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[duckroll]

There's a new preview in this week's Dengeki Playstation, with another interview with the director/producer of the game. Here are some details they discussed:

- They received a lot of feedback from fans after the previous game, and he's really excited to be working on a game which is eagerly expected by so many people, but it also means he feels a lot of pressure on the project. After working for a long time on this game, they're finally nearing the final stage of development, and he's pretty happy about it.

- In regards to news updates about the game, he says that it's a very tricky thing to market this game properly, and the release of information is something that they're trying to get just right. Because the nature of the game is such that it is meant to surprise the player as he/she plays and discovers things, they don't want to give everything away. At the same time, if they don't reveal much at all, it feels like they're not communicating with the fanbase. So he's trying to find a balance.

- Dark Souls is not a story narrative driven RPG, even though it has a story. The game setting is one where the main character is an "Undying" who comes back to life even after being killed. He has cast himself out from normal society.

- There is a new Oath System that is being revealed. This is one of the elements of the mutual roleplaying system previously mentioned. Basically, as the player explores the world and plays the game, there will be certain discoveries which allows the player to make an oath to a person or regarding some subject. Some of these discoveries can be pretty rare.

- When an Oath is made, it determines the player's position on that topic, and that will impact the player's interactions with other players online. This could mean that making an Oath for something could make you allies with another player, or deadly enemies. The Oath System is not an all encompassing fixed alliance like a MMO Guild, instead it should be thought of as a system which serves as a guide for active roleplaying.

- The director also states that one of the most important things in terms of designing the game is emphasizing the importance of healing items and how useful they can be. Because of this, a lot of effort has been put into placing healing items around the world in the right places, so when the player works a little to look for stuff, there is a genuine feeling of satisfaction when such items are found.

- Because of how important healing items are, the Campfire System being used in part to create healing items is something they put in so that beginner players will not find themselves completely stuck when playing the game.

- Dark Souls is going to be a pretty hard game, but the director feels that it is a positive thing because the challenge gives the game value. To actually have challenging gameplay for the player to discover, learn, and overcome makes the game content much more satisfactory and worthwhile. He wants Dark Souls to be considered an "intriguing game", and they're keeping that in mind as they put on the final touches to the game.

- So far, the information released about the game constitutes about 1/5 of the total amount of details they plan on covering regarding the game before release.

 

[BeeDog]

Sounding very good. I've managed to refrain from looking at many of the details lately, and this is the first piece of news I've read in quite a while. Can't wait for the game.

 

[Luthos]

- Because of how important healing items are, the Campfire System being used in part to create healing items is something they put in so that beginner players will not find themselves completely stuck when playing the game.

Wait, how do you make healing items? Are they talking about some sort of crafting system or what? Because I love me some crafting systems.

 

[The Praiseworthy]

One of the MAIN reasons why E3 this year is harder to wait for is this game... I want to see long game play footage so I can wait for few more moths to play it myself.

 

[TEJ]

I haven't been keeping up too much with the game, but has it been confirmed if the game uses a leveling system similar to demons souls or will it be different to fit the structure of the game?

 

[duckroll]

I haven't been keeping up too much with the game, but has it been confirmed if the game uses a leveling system similar to demons souls or will it be different to fit the structure of the game?

I'm not sure what you're trying to ask, so I'm not sure how to answer it. But the game uses a leveling system, yes.

 

[Vasili2K38]

- The director also states that one of the most important things in terms of designing the game is emphasizing the importance of healing items and how useful they can be. Because of this, a lot of effort has been put into placing healing items around the world in the right places, so when the player works a little to look for stuff, there is a genuine feeling of satisfaction when such items are found.

- Because of how important healing items are, the Campfire System being used in part to create healing items is something they put in so that beginner players will not find themselves completely stuck when playing the game.

That's interesting, because in Demon's Souls at the end the healing using objects was more a matter of quantity over tactics, and farming souls to buy healing herbs. Looks that they're trying to improve everything they can..

 

[squall211]

I'm not sure what you're trying to ask, so I'm not sure how to answer it. But the game uses a leveling system, yes.

I think he's asking if leveling in Dark Souls will be the same as Demon Souls, i.e. gathering souls from slaying enemies and using them to raise your stats.

 

[duckroll]

I think he's asking if leveling in Dark Souls will be the same as Demon Souls, i.e. gathering souls from slaying enemies and using them to raise your stats.

Oh, right, duh. In that case, I don't think they have touched on this specific detail at all yet. We know the game will have a leveling mechanic, but the nature of what exp is represented by in the world is not detailed yet.

 

[Shiloa]

All I ask is a proper tutorial going over what you need to know (because making a challenging game should not be about not telling you anything and essentially making you play over and over and read up elsewhere) and that they fix the camera.

 

[antispin]

This sounds like such a well-designed game. Lot of thought put into it, seems like. I hope it all comes together well.

 

[duckroll]

All I ask is a proper tutorial going over what you need to know (because making a challenging game should not be about not telling you anything and essentially making you play over and over and read up elsewhere) and that they fix the camera.

What would you define as "need to know" though? Should the game show you a deep hole at the start and have a pop-up message that says "don't drop or you will die!" and should it show you every single enemy type with pop-up messages telling you when to block, and what weapon to best use against it?

 

[sublimit]

My excitement is reaching dangerous levels.

 

[Yoshichan]

Wow, everything about this game sounds and looks perfect.

 

[Rygar 8 Bit]

hope the oath system dosnt break playing with rl friends online

 

[astroturfing]

sounding good indeed. i hope they're not afraid to delay it if they can't get it 100% ready on time.. i want this to be perfect on day 1, whenever that is. there hasn't been a release date announcement yet though, right?

hope the oath system dosnt break playing with rl friends online

i'd guess you will be able to switch Oaths somehow. i dunno though, it could be kinda fun to have a real-life friend as a permanent nemesis in the game

 

[7threst]

Sounds very good. Everything I read about this game gives me the feeling this will be a more than worthy successor of Demon's Souls.

I read in Edge that it is possible to crreate campfires for other players to use, and also leave healing items at these fires for other players to find. If it's possible to create healing items too, this makes playing the game probably whole lots easier, especially in the beginning.

 

[Madrical]

I think a week prior to release I'll have to run through Demon's Souls again.

In my opinion, it's the only standout game of this generation that I've personally played... it's the only one that I'll remember in 10 years time. Others like BioShock, Uncharted 2, LBP and Mass Effect come close but I don't think I'd come back to them in a decade. You can't substitute superb gameplay and design like you can graphics and 'wow factor'.

 

[Brannon]

I wonder how they'll deal with chat/party chat?

 

[duckroll]

I wonder how they'll deal with chat/party chat?

There won't be voice chat. They've already said so.

 

[TTP]

There won't be voice chat. They've already said so.

God bless them.

 

[Rygar 8 Bit]

xbl party ftw

 

[Zomba13]

Can't wait for this. I want it so bad.

 

[Yoshichan]

xbl party ftw

lol if the game is even remotely close to Demon's Souls, an XBL party would definitely ruin most of the experience.

 

[badcrumble]

The Oath system sounds brilliant, and like a fantastic way to guarantee that you won't be perfect allies or perfect enemies with other players in the game.

 

[TTP]

lol if the game is even remotely close to Demon's Souls, an XBL party would definitely ruin most of the experience.

Can't devs disable that if they want?

 

[Rygar 8 Bit]

lol if the game is even remotely close to Demon's Souls, an XBL party would definitely ruin most of the experience.

going to be playing this with some of my best friends so its already going to lose the subtle chat system but hoping for a good group rpg

 

[Songbird]

This sounds very interesting, especially how they want to expand roleplaying in the game world. I hope this creates some interesting PvP if players support opposing causes, one altruistic and one selfish perhaps.

 

[badcrumble]

This sounds very interesting, especially how they want to expand roleplaying in the game world. I hope this creates some interesting PvP if players support opposing causes, one altruistic and one selfish perhaps.

My hope is that the Oaths around assorted issues in the game rarely or never line up along clear good/evil lines, or we'll end up seeing tons of all-good and all-evil characters, which would seemingly defeat the point.

 

[Madrical]

There won't be voice chat. They've already said so.

Oh good. I couldn't imagine walking around Boletaria and someone joining my world screaming at me for being a noob or *insert sexist/racist/homophobic remark here*. It'd just ruin the atmosphere.

 

[duckroll]

I think we need to look back to the first example the director gave when the game was first announced. He said that if we take LotR as an example, he feels that in terms of roleplaying, it would be interesting if we see one player as the Black Rider, and another player as Frodo. So basically one character has an object which is sought after by others, and not some AI enemy, but by another player. For the other player, he needs to recover that object, and the player who holds it is standing in his way.

In this sense, he suggests that it is more fun to give context to PvP, and hence the different players are all playing out roles which have meanings, while engaging in PvP or PvE. Now that Oath System is announced, we have a better picture of what this might mean in terms of gameplay. If a player discovers an artifact for example, and takes on an Oath to bring it to another location for safekeeping, another player might have taken on an Oath elsewhere to recover this artifact. It seems to me that these would in practice basically be sidequests which specifically take advantage of random player interaction. Much like the Mad Monk boss fight in Demon's Souls.

 

[eXistor]

The game is sounding better and better every day. I really think they might be able to top Demon's Souls.

 

[Prine]

I've not played Demon Souls, i think i might skip it all together and wait for this. Still got to beat Yakuza 3 as im dying to play 4!!

 

[Lostconfused]

Still comparing it to a guild suggests that its going to be some kind of a unifying trait for a group of people rather than just a quest objective.

 

[duckroll]

Still comparing it to a guild suggests that its going to be some kind of a unifying trait for a group of people rather than just a quest objective.

No, the comparison was that it is nothing like a guild, in case people got the wrong idea.

 

[Kyoufu]

Maybe I've missed it, but are they still rolling with the Soul/Human form system?

 

[Lostconfused]

No, the comparison was that it is nothing like a guild, in case people got the wrong idea.

The Oath System is not an all encompassing fixed alliance like a MMO Guild

I am just going by what you posted.

Edit: Not being like a guild doesn't mean that there aren't any kind of similarities in any way.

 

[Pai Pai Master]

going to be playing this with some of my best friends so its already going to lose the subtle chat system but hoping for a good group rpg

Do we even know if the multiplayer system will allow us to play with people we know? Or will it be all random like Demon's Souls?

 

[duckroll]

I am just going by what you posted.

Edit: Not being like a guild doesn't mean that there aren't any kind of similarities in any way.

If there's a misunderstanding, then I phrased it badly. He said that the Oath System is unlike MMO Guilds. It's not a group, but rather unique roleplaying experiences which happen to affect your interaction/relation with other players.

 

[indigo-cyclops]

Thanks for the update duckroll, as usual, sounding fantastic. The Oath system has the potential to create some incredibly interesting interactions.

Can't fucking wait people, can't fucking wait.

 

[Sword Familiar]

Maybe I've missed it, but are they still rolling with the Soul/Human form system?

I'd guess, at this point, it's more like a body form/undead kind of deal.

 

[Lostconfused]

If there's a misunderstanding, then I phrased it badly. He said that the Oath System is unlike MMO Guilds. It's not a group, but rather unique roleplaying experiences which happen to affect your interaction/relation with other players.

No that part came through pretty clear. I just thought it would be something more fluid than a guild in an MMO but it would still be possible to categorize a group of players using that system. What you suggested boiled down to just being quest objectives, while it fits and sounds fun the way it was phrased in the OP suggested that some Oaths might be more long term.

As in player A likes cherry pies, player B picked apple pies. At some point in time if the issue of pies were ever to come up player A and B might have to fight to the death to determine which is the greater pie. Its not a guild or faction like in wow but it still puts them in opposition or at least dictates how they would react to each other.

Edit: but maybe that's because the description is of a concept rather than a definite game mechanic.

 

[soldat7]

Sounding very good. I've managed to refrain from looking at many of the details lately, and this is the first piece of news I've read in quite a while. Can't wait for the game.

Same here. Things seem to be progressing nicely.

 

[duckroll]

No that part came through pretty clear. I just thought it would be something more fluid than a guild in an MMO but it would still be possible to categorize a group of players using that system. What you suggested boiled down to just being quest objectives, while it fits and sounds fun the way it was phrased in the OP suggested that some Oaths might be more long term.

As in player A likes cherry pies, player B picked apple pies. At some point in time if the issue of pies were ever to come up player A and B might have to fight to the death to determine which is the greater pie. Its not a guild or faction like in wow but it still puts them in opposition or at least dictates how they would react to each other.

Well, there's no telling what it actually is in terms of long term gameplay because there are no examples. I think it's part of how they don't want to give away too much, so the game can remain surprising when people finally play it. What I got out of his comments is that there will be a variety of Oaths, and while many are easily found and interacted with as you play the game, there will be some which are rare, and hidden like secrets.

 

[badcrumble]

I think we need to look back to the first example the director gave when the game was first announced. He said that if we take LotR as an example, he feels that in terms of roleplaying, it would be interesting if we see one player as the Black Rider, and another player as Frodo. So basically one character has an object which is sought after by others, and not some AI enemy, but by another player. For the other player, he needs to recover that object, and the player who holds it is standing in his way.

In this sense, he suggests that it is more fun to give context to PvP, and hence the different players are all playing out roles which have meanings, while engaging in PvP or PvE. Now that Oath System is announced, we have a better picture of what this might mean in terms of gameplay. If a player discovers an artifact for example, and takes on an Oath to bring it to another location for safekeeping, another player might have taken on an Oath elsewhere to recover this artifact. It seems to me that these would in practice basically be sidequests which specifically take advantage of random player interaction. Much like the Mad Monk boss fight in Demon's Souls.

This sounds absolutely amazing. I hope there are more than just binary Oaths - to go along with your example, several people having Oaths to take the same artifact from a particular monster but then having twists on their Oaths such that they'd all want to bring it to a different place after it had been rescued would be really, really cool.

I'm hoping this game does as many interesting and innovative things with player interaction as Demon's Souls; so far it sounds quite promising.

 

[duckroll]

I definitely think that it is interesting that so far the systems they have announced and talked about don't seem to have a specific detailed implementation. They're leaving it partly to our imagination to discuss and debate what it really means. Hopefully at E3 there will be at least some sort of detailed gameplay walkthrough for the systems, and they live up to our expectations...

 

[Kyoufu]

I'd guess, at this point, it's more like a body form/undead kind of deal.

Lame. Hated that shit because it cockblocked me from doing co-op.

 

[duckroll]

Lame. Hated that shit because it cockblocked me from doing co-op.

Details have not be announced yet, don't fret too much.

 

[Sword Familiar]

Lame. Hated that shit because it cockblocked me from doing co-op.

Well, nothing's been confirmed yet though. I'm merely guessing from the information/trailer/pictures we've seen this far.

Edit: What Duckroll said.

 

[Clott]

The oath system sounds insanely good. I hope the PS3 version turns out to be the better, I have attached this series to the PS3, I hope they give it special care since we are the original supporters, plus the feedback is from us as well.