So I want to play Dark Souls but before I do that I have a few questions about the game:

So I want to play Dark Souls but before I do that I have a few questions about the game:
1.Lore: How much is it connected to Kings Field? I know the Souls games are a "spiritual successor" of KF, but how much of it is in Souls. Are they set in the same universe or do they only borrow lore here and there?
2.Performance: From what I understand its not well optimized and is a bad port, and I will be using the DSfix to get a clear 1080p with SMAA and all the other good stuff. My PC should be able to brute force a stable frame rate, right? Specs: i5 6600k, 16gb DDR4, GTX1050ti
3.Controls: Is a controller really a must? My buddies keep telling me I shouldn't even bother without one. If I really need one, should I get a 360 controller, the Logitech F310 or will any Dualshock knock off work?
Also, any tips for starters? I played it a bit at my buddies on his 360 and got through that asylum in the beginning on my 4th try.

Fuckall
DSfix on nexusmods
Controller if you're not a faggot, gamepad is the dev intended method of play.

1. None
2. Sure, you MIGHT need to mess with DSFix settings though.
3. Controllers are mandatory
Master Key is really good as a starting gift, but it might ruin the game for you.
Classes really don't matter unless you're really into minmaxing.
Don't read a guide
If you get invaded in the early game, just Alt+F4, it's probably some hacker trying to ruin your day.
Never level resistance, ever.
Upgrading your weapons is more important than levelling up.

Make sure you either play in offline mode or download pvpwatchdog to prevent getting fucked in the ass by a hacker.


>Master Key is really good as a starting gift, but it might ruin the game for you.

To piggyback on what this user said, definitely don't do Master Key for your first run. Save that for the 2nd and beyond when you have a better picture of how everything is connected.

1. none
2. dsfix and get wulfs dscm for better multiplayer
3. highly condemned, if you go m+kb make sure you get mouse fix
4. pic related

1. Not at all. Only connection between the games is MLGS
2. DSfix is all you need, the game isn't preformace intense either
3. Yes, use a controller

>Git gud
No need. Just lock on and strafe to the left. FromSoft forgot to program the AI to rotate.

1. It isn't at all
2. Just get DSfix and read the read.me. It won't take more than 5 minutes to set everything up. If you want to just go in and play. Just fix the resolution.
3. Controller is a must.

Don't get the Master Key as a starter gift on your first playthrough. Just don't. You can buy it legitimately later in the game and you will KEEP it in your next playthrough on NG+. Get old witch's ring or nothing as a starter gift for lore purposes.

Have fun playing this game

1) There are a few references (Seath and the Moonlight Sword, Kalameet, forest mushrooms are from Shadow Tower) but that's it
2) Download DSfix and you'll be fine
3) Absolutely

Shoot the Hellkite Wyvern's tail and get the Drake Sword, it's the best weapon in the game and late game is near impossible without it. Be sure to upgrade it as much as possible.

Pure lies.

Thanks for the help guys. Your were very helpful. Guess I will need to get a controller then. Any recommendations for a good controller for DS?

Dualshock 3 or 4, 360 or Xbone controller. All are fine.
I personally went for 360 years ago cause it "just works" on every game that supports controllers. No hassle anywhere.

Most controllers work. I use dualshock 4, but it's just what I have, xbox would work fine.

Wii U pro controller or even a Switch pro controller. If you can get them working.

Using an old wireless 360 controller myself for same reason as above. It just works.

xbone or ds4

this is a weirdly helpful thread Sup Forums

is everything ok?

Don't fall for the no Master Key meme. It is the only Starting Gift that is worth taking. If you absolutely do have to listen to these faggots then take the Old Witch's Ring because it's relatively difficult to get and will let you experience some additional dialogue. Master Key will let you skip some dumb shit and make your life easier. "muh intended path" really doesn't matter and you can just not use it at the start, but you'll have it once you change your mind.

Is a controller really that needed?
I beat DS1 through 3 dlc included with a kb+m with no issues, pretty sure it's just preference.

Everything is great.

Any modern controller with two analog sticks and four shoulder buttons will work just fine. Personally I prefer Dualshocks because I started with Demon's Souls.

Also I know everyone's answered your questions but really, truly, do not use a guide and don't summon for help on your first run. If something truly feels impossible, either look for anything you may have missed or rework your approach to the situation. I use an Xbone Pro controller but to each his own. DS4 is also comfy

It's like using a controller for FPSs. It works but it's not ideal.

Well souls threads are usually started with "fuck you all for liking this game I tried it out and was killed once so it is obviously shit"

If someone starts nice and just asks questions I don't even know how to react.

...

xbox360 + a wireless usb reciever, cheap and works with everything

Will get one of those old wired 360 controllers from my friend then since its best for my wallet

There are nice people around here

>Will get one of those old wired 360 controllers from my friend then since its best for my wallet
decent choice and a safe bet.

>There are nice people around here
As long as we discuss a specific game, Sup Forums can be pretty civil. As soon as you start to discuss a game series or consoles or anything with a ranking, it goes to shit and ends in a flame war.
>MINE IS BETTER
>NO YOURS IS SHIT. MINE IS THE BEST
>NO THIS IS THE BEST
>NO THIS YOU FAGGOT
etc

dont listen to anyone else on this thread besides me.

You dont need a cobtroller because the m+kb fix works fine, but a cobtroller is best.

and dont get the masterkey on your first playthrough itll just get you lost af

Take this from someone who beat the entirety of Dark souls 1 on KB+M because they said they were improving the control scheme for DS2.


Do not play with KB+M, because DS2 does not let you map commands like you think you will be able to, and some of their choices for buttons are by and large wrong after DS1.

Or just don't play Dark Souls 2 at all. Regardless if you have a controller or not

To be frank, I played through both DS2 and DS3, and even though I did not like them, I think they are worth a play through. I would recommend following guides for those games though.

Don't play Dark Souls 2 if you really enjoyed the combat and movement in DaS1.

DaS3 is okay for one playthrough, but little replay value.

...

You want DSFix, PVP watchdog, and DSCM.

I have a 970 and the only bugs I have is low fps when looking at two fog doors in the Demon Ruins and falling through the floor when sliding down a handful of ladders. Toggling to 30fps for the slide fixes it.

here's a tip:
don't go in the graveyard

>mentions KF of all things
>no peep of DeS
kys

dont fall for meme builds

That is another thing I forgot to ask. Is DS connected DeS lore wise? Will there be parts I don't get because I didn't play DeS?

no

>you literally fight he abyss
>no connection
alright as for OP we don't know King's Field lore is very cryptic. But there are many reference in Dark Souls 2.

BACK
KNIGHT
HALBERD
ONLY

also fang boar helm

not aside from fan theories
one theory is that one of the broken archstones in des leads to the das universe but that's literally the extent of the connection to most fans
you don't need to play any souls game to understand the others
it helps to have a general understanding of all of them, but they're kind of each self-contained

Dark Souls 2 by itself isn't canon

not the entire DaS2 lore but Vendrick is.

>Bloodborne
>Dark Souls
>Demon's Souls
Wow, that's actually right. The original games were kings. Sequels aren't as good

They overcompesated with the laser-precision tracking in DaS2.

>recommending the most op weapon so OP ruins his first playthrough

Murakumo is best.

It's a sign of taste to see DaS3 and then DaS2 dead last.

The ordering for the rest isn't as important.

Outside of fan theories the only games with any story connections are the Dark Souls games, even then it's pretty tenuous and mostly limited to background info. There's a good argument to be made for playing Demon's first for the gameplay experience but if you don't have a PS3 lying around don't sweat it, you can always play it later. But you really should play it at some point, it's my personal favorite in the series.

Fuck no, don't use this. It's so strong that it destroys everything and ruins the experience.

>Make sure you either play in offline mode or download pvpwatchdog to prevent getting fucked in the ass by a hacker.

Is there something they can do to actually fuck up my game or is it just like infinite health or whatever.

Would a PS3 work on a semi-modern 480p CRT TV? Would the loss in visual quality be very jarring? And shouldn't I get better performance on it?

They can completely fuck you. Some of it can be reversed, some of it you'll have to download cheat engine to undo.

Example of what the average nigga will do to your world:

Instakill you with curse (this makes you have half HP until you undo it with an item or another method)

Gives you a parasite on your head which can only be removed by an item. This makes you take more damage, since you can't equip anything to your head slot.

Kill all of your NPCs. Yes, all of them. Even the ones that aren't in the area where you're invaded. Most devastatingly, the blacksmiths which are required to get your weapons to a certain point.

Break all of your equipment, which can suck if you're using a crystal infused weapon (can't be repaired). Otherwise, just annoying to spend a bunch of souls to repair them. Even more so if you don't buy the item that lets you repair them at bonfires.


Just trust me, use PVPwatchdog which comes built in with protections for all of the above (+ an alert for anybody stathacking so you can just boot them from your world) or play offline.

They can curse you or teleport you around

On ps3 i once saw a hacker who used a stone greatsword that deleveled stats without altering your level, effectively ruining your character, but that's really rare

>Would a PS3 work on a semi-modern 480p CRT TV?
Yeah I used to have one of those, I used for widescreen DVDs and PS2/Wii games. Should work fine.
>Would the loss in visual quality be very jarring?
Not really, Demon's isn't exactly the prettiest game around anyways and the HUD is nice and big so it shouldn't have the Dead Rising unreadable text problem.
>And shouldn't I get better performance on it?
I don't think so, it should still be rendering at an internal 720p just downscaled to 480p.

Cool. Guess I should pick up a modded PS3 when I have some spare cash

real tips