Elden Ring - Shadow of the Erdtree Expansion Announced

[Mike S]

5 minutes ago, Uncle Nasty said:

Played all day.

 

No matter how ready you think you are for this, I promise you that you're not.

 

Despite watching hours of streams, spoilers and articles, actually being in this world is another thing entirely. It feels brand new, different, like Demons and Dark did but new again. Uncharted, weird, mysterious. Opaque and dense. It's not condescending or patronising. The world doesn't care about you. It almost doesn't acknowledge you. You are there but the world has its own purposes and functions. No guides or Wiki. Should I trust this NPC? This seems safe but what if it's not? I think I should kill this character but they seem kind of friendly?

 

Pushing on to the outskirts of the map, fewer Phantoms and messages, occasional bloodstains so you know something is up. Night, rain. The landscape looks like concept art, all dutch camera angles and particles. Genuinely new territory.

 

The new abilities and equipment that I've found change everything. You won't believe what you get to play with if you're spoiler free. Combat and confrontations are completely different. Better in every way.

 

Exploration. That exquisitely melancholic solitude that only FROM understand. That feeling of discovering the Catacombs or Crystal Lake times a fucking billion. Endless, gorgeous, rewarding exploration. The environment, just the lay of the land and topography, like nothing ever attempted in a game before. Everything is bespoke, hand crafted, loved and designed. Forget everything else.

 

My head is absolutely spinning from what I saw today. This is just so far beyond anything I expected.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MY HYPE LEVEL IS INTENSIFYING!

 

Need to nip to the shop to buy some wood so that I might kindle my fire tomorrow evening. That should take my mind of things…

[Uncle Nasty]

16 minutes ago, Mortis said:

anyone?

 

The white gate icon:

 

Spoiler

Means you can summon your spirit sidekick. Equip it in your items with your flasks, and when you see that gate icon, activate it. I've got a jellyfish that spits poison. Really powerful. They are infinite summons but only available in certain areas.

 

The other icons you mentioned:

 

Spoiler

Sounds like you have something equipped that is giving you a boost or buff.

 

[Popo]

I’m slightly intimidated by how large the opening area is. 

[Simmy]

I bought this. I hated Bloodborne. What am I doing.

[joemul]

The right thing

[dug]

12 minutes ago, pinholestar said:

Nicely put. My sentiments exactly from having played it all day too. It’s way beyond what I imagined it could be and makes previous Souls games seem like rudimentary prototypes in comparison. Nothing’s going to match up to this for a very long time indeed and it’s undoubtedly Miyazaki/From’s magnum opus.

 

I have the gush.

[Mitchell]

Now I can die on the toilet too!  My ring will be Elden in more ways than one.

 

 

 

[Mortis]

30 minutes ago, Uncle Nasty said:

 

The white gate icon:

 

  Reveal hidden contents

Means you can summon your spirit sidekick. Equip it in your items with your flasks, and when you see that gate icon, activate it. I've got a jellyfish that spits poison. Really powerful. They are infinite summons but only available in certain areas.

 

The other icons you mentioned:

 

  Reveal hidden contents

Sounds like you have something equipped that is giving you a boost or buff.

 

Ok I’ve found the buff but can’t find the thing that’s giving me “what I assume” is a debuff. 
 It’s all very mystifying. 

[Stanley]

37 minutes ago, Uncle Nasty said:

Played all day.

 

No matter how ready you think you are for this, I promise you that you're not.

 

Despite watching hours of streams, spoilers and articles, actually being in this world is another thing entirely. It feels brand new, different, like Demons and Dark did but new again. Uncharted, weird, mysterious. Opaque and dense. It's not condescending or patronising. The world doesn't care about you. It almost doesn't acknowledge you. You are there but the world has its own purposes and functions. No guides or Wiki. Should I trust this NPC? This seems safe but what if it's not? I think I should kill this character but they seem kind of friendly?

 

Pushing on to the outskirts of the map, fewer Phantoms and messages, occasional bloodstains so you know something is up. Night, rain. The landscape looks like concept art, all dutch camera angles and particles. Genuinely new territory.

 

The new abilities and equipment that I've found change everything. You won't believe what you get to play with if you're spoiler free. Combat and confrontations are completely different. Better in every way.

 

Exploration. That exquisitely melancholic solitude that only FROM understand. That feeling of discovering the Catacombs or Crystal Lake times a fucking billion. Endless, gorgeous, rewarding exploration. The environment, just the lay of the land and topography, like nothing ever attempted in a game before. Everything is bespoke, hand crafted, loved and designed. Forget everything else.

 

My head is absolutely spinning from what I saw today. This is just so far beyond anything I expected.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[jonamok]

14 minutes ago, Stanley said:

Elluva Read, indeed.

[therearerules]

First time playing a soulsborne at launch. It's like a gathering of fools watching all the bloodstains jump to their doom. So many.

[Len]

I've lost my mind so much I've dbl dipped already! 

 

Basically due to my daughter being on tele during day (ps5) so got on pc as well. Was going to do two diff builds but thinking about it, it will slightly ruin discovery as knowledge will feed actions in each other. So might wait for first play through then do after that. Or not... 

 

And also wanted first play through on ps5 (pickup tomorrow) but pc will be available in just over two hours and I'm so so weak. 

[Captain Kelsten]

I went Wretch. I’m running about in a loincloth, using a big club and I have a soldier’s helmet I found. Starting with no gear means everything I find has value, whereas picking any other class tends to give you some pretty awesome gear to start with, meaning stuff you find isn’t as fun. 

[Dave White]

8 hours straight. Eyes given up but fuck me what a game. I’ve been given messages from npc’s to go places but I’ve just been exploring and getting lost in the best possible way. 
 

 

[Mike S]

Right, my code in a box has been dispatched so I have planned my Friday!

 

 

 

08:00 Coffee (no milk, no sugar, Aeropress'd freshly ground Ethiopian Guji Natural beans) and read of Private Eye.

 

09:00 Watch Lamb as it hits MUBI tomorrow. Try to remain calm. Keep an eye out  for the postie (usual ETA is 10:00-11:00hrs).

 

10:46 Assuming Daz has delivered ELDEN RING, begin installing, then go out.

 

11:00-11:30 Quick household shopping trip whilst thinking about ELDEN RING.

 

11:30 BRUNCH at lovely independent cafe. Will talk to Kate and Clare about ELDEN RING although I've no idea if they are into games at all. Brunch will comprise Eggs Benedict, Americano (black, no sugar), and maybe a wee  slice of cake or something if I am still overly excited. Check ELDEN RING thread whilst brunching.

 

12:30 DRINKS. Go to my mate Nick's  bar for a steadying half as he has a Wylam IPA on that I wish to try and, obviously, will not get a chance to over the weekend). Talk to Nick about ELDEN RING (he is not interested in such things but is quite tolerant). NOTE: I would not normally be drinking so early, especially on a school day but I need to talk to as many people about it being ELDEN RING day as is possible

 

13:30 Back home. Assuming it has downloaded and patched itself, begin playing ELDEN RING.

 

18:00 DINNER. This will be an instant pot Caribbean chicken and potato curry served with rice. Slight worry that my partner will want to watch a film (she is not interested in Lamb which is why that is being used to keep my distracted from 09:00 onwards) but I will talk to her about ELDEN RING in order to deflect.

 

19:00 PROVISIONAL if the weather it dry and mild(ish) then I shall kindle my flame (light the fire pit) and share either a bottle of wine or some very jazzy US beer that is in the fridge whilst talking about ELDEN RING. If the weather is inclement then  remain inside and watch some TV whilst I talk about ELDEN RING.

 

21:00 Resume ELDEN RING (hopefully). 

 

23:00 Finish playing ELDEN RING but leave enough time to talk about it before bedtime.

 

I am very excited.

 

 

 

[Len]

What type of cake? 

[Mike S]

Just now, Dave White said:

8 hours straight. Eyes given up but fuck me what a game. I’ve been given messages from npc’s to go places but I’ve just been exploring and getting lost in the best possible way. 
 

 

 

 

I think you've forgotten to post a pic of the model that accompanied your jazzy edition. 

 

 

On the subject of NPCs and side quests.  Yesterday I read a tweet by that fella who was retweeted in here with his opinion on the game and who's name I have already forgotten (maybe Jordan something?). Anyways, he made some comment that it would be really useful to keep a pencil and notepad handy  to jot down things that NPC's mention in order to act as reminders and aid in completing their quests/storylines which seemed a reasonable enough suggestion.

 

He also mentioned that the game did not keep an automatic 'Quest Log' which lead to some extraordinarily entitled responses. One dude announced that if FROM were not prepared to offer such a basic QOL aid as a quest log then they would never get his money and there were many more along the same lines. Basically, a load of whiney man children raging as it wasn't like Assassins Creed, or Horizon, or whatever. After despairing at the tragic states some must exist in to allow themselves to rage over minor details of a videogame,  I was also reminded of  what a (mostly) sane and calm community we have here. 

 

Anyways, I shall have a notepad and pencil on standby.

[Flub]

2 hours ago, Lovelyman said:

Ok? It runs well enough on my Series x. Haven’t tried frame priority yet. 

 

I've had many instances on my SX where the framerate turns to dogshit

[Mike S]

3 minutes ago, Len said:

What type of cake? 

 

 

Not sure, it varies by the day/week.

 

Preference would be a carrot or ginger cake. If nothing else, the unpredictable menu adds a hint of the risk/reward mechanic that I so love FROM games for.

[dizogg]

Mate how is the weather going to be mild

enough tomorrow to sit outside? What sort of set up you go? Or are you not in the UK?

[Davros sock drawer]

 

Go to bed early and hit it hard in the morning, or stay up late for a taste?

[Klatrymadon]

Was excited to stay up for the unlock but I'm perpetually tired and already flagging. Might have to do the sensible thing and play another time.

[Popo]

5 minutes ago, Mike S said:

 

 

I think you've forgotten to post a pic of the model that accompanied your jazzy edition. 

 

 

On the subject of NPCs and side quests.  Yesterday I read a tweet by that fella who was retweeted in here with his opinion on the game and who's name I have already forgotten (maybe Jordan something?). Anyways, he made some comment that it would be really useful to keep a pencil and notepad handy  to jot down things that NPC's mention in order to act as reminders and aid in completing their quests/storylines which seemed a reasonable enough suggestion.

 

He also mentioned that the game did not keep an automatic 'Quest Log' which lead to some extraordinarily entitled responses. One dude announced that if FROM were not prepared to offer such a basic QOL aid as a quest log then they would never get his money and there were many more along the same lines. Basically, a load of whiney man children raging as it wasn't like Assassins Creed, or Horizon, or whatever. After despairing at the tragic states some must exist in to allow themselves to rage over minor details of a videogame,  I was also reminded of  what a (mostly) sane and calm community we have here. 

 

Anyways, I shall have a notepad and pencil on standby.

I can’t think of anything worse than a quest log. 

[Captain Kelsten]

6 minutes ago, Mike S said:

 

 

I think you've forgotten to post a pic of the model that accompanied your jazzy edition. 

 

 

On the subject of NPCs and side quests.  Yesterday I read a tweet by that fella who was retweeted in here with his opinion on the game and who's name I have already forgotten (maybe Jordan something?). Anyways, he made some comment that it would be really useful to keep a pencil and notepad handy  to jot down things that NPC's mention in order to act as reminders and aid in completing their quests/storylines which seemed a reasonable enough suggestion.

 

He also mentioned that the game did not keep an automatic 'Quest Log' which lead to some extraordinarily entitled responses. One dude announced that if FROM were not prepared to offer such a basic QOL aid as a quest log then they would never get his money and there were many more along the same lines. Basically, a load of whiney man children raging as it wasn't like Assassins Creed, or Horizon, or whatever. After despairing at the tragic states some must exist in to allow themselves to rage over minor details of a videogame,  I was also reminded of  what a (mostly) sane and calm community we have here. 

 

Anyways, I shall have a notepad and pencil on standby.

I have no idea where I’m going or what I’m doing and I bloody love it. No map filled with markers, no pop ups, no compass filled with tat. Just pick a direction and off you go. Glorious. 

[Davros sock drawer]

7 minutes ago, Mike S said:

 

 

I think you've forgotten to post a pic of the model that accompanied your jazzy edition. 

 

 

On the subject of NPCs and side quests.  Yesterday I read a tweet by that fella who was retweeted in here with his opinion on the game and who's name I have already forgotten (maybe Jordan something?). Anyways, he made some comment that it would be really useful to keep a pencil and notepad handy  to jot down things that NPC's mention in order to act as reminders and aid in completing their quests/storylines which seemed a reasonable enough suggestion.

 

He also mentioned that the game did not keep an automatic 'Quest Log' which lead to some extraordinarily entitled responses. One dude announced that if FROM were not prepared to offer such a basic QOL aid as a quest log then they would never get his money and there were many more along the same lines. Basically, a load of whiney man children raging as it wasn't like Assassins Creed, or Horizon, or whatever. After despairing at the tragic states some must exist in to allow themselves to rage over minor details of a videogame,  I was also reminded of  what a (mostly) sane and calm community we have here. 

 

Anyways, I shall have a notepad and pencil on standby.

Honestly, shit like that is a selling point for Gen X’rs like me. I still have a copy of Mastertronic’s Knight Tyne with notes written in the tape inlay. 

[Jamie John]

Right, the dinner's cooked, the boy's in bed, the missus has been seen to, the headset is charged, the mood lighting is on, the scotch has been poured.

 

Let's fucking go.

[Curtis]

I swear this is the longest day in human existence.

[jonamok]

150 minutes of clock watching ahead.

[Zero9X]

I’m hyped for this and I’m actually enjoying Horizon forbidden west. Will have to come back to it. Shame.

 

I picked it up on ps5 as I didn’t have a good experience with their previous pc ports.

 

DF said the best way to play it on PlayStation is the PS4 version on PS5 in performance mode.

 

I’ve downloaded both versions to test graphic fidelity.

 

Once you go 60fps it’s hard to go back to anything lower for me. I’ve been playing forbidden west in performance mode due to how much better it feels to move and shoot things. 

[Mike S]

21 minutes ago, dizogg said:

Mate how is the weather going to be mild

enough tomorrow to sit outside? What sort of set up you go? Or are you not in the UK?

 

 

I am in Cheshire!

 

I am optimistic as it was OK to light the fire a few weeks ago and was certainly tolerable today.