Usually when I play games, I am always looking to try and get the next chapter completed achievement, or going out of my way to get as many side achievements as I can (get xxx kills with xxx weapon, etc). However, with Dark Souls, I have not cared once which achievements I have or haven't gotten. Is this a sign that playing Dark Souls is satisfying in itself, beyond just getting a little pop-up when you beat a major boss? I think so.

What does this mean about other games, then, that I look forward to that achievement pop more than making progress in the game? Maybe that has something to do with why I've been having more fun with Dark Souls than any other game I've played recently.

yeah I'd say that the game is rewarding to you doing everything that you can.

mostly RPGs and stuff with progression and treasure usually will be. games like Batman won't make doing things like gliding off the tallest building rewarding without a little bloop and an achievement.

well. I have beaten this game to many times already and the only fun thing i can find now is getting platinum.. 2 things evade me in this aspect. 1 - Trident from mages in dukes archive is refuseing to drop even with 400 item discovery. 2 - Seaths tail.. fuck him and soloing for that damn item.. (To high level to find an actual summon sign) Otherwise, this is probably the one game besides demon's that i WANT to get the achievments. It makes me play the game to every aspect available.

Well, after you've exhausted the game, achievements are great way to get more out if the game. I played a ton more Dead Rising because of achievements.

But lately I've had trouble completing games that don't give me consistent cheevos to keep me going. Not so with Dark Souls. 60 hours and counting.

To be fair the achievements in Dark Souls aren't terribly imaginative. From what I've seen is defeating certain bosses, getting the option to join different covenants, maxing out different weapon types, and getting all spells.

But yeah, Dark Souls is fun for it's own merits.

@McShank said:

well. I have beaten this game to many times already and the only fun thing i can find now is getting platinum.. 2 things evade me in this aspect. 1 - Trident from mages in dukes archive is refuseing to drop even with 400 item discovery. 2 - Seaths tail.. fuck him and soloing for that damn item.. (To high level to find an actual summon sign) Otherwise, this is probably the one game besides demon's that i WANT to get the achievments. It makes me play the game to every aspect available.

Those are probably the trophies ill have trouble with finding all unique weapons and getting all miracles / spells and so on it just doesnt seem appealing im trying for the uprade trophies atm... i have all the weapons i need and +4 or +9 to make the that last upgrade but i need slabs which is just annoying to get because you only get 1 of each per playthrough :(

I think it does say a lot about the current state of gaming, but I don't think it can be put entirely on modern design philosophy. We've reached a point where a lot of people playing games today have been playing games for decades, at a point you become desensitized to the smaller victories. I think Dark Souls is more rewarding than most modern games because it doesn't hand itself over to you.
 
I think that's what is so interesting about Dark Souls, it uses a lot of negative reinforces rather than just putting a carrot on a stick like so many other games. What's so satisfying about defeating a tough enemy in Dark Souls isn't just that you've conquered this gigantic monster of an enemy, but also that once conquered you'll never have to fight it again. It's a kind of psychology that most games never really exploit and something we aren't used to, so when you conquer a difficult challenge in Dark Souls it feels distinct and uniquely gratifying.

@bkbroiler: Yeah, I'm the same. With some games (not all, but still a considerable portion) I'll be trying to get as many cheevos as I can on my first playthrough, but with Dark Souls I forgot to even check them – hell, I forgot it even had achievements – until that first one popped up. I think I was still giddy with joy that the package had finally rocked up. Even after that, though, I sort of did a lazy scan of the list without actually paying attention to what they were; Dark Souls' impenetrable ways means you don't even know what most of them mean, anyway.

So yeah, I'm kind of glad that I'm letting the game's mysterious nature wash over me, cheevos and all.

@bkbroiler said:

. Is this a sign that playing Dark Souls is satisfying in itself, beyond just getting a little pop-up when you beat a major boss? I think so.

I agree with this, it also might be because other games require less focus and are too easy that you NEED that extra challenge, But Dark Souls has too keep you on your toes and has enough hidden in it that isn't an achievement. so your not constantly thinking about. "OH MAN I NEED TO KEEP GETTING FIRE BOMB KILLS" Or something along those lines.

@Kazzurak said:

@McShank said:

well. I have beaten this game to many times already and the only fun thing i can find now is getting platinum.. 2 things evade me in this aspect. 1 - Trident from mages in dukes archive is refuseing to drop even with 400 item discovery. 2 - Seaths tail.. fuck him and soloing for that damn item.. (To high level to find an actual summon sign) Otherwise, this is probably the one game besides demon's that i WANT to get the achievments. It makes me play the game to every aspect available.

Those are probably the trophies ill have trouble with finding all unique weapons and getting all miracles / spells and so on it just doesnt seem appealing im trying for the uprade trophies atm... i have all the weapons i need and +4 or +9 to make the that last upgrade but i need slabs which is just annoying to get because you only get 1 of each per playthrough :(

Nay my good sir. You can get more then 1 slab per game :D well.. at least red and titanite.. the darkwraths in new londo drop them VERY rarely and the things in new izalith with alot of teeth and tentacles with a ton of eyes can drop red slabs but also, very rarely.. almost not worth farming : / I just finished getting all the upgrades earlyer which was not fun as i did have to farm for the titanite one : / need 3 playthroughs or alot of farming to finish them all.. The spells / pyromancies were easy while the miracles were more of a hassel as you have to get certain ranks with each covenant to get them like the darkwraiths which if i may say is alot harder to get into on NG+ with the 4kings being alot stronger.. not a fun boss.. more of a fight that i was panicking and running out of pyromancies and swinging my sword like mad to finish.

I think I might have checked the achievement list once since I started playing the game. Whenever I get one for killing a story boss or discovering a covenant I almost pay no attention. I remember when I beat Demons Souls after a lot of hours, my first run through, I was amazed that when I checked my trophies I had maybe like 6 out of 40+

I play all my games with notifications off, so achievments haven't been a big draw for me, ever. But I totally see your point, this is the only game in a LONG time where I seriously can't stop playing. I have a massive backlog of games I never finish, but Dark Souls show up and just pushes away everything else.

As some may know I'm a huge achievement junkie. However, this is one of the few single player games that I've realized I don't have the energy or patience to s-rank. It's easily in my top-five list of 2011, I just don't know how much swearing my dog can hear before he moves out for good.

@TobbRobb said:

I play all my games with notifications off, so achievments haven't been a big draw for me, ever. But I totally see your point, this is the only game in a LONG time where I seriously can't stop playing. I have a massive backlog of games I never finish, but Dark Souls show up and just pushes away everything else.

Notifications off: I wish there was this option for the PS3 trophies as well. Not that I reject them, but some times I really don't like them popping up and to ruin all the atmosphere that the game tried to build.

I agree entirely. It's odd. I think if there were more in game rewards for completing tasks most people would care less for achievements, because in most cases that is the only reward.

@McShank: Where can i buy spells and pyromancies besides the guys in Firelink? i freed Big Hat dude and then he dissappeared and i met him in the tower prison b4 seath but now hes gone the apprentice teaches the same spells also the only pyromancer ive come across is the dude you rescue in the depths wheres the other/s?

@Kazzurak said:

@McShank: Where can i buy spells and pyromancies besides the guys in Firelink? i freed Big Hat dude and then he dissappeared and i met him in the tower prison b4 seath but now hes gone the apprentice teaches the same spells also the only pyromancer ive come across is the dude you rescue in the depths wheres the other/s?

Big hat will sell you things in the crystal fortress one last time before he goes hollow so make sure you have alot of souls ready if you want to buy them. And the other pyro trainer is in the swamp next to a pillar towards quelaags mound. Nothing will hurt you when your near her so dont worry about killing everything off. She is in black and is sitting down so she can be missed easily.. If she is not there, have the guy in town upgrade your pyro flame a few times (It does not have to be 10+ or 15+ or any other bullshit people have been putting, but rather upgraded a minimal 1 time).. I have tested this on 2 characters so dont listen to other people.. She will upgrade your flame to +15 then change it back to level 1 and it will got to +5 then which is still being upgraded just they didnt change the name or icon for it : / She will also not leave once you learn everything or progress through the game so there is no rush to buy everything from her. Dont know if this is a spoiler or not so meh.

@McShank: im not sure which book room youre refering to because i cant get back to the prison apparently i can only go to the first place you meet seath or am i doing something wrong?

@McShank: I have a bunch of questions on some achievements, but this isn't the right place. Maybe make a trophy thread?

I only seek trophies in games I like. I want to finish everything involved or possible with it. It says something about the game for me cus the ones I plat. are ones I love.

@Kazzurak said:

@McShank: im not sure which book room youre refering to because i cant get back to the prison apparently i can only go to the first place you meet seath or am i doing something wrong?

there are side passages through the library. you have to move the stair cases to get to certain things. instead of taking the elevator, go to the sides and see if the passages are open to go to the other side. If there is a bonfire on a balcony then you are in the right area. To progress you have to go up the stairs and move the staircase so you can enter a new room with a ladder that will open another passage

@McShank said:

@Kazzurak said:

@McShank: im not sure which book room youre refering to because i cant get back to the prison apparently i can only go to the first place you meet seath or am i doing something wrong?

there are side passages through the library. you have to move the stair cases to get to certain things. instead of taking the elevator, go to the sides and see if the passages are open to go to the other side. If there is a bonfire on a balcony then you are in the right area. To progress you have to go up the stairs and move the staircase so you can enter a new room with a ladder that will open another passage

Yeah i went back there after replying i just didnt realize that the dukes archives was the same part where you get the shortcut to and where you meet seath for the first time if you know what i mean, plus after i beat Big Hat Logan i actually got the sage's trophy :) yey also do you know if i have to get all the unique weapons on 1 character or can i do it on different characters?

@Kazzurak said:

@McShank said:

@Kazzurak said:

@McShank: im not sure which book room youre refering to because i cant get back to the prison apparently i can only go to the first place you meet seath or am i doing something wrong?

there are side passages through the library. you have to move the stair cases to get to certain things. instead of taking the elevator, go to the sides and see if the passages are open to go to the other side. If there is a bonfire on a balcony then you are in the right area. To progress you have to go up the stairs and move the staircase so you can enter a new room with a ladder that will open another passage

Yeah i went back there after replying i just didnt realize that the dukes archives was the same part where you get the shortcut to and where you meet seath for the first time if you know what i mean, plus after i beat Big Hat Logan i actually got the sage's trophy :) yey also do you know if i have to get all the unique weapons on 1 character or can i do it on different characters?

I believe it is on one character as it was on demon's souls which required a few playthroughs. I did it on the same character just to make sure i didn't have to do it again. some of them just require alot of farming : /

@McShank: am i wrong expecting a NG++ playthrough for it then? i believe Sif's Soul is used for 3 unique weapons

Use this thread for achievement/trophy help all you want, guys. My bit is done and I like the irony.

@Kazzurak said:

@McShank: am i wrong expecting a NG++ playthrough for it then? i believe Sif's Soul is used for 3 unique weapons

You are not wrong..