From Software apologizes for Dark Souls frame-rate issues, unsure if there'll be a sequel

Dark Souls developer is sorry for the frame-rate issues in the game and isn't sure if they'll have a chance to work on a third "Dark" game. From Software also isn't sure if fans will forgive them.

[DaThreats]

Its ok
Just make a sequal

[young juice]

dear from software, i am incredibly disappointed with dark souls' frame rate on ps3. you could learn a thing or two from bethesda

[frostypants]

That's a joke, right? If you ranked the buggiest games of this gen, Bethesda's titles would be at the top of the list.

Dark Souls is an awesome game, framerate issues or not.

They'd better make an effin' sequel (or at least another game with this style of play). Demons Souls and Dark Souls were the most important games of this gen IMHO, in terms of innovation.

[Blacktric]

"Demons Souls and Dark Souls were the most important games of this gen IMHO, in terms of innovation."

This. We need at least another Souls game developed by From Software this generation. I mean come on. Why are they even unsure? Demons Souls sold great for an exclusive new IP and Dark Souls also did great for a hardcore RPG/Action game. A sequel sounds like a no brainer to me.

[Legionaire2005]

its not that bad man

[Kevin ButIer]

Oh my beloved From software, just get a decent programer that helps you to sort out the framerate issues.... BUT PLEASE... y need a damn sequel...

[young juice]

guys relax i seriously was joking look at some of my other comments where all i do is complain about how bethesda f'ed up skyrim on ps3

guess i needed an /s

[MsclMexican]

Unfortunatley most of us are unable to tell if someone is serious or joking when reading a comment.

I admire from software, because they openly come out and apologize to the fans, and tell them that they dd screw up.

Where as Bethesda does not care for their fans, they never apologized for a problem that most PS3 gamers had, and are showered with GOTY awards.

I think that reason alone makes me dislike Bethesda immensely....

The least we deserve is an apology

[princejb134]

im pretty sure theyll make a sequel next gen

[yeahokchief]

Why should they be sorry for making the best game of 2011?

[TVippy]

Don't fucking apologize, at least release a patch.

[brish]

'From Software also isn't sure if fans will forgive them.'

If they don't make a sequel I won't forgive them.

[RedDead]

It was annoying...but wtf? Make a goddamn Sequel you bas****s. My Goty, Demons was also my Goty

[Ser]

Agreed. Demon's and Dark were both my GotY choices for 2009 and 2011.

Just because a couple of areas in the game had framerate problems doesn't mean that there can't be a sequel. Make another one!

[Captain Qwark 9]

agreed with both and WTF!!!!!! im a grown ass man and i never cry. however, dont make a sequel to the souls games and i will! :O do you really want me to cry from software????

if its a money thing, ill donate just tell me how much you need and ill give you what i can afford!!! (im already buying ac5 so technically im giving you money anyway )

[Solid_Snake37]

Yeah, make a sequel! Even though im still stuck on the last boss.... I love it!

[Captain Qwark 9]

@solid snake

idk if they changed it significantly since the update but if your stuck on the last boss you can try what i did. get your pyromancy up a lot then use iron flesh as soon as he gets close then just keep hitting him with combustion. i dropped him in about 30 sec this way

[d0nni3]

Mine too and by quite a margin!

Very humble approach from the developer but to not make a sequal would be a great loss for the industry there games stand head and shoulder above a vast majority out there

[kramun]

Just release it on pc and all will be forgiven as we play it in its full glory.

[Brownghost]

It will be amazing, in 1080 and better hardware, it will be amazing.

[DeadeyeMouse]

Oh sweet, that way it can sell far less, get pirated like crazy and lose out on the much more profitable abilities of a console that more people are able to use due to cost.

[Voxelman]

Wait are you saying that if they released a PC version the console sales would decrease somehow? Sorry to break it to you but those copies have already been sold and a PC release doesn't retroactively unsell copies of the game, neither does piracy. Also remember Dark Soul's anti piracy initiative? http://egamer.co.za/2011/09... yea already pirated before it even launched on consoles.

Also COD comes out on PC every year and that sells, Skyrim was on PC and that was the second highest selling game of the year, and the PC version also sold extremely well and broke Steam records, with over 300k simultaneous players on Steam.

From Dust was the biggest game on XBLA with 350k sales while on steam Magika broke 1.3 million while being buggier than Skyrim, Binding of Isaac which had everything against it with permadeath, disturbing art and story etc 450k copies. And hardcore WRPG The Witcher 2 sold over a million copies without any from Japan while Demon's Souls sold 1.5 million after 3 years with 400k of those in Japan, Dark Souls has barely done 1 million on PS3 and 350k on 360 so far...

[HardCover]

PC gaming has been "dead" and/or "dying" since 1985, man.

It's nowhere near as bad as you kids make it out to be. It may be the Wild West, but the good ol' folk still outnumber the rabblerousers, no questions about it.

[specialguest]

Release it on PC with mod tools. Now that's what I'm talkin' bout.

[Darkfocus]

Except new londo(haven't played in a while that was the ghost place right?) I found the framerate fine...I hardly had any FPS drops in blighttown which I heard a lot of complaining about...

[entitygm]

Didn't have too many issues in Londo myself, it was all Blighttown and even that could be avoided by turning the camera certain ways. All they needed was a draw distance limit, but it was an ambitious zone to begin with (you could see the top from the swamp).

Even with the drops it was just part of the challenge. I, one amongst many, really hopes they don't kill the series.

[Legionaire2005]

yeah the game has great draw distance wow!!! in anor londo I can even see message signs from far away!!!!! It is a well made game I would hate to see them not create a sequel!!!!

[Blaine]

It depends how you approach New Londo. If you do it slow and cautious and you kill every ghost on the way, you won't have framerate issues. But when you run through and then you have all those ghosts chasing you from all over the area and going through walls everywhere, then your framerate gets downright scary.

You can easily see it at the place where you kick down the ladder. Just go down to New Londo, run past the first 4 ghosts and go straight to the ladder. By the time you're on the ladder, your framerate will have dropped to the single digits. What you have to do is run to the ladder, quit/ load game, and then proceed.

[Darkfocus]

Londo turned into a slide show for me as soon as I entered it...wouldn't matter if I killed all the enemies or not...Blighttown I never had FPS drops unless I was destroying physics objects...

[AKS]

I think Blighttown would have ran more smoothly if they just took out a lot of the breakable debris. Breakable components of the environment are cool and all, but not when you've got it everywhere and things slow down.

Overall, I thought the game looked fantastic, and the seamless transitions between areas was one of my favorite aspects of the game. It felt like one comprehensive world, yet each area had it's own unique look and style. I have to say Dark Souls had one of my all time favorite game worlds.

[gigreen]

If one of the best RPGs ever doesn't deserve a sequel, I don't know what's wrong with From Software.

How much more support from gamers and press do they need?

[OdinX]

Honestly, it's a lot of Japanese game companies; their way of thinking is...off, to say the least; their fans scream one thing and they take another route, and then bitch about why their sales are so low in the west. Personally, I prefer Japanese developed games over western one just because the variety and creativity is something that often overlooked in western games.

[frostypants]

What I love about the "Souls" games though is that they are such a twisted Eastern interpretation of Western influences. The result is amazing and entirely unique.

I'll take Demons Souls/Dark Souls over a traditional JRPG every day of the week.

[Blaine]

1. They better continue the Souls series, in this gen and the next!

2. While you're fixing the framerate, fix the lag too. PvP is amazing in this game, but not being able to faithfully parry online like off is really depressing.

[admiralthrawn87]

PC version will make framerate issues go away

[h311rais3r]

Don't see why u get disagrees for stating on pc it will run better...

[multipayer]

Quit describing logical explanations you trolls, back under your bridge away from the public eye I'm manipulating to buy proprietary hardware!

[Blasphemy]

Someone doesn't play PC games, sw: the old republic I am looking at you.

[Games4M - Rob]

If its coded badly then it dosnt matter what system it is running on, it will still have issues.

A game being on PC dosnt magically solve everything that might be wrong with that game.

[BlackTar187]

Lol someone disagree lol

So i guess I have the framework laid out on a personal project you guys think your computer can run it to what i envision in my head even with out me laying down the coding for it to happen?

[BlackPrince 42]

Ah, I love that old school Japanese mentality. So self-aware, so appreciative.

That said 70+ hours in Skyrim produces a framerate worse than anything in Dark Souls or Demon's Souls And I've never had either DS crash. And I don't spend 1/4 of Dark Souls in load screens

From where I stand From is doing fine technically, not fantastic, but just fine.

Now if only they'd switch publishers to Bethesda so they could use id Tech 5. I think that would be the perfect engine for this franchise what with the 60fps and the killer animation system.

[Jazz4108]

You must have purchased skyrim for ps3 as 230 hours in on the 360 version I only experenced a frame rate issue once about 100 hours before where I am now and a reset fixed it. Shyrim on 360 and pc is goty and from what I here the ps3 version well like most multiplats that are not linear plays like crap directly due to ps3s ram issues. On topic.......from software is a innovator and while I enjoy the souls games I will lok forward to whatever they have to offer.

[BlackTar187]

Jazz yea Fallout and Fallout NV and every single DLC ran so smooth on 360 ROFL at least NV was worse then PS3 and fallout was as bad. Check my gamer score and trophies i did play them both. But whatever Oblivion ran crap on 360 when it first release always freezing and locking up during loading screen into buildings.

iTwo worlds ran pretty bad too.

[frankiebeans]

this was a very good game i just wish it was easier to fight other people.

[Drake117]

WTF they cant be serious?! Minor framerate issues doesn't mean they have to cancel the whole damn series. These Games are amazing and should continue to be made. The answer is yes we forgive you.

[AbyssGravelord]

Don't do it From, the Souls series is literally my favorite series in the world and i know a lot of fans would be devastated if there wasn't a sequel or a future for the series!

[MWH]

they don't need to apologize for anything, very few just make another please.

[sandman224]

just wait for ps4 and xbox 720. if by then you cant fix your problems with the game you should be fired!!

[zerocrossing]

It's ok we forgive you From Software, now make the damn sequel!

[MWH]

"-but we don’t know if the users will forgive us for the mistakes-"

what in the Allmight's name is he talking about? what users? where are they? do they even exist?!!

[Furesis]

how can i contact these people especialy from software i couldn't find their twitter or even e-mail wtf because i know leaving comments over here wont help they will never see them but if only i could send them a tweet or e-mail...

[AbyssGravelord]

I literally went on twitter looking for him as well haha, we need to personally contact him and tell him we all want a sequel.

[TheDivine]

I never any slowdown in blighttown or anywhere except once in the forest where these 3 or 4 giant cats attacked me. That was the only technical hiccup i experienced so theres nothing to forgive, in fact i feel the need to thank them for such a wonderful game. It will be the biggest crime in the history of gaming if we dont get another souls game. I couldnt imagine them not doing it DS sold above expectations and DkS sold even better. It was praised by virtually everyone and a sequel would only do better. They would be pretty stupid to pass up on their most successful franchise. Its not like their other games are killing the sales charts. I was always hoping we would get a spin off on the vita or even the 3ds (dying a hundred times in 3d would be awesome).

Its odd that they are acting as we all hated it and it was broken when everyone ive seen adored this game. Maybe they only see the bitching on forums about summoning or slowdown in blighttown. Maybe they dont see the positive feedback or maybe they are just humble people who feel those minor problems were a huge issue and they let their fans down idk. Sounds like a great developer to me though, most dont really take any feedback to heart except how to water games down for a bigger audience. Il would buy another copy of DS and DkS if it would guarantee a sequel.

[ovhaum]

From a guy who created an item (Pendant) which the purpose was do nothing but make people post in forums about it, speculate about it, conjecture about it and realize that this item does s*it.

YES, i do think he can make us believe the next dark project will not gonna happen, just for his trolling sake.

[FunAndGun]

Is that DLC for Dark Souls still happening, or was that just a rumor?

The Demons's Souls/Dark Souls games CAN NOT END!

[yewles1]

People are taking this out of context. The framerate problems and the difficulty of getting a sequel are different issues.

[MeatAbstract]

C'mon man, it was one of the highest received games of 2011. Yeah, the Framerate issue hit quite badly at some parts, like in Blighttown for example. But, it was a great game and there should be more like it.

[Tdmd]

There there. You're forgiven. Do the sequel now. Shhh, it will be ok.

;)

[honkyjesus]

Not my favorite game, but I really didn't see anything with frame rate as a prob.

[baboom223]

Oh HELLLLLL NAAHHHH you better make a sequel </3

[Skate-AK]

I havnt had any issue with the frame rate. Only when I was in Blighttown. It was horrible there. PS3 version.

[lex-1020]

Yea ok. And there wasn't going to be a Demon souls sequel either.

[JellyJelly]

The overwhelming level of awesomeness made up for it.

[PandaJenkins]

Sure there was some frame-rate issues, but they hardly mattered when the game was so freaking amazing on the whole.

[The Milkman]

I'd probably not forgive them if they decided to never make another Souls game though!

[g-nome]

I never had to do a total restart in my 100 hours in Lordran , whereas in Skyrim I had two total freezes in 20 hours. The ones that should be apologizing is Bethesda.
Dark Souls and Demons Souls is the highlight of this generation to me.
The frame rate issues here and there were not game breaking.

[banjadude]

I absolutely LOVE/LOVED Demon's Souls and Dark Souls, so naturally, I'm going to forgive them for some technical issues. BRING ON the third iteration!

[AKS]

Honestly the only major issue I had with this game was the Fog Ring, which they addressed with a patch. The frame rate issue was relatively minor. I say without hesitation that Dark Souls is one of the very best games I've played this generation.

[sealava]

just give us the next sequel and stop with this bullshit !!
Demon's Souls and Dark Souls were hands down the best action rpg's this gen.
if you can't see your fans from software ..your blind.

[Run_bare]

PLEASE make another one.. I don't care about the frame rate. Give us another one please. I forgive you.

[TimeSkipLuffy]

Port it to the Vita and maybe the framerate issues are gone ^^

[noprin]

who cares,it was a great game and I really enjoyed it
just try to make a better one next time

[Mister_G]

Yeah, it gets bad (esp. in Blighttown), but I still LOVE IT!!! :D

From Software, you're totally forgiven! xxx

[rattletop]

FROM software? weird name for a game studio.

[zerocrossing]

Yeah they have a odd name, but thier games are top notch.

[aaronobst]

Dark Souls' framerate wasn't THAT bad

If anyone should be apologising for FPS issues it's Bethesda and their train wreck of Skyrim on PS3

[ziggurcat]

you beat me to it... i don't think i've seen bethesda even feign an apology for the mess they've made out of the PS3 version of skyrim.

[MiloGarret]

Fix this for the next game:

1. Framerate issues, honestly it's embarrasing that the hub of the game (Firelink shrine) had to be experienced in 15-20 fps.
2. Less cheapness, main difference between Demon's and Dark is that Dark Souls was very cheap in certain areas.
3. Human/undead dynamic is boring and lame compared to dead/alive dynamic in Demon's Souls.
4. Fix certain powers, e.g. meeting someone with what appears to be infinite force miracles is not fun.
5. Make it more dark and melancholic.
6. Can't believe I'm saying this but... less secrets please. Unlike the majority of people I insist on playing this game without reading the wiki, as such I miss out on stuff that others get to experience because they are prepared to ruin their own experience and/or are desperate to find the best shit so they can grief others.
7. More visible effects from crafting, like Demon's.
8. Less bosses. Having as many as were present in Dark Souls makes bosses less interesting, seemed every five minutes you were entering a new boss area and I stopped caring after a while.

If you fix this, I will forgive you. If you don't I'll still buy your game but whine about it on the internet, that's a promise!

[dc1]

I think you hit it on the head with the comment of 'I can't believe I'm saying this'.
The secrets are some of the most wonderful things about the game!
1- It compels you to check behind every corner..look and walk down every path...even if you're sure death awaits.
2- It promotes experimentation with weapon gear combinations
3- It forces us to pay attention to our environments.
4- Lastly, it keeps the game fresh, even in NG+3.

What a great game!

Oh...and how can you complain about the mini bosses?
I loved it. After I beat the Carla Demon I wanted to do back flips through the living room! (Man..he was a son of a ....)

[MiloGarret]

All you say is true, and I do appreciate the secrets, but I think they took it a bit too far in this game. I only ever found out about Ash Lake after I accidently watched a video where the guy for some inexplicable reason stabbed three walls to find a secret path. That, to me, is too far.

I complain about the mini bosses because I felt they took away some of the "magic" of the bosses. When they appear too often it makes them less special, and less interesting to me.

It's a great game, no doubt, but I feel that Demon's Souls is a far superior game.

[dboyman]

It wasn't as bad as another certain popular open world "took an arrow to the knee" rpg from on the ps3...I'm sure next version of Souls series will be improved on, and should work good first day, unlike said rpg that patching still has fix all ps3 issues..

[samok]

Rather an apology for not making a PC version would be more welcomed. No surprise this game is suffering bad frame rates when you do concentrate on consoles

[skottey]

We forgive the frame rate issues. Make a third!

[jneul]

im having one of those what on earth moments, i've had no framerate issues so far and i got the ps3 version, make a demon souls sequel or else!

[KidMakeshift]

That's why they should bring it to PC.

Or they could just patch the damn thing

There's a few areas in the game that are practically broken because of the frame rate but other than that it's a great game.

I would love to see another game just like everyone else.

[Noticeably_FAT]

They should apologize. How do you make a game in this day and age and have such horrible frame rate issues? Maybe if they make a sequel they can make it a bit tougher as well. I found the last game terribly easy. The low frame rate makes certain parts like bullet time in other games.

[KontryBoy706]

it's ironic that people will forgive Skyrim devs for their shortcomings but not Dark Souls devs.

[ziggurcat]

i think this goes to show the integrity of the devs coming out of FROM - they actually *care* about their game and always do their best to make it up to their fans by fixing the issue people have complained about.

i don't think we'll ever see this kind of class coming from bethesda, who have been making consistently broken games (especially on the PS3).

[KontryBoy706]

agreed 100%

[kevnb]

Give us a pc version.

[Jason143]

game runs fine on ps3 so i dont get the point of this article. I was surprised first time i rolled into barrels that it didnt do the demons souls slow down lol. Retarded article. They will make another one if he can come up with another world for it which may be harder then it seems. if he quit now im happy with demons souls and dark souls.

[kevnb]

Some people can't see a difference between 15fps and 30fps but there are framerate issues. pc gamers would have a fit.

[Jason143]

this begs the question, are the people complaining using stock hardrives or have they upgrded to faster internals. i noticed a huge difference by going faster. Theres alot of things it could be. regardless from software rocks and they need to keep the ip going. demons souls will always be my go to game and dark souls is a solid happy 2nd

[TopDudeMan]

They're allowed one cock-up imo.

They did still make my favourite game of all time. And the frame skipping is only in one area (which is not too hard to clear, anyway)

[marcoskids]

The only problem with frame rate issues I had were in the Blightown area, the rest of the game was buttery smooth :)

[bobrea]

They could just patch the game and fix it. Saying sorry doesn't fox my frame rate issues. Regardless, its still an awesome game.

[_Q_]

From Software does no wrong in my eyes. Almost evrything htey've made from AC to 3D Dot Game Heroes to the Dark series. They are saints as far as I am concerned.

[Allowen]

The only bug that I hated on this game was the one preventing us from playing Coop.

In Demon's Souls I could play Coop all the time with strangers and with friends.

I loved the game and got a plat trophy on this game but I had to do all alone.
Just in a few boss fights we could get help from an NPC to assist us on the battle if we did not want to wait hours and hours for a coop play with a player.

With all its bugs, glitches etc I still give Dark Souls an 8.9 out of 10 !
Hopefully From Software will make a sequel of either two DS games and a version compatible with the Vita as well !

[Armyless]

I have to add my voice here. Both Souls games are some of the best games I have EVER played, and exemplify what gaming means to me.

If From software stops making Souls games, a significant part of my gaming appetite will disappear with it.

[Ulf]

This is why I hate the loud-voiced whiners on game forums. Somehow, the devs actually hear them, and believe they represent a majority.

Dark Souls was GREAT. If I had to take a framerate hit here and there for GREATNESS, I am OKAY with that. Please make another. If it has framerate issues, I am sure there will be a good reason -- I don't like, endorse such problems, but... WTF ever.

[BI0RAPTOR]

A game which is complex and as big as DkS is will suffer little issues,we should and do except this.
Stop being so hard on yourself FROM an learn from your errors to make the next soul game as good as the two you have given us.
You owe no one an apology,keep up the good work.