Vapourware Sui Generis + Exanima Early Access

[Yaar Podshipnik]

I've finally beaten the Axe Lady on novice arena.

I did loot her, of course, which ended up with me wearing a vest that is very accommodating in the chest area. Also, pink boots. I would have put an appropriate codex icon, but for some reason I don't see the dropdown for those.

Then I died to the arsehole with the zweihander...

 

[Zdzisiu]

I've finally beaten the Axe Lady on novice arena.

I did loot her, of course, which ended up with me wearing a vest that is very accommodating in the chest area. Also, pink boots. I would have put an appropriate codex icon, but for some reason I don't see the dropdown for those.

Then I died to the arsehole with the zweihander...

Its funny how easy the novice arena seems when you get a lot of practice in it. I can beat it naked with the two handed sword. It is not to say that you are just noobs, only that you really get significantly better with practice, I was stuck at the zweihander dude for a long time, and even longer on his counterpart in expert arena.

 

[Alienman]

It seems blocking is harder now. I mean like it require more skill. Having trouble being successful blocking with a buckler. Didn't have to much trouble with it before

 

[Yaar Podshipnik]

I'm mostly practising fighting with one-armed weapons as my second hand is busy with a torch in story mode. I wouldn't say blocking is harder, it's just that your character seems to be more sensitive to input now, so it's easier not to be where you should be and get a sledgehammer in the face instead of deflecting it.

 

[Yaar Podshipnik]

To further educate the codexians about Exanima, take a look at what you will fight in the areana.

The Spiked Schlub is the first guy you'll have to kill. Not too aggressive, not too dangerous. If you have some armour that is. Since you don't, this guy can kill you quite easily. Unfortunately, he doesn't even have anything on him worth taking.

The Spiked Schlub

Billy The Hook uses a long polearm with a hooked edge. He has quite a long reach but tends to overcommit, leaving himself open. The hook has a nasty tendency to spike you through your back, so watch out. The spoils of this fight should include boots and tunic.

Billy The Hook

The Pink Fat Man is as far from being a bro, as he is from being an onion. Wielding a very annoying spiked mace, and covering his blubber with a shield, he can be quite a challenge. Fortunately, he is not very fast, so you can exploit it. His pants are better than the stuff you are wearing.

The Pink Fat Man

Der Ritter des Hammerzeit will come at you with a nasty mace that really looks like a sledgehammer. He is also quite well armoured, wearing a chain tunic under that fancy red waistcoat. The hammer is slow, and leaves him exposed, so make sure you dodge the attacks and use the openings. The tactic of ramming the guy to avoid the tip of the hammer, then quickly sidestepping and swiping a sword on his relatively unprotected legs seems to work quite well. Make sure you loot his armour.

Der Ritter des Hammerzeit

The Pink Lady is not a Barbie Girl. A vicious enemy, armed with a battleaxe and a shield, she can really ruin your day. The leather vest she's wearing might not be the most manly of armours, but it shouldn't stop you from looting it.

The Pink Lady

The Stylish Two-Hander is dressed in a nice combination of black clothes and a dark green tunic. Notice how the colour of his shoes matches the colour of his belt. You would have called him a gentleman if he didn't swing a big two-handed sword at you. This guy can one-shot you, even with the armour you are wearing, so fight smart. Wait for him to do some heavy attack, like overhand, and use his wind-down to strike. Make sure you loot him properly.

The Stylish Two-Hander

The Red Fury has a temper as hot as her haircut. She is well armoured with a nice chain shirt, and protects herself with a big shield. Grieves protect her legs quite well from the front, but you still should be able to do some damage from the back. She does a kind of lunging attack from time to time, you can use that to strike at her back. Make sure you loot that sweet chain shirt and the awesome sword.

The Red Fury

There is one more enemy after that AFAIK, but I can't defeat him yet. He wears nice clothes and wields a deadly halaberd. I will post his gear when I put him back to the mud.

 

[The Glitterdust Golem]

Played this for a couple of hours, gotten to the end of (but not yet beaten) the Expert Arena in that time. It's been one of the most enjoyable mechanics-learning experiences I've had in a game and to the people enjoying the Novice Arena; it gets exponentially more exciting in Expert. The final fight is cruel. So don't give up! The best part's yet to come.

 

[Zdzisiu]

You wont be able to show the gear of the last novice arena enemy as the game automatically pauses at the end of the fight and you cant do anything else than exit and start the Expert arena.

And the expert arena is even more fun, and will teach you why the two handed sword is not always the best weapon.

Also, very quickly in the expert arena you will meet a sister of the Crazy swordwoman, and she is even more of a pain in the ass.

 

[Zdzisiu]

And I managed to kill the boss of the expert arena! It was an epic battle of two trashcans wailing at each other.

Spoiler

 

[Yaar Podshipnik]

Woot! Managed to clear level 2!

Here's my map, and notes for it (really spoilerific!):

Level 2 map

Level 2 map notes

<1,28> Bar Mace

<2,26> Clearly this once was a place... note

<2,28> Two-handed axe

<3,12> Light Plate Couters

<3,23> Wood Debris, roaming

<3,26> That Idiot note

<4,3> Sledgehammer, Roaming

<4,13> The Kingdom Beyond, Thick Leather Vest

<4,23> Machete, roaming

<5,7> Sledgehammer, roaming

<5,23> Polearm, roaming

<6,3> Cleaver

<6,20> Light Lamellar Vest

<6,23> Cleaver, roaming

<6,27> Conservers note, good armor

<7,11> Battle Axe, roaming

<8,12> Candle Holder

<9,2> Hatchet, Roaming

<9,3> Wood Debris, Roaming

<11,6> Gambesons

<11,7> Broom

<11,12> Metal Bar

<11,24> Cleaver, roaming

<12,10> Sledgehammer, roaming

<12,11> Polearm, roaming

<13,6> Armoury!

<13,7> Armoury!

<14,6> Superior Plate Greaves

<14,7> Bill

<14,14> Door blocked?

<14,17> Crutches, roaming

<16,7> Wood Debris, Roaming

<16,17> Bedpan, roaming

<16,29> I'm sitting in a tavern... note

<17,7> Battle Axe

<17,24> Cleaver, roaming

<18,8> Metal Bar

<18,26> Warhammer, Chain Leggings

<19,6> Baradiche, roaming

<20,7> Polearm

<20,8> Rule Violation Book

<22,12> Metal Bar

<22,18> Bed pan, roaming

<23,5> Two-handed Axe, roaming

<23,6> Wood Debris, roaming

<23,16> Metal Bar, roaming

<24,8> Sword, Padded Coat

<24,15> Bedpan, roaming

<24,16> Crutches, roaming

<25,8> Roaming, wood debris

<25,22> The Guardian's Wrath, The Guardian Of The Underworld, I've been avoding relations... Note, I've discovered a truly miraculous... Note

 

[Yaar Podshipnik]

The Proctor is dead (hmm... maybe "less animated" is the proper term), level 3 is cleared. I have a shiny (more like glowing) new helmet and reasonably decent armour. I haven't felt such elation at completing part of a game since first arriving at Anor Londo!

Here's my map of Level 3 (major spoilers, including hidden door!)

Level 3 map

Level 3 map notes

<3,8> Candle Holder, roaming

<4,2> Note to Zuiek, Chain Shirt

<4,5> Metal Bar

<4,7> Sword, roaming

<5,2> Plate Helmet (Light Emitting)

<5,7> Cleaver

<5,18> Two-Handed Axe

<6,14> Machete, Roaming

<6,15> Sledgehammer, Roaming

<6,16> Wood Debris, roaming

<7,8> Cleaver, roaming

<7,13> Heavy Padded Coat

<7,14> Voulge

<9,18> Wood Debris, roaming

<9,21> Buckler

<12,6> Battle Axe, roaming

<12,21> Proctor

<12,23> Roaming, Hatchet

<12,31> The Portal

<14,12> Sledgehammer, roaming

<15,12> Bedpan, roaming

<16,16> Two-handed Sword, roaming

<17,6> Wood Debris, roaming

<17,12> Candle Holder, roaming

<17,13> Sword, roaming

<18,9> Crude Breastplate

<18,12> Candle Holder, roaming

<18,20> Superior Cloth Leggings

<18,22> Damaged Chain Gauntlets

<19,9> Blacksmith's hammer, roaming

<19,14> Sledgehammer, roaming

<19,20> A proctor! Note

<19,22> I am certain that Zuiek... Note

<20,20> I have found a helmet... Note

<20,21> One of my subjects... note

<22,9> Two-Handed Sword (Square Point)

<22,14> Exceptional Gambeson

Onwards to Level 4!

 

[ArchAngel]

So this game is still drunk men fighting?

 

[Zdzisiu]

So this game is still drunk men fighting?

If you are bad at it, sure.

 

[Lhynn]

Looks good men, is there a demo or do i get one?

 

[Yaar Podshipnik]

You can get it from http://www.baremettle.com/store/ or Steam. Game is super cool. The community a bit less so, as some individuals in there are so hardcore they crap plate-armoured zweihanders.

 

[ArchAngel]

So this game is still drunk men fighting?

If you are bad at it, sure.

So how many spirit shots drunk do those good at it look?

 

[Yaar Podshipnik]

Died to Sir for the first time. That guy is brutal!

Mapping Level 4 is harder than previous ones - whoever built it loved curvy walls and 45deg walls. Grid Cartographer's support of that is kind of sucky.

 

[Yaar Podshipnik]

Finally beaten the novice arena! I had to switch to two-handed sword though...

Such shame that you can't view gear of the last dude.

 

[Zdzisiu]

Finally beaten the novice arena! I had to switch to two-handed sword though...

Such shame that you can't view gear of the last dude.

At least you can use his weapon, its the polearm you can take at the start of expert arena.

 

[Yaar Podshipnik]

Wow, I actually made it to final boss of expert today. Couldn't beat him, but I think I got pretty close. Will post know your enemy for expert bit later as well.

 

[Zdzisiu]

Wow, I actually made it to final boss of expert today. Couldn't beat him, but I think I got pretty close. Will post know your enemy for expert bit later as well.

See, the experience you gathered in novice is finally paying off. Also, for the last few enemies, it is a good idea to use the two handed polehammer you get from on of the armoured dudes.

 

[Yaar Podshipnik]

Not sure about that polehammer. I have quite a good time beating Mr. & Ms. Tincan with the two-hander. The only enemies that consistently give me lots of trouble are those with two-handers. And the final boss. It's not that I can't hit him, he's just very tough.

 

[Yaar Podshipnik]

Still haven't beaten the expert boss (though I think I got much closer now than yesterday) so no know your enemy yet. But there is another thing I would like to show off - armour. And exactly how much stuff you can wear. The gear shown below is mostly from the second-to-last opponent in the Expert Arena. The only thing from novice arena is the leather cap.

Exanima Armour

The plate layer:

Extra padding layer (no idea how to properly call it, it's the layer between mail and plate):

Mail layer:

Clothing layer:

Underwear layer:

Unfortunately, you can't customize anything on underwear layer.

 

[Yaar Podshipnik]

I've beat the final enemy in expert arena! Lessons learned: do not underestimate any enemy, do not hurry, do not play this game when tired and can't focus.

So, here is the know your enemy for expert arena:

The Chain Axeman

The Dame of the Red Thistle

The LAMEllar knight

The Red Swordsman

There dude with a two-hander on novice was green. This is red. Will we ever see a blue one?

The Blue Sentinel Cleric

For some reason, seeing this guy made me think of DS2.

Mr. Tinman

Mrs. Tinman

She has better gear than her hubby, probably managed to score some sweet sales in ye olden armour shoppes. You can't really say that it's a woman in that plate (as Exanima doesn't do Boob Plate Armour), but for the screams and grunts she makes.

The Ornate Tinman

His armour is quite beautiful, and a stronger nod towards fantasy than anything seen before. Still, it looks quite ok to me.

 

[Berekän]

So, the creator of the game is a pretty cool guy, started playing this earlier, streaming a bit for my brother to see and the guy jumped into the stream and started talking and giving me advice. Didn't actually realize it was him until someone else pointed it out.

 

[Merlkir]

HE SHOULD BE PROGRAMMING OMG WASTING TIME ON SOME STREAMERS OMG