Dark Souls 2 making you pay for DX11 (no joke)

De-downgrade your game.

This is probably a good time to try to figure out what’s actually happening with the free/paid aspects of Scholar of the First Sin on PC. That’s not exactly easy, because Bandai Namco are being quite vague about it.

According to the Dark Souls 2 official tumblr, here’s how it breaks down between the free update patch and the bits they expect people to pay for. This is probably the clearest delineation I’ve found:

All versions of the game will include the following features (Existing Dark Souls II owners will receive a patch to implement these elements):

– Additional NPCs added for an enhanced story experience.

– Parameter adjustments for improved game balance.

– Augmented item descriptions.

– Improved online matchmaking functionality.

Xbox One, PS4, and DirectX 11 versions of the game will include the following features (in addition to those listed above):

– Additional upgrades to graphics, sound, performance.

– Increase in maximum online players in single session (6 total).

That may not be a definitive list however, because this Japanese language chart (as translated by NeoGaf user duckroll) lists “Enemy and game design adjustments” as something only the Scholar edition will receive.

More worrying, it implies that the DirectX 9 and DirectX 11 PC versions will use separate servers. Splitting the player-base for multiplayer titles in this fashion is always an idiotic move, so I’m clinging to the hope that the chart is just misleading or incorrect in some manner. Equating two PC versions with (say) a PS3/PS4 divide doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. People with DirectX 11 cards aren’t on a completely different platform.

Speaking of the DX11 aspect, the lists above show that if PC players want the DirectX 11 visuals version, they’ll have to pay an as-yet-undetermined amount of money for it. This has been further confirmed by Patrick Klepek. But Bandai Namco don’t exactly seem sure what that amount should be, yet.

They’re implying (again, a frustrating lack of anything concrete here) that more details about PC “versions/upgrades” will be coming in the future.

http://www.incgamers.com/2014/11/dark-souls-2-scholar-of-the-first-sin-why-pc-users-are-feeling-aggrieved

No thanks.

lol

Is the DLC not being bundled with any of these versions? That was the only reason I was gonna buy it in a sale

@aroxx_ab said:

lol

So we are pretending that 1080p and 60fps versions of old gen games on current gen consoles aren't happening? OK

These practices are due to console publishers attempting to milk fools. The pc version was deliberately held back.

You mean they are asking for money for a re-release that has all the DLC plus reworked assets?

OH MY GOD THOSE HORRIBLE MONSTERS.

You PC folk want a foot rub and breakfast too with that free re-release? I'm trying to understand where this feeling that you are owed free shit comes from.

no thanks

Yup..not touching any new release games from them anymore..will just wait for the inevitable Ultimate HD versions..much like Capcom's Street Fighters series..where you know..there's gonna be Super/Hyper edition. :P

Welp, gonna wait for this version. Luckily I held off purchasing DSII, despite being tempted to buy on many occasions.

Splitting the userbase is stupid, but are you seriously expecting people who worked on something for a living to give it away free?

@aroxx_ab said:

lol

The irony is that this happens far more on consoles, like way way way more often. (rehashes/remakes)

But you know this, and you're going to see this message from your notifications, but you won't respond because you just got wrecked.

It must suck to always know you won't be first place ;)

@soulitane: I do not see anything in there that shouldnt of for one been already in there, and two what is there that needs to be paid for? The online extra she be automatic as with graphics and the extra story stuff should be added with the DLC.

Won't buy a single From Software game from this day onwards. These practices encourage piracy.

Exactly . This is stupid. They didn't include lighting effects and DX11 features in the PC version, to hold back PC version and later include these features in current gen consoles and ask for people's money to update their game to DX11. Hilarious.... People have already paid a full price for unfinished game, and they are going to download the update manually for free. No one is stupid to pay for that sh*t .

HUH? Oh...pc gamer problems.

........

Screw DX11, it sucks anyway. eh I'll probably buy it though for the increased phantom count.

Well that's a whole mess of bad decisions.

@aroxx_ab said:

lol

That guy, on youtube, is actually a console gamer. Irony. Besides console gamers waited for this game for over a year.

That's expected. Why would they update the graphics for free a year later.. If it's $30 or less with DLC included then i'd bite. I never bought the DLC and the DLC was $30 to begin with.

The whole thing kind of sucks. But this is From's B team and they won't be making anything worth a damn anyway. All about Bloodborne and since Miyazaki is the president now instead of a Director, I don't see them making any more good games. RIP from

@aroxx_ab said:

lol

This.

Grab bloodborne instead and avoid this unless you really want to see a new lighting engine with DS 2's terrible level design.

There was a day when a patch like this was a thank you from the developers to the community for buying their game and sticking by them after it released.

I don't either. not because some dumb reason though, just because there games suck

@darkangel115: Who's the idiot giving sucky games GOTY awards!

apparently gamespot is. but hell gamesradar gave destiny a GOTY award. so basically GOTY doesn't have any meaning anymore. The choices they picked suck balls. hell morridor is a good game, but not GOTY worthy

DX11 is like OLD..... even the most basic of CPU's have iGPU's that support DX11.

But Dark Souls 2 was a fully fledged, complete and highly polished, big retail release. They don't exactly owe gamers anything with DS2, unlike Ubi with Unity or Sony with DC.

Doesn't seem unreasonable to ask for something in return for the time and resources spent on this re-release package. Especially considering that From Software is one of the few mid-tier Japanese developers who managed to break through into western markets. Every penny counts in a world were even giants like Capcom are on their knees financially.

I get that people would like a free update, I would too. I don't get why some are outraged that they aren't getting it though.

Then I hope they atleast give proper keyboard and mouse controls this time. Had to download a mod for that. (And inb4 controllers are better ) My controllers are broken so I didn't have a choice.

For a feature as big as lighting effects to be promised before launch only to be taken out upon release and then released much later for a cost... that's inexcusable. Had this been merely added features like item descriptions and a few NPC's, I can understand, those are after-release tweaks... but we are talking about misrepresenting the final product before release and then have the gall to charge for it.

And I'd normally agree with you completely if this wasn't From Software we were talking about. I honestly think there was no ill intent on FS's part when they showed a better looking in-development version of DS2.

Remember they aren't exactly the most tech savvy bunch and they most likely WANTED to release that version. But along the way many things could have happened that got them to abandon that besides wanting to trick people:

- They couldn't manage to make the engine run properly with that lighting

- They didn't have the time or know-how to make it look that good consistently all the way through.

- They decided to rethink their priorities and shift resources onto other stuff that made it to the final game instead

- etc...

Look at Bloodborn. While artistically gorgeous, it is technically less impressive than say, Dragon Age Inquisition and it seems to be running worse so far too.

Also don't be surprised if that amazing pre-release lighting is STILL absent from this reworked version DS2 too. Hell, Bloodborn doesn't seem to be as sofisticated in the lighting department either.

Cutting edge graphics are simply not their strength, nor should it be considering their size and resources.

As much as I loved the first Souls game and liked the second, I'm glad I held off on this one. Guess I'll just wait a little longer for the Ultimate/Turbo/GoTY/Double Dipping+ Edition for all the stuff to be fleshed out better.

Wow, that's bad.

Truth. I'm encouraged to pirate this game - not because I'm unwilling to pay for it, but because I feel I already have.

@jhonMalcovich said:

@aroxx_ab said:

lol

That guy, on youtube, is actually a console gamer. Irony. Besides console gamers waited for this game for over a year.

No, he own and plays everything, yes PC too, he is a Manticore or whatever you call them here in sw

I thought From's approach to PC gaming had improved considering how good of a port Dark Souls 2 was, but I guess I was wrong. Splitting the userbase up like this is a stupid idea, as is making us pay for better graphics.

Who even cares? The bosses are terrible and they are supposed to be the best part.

The graphics are the bit which I was mainly thinking of. How entitled do you have to be to say that the graphical updates should be free? Did they have to work on them? Yes. Did that work cost them money? Yes, so why should it be free? I could understand if they had promised a free update for graphics, but they didn't. When you bought the game, you knew what the graphics looked like and they didn't make any promises for upgrades.

I have to admit if true, From Software have just taken a big smelly shit on PC customers. Not only is charging people for a minor graphics update stupid, but fragmenting your online players is dumb beyond belief.

They need a slap.

You make this sound like this is some ground up reworking of assets or some shit (which on PC it isn't). They are improving performance and adding features (DX11) that yes would get added in most games on the PC via a fucking patch.

They can charge for their new content just fine, but the performance stuff, that shit shouldn't be charged, I already paid you for the game. Why am I paying for your other patch? PC gaming is about being scaleable, and in this case there is no reason the DX11 features should be behind a paywall. Games like Crysis 2 for instance added those features post-release.

We can make all the defenses for From all we want
-they mean well
-they aren't tech savy
-they are noobs at PC

etc, etc, etc, but that is ultimately irrelevant to the standards of said platform for starters (you want to play in the big leagues, you have to play up to a certain standard), and more importantly in this case you should easily be able to identify what precedents are set on said platform.

Thank you for explaining this to the young console people who do not understand technology or game development.

Knowledge in comparison to this young persons teen angst hyperbole has clearly won the day.

They are not just upgrading the graphics. If people would actually listen, not be daft and ignorant they would realize it.

The DX11 version of the game is not going to be exactly the same as the DX9 version. The enemy encounter design has also been changed to take advantage of what they could not do with last gen hardware. Also item drops are getting moved around. Its going to be a whole separate game because of this almost like a Masters Quest version. See that dragon at Hiede's Tower of Flame, well that's this concept.

PC gamers need to stop crying, the dx9 version gets the Scholar of the First Sin story content for free, which FromSoft is kind enough to give out for free. They do not get the graphical upgrades which cost FromSoft money, and they do not get the bigger serves, which also cost From money. And the reason why servers are split is because the level design is also not the same between versions.

Its not just a graphics upgrade, stop whining and get informed.

or you could say you were lucky to get the original basic releases and didn't have to wait so long for a Prepare To Die version this time. bunch of fucking babies.

@scatteh316: It's weird that it's taking so long for DX12 to release. DX updates used to happen almost yearly..

As suspected: being so use to exploitation, the young console people (as predicated) vehemently defend via juvenile attempts to belittle.

If only everyone could be a proper pc gamer.

uhm, I'm pretty sure the patch does more than that. I'll give it another look but I remember a longer list of changes, additions and tweaks.

i'm ok with this