I just couldn't hold back the urges any more. Watching Dark Souls online and not be able to play it right then and there was absolute agony. So yesterday I bit the bullet and bought Dark Souls. I knew it was hard, but I was prepared to give it the chance after seeing its incredible beauty and depth. So, despite the massive amount of university work still left to conquer (strangely more impossible to do so against than most enemies I've encountered in Dark Souls thus far!) I loaded Dark Souls up into my console at 10:30PM. I didn't get off until 5:30AM. I tell you one thing, waking up this morning I myself certainly did feel like an undead Hollow riding off only 4 hours sleep!! So if there's loads of spelling mistakes, please forgive me - I turn into Mr Clumsy hands when I get little sleep. Combine that with being Mr Perfectionist and it'll mean I'll spend the next hour writing this blog post...

So, my thoughts thus far? F UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!! Okay, that sounded like I didn't enjoy it. I did. A lot. Pretty good game play, scenery and story. The problem is that I'm now stuck and it's hard and I'm both impatient and eager to get on and see the rest of the amazing world. *Whines and throws mini wobbly like toddler* The problem was that I was too cocky in a way. (Possible spoilers of what you're going to fight?) I beat the asylum without even dying. Then I made it all the way to Undeadsburg also without dying. That's where my run stopped. Although the enemies are pretty easy, together they're a pain in the ass.

I sort of got trapped in farming them but then being too scared/too jaded to keep going. I'm wondering if this is one of those games which doesn't mind if you boost up on smaller enemies, or if it just wants you to keep going? In any case, despite the seemingly pathetic attempts of the denizens of Undeadsberg, I can't move forward! I either get rousted up by that knight with the horns under the walkway or the bunch of hollows I usually try to run past (my own laziness and lack of patience is punishing me) to the Taurus demon. Not that it matters, since every time I've versed that sucker he's squashed me into the cobbles. The knight was actually pretty hilarious. The first time I snuck up behind him and he turned and cut me in half with one swing. So I thought "Ya know what? F UUUU Mr Horned Knight, I'm gonna kick your ass!" So I snuck up and did almost no damage to him. I preceded to run away, all the way back to the bonfire, thinking I was safe. Then I see him come in the door! "Can I haz safe zone?" *Killed* "NO FAIRZ MR KNIGHT!!" Goes to show that no where is safe in this blasted game! I feel bad using guides, but I think this will be a game I'll have to rely on them. Like Limbo. Sigh.

However, despite all these trials and tribulations, I haven't felt like the game is in anyway unfair yet. I've died mostly (probably solely) from my own mistakes and impatience, and you always have the feeling that if you harvest some more souls, rank up a tiny bit, and find a weakness, that you'll be able to beat anyone. But do I have the patience? The game has already turned me into a real life zombie after only one night! Now don't try to lump me in with those CoD numbskulls - I have actually really enjoyed the game and know that if I poured my heart and soul into Dark Souls I could at least pass the Taurus Demon lmao - but I'm intelligent to know that it will indeed take many hours and much frustration to move forward, probably more time than I'd be willing to give.

There's a lot left unexplained. I'm not sure this is a problem, but there's a few things I'm so confused about! How do I play with other people? Why do you sometimes see other people walking around? WHAT IS KINDLING????

So I'm at a dilemma. It's such a beautiful game that I've enjoyed and think is pretty awesome in both scope and the way it demands so much from its players (the more time you put in, the more you get out!), but is it all worth it in the end? Does I got the skillz? I'm not sure. I'm sure going to give it a few more days of play time though if I was going to return it, so rest assured, I'll try to give the game the fair shot it deserves. But enough rambling from me about my pathetic attempts at excuses and why such a great game might be too hard for a noob like me - give me your thoughts instead.

But! There is DEFINITELY one thing FAR more difficult to accomplish than Dark Souls. And that is, unbelievably so, Tetris Splash! Well, more accurately, its multiplayer! The game was on special, so I got it. I loooove Tetris. I blitzed most of the single player achievements, so decided to take the show onto muliplayer. Nothing puts you in your place more than being dished out a cold hard defeat over and over by a woman named "Susan housemom". I thought I was good. These ladies were better. It seemed they were able to play at super sonic speeds and take my manhood in their hands and emasculate me all with one foul swoop of about 30 seconds. Kinda hawt in a way, but quite sobering. So yes people, there are apparently Tetris nerds. People who spend nothing more than sitting playing block games all day (enough to get their play online for 10 hours! Do the math people - 1 minute a game...? 10 hours of games...?). Here I was thinking that Gears of War rank whores and Prestige seekers were scary! Who is looking after these housewives' children?!

And that concludes my epic 24 hours in gaming. Two games, seemingly far apart, both joined in the fact they make me feel like a 12 year old girl. I'm looking forward to the next 24 hours... Hopefully it has more achievement and success and finally helps me make a decision over whether or not I'm cut out for Dark Souls. Hollow out.

I just couldn't hold back the urges any more. Watching Dark Souls online and not be able to play it right then and there was absolute agony. So yesterday I bit the bullet and bought Dark Souls. I knew it was hard, but I was prepared to give it the chance after seeing its incredible beauty and depth. So, despite the massive amount of university work still left to conquer (strangely more impossible to do so against than most enemies I've encountered in Dark Souls thus far!) I loaded Dark Souls up into my console at 10:30PM. I didn't get off until 5:30AM. I tell you one thing, waking up this morning I myself certainly did feel like an undead Hollow riding off only 4 hours sleep!! So if there's loads of spelling mistakes, please forgive me - I turn into Mr Clumsy hands when I get little sleep. Combine that with being Mr Perfectionist and it'll mean I'll spend the next hour writing this blog post...

So, my thoughts thus far? F UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!! Okay, that sounded like I didn't enjoy it. I did. A lot. Pretty good game play, scenery and story. The problem is that I'm now stuck and it's hard and I'm both impatient and eager to get on and see the rest of the amazing world. *Whines and throws mini wobbly like toddler* The problem was that I was too cocky in a way. (Possible spoilers of what you're going to fight?) I beat the asylum without even dying. Then I made it all the way to Undeadsburg also without dying. That's where my run stopped. Although the enemies are pretty easy, together they're a pain in the ass.

I sort of got trapped in farming them but then being too scared/too jaded to keep going. I'm wondering if this is one of those games which doesn't mind if you boost up on smaller enemies, or if it just wants you to keep going? In any case, despite the seemingly pathetic attempts of the denizens of Undeadsberg, I can't move forward! I either get rousted up by that knight with the horns under the walkway or the bunch of hollows I usually try to run past (my own laziness and lack of patience is punishing me) to the Taurus demon. Not that it matters, since every time I've versed that sucker he's squashed me into the cobbles. The knight was actually pretty hilarious. The first time I snuck up behind him and he turned and cut me in half with one swing. So I thought "Ya know what? F UUUU Mr Horned Knight, I'm gonna kick your ass!" So I snuck up and did almost no damage to him. I preceded to run away, all the way back to the bonfire, thinking I was safe. Then I see him come in the door! "Can I haz safe zone?" *Killed* "NO FAIRZ MR KNIGHT!!" Goes to show that no where is safe in this blasted game! I feel bad using guides, but I think this will be a game I'll have to rely on them. Like Limbo. Sigh.

However, despite all these trials and tribulations, I haven't felt like the game is in anyway unfair yet. I've died mostly (probably solely) from my own mistakes and impatience, and you always have the feeling that if you harvest some more souls, rank up a tiny bit, and find a weakness, that you'll be able to beat anyone. But do I have the patience? The game has already turned me into a real life zombie after only one night! Now don't try to lump me in with those CoD numbskulls - I have actually really enjoyed the game and know that if I poured my heart and soul into Dark Souls I could at least pass the Taurus Demon lmao - but I'm intelligent to know that it will indeed take many hours and much frustration to move forward, probably more time than I'd be willing to give.

There's a lot left unexplained. I'm not sure this is a problem, but there's a few things I'm so confused about! How do I play with other people? Why do you sometimes see other people walking around? WHAT IS KINDLING????

So I'm at a dilemma. It's such a beautiful game that I've enjoyed and think is pretty awesome in both scope and the way it demands so much from its players (the more time you put in, the more you get out!), but is it all worth it in the end? Does I got the skillz? I'm not sure. I'm sure going to give it a few more days of play time though if I was going to return it, so rest assured, I'll try to give the game the fair shot it deserves. But enough rambling from me about my pathetic attempts at excuses and why such a great game might be too hard for a noob like me - give me your thoughts instead.

But! There is DEFINITELY one thing FAR more difficult to accomplish than Dark Souls. And that is, unbelievably so, Tetris Splash! Well, more accurately, its multiplayer! The game was on special, so I got it. I loooove Tetris. I blitzed most of the single player achievements, so decided to take the show onto muliplayer. Nothing puts you in your place more than being dished out a cold hard defeat over and over by a woman named "Susan housemom". I thought I was good. These ladies were better. It seemed they were able to play at super sonic speeds and take my manhood in their hands and emasculate me all with one foul swoop of about 30 seconds. Kinda hawt in a way, but quite sobering. So yes people, there are apparently Tetris nerds. People who spend nothing more than sitting playing block games all day (enough to get their play online for 10 hours! Do the math people - 1 minute a game...? 10 hours of games...?). Here I was thinking that Gears of War rank whores and Prestige seekers were scary! Who is looking after these housewives' children?!

And that concludes my epic 24 hours in gaming. Two games, seemingly far apart, both joined in the fact they make me feel like a 12 year old girl. I'm looking forward to the next 24 hours... Hopefully it has more achievement and success and finally helps me make a decision over whether or not I'm cut out for Dark Souls. Hollow out.

Skills can be learned.
Suck it up and get better.

Lol here's one way I can defeat the boss!

http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2011/09/22/here-39-s-the-best-funniest-way-to-beat-this-early-dark-souls-boss.aspx

You have trouble with the Taurus Demon? Umm.. ummmmmm..... not sure if serious.

@CaLe: He's not the only one.

@CaLe: He's not the only one.

I had trouble on the same part. You've got to edge forward to the boss, making sure you have enough estus flasks. You can get the gold pine resin if you have the master key or key from the vendor. You'll die a couple of times on the boss if you're to impatient but it's a great feeling when you do. Kindling lets you have 10 estus but you need to be human first and costs humanity.

on the boss, try jumping down from the turret where the archers are and do a drop attack. (light attack when falling) with the gold pine resin(+lightning dmg) = easyfight.

so keep calm and carry on!

@CaLe said:

You have trouble with the Taurus Demon? Umm.. ummmmmm..... not sure if serious.

that boss is not that easy if you just jump in.. going back to the boss later once you know how to fight will make it a joke

@CaLe said:

You have trouble with the Taurus Demon? Umm.. ummmmmm..... not sure if serious.

that boss is not that easy if you just jump in.. going back to the boss later once you know how to fight will make it a joke

Another pretty easy way is to retreat and throw firebombs when you get the chance.

I got the Drake sword by hitting that giant dragon in the head with the heavy soul arrow. Didn't kill him. Just made him mad. Then the game told me I had loot. Press A for Drake sword. OK! I stood near the entrance to the rat room under the dragon. Pulled a bow, aimed it then switched to staff and fired a heavy soul arrow. Hit him square in the jaw. Maybe its on of his teeth and I knocked it out when I sucker punched him.

Practice practice practice. It only gets harder from here on out.

just keep pushing through. at the end of the day it is only a game so who cares if you die? that's how you learn and it's also a vital part of the game.

I'm not worried about dying, it's the restarting lol. As for the Taurus boss, unfortunately I am serious - I figured the whole jump up and attack down, but I kept getting killed going back up the ladder. Now I know you have to go to the other end and back. This is coming from a person who had read zero guides about it, and really, this is my first game of this type, so I assumed the ol' drop down, fire bomb and hack 'n' slash would work. Didn't...

@CletusTheFoetus: Is the kindling permanent? For example, if I kindled a flame for one humanity, got the 10 flasks, then went out and died anyway - when I respawn at the same bonfire wilI get 10 flasks again? And what is the easiest way to get humanity? I've only found like 3 before the Taurus fight and I lost one lol.

@CaLe said:

@McShank said:

@CaLe said:

You have trouble with the Taurus Demon? Umm.. ummmmmm..... not sure if serious.

that boss is not that easy if you just jump in.. going back to the boss later once you know how to fight will make it a joke

But the first boss fight you kill by dropping down and doing massive damage, and there is a ladder behind you for this boss fight, so you should know what needs to be done.

You obviosuly dont know that If you do not aim your jump perfectly you will hit the boss for alot of damage BUT <----- But you will be blocked against the fog gate, leading you to be smashed again and again into the ground without the ability to evade or get around him. This happens quite frequently so just dropping down usually leads to death unless you are lucky enough to not get blocked by him. Hell, i never even did that as I just rolled around and kept cutting him with my sword / pine resin. But that was me, not everyone else. Also i had put many hours into demon's so i didn't jump without remembering how to do everything.

@McShank: Well I did it. The first few times I died was due to my stupid errors - I tried the jump down and attack, then run away technique, but the first few times I thought I could get a sneaky stab in at the same time. I was wrong. One quick flight off the bridge and I moved on to then jumping and then trying to firebomb. The jump went well, but after than I got stuck against the fog door and got smashed over and over. Then my firebombs kept missing. So eventually I tried what is by a long way, the easiest route to killing him. I went up the top, threw a firebomb down, climbed a bit down the ladder, he jumped up then off again. I go back up, throw firebomb. Rinse and repeat. Then just because I felt so bad (although I'm guessing the designers actually WANT you to play like that - I feel less guilty hacking and slashing, but retreating I feel bad....) I then jumped off and did the head slam thing. Yay!

Is there anyway to kill the dragon? I've gotten the drake sword (totally AWESOME!) but the dragon is still there and I'm unwilling to try to rush through the gate with his fire, despite my high health, in case my souls get stuck out there.

Oh and question - do you have to be a human to be summoned/summon someone?

@MentalDisruption said:

Practice practice practice. It only gets harder from here on out.

This. Learn the ins and outs of your chosen weapons and loadout. Learn the attack patterns of enemies and their layouts in each area. You're going to die a lot, but repetition seems to breed confidence. Eventually you'll start breezing through areas you once found uber-difficult, only to then be slapped down again when you attempt to venture forth into a new area.

Thus is how Dark Souls rolls.

@SpawnMan: Yeah the kindling is perm at that bonfire. You probably won't have access to a lot of humanity at the start because it drops of rats. you'll have to farm from firelink to undeadburg bonfire to level up and get some.

I think you can cheese the dragon and get a ton of souls but I'm leaving him there to farm the mobs he kills.

@SpawnMan: Besides from rats and from specific places in the environment you also get Humanity by killing a large number of guys, I'm not really sure what the conditions are but every so often you will get one if you're just farming guys over and over (maybe you need to not die while doing it, not sure).

If you've gotten past the dragon you must have talked to Solaire of Astoria, he gives you the white soapstone item which you can "use" to put down a summon sign. There are some places where you can't place down a summon sign but in every main area with a boss you can. When you put it down people who are human and within your level range (within 10% of your own level) and who have not yet cleared the area boss will be able to see it <--- These are also your conditions for summoning other players. Be aware that even if you see a summon sign you shouldn't summon a player unless you intend to fight a boss so be prepared.

Do you know how you can tell what stats are required for different weapons and where you can see how much extra ATK your weapons gain for points put into specific stats? 'cause knowing this will end up being extremely useful. You should pay a visit to this thread as well. If you can't find an answer there just ask the question yourself.

Do not hack and slash, wait for the Demon to attack, roll/block and attack while there is an opening.

Don't worry about Humanity, you'll get a ton later (rats for instance seem to drop Humanity stones often when you get to the depths sewer area) or if you really must worry about it help people with bosses by putting down summon signs which nets you humanity and souls. You can get humanity randomly from slaying anything but I have not figured out the actual requirements for that. It seemed to happen quite a bit when I first started the game but it has since stopped. Now I just find Humanity stones a lot as loot (although I was cursed, so I couldnt see my humanity and after I got it cured I found I had accumulated 2 Humanity so I assume you can still get it with kills randomly, but again I dont know if its just random or if theres some requirement for it. You get another estus flask use sometimes too)

Don't worry about the drake yet. There is a way to glitch him but you have to be able to kill the black Knight on the tower, so you can wait until your able to do that or wait until your ready to slay a Drake head to head. You realistically do not HAVE to kill him right now (it's just nice when you do cus there's a shortcut there).

To be summoned you have to just put down a summon sign. You do not have to be human to be summoned, only to summon. IN other words the Summoner has to be human, the ones being summoned do not.

The game will constantly test you. It requires a lot of patience but eventually that area your in will be a cake walk and you'll be like "this is nothing- I got this". Then you'll be on to the next area which is difficult all over again. Just stick with it and take it slow and you'll be fine.

@CornBREDX: Thanks guys for the help! Okay well that's great - so I put down the summon sign and even if I'm not human, I'll go to their world? Or if I see a summon sign, I can call them to mine, but only if I'm human? Right? Or the other way round, with the summon signs I put down if someone else sees them they come to MY world, but only if I'm human? In either case, I haven't actually seen ANY summoning signs and when I put my one down I waited for a whole 30 seconds and no one came! So basically I'm screwed if I'm not human unless someone finally sees my sign?

Yeah I noticed that - I was randomly killing some dudes and I got a humanity one time and a flask another. Good to know kindling is permanent, but I wish I'd done it when I had 2 humanity so I don't have to spend one automatically on reversing hollowing first!

Yeah I've found that. After like the 100th round of killing the dudes at Undeadsberg (managed to get to nearly level 25 I think) I found I could kill them really easily and then making it to the Taurus demon without losing a flask.

And I know I should hack and slash guys, but really, doing the ladder/firebomb technique against the Taurus felt cheap because it was obvious the AI wasn't smart enough to realize that when he jumped up, I was still on the ladder! So did From Games actually WANT us to play like that? Is it okay?