PC users petition Namco Bandai for Dark Souls

Masochist's delight. I know my blood pressure can't handle it on any platform.
 
Lol. What else is there in this game except the AI that is overpowered? Seriously, what is there that makes this game so good?

Character customization, some of the best level design ever (aside from a couple of duds), awesome boss fights, unique online play, a sense of actual exploration that VERY few games now have, non instanced game world, weapon upgrade system, branching NPC interactions, game length, game play consequences for decisons...

Masochist's delight. I know my blood pressure can't handle it on any platform.

The game really is not that difficult. It gets a bad rep for being so hard because people just expect that they can face roll any new games and get their hand held the entire time. I found the whole thing easier than a lot of AAA titles that most people never have a problem with.
 
Lol. What else is there in this game except the AI that is overpowered? Seriously, what is there that makes this game so good?

Man, you shouldn't have said this because now you look like an asshole that just hates the game because you died too many times.


Character customization, some of the best level design ever (aside from a couple of duds), awesome boss fights, unique online play, a sense of actual exploration that VERY few games now have, non instanced game world, weapon upgrade system, branching NPC interactions, game length, game play consequences for decisons...

In addition: extremely satisfying combat with many options, excellent character animations (probably the best I've seen yet), several secret worlds with their own boss fights, ability to replay the game at a harder difficulty and true faction based PvP.

It's really a remarkable game in this day and age. The developer (From Software) deliberately chose to not explain many game mechanics because they'd rather have the players figure out the world on their own.

The game really is not that difficult. It gets a bad rep for being so hard because people just expect that they can face roll any new games and get their hand held the entire time. I found the whole thing easier than a lot of AAA titles that most people never have a problem with.

Yeah, I wouldn't say the game is overly difficult, it just requires a different mindset and a lot of patience. Many AAA games have artificial difficulties where if you didn't go or do exactly what the developer intended, you die, so it feels more like a trial and error exercise than a challenge. By comparison, in Dark Souls pretty much every death is your own fault.
 
I love people who blame the game rather than their own skills when they die in a game like Demon's Souls or Dark Souls.

Nobody likes being told they fucking suck, and that's what those 2 games really tell someone who plays them, if their skills aren't up to the task.

That You Died! or You Hollowed! screen is a taunting reminder of how feeble you are :p
 
I signed as well. I would love so much not having to play this on a console! I think they would have a hot seller on their hands too.
 
I'm curious, what's the source of the high level of difficulty in this game? All I know about the game is the hype and some videos and screenshots I've seen.

I can think of tons of different ways a game could be considered difficult. Some examples:
VVVVVV - unforgiving, and certain sections can apparently take literally hundreds of deaths before someone successfully completes it.
SpaceChem - hard, from a cerebral challenge perspective (as opposed to a test of muscle memory or reflexes)
Rhythm games on their hardest difficulties

So how would the type of difficulty in Dark Souls be described as?
 
All enemies do high amounts of damage, you have limited restoration items and if you die you drop all of your held souls (the game's currency and character progression item) and humanity (rare item used in various game mechanics) in addition to all the enemies in the area re-spawning. Die again without collecting your souls and it's gone forever. Some bosses can kill you in 1-hit, PvP isn't consensual and carries the same consequences as dying to a monster.

While it sounds crazy, the game just requires patience. A lot of the posts you see about the game being way too hard and frustrating are players that generally don't learn from their mistakes and keep dying to the same thing over and over.
 
So how would the type of difficulty in Dark Souls be described as?

It's just unforgiving. If you do something stupid, even low level enemies can punish you.

The combat is probably the best melee sword + shield battling to ever be done in a videogame.

And yeah "overpowered AI" sounds like code for someone that got their ass kicked. IronCross, I bet you didn't even get past the Undead Burg.

The AI is not overpowered. Overpowered would describe things like enemies tracking you through walls, or incredibly accurate projectile weapons that never miss. The key to progressing in this game is learning the enemy AI. It is fair.


I can only hope it gets ported to PC. The only big flaw was performance issues, in some areas it frequently drops below 30fps. Even with a quick and dirty port, a PC could brute force it enough to run much smoother than on the consoles.
 
Last edited:
VVVVVV - unforgiving, and certain sections can apparently take literally hundreds of deaths before someone successfully completes it.

God that game is so awesome.
I don't think I have ever felt such a rush of accomplishment/satisfaction, than after mastering that section. Death after death, masochistic... Why do I love it so much?
 
God that game is so awesome.
I don't think I have ever felt such a rush of accomplishment/satisfaction, than after mastering that section. Death after death, masochistic... Why do I love it so much?

Because you're a masochist and a glutton for punishment? ;)
 
Lol. What else is there in this game except the AI that is overpowered? Seriously, what is there that makes this game so good?

I actually thought this... and still think this for Demon Souls as well. But the execution with the exception of controls, imo, were excellent.

While the game can be cheap, it's still fun to go through.

I never beat Demon Souls though... I messed up my worlds so that they are pretty much filled with insanely powerful enemies, and I can't actually pass it lol.

EDIT: Oh and I hated the fact that you can't pause... damn thing is so hard to play at work cuz it'll be a dead standstill with no work to do one moment and a rush of work comes in another second.
 
I would be very interested in this game. I do own Xbox360, but it doesnt get much use other than playing Forza 4 (which does get played a lot). I dont feel like buying big games to it anymore though, not even as highly praised game as Dark Souls. However if it would ever arrive on PC, it would be an instant buy. Such games would be more ideal for PC anyway than console, IMHO.
 
How does it compare to games like Devil May Cry 3 and the 2004 reboot of Ninja Gaiden in terms of difficulty?
 
FFS, I played EQ years before you could summon your corpse. This game isn't hard, it's just not going to sugarcoat your fuckups.

Even prepatched The Witcher 2 got a lot of flack because it expected you to actually be able to play games with some basic skill, which I thought was fine. Luckily, when they made it much easier early on for those people, they also eventually added Dark mode, which is nice for those who did fine to begin with.
 
I think those 2 games are fairer. But Dark Souls provides way better a immersion with it's stages.

Also the difficulty is rather different... I don't know about Dark Souls specifically, but if it's like Demon's Souls, there is a lot of difficulty that deals with limitations, rather than extreme difficult AI.
 
34k people almost... Still not enough to justify a PC release for a company.
 
Signed even though I think it's doubtful (but maybe if there is a Dark Souls 2 this will encourage them to consider a PC release). I own DS on the PS3 already, but I would buy it again just to have it on my PC. I imagine Dark Souls would really look fantastic with a higher resolution and some standard PC tweaks.
 
I'd say they could easily get 500k PC buyers @ $45 ea which would net a nice profit, this with minimal marketing.
 
I'm emailing them here and asking them to pass this along to whom it may concern. I think flooding their inbox with love and demand could have a profound effect on them.
 
I'd love to see the Souls series come to PC, not just Dark Souls. I'll be happy with just Dark Souls, or even Demon's Souls though. The atmosphere of the games is astounding.

Due to my personal feelings towards the console manufacturers, especially after the whole Sony fiasco beginning with the removal of OtherOS and culminating in the hacks, I have decided to support the console industry as little as I can. Unless something drastic happens I have no desire to purchase any new consoles and will instead use those funds for my PCs. I'm preaching to the choir here, but a PC can do everything a console can plus more. It may not be as easy to set up, but I really enjoy the freedom the PC experience gives.

I have yet to play Dark Souls as I'm a bit dissapointed I won't be able to play it online. Xbox Live Gold isn't worth paying for, imo, and I won't update my PS3 and lose OtherOS out of principle. Sure my PS3 is slowly becoming unusable, but I don't really miss it. I am a member of Blockbuster so I will eventually rent Dark Souls for the 360 as the PS3 version will probably require a firmware update. If a PC version were to be announced though that would be awesome as it would save me from having to deal with the limitations of the consoles. It's also better for From Software as a PC release would mean they would actually see some money from me. It's really too bad as From Software is worthy of my money for their work on these games, but again I don't want to support the consoles anymore. Heck the thought of just sending From Software some money for the Souls games with perhaps a polite request for PC releases of their games has even crossed my mind.

Anyways, as far as the difficulty of Demon's Souls went I'd say it was just about perfect. It was challenging all the way through as opposed to aggravating. I didn't have too much trouble with the game and I think it has to do with the way I play games. I often take a slow, methodical, no-stone-left-unturned approach to my games which was perfect for Demon's Souls. I tend to have trouble at first with FPS games because they tend to punish that sort of approach with infinitely spawning enemies until a checkpoint is crossed. I can't help but wonder if those who found the game aggravatingly difficult are big FPS players that are used to running and gunning. Tactics that will surely get you killed. Just take things slow, keep your guard up, be aware of your surroundings, and listen. In Demon's Souls slow and steady wins the race.
 
If a company did not bother to care about PC gaming I would not bother petitioning their game. Even if they did make it you know well it would be a terrible port.
 
51,815 signatures
1/9/12 1PM

Keep it going, it'll be 100,000 in no time. Scamco will have to take notice very soon.
I dont think the Xenoblade petition had more than 50k, and that worked. KEEP IT GOING!
 
I'd be happy to see it on PC, but I don't think I'd buy it until it was in the bargain bin. I'm not nearly masochistic enough to care about a game who's forum discussions consist 95% of people saying how awesome the high difficulty is and simultaneously beating down on anyone who has complaints about the game and passing it off as they're "not hardcore enough" or some such. The way people who like this game talk about it makes it sound like they're the same people who like women (or men) in high heels walking on their testicles.
 
I'd be happy to see it on PC, but I don't think I'd buy it until it was in the bargain bin. I'm not nearly masochistic enough to care about a game who's forum discussions consist 95% of people saying how awesome the high difficulty is and simultaneously beating down on anyone who has complaints about the game and passing it off as they're "not hardcore enough" or some such. The way people who like this game talk about it makes it sound like they're the same people who like women (or men) in high heels walking on their testicles.

I'm right there with you. When people start talking about great character interaction and maps, I start to warm to it...then they start talking about how endless frustration makes you a "real" gamer and I start to not care anymore. Signed the petition anyway. ;)
 
If a company did not bother to care about PC gaming I would not bother petitioning their game. Even if they did make it you know well it would be a terrible port.

This hits the nail on the head.
 
I am all for more developers making games for the PC, but in my humble opinion this game sucks and its way to console to put on PC.
 
I'm right there with you. When people start talking about great character interaction and maps, I start to warm to it...then they start talking about how endless frustration makes you a "real" gamer and I start to not care anymore. Signed the petition anyway. ;)

To be fair, I've watched 2 LP's (shh, I get bored) and both people playing have been pretty meh to average skilled players. Both completed the game.
 
People, if you don't like a game that requires actual *gasp gasp* skill *gasp gasp* as opposed to holding your hand from beginning to end, then Dark Souls isn't for you.

Many reviews for the game state just that in their review space.
 
I am all for more developers making games for the PC, but in my humble opinion this game sucks and its way to console to put on PC.

But why does that matter? If it is on the PC people have the option of buying it or not, versus no option. Even if it only plays with a controller and is locked to 1280x720 (or whatever native res it is) that still opens the possibility of people playing it without having to pay $300 for a PS3.
 
Would buy if they made it steamworks. Huge advertising for 5 million people that start up steam.
 
I'd be happy to see it on PC, but I don't think I'd buy it until it was in the bargain bin. I'm not nearly masochistic enough to care about a game who's forum discussions consist 95% of people saying how awesome the high difficulty is and simultaneously beating down on anyone who has complaints about the game and passing it off as they're "not hardcore enough" or some such. The way people who like this game talk about it makes it sound like they're the same people who like women (or men) in high heels walking on their testicles.


I havent played the game yet. But I got the impression that while the game is hard, it isnt in a fashion that the game is just being unfair and unbalanced, simply trolling you. You just have to use your brains and not screw up or it will punish you, hard.
 
People, if you don't like a game that requires actual *gasp gasp* skill *gasp gasp* as opposed to holding your hand from beginning to end, then Dark Souls isn't for you.

Many reviews for the game state just that in their review space.

Its not the "hard" or "skill" that puts me off, its the way fans of the game come across as down right masochistic. I hear less comments about how its hard and more comments about how its frustrating.

The feeling I get from reading peoples' comments its more like "If you don't like getting kicked in the balls repeatedly by a small annoying asian man, this game probably isn't for you". Rather than "If you don't like games that require skill etc etc".

But hey, I'd like to try it to see what all the fuss is about... when its $5 in the bargain bin :p
 
Back
Top