What are you playing? [SPOILER TAGS PLEASE]

[Sabby]

Since Dark Souls, and a whole bunch of other games I recently got, will be available to me in a few days when my hard drive FINALLY arrives, I looked through the games folder I've been hoarding for it, and found that Dark Souls came with a PDF file of the strategy guide!

Well well, 50 pages... this must be a pretty complex game, I think. Keep in mind, all I know of Dark Souls is what you guys have said xD and still I want it, even though I'm pre-emptively wrapping my controller in bubble wrap. But I read the first page carefully, and this mile long game guide is for........ the first three levels.

...

...what? o.O how fucking BIG is this game? Dx

Liking the idea of using shield and spear though. Don't see that combo enough D= is it actually workable, or would I be better off with something else... I'm not sure about magic yet, but I want someone who can defend themselves, and hit hard, and a spear has some good range.

[Hemingway]

Hmm. It's not really a very 'big' game. It's quite slow-paced, and of course you're going to be dying a lot. If the guide is long, it's probably because every little encounter is included, because every little encounter could potentially kill you. With a few exceptions I never found it frustrating, because it never really felt cheap. I always felt like dying was my own fault, either for being careless, cocky, or just plain not good enough. It's amazing when you pull things off, though, and even more so when enemies you previously dreaded meeting become absolutely trivial ( though always dangerous if you're caught off guard ).

All weapons in the game have advantages and disadvantages. Spears let you block while attacking, and there are a few good ones. I generally use a greatsword, because of its sheer power. Obviously, those are exceptionally slow weapons. But then again, when you wear armor like this, you wouldn't expect any different.

In general, though, most weapons have their place and you can't go through the game using just one weapon. Or, well, I suppose you could, but you'd be making it harder for yourself.

My first ( and only ) character doesn't have any magic at all. I think if I started a new one, I'd give him some magic - supposedly it makes a lot of the encounters a lot more tolerable.

[Sabby]

I'm so used to seeing weapon categories being 'sharp or blunt, big or small', with the only variations being appearance. Think Fable series for the absolute worst example. So I was a little surprised to see not only a spear and shield combo, but whips. WHIPS. I don't think I've ever seen a whip weapon category. And now I'm seeing fist related weapons... it's nice to break away from the sword/axe/hammer staples ^^

[Oniya]

I've seen whips in at least one of the early FF games (want to say IV).  Of course, no one that I know of has done the 'use whip to snag opponent's weapon' option.

[Hemingway]

Neeeurgh, death to console games. Dungeon Siege 3, an action RPG with aim assist. I get it, it's nice if you're playing the game with a controller, I ... guess. But when you're using a mouse, it sort of, you know, sucks. And there's no option to disable it, as far as I can tell. To make a long story short, my character won't attack the enemy I'm clicking if there's another one closer within, oh, I don't know, a 90 degree cone? Dammit, this crap has to stop. Obsidian ... no. NO!

[Bayushi]

I've seen whips in at least one of the early FF games (want to say IV).  Of course, no one that I know of has done the 'use whip to snag opponent's weapon' option.

I don't recall IV quite well. However, VIII most assuredly had a character with a whip, Quistis. I used to amuse my roommates while playing FFVIII. I'd auto-attack with Quistis and yell, "CALL ME MISTRESS!"

Then I had to stop since neighbors who don't work apparently think that people can't make noise during the day because they're sleeping. >.<

[Inkidu]

I've seen whips in at least one of the early FF games (want to say IV).  Of course, no one that I know of has done the 'use whip to snag opponent's weapon' option.

As always you're correct. Final Fantasy IV eventually would give the summoner character whips. Only one was really good, but it's the black-magic user. If you're using the weapon you've either got a plan, thought you had a plan, or are royally up the creek.

Also, Sabby, Castlevania? That ring a bell, especially when it got more RPGish. :)

[Sabby]

I did say whip category xD as in, choice of whip type weapon. Castlevania is a whip game, I'm not guna be deciding between the whip and a battleaxe.

[Inkidu]

I did say whip category xD as in, choice of whip type weapon. Castlevania is a whip game, I'm not guna be deciding between the whip and a battleaxe.

Actually, some of the more Metroid RGP ones have a choice between things like whips or swords.

[Sabby]

It's still a very uncommon weapon class.

[Inkidu]

It's still a very uncommon weapon class.

Yeah, that's true. Unless you're Indiana Jones.

[Hemingway]

Probably because whips have, at best, very limited use. At worst, none at all. I wasn't aware Dark Souls even had a whip weapon, but the in-game description sort of backs up what I said:

Leather Whip. Not intended for battle.
Virtually ineffective against armor and tough scale, but quite formidable against enemies with exposed skin.

[Sabby]

Oh, that's not just the basic whip? Like, the iron dagger equivalent? I was under the impression there was a bunch of them, like swords...

Ah, checked the Wiki. There's only two variants, and the standard upgrading of them. Shame, was genuinely into that idea :/ Oh well, still get spears!

[Hemingway]

Well, weapons are a bit confusing in the game. I frankly don't know what the differences are between the various unique weapons you find, and normal weapons that you upgrade. You can still get a FIRE WHIP by upgrading the normal whip. Remember: everything is better if it's ON FIRE.

Except against dragons. If it's against dragons, everything is better if it's ON LIGHTNING. WHICH ISN'T EVEN A PROPER TERM.

[Inkidu]

Well, weapons are a bit confusing in the game. I frankly don't know what the differences are between the various unique weapons you find, and normal weapons that you upgrade. You can still get a FIRE WHIP by upgrading the normal whip. Remember: everything is better if it's ON FIRE.

Except against dragons. If it's against dragons, everything is better if it's ON LIGHTNING. WHICH ISN'T EVEN A PROPER TERM.

That's because the proper term is Shock and Awe.

[Geeklet]

Well, weapons are a bit confusing in the game. I frankly don't know what the differences are between the various unique weapons you find, and normal weapons that you upgrade. You can still get a FIRE WHIP by upgrading the normal whip. Remember: everything is better if it's ON FIRE.

PROOF:

fire whip

[Hemingway]

In spite of my initial ... frustration with the game, I'm liking Dungeon Siege 3. Controls are bad, but workable, and after a lot of tinkering with the key bindings I've managed to improve it vastly. There seems to be very little in the form of appearance customization, which is sort of a let-down. Abilities, talents and all that feel sort of ... limited. Still, the game is just ... fun to play. I don't know what it is it does right, but ... there's something there.

[Inkidu]

In spite of my initial ... frustration with the game, I'm liking Dungeon Siege 3. Controls are bad, but workable, and after a lot of tinkering with the key bindings I've managed to improve it vastly. There seems to be very little in the form of appearance customization, which is sort of a let-down. Abilities, talents and all that feel sort of ... limited. Still, the game is just ... fun to play. I don't know what it is it does right, but ... there's something there.

I call it a better Diablo.

[Hemingway]

I call it a better Diablo.

It has way worse controls than Diablo, fewer abilities for the classes ( and fewer of those ), fewer different looks for armor .. I could go on. It has a better story, but I still think the atmosphere in Diablo is amazing. The Tristram theme remains some of the best music from any video game ever. DS3 does pretty well with the game world, and the characters are decent, too. Bonus points for letting me play a gun-toting lady with a corset and Russian accent. I mean, damn.

It's sort of hard to compare to Diablo, though, given those games are over a decade old, and Diablo 3 isn't out yet. I would be incredibly surprised if Diablo 3 had the same atmosphere as the older games ( not least because I heard the updated Tristram theme, and it just doesn't sound as good ) and probably an even more predictable story ( you may think that's impossible, but the writers at Blizzard have a rare talent for creating stories so utterly predictable you wonder why they bother at all ), and none of the interesting side quests and characters. I mean, look at what they did in SC2.

Blizzard is basically everything that's wrong with mainstream games today. I complain about Bethesda's games being too similar, but look at Blizzard! In everything from gameplay to art style, Blizzard's games are becoming more and more alike. Pretty soon Starcraft, Warcraft, WoW and Diablo will just be one big game.

Dammit, now you made me go on a tirade against Blizzard.

Tristram Theme

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F46LWQXAZfU&feature=related

[Sabby]

Speaking og nostalgia (Hey, I have bouts of it >.>) seems like Soul Reaver is getting a remake. I'm... torn on this.

One one hand, the ridiculously drawn out and convoluted plot can be started anew. Hell, I loved the Legacy of Kain games and even after reading the wiki page for each game, it's tough to understand just what the fuck happened in that mess. And the gameplay might actually be competent! That would be a nice change.

On the other hand, however... it's Soul Reaver. It's Legacy of fucking Kain. It's video game art before the term was even used! I'm excited at the prospect of the series maybe having it's shortcomings fixed, but look what we did to Prince of Persia? And that was OUR creation Dx If that's what we do to our friends, I'd hate to see the well intentioned but ultimately misguided welcome the foreigners like LoK would get...

Legacy Of Kain Theme

Omgosh fanboyshudder...

[LunarSage]

Raziel was my hero.  I loved that character.

[Sabby]

Ohohoho... now this is an interesting development. I pop on Twitter for the first time in years and find Spoony being verbally assaulted by most of the internet for liking the Mass Effect 3 ending. I haven't finished the game yet, or read anything about the ending, but I love both Spoony AND drama.

[Sabby]

Wow, Diablo 3 looks really fun...

In other news, MINECRAFT

http://youtu.be/SHdnlKDXj20?t=1m27s

Find the diamonds kiddies :3

[Hemingway]

"No, Casey Hudson, don't write those last lines!"

[Brandon]

Probably because whips have, at best, very limited use. At worst, none at all. I wasn't aware Dark Souls even had a whip weapon, but the in-game description sort of backs up what I said:

Acctually theres  a barbed whip thats actually pretty good if you're a dexterity based fighter. If memory serves, you can get it when you

Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide

Go inside the painting. Then while you're in your human form you can get invaded by a NPC. Im pretty sure he drops it. This also allows you to get the Xanatos set just before you leave the painting

There are a lot of areas to dark souls, these are the ones I recall off the top of my head

The Asylum
The firelink shrine
The undead burg/church
The sewers
Blight town
Sen's fortress
Anor Londo
Darkroot garden/basin
Quellag's domain & the volcano
Lost Izalith
The catacombs
The tomb of giants
The great hallow
Ashe lake
Duke's archives
Crystal cave
and the last area that I forget the name of

Anyway sabby if you want to make a spear/shield figher you totally can. When you first get to the firelink shrine spend all your souls then go to the graveyard and run around grabbing the treasure. You'll find a winged spear which is better then a normal spear. I used it through the whole game on my rogue