Sunday, August 20, 2017

Bullet Journal Migration, Video Game Back Log (Monday Musings 6)

Bullet Journal Migration 
Over a week's worth of the Daily Log has passed, so I'm starting a new "spread" for the Daily Log. As there are items I didn't complete the past week, I use the > symbol meaning, that these items will be migrated/written down in this new Daily Log. I believe the founder's YouTube video didn't mention this, and only mentioned that at the end of the month, to migrate/write down all the incomplete items of that past month in your next Month Log. But it made sense to me to do this from one daily log to the next.

How to Deal with Back Log
I was thinking about this issue, as I may cave in and buy Crash Bandicoot Remake even though it's against my policy of NO new games until I complete AT LEAST 3, and in fact, now considering my backlog, I really should make this TEN.

At any rate, my friend kept mentioning how awesome this game is since he saw his brother playing Crash when he was growing up. Indeed, it would be fun to play while he watches to revisit his nostalgia, and Crash is too adorable and zany to pass up. However, I'm holding out for now, at least until I complete Dark Souls 3 NG+7, Hell Blade, Nier:Automata, Uncharted 3 and 4, and the Last Guardian. Ideally, I shouldn't even get the game, since my platforming skills are awful, and this game is notoriously difficult. Further, platform games are definitely not my favorites. But at the same time, it's rather hard to resist.

At the same time, I ignored my rule and got the Witcher 3, as it is considered one of the major games of this generation.

Because of all these temptations, and the rather ineffective rule that I can only get a new game after three are completed (i.e. this rule is not enforced, lol), I've decided to donate all the games that I haven't played within the past 12 months to the library. I love win-win situations, so this is a clear win-win solution to backlog. Other people can borrow and use the games so they don't go to waste, and if I ever want to play one of these games, I can borrow, say, the Mass Effect trilogy from the library, even though I played 1 minute of the first one since I got it back in 2013, when I started seriously gaming. So I don't foresee myself borrowing one of my donated games.

I haphazardly donated video games before, but I think I'll make a larger commitment with the 12-month period rule. This demonstrates that if possible, it's always a good idea to get a hard copy if available, as I regret some of my digital purchases, since I can't give those away to someone who would really enjoy them.

Easy Bosses That Are Difficult For Me
Playing through Dark Souls 3, my goal is to reach NG+7, now that I finally memorized all the items placed in the world. I'm at NG+2 right now. During NG, being completionist, I felt the need to get all the items possible including all the Covenant items before going into the next game cycle.

There is one Covenant, Spears of The Church, where you give Filianore's Spear Ornaments to rank up, and you are rewarded a Covenant item (usually a weapon or a spell) once you're at rank 2. Since I play offline, the usual method of farming enemies who can drop these covenant items was impractical, as the Ringed Knights rarely dropped these Ornaments, despite my discovery being over 450, which is very high. I respec'd to Luck 99, and equipping all item discovery equipment including: Symbol of Avarice, Covetous Silver Serpent Ring +3, Crystal Sage's Rapier, and Rusted Coin, and still no drop after 1 hour (!).

These Ornaments seem to be even more rare a drop than the notorious Proof of a Concord Kept (Concords are needed to rank up in the Blades of the Darkmoon Covenant). However, if you keep reviving and fighting one of the bosses, Halflight, Spear of the Church, you're guaranteed an Ornament. You need 30 of these Ornaments to get to the highest rank of 2.

So, yes, I fought Halflight over 30 times to be able to achieve the maximum rank, and I'm still not good at defeating her. For some reason, she's very difficult for me, even though all the guides mention that she's a "pushover" and that her AI is easy to exploit, that is offline (online, you may end up battling another person).

Even after practicing 30 times (this is offline of course), I still died 1 time, and Tears of Denial Miracle (leaves you with 1 hit point if the attack otherwise would have killed you) saved me 2 times. And this was when I was level 200s on an NG boss, and I was still struggling! The issue I have with Halflight is by the time I close in on her, and about to attack, she would often parry my attacks and get a critical in, dealing at least 1/3 of my health bar in damage. She also has a rather large AOE (Area of Effect) attack that prevents me from closing in. The best time to attack her is when she pulls out her bow and arrow, so when you strike, at least she can't parry and riposte you. However, as soon as I close in, she immediately switches to her sword and shield, so I have to back off again as I'm afraid she might parry and riposte.

On the other hand, two excellent Dark Souls 3 Players mentioned that Oceiros is one of their hardest bosses. The only time I ever died to him, was when I thought that you can cut off his tail for a weapon. So by aiming at only his tail, it led to one death, and I believe I was at a reasonable level of 70 at that time, and not my usual over-leveled self. However, the other 5 or more times I faced him, I never died, and in fact, I may have used 1 Estus Flask at most. I'm surprised that I must be doing something right against this Boss, when all I'm doing is spamming R1 the whole time and making sure I get under him.

Furthermore, the last boss ever of the entire SoulsBorne series (sniff), Slave Knight Gael, is pretty easy for me, though many find him difficult. My strategy is to guard with Havel's Greatshield +10. After Gael finishes his hit combos, slash twice at him with the refined Broadsword + 10, on a quality build. The Havel's stability of 80, and the fact that it blocks 100% physical and over 83% of the rest of the elementals, make Gael surprisingly easy, especially if you equip the Sun Princess Ring that regenerates your health that helps to offset the small chip damage of Gael's elemental attacks.

Due to the high stability of Havel's, you really don't run out of Stamina, though having your highest ranked Chloranthy ring equipped is highly recommended. I don't have to use any buffs using this particular method. However, this is only good through NG+2, I'll have to see if it holds up on the hardest difficulty level of NG+7.

And, then there are Bosses that almost everyone finds difficult, such as Darkeater Midir (shudders).

I find it fascinating how we have our specific talents, rendering some bosses really easy that others find difficult. At any rate, which bosses are easy for you that most people find very hard, and vice versa? 

The How of Happiness Review

2 comments:

  1. A good thing to mention is how boss can pull different strings in their bossfights. Geal was tough for me because I relied 100% on avoiding his attacks rather than a greatshield. Whereas a boss that punishes greatshields like Midir I didn't have that much trouble with. In Dark Souls 1, a lot of the bosses simply couldn't touch me. I have a bit of a showing off video of me killing Artorias with a bow 360 noscope for whatever reason. https://youtu.be/u9ugNGz1Jp4 Meanwhile the bane of my existance, god damn Capra demon and his pet pooches, have probably killed me more times than gravity has.

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    1. It sounds like I'm the opposite of you, using the turtle strategy of putting shield up for attacks, after attacks are over, hitting the Boss. That may explain why Gael is easy for me (though much more challenging at higher levels, as his attacks take more stamina and only ONE shield is able to sustain all those attacks with enough endurance to strike).

      Interestingly, with Midir, I use Havel's greatshield when he does that run straight at you attack, but dodge the rest of the attacks, which is why he was the hardest for me, until I watched this incredible video showcasing all of his attacks in detail.

      Capra is hard for everyone, lol. That was an awful boss design with that cramped space. I know when I would be successful: if I kill the 2 dogs after running past Capra and going up the stairs at the very start of the fight, I win. If I don't manage to kill those dogs, I lose.

      I'm definitely going to watch your Artorias video, he's one of my favorite bosses of all games! Such a brilliantly designed Boss, with interesting lore!

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