Board 8 > Elden Ring Discussion 3 Sword of Dark and Spark

(+) Yeah! (+)

Fire giant beaten

I got to phase 2 right away and then wanted to look up what I should do when he starts rolling over and over, and instead it told me not to summon the friend for the fight and suggested a different weapon I had on hand. It's way weaker even after dropping a bunch of runes to get it close in level, but it still wrecked on my next attempt

Okay why does fire +2 talisman NOT reduce damage at all from that damn firebreathingfucking horse

Hey, Ordina, Liturgical Town is messed up

Not as messed up as this lake in Mogwhyn Palace

Though yes I hate the archers

Limgrave and the Weeping Peninsula are probably my two favorite areas. They may be the least creative regions, but I loved getting my feet wet and exploring less hostile places that felt more adventurous and whimsical.

Although From doesn't wait too long until hitting us with their absurd allotment of festering shitholes.

https://youtu.be/EqZ719bwfAA

Finally

I dunno, I feel like rather than having areas that excel over the others, Elden Ring's strength is that every single area is creative and interesting.

I've got a lot of mixed feelings on the area design but I do agree that Limgrave is where you can most feel the strengths of a traditional open world. To an extent Liurnia is like this too, except it's much less dense (there's a big empty disorienting mist swamp), there's a handful of obtuse secrets or gated areas, and it's harder to traverse. Past that the areas get a lot emptier and have different goals.

I also wish the game had a bit more aesthetic variety. It feels weird saying this because the art direction is consistently good, but it does get old? Like...Altus Plateau is basically a color swap of Limgrave. And it looks GORGEOUS. But at the same time, I wish it was more distinct. Same with all the castles and forts, the legacy dungeon level design is top notch but I kinda got worn out on castles, swamps, and castles in swamps.

This is maybe more of a function of me taking like 140 hours for a first playthrough and burning myself out while somehow still not being able to quit this game. So uh. I dunno. Game is...good.

(also I recognize that the only way this game is able to exist at all is because FromSoft heavily reuses assets so I suppose it really is a minor issue in the grand scheme of things)

HeroDelTiempo17 posted...

This is maybe more of a function of me taking like 140 hours for a first playthrough and burning myself out while somehow still not being able to quit this game. So uh. I dunno. Game is...good.

I think this is the real issue, the game really didn't need to be so big and open.

Like this sounds crazy, but I almost wish the game was episodic and came out in 25 hour chunks every 3 months. I think I would have enjoyed it more

masterplum posted...

Like this sounds crazy, but I almost wish the game was episodic and came out in 25 hour chunks every 3 months. I think I would have enjoyed it more

Ah yes, Genshin Impact.

But no there's a time and place for the update/live service model but a FromSoft game isn't it. I do think it's just an issue of the lack of structure making weird pacing issues if you play the game certain ways. It's at its best when you are getting a healthy mix of main areas and exploring the open world for powerups and not getting a whole bunch of one or the other at once.

masterplum posted...

I think this is the real issue, the game really didn't need to be so big and open.

Like this sounds crazy, but I almost wish the game was episodic and came out in 25 hour chunks every 3 months. I think I would have enjoyed it more

I love the idea of this but it's traditionally a retail failure. There's a reason why Hitman stopped doing that after the first reboot game. Maybe in the Game Pass world it's more viable?

I love the fact this game is big and open!! It rules!

I feel like everything prior to Dectus Lift is GOAT level quality - Limgrave, WP, Liurnia, the underground river areas, and even Caelid has a lot of quality design. For me, after the lift, the game takes a step down. Great aesthetics throughout the game.

Limgrave > Weeping P > underground areas > Liurnia > Caelid = Consecrated Snow > Gelmir > Atlus = Giant Mountain

it's pretty much all good stuff though. some of the early stuff is so dense and I felt like I was constantly finding myself involved in something new and exciting.

Honestly I don't have that much sympathy to people saying the game is too big and open because....just have self control I guess? Like I totally sound like an asshole saying that but I dunno, From doesn't force you to do it and it's simply there for the people that want it. If you end up doing it and it ends up that you burn yourself out because you went too hard too fast....whoops? Like if all of what's in Elden Ring was required to complete it then I could see the argument more. The game is literally there for you to play it whatever way, you have to find the balance you want.

Some of the pet peeves over here is beyond ridiculous. Hey I played 140 hours and burnt myself out because I forced myself do stuff I don't like in an open-world game, so game should have been episodic. Lol.

And then there is stuff like people calling Atlus Plateau and Mountaintop of the Giants a dip in quality when we literally got Leyndell, Volcano Manor, Mohgwyn Palace, Haligtree and Farum Azula in those areas.

FromSoftware manages to create an unfathomable masterpiece of a game in both scope and quality and people still find ways to shit on it.

Don't even get me started on the people bitching about the difficulty and calling Summon Spirits necessary. Jesus Christ.

please stop critiquing perfect game everyone!!

Lmao. I'm literally just saying I have problems with the lack of structure. It isn't necessarily "bad design" it just resulted in a weird play experience for me.

I have ADHD, this kind of design simultaneously attracts and repels me. I am hyperaware of this stuff while having very little self control over it or how it affects me. I have to be: while the open world is great here, other games will use the same techniques in more predatory ways. This is a very mild critique!

I got you mixed up with that other guy who said he had the same issue and went on to add that the game should have been released in episodic format. Probably the most idiotic post I have ever seen on this board.

Shit, I've played basically nothing but this game with my gaming time since it came out at the end of February. Probably like 80+ hours I would suspect, which is A LOT! And it's definitely going to be at least a few more weeks because I've barely touched any of the "main" content. But I've never felt fatigued or frustrated because there's so much to do and see. That I play in 2-4 hours chunks probably helps, though I've had a few 6-8 hour weekend sessions as well.

And if anyone has compulsive disorders of any sort, open-world games may not be the best idea for your health. Especially not an open-world that doesn't hand hold in the slightest. I say this with respect.

And just to pitch my own experience with the game. I have played over 200 hours, and done 5 playthroughs with different builds. Never have I ever felt anything resembling fatigue. Infact I already miss the Lands Between now that I have finally moved on to another game. So length and size is definitely not an issue with the game.

Axl_Rose_85 posted...

I got you mixed up with that other guy who said he had the same issue and went on to add that the game should have been released in episodic format. Probably the most idiotic post I have ever seen on this board.

calm down

Okay someone tell me what Mogh is weak against because I am tired of getting staggered by his bloody flames

Axl_Rose_85 posted...

And if anyone has compulsive disorders of any sort, open-world games may not be the best idea for your health

Axl_Rose_85 posted...

And just to pitch my own experience with the game. I have played over 200 hours

lol

That averages to 6 hours a day every day since the game was released

masterplum posted...

lol

That averages to 6 hours a day every day since the game was released

So?

I've been in quarantine for the past 14 days and I've been playing the game since launch. What is your point?

Ok nevermind
lucked out with his phase 2 pattern and he didnt do too many aerial attacks

htaeD posted...

Okay someone tell me what Mogh is weak against because I am tired of getting staggered by his bloody flames

The Lord of Blood is ironically weak against Bleed

Yeah I noticed that. But I didnt get many chances to go close range.
Had to use the Shackles right before he shouts UNUS so I could bleed him twice and keep his HP manageable.
(sure it hurts me too, but its worth the cost)

Also cost me some rune arcs, but his rune reward is ridiculous in return.

I see people stating that the later areas feel like a step down, but I feel like a different design philosophy simply takes over the back half of the game. Everything before Leyndell is an open world game, while everything after is a finale shaped like a traditional Soulsborne game. There's still a bit more content to explore than usual, but that section felt more classically Souls to me.

CasanovaZelos posted...

I see people stating that the later areas feel like a step down, but I feel like a different design philosophy simply takes over the back half of the game. Everything before Leyndell is an open world game, while everything after is a finale shaped like a traditional Soulsborne game. There's still a bit more content to explore than usual, but that section felt more classically Souls to me.

Half? The stuff after Leyndell is maybe 20% of the game, probably less.

CasanovaZelos posted...

I see people stating that the later areas feel like a step down, but I feel like a different design philosophy simply takes over the back half of the game. Everything before Leyndell is an open world game, while everything after is a finale shaped like a traditional Soulsborne game. There's still a bit more content to explore than usual, but that section felt more classically Souls to me.

I can appreciate this (without having any Souls experience). It's sparse and dangerous and perhaps a bit linear. I guess I found Gelmir to be unintuitive to explore similar to the SW corner/swamp area of Liurnia, and Atlus was a bit dull.

I guess if I could arrange the game to suit my personal tastes, I would allow the player to access the second lift before Leyndell, such that Leyndell->Giant->Leyndell was the linear endgame.

neonreaper posted...

I guess I found Gelmir to be unintuitive to explore similar to the SW corner/swamp area of Liurnia

Without giving too much away, in that SW corner, is there a direct path to get to the top area, above the Village? It was bothering me that I couldn't find a way over there from the east or north, nor up from the village itself. It's possible I missed something since it's kinda dark down there but I got to thinking that maybe it's only accessible via a warp.

Ranni questline

It's kinda shocking how many areas are locked behind that quest.

Cuz Ranni is a boss, Blaidd knows what's up

I was going to ask what else, but then I realized you need one of her things for fia

Mac Arrowny posted...

It's kinda shocking how many areas are locked behind that quest.

I think it's only that area and the top of Liurnia's Great Tower.

You don't actually need Ranni to get to Radahn and you can apparently get to upper Ainsel River and Lake of Rot by going through a coffin in Deeproot Depths

I think it's more accurate to say that so much of the world of elden ring has no "plot significance" except as part of ranni's quest

https://twitter.com/uwais_alqarani/status/1509255170060095488

Hmm, thought you needed Ranni's quest to get to Deeproot Depths but I guess just doing Radahn unlocks that stuff.

Mac Arrowny posted...

Hmm, thought you needed Ranni's quest to get to Deeproot Depths but I guess just doing Radahn unlocks that stuff.

You can also get to Deeproot Depths through a hidden passage by the frenzied flame

Oh wow never found that.

UshiromiyaEva posted...

https://twitter.com/uwais_alqarani/status/1509255170060095488

I love this

Getting deep into the Haligtree now

Man thats the third boss that killed me at the same time as I did them

Luckily it always counts

Wow, Erdtree Avatars, Cleanrot Knight duos, Revenants and Crystalians all in the same street?
This is hell

I still know very little about this game

Except that if it tells you to "try jumping"... Don't!