Topic: The Chit Chat Thread

@Ralizah DS3 is defo the most accessible of the four games I've played. I'm not including Sekiro as I think that plays different enough to stand out on its own. There are still a few areas where the enemies will trounce you and are probably best left till a bit later in the game to try and beat them. The huge crabs spring to mind.

As for my contribution to “Soulsborne Anonymous” — I also quit after playing a couple hours of the first Dark Souls game on PS3. I quit mostly due to complexity of the world and not being accustomed to the things like lack of map or directions, minimal tutorials, etc. The difficulty was part of it as well, but I can’t even remember how bad I was dying l, but I do remember feeling a lot of anxiety about trying to make the next bonfire save point and worrying about losing my souls. I also never really understood the mechanics of playing as a spirit or whatever after you die. That whole thing was never explained well. The overall stress of the game just made it not fun so I moved on from it pretty quickly.
With Bloodborne, I was more patient and committed and I actually did online research to understand the game and it’s mechanics and world. Many of you here remember my playing it a year or two ago and posting a lot on the forums about it. I received a lot of help from you all and honestly I don’t think I would have even made it past Father Gascoigne without the Push Square community, much less to finish it and see all three endings. I distinctly remember posting about my frustration after 5 or 6 deaths at the hands of Gascoigne without ever getting close to killing him and some users encouraged me and told me that Gascoigne was probably one of the toughest bosses and if I could just get through him then future bosses would be easier.
In the end, I really really enjoyed that game.
If there was one thing I learned from others and from my own experience is that the game’s “easy mode” is to grind and over-level in the early areas before moving on. The game was still hard and I had to YouTube a few boss fights, but I got really good at the common enemies and learned a way to get a lot of experience in a short time through repeating an area over and over and over and over ...
I think the area I used most is called Hemwick or something, after the boss fight with the witches who teleport around, where I would do a run through some witches, then use the lighting rod weapon on those 3 big orc guys and then kill a couple wolves and it would yield a ton of blood echoes and I would just rinse and repeat over and over. It made the game more approachable for a player like me who’s not the best at the combat.
Good times.
I really need to get on with Dark Souls 3.
I assume the same tactic could be used — that is if I have the patience to run through early areas over and over to over-level then it will make the game easier? Does anyone else try that?

Anyways — sorry for going so long about that but it’s interesting that most of us have similar experiences with these games, that is - having frustration early on and quitting, but coming back later and pushing through it until it sticks.

I actually came over here to this thread to continue with the marmite discussion, but I got enticed into Soulsborne talk. 😅

For those not following the MGS5 thread— @themcnoisy has labeled it a true “marmite game”, which is a term thrown around the forums quite a bit and I know it basically means a “love it or hate it” type of experience and/or and “acquired taste” where it takes time to warm up to and like it for what it is. Anyways, I think now I really want to try marmite. Thanks @RogerRoger for offering a shipment, but I think I should be able to track down a World Market or buy it online.
So marmite questions for an American who has no idea what to expect —
How do you eat it? The website says something about putting it on toast. I tried to watch the video about marmite mind control and how they can make a lover of marmite out of its harshest critic, but the video is blocked in the U.S. apparently. There was something about putting it on something that is sweet? Does it work best mixing it over jam on toast or what? I know it’s supposedly salty.
Also, if I can find vegemite, is that close enough?
Any other advise about what to do with marmite if I find any?

@Th3solution Yeah marmite I mostly have on toast with butter. I don't spread a great deal on the bread, not like I would do with peanut butter or jam. You can have it in a sandwhich too.

On Dark Souls 3 yeah you can level grind, but just the other games that will only get you so far as it has some of the toughest bosses in the series. I've said this before, but i recommend starting of with the first game. There is a lot of lore tying back to the first game in the third, and some of the bosses and areas will mean more when face them.

@Foxy-Goddess-Scotchy I was the same with Nioh, something about didn't click with me. Might try out the sequel, like some of the ideas it has introduced. I highly recommend giving Sekiro at least a try. The combat is really tight and the movement n traversal really set this apart from the other games.

Yeah I was kicking my self when I realised you could just run at the silver knights. I spent ages with poison arrows trying to kill them.

@Th3solution Marmite on crumpets with a layer of butter in between are the bestest.

Sadly no crumpets in the house but this’ll do.

Also, a tiny amount mixed into gravy gives it a nice flavour too.

So true. Wiser words have never been spoken.

@Foxy-Goddess-Scotchy Yeah I was never best at it, but you soon git gud.

Like I said before I do not think of myself as a hugely skilled player, but I managed to beat Sekiro. The fact that you can't bring in outside help, like I did for the other Soulsborne games makes it even more satisfying and rewarding than those games when you get past a difficult section. When I finally beat the last bosses, I can't remember the last time I felt like that.

If I could lend ya my digital copy, I would send it over to ya so you could have a go!

Thanks for the marmite advice, all. I am surprised that the stuff is not used in other creative ways, like in the case of peanut butter where I put it in all kind of things like toast, sandwiches, smoothies, waffles and pancakes, dip apples or bananas in it, or sometimes just eat it by the spoonful. I figured I was going to hear advice like - “Marmite is only good if you mix it with x, y, and z and enjoy it with a lightly tart Chardonnay to offset the marmite’s brackish zest.” Fortunately, it sounds like it’s claim to fame is as a condiment, so that should be easy to experience. The gravy idea sounds good though, if it’s as salty as people say.

@Th3solution Just spread it thinly on top of butter (or margarine) on white toast or crumpets. I've read stories of excited Americans wanting to try it and spreading it thickly as though it were jam or peanut butter. They then couldn't understand its popularity here. 😂 Whatever you do don't put it on top of jam or something sweet. Marmite is intensely salty and savoury and it would he a vile combination.

@RogerRoger Vegemite is revolting. It's so sweet and gross. Marmite all the way!

@Th3solution We also get marmite crisps over here. There is also Bovril which you can use to make hot drinks with, it has the same sort of taste but a bit stronger. It is an acquired and unique taste, I've never heard of anyone that consumes a great deal of it which is why you are probably not hearing of anyone eating it by the spoon full or dipping fruit into it.

@Th3solution Absolutely 100% that approach would work. Even just four or five extra levels, combined with the knowledge from the times you've already died to them, makes most bosses significantly more manageable. If not, then there's probably some anti-poison ring or piece of armour that would make the difference. Every boss has a trick to beating it*. There's really no shame in looking things up online in these sort of games, or asking the Push Square community like you say. I remember your struggles with Father Gascoigne well. Likewise, I'd have really struggled with parts of Sekiro without the help of @JohnnyShoulder

@Foxy-Goddess-Scotchy I think the reason I breezed through Demon's Souls was because I was couch co-oping a lot of it with my mate. When it came to Dark Souls I was all alone. In a similar manner to the online community, having a buddy by your side can pull you through these games! It's no coincidence that the next Soulsborne game we co-opped was DSIII (at least the first few hours) and that was where it clicked for me. It's true as well that getting yourself into that winning mindset with your character is important. If your character 'feels' right, you somehow play so much better, regardless of the stats.

@Ralizah I'll never forget walking down the stairs at Firelink Shrine in Dark Souls 1, going from a pleasant chat at a bonfire to being ganked by about fifteen enemies five hundred times my level and realising I may have taken a wrong turn. Things are far more clear-cut in DSIII, plus the ability to warp between bonfires is available pretty much from the word 'go', unlike the first game where it wasn't unlocked until roughly a third of the way through. That makes it a lot easier to flee from an area with your tail between your legs.

*apart from the Bed of Chaos, who is just a d***.

Anyway enough about Soulsborne, time for me to admit something - I've never tried Marmite. I've dabbled in Bovril, which I'm told is something of a gateway meat extract.

@JohnnyShoulder A mate of mine drinks Bovril at the football like water. He can do cup after cup of it. It's horrific to witness.

@LN78

The product that was to become Marmite was invented during the late 19th century when German scientist Justus von Liebig discovered that brewer's yeast could be concentrated, bottled and eaten.

@LN78 I wonder if anyone has ever found some way to have Bovril and Marmite together? If so I'm guessing the salt levels meant they didn't live to tell the tale.

@LN78 I think it is still made from leftovers from beer brewing too.

I’ve had Bovril once at the football. It was quite strange feeling like you’re drinking gravy..

@Gremio108 @Th3solution Fextralife has been my closest ally playing the From games over the years. Those guys really do know their stuff!

@JohnnyShoulder Yeah the amount of stuff I would have missed without a Fextralife check is ridiculous. Bypassed an entire area once, until I looked on there

Should we start a Marmite & Bovril thread?