Month: October 2016

Non-player characters

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In Dark Souls, the non-player characters (NPCs) effect an element of gameplay not many other games have. What’s interesting about the NPCs in this game are that each one has a unique storyline only known by talking to the character throughout the game. Some only have dialogue options, some are merchants who sell various goods in different areas, and some will give the player access to important game items. The player can make various decisions or agreements with the NPCs when prompted, and this can effect the NPC’s storyline. Some will show up in future areas the player must work through and there will be a new dialogue or event that takes place.

For example, in an area very late in the game, an NPC will appear and sell goods to the player in this area only if the player has talked to the NPC previously and exhausted all his dialogue options. If the player arrives there and doesn’t see the NPC, he can backtrack and find where the NPC is and talk to him there so that he will appear in the new area. This is useful if the NPC sells unique goods; this one particularly sells spells so a sorcerer would find this NPC quest line to be very helpful! Others may not matter, and in fact, the player may not even encounter or speak to many NPCs without going out of his way. In addition, the NPCs do not often tell the player where they will be, so the only way of knowing is to talk to each NPC and gain as much information as possible, this is despite the fact that the online wiki for Dark Souls has all the information regarding every NPC quest line available.

Perhaps the most important type of NPC in the game though is the ones who can aid the player in boss battles! It’s important to note that every NPC in the game can be killed by the player!! Turning them hostile toward the player with every future encounter until the NPC has died or the player requests absolution from a very specific NPC, a priest, and pays a hefty price. This is especially important if the player recklessly goes around killing all NPCs—he may kill an important ally that would have aided in battle!

The process for gaining an ally in battle is not difficult but does require 3 things: first the player must acquire an item that allows “summoning” another player. This is called the white soapstone and it’s actually gifted to the player very early in the game by the second NPC encounter! It IS possible to miss this encounter if the player is not thorough, but it’s possible to backtrack or to purchase it from a future merchant for a low price.

Second, the NPC must be in the correct state in order to be summoned, that is, every NPC that can aid in battle must at least be found and spoken to first before he or she can even aid the player. Sometimes this can be tricky since as mentioned earlier, it’s possible to miss a lot of NPCs in the game due to them changing locations many times! With some, simply talking to them is not enough. For example, for the very first major boss battle there is an NPC who is found in the same room as before the boss, but he’s imprisoned behind bars. The player can talk to this NPC through the bars and is asked to free him. It’s possible to talk to him and NOT free him, but then he cannot aid the player in the boss battle. Only after freeing him and speaking to him once he is freed (in a different area) will this NPC then be available to be summoned for that boss battle. Also, each boss battle can only have 1 specific NPC summoned, so it is not at the player’s discretion to choose out of a pool of NPCs later in the game to decide who can aid in battle. This would be an amazing feature, but restricting which NPCs can help leads to the difficulty challenge to the game.

The last condition for the player to summon an NPC in a boss battle is that the player must be in a state of condition called “human”. This is completed at a bonfire, where there is an option to do so, but it does require an item called “humanity”. The player is often in a default state called “hollow” and reviving to human has many other benefits that will not be delved into in this guide, but it’s one condition necessary in order to summon an NPC.

If you’ve tried your hand at Dark Souls previously, or still want to, but are daunted by the infamously challenging gameplay, hopefully knowing that help is possible along the way will lessen the dread, as it is very worth attempting. Next we’ll be looking at aspects of online gameplay possible!

Gear Sets and Weapons

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Now we’re going to talk about how gear sets and weapons can effect gameplay in Dark Souls. Various armor parts or armor sets, as well as different types of weapon classes, are found scattered throughout the world either as treasure, dropped from enemies, or bought off in-game merchants.

Armor in the game is equipped through the equipment menu by each piece: two boots, pants, a torso, and helmet. Why bother going through this much trouble to equip something that appears cosmetic? The cool thing about armor in this game is, like almost everything else in Dark Souls, it has a lot of influence on gameplay and can increase or decrease certain character resistances.

There are different kinds of armor for different kinds of situations, and also different types of players. Since every player has a max amount of armor weight, it can effect how fast he moves while running or attacking. So a thief class would want lighter armor for combat while a knight may want something more sturdy to take more damage.

As far as increasing character resistances, there are sets found throughout the game in the same ways as pieces. Sometimes special enemies will drop a whole set of armor or it can be found in a treasure chest or on the ground somewhere in the world. Sets are unique and only appear once in the world. For example, there is one set that helps increase a character’s resistance to poison. This is especially helpful when traversing an area with a swamp that gradually poisons the player. Equipping this set through this area will help the player resist the poison accumulation!

The weapon classes in the game are pretty standard for many fantasy games: heavy swords, swords, axes, hammers, spears/thrusting weapons, bows and arrows, crossbows and catalysts/talismans for casting spells. Like with armor, each type of weapon may be better suited for different player classes. A knight may want to use a heavy sword or hammer in battle to make use of his high strength, but a thief might want to use a faster, lighter sword or maybe a bow and arrow to dispose of enemies from a ranged distance.

It’s nice to be able to use many different weapon classes, but some weapons, especially as a player progresses throughout the game, require different stats. Some very heavy swords require a high strength in order to swing. The player can still equip the item and attempt to use it, but the animation for attacking will show the player staggering due to its weight, and the attack is usually not as successful (if at all). Bows and arrows often have a dexterity stat that must be met in order to use.

At the beginning of the game a pretty well-rounded character can probably use most weapon classes, but like I said, as a player’s soul level increases, often his stats become tailored down a certain path and weapon requirements increase, so it becomes harder to wield all weapon types. Make sure to try out as many as possible early in the game to decide which type fits your playing style best! Next we’ll be looking at how NPCs in the world can help a player throughout his journey.

Items

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In Dark Souls, an important element of gameplay is utilizing the items the player has. A well-rounded player will have at least basic knowledge of variable items to incorporate into traversing the world. With that said, there are hundreds of items throughout the game and different categories of some I won’t touch on here. The basic inventory menu and HUD, estus flask, and other items are a good start to an aspiring Dark Souls player.

Every player has an inventory with no item or carry limit that can be accessed through a menu at any time. Items are picked up off the ground from killing enemies, finding chests and looting them, or purchasing them from any of the NPC vendors scattered throughout the world that the player may run into in almost every area. Armor items and weapons are also accessed through the inventory menu alongside all other items.

Currently equipped menu, note the 5 quick items at the top starting with the orange estus flask
Currently equipped menu, note the 5 quick items at the top starting with the orange estus flask

The HUD for the on-screen equipment is very simple and intuitive. On the left and right are any shields or weapons equipped; up to two of each can be equipped at any one time and cycled through. The bottom slot has quick use items the player can cycle through 5 or less. The upper slot is for equipped scrolls of spells, pyromancies, or miracles that can be cast by the player, but only if you have the necessary stats to cast these things! The number of these that can be equipped varies with stats, even 0 is possible. Accessing an in-game menu will allow the player to change which items are equipped for armor, weapons, and the quick use slots. Any casting spells can’t actually be changed at any time through the menu; these must be changed at a bonfire! So if you’re a spellcaster, choose the ones most effective for which enemies you’ll be facing.

Active player HUD ingame
Active player HUD in-game

At the start of the game, the player begins with a health container called an “Estus Flask”. This is your health potion container, and “estus” is the fluid that heals you. Every player begins with enough to drink 3 full flasks, so if you encounter an enemy that starts besting you in battle or just finished defeating a tough boss, take a drink of the estus flask and it’ll heal most of your health! A number next to the flask will deplete by 1 every time you take a drink, so use them wisely. Drinking estus takes a couple seconds, so try to be out of range of enemies since the player will be vulnerable to attack. Later, it’s possible to upgrade the amount of health the estus heals the player and also how many a player can hold at one time. This is the most common quick use item usually instantly ready, but there are times the player will need other items too!

estus
drinking estus

Other important items for quick use in the game can:

  • cure poisoning: drains health until healed or runs out (about 20 seconds, varies with stats)
  • break a curse: player has halved health, even after death, ONLY cured with an item
  • stop excessive bleeding: an effect of certain weapons, drains health slowly until cured or runs out
  • boost stamina recovery: lasts about 20 seconds, great for boss battles or quick enemies!
  • write messages on the ground: for online play, write useful hints for other players traversing the world (no item necessary to read them though)
  • weapon buffs: temporarily apply fire, lightning, or poison to currently equipped item!
  • Homeward bone: return to the last bonfire rested at without dying or losing souls, great if you’re super lazy or in a really tough area you want to return to later

Hopefully this gives you a good idea about what to expect in the game. Any Dark Souls wiki has hundreds of pages devoted to the in-game items and what they do, but this is meant to be a very, very rough summary of what’s incorporated. Next time we’ll take a look at gear sets and weapons!

Combat Strategies

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In the mechanics of Dark Souls, combat strategy is vital to staying alive. Many have played hack and slash games where button mashing is the key to success and the player is rewarded with lots of gorey graphics and satisfying creature deaths. Dark Souls incorporates the gorey bits and satisfying deaths, but lacks the button mashing requirement. Combat strategies in the game boil down to timing varying attacks and how to guard well in combat! Together, mastering these two can make a player extremely formidable.

Timing attacks is the key to winning a duel whether it’s a small creature, another player, or a boss. All weapons have a primary and secondary attack that should be used in various situations, as well as a special two-handed capability. For example, a longer staffed weapon (a halberd or spear) may have a stab or jab motion for a primary attack, something quick and simple. The secondary attack though can vary depending on the weapon class (more on those later), and may be a longer charged stab, a swinging motion, or a variation of the two. Knowing when to use these can mean the difference between disposing of a foe efficiently or not. Typically, the secondary weapon attack is a longer, charged attack, so naturally it would make sense to use it on an enemy that is slower or who has a large window between attacks. Typically, an attack should be placed either 1) before a creature attacks when it’s first discovered, or 2) between the creature’s own attacks when its guard is down.

In addition, one alternative is to two-hand hold a weapon. This means the player puts his shield away in order to perform more powerful attacks with the same weapon while two-handing it. This is useful for heavy swords, for example. In this case, the primary and secondary attacks are both more powerful and can vary from the one-handed counterpart attacks. It can also break a creature’s guard down if it’s powerful enough! Each enemy has its own playing style and attacks that can be timed well once encountering it the first time, so just be observant. Interestingly enough though, guarding is more important than attacking in combat strategy.

A generic right-handed primary sword attack
A generic right-handed primary sword attack
Two-handing a large sword
Two-handing a large sword

 

 

 

 

 

 

Guarding can be the difference between life and death, and should be taken more seriously than attacking, something other games don’t incorporate enough.  Guarding can be done with a shield on the non-attacking hand or it can be done with a weapon itself while two-handing it. Typically, guarding is more successful when using a regular shield because it absorbs more damage. The trick with guarding is the player can’t indefinitely absorb attacks. A meter on the screen measures “stamina” and depletes slowly as a player sprints, attacks, and/or absorbs an attack from an enemy with his guard. The meter replenishes slowly after depleting, but in a duel the timing for attacking and guarding is vital. If the meter is completely depleted, the player won’t be able to attack or sprint, and getting hit while attempting to guard will result in being staggered and losing health from the attack!

Left-handed primary active blocking
Left-handed primary active blocking
Two-hand blocking (cinematic)
Two-hand blocking (cinematic)

 

 

 

 

 

 

One other caveat, if the player is actively guarding, the stamina meter replenishes at a much slower pace. This adds to the difficulty of the game: in battle a player should be keeping track of the enemy’s attacks and timing any open windows to attack, but also keeping track of his health and stamina meter, knowing when to attack and when to drop his guard to charge up his stamina at the optimum rate. It might seem difficult at first, but after a couple duels, it all comes down to observing the enemy and timing when to drop your guard or to attack. There are other combat strategies a player can master once these basics are practiced, but hopefully these will help a prospective player get their foot in the door! Next we’ll be taking a look at how items and loot can aid in your journey throughout the world.

Introduction

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One of the hardest modern video games can be defeated with some keen tips and tricks and a little foreknowledge before plunging into the depths of the world of Lordran in “Dark Souls”. The key to becoming an expert to any video game with a steep learning curve is utilizing the mechanics of gameplay and understanding the world in which the player exists. This simple guide will hopefully give any future player a better idea of what to expect and take away the grandeur mystery that’s attributed to this title by many players too afraid to breach its shores.

Some background on the game: “Dark Souls” is a third-person single player fantasy role playing game that takes place in the open world of Lordran, a post-apocalyptic-type world where everything is dead. Some players who are “undead” roam the world, but often die due to the monsters and creatures lurking around every corner. The player can interact with these non-player characters (NPCs) who have managed to survive and in turn it can affect the outcome of the game and perhaps end up helping the player along the way.

The main dynamic of gameplay is killing monsters through various attacks with an assortment of weapons. Killing monsters rewards items called “souls” that the player collects and accumulates throughout the game. To level up, a player spends these souls at checkpoints called “bonfires” in order to increase a skill point into a set of predetermined set of attributes.

Player resting at a bonfire, a hub for checkpoints, upgrades, and additional inventory
Player resting at a bonfire, a hub for checkpoints, upgrades, and additional inventory
Active player HUD ingame
Active player HUD in-game

 

 

 

 

 

 

For example, it may cost 5000 souls to increase from level 1 to level 2. Once 5000 or more souls are accrued, the player may spend these souls and spend the skill point into Strength or Endurance, and must wait until the next amount of souls is obtained to gain another skill point to spend. This is how the leveling system works. Each level the player increases though, more souls are needed so that by level 20 or 30, the player may need tens of thousands of souls in order to level up one level.  This is where it gets challenging. If a player dies, he loses his accumulated unspent souls and has one chance to return to the spot he died at to reclaim his souls since the last bonfire he rested at, the checkpoint where he respawns. If the player doesn’t reach his death spot to reclaim his souls, those souls are lost and cannot be regained. Though the bonfires are spread out somewhat evenly in the beginning, throughout the game they are more scarce and so traversing a particularly tough area can be challenging if a player isn’t careful. Every time a player rests or respawns at a bonfire, all of the monsters in that area also respawn (except bosses and mini-bosses), so walking back to the crime scene of death proves to be a risky move.

Player stat screen, with upgradeable stats on the left, what attributes are affected on the right (blue indicates increase)
Player stat screen, with upgradeable stats on the left, what attributes are affected on the right (blue indicates increase)

Despite the strategies of gameplay that can be mastered, these other topics are important to know for an aspiring dark souls player: combat strategies, items and loot, gear sets and weapons, online interactions and how to use them, and non-player characters and how they can help the player. With these basic concepts mastered after reading my guide, it’s more than possible for a new player to dive into “Dark Souls” well prepared.