Elden Ring - chortlesome japes

[spanx]

3 minutes ago, mikeyl said:

 

Cool didn’t even know you can pick/customise characters like that. My other favourite mechanic is over-levelling so that I can brute force tricky encounters. Does this do that?

I hope so. Plus the spirit summons and getting other people to help you. Hoping a combination of all these things will help me see this through to the end. I nearly got there with Bloodborne so planning on going the extra mile here. 
 

I’m really excited

[mikeyl]

Yes, perseverance through grinding is an elite skill.

[Qazimod]

4 hours ago, mikeyl said:

 

Cool didn’t even know you can pick/customise characters like that. My other favourite mechanic is over-levelling so that I can brute force tricky encounters. Does this do that?

Yeah, the “character” archetypes are sort of like predetermined allocations of points towards your various attributes, so they’re kind of a guideline for how you want to play - but you can always take a detour later in the game and drop points into other things. The thing is that certain builds felt a bit under-utilised in some games; trying to play Bloodborne as a character specialising in Bloodtinge wasn’t nearly as immediately fun as going for a Strength/Skill character. Elden Ring at least tries to make character builds feel immediately fun, like when I was messing with magic as an Enchanted Knight, so I have more confidence in there being satisfying build variety.

 

And yes, you’ll be able to over-level, but it rarely lets you sleepwalk through encounters in the other games; knowing the fundamental “rhythm” of a boss battle will always help no matter how over-levelled you are.  

[Superunknown]

16 minutes ago, Steven said:

Sounds like the performance mode framerate still isn't sorted on PS5. Surely they can fix this?

 

FFS. I know it's a running joke with From at this point (PS4 & Xbox One network test STILL had frame-pacing issues at 30fps), but good grief - most people just want a smooth frame-rate - feel free to ditch some shinies. I don't even mind if it's 30fps - even frame-pacing and a (mostly) locked rate aren't exactly major technical asks.

[mikeyl]

8 minutes ago, Qazimod said:

Yeah, the “character” archetypes are kind of like predetermined allocations of points towards your various attributes, so they’re kind of a guideline for how you want to play - but you can always take a detour later in the game and drop points into other things. The thing is that certain builds felt a bit under-utilised in some games; trying to play Bloodborne as a character specialising in Bloodtinge wasn’t nearly as immediately fun as going for a Strength/Skill character. Elden Ring at least tries to make character builds feel immediately fun, like when I was messing with magic as an Enchanted Knight, so I have more confidence in there being satisfying build variety.

 

And yes, you’ll be able to over-level, but it rarely let you sleepwalk through encounters in the other games; knowing the fundamental “rhythm” of a boss battle will always help no matter how over-levelled you are.  

Totally up for this. Gonna be amazing. Also hilarious as there is new Destiny tomorrow and a two week grinding race to be as Raid competent as possible. 25 hour days plz.

[Ste Pickford]

My Base.com order is still saying 'Status: Pre-release'.  I want it to update to 'Sent'!

[jonamok]

57 minutes ago, robdood said:

It comes out on Friday? 

Sleep 1: tues

2: weds

3: thurs

4: fri

 

 

 

Monday night, sleep 1.

Tuesday night, sleep 2.

Wednesday night, sleep 3.

 

Thursday night it unlocks at midnight. Are you really going to bed before midnight on Thursday? I'll be playing it right then and there. 3 sleeps!!!!!

 

[Jamie John]

I'm really hoping that this will have endless replayability. I want to still be playing it this time next year.

[robdood]

16 minutes ago, jonamok said:

 

Monday night, sleep 1.

Tuesday night, sleep 2.

Wednesday night, sleep 3.

 

Thursday night it unlocks at midnight. Are you really going to bed before midnight on Thursday? I'll be playing it right then and there. 3 sleeps!!!!!

 

Lol, yes I will.  I have work on Fri.  But I will be getting up early especially. 

 

(unless I can wangle some timezone hack with my VPN.. does that work on Steam?)

 

[BitterToad]

On that theme, does the old New Zealand trick work on PS5?

[Steven]

39 minutes ago, Superunknown said:

 

FFS. I know it's a running joke with From at this point (PS4 & Xbox One network test STILL had frame-pacing issues at 30fps), but good grief - most people just want a smooth frame-rate - feel free to ditch some shinies. I don't even mind if it's 30fps - even frame-pacing and a (mostly) locked rate aren't exactly major technical asks.

 

It just smacks of can't be arsed when you have things like Horizon, Spiderman, etc running perfectly well.

[friedgold]

1 hour ago, mikeyl said:

Scared I’m gonna catch a hiding on this. Never get on with From games as the worst mechanic for me is that I’m too impatient to parry and block. As someone who rinses stuff like Devil May Cry and Platinum and sucks at the fighting in Bloodborne, Jedi Fallen Order and Monster Hunter, is my pre-order a big mistake?

If it helps I have never, ever been able to parry consistently in any Souls game (Bloodborne the exception but that doesn't count so much), relying on dodge-rolling or on my last DS1 playthrough a full-on absolute STR/poise unit who could shrug off any minor enemy and crush bosses in 3 or 4 hits. God I loved that guy.

[englishbob]

9 minutes ago, Steven said:

 

It just smacks of can't be arsed when you have things like Horizon, Spiderman, etc running perfectly well.

 

They just won't ask for help to fix it is the most frustrating thing of all.

 

Should run ok on the PS6 though

 

(I wonder if the frame rate is better when playing offline?)

[Dave White]

I have that many copies on the way in hope someone sends it early that I might set up an Elden Ring pop up store in my village.

[mikeyl]

Love a dodge, love a dodge roll. Love a dodge roll when the character flashes and you get a few seconds of invincible to lay some smack on some goons. Dunno why parry I can’t get my head around. It’s more or less the same reaction window. Maybe it’s to do with waiting around for the mans to strike first and not being in the thick of it.

[spanx]

Four sleeps here, although I have booked Friday afternoon off so by this time Friday I will be settling down in front of my telly, with snacks/drinks prepared in advance, booting the PC up and readying myself for an afternoon/evening of getting fucking infuriated when I invariably get stuck on the easiest boss in the game. 
 

Assuming CD Keys don’t end up making me wait ages for my Steam code. 

[KartoffelKopf]

47 minutes ago, mikeyl said:

Totally up for this. Gonna be amazing. Also hilarious as there is new Destiny tomorrow and a two week grinding race to be as Raid competent as possible. 25 hour days plz.

Mate, you mean 25 hour hours! I love From games, Bloodborne is a top 3 forever game and for DS3, I stayed up until midnight and then played until sunrise. This just looks like pure gaming bliss but it has the worst timing ever and I can’t do two games of this type at the same time. I’m just too time poor and Miyazaki deserves my full attention. I’ve preordered it too but just so I can feel the menu atmos. 
 

I know Destiny is the inferior game and I should be on this right away but no, I’m down on my knees cradling Bungie’s balls whilst I work the shaft, as usual. 

[Steven]

12 minutes ago, englishbob said:

 

They just won't ask for help to fix it is the most frustrating thing of all.

 

Should run ok on the PS6 though

 

(I wonder if the frame rate is better when playing offline?)

 

Going to see how it is on Friday, but if it's really distracting, I might get the PS4 version and run through backwards compatibility to get it locked. I think DS on PS5 hasn't done From any favours.

[Superunknown]

Discovered I have £40 credit on my PSN account, so I might have to spend that on a digital copy of Elden Ring

[englishbob]

15 minutes ago, Steven said:

 

Going to see how it is on Friday, but if it's really distracting, I might get the PS4 version and run through backwards compatibility to get it locked. I think DS on PS5 hasn't done From any favours.

I assume sharing saves between the versions will be impossible?

[Steven]

3 minutes ago, englishbob said:

I assume sharing saves between the versions will be impossible?

 

I've not a clue. Having a quick look at this, there's no really good reason to buy a PS5 version of this (which I have stupidly done) You can upgrade for free and you have access to a locked 60FPS if you want it.

[AI]

1 hour ago, Steven said:

Sounds like the performance mode framerate still isn't sorted on PS5. Surely they can fix this?

Has it been fixed on Series X then as that was even worse?

[Steven]

No idea - looking at that DF video, they said on horseback the PS5 took a bigger hit and vice-versa on foot. What a load of complete bollocks, given the grunt these things have. I'm cancelling my PS5 version now and will get the bog-standard PS4 version.

[Uncle Nasty]

1 hour ago, spanx said:

I hope so. Plus the spirit summons and getting other people to help you. Hoping a combination of all these things will help me see this through to the end. I nearly got there with Bloodborne so planning on going the extra mile here. 
 

I’m really excited

 

I honestly wouldn't bank on any of that to get you through this game. The boss fights I've watched are as brutal, or worse, than anything From have done before. Some that you can't even summon for and with insane attack patterns/projectiles/summons/AOE attacks all during the same fight. Fights that make Rom and the Four Kings look trivial. Tanky builds are gong to have a hard time I think.

[spanx]

1 minute ago, Uncle Nasty said:

 

I honestly wouldn't bank on any of that to get you through this game. The boss fights I've watched are as brutal, or worse, than anything From have done before. Some that you can't even summon for and with insane attack patterns/projectiles/summons/AOE attacks all during the same fight. Fights that make Rom and the Four Kings look trivial. Tanky builds are gong to have a hard time I think.

Sounds like things are going to get very sweary in the Spanx household then. 
 

I did beat Father Gascoigne on my second attempt so I’m not completely useless. But I am pretty useless. 

[Qazimod]

It's going to be brutal, but liberating.

 

As in: "this open world has plenty of individuals who will wreck you - whose boot do you prefer to have in your face"

[englishbob]

30 minutes ago, Steven said:

No idea - looking at that DF video, they said on horseback the PS5 took a bigger hit and vice-versa on foot. What a load of complete bollocks, given the grunt these things have. I'm cancelling my PS5 version now and will get the bog-standard PS4 version.

 

I did that for the physical, cancelled and reordered the PS4 version.

 

Then I just ditched the physical order and for the first time went digital to guarantee playing on Friday on whatever version I chose, that extra +£4odd saving me the stress.

 

I wonder if there will be a day one patch though coming out the end of the week (digital pre load doesn't start until Wednesday 23rd after all), however slim that chance is that they will fix it....

[Steven]

15 minutes ago, englishbob said:

 

I did that for the physical, cancelled and reordered the PS4 version.

 

Then I just ditched the physical order and for the first time went digital to guarantee playing on Friday on whatever version I chose, that extra +£4odd saving me the stress.

 

I wonder if there will be a day one patch though coming out the end of the week (digital pre load doesn't start until Wednesday 23rd after all), however slim that chance is that they will fix it....

 

I'll go with PS4 and if they patch it, I can just upgrade it.

[mikeyl]

1 hour ago, KartoffelKopf said:

Mate, you mean 25 hour hours! I love From games, Bloodborne is a top 3 forever game and for DS3, I stayed up until midnight and then played until sunrise. This just looks like pure gaming bliss but it has the worst timing ever and I can’t do two games of this type at the same time. I’m just too time poor and Miyazaki deserves my full attention. I’ve preordered it too but just so I can feel the menu atmos. 
 

I know Destiny is the inferior game and I should be on this right away but no, I’m down on my knees cradling Bungie’s balls whilst I work the shaft, as usual. 

Ha yeah everything about Destiny is irrational, already sacked of Horizon for a TBC date but I think I need a project plan for the next few weeks.

[Dark Soldier]

Playing through the daddy DkS2 in preparation. Best game.