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[fader]

oh no.... This is what I waqs afraid of...

 

[Sub_Level]

oh no.... This is what I waqs afraid of...

You were afraid that the marketing for the game would target a wider audience instead of the audience that was already going to buy the game anyway...

???

 

[Dance Inferno]

If Dark Souls 2 has an easy difficulty setting I may give it a shot.

 

[TheCongressman1]

Yeah, I've been championing a new King's Field with any opportunity I can get. I'd love to see From Software go up against Bethesda, King's Field VS. Elder Scrolls style. As much as I love the Souls games, I already feel like I've had enough. I feel like it's time for them to go back to their roots before they lose sight of what made their games so special to begin with. Although, this will probably never happen if they continue to make money off of these games. But seriously, we're in dire need of a TRUE first person dungeon crawler and with their new found popularity/resources/experience they could do King's Field proper like no one else.

I love the Souls series, and I don't want them to stop that, but I do think they should revisit King's Field soon. Skyrim left so much to be desired, and these guys could really outclass it with their take on a modern first person dungeon crawler.

Heck, a first person view option in Dark Souls 2 would be awesome now that I think about it.

 

[Froli]

We're going to go balls-deep and guns-blazing with it, and hope to God that it works

Something is wrong with this PR director, sounds desperate

I haven't been following Dark souls 2, what's with the dumbing down comments? The game series is punishing/hard from what I've seen but, that's is one of it's strongest element. Are they going to change the difficulty level?

 

[genjiZERO]

There were no negative news about it. The developers said they want to keep the game the way it is and want new players to experience it the same way. Sticking to the core mechanincs and improving on them, rather than implementing something new. And from the previews this game is a Souls game.

Didn't they say there was going to be more of a focus on story? I also could have sworn they they also said they were going to make it more accessible/bring in new players - something along those lines. Alos, Miyazaki not being on board.... Vehicles/ridable animals. And now a large advertising budget.... All those things sound negative to me, and they are all red flags for the game being dumbed down. I'm not saying it will be, but the signs suggest it may is all.

 

[Muchi Muchi Pink]

Something is wrong with this PR director, sounds desperate

I haven't been following Dark souls 2, what's with the dumbing down comments? The game is punishing/hard from what I've seen but, that's is one of it's strongest element. Are they going to change the difficulty level?

No. Simple answer.

 

[Hindle]

This should be the game that takes the franchise to the mass market. And From Software will achieve this by not selling out and dumbing the game down. So many other developers could learn a thing or two from these guys.

 

[boredofcanada]

Did you guys not see the 12 minutes of footage a month or so back? It's the same game, beefed up. I have no worries. Dark Souls 2 will deliver. Now, preorder dlc and all that I can't behind. Hope they don't go that route.

 

[Red Liquorice]

"Balls-deep" is OK to use in press releases now? lol

 

[QaaQer]

Didn't they say there was going to be more of a focus on story? I also could have sworn they they also said they were going to make it more accessible/bring in new players - something along those lines. Alos, Miyazaki not being on board.... Vehicles/ridable animals. And now a large advertising budget.... All those things sound negative to me, and they are all red flags for the game being dumbed down. I'm not saying it will be, but the signs suggest it may is all.

also, condensed development schedule...still hopeful though. The marketing guy might be worried because they didn't change the core gameplay and he doubts that will sell.

 

[ThoughtsOfSpeaking]

this wont end well.

 

[KimonoNoNo]

I can see all the retailer specific pre-order bonuses from here.

 

[rvy]

Just as long as you don't develop it as a "massive, massive AAA title", we're cool.

 

[Not Spaceghost]

My reaction to reading this thread title:

 

[Malio]

Oh, man. This hurts my (dark) soul.

 

[sublimit]

If Dark Souls 2 has an easy difficulty setting I may give it a shot.

If it does then it's the end of the line for me.

 

[MrWisker]

If it does then it's the end of the line for me.

I am all for an easy setting but ONLY if:

1. Can only be played offline.
2. Cannot bring a character who played in easy mode to normal-mode to play online.

If you want to play online you have to play the real game. If you are a newbie and want an easier time with the game, you can play in easy mode offline only.

 

[QaaQer]

If it does then it's the end of the line for me.

If it is implemented like it is in 99.99% of games, then I'm with you. Most games just add more enemies and/or reduce your health/attack and/or increase enemy's health/attack. They don't touch AI.

 

[Midou]

This should be the game that takes the franchise to the mass market. And From Software will achieve this by not selling out and dumbing the game down. So many other developers could learn a thing or two from these guys.

Yes, just as CD Projeckt did with The Witcher, they had Skyrim comparisons too, but more along the lines of "we aren't doing that" just like the article in the OP said this game is different from Skyrim.

I honestly can't begin to understand the negative hoopla, it's like some people are closing their ears to all the shit that basically proves this game is Dark Souls in a new location and only see articles like this. People should do a bit of research before they freak out. Too many instances from both FROM and Namco have stated the game is not meant to change much and the gameplay they showed off proves it anyway.

 

[Sanctuary]

Skyrim left so much to be desired, and these guys could really outclass it with their take on a modern first person dungeon crawler.

Every Elder Scrolls game leaves much to be desired in the gameplay department. It doesn't seem like that's a high priority to Bethesda, and apparently not one of their legions of fans. I think I must have wasted over a hundred hours on Oblivion; all of that time spent looking for mods to make the game actually playable. Didn't have that issue with Morrowind, but it had a better world, and it's lame combat was acceptable for everything else you get out of it. They never really progressed beyond that same stick waving though, and they really need to update that crap. Skyrim was like two steps forward, two steps back.

 

[Mileena]

I wouldn't mind a new King's Field.

They really need to put up The Ancient City on PSN. I've never played the franchise but I wanna start, and I heard this game has some problems on PCSX2

 

[John Harker]

I think there is some over reaction going on. This statement was released by the Marketing Department at Namco. Of course marketing is going to try to appeal to everyone, it is their job. This is probably a case of them having an expanded budget as compared to Dark Souls so they are going to intensify the marketing.

This has nothing to do with the developers, and judging from the gameplay videos, I am pretty confident Dark Souls 2 will not play how NeoGaf seems to think all AAA titles play.

ding ding ding.

Namco US marketing has very little to no say on content creation for in-game.
This is a marketing guy whose used to having small budgets who finally gets a big one for the US to deal with and he's happy. This is a good thing.

 

[YouEnjoyMySelf]

Yea, definitely overreacting. It would be funny though if a bunch of people new to Dark Souls jumped in day one. Can imagine all the forum posts already.

 

[QisTopTier]

If Dark Souls 2 has an easy difficulty setting I may give it a shot.

You are in luck, both demon's souls and dark souls have an easy difficulty setting.

 

[Deified Data]

Yea, definitely overreacting. It would be funny though if a bunch of people new to Dark Souls jumped in day one. Can imagine all the forum posts already.

"Fucking Skyrim casul get good"

 

[fader]

You were afraid that the marketing for the game would target a wider audience instead of the audience that was already going to buy the game anyway...

???

I was of afraid of the Publisher injecting millions of dollars into the game expecting it to give back over 10 million in return.

 

[Ghost_Protocol]

I love how "balls deep" is slowly becoming an acceptable term to use in polite conversation.

 

[Mogwai]

All this talk about easy mode. *sigh*

If you summon phantoms then Dark Souls is pretty damn easy to complete.

 

[Spira]

RIP DARK SOULS 2011-2013

 

[nailbombxx]

I always imagine that people who complain about Dark Souls' difficulty have never played a retro game.

 

[zkylon]

I love how "balls deep" is slowly becoming an acceptable term to use in polite conversation.

lol my thoughts exactly when reading that blurb

 

[PokéKong]

Did they just remove the balls-deep comment?? lol

 

[old manatee]

Dark Souls should have an easy setting that only unlocks when you beat normal difficulty.

 

[GenericBadGuy]

Did they just remove the balls-deep comment?? lol

"This story has been updated at the request of Namco, to remove some slightly saucy wording. Don't worry, the gist of the piece is unchanged."

Now just says "gunz-blazing". Wow.

 

[nailbombxx]

"We're going to be in that ass for Dark Souls 2 marketing."

 

[SatelliteOfLove]

"Wag the dog" is the standard state of being for video games this generation. I wish people would get it thru their thick skulls when other people point out potential signs of its existance. And playing ignorant/dumb is not a valid rhetorical stance, too.

On the other hand, the idea of autogamers buying this on regurgitated marketing spiel makes me giggle evilly.

"Balls-deep" is OK to use in press releases now? lol

The "balls deep" wasn't OUR balls (but was our ASS). :O

 

[Sanctuary]

I always imagine that people who complain about Dark Souls' difficulty have never played a retro game.

They weren't retro if you played them upon or close to release. Some people grew up on gaming before 2005.

 

[Phife Dawg]

'Refillable flasks?! BONFIRE CHECKPOINTS?!?! Demon's Souls is ruined. '

And magic is like ammo, FROM clearly going for that CoD market. RIP SOULS

Well for what it's worth I did enjoy Demon's more but maybe that's because it felt so fresh at that time.

There are reasonable ways of doing that, though. Approachability and depth are not a zero sum game.

Well sure, a matter of "half full" and "half empty" really.

Given they're not EA and other series are floundering some they'd probably keep going but slash marketing down to just above Dark Souls's next time.

That is true, I didn't realize that it was one of their biggest franchises before Nirolak's post.