Sometimes, it's the little things....................

I was playing as a dragonbro the other day, and got summoned (in dragon form) to someone's game in the Abyss, going after Manus. I'd helped through the first section, and the host summoned me again at the second bonfire (dungeon). As soon as he summoned me, he dropped a dragon scale for me. Not a big deal, but it just reminded me how much of this game depends on the people who play. Once in a while, small gestures like that really show you why the game is so friggin' addictive.

One could argue that good co-op is the true essence of Dark Souls.

Yeah, it's the community that has kept me playing. Sometimes it feels like the "bad" community outnumbers the friendly community, but that friendly community really outweighs the bad.

I've gotten more than one message from Forest Hunters when I invaded and made a 2v1 gank even saying things like, "your sword is mighty." They make me feel good, and I've made more friends over XBL through Dark Souls than all other games I've played combined.

Back Lot Basher wrote:I was playing as a dragonbro the other day, and got summoned (in dragon form) to someone's game in the Abyss, going after Manus. I'd helped through the first section, and the host summoned me again at the second bonfire (dungeon). As soon as he summoned me, he dropped a dragon scale for me. Not a big deal, but it just reminded me how much of this game depends on the people who play. Once in a while, small gestures like that really show you why the game is so friggin' addictive.

+1.

It means so much more now when you get gifts like that: -- 1 Dragon Scale -- as opposed to having 99 slabs dropped. It feels like the person is actually giving up something they need.

On all my Sunbro co-op toons I make sure to drop Sunlight Medals so that I never have 99, because sometimes people will give you theirs, and I'm always embarrassed when I'm full up and can't accept their gift, even though I obviously don't need it

The Letter X wrote:I've made more friends over XBL through Dark Souls than all other games I've played combined.

Me too!

What a game!

Ditto all around. Half my friends list is from dark/demons. Shoot, one guy speaks Japanese...or Chinese. Not sure, i can't ask...we send each other random messages on occasion. I have no idea if he understand mine or not. But its amusing. We met under invasions, and he fought dirty, i messaged him, ranting a little in all honesty. He came again, and fought more fair. Still won, but then i messaged him with a much more respectful tone. So i think he understand what i say...maybe. he sent me a friend request after it all.

And i really agree with the 1 item drop vs 99 being more, meaningful. I always drop at least one humanity when i'm a phantom to the host. So if we fail he can try again. And, even when i'm host. After an invasion or once we get to the boss i drop a humanity or two, so the phantoms can heal if nothing else. And just as a thanks for the help thus far.

I recently helped someone through Anor Londo on what was at least NG+++ and before S&O they dropped me a firekeeper soul. Even knowing they lose most of their value to folks in later playthroughs, this meant a lot at my end because I was stuck at +6 on my flask and had been eyeing the darkmoon knightess in a very un-sunbro fashion for a while for hers.

Those are great stories, everyone. Thanks for posting. I love hearing all about the small ways we give to each other in such a tough game.

In every single playthrough I do where I'm an appropriate level, I search the 2nd Anor Londo bonefire room for a sunbro who is obviously in it for the fun (patchwerk armor, cosplay, odd weapons) and Immediate summon them, grab the chest and drop them their medals. Then we have a jolly good run at O&S.

Last night I needed (neeeeeded) some quick souls so I dropped my sign and waited, the guy that caught me did the exact same thing, I sent him a message saying "Thanks but I'm a white phantom only golds need those medals" And his reply "Someone did it for me when I first started playing so I always do it, like I thought it was tradition to give a few items from chests to summons"

And my heart grew 3 sizes that day.

Just because this post made me happy, +1

befowler wrote:I was stuck at +6 on my flask and had been eyeing the darkmoon knightess in a very un-sunbro fashion for a while.

^Cracked me up.

First time I ever went to the forest to PvP -- first time I ever went anywhere to PvP, actually -- I was doing better then I'd expected, but then this untouchable blue guy invades me. He was the first really good player I came across, and after a few seconds I could tell he was lightening up on his attacks, and before I knew it I killed him. I don't think he realized how obvious it was to me that he threw the fight.

This is in the Forest, mind you!

He invaded me again and pretended to try for a while, then he accidentally bs'd me, after which he ran a ways away, dropped an item, and suicided. It was the Firelink Shrine Firekeeper's souls he dropped me, and I still have it about 90 NG+'s later.

Awesome stories.
I'm such a newb to online play, so this is educational.
My first playthrough, I barely ever used humanity, first 'cause I didn't really know how it worked, and second because when I learned the basics, I didn't want to be invaded. I also never check PSN messages, so later on I saw messages I got that said things like, "I'm not going to fight for you if you don't heal me" and stuff. I didn't know at that point that estus healed summons -- kinda frustrating that more experienced players expect newbs to know all of this.

On this playthrough I'm mostly in human form, except when I'm farming. I haven't had too many encounters so far except at necessary boss fights. But is there basic etiquette of which newbs should be aware?

^I don't think it's up to the new player to be aware of anything. If I get a host who doesn't heal me I assume they don't know about it, and I heal myself, then after I'll let them know. The funnest tip for me to give is when I'm doing Burg co-op and the host crawls down the ladder. I always send, "Press B to slide down ladders," because it's the best kept secret in the game.

If you get into co-op try to be attuned to whether your host is new or not. If they want you to lead, you can show them all the secrets, as opposed to just blasting the level.

callipygias wrote:I always send, "Press B to slide down ladders," because it's the best kept secret in the game.

yes indeed, i didn't find out about this till halfway through the first playthrough when i pressed it randomly

callipygias wrote:^I don't think it's up to the new player to be aware of anything. If I get a host who doesn't heal me I assume they don't know about it, and I heal myself, then after I'll let them know. The funnest tip for me to give is when I'm doing Burg co-op and the host crawls down the ladder. I always send, "Press B to slide down ladders," because it's the best kept secret in the game.

If you get into co-op try to be attuned to whether your host is new or not. If they want you to lead, you can show them all the secrets, as opposed to just blasting the level.

All awesome to know. Thanks!
Yeah, I was so impressed on my second playthrough in Anor Londo when my summons ran ahead of me and opened all the rooms and chests and circled around waiting for me to get the loot. I assumed they would just charge for the boss and I would have to come back.

Probably not co op related but a pretty awesome thing happened the other day in Dark Anor Londo. I invaded a hacker at the third bonfire, and kicked him all the way to the O+S boss room. A darkmoon joined the fray as did an RSS phantom. I think the hacker must have summoned the dude, and then went to the loo cos he wasn't reacting at all. Anyway this red phantom runs to me and starts beating me up with his zweihander. I pull off a parry and the darkmoon signals for me to take the hacker to town. As the darkmoon bro died, I hurled the hacker off the edge of the Archers bridge (was hoping he'd lose his souls). The RSS phantom, pleased with the souls he got was summoned into my world, where he dropped for me a red titanite slab, a titanite slab and the obsidian greatsword +5, he then threw himself off a cliff netting me even more souls.

Summon dragons. You might get a prick, but if you do you lose 1 humanity and 30 seconds, if you don't, you just made that guys hour and likely got a good fight for your trouble.

Pretty nice stories on here. It's amazing how the lonely atmosphere of this game pushes some players to just interact as best as they can with others.

...But then again there are the full giant set family mask black knight greataxe gankers.

I was invaded in the catacombs on one of my playthroughs right as I made it to the second bonfire. I was rather panicked as I had about 200000 souls and 20 manities. Plus, I hadn't rested at the first bonfire.
I holed up and was prepared to defend myself with the dirtiest tactics possible.

Then he BC'd out and sent me a message saying "I was going to kill you, but your name was too awesome."

I rested up at the BF and about 10 min. later he invaded again and we had good duel, on one of the Thief's Bridges.

Morale of the story, non-genaric names can save time, souls, and frustration.

chantienyee wrote:"I'm not going to fight for you if you don't heal me" and stuff. I didn't know at that point that estus healed summons -- kinda frustrating that more experienced players expect newbs to know all of this.

You see, a summoned phantom is there in order to help host and make his journey through the area easier. As such, he should not rely on host for healing, nor expect him to and should be able to heal himself, if needed. There are Miracle spells for that, or he can simply use a Humanity, which fully heals your HP.

A phantom should not be a burden for his host.

It also depends on the host. Some hosts prefer to step back and let their phantoms do all the dirty work. These hosts should heal their phantoms as they take all the heat on themselves and don't have time, nor chance to heal by their own means.

I remember being summoned to O&S and while me and Solaire tackled them both alone, host was chilling by the statues and didn't bothered to lift a finger for use. When we defeated them I did a instead of my usual .

Last night I was summoned in the blighttown swamp and before we went to the boss, I asked the host if he had the firekeeper soul. This was always one of the toughest spots for me, until I learned how to use the spider shield and poke. The host said they usually skip it, because it's too hard to get. So I marched up the ladder and showed him how to take out the blowdart guys, then, used a crossbow to shoot the dogs. I've never seen someone get so excited for a firekeeper soul. Actually did two of the "joy" gestures. I don't think we can ever take for granted the things that seem easy to us now....at some point, almost everything was hard.

Back from page one I disagree. Sliding down ladders isn't the best kept secret in the game. Trying to climb a ladder with no stamina is. Hysterical. I recommend wearing the heaviest armor you have before you try it if you haven't yet.

As for stories I have one from the flip side of an earlier story. I was cosplaying in Red White and Blue for the Fourth of July event I did over the summer and invaded a guy in the catacombs who must have been a new player. I tracked him down and didn't get much chance to try to get him to play along into the "party" PvP aspect as he attacked me right off the bat. Total panic attacking. He tried to off me with soul arrows. So I take a huge chunk off him with my primary weapon and try to back off to say "I can kill you but I don't want to." He panics even more and gets aggressive. I gotta say he actually was learning the moves I showed him pretty quick. I switched to a broken trident that I didn't have the intelligence to wield properly (I was just using it to dance) and hit hit him a couple times. Completely negligible damage. I assume he knew I wasn't trying to kill him outright but I still didn't want to ruin his time in the catacombs which can be stressful enough as it is.