HEADSTONE
You guys realize there's a difference between controls being better on a controller than a keyboard, and the keyboard controls being nearly unplayable, right?

It's not a matter of what the most optimal controls are, it's a matter of things not working on the only control method that comes standard with every PC.
 

BloodyBonzai

Neo Member
Do you have an updated version of Inspector?

I don't think it's really working, regardless. At least nobody seems to have gotten it to work.



I tried that one but ended up with screwy shadows on my character.

Using NVIDIA Inspector 1.9.6.6, just downloaded from Guru3D.com. You sure, Durante said that doing it this way gives the best results so far. You just need a good enough system to run it at 30fps. Refer to post 2513 you actually replied to it.
 

IoCaster

Gold Member
Sorry, but this is complete BS. What makes this game almost unplayable on K+M is the terrible mouse aiming/looking. It's a trivial thing to do properly, even in 3rd person games. There is nothing in Dark Souls design, that prohibits proper mouse look inplementation.

If this was done properly, this game would not only be as good with K+B, as it is with a controller, it would be even better IMO. It would be more satisfying with K+B, because you wouldn't have to rely on a silly lock-on system to do the aiming for you.

I agree that proper mouse support would have made this an incredibly rewarding game to play and I'd be singing it's praises as much as the console gamers. At this point it's blindingly obvious that From had to be dragged kicking and screaming to make this port. The total lack of effort in all parts of the PC version points to more than just inexperience with PC development. Regardless of whether or not Namco Bandai forced them to do this port they should feel embarrassed at the low quality of their work.
 

legacyzero

Banned
Thank you so much for the fix Durante, you single handedly influenced me to purchase this game and I salute for your awesome efforts.

I agree with this post. Durante was the make or break on my purchase. Bought it the instant impressions started coming back.
 

Sentenza

Member
Rubbish arguments. Some games are better with a control option that allows a greater control range and variable movement, keyboard being more on / off. However this game isn't such game, you are telling people it's required because the controls are shit, not because it's not a "keyboard type of game". Don't fucking be an apologist for that BS. However games that work less well with keyboards still work nonetheless! Here's it is just straight out unplayable.
Yeah, that's pretty much it. So?
One control system is great, the other sucks hard.
It's not really a dilemma, pick the one that works. You don't get some horrendous illness using a gamepad.

And it's not that someone is forcing you to buy a Saitek professional flight cloche or a racing wheel.
It's a motherfucking 20€ gamepad. Anyone should have one these days.

Complaints on this topic seem extremely pointless to me.
 
Yeah, that's pretty much it. So?
One control system is great, the other sucks hard.
It's not really a dilemma, pick the one that works. You don't get some horrendous illness using a gamepad.

And it's not that someone is forcing you to buy a Saitek professional flight cloche or a racing wheel.
It's a motherfucking 20€ gamepad. Anyone should have one these days.

Complaints on this topic seem extremely pointless to me.

I bought a gamepad just for this game. It was a great decision imo
 

Durante

Member
He was going off on what someone else said. I don't think anyone's gotten the Skyrim bit or any others to properly work yet.
Well, the guy who has posted 8 screenshots or so with obvious SSAO seems to have gotten it to work, but I wasn't able to reproduce that.
 

Zeliard

Member
Well, the guy who has posted 8 screenshots or so with obvious SSAO seems to have gotten it to work, but I wasn't able to reproduce that.

A number of people haven't been able to reproduce it. I'm not implying that the guy was lying, but his variation doesn't exactly seem to work for everyone, so hopefully someone will find one that's more successful or discover how he apparently made it work.
 
You made the right decision. This game looks and runs so much better than on PC . They also fixed some bugs and balanced some items/weapons. No complete list of patch notes is available so far but the PC version definitely has changes since the last console patch.

He he

I know what you meant though
 

Hoo-doo

Banned
How are you going to slowly creep around corners with your shield up like a scared turtle with a keyboard?

Because that's how I play Dark Souls.

It's a shame they botched the KB/M controls though.
 

Zeliard

Member
Let's lighten the mood and talk about the simmer hatred Durante clearly has for Solaire.

data2012-08-2609-33-2o3jxg.png


'Course when the alternative is this,

data2012-08-2609-28-02rkmc.png


The choice is clear. You'll just have to imagine your sun, Solaire. I like that the subdued sun makes Solaire seem even nuttier than usual.
 

Enkidu

Member
How are you going to slowly creep around corners with your shield up like a scared turtle with a keyboard?

Because that's how I play Dark Souls.

It's a shame they botched the KB/M controls though.
By holding down shift (or whatever key it is) to walk instead of run?
 

undu

Member
Yeah, that's pretty much it. So?
One control system is great, the other sucks hard.
It's not really a dilemma, pick the one that works. You don't get some horrendous illness using a gamepad.

And it's not that someone is forcing you to buy a Saitek professional flight cloche or a racing wheel.
It's a motherfucking 20€ gamepad. Anyone should have one these days.

Complaints on this topic seem extremely pointless to me.
Just because Durante fixed the framebuffer doesn't mean kb+mouse controls are acceptable and people shouldn't be able to complain and ask for good ones. Get over it.
 

Anteater

Member
So he's saying it's highly praised because it's different and unique? What's the problem with that.

Honestly I don't think the game needs much more done visually.

I think he's saying the game gets praised because it's "old school" but also commenting that it's terrible for the same reason.
 
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