Topic: Elden Ring Hype Thread

@Jimmer-jammer As I was saying to @colonelkilgore I am furiously making my way through the LotR trilogy in book form as we speak, to prepare for the game, as it is allegedly heavily inspired by the trilogy. I take it you have read all the books/seen all the films? If not will you be reading/watching them in preparation for the game?

@TheBrandedSwordsman hey, so I’ve brought Demons Souls PS5 forward from December to September… so I can go straight into Elden Ring at release and it feel fresh.

I’ve decided to play Elden Ring on PS4 first as I’d imagine that the PS5 version will be more active for a longer period of time, should there be any online requirements. Still, I plan to have plat’d both versions by the end of 2023.

@Jimmer-jammer @colonelkilgore There were already dialogue choices of some sort in the last three games which led to different endings (along with other stuff you could do), maybe they will expand on that a bit and push it more to forefront, but I'm not getting the impression we will be getting Bioware levels of stuff like that either.

@JohnnyShoulder there’s obviously the stuff right at the end of each game… and the stuff with the primordial serpents in 1 (they should have been brought back in 3 imho). Am I forgetting any others?

Edit. Oh and was there some one involving marriage or something in 3 maybe?

@colonelkilgore Good shout on the primordial serpents in Dark Souls, I had totally forgotten about that. In Sekiro you could miss a whole chunk of the game depending on your decision with the first Owl fight. In Bloodborne, iirc it depends on who you save and get back to the church? Along with the stuff to do with the embryos.

@colonelkilgore Excellent, I'll be playing on PS4 first at launch myself so we can definitely enjoy some jolly co-op. Hope you can look forward to some more Guts cosplay assistance!

@JohnnyShoulder oh yeah, I wasn’t even thinking about Sekiro & Bloodborne… and with Bloodborne there was something about Queen Yarnham too iirc. I have a screenshot next to her in a wedding dress with what appears to be the remnants of a miscarriage over the front of her dress can’t remember if there was some specific choices which led to that playing out though… maybe completing the Chalice Dungeons or something.

And obviously Demons Souls has the whole NPC serial killer who wipes out the Nexus, which leads my memory back to Dark Souls and Lautrec… which in turn leads a vague memory to Lucatiel. In fact all (or at least most) of the NPC’s (in DeS, DS, DS2, DS3, BB & S) have some interaction and subsequent cause and effect repercussions. It’s been a while since I’ve played them but this has caused a flood of memories that I had almost completely forgotten.

@TheBrandedSwordsman yup, as long as you don’t mind us both rocking UGS builds 😉

@colonelkilgore Don't mind at all, colonel!

@colonelkilgore You do fight her in the Chalice Dungeons, pretty sure she is one of the last bosses. Think she also appears before the Mergo's Wet Nurse fight.

Anyhow, back to Elden Ring. I like the sound of each area sharing the same theme based on the Demigods particular corruption. Should give each area that typical distinct From vibe.

Really like the look of this armour, hope you get to wear it. Always amazes me how much detail they put into everything.

@JohnnyShoulder yeah she’s the last boss in the Chalice Dungeons… think the screen shot was from when she was wandering the streets prior to the Mergo’s wet nurse section.

Stunning art work… the art design at From is just next level. Quite reminiscent of Maiden Astraea and Garl Vinland (love those pair too).

@colonelkilgore Just casually walking down the street, as you do, in my wedding dress with a blood stain down the crotch. 😳 😆

@JohnnyShoulder more common that you’d think around the area I grew up in 🤣

@colonelkilgore Yeah every Saturday morning in Cardiff.

@JohnnyShoulder lol, Cardiff is a veritable Utopia compared to where I grew up.

@JohnnyShoulder @colonelkilgore Is your conversation going to descend into the Welsh version of this?

🤣

@TheBrandedSwordsman pretty much dude 🤣. I havent watched much python for a while... I enjoyed that 👏

@TheBrandedSwordsman Ha ha, classic clip! As long as we don't start speaking Welsh or comparing scars, only remember a few phrases and most of them swear words lol.

@colonelkilgore @Jimmer-jammer This is from The Big Hidetaka Miyazaki Interview with IGN (Google it, if you so desire).

"IGN: Switching gears a little bit, how do you approach leveling up in a game like this, which is much more open than projects that you've previously worked on? Is it a similar system of gaining currency from defeating enemies, and potentially losing that level up currency when you die? Are there any differences in how you're approaching level ups in Elden Ring?

HM: So yes, with this increased sense of scale and this vast new map, we had to allow for a certain amount of progression and reward no matter which direction the player took and which path they take because of that high level of freedom. You will find those elements to battle and those elements to just exploring the world, which will allow you to keep that going. You can customize and craft items on the go by using materials found in the world. There are also more resources to recover health on the way as you will be fighting for a longer time than before. The key word I think is 'retention', and retaining a sense of progression, so we wanted them to keep going, to keep that flow as they explore and they journey through the map.

So to give an example from a previous game, you could call the resurrection mechanic in Sekiro a retention of the sense of progress and not wanting to spoil that sense of rhythm or tempo the player has as they play. So we have a couple of elements in Elden Ring, which come from a similar kind of breed. Something that will keep them going and keep them encouraged to explore further. But you won't be able to resurrect in this game."

What do you make of this? "Fighting for longer" suggests less checkpoints but 'allowing for a sense of reward and progression no matter what direction the player takes' suggests bonfires aplenty, I'm a bit confused and was hoping one or both of you could interpret Miyazaki-san's words for me here.

@TheBrandedSwordsman so I have little to no idea how Myazaki's words will be implemented but nothing but confidence that it'll be a great way of changing it up for the new format.

His words are a little like his games... cryptic and esoteric. And... if only in the case of Myazaki, I'm perfectly fine with that 🤣