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rojovision
May 13, 2015

Don't tell anybody!


Introduction
Demon's Souls is the first game in the Souls series. It was released for the Playstation 3 in 2009. If you're not familiar with FromSoftware's Soulsbornekiro games, they are generally third person fantasy action / adventure games that are defined by challenging, though typically fair, combat systems where death is only a few hits away at any given moment. Additionally the lore is usually deliberately vague in many places, leaving much up to player interpretation.

About the Playthrough
As far as I know Demon's Souls is the only FromSoftware Souls game that I haven't played. It's been in my backlog for quite a long time. I bought a fat PS3 awhile back so I could check it out, and am just getting to it now. I'm expecting the game to play a lot like Dark Souls since it came out in the same era, albeit a bit less refined. Since this is a blind playthrough I will probably make plenty of mistakes and miss some things hidden or otherwise.

I have done a small amount of research about the game. From this I learned that the Royalty class seems to be a great starting option because offensive magic is supposedly very useful in this game, and that class begins with an item that can regen magic. I'm not quite going to go that route, and am instead playing as the Magician class. Similar idea, but without the fancy starting gear and with different starting spells.


Abacus, the Magician

Series Playlist

It's video games. Every day...ish.
http://www.youtube.com/rojovision
http://www.twitch.tv/rojovision

rojovision fucked around with this message at 00:10 on Nov 23, 2020

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rojovision
May 13, 2015

Don't tell anybody!
reserved

rojovision
May 13, 2015

Don't tell anybody!
The PS3 renders the game in glorious 720p at 30 FPS via HDMI.







rojovision fucked around with this message at 05:37 on Sep 26, 2020

rojovision
May 13, 2015

Don't tell anybody!


Episode 1 - Intro / Character Creation / Tutorial Area

I've put a few timestamps in the video description for this one so you can easily skip past character creation / straight to the gameplay, etc, if you'd like.

some plague rats
Jun 5, 2012

by Fluffdaddy
Not to like poo poo on your efforts and all but are you doing anything different from the hundred other blind LPs of FromSoft games that get started and then abandoned?

rojovision
May 13, 2015

Don't tell anybody!

Crane Fist posted:

Not to like poo poo on your efforts and all but are you doing anything different from the hundred other blind LPs of FromSoft games that get started and then abandoned?

Finishing it, I guess. If you want some evidence of my Veteran Gamer™ pedigree or whatever, I've done a bunch of playthroughs here on SA (most under 'rojogames'), and have completed video LP's of DS1 and 3, with 3 having an SA thread. Basically, the only way this would be abandoned is if my PS3 breaks and I'm unable to replace it for some reason. Or, you know...the 'Rona gets me.

Brettbot
Sep 18, 2006

After All The Prosaic Waiting... The Sun Finally Crashes Into The Earth.
I played the SoulsBorne games in order, and I still think Demon's Souls might be my favorite (or tied with Bloodborne). Just the music and atmosphere is so good. Although I know there's stuff that would make it tough to go back to now, like no sliding on ladders and inventory encumbrance...

liquidypoo
Aug 23, 2006

Chew on that... you overgrown son of a bitch.

Something interesting to note about the first video: you can see other player ghosts in the fight with the Vanguard! Obviously they aren't other players because the servers have been shut down, which means there are pre-fabricated "player" ghosts hanging around in specific places. I only knew about one specific one; I never noticed there were pre-fabs in the Vanguard fight.

I'm always happy to see people tackling Demon's Souls. Really like what I've watched so far. Just remember that you're presumably making this free content because it's fun for you to do so, so don't feel obligated to justify your content to other people.

edit: of course I'd manage to pause the video before you point out the player phantoms to make a post

liquidypoo fucked around with this message at 17:13 on Sep 26, 2020

MEIN RAVEN
Oct 7, 2008

Gutentag Mein Raven

I'm always down to watch people stumble through one of my favorite games ever.

Nidoking
Jan 27, 2009

I fought the lava, and the lava won.
I don't know whether you're interested in messing with the online stuff, but there's at least one private server that maintains some of those features and has some quality of life stuff for manipulating some of the more obscure game elements.

Sally
Jan 9, 2007


Don't post Small Dash!

Crane Fist posted:

Not to like poo poo on your efforts and all but are you doing anything different from the hundred other blind LPs of FromSoft games that get started and then abandoned?

Whew, this some real old school LP classism; I'd hoped we'd all moved away from this attitude as a subforum.

Don't do this.

People can LP whatever they want for whatever reason. An unsuccessful LP will wind up with no responses and fall off the first page like a rock. If people are into it, they'll post here and it's all good. If you're not into, vote 1 and move on.

rojovision
May 13, 2015

Don't tell anybody!


Episode 2 - Boletarian Palace

This one's a bit long - I wasn't sure if I could save and quit and then reload in the same spot like in Dark Souls (I'm now aware that you can). Ideally future videos will be under an hour.

rojovision fucked around with this message at 21:33 on Sep 26, 2020

rojovision
May 13, 2015

Don't tell anybody!

Brettbot posted:

I played the SoulsBorne games in order, and I still think Demon's Souls might be my favorite (or tied with Bloodborne). Just the music and atmosphere is so good. Although I know there's stuff that would make it tough to go back to now, like no sliding on ladders and inventory encumbrance...

The inventory encumbrance is definitely something I'm already concerned about since I typically hoard items. Hoping there's at least functionally infinite bank space.

Nidoking posted:

I don't know whether you're interested in messing with the online stuff, but there's at least one private server that maintains some of those features and has some quality of life stuff for manipulating some of the more obscure game elements.

The private server thing is interesting, but I'm content to just play offline for this since I'm mostly here for the story. That and to get the gist of the areas / mechanics so I can try to be aware of what's changed in the upcoming remake.

rojovision
May 13, 2015

Don't tell anybody!
I'm going to solicit a bit of hopefully spoiler free advice - is it better to finish an area once you start it, or would checking out the archtones in some kind of concentric tiered fashion be wiser (exploring the first area of all of them, then second areas, etc)? Does it matter? Not looking for a routing guide, just curious about this specifically. Does the game have any kind of level scaling or am I just going to hit a wall once I enter an area I'm underleveled for?

I've been having a lot of fun with the game so far, aside from the janky rolling which I know is going to get me killed at least once over the course of the playthrough. I imagine the training wheels are still very much on while you're in the initial Boletarian Palace area.

Nidoking
Jan 27, 2009

I fought the lava, and the lava won.
I'd say go with your gut. Explore, see what challenges are ahead, and pick the path that seems to offer the least resistance. The enemies are definitely stronger the farther you go within an area, but depending on what you have to work with, you might find the enemies at the end of one area easier to deal with than the enemies at the start of another. And there are resources all over the place that will be useful in other areas. Any progress you can make is good progress.

some plague rats
Jun 5, 2012

by Fluffdaddy

Sally posted:

Whew, this some real old school LP classism; I'd hoped we'd all moved away from this attitude as a subforum.

Don't do this.

People can LP whatever they want for whatever reason. An unsuccessful LP will wind up with no responses and fall off the first page like a rock. If people are into it, they'll post here and it's all good. If you're not into, vote 1 and move on.

Hey, I don't want to stop him from doing it, I just want to know if he's got any kind of hook like super tight editing or trying every weapon as he gets them or something

ChaosArgate
Oct 10, 2012

Why does everyone think I'm going to get in trouble?

rojovision posted:

I'm going to solicit a bit of hopefully spoiler free advice - is it better to finish an area once you start it, or would checking out the archtones in some kind of concentric tiered fashion be wiser (exploring the first area of all of them, then second areas, etc)? Does it matter? Not looking for a routing guide, just curious about this specifically. Does the game have any kind of level scaling or am I just going to hit a wall once I enter an area I'm underleveled for?

I've been having a lot of fun with the game so far, aside from the janky rolling which I know is going to get me killed at least once over the course of the playthrough. I imagine the training wheels are still very much on while you're in the initial Boletarian Palace area.

Go with your gut on what you wanna explore, but if you feel like you're bashing your face against a brick wall, it would not be an awful idea to switch gears and try a different area.

Captain Hygiene
Sep 17, 2007

You mess with the crabbo...



I have never played a Souls game and never will because my skills are those of a little babby :ssh:, so I appreciate the kinda-explanatory style talking about your thoughts along the way.

rojovision
May 13, 2015

Don't tell anybody!


Episode 3 - Monumental

rojovision
May 13, 2015

Don't tell anybody!
Regarding routing, I appreciate the advice so far. I have a plan for the next steps in exploration.

Nidoking
Jan 27, 2009

I fought the lava, and the lava won.
As a purely quality of life tip: There's never a reason not to deposit your upgrade materials with Stockpile Thomas. When it's time to upgrade your weapon, any materials he's holding are available to you in addition to any you might be carrying.

Are you interested in the strategies I use to take down bosses, once you've beaten them? I doubt it will differ much from what you do, but there are a couple of points about Phalanx that are worth mentioning.

rojovision
May 13, 2015

Don't tell anybody!

Nidoking posted:

As a purely quality of life tip: There's never a reason not to deposit your upgrade materials with Stockpile Thomas. When it's time to upgrade your weapon, any materials he's holding are available to you in addition to any you might be carrying.

Are you interested in the strategies I use to take down bosses, once you've beaten them? I doubt it will differ much from what you do, but there are a couple of points about Phalanx that are worth mentioning.

That's good to know. As for boss strats, sure. Once I've beaten a boss it's open season for discussion. I think going into the fight with a few firebombs instead of just the one would turn it into a much shorter experience.

Nidoking
Jan 27, 2009

I fought the lava, and the lava won.
You're right about the firebombs - I usually prepare for this fight by heading back to the merchant and buying as many as I can afford. Turpentine is nice to have, but not essential. The little slimes don't actually respawn, so if you kill them all, Phalanx is defenseless as far as I know. That's my focus, since the main body heals as long as there are slimes attached to it. If you keep moving, you both avoid the spears and lead Phalanx away from the slimes that drop off, giving you a much easier target when you swing back around to pick them off. If you need a safe spot, run to the far side of the room from where you are and hide behind a pillar - none of the enemies are able to track well enough to stop you from healing or using an item or two.

rojovision
May 13, 2015

Don't tell anybody!


Episode 4 - Hi Ho

rojovision
May 13, 2015

Don't tell anybody!


Episode 5 - Drenched

Livewire42
Oct 2, 2013
Don't really have a whole lot to add to the conversation as I have also not played Demon Souls but I'm really enjoying the series! Keep up the good work!

rojovision
May 13, 2015

Don't tell anybody!


Episode 6 - Sticky Situation

Nidoking
Jan 27, 2009

I fought the lava, and the lava won.
The only break points for equipment load in this game are 50% for the fast roll and 100% for rolling at all. Another point that I don't think is relevant any longer, given your stat increases, but as far as I know, light shields are unaffected if your Strength stat is too low. I've blocked and parried with, say, the Heater Shield and never noticed any decrease in its effectiveness for either. I think that would only be relevant if you strapped it to your right arm and bashed enemies with it.

I think the key to the Armor Spider fight is understanding how the web attacks work. As you discovered, even if you dodge the initial attack, it leaves a web across the hallway that will cover you if you touch it. When you're webbed, you move like you're overencumbered, including the stun frames if you attempt to dodge. It will go away on its own after a while, but any hit from a flame attack will burn the web away instantly, even if you block that attack with a shield. The Steel Shield is a good choice for this fight, since it's got high fire resistance (a stat which exists, but is not listed on the equipment screen). Fighting from range works, if you've got a good attack (and I think anything is better than that Kris Blade), but I recommend having a melee weapon with decent power and charging right into the room, dodging or blocking the flame attacks and dodging the webs as best you can. Once you get into the main room, Armor Spider switches to melee attacks - two lunges that can be blocked, but may send you flying to the ceiling (ignore that), then a stomp that can be avoided by standing directly in front and at a slight distance away, so the head doesn't smack you. After about three iterations of that, it starts shaking and fills the whole room with flame. If you've got top-tier flame resistance, you can survive that and get right back to attacking, but it's safer to break lock, turn around, and sprint back to the fog door. You get a brief grace period for healing or item management before the attacks start again. Also, the webs at the sides of Armor Spider's room will also web you if you touch them, so stay front and center.

rojovision
May 13, 2015

Don't tell anybody!

Nidoking posted:

The only break points for equipment load in this game are 50% for the fast roll and 100% for rolling at all. Another point that I don't think is relevant any longer, given your stat increases, but as far as I know, light shields are unaffected if your Strength stat is too low. I've blocked and parried with, say, the Heater Shield and never noticed any decrease in its effectiveness for either. I think that would only be relevant if you strapped it to your right arm and bashed enemies with it.

I think the key to the Armor Spider fight is understanding how the web attacks work. As you discovered, even if you dodge the initial attack, it leaves a web across the hallway that will cover you if you touch it. When you're webbed, you move like you're overencumbered, including the stun frames if you attempt to dodge. It will go away on its own after a while, but any hit from a flame attack will burn the web away instantly, even if you block that attack with a shield. The Steel Shield is a good choice for this fight, since it's got high fire resistance (a stat which exists, but is not listed on the equipment screen). Fighting from range works, if you've got a good attack (and I think anything is better than that Kris Blade), but I recommend having a melee weapon with decent power and charging right into the room, dodging or blocking the flame attacks and dodging the webs as best you can. Once you get into the main room, Armor Spider switches to melee attacks - two lunges that can be blocked, but may send you flying to the ceiling (ignore that), then a stomp that can be avoided by standing directly in front and at a slight distance away, so the head doesn't smack you. After about three iterations of that, it starts shaking and fills the whole room with flame. If you've got top-tier flame resistance, you can survive that and get right back to attacking, but it's safer to break lock, turn around, and sprint back to the fog door. You get a brief grace period for healing or item management before the attacks start again. Also, the webs at the sides of Armor Spider's room will also web you if you touch them, so stay front and center.

Good advice, thanks. I was wondering about the fire resistance thing since it didn't seem to be listed. I'm also glad to have some clarity about how equip load affects rolling. As far as shield stat requirements, that's good to know for future optimization...I don't have any intention of doing a silly shield bash build with my limited game experience.

The kris blade seems like an interesting niche weapon. I need to do a little testing to see how much it actually helps my magic attacks. Anecdotally it's a fairly small amount. Still, I'll probably be switching between that and the axe until we find something else that looks usable. I might go back and give the broadsword a chance as well if I remember, now that I have the strength to use it.

Nidoking
Jan 27, 2009

I fought the lava, and the lava won.

rojovision posted:

The kris blade seems like an interesting niche weapon. I need to do a little testing to see how much it actually helps my magic attacks. Anecdotally it's a fairly small amount. Still, I'll probably be switching between that and the axe until we find something else that looks usable. I might go back and give the broadsword a chance as well if I remember, now that I have the strength to use it.

It's one of those weapons that you're intended to equip but not use, I feel. It's definitely the best of the methods you've tried for fighting lizardmen. I don't want to point you too much toward the many superior methods, but the reason that the Kris Blade is effective on them is not because it's the least bit good. It's more that every other thing you've tried is even worse. You've also put a lot of points into Strength, which is great for the Crushing Axe, but not so great for most weapons. Crushing is a specific weapon build that gives extra Strength scaling to a weapon, and the game gives you that one for free at +1.

rojovision
May 13, 2015

Don't tell anybody!


Episode 7 - Rollin'

rojovision
May 13, 2015

Don't tell anybody!


Episode 8 - Poison and Plague

Nidoking
Jan 27, 2009

I fought the lava, and the lava won.
A couple of small notes for you: You know at least something of how World Tendency works, so I think it's harmless to point out that dying only affect's a world's Tendency if you die while alive. If you're in Soul Form, the Tendency doesn't change. I think it worked that way when the game first released, but they patched it because it was a bit cruel to keep raising the difficulty the worse you are at the game (rather like stacking Curse in Dark Souls, I think). Speaking of status effects, in this game, Bleeding is just a milder form of Poison rather than a sudden health loss. Poison and Plague are both steady HP drains, but they're completely different conditions (as you discovered), and I believe both also cut all healing effects in half. They build up the same way as in Dark Souls, but there's no visible meter for them.

In the vein of more friendly advice that I hope isn't saying too much, I recommend only going to Blacksmith Ed for your upgrades. Boldwin can perform a few specific upgrades with special upgrade stones, but Ed can do them all, and upgrades are only available at specific weapon levels. If you build up one level too high, you won't see the option to apply a special stone, so you might not know that it's available for that weapon. I don't think you need to have the stone to see the upgrade option, but the weapon does need to be at the correct level. A useful thing to know about Darkmoonstone going in, since you expressed interest in that upgrade - it removes all scaling from the weapon except for Magic, which is really high. Keep in mind that Intelligence and Magic are separate stats - Intelligence boosts MP and spell slots, while Magic affects the damage and weapon scaling.

There should be an aiming cursor for bows. You might need to equip the bow in your left hand to get it. I know, it's weird. Demon's Souls.

Finally, just an aesthetic point - my favorite attack animation for curved swords like the Scimitar and Kilij is the two-handed two-hit strong combo, and I think they also have the best parry animation. Sometimes, I'll get a curved weapon with a bonus effect, like Darkmoonstone, and just put it in my left hand to get the passive effect and parry with it.

I'll leave it at that for now. I've got some more leading gameplay-related tips, but I don't want to give you any information you don't want.

liquidypoo
Aug 23, 2006

Chew on that... you overgrown son of a bitch.

Nidoking posted:

There should be an aiming cursor for bows. You might need to equip the bow in your left hand to get it. I know, it's weird. Demon's Souls.

If I might correct you here real quicklike, it's actually that you want to hit L1 once you've two-handed the bow. That's what puts you into the aiming view. There're a couple of smaller quirks with the aiming system but I think it's best left for rojo to figure out the rest :v:

rojovision
May 13, 2015

Don't tell anybody!
Thanks for the tips. I'll definitely give bow aiming a try tonight. Aside from that I'll keep an eye on my weapons as I upgrade them. The Darkmoonstone, at the very least, seems highly abusable with some patience in the same vein as the regen ring we picked up, which interests me from the standpoint of using my souls for levels instead of grass and spice.

As for more gameplay / mechanics tips, if you see there's something I'm speculating about or not quite getting (like dying in soul form for example), feel free to fill me in.

rojovision
May 13, 2015

Don't tell anybody!


Episode 9 - Back to Boletaria

Just a quick note about the bow - you can definitely pull up the aiming reticle with it in either hand...I just wasn't doing it right when I was trying it on screen.

Nidoking
Jan 27, 2009

I fought the lava, and the lava won.
Ah, the free Crescent Falchion +1. If I ever make a video series about how to beat Demon's Souls without needing to have any skill, it will consist of two parts: Part one will cover everything up to defeating Phalanx, and part two will cover strapping a spare shield to your right hand and fighting your way to the Crescent Falchion +1. There is no need for further parts, although you've highlighted a potential addendum in the form of "Look out, that black skeleton is going to kill you!" It's Magic that it scales with, though, not Intelligence. Just in case you planned to build up to take advantage of it - I have no idea why, but the status display when you're leveling up only ever shows Attack when you raise Strength, even if it has no impact on Attack or when you're building a stat that does. Dark Souls vastly improved on leveling up in every way, except for introducing useless stats.

You're correct about stagger damage - both you and enemies should take a bit more damage right after having an attack deflected and losing your "attack poise" or whatever you call it. It's one of my go-to strategies, and I defeat one more enemy with it every time a Souls player tries to tell me I'm playing the game wrong.

Rigged Death Trap
Feb 13, 2012

BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP

Strapping on a high deflection shield and watching as the enemies break upon the cliffs that are you is a completely viable way to play Dark Souls.

Takes No Damage
Nov 20, 2004

The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the human mind to correlate all its contents. We live on a placid island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of infinity, and it was not meant that we should voyage far.


Grimey Drawer
Good videos so far. I never played Demonssssssssssouls myself, only watching Squint's playthrough way back when. Cool to see someone run through it for the first time, but also appreciative of you cutting out redundant content i.e. most of your bloodstain runs.

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rojovision
May 13, 2015

Don't tell anybody!


Episode 10 - Two Towers

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