An article in Nintendo’s official site has some answers to fan questions regarding possible changes to Dark Souls with the Dark Souls Remastered edition.
Dark Souls Remastered Level Design Unchanged
今回のリマスター版では、オリジナル版の手に汗握るレベルデザインはそのままに、いくつかの変更が加わっています。オンラインマルチプレイの機能拡張や、グラフィックの最適化などにより、アクションRPGの金字塔を、Nintendo Switchで快適にお楽しみいただけます。
Translation:
In this remastered version, the original’s “make your hands sweat” level design is left unchanged, but some changes come bundled in. Enhancements to online multiplayer and graphics optimizations allow Nintendo Switch players to comfortably enjoy this pillar of Action-RPGs.
Now, this seems to confirm level design is unaffected, but does not necessarily discard re-inclusion of cut assets, changes to enemy placements, or tweaking of covenants in general. Nintendo also confirms password matchmaking available on its platform.
Graphics Tailored for Nintendo Switch
The following paragraph may actually raise eyebrows, as it could confirm the rumor that parts of development were done by a separate company (The same company who worked on the Dragon’s Dogma remaster, as per sources that have talked to Kotaku UK among several other outlets), and may shed some light into why there was a desire to distance from associations with Dark Souls 3’s graphics engine. Official statements have not made mention of any such arrangement, however.
リマスター版では、発見の喜びに満ちた探索と、手に汗握る戦闘を、Nintendo Switch向けに調整されたグラフィックでお楽しみいただけます
Translation:
In this remastered version, you may experience the joy of discovery, sweaty-palm combat, and Graphics that have been tailored for the Nintendo Switch.
This is an obvious but still somewhat surprising statement, as in a vacuum of information and following Namco’s retraction of engine and HDR claims, it makes it sound as if the game is focused on the Switch. We think it is just marketing talk, since it’s coming from the Nintendo site, but it could explain why some information is trickling down rather than being fully expanded.
There are still many questions unanswered about the Dark Souls Remaster, including whether an extensive list of bugs, glitches and combat exploits have been fixed (we submitted a really long list!). We have reached out to Namco to get some more information, and will report back to everyone soon!
In the meantime, feel free to continue to drool over the beautifully expensive Dark Souls Trilogy Edition.
17 responses to “Dark Souls Remastered Level Design “Unchanged” – Says Nintendo”
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They already set a precedent for tweaking, but not full on modifying macro level map design in DS2:SotFS.
It’s well known that DS1 is not the fully polished product they may have hoped for. So depending on how many resources they’re afforded, there is room for some love and attention, even if the macro level map design is unchanged.
That said, I doubt we’re going to get much detailed information until roughly a month before release, given I doubt they want to repeat the PR fiasco that was the DS2 pre-release show.
How is anything in this article interesting or suprising? It’s a graphical update. If you’re like 12 or a new gamer I can understand why you’d think it’s surprising, but graphically-updated versions of games for the most part don’t have anything changed or added besides the quality of the graphics.
All the kids can take a nice deep breath knowing that their frames won’t drop in Blighttown for the Xbone and PS4. Don’t know about about the Switch version, but it might since its hardware is a bit better than the 360’s and has more RAM.
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considering ds2 is basically my favorite i would like to see how ds2 was before miyazaki decided it want good
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With the announcement of five planned games a while back before the Switch came out, I wouldn’t be surprised if they either had three full development teams or just got really good at outsourcing. Whatever the case, they are at the very least able to work on more than one new game at the same time while also creating additional content and balance patches for previously released games.
To be able to coordinate all that while still managing to keep each game feeling like a cohesive, focused world… to compare that to herding cats would be understating it. Whoever they have organizing everything, I frankly doubt they’re mortal. We’ll see how long they can keep it up for, at any rate.
Dark Souls 2 was an exception, I’d say. If everything I’ve read about its production cycle is correct: they originally handed it off to the first developer (Shibuya) and left him to his own devices, then checked in halfway through only to have a “what have you done” moment. At that point, Shibuya was pulled out and Tanimura was put in to turn what they had into an acceptable product. With a six month deadline, and not enough time to create any new assets for it. Being completely honest, it’s a miracle the end result was even playable, let alone being something that managed to eat 2K hours of my free time.
I wonder what happened to Shibuya? Surely the guy can’t be all that bad. Maybe he just needs some practice.
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We know From at least has an A and B team, which have been divided on new or continued DLC projects, which have varying input from Miyazaki. DS2 obviously had the least input from M, but the DLCs have stayed fairly true to their respective games, rather than becoming a radical departure. It is not unlikely they have picked up additional personnel resources under their ownership of Kadokawa, if they have negotiated such needs for future projects at an executive level. In some sense that scenario of a new C team is akin to it being ‘outsourced’. I wouldn’t really worry about it, From has had a good track record of fairly well polished releases and proper maintenance post-DS1, I doubt they would risk tarnishing themselves over a poorly handled remaster.
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Exactly. Not that I cannot see the appeal of a full remake of the game, but if they were doing something like that I’d rather have them revisit the world under different circumstances (which is done tangentially in DS3 anyway). Like “X years later a brave Undead tries to discover blablabla on the ancient land of Lords…”, have familiar areas changed in subtle ways and expanding areas that might not have been reachable before (Izalith, Anor Londo streets, mountain range around Duke’s Archives, whatever). Kind of what Capcom did with Resident Evil 3 Nemesis after Resident Evil 2.
Of course one could argue if From were to spend so much time and resources on a experiment like that they might as well create a new IP, which is probably what they are doing anyway.
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This is typical of souls titles d:
we’ve had confusion with info pre release in the past.
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As in not changing the fact that you can see a huge level gap piece missing next to bed of chaos’s arena?
I’m fine with that. I just want areas with horrible FPS drops to be fixed.
Shame, I would have preferred they put more fit & finish into the back half of the maps that were originally rushed.
Switch’s version is properly optimized with 720p @30fps. Shame, I’m still unsure if I’ll even get it since the PC version that already exist has 4k, 60fps and Gravelord Cov works 100% with a patch.
The idea of not messing with level design is just fine with me. Just fine indeed……
The graphics… considering they were talking specifically about the Switch, I think he meant that the Switch’s version has been properly optimized for that console. He doesn’t mention or elude to any other console.
Actually Gamestop has a press release that says it’s not being outsourced, so there’s online back and forth about who does what. I know From are involved – but it’s now hard to tell to what extent since information is incredibly confusing at the moment.
I think they meant no updating Izalith or other areas maps. Which is something they’ve never done with any new versions as far as I know. People who don’t check sites like Fex regularly might expect a full remake, and even people here before there was more information were jumping the gun on that.
Enemy placement or AI could affect levels byt not their design itself. Still, I think it will only look prettier and have fewer frame issues (which is already good enough for me!)
Interesting. If level design is unchanged I wonder how the manage to make blight town and izalith not frame drop spots anymore. If they’re speaking in the most broad of terms where they mean it won’t be different geometry wise I don’t know why that had to be stated. As i’m not sure anyone would be expecting that. It depends on what they consider level design as well. Like enemy placement/item placement could fall under that…at least in a broad perspective.
EDIT: Thought it was already confirmed FROM wasn’t handling much of the remaster.
I also hope the other platform versions are not ported from the switch. As making it sound like the game was remastered with the switch in mind sounds like a downgrade to other versions.
I think Level Design is fairly clear…Combat is not Level Design, nor is Poise…
Cas
does level desing includes combat?
or more importantly does it include poise
Certainly interesting
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