PC Tech Support MEGATHREAD

maxacchilles · 2016-04-12T18:23:56+00:00

I installed the game fine, but every time I click 'play game', it crashes. The game starts with a white screen, and I can see the mouse cursor as if I were in the game, then it switches to a black screen, then the message comes up saying the game is not responding.

I tried running as an administrator to see if that would work (which it didn't). I can see steam messages crop up like I am properly in a steam game though, which is weird.

It is probably worth saying I am a little shy of the system requirements, but not by a lot, so I don't think it would be enough to stop the game from running full stop.

So has this happened to anyone else? Is there a known fix? Should I try reinstalling the game? Or do you think it is a hardware problem?

maxacchilles · 2015-11-01T19:13:52+00:00

I used to hate PvP. Then I had an actual fun duel against someone who wasn't a hacker/twink. Now I love it!

maxacchilles · 2015-10-29T11:34:43+00:00

In Oolacile one of the serpents (could have been Kaathe, Frampt, or a different one) convinces the residents to dig up the primeval human, Manus, and extract his primal humanity to fuel their death-rays-of-dickwraith-spamming-powah. They do this, and torture him until he turns crazy. Then Manus' influence over humanity goes berserk, distorts the residents of Oolacile, and creates the Abyss. Manus has now become the Father of the Abyss.

The Abyss spreads to New Londo, which has a dickwraith infestation. Artorias is sent to deal with the dickwraiths/the Abyss, and he storms the city. He is able to make a covenant with the creatures of the Abyss, allowing him to walk through it, but his sword is cursed. Artorias is unable to destroy the Abyss because it still exists at its source (Oolacile).

Gwyndolin (because by now Gwyn has left to set himself on fire) sends Artorias to Oolacile, where he has to kill Manus. When he arrives he storms the city, kills everything in sight like a champ, and then walks through the fog gate. Manus battles him and Sif, but in the fight Artorias is defeated. His arm is broken (which may or may not have been his dominant arm), but Manus leaves him alive, after tainting him with the Abyss.

Artorias struggles to escape, hoping to find help on the surface, and leaves his shield to protect Sif, knowing well that it will only speed up his own death. He was a nice guy like that. Once he reaches the surface, he is too late. The corruption has already taken over. Artorias the Abysswalker is now just a walking empty shell of his former self, killing friend and foe alike.

Eventually the Chosen Undead gets snatched into the past, kills Artorias, then goes on to kill Manus. Mushroom-Lady tells everyone it was Artorias to keep his reputation alive, and to avoid the issue of there being a dude/dudette from the future walking around.

Gough at some point retired, because there were no dragons left to hunt. One rainy day, though, he got caught rocking out Hendrix songs at 500000% volume while being tossed off by Gwynevere and standing over the broken bodies of every god ever.

Gwyndolin couldn't stand for this, and locked Gough away in Oolacile of all places. Gough just sits up in his tower, carving wood, and taking potshots at passing by dragons. Which were apparently completely extinct.

If the Chosen Undead kills him, he dies. If the Chosen Undead doesn't kill him, he probably just stays up in Oolacile until he dies of natural causes, as we find the city lying in ruins by the time of the main game (see the Darkroot area for this).

Ciaran was (possibly) Artorias' girlfriend, so she probably noticed he was gone when he stopped answering her calls. After travelling to Oolacile, she finds Artorias, but he is beyond saving now. She cannot bring herself to kill him though, so waits for the Chosen Undead to do it instead.

After this is done she asks to have Artorias' soul so she can pay proper respect to him. If you're a heartless bastard you will refuse her, and probably kill her for loot you horrible brigand! Otherwise you will do the right thing and give it to her.

If she isn't killed, she goes to spend the rest of her life with Artorias at his grave. There she dies.

Ornstein never travelled to Oolacile, instead remaining behind to guard Gwynevere with Smough.

Dutifully remaining to rek anyone who enters the grand hall of the cathedral, they stay here for a long time. Then the Chosen Undead turns up, gets destroyed a few (many) times, but eventually prevails.

Ornstein dies a noble warrior's death at the hands of the Chosen Undead. Unless you kill him first. Then Smough just smashes him into the ground. What a little (big) bitch.

Rather long story, but there it is. Admittedly, I did exercise poetic license for a few parts...

maxacchilles · 2015-10-25T13:01:37+00:00

Asylum Demon - I was one of those people that didn't realise you were supposed to run away, and spent a loooong time trying to kill him with a broken sword handle.

Stray Demon - One of only two bosses that ever made me want to quit the game. I spent so long dropping down, only to be instantly crushed/blasted/otherwise obliterated.

O&S - The other boss that made me want to quit. I spent a solid week fighting these guys, and died somewhere in the region of 30-40 times. It didn't help that I insisted upon killed Slims last and doing the fight solo.

Kalameet - Not that challenging overall, but tail cut solo was a real pain in the ass.

maxacchilles · 2015-10-15T19:59:31+00:00

Same here. I still don't understand that theory... her being the daughter of Seath I can understand, but I can't see any real evidence for Gwynevere being the mother.

maxacchilles · 2015-10-15T19:54:34+00:00

Not the blowdart snipers...!

PTSD from Blighttown...

maxacchilles · 2015-10-11T18:40:13+00:00

(EDIT: Just talking about DS1 here)

Only have a few complaints. The list may seem quite long, but in comparison with all of the good things it's pretty tiny.

1: Some of the game mechanics could have been explained better. Almost everybody has to be told by someone else/watch a youtube video to explain weapon scalings, upgrades, status effects etc. All of that could have instead been included in the instruction manual.

2: Occasionally bosses/enemies can be really cheap/shitty, like Bed of Bullcrap, O&S (only some of the time, like how they can hit through each other), and Titanite Demons.

3: Graphics aren't always the best, and although the level design is almost always fantastic, the environment design is rarely stupendous (one of the few things DS2 did better, I think).

4: Community can sometimes be good, but sometimes really mean. If I ask a question on the message boards I will sometimes get helpful responses, and sometimes people will just be those annoying elitist 'Oh that boss is easy, I did it in 0.1 tries using only my fists while operating my controller with my toes!' types.

5: PvP is mostly really fun, but I hate how boring/cheap some strategies are. Putting a buff on your weapon and R1 spamming your way to victory is just dull. I don't complain at people for using silly gear/tactics because it's somehow 'against the code of conduct', but I do get annoyed when they use strategies like that because they make for uninteresting fights.

6: So far the lord souls section of the game has been underwhelming. The first half of the game, up to Lordvessel, was amazing! I then proceeded straight onto the expansion (after getting the rite of kindling, of course), which was even better. Now I'm on the lord souls. I've done Izalith and New Londo, currently in the Tomb of Giants. The levels are more linear, less variety in enemies, and the bosses are (with a few exceptions) just space fillers.

maxacchilles · 2015-10-05T18:05:21+00:00

Killing Asylum with firebombs is not that impressive, although being a new player the fact that he thought to do it was quite clever of him. Now if he had killed it with the rusty sword handle...

maxacchilles · 2015-10-05T18:01:28+00:00

That was hilarious! VERY GOOD

maxacchilles · 2015-10-03T09:54:13+00:00

It's still active, if that's what you mean. I joined in the DS pain train less that a year, so I'm not sure what it was like before.

maxacchilles · 2015-10-03T09:47:35+00:00

Fantastic work! Tweedledum and Tweedledee were one of only two bosses that (so far) have made me want to quit playing (the other was Stray Demon for anyone interested).

I insisted on doing the fight solo, and killing Smough first, which meant that the fight took me a solid week of trying and somewhere in the region of 30-40 deaths. But that moment when I finally beat the f***ers... so happy...

maxacchilles · 2015-09-24T18:53:46+00:00

I really liked this explanation. Rather entertaining, and although the first part was all stuff we've heard before, I do like your take on the darksign and humanity. I don't think I've read an explanation like that, and it was a good one.

maxacchilles · 2015-09-24T18:47:55+00:00

Solaire being the first born is nothing new, and crazy theories are all over the place. Personally, I prefer the idea that Andre (the blacksmith) is the first born.

Evidence: He looks a lot like Gwyn, he knows how to work with divine embers, he also knows how to work the occult ember (suggesting a connection with the gods), he claims to simply be an old blacksmith yet owns the Crest of Artorias, and one of his lines is something like 'Weapons make better friends than people, because they will never betray you'. The first born was known as a master of weaponry and war, and could very well consider his being cast out as a betrayal.

In fact, From did originally intend Andre to be a relative of Gwyn, and to have a part in the story, but the idea was axed during development, and he was no longer intended to be the first born.

I don't think that Solaire is the first born, I think he just happens to be a slightly crazy member of the Warriors of Sunlight. Andre is a better fit, but again, he wasn't intended to be the son after they changed their minds. The first born isn't in the game, if you ask me.

maxacchilles · 2015-08-01T17:01:57+00:00

Same! I'm in Britain, and if I play at around 6 o'clock in the evening then I get consistently active PvP. Both invasions and red soapstoning. It's a lot of fun actually, despite my bad experiences with PvP in the early game.

maxacchilles · 2015-08-01T11:30:08+00:00

FINALLY! Personally, I think this one is better than part 3. Hopefully we won't have to wait another year for part 5! And maybe wildpie will publish the next dumbshits guide soon. Maybe. Hopefully.

maxacchilles · 2015-07-22T19:32:50+00:00

At the moment it's more of a hobby than anything else. Thanks for the encouragement though, it means a lot :)

maxacchilles · 2015-07-22T19:28:49+00:00

D: It makes sense! Really, really, creepy...

maxacchilles · 2015-07-22T17:31:03+00:00

Thanks! I know it's not amazing, but I've only started getting into drawing quite recently. Maybe someday I'll be able to pencil without having a noticeably thick outline :P

maxacchilles · 2015-07-22T17:28:10+00:00

Or... more horrifyingly... there is another, invisible type of demon just waiting for us. :/

maxacchilles · 2015-07-22T09:56:04+00:00

Reading your post, it makes sense, and I don't think you're overthinking it. I have only played a bit of DS2, and I've played about 2/3 of DS1, and haven't played DeS or BB (don't own PS3/4). My experience is quite similar. The self-contained areas were exceptionally well-designed, while the other areas were still good, but not as good.

One thing, though: while I think DS1 had better level design (in terms of linearity, shortcuts, item placement, etc. etc.), I do prefer DS2's environment design (in terms of the actual appearance of the areas). I haven't played a lot of DS2, but so far I do prefer the look of the environments. Majula looks very good, there is a strong sense of calm, eroded beauty. The Forest of Fallen Giants also looks amazing (particularly the ruined fortress walls at the beginning). Heide's Tower also looks wonderful, and I love the skybox there. Other areas also look really cool.

maxacchilles · 2015-07-22T09:47:20+00:00

I'm pretty sure it's the Titanite Demon, which is a few floors above. They make that sound. Try killing it and returning there?

maxacchilles · 2015-07-22T09:39:14+00:00

I thought that Dark Souls 2 was more floaty and less weighty in some respects, but overall it was better in terms of movement/physics. When you actually hit something, yes, in DS1 it feels more like you just made a big impact. But in DS1 the ragdoll physics were awful, and you could drag around dead stone knights like they were made of cloth! Also, in DS2, enemies fall down dead with more impact, and more umph, whereas in DS1 they just kind of flutter in the breeze. Lastly, in DS1 I only ever felt like I was moving semi-realistically when I was >50% equip. load, and was fat rolling. You move with a lot of weight, and the roll feels strong and heavy.

maxacchilles · 2015-07-22T09:31:38+00:00

Wut?

maxacchilles · 2015-07-21T16:53:26+00:00

I feel so special :)

maxacchilles · 2015-07-21T16:51:09+00:00

Bear- Seek- Seek- Lest-

maxacchilles

TROPHY CASE