The DLC map design is terrible.

[AlmaDarkSpell]

Ok, I've been in the DLC for 16 hours and so far I'm really enjoying it, most of the enemies I've encountered are relatively easy, I've killed some bosses, so far the most difficult Messmer and it's actually been quite fun. But I have a problem with this DLC, and that is: I think the map design is horrendous.

In 16 hours of DLC I have spent possibly 40% of the time running around with Torrent trying to find the way to the next area or trying to get to the altar where I can grab that zone map, without getting it of course. All this time riding from one place to the other without finding absolutely any action and lost, going back to investigate again and again without finding ANYTHING that tells me where to go.

I wanted to go through the DLC without looking at the guides but it seems that it is literally impossible. I'll have to revisit Fextralife for absolutely everything again, exactly the same as when I beat the base game.

That's sad. I don't like to play looking at guides. But I also don't want to spend 4 hours investigating where I'm supposed to go without any results.

[AlmaDarkSpell]

Finally! I have obtained all the DLC map pieces with 1 of my characters. Fextralife has been a big help with that. After finally finding the paths to go through platforms hidden behind cliffs that are not visible at all and hidden caves in places with almost no light, I can say that thinking about doing it a second time with my character number 2 is going to be fun for sure, but I can confirms that the map is not intuitive and that the design is absolutely horrendous. (For me of course). Dark Souls 1 is still better in terms of bosses and map verticality for me.

The views are beautiful, yes, the landscapes inspire you to take a lot of photos.

I have a friend who recently managed to kill the last DLC boss and he still doesn't have all the map pieces. Which means that there is a fairly large portion of the DLC content that he haven't even gotten to smell yet. And he probably never will, he's already moved on to other games.

Origineel geplaatst door Dr.Acula:

...

I remember the first time I played Elden Ring two years ago, after playing for a while I remembered my previous experience with Assassin Creed Valhalla because of the same map issue and I always thought the Valhalla system was better. Not just because I only had to look at two guides to find 2 specific items that I wanted very late in the game. But because that game highlights the treasures and the important things on the map, and once you have completed the loot it adds a cross to let you know that you are done in there. I always thought Elden Ring needed something similar.

A game as big as Elden Ring, where it is possible to create multiple characters, having so many things to do, items to grab and cryptic quests to complete, where sometimes the player can pause the gameplay for months, seemed necessary to me. The markers system helps a little, but to be honest, it's very easy to forget to use them.

[Dam Stark]

The things being hard to find IS why the map is so good lol

[Luwae]

Origineel geplaatst door Disorganic:

Origineel geplaatst door Luwae:

I finished it without any issues and never needed a guide. You just have to explore, and take into account the verticality, meaning that if you can't access naturally and easily a place where the map pillar is indicated, it just means that you're not supposed to access this part yet. The places where you can get map fragments are always easy to access and you get to it naturally when progressing the dlc. You just have to accept that you can't force it.

you found your way into the Abyssal woods without a guide?

Yup, i just followed the aspects of the field on the map. The only thing i needed a guide for was to know how to kill the things on it.

[Echorion]

Follow the crosses.

Ngl I've been able to figure it out and I am not using a guide or anything for the DLC.

It's the same as the base game, they railroad you through certain major bosses to make sure you are ready for the next area, so if you can't get somewhere go to the big castle/fortress/whatever on your map, it's probably through there.

[Sacred)(Rhaine]

Ye its a maze, its so easy to miss large chunks of the map.

[Dr.Acula]

Origineel geplaatst door AlmaDarkSpell:

I remember the first time I played Elden Ring two years ago, after playing for a while I remembered my previous experience with Assassin Creed Valhalla because of the same map issue and I always thought the Valhalla system was better. Not just because I only had to look at two guides to find 2 specific items that I wanted very late in the game. But because that game highlights the treasures and the important things on the map, and once you have completed the loot it adds a cross to let you know that you are done in there. I always thought Elden Ring needed something similar.

A game as big as Elden Ring, where it is possible to create multiple characters, having so many things to do, items to grab and cryptic quests to complete, where sometimes the player can pause the gameplay for months, seemed necessary to me. The markers system helps a little, but to be honest, it's very easy to forget to use them.

I think a sensible solution would be that if you've played through the game at least once and create a new character you can import previous discoveries of the map. A new character shouldn't always start from scratch with the map if it is not desired (there are always players that want to start from complete zero though and they should be able to do that).

This would allow you to make notes on the map (and maybe have some automated notes about NPC placement as well) and transfer it to new characters making subsequent playthroughs "easier" in so far that you do not have to utilize external sources. Let's be serious here and admit that quite a lot of players if they play through the game more than once are going to use things like interactive maps and other outside information on the game to create (overpowered) builds (so they can brag how easy the game is *cough*) and potentially complete all achievements.

[EF_Neo1st]

Origineel geplaatst door Dr.Acula:

Origineel geplaatst door AlmaDarkSpell:

I remember the first time I played Elden Ring two years ago, after playing for a while I remembered my previous experience with Assassin Creed Valhalla because of the same map issue and I always thought the Valhalla system was better. Not just because I only had to look at two guides to find 2 specific items that I wanted very late in the game. But because that game highlights the treasures and the important things on the map, and once you have completed the loot it adds a cross to let you know that you are done in there. I always thought Elden Ring needed something similar.

A game as big as Elden Ring, where it is possible to create multiple characters, having so many things to do, items to grab and cryptic quests to complete, where sometimes the player can pause the gameplay for months, seemed necessary to me. The markers system helps a little, but to be honest, it's very easy to forget to use them.

I think a sensible solution would be that if you've played through the game at least once and create a new character you can import previous discoveries of the map. A new character shouldn't always start from scratch with the map if it is not desired (there are always players that want to start from complete zero though and they should be able to do that).

This would allow you to make notes on the map (and maybe have some automated notes about NPC placement as well) and transfer it to new characters making subsequent playthroughs "easier" in so far that you do not have to utilize external sources. Let's be serious here and admit that quite a lot of players if they play through the game more than once are going to use things like interactive maps and other outside information on the game to create (overpowered) builds (so they can brag how easy the game is *cough*) and potentially complete all achievements.

It happen if you take your char to NG+ but not from char to char.
I find it good as if there is a good time I dont play the game there is chance I forget a lot of stuff making at least part of that exploration to be new again.

[Dr.Acula]

Origineel geplaatst door EF_Neo1st:

It happen if you take your char to NG+ but not from char to char.

Read through my post again and then think about your response.

I don't care about NG+ and never did.

[TotesBreakfast]

I thought it was the most well designed open world map I've ever played. Even better than the base game. Simply exploring the map wa such a rewarding experience.

If you want simple point A to point B exploration, you can play pretty much any other open world game in existence. There are tons of them.

[shibby]

anyone saying it's not the games fault needs to look at an online guide map for a particular zone, its like a kid got a pencil and drew circles everywhere. I've been running around rahn ruins for 30minutes trying to find where to go next.

[BingusDingus]

Origineel geplaatst door Disorganic:

Origineel geplaatst door Luwae:

I finished it without any issues and never needed a guide. You just have to explore, and take into account the verticality, meaning that if you can't access naturally and easily a place where the map pillar is indicated, it just means that you're not supposed to access this part yet. The places where you can get map fragments are always easy to access and you get to it naturally when progressing the dlc. You just have to accept that you can't force it.

you found your way into the Abyssal woods without a guide?

I can relate to this, literally had to check the wiki. Fkn wild that the entrance to IMO the best boss in the DLC is hidden like that.

[BingusDingus]

Origineel geplaatst door TotesBreakfast:

I thought it was the most well designed open world map I've ever played. Even better than the base game. Simply exploring the map wa such a rewarding experience.

If you want simple point A to point B exploration, you can play pretty much any other open world game in existence. There are tons of them.

Dude, more than half of the map is barren. Spent over 2 hours exploring the fingerprint ruins expecting to find something.

[Todd Howard]

Origineel geplaatst door BingusDingus:

Origineel geplaatst door TotesBreakfast:

I thought it was the most well designed open world map I've ever played. Even better than the base game. Simply exploring the map wa such a rewarding experience.

If you want simple point A to point B exploration, you can play pretty much any other open world game in existence. There are tons of them.

Dude, more than half of the map is barren. Spent over 2 hours exploring the fingerprint ruins expecting to find something.

There is something there haha, secret though

[EF_Neo1st]

Origineel geplaatst door Dr.Acula:

Origineel geplaatst door EF_Neo1st:

It happen if you take your char to NG+ but not from char to char.

Read through my post again and then think about your response.

I don't care about NG+ and never did.

I dont care that you dont care (and I also never did either) and you said from char to char (what I also replied to).

[BingusDingus]

Origineel geplaatst door Talisman:

Origineel geplaatst door BingusDingus:

Dude, more than half of the map is barren. Spent over 2 hours exploring the fingerprint ruins expecting to find something.

There is something there haha, secret though

There's 2 things there, talisman and a remembrance duplication coffin. Nothing else in the whole gigantic ass area.