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Dark Souls Design Works (English Edition)

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kairu

Member
Does anyone have the Japanese version of this?

http://amzn.to/18MAeTl

I just ordered the upcoming english version thats up on Amazon because I am a sucker for Dark Souls and I was wondering how it is as an artbook? I can hardly wait till November but would like to know what kind of quality I can expect.
 
The book is fantastic. Much of the concept art and key art included within is stuff you've probably seen before, but there are illustrations of every single enemy and boss, along with tons of armor and weapons. Seeing that original artwork gives you a better appreciation of the immense detail From put into every aspect of the game.

There are a few pages of unused pieces that (with the exception of Artorias) never made it into the game.

I love this book.
 
Geek said:
The book is fantastic. Much of the concept art and key art included within is stuff you've probably seen before, but there are illustrations of every single enemy and boss, along with tons of armor and weapons. Seeing that original artwork gives you a better appreciation of the immense detail From put into every aspect of the game.

There are a few pages of unused pieces that (with the exception of Artorias) never made it into the game.

I love this book.
Click to expand...

Thats awesome to hear, i really like seeing sketches and stuff. Is that kind of stuff in there or is it mostly finished pieces?
 
kairu said:
Thats awesome to hear, i really like seeing sketches and stuff. Is that kind of stuff in there or is it mostly finished pieces?
Click to expand...

It's a mix. There are a bunch of finished pieces, but some of the artwork is clearly exploratory and a little rough. There are some treats within, like diagrams of how the Catarina helm would open, the layers of Kirk's thorn armor, sketches on how Gaping Dragon would move, some variations on Iron Golem's design... lots of stuff like that.

EDIT: Oh yeah, there's some stuff in here that didn't make it into the game, like Darkwraith Knights on horseback. It also gives you an appreciation for the design of things like Bed of Chaos and Ceaseless Discharge — enemies you don't really get to see in their full scale.
 
I own it and love it. It's really nice. I would like to see what all the little notes say after being translated though.

That amazon listing seems like a decent price too. Importing the japanese one cost me 70 bucks.
 
popyea said:
I own it and love it. It's really nice. I would like to see what all the little notes say after being translated though.

That amazon listing seems like a decent price too. Importing the japanese one cost me 70 bucks.
Click to expand...

Thanks for weighing in! Yeah the price is entirely decent for a hardcover artbook.

@Geek, damn that shit sounds awesome!

You folks have made waiting till November to read it that much harder... Damnit.
 
Geek said:
The book is fantastic. Much of the concept art and key art included within is stuff you've probably seen before, but there are illustrations of every single enemy and boss, along with tons of armor and weapons. Seeing that original artwork gives you a better appreciation of the immense detail From put into every aspect of the game.

There are a few pages of unused pieces that (with the exception of Artorias) never made it into the game.

I love this book.
Click to expand...

I've had it pre-ordered so this is good to hear. I need to check I'm getting the right version.

Edit: Yep I had the one in the OP pre-ordered. All is good!
 
Ugh. Anyone else get an email today from Amazon saying this no longer has a release date? Unfortunate... I was looking forward to this in a few weeks. I hope that it isn't delayed too much.
 
Doombear said:
Ugh. Anyone else get an email today from Amazon saying this no longer has a release date? Unfortunate... I was looking forward to this in a few weeks. I hope that it isn't delayed too much.
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yea, I just got this too........ I am not happy. I hope it is still coming out? Thinking they might be pushing it back to get it closer to DS2 launch?
 
I hope it is just delayed hilldog, and not delayed forever. I was really excited about this! As long as it is still coming out, I am ok with a delay but seeing as how this wasn't too advertised to begin with I wonder if we will see any information one way or the other.
 
Apologize for the double post, but thought it was worth bumping to let everyone subbed know that this once again has a date again on Amazon. March 11, 2014.

Hilldog, looks like you were right. They seem to have wanted to push this closer to the DS2 release. Either way, going to be a great month for Dark Souls.
 
It would have been nice if they could also release a digital version of this on PSN/XBLA.How much would it cost for them to do it?

In fact i have no idea why companies don't sell their art books on digital markets...
 
This delay is nothing. I've been waiting for my copy of "The Eyes of Bayonetta" since I preordered it a year and a half ago.

Monster Hunter Illustrations II got bumped too.
 
I've had this book in my hands ( a friend of mine bought the Japanese version )

It is NOT the same artbook that came with the PS3 Limited Edition. This is a "full" artbook.

This has a lot of concept art, sketches, digital and traditional.
It also has insight from the developers into some of these concepts and so on. Interviews and such.

It's really good and recommended to any Souls fan. Will get mine as soon as it's available on Europe!
 
Another notification from Amazon UK:

The items listed below will actually be dispatched sooner than we had originally expected based on the new release date:

From Software "Dark Souls: Design Works"
Previous estimated arrival date: January 24 2014 - January 24 2014
New estimated arrival date: January 17 2014 - January 17 2014
Click to expand...

Not sure they're any wiser to what's going on than us, TBH.
 
So I took a peek at Udon's site and it says it's supposed to be in stores. . . Today.

Uhhh, has anyone heard anything?
 
Eusis said:
So I took a peek at Udon's site and it says it's supposed to be in stores. . . Today.

Uhhh, has anyone heard anything?
Click to expand...

I got an email from amazon.de about a week ago. They still have no shipping date and will keep me updated. I don't know anymore. I guess I'll wait, again.
 
Eusis said:
So I took a peek at Udon's site and it says it's supposed to be in stores. . . Today.

Uhhh, has anyone heard anything?
Click to expand...

Amazon UK says Jan 22th... for now.

67mjHS3.jpg
 
Ooh Amazon UK has this listed as well? Will preorder if it's ever coming out.

I've flipped through that crummy CE excuse for an artbook many times, must have this.
 
Got an e-mail from Amazon earlier today:

"We thought you'd like to know that we shipped your item, and that this completes your order."

Estimated delivery = January 15.

Yaaaaaaaay :D
 
[NaK];96538979 said:
Got an e-mail from Amazon earlier today:

"We thought you'd like to know that we shipped your item, and that this completes your order."

Estimated delivery = January 15.

Yaaaaaaaay :D
Click to expand...

Awesome, hopefully mine ships soon too :D
 
Nothing on my end.

I also forgot the story about the release date was from January 4th. They seem to be the literal embodiment of "it's done when it's done", you only know it's coming out if news pops up a few days before it's supposed to arrive at places. And I had checked on their Trails in the Sky books and those are STILL a ways out despite being set for last year presumably (though I guess they may want to wait on SC at a minimum even if this seems to go all the way up to Ao no Kiseki.)
 
[NaK];96538979 said:
Got an e-mail from Amazon earlier today:

"We thought you'd like to know that we shipped your item, and that this completes your order."

Estimated delivery = January 15.

Yaaaaaaaay :D
Click to expand...
Mine shipped today too. :)

Yay.
 
Got the Japanese version, it's a really beautiful book with some stunning pieces in it. Would be really interested in reading the translations in the English print.
 
Mine is shipping from Amazon USA. Had no idea what the release date was like usual with Udon so it was a nice surprise. I previously owned the JPN one and really enjoyed the art, so I'm looking forward to reading the translated material now. If the cover and binding are the same it's an extremely nice looking book just on its own as a collectible too.

On the subject of Udon books, I'm kind of curious if any of artbook-GAF know anything about the upcoming Dragon's Dogma book? Anyone have the JPN version?
 
Is this a limited print or is this going to be widely available? I missed out on the Hardcover strategy guide when it was cheap. Now those things go for $70 used.
 
Lasthope106 said:
Is this a limited print or is this going to be widely available? I missed out on the Hardcover strategy guide when it was cheap. Now those things go for $70 used.
Click to expand...

I hope this one widely avaible, but just to be sure you better order now. Artbooks when they are sold out, are hard to predict whether or not they will get a reprint.
 
Man, I did not pre-order believing this would be widely available, yous alls is making me panic... Slightly.

I've only just started playing Dark Souls but I've admired its art from the beginning.
 
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