Dark Souls Softcore mode?

[Headdrivehardscrew]

Better solution: have the sign show up whether you are undead or not, and just not be able to use it assuming the criteria necessary for the summon is met to make it show up while alive in the first place. Problem solved and it doesn't even effect the game all that much. /shrug.

No. Being human is different, and it comes with its own set of perks... opening up exactly the one thing you mentioned makes it unnecessary to reverse hollowing and you could explore everything while hollow for preparation. Actually only seeing the signs when human makes perfect sense, as you need to be human to interact with them. Be undead all you like, explore. Get back to bonfire, restock, reverse hollowing, zip your way through whichever way you please, summon help, be invaded, take on invader or rush to boss. In the world of Dark Souls, it just doesn't make sense to let hollows see the signs.

 

[Headdrivehardscrew]

That's pretty much what the game is about. Actions have consequences.

I think this sums it up better than anything else I've heard, and that's how I've thought of it.

You don't need exceptional reflexes, you don't need a map, you don't need to master the ins and outs of the combat system to be good at Dark Souls. You just need to understand that everything you do has weight, that there are no second chances, and you cannot just quickload when shit hits fan. To make Dark Souls "easier," you'd have to remove that feature; the one that made me fall in love with the game in the first place.

I just think DSII needs a better tutorial, and perhaps some more solid explanation of how the systems work to cut down on sheer trial and error, and perhaps some more balancing for elemental weapons and the like.

I'm with you, but you seem to be oblivious to the fact that (PC) players have already taken to playing a meta game of a) getting frustrated and b) managing Dark Souls save files manually every time they get invaded or die. Instead of dealing with the actual mechanics and even trying to understand them and play by the rules, they claim to have understood everything enough to be in a position to claim that the mechanics and the math behind the scenes are humbug and need to be changed to accommodate their expectations of the game.

 

[Colt47]

Better solution: have the sign show up whether you are undead or not, and just not be able to use it assuming the criteria necessary for the summon is met to make it show up while alive in the first place. Problem solved and it doesn't even effect the game all that much. /shrug.

No. Being human is different, and it comes with its own set of perks... opening up exactly the one thing you mentioned makes it unnecessary to reverse hollowing and you could explore everything while hollow for preparation. Actually only seeing the signs when human makes perfect sense, as you need to be human to interact with them. Be undead all you like, explore. Get back to bonfire, restock, reverse hollowing, zip your way through whichever way you please, summon help, be invaded, take on invader or rush to boss. In the world of Dark Souls, it just doesn't make sense to let hollows see the signs.

That's actually a pretty well worded counter argument and probably what other people were trying to say earlier. Again, I think the whole frustration is a difference in how people want to play the game. One attribute that makes a game niche is how many different ways it allows players to play the game, and it's one of the reasons these threads turn into opinionated and continuously more aggressive commentaries. The fact is some people are afraid that any kind of change at all could impact their way of playing the game and they become exceptionally defensive. This is especially true in games like Dark Souls, where the developer only had time to implement one way to play the game (hence why there are no difficulty selectors). The truth is that if there was an option in the options menu that allowed someone to flip on view-able summon signs while undead, how would that effect people who believe it is not necessary? The people who believe it isn't necessary or detracts from the experience would leave the option flipped off, while people who do like it would have it flipped on.

So in light of something like that, it makes people who argue against the adding of options come off as if they want to enforce their way of playing the game onto others, simply to justify that their way of playing the game is the only correct way to play it (that's pretty much as subjective as something can get). All of us understand that we don't want all games to become watered down, sequel driven generic tripe like much of the AAA industry. That doesn't mean we need to be 100% defensive against any kind of addition what-so-ever.

The bigger problem is trying to find ways to prevent option abuse from breaking the existing game.

 

[Headdrivehardscrew]

The truth is that if there was an option in the options menu that allowed someone to flip on view-able summon signs while undead, how would that effect people who believe it is not necessary? The people who believe it isn't necessary or detracts from the experience would leave the option flipped off, while people who do like it would have it flipped on.

So in light of something like that, it makes people who argue against the adding of options come off as if they want to enforce their way of playing the game onto others, simply to justify that their way of playing the game is the only correct way to play it (that's pretty much as subjective as something can get). All of us understand that we don't want all games to become watered down, sequel driven generic tripe like much of the AAA industry. That doesn't mean we need to be 100% defensive against any kind of addition what-so-ever.

The bigger problem is trying to find ways to prevent option abuse from breaking the existing game.

See,

human nature dictates that the more loopholes and options you hand us, the more we'll exploit and break things. We'll even poop in the oven, given the opportunity. There are some - very specific - things that are subpar, faulty or broken in the current iteration of Dark Souls post patch, and yet the standing army of teleporting, backstab-fishing, heavily armoured, effect abusing flip ring folks is still around. They manifest shameful mistakes that were made, but there was no fair way of rolling back things. Assholes manifest themselves in many forms, shapes and colours, but there will always be assholes.

Dark Souls is not a game about assholes. At least not that kind of'em. You'll hug demon butt cheek throughout the game, but the human assholes will be everywhere. They are oftentimes seen doing repetive stuff, as if they were in a loop of sorts.

Imagine, if you will, the scenario of Dark Souls 2 coming out now, half an hour ago, even.

You and I started playing at the same time.

You and I are networking and getting organized with as many folks as possible.

You and I are online.

I am taking the risk of going human at the first opportunity, so I can see the content that is hidden from you hollow folks.

...while you remain hollow and scout out the place without taking any risk whatsoever.

That already gives you a hefty tactical advantage.

Is this of interest to the single player mode only lover? Not directly, as long as he or she stays hollow and offline.

 

[ksn0va]

Then don't farm while human.

Yes, being human increases the drop rate, but that's the price you pay.

Want to get stuff quicker, risk getting invaded.

You only need to hold humanity to increase your drop rate, no need to be human. Also get the Drake Sword = instant easy mode.

At first thats true but after Blightown the lack of scaling the drake sword has makes it a hinderance in later areas like Sens fortress and anor londo.

My mistake, Drake Sword easy mode only applies up to the Darkroot basin I think, after that he'd have to get either the Fury sword or any other chaos weapon.