After 150+ hrs of gameplay I just discovered I missed Volcano Manor...

[CourtJesterCowboy]

I made the decision before Elden Ring released that I wasn't going to be glued to guides the way I always was for Dark Souls. I had the best possible experience, and its one that continues to give. I missed so much content, that now that I am finishing up the DLC and looking into build videos for unique weapons like Dryleaf Arts, I am being sent off to get equipment I dont have, I am discovering so much.

Well, after how many years since release, I just discovered the illusory wall at the Volcano Manor and have stepped out into its courtyard for the first time. I always wondered why it wasn't an explorable area and I went through the quest-lines there and defeated Rykard even, but always thought it was an empty area that was covered in lava or whatever.

Unreal.

[LuckyCheshire]

XD nice. It's not as dramatic, but I managed to discover a new dungeon I missed after at least four full playthroughs of the game.

[so007]

its hard to miss that illusory wall when the woman with broken back there actually tells you about it and where it is.... I'm forced to believe you're just not paying attention your surroundings.

[BingusDingus]

Originally posted by LuckyCheshire:

XD nice. It's not as dramatic, but I managed to discover a new dungeon I missed after at least four full playthroughs of the game.

That happened to me, went through 2 entire playthroughs without finding the deathtouched catacombs.

[CourtJesterCowboy]

Originally posted by so007:

its hard to miss that illusory wall when the woman with broken back there actually tells you about it and where it is.... I'm forced to believe you're just not paying attention your surroundings.

I didnt use a guide with the game, man, so nothing ever compelled me to open the door, it just said I didn't have a key and I never tried again until today, when a Dryleaf Arts build talked about the Erdtree Seal that existed in the Volcano Manor somewhere... So I had a reason to try the door again... plus the lady was ded. I only realized there was an illusory because of a message sign.

[CourtJesterCowboy]

Originally posted by BingusDingus:

Originally posted by LuckyCheshire:

XD nice. It's not as dramatic, but I managed to discover a new dungeon I missed after at least four full playthroughs of the game.

That happened to me, went through 2 entire playthroughs without finding the deathtouched catacombs.

Oh yeah, I had already burned the tree by the time I found that as well.. Some places are just tucked away like that

[CourtJesterCowboy]

Originally posted by LuckyCheshire:

XD nice. It's not as dramatic, but I managed to discover a new dungeon I missed after at least four full playthroughs of the game.

Which one cuz I likely dont have it done either if it was that hidden lol

[königplatzen]

Patches also has a hint, when he is at scenic isle.
I love it, when a secret can be discovered in mulitple ways.

[Fineous🔥]

Even after all my hours played i still discover new things from time to time.

My first clears of the base game two years ago and Shadow of the Erdtree were completly blind ( belive ir or not but even with a gazillon of Elden Ring content creators they take their sweet time to upload something wich means 0 external resources even if i wanted to use them) so while getting stomped by everything i had to figure out all by myself and of course loot maps to explore every nook and cranny....I completed the expansion before there was a video from the last boss around made by the few Youtubers i can stand (after 4 hours getting my ass kicked).

After the first expansion clear i started to watch guides and using the Fextra map. The amount of places to go i missed was overwhelming....so thats the way OP and congratulations for having the mental fortitude to even after 150 hours not touching a single guide.

Some games have content the devs expect the players to datamine or figure out wich is cool like Remnant 2 new guns and archetypes but in the case of Elden Ring everything can be discovered by paying attention, reading and of course exploring.

[RetroTekGuy]

Funny thing about this game is you'll miss more than you find.

[CourtJesterCowboy]

Originally posted by Fineous🔥:

Even after all my hours played i still discover new things from time to time.

My first clears of the base game two years ago and Shadow of the Erdtree were completly blind ( belive ir or not but even with a gazillon of Elden Ring content creators they take their sweet time to upload something wich means 0 external resources even if i wanted to use them) so while getting stomped by everything i had to figure out all by myself and of course loot maps to explore every nook and cranny....I completed the expansion before there was a video from the last boss around made by the few Youtubers i can stand (after 4 hours getting my ass kicked).

After the first expansion clear i started to watch guides and using the Fextra map. The amount of places to go i missed was overwhelming....so thats the way OP and congratulations for having the mental fortitude to even after 150 hours not touching a single guide.

Some games have content the devs expect the players to datamine or figure out wich is cool like Remnant 2 new guns and archetypes but in the case of Elden Ring everything can be discovered by paying attention, reading and of course exploring.

I made a lot of errors and missed a lot of quest stuff unfortunately but I think at the end of the day it was worth it because that level of discovery is unmatched and like you said. Now that I am sitting at the DLC tree point of no return, I have begun looking things up and I have missed a tremendous amount of content its gonna be a journey just fleshing everything out. Elden Ring is just phenomenal, almost too good.

[LuckyCheshire]

Originally posted by CourtJesterCowboy:

Originally posted by LuckyCheshire:

XD nice. It's not as dramatic, but I managed to discover a new dungeon I missed after at least four full playthroughs of the game.

Which one cuz I likely dont have it done either if it was that hidden lol

The one directly underneath Raya Lucaria that eventually leads up to the Terra Magica spell.