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Sometimes when I return to Firelink Shrine, I try to leave it (via the front door that you first enter it from). Occasionally, there is grey fog blocking my path. Unlike boss door, I can't just press a button to walk through it. If I wait long enough, it eventually disappears and lets me out of the shrine.

This also happens when I die and respawn there after trying (and failing) to kill the tough swordsman just outside the temple.

What's going on with this fog?

Sterno
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4 Answers4

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It is to cut load times when traveling to Firelink Shrine. Since all of the services (leveling up, merchant, blacksmith) are inside of the shrine, the player has to travel back every time they want to do something. Instead of loading the entire area, the game only loads the much smaller interior of the shrine. The fogwalls are there because the outside of the shrine is still loading, and will drop as soon as it's done.

ApertureLabRat
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    This certainly sounds plausible. However, other areas seem to load pretty quickly, much quicker than it takes for the fog to disappear. I'm not saying you are wrong, this is just strange behavior – two bugs Apr 12 '16 at 14:18
  • I agree this seems the most plausible, but any other bonfire so far takes about 2 seconds to load. The grey fog takes about 20-25 seconds after warping in before it goes away. Bizarre. – Sterno Apr 12 '16 at 15:06
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    @Sterno I think the reason it takes 20-25 seconds to load is because it's doing it in the background. During a loading screen, all your computer's resources are going toward loading. During gameplay, it prioritizes the actual gameplay/framerate/existing entities, only loading when it has extra idle time and space on the VRAM/RAM, etc. – Aeolingamenfel Apr 12 '16 at 16:08
  • I don't really think it's the case. If you return to Firelink Shrine "for the first time", it might be the case, but if you merely and only sit at the bonfire, the fog reappers, though normally that area should already be loaded no matter what. I highly doubt that areas reload themselves after sitting at bonfire (though I know they reset themselves, not reload). I think it's some kind of either restriction (but I can't say its purpose) or maybe old mechanism/debug thing that was later altered/scrapped and forgotten to be removed as this is a first location in the game nontheless. – Honzas4400 Apr 13 '16 at 04:43
  • I have waited a lot longer than 30 seconds, sometimes running around for a few minutes and the fog wall stays. I don't think this is a deferred loading issue, especially considering the generally good performance I get through the rest of the game. I usually have to jump to the first boss bonfire and jog back to the shrine to get access to the tower/giants tree. – Yorik Apr 20 '16 at 14:17
  • The walls NEVER go away for me, they stay until I teleport outside then walk in. – DustinDavis Oct 07 '16 at 20:16
  • i can confirm the fog goes away after a few seconds, roughly 20-30... – Virgil Jul 14 '17 at 18:57
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It happenes when you dont go to firelink shrine using the first category of places lets say u are in cathedral of the deep and click on firelinkthe shrine on the bottom the fog will appear spawn outside where u defeat the first boss the problem is then fixed

ENRIQUE
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In other souls games that meant someone was about to invade you. If the fog eventually disappears. They couldn't complete the connection.

Fideon
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    This is how it worked in other Souls games, but you also saw this kind of fog to block you from entering areas (e.g., you were already invaded). Do you have any reason to assume you would be invaded in the hub world of DS3? – two bugs Apr 12 '16 at 15:49
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It's because you probably purchased the tower key and they only access to the tower is through the window of fire link shrine. I think maybe if you buy it early then the game won't let you go there until a certain time

Jess
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  • No, I didn't have the Tower Key, and no, the game doesn't prevent you from going there early. – Sterno Apr 18 '16 at 00:57