Dark Souls 3 has been getting patches on a regular basis, since the game was released in April. But for hardcore fans, the release of a patch is only the beginning; then, the community has to find out what the patches do.
The game’s developer, From Software, usually releases patch notes, but they’re often vague and don’t point out what’s actually changed.
Take this excerpt from the next patch, which drops on Friday:
- Adjusted the attack power and skills of fist and claw weapons
OK, yes, it’s clear that fist and claw weapons have been adjusted … but how? Have they been nerfed, reducing their attack power? Did From Software instead realise they were underpowered, forcing them to buff the weapons?
We’re unlikely to know the answer until the patch arrives, and even then, if you’re someone who wants to know the specific values From Software shifted around, there’s no way to surface that without people data mining.
In the Dark Souls community, Textralia on reddit is one of the most reliable data miners, putting together comprehensive posts for the most hardcore.
“Since detailed patch notes are a myth at FROM software,” said Textralia in a recent analysis post, “I’ve taken the liberty of doing a little datamining for the 1.06 regulation update as promised.”
Grumble, grumble.
From Software isn’t alone in this regard, though. Nintendo has been famously shy about changes made to the Smash Bros. games, leading people to wildly (and annoyingly) experiment when patches are dropped. Here’s how Nintendo described a patch for the 3DS version of Super Smash Bros.:
- Adjustments will be made to balance the game.
- Other adjustments will be made to make for a more pleasant gaming experience.
It was BS then, and it’s BS now. Lots of things about Dark Souls benefit from mystery, but how the game functions? Balance changes? C’mon.
Comments
17 responses to “Dark Souls 3’s Patch Notes Are Maddeningly Vague”
Dark Souls 3 is the only game I’m really into at the moment but even I can see this is a bit beyond the pail to be an actual article. This is Virgin-Mary-face-found-in-my-cereal type stuff 😀
The patch notes are working as intended.
Visions of have no expectations,
then praise From.
– The concept of patch notes have been too frank adjustments have been made to address this manner.
(waves hand)….”These are not the patch notes you are looking for……”
– Nothing was patched
– Everything is working as intended.
Call me when they fix poise. (ie: Turn it fucking back on.)
I was kicking myself when I realised how worthless armour is in DS3!
I mean technically it is working, they just completely changed what it does. So rather than being able to tank hits without staggering apparently it now affects the amount of i-frames you have for rolling away after being hit. Shit’s stupid
I’m of the opinion that the ‘iframes while rolling’ is a secondary effect that’s not included in the poise description, much like the unexplained secondary effects of other stats like attunement/luck.
The primary effect of poise is the one which:
a) Enemies currently benefit from.
b) Behaves the way described in the stat-description
c) Behaves in a way similar to previous souls games
d) Behaves the way you experience when the poise value is ‘switched on’ in the code.
e) Changes exactly the way you’d expect it to in response to increases/decreases in your poise stat when you have poise ‘switched on’ in the code.
The ‘reduction in lost frames during rolling’ effect is more likely a side-effect that they couldn’t as easily turn off, rather than the (undescribed) intended new primary effect of the stat.
ie: It’s not working, and the representatives who’ve spoken on the matter are lying.
Agreed. This sounds like the weapon durability bug all over again.
Splines have been reticulated.
ah, the good old days of nonsense loading messages in the Sims…
Oh man that brings back memories!
The ineffectiveness of poise is annoying but at least hyper armour attacks and special attacks sort of balance it out.
In short, RIP Estoc.
Then, praise the Dark Sword
Not a bug, a feature.