[Vojtas.]

mastone said:

I understand that you are dedicated to the books/lore, but that doesn't mean the idea's I posted are bad, I also don't see the issue with potions being drunk during battle,

I'm not surprised. It's your idea and you give a damn about the books.

mastone said:

In my opinion if you want everything to happen as they happened according to the book,

I don't want a game that is 100% faifthul to the books. Such game would be unplayable. I want a game that will respect the books everywhere, where it's possible without sacrificing the gameplay. Game has to have some logical solutions - potions should be drunken before the fight, because it's logical more strategic approach AND feature faithul to the lore.

mastone said:

This is the only issue I have with the witcher games if any and that is the story is all muddled to many unresolved subplots that make it unclear to people who only want to play teh game and not necesarrilly read the books( it is not that I don't get it btw)

As I said before, you don't have to read books or even play the first game, if you want to understand everything. BUT you have to pay attention and seek for information. Like a detective, you know?

mastone said:

Also I am wondering why you assume that Geralt is going to Nilfgaard, what I saw in the endgame credits is that they were invading the North

<sigh> Because Yennefer is in Nilfgaard, or at least, she was a while ago. She's important to him. It was said and shown in the game through comic-book like cutscenes.

mastone said:

Also starting in a rebuild Kaer Morhn, would make sense..why do you say?

1. Because Kaer Morhen is on the north end of Kaedwen
2. Who would rebuild castle forgotten by people and the gods? Four witchers? Don't be ridiculous.

mastone said:

This also should mean that there should ve some sort of explanation of what Witchers are and where better then at Kaer Morhn.

There is an explanation in the first game. You can watch video about it ('What is a witcher?'). As I remember correctly there's also an entry or two in TW2 glossary.

mastone said:

I understand more or less what the wild hunt is and that there is a Yennefer character, I would even say that in the Witcher 3 finding the wild hunt and yenefer would be the main quest and not Nilfgaard war.

War is in the background. It's important, but still background. Further details are coming. Be patient.

mastone said:

I think that it is you ( and other hardcore fans) that need to understand that not everybody that plays RPG games want to go through endless dialogues this is not laziness as you depict it, it is just a preference of how different people play a game differently, some prefer dungeon crawling others like leveling up characters or like engaging boss fights or puzzles,

The Witcher series is specialized in telling stories. No offence, but if you are a big fan of exploration and dungeon crawling, you should choose other games. Why? Because you will be dissapointed. The Witcher 2 is a story driven game. TW3 will be probably much more opened, but still.

mastone said:

so the developers need to make sure that the main story is conveyed clearly so that people who are in it for just the fighting ( and skip through dialogues as fast as possible)

If someone don't want to read or even listen, then it's not game for him. It's just that simple. If you want to satisfy everyone, you'll satisfy no one. This is what developers should always remember.

mastone said:

Hell I have read the journal a couple of times and spoke to most npc's, but even I raised an eyebrow when I heard "my Geralt" say: "we need to find Yennefer" at some point because the narractive of the story the game followed ( so not the books, but the game) was find Triss Merigold and Letho.

It was explained in prologue and 1st chapter.

[antichrist616]

Kallelinski said:

Actually he recalls his past emotions in parts, at least near the end, when he finally gets some answers from Letho. It is arguable if he recalls everything, i doubt that.
He even says in a dialogue with Triss(?) that he believes he loved Yennefer at one point. Furthermore a flashback shows us that he sacrificed his life/soul for Yennefer. That isn't something you would do for any person, but her significance isn't illustrated as it should be in my opinion.

Even Letho says, that he had the responsibility to look after Yennefer, because Geralt had this strong connection to her, but if the player doesn't even know who/what she is, why should he care? And that is (or was in TW2) my problem. After my first playthrough i didn't care about her, she was just one woman, that has probably some answers, but after reading the books my whole view point about her changed. It's just my personal experience, but after reading many threads here about Yennefer, i am pretty sure most users are confused about her, if they didn't read anything.

And again, that's a wish for TW3, a better explanation about Geralt's past and relationships. These flashbacks were nice, but they didn't explained much.


It's tricky, gameplaywise it would be better to drink potions, if you need them.
Storywise it would be better to meditate before going into action. I don't know, both methods have their entitlement.

How about one quickslot? You could put any kind of potion into it and use it whenever you want, but if you want to drink more than one kind, you have to meditate in advance.


Agree and it would be wise to end all plots and subplots with The Witcher 3. The whole game franchise has already a span of almost 6 years, if TW3 comes out this year.


Yeah, nilfgaard armies and well, practically everybody, friend or foe, says "If you want (more) answers, go south, go to Nilfgaard, search for Yennefer". That's pretty clear to me ^^

And that is EXACTLY the same plot as in the last 3 books, so i assume they will stick to the books and take here and there some freedom as they already did it in the last 2 games.


Nope, i don't think this will happen. I agree with the sales plan and the need to explain newcomers what is going on, but they already did this in form of official videos:

What is a Wticher
The Witcher 1 - Story
You want to see a normal day in a witcher's life?
Launch Trailer that explains the political order

I think this is a pretty comfortable way to explain newcomers what is going on, if they want to know.

But i am looking for the Viper School, depending on killing or sparing Letho they could welcome or attack you. The Viper School has many books about the Wild Hunt, it would be wise to visit their library to get more information about it. ›››

I don't know if there would be any Witcher's left at the Viper School though O: Letho, Serrit and Aukes were pretty much the only ones left, it would probably make sense if they had a Vesemir equivalent, so I guess it's possible there would be a few.. Seeing it as a rebuilt Witcher's school would bring a tear to my eye though, I've grown attached to witchers (': If Geralt could pay someone from Nilfgaard to help (say 10,000 orens) rebuild Kaer Morhen I would probably cry with joy

[antichrist616]

mastone said:

LOL Games can be art you almost sound like Bioware who claimed artistic integrity after delivering a great piece of shite of an ending and were losing grip on the situation, movies can be art.
Art is something very personal, I love Vermeer and Rembrandt but Mondriaan and Picasso don't touch me the slightest way.
Blues music gets to me as well as chopin, heavymetal sounds like somebody starts hitting a dustbin with a forehammer
For you it might be something completely different, so it is best if we leave the "what is art" discussion out of it.
A game in the end is a piece of entertainment to me, time will decide if we will see youtube walkthroughs of the witcher in musea.

To get back to the witcher, As I said stuff from the Witcher 1 I hardly remember ( i didn't have an idea who he bald guy was who I slapped in the prologue , he was standing next to the priest), I do remember fighting some wolf ghost in chapter 1 and the king of the hunt and alvin in the last part and something about beregrand and salamanders), the withcer 2 did put Foltest on the Theoden spot ( nice comparison btw) and they did put Yennefer in the Bombadil corner, I am not saying she is, I am just saying she is being portrayed like that in the game.

You just have clouded judgement because you know the lore and reason from that, I am looking at it from a fresh perspective and find that the next game should make sure new players will get it, I never get engaged in a game by reading its Journal, it is just a necessity to understand what I need to do ›››

I barely read the books, but to me, Yennefer is significant. Maybe it's just you not wanting to read, I don't know and I don't care. Yennefer was a big part of Geralt's past, she would definitely be important to getting the rest of his memory back, I don't want CDPR to dumb down the story for people like you, that's not how I'd like TW3 to turn out. If you're someone who needs a spoon fed story then I suggest you play The Elder Scrolls.

[mastone]

Again with the spoonfeeding, I am not asking for a dumb downed story, I am just saying that significant parts in teh story from the books should have a significant part in the main story of the games and not tucked away in some journal.
I do not feel engaged about a character when he or she is mentioned in a journalentry.
And as said earlier yes I read most journal entries and spoke to every damned character there is

This game to me was not about finding Yennefer or the wild hunt, but about finding foltest's killer and later Triss Merigold and helping your allies win a war ( whichever side you picked)
So if the next Witcher will be about finding this Yennefer Character they should make her matter more during the main game and not tucked away in a journal ( the same goes for the wild hunt).
I find it strange that ( like someone said here earlier) that none of my so called friends ( dandelion/Zoltan/Merrygold) is trying to explain to me who I am.

I also find it amazing you found there was a story in The Elder scrolls I just found it to be endless slaying and looting and stopped caring and quit, I would also appreciate it if you would state your opinion without implying anyone who might disagree with you is an idiot "that doesn't get it".


Just a couple of reactions:

"Game has to have some logical solutions - potions should be drunken before the fight, because it's logical more strategic approach AND feature faithul to the lore."

-I have no problem with the fact you have to meditate before going to battle, my issue with it is that when it came to battle you never know when it is going to happen or what you are facing or how many which means that on the rare occasions you do know something is coming you tend to stick with a couple of standard potions, which to me makes all that strategy pointless ( because there is no strategy then only casting Quen and rolling to your hearts content), in that respect I liked the Witcher 1 better where you took it during a fight when you realised what you were facing ( it also felt more dynamic)

"I'm not surprised. It's your idea and you give a damn about the books."

- Yes to a certain extend I care that they keep it faithfull to the lore, but not so it restricts the game It is also not the fact that I want to have my idea's in the game or think they are the next best thing, it is more because of people calling of an idea that is not confirmed by a book first instead of opening up to other posibilities( which don't have to lead to a wattered down version of anything, especially not with CD Projekt RED)

"As I said before, you don't have to read books or even play the first game, if you want to understand everything. BUT you have to pay attention and seek for information. Like a detective, you know?"

- I understood what you said, but I am getting the idea that you are not understanding my point, which is:
Make sure that main themes are in the main quest line especially if they are to be carried over into a next installment.
Reading a journal for an important line of storytelling is not appropiate
My hope also is that with the next installment CD Projekt will make sure that newcomers get what it is all about and that the story is a story in itself

"<sigh> Because Yennefer is in Nilfgaard, or at least, she was a while ago. She's important to him. It was said and shown in the game through comic-book like cutscenes."

-It was apparent that Yennefer was in the same battle as I was and that she too lost her memory and it was even implied that she was of her rockers, not really a go to person.
It would have been better if you played Geralt fighting along side yennefer in that faithfull battle( maybe a dream sequence) and saw what really happened and after you woke up screaming talked to Triss about it in the prologue and she promises you to tell it all after the battle..then it would be in the story and had significance in the game.
At this point in time I have helped people/friends I cared about ( in my case Iorveth/Saskia and Zoltan) and know that they are facing battle against Nilfgaard, it would be strange to me if I did not help them ( in one way or another)in the next game.


There is an explanation in the first game. You can watch video about it ('What is a witcher?'). As I remember correctly there's also an entry or two in TW2 glossary.

- I know what witchers are, they are basically the same as the rangers in Tolkiens books, but if you read the contextI placed it in I meant explaining new players in the Witcher 3 what they are.
It comes back to explaining main themes in game and only put secondary and teritairy info in journals and glossaries.


"1. Because Kaer Morhen is on the north end of Kaedwen
2. Who would rebuild castle forgotten by people and the gods? Four witchers? Don't be ridiculous."

-Answer 1: So that is pretty far up North, where it is safe
-Answer 2: Forgotten by people and gods is not a bad thing if you don't want to be found, so it will make a usefull recovery place for the wounded in battle. and train recruits/rehabilitate wounded
Also who better to train recruits than Witchers, maybe even start recruiting people to become Witchers again since they are faster than humans, can do basic magic, swallow enhancing potions and fight a large amount of soldiers because of it.
So the positive outcome of a war against the rebuilding of one castle doesn't seem like a bad trade off now does it.

"The Witcher series is specialized in telling stories. No offence, but if you are a big fan of exploration and dungeon crawling, you should choose other games. Why? Because you will be dissapointed. The Witcher 2 is a story driven game. TW3 will be probably much more opened, but still."

- I am not saying that they should scrape story, I also said I am am happy that they not have made it a dungeon crawler.
I am merely stating that I think ( and hope ) that CD Projekt RED will attract a larger amount of players, which means that a certain amount of the mainstream will come in and they are needed as well I believe to make sure that they can keep going strong.
This means that the main story needs to be better implemented, clear and not tucked away in a journal
Battle system should be improved upon ( especially camera obstacles)
Minigames improvement as well
Difficulty better balanced
In a short sentence they need more polish ( not Polish)

If someone don't want to read or even listen, then it's not game for him. It's just that simple. If you want to satisfy everyone, you'll satisfy no one. This is what developers should always remember.

- There is a shitload of things that developers need to remember, but I think personally they need to strike a balance and build it up in layers.
I actually found one of the ideas of Bioware not that bad and that was make an action oriented setting where the player doesn't have to make choices anymore but the game just handles this for people who play only for looting and stuff like that ( I am not one of them).
It was just poorly implemented because I felt that even though I had not turned on that setting I was being pushed in a certain direction I am not saying they should do this but I think CD PRojekt could pull that off

It was explained in prologue and 1st chapter.
- It wasn't I only spoke with Foltest and Merrygold that I would like to go with retirement and take of with her, at least that is what sticked to mind

[~Fandango~]

Sorry mastone, I’m totally enjoying your contributions to this thread but have to disagree with you with regards the use of potions in TW2. For me TW2 gave fair notice of most of the more challenging combat encounters and preparing for each (even after having my ass handed to me on several occasions) was an absolute joy. I’m not entirely sure what you have in mind, but the idea of carrying a glut of potions ready for spamming during battle is nothing like as elegant as strategizing in preparation for a particularly tough scrap.

I also take issue with this idea that CDPR should be making too many concessions for the mainstream – fuck knows we’re seeing far too much of this sort of thing at the moment as it is.

[mastone]

Well I am not necesarilly against not be able to take potions during a fight, but I came at a point that I didn't use them anymore because it was pointless to prepare for an unknown, which by default ( again to me personal) made the use of potions and any strategy behind it pointless ( unless you have already died so you know what is coming) but the flipside to that is that if you tell everything in advance it will ruin the game since it will take the tension out of it.
With the Witcher 1 I regularly used potions and I remember I even needed them fairly late in the game against some normal foes ( those spitting plants)just to get out.

Well I think mainstream has become a dirty word nowadays and is being misused by a lot of developers and publishers to conceal a lacking in the games they put out there.
With mainstream I meant people who haven't bought the witcher games nor read the books but will be part of the new clientele of CD Projekt.
I personally see no harm in an introduction movie( like a trailer) to reveal what has happened and to remind people like me what it is about again in the beginning of the game and that they make sure that the game is a story in it self, maybe even keep it fairly light on politics in the first chapter to let people ease in to it get to know the world first

[Vojtas.]

mastone said:

I have no problem with the fact you have to meditate before going to battle, my issue with it is that when it came to battle you never know when it is going to happen or what you are facing or how many which means that on the rare occasions you do know something is coming you tend to stick with a couple of standard potions, which to me makes all that strategy pointless ( because there is no strategy then only casting Quen and rolling to your hearts content),

You can find in-game books about monsters that you will fight. You can prepare knives, bombs, potions and oils. If you're entering the forrest/crypt/cave/dungeon, you'll fight endregas, ghosts or nekkers sooner or later. Just drink your stuff before stepping on dangerous ground. More advanced potions (with stronger negative effects) are dedicated for alchemy masters. Drinking potions during the battle is a bad idea. You'll not convince me that it's otherwise. And BTW - Quen isn't that useful anymore. One hit and it's down.

mastone said:

Reading a journal for an important line of storytelling is not appropiate

Journal is an addition, not main way of telling the story. It's deeper layer. If you're interested you can seek for information, but don't have to. However journal is essential to sum up complex stories like these. Any developer would not be able to present bigger part of the Witcher universe in one or even two games - we're talking about seven books (+1500 pages) rich in details, written for 13 years. It's impossible, and even if someone would make it, game would be probably boring and slow as hell.

mastone said:

My hope also is that with the next installment CD Projekt will make sure that newcomers get what it is all about and that the story is a story in itself

Any newcomer should be aware, that starting from the last part of trilogy isn't the best way to understand complex story. This isn't Batman. The devs can summarize previous story a little, but that is all.

mastone said:

"1. Because Kaer Morhen is on the north end of Kaedwen
2. Who would rebuild castle forgotten by people and the gods? Four witchers? Don't be ridiculous."[/i]

-Answer 1: So that is pretty far up North, where it is safe

Geralt is not looking for safety. He's looking for Yen.

mastone said:

Also who better to train recruits than Witchers,

Witchers don't train recruits. This is not their mission. Besides they are probably in the different places right now.

mastone said:

maybe even start recruiting people to become Witchers again since they are faster than humans, can do basic magic, swallow enhancing potions and fight a large amount of soldiers because of it.

No, because it's against the lore. It would be totally unbelievable. Ehh, too much to explain. I recommend you the books - two were officialy published, five others were translated by awesome guys from this forum.

mastone said:

- There is a shitload of things that developers need to remember, but I think personally they need to strike a balance and build it up in layers.

There are layers. The thing is that many people don't care about the story and dialogues, but they're still whining. I would say: fuck'em. You can't satisfy everyone. I don't want story telling that abuses my intellect.

[Random drowner]

If there is time for Geralt to do it, I think it would be a good idea to be able to pop most potions without meditation but with a gradual and somewhat diminished (and even some adverse minor side)effect. (temporary fuzzy vision, penalty to "vigor" etc)

Unless there is a lore reason why its impossible of course.

[mastone]

@ Vojtas:
I was off course exerating when I say Witchers could train soldiers, I just tried to open your mind to other possibilities.
Against his/their mission you say? Well I couldn't help but notice that I was helping in a war and helping trolls and strigga's and a wraith at some point for which I sometimes received little to no payment... not sure if I will be a top earner in monster slaying country...

You mention a trilogy? I have never heard they will stop at part 3, which means they can go on forever.
This also means that they have to put it in a format ( like stating that 1,2 and 3 will be a saga and 4,5 and 6 will be the next saga or make each story stand on its own- which might be hard to implement since you have to revisit some keyparts so people new or don't remember understand the context and the keyplayers and why Geralt insulted that guy without apparent reason).
I can also imagine that playerchoice will be harder to implement each time unless they are not planning to go back to certain locations and keep choices within a single game.

If you really want to get into smart reading try reading up on string theory, a game in general cannot have the same content as a book without becoming to muddled or only understandable/engaging for a select few and since the witcher is in a triple A categorie with high production values it will have to speak to a broader audience to be able to maintain itself.

@Random Drowner:
Well the "lore" is apparently against it, I find it irrelevant however if it is in the books or not.
As long as they keep the essence of the lore I have no problem with Geralt drinking a potion during combat.

I personally feel it is nitpicking and comparable with some hardcore Tolkien fans when Lord of the rings came out, they complained about Tom Bombadil not being in, wrong pronounciations of the Elvish, Absence of Glorfindel and I believe there were a number of other complaints...basically they wanted a 200 hour movie where everything was as the books described.

I do admire the dedication of fans however that they care this much, I also hope that they will understand it if the developer will change stuff to make the gameplay more engaging/ believe able and not start complaining enmass because of some small detail ( like in this case the potiondrinking)

[Kallelinski]

mastone said:

You mention a trilogy? I have never heard they will stop at part 3, which means they can go on forever.
This also means that they have to put it in a format ( like stating that 1,2 and 3 will be a saga and 4,5 and 6 will be the next saga or make each story stand on its own- which might be hard to implement since you have to revisit some keyparts so people new or don't remember understand the context and the keyplayers and why Geralt insulted that guy without apparent reason).
I can also imagine that playerchoice will be harder to implement each time unless they are not planning to go back to certain locations and keep choices within a single game. ›››

afaik CDPR intended to do a Witcher trilogy from the beginning, but one of the recent statements was that they want to rival Star Wars or Lord of the Rings, so i don't think another trilogy would be unthinkable, but they should finish the current story with the next title and start another one with the next trilogy.

"We want The Witcher's universe to be a part of pop-culture like Star Wars or The Lord of the Rings, and for our fanbase to expand rapidly. We just have to carefully and diligently do our thing."

[mastone]

Well i hope they succeed, as far as I can judge they put in the effort and they put their product on the number 1 spot, so they deserve it as far as I am concerned

[SlimeDynamiteD]

I've been lurking for far too long on these forums, so I thought I'd make myself a forum account and post
So yeah, Hey everyone! Here's to my first post!

So anyway, what I'd love to see in the Witcher 3:
- Horses (Running around the world is fun, but sometimes I find myself wishing there was a faster way, though no fast travel)
- Emperor Emhyr (That would be so exciting!)
- A great Witcher 2 Import system with returning characters such as Roche and Iorveth
- A good economic system, I found myself without any or with too little coin often enough, the blades I'd want to sell would be sold for way too cheap causing me to keep them because of sentiment... Yes I actually keep all my armors and weapons in storage boxes because of the memories
- The 'carry weight' annoyed me so much in TW2! They should do something about that >.<

That's pretty much what I can think of

[Daywalker30]

I might post it here as well.

different fighting styles with different evasive moves:

Well you can have different evasive moves depending on your style, for example a fast (group) style for multiple enemies where you use rolling and a slow (strong) style for a single enemy where you step away und such like you did in the first Witcher.

So yeah I think there should be for each fighting style a different evasive move.

and a proper inventory like the first witcher.

[Seboist]

I'd like to be able to import the blue stripes tattoo from 2 into this.

[Costin Moroianu]

Seboist said:

I'd like to be able to import the blue stripes tattoo from 2 into this. ›››

If there is one thing I'd demand from them it would be this. Please make it happen...

[SlimeDynamiteD]

Seboist said:

I'd like to be able to import the blue stripes tattoo from 2 into this. ›››

Haha! So true!

@Daywalker

I never had a problem with the inventory, what's all the hate on the inventory in TW2 about anyway?

[Daywalker30]

SlimeDynamiteD said:

@Daywalker

I never had a problem with the inventory, what's all the hate on the inventory in TW2 about anyway? ›››

I don't really have a problem, but it's really unhandy (like the inventory of skyrim)

TW1 vs TW2

[Guy N'wah]

SlimeDynamiteD said:

Haha! So true!

@Daywalker

I never had a problem with the inventory, what's all the hate on the inventory in TW2 about anyway? ›››

The original version was pretty tedious to use, with inadequate information and lots of slow scrolling. It was improved greatly by FollowTheGourd's "Panel Tweaks" mod. CDPR mainstreamed the mod in Patch 3.2.

[~Fandango~]

Inventory management is almost there, though it could certainly be tweaked for the better (the amount of times I dropped my boots when attempting to read a book was a little irritating, as was my inability to store every item in my inventory at the touch of a button).

[SlimeDynamiteD]

Daywalker30 said:

I don't really have a problem, but it's really unhandy (like the inventory of skyrim)

TW1 vs TW2 ›››

Still think TW2's inventory is better
But I guess that's personal preference, can't judge each other on that