Am I crazy or did the other games not have this insane amount of tracking on pretty much every attack. Everything just follows you. I can roll out of the way fine, but I feel like the attacks follow you an insane amount compared to the other games. It feels like a cheap way to make the game more difficult.
Too much tracking on enemy attacks?
Nope you're not wrong, the tracking on most enemies' attacks is crazy. I don't get why they did that when it's even harder to get backstabs, given that you have to hit with the stun hit attack first.
For people playing on the PC version: Does the 60 fps help combat the tracking on the enemies? I've heard from a couple of people that the higher framerate makes parrying easier, so I have to wonder if it would also help with dodging attacks.
Some pretty nasty examples of bad hitboxes on attacks
Overall, I think that video is a top notch critique of why the game falls short, even though some of his points are very speculative.
It's mostly overhead attacks that have too much tracking if I recall correctly. Slashes and stabs don't have nearly as much. Those greatbow users don't have any an all.
Yes, tracking is laser like.
But half the problem is the low number of i-frames at low agility levels. And it doesn't help that the animation doesn't change. You think you roll through stuff but it hits you anyways.
So if you rely on dodging, add some adp and the tracking won't seem so bad anymore.
@hollitz: Yeah I watched that video the other day, and I think he makes excellent points, the majority of which I'd taken note of personally while playing myself. I just don't feel the magic this time around. I feel like they basically tried a by-the-numbers recreation of DS1 by using some master checklist of things people liked about DS1, but ultimately failed without the original directors vision tying it all together.
On topic though. Yes, throughout my time with the game I was hit and died many times (and was furious about it) by attacks that straight up didn't connect at all with my character. And the tracking looks odd. It adds a bit of extra difficulty as you have to time your dodges ever so slightly more , but it just looks a little foolish with mobs sliding without animation with their two feet planted before the tracking stops as the swing goes through. They could have animated some sort of stepping animation or something for the enemies while they're tracking you like that and it would have done wonders and not seemed so odd.
The tracking on the Lost Sinner's stab attack, Christ. I was playing a pure sorcerer too, so the stab was almost a one-hit for me. Realised that rolling into the stab is actually the way to go, due to the i-frames.
Not only do they track more but there is variable swing times, so they wind up differently each time, sometimes pausing for longer causing you to roll too early.
On top of that the hitboxes are kinda fucked, both ways, in that you will whiff on enemies when it seems like you should hit them, and they will hit you with splash damage from a mile away.
It sucks, but whatever, none of the souls games were ever tough-but-fair. There was always some degree of cheapness to them and it's just more apparent in DS2.
Enemies definitely track more, but I think it's a good change. Being able to just walk to the side and get a free backstab on nearly every enemy in the previous game was kind of boring, I like that you have to earn it this time around.
The wide hitboxes on overheads and the nearly broken hit detection on grab moves are both lame, but once you recognize it you can deal with it so it doesn't really bother me too much anymore.
The tracking is amped up compared to part 1 for sure. You just have to time your rolls better.
@humanity Yeah the hit boxes are kinda fucked...
Yes but it makes rolling less trivial which I like. (I at least) can't dodge 90% of attacks by fatrolling anymore like I could in the first game.
Agreed. Timing is more important this time around. They are not handing out dodges or parries anymore. You have to get good at it this time around. Which I like.
It is a bit much sometimes and just looks silly, like watching a turtle knight swivel around in the midst of bringing the hammer down, but overall I don't think it got in the way enough to be anything especially egregious. As others said if anything it forced you to better time your rolls.
One thing I am noticing is that even if I interrupt an enemies attack with one of my own I still take damage. Even if they are just pulling their sword back. I don't think it was like that is Dark Souls 1.
I definitely noticed this as well. The hitboxes on what seems like the majority of attacks in the game being completely wrong is the bigger issue though. Over head swings in particular seem to be the most problematic, if you're even remotely close to that impact zone you are always going to be hit.
As someone who started a DW character, to strictly play without a shield or magic it was a right pita in the beginning to try and dodge things. But as things move along I've found myself adapting to the game a bit, you do have to be a bit more precise with dodges.
Another thing i found out over time that helped me out greatly is that nine times out of ten it's better to dodge into an an enemy (and a bit to the side) rather then dodging away from enemies or dodging to the sides as the area of a lot of attacks is greater in this game making it frequently impossible to dodge out of range.
I like it. Makes the enemies seem like they have fairly-matched AIs, rather than them being dumb robots.
For most enemies you'll have plenty of time after dodging/blocking to counter-attack. I haven't yet found the strategy to melee-only the Dragon Shrine mace knights after they've started their rampage (besides running away), but I'm sure it exists.
At first I did find dodging a bit harder but I got used to it fairly quick. I'd say I died more in the first 5 hours than the entire rest of the game though.
@hollitz: wow nothing like that ever happened to me. Not even close. But then again I also had next to 0 framework issues (on the ps3) so I don't know what up with that
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