[antichrist616]

So, Geralt was knighted by the Lady of the Lake and was then given a magical sword brought to him by destiny.
Then Geralt sells it.
Geralt reconstructed the legendary Raven's armor.
Then Geralt sells it.


In my opinion there should be a significance to these items, I kept Aerondight and Raven's armor until
the very end of The Witcher 2 because I felt these items demanded recognition. Statistically speaking
however these items were only good at the start of the game and I know most of you sold them because
they were pretty much worthless.

In The Witcher 3 these items should be much more valuable or at least have greater stats
or even better, make them quest items - like giving them to a Nilfgaardian museum.
In The Witcher 2 the best items didn't have any story to them or hold any deep significance,
they just had good stats.

Tell me what you think?

[Costin Moroianu]

I don't agree with this. How exactly do you imagine there would be a balance if the import items would be much better then the default ones? W2 already has problems with the Moon Blade since it's better then all but two swords, which you only get later on, in ACT 1.

I think they should keep the import item idea but make them only slightly better then default items ( kinda how Raven's armor is to the combat jacket ).

And no I don't think importing them in TW3 would make any sense beyond them being quest items that you could give away to someone for some cash, though even then I'd have an issue with Geralt dragging an armor piece with him across the world that he is not using!

As for W2 items not having any significance are you kidding? A forgotten Vran Sword along with Vran Armor? A silver sword used by an elf hunted by the Wild Hunt? A set of gloves, pants and boots made by the mages of Loc Muinne?

[slimgrin]

Well the dark sets have a story, somewhat. I'm all for rediscovering old friends like Aerondight and Raven's armor in TW3. However, I'm not for being stuck with them for half the game. Realistically, Geralt would have access to dozens of weapon and armor types. The really special ones we'd have to work for or craft.

[Saoe]

Personally I think game should only import and recognize your decisions and consequences nothing else. No OP items or extra cash.

[RSIK4]

Saoe said:

Personally I think game should only import and recognize your decisions and consequences nothing else. No OP items or extra cash. ›››

i m totally agree with @saoe @Costin Moroianu.....importing equipments from TW2 is not a good idea

[antichrist616]

Costin Moroianu said:

I don't agree with this. How exactly do you imagine there would be a balance if the import items would be much better then the default ones? W2 already has problems with the Moon Blade since it's better then all but two swords, which you only get later on, in ACT 1.

I think they should keep the import item idea but make them only slightly better then default items ( kinda how Raven's armor is to the combat jacket ).

And no I don't think importing them in TW3 would make any sense beyond them being quest items that you could give away to someone for some cash, though even then I'd have an issue with Geralt dragging an armor piece with him across the world that he is not using!

As for W2 items not having any significance are you kidding? A forgotten Vran Sword along with Vran Armor? A silver sword used by an elf hunted by the Wild Hunt? A set of gloves, pants and boots made by the mages of Loc Muinne? ›››

Pretty much the only items that hold somewhat significance. Did Geralt get knighted by a Vran? No, he looted it.
A sword used by an elf hunted by the Wild Hunt, that's like a pencil used by Leonardo Da Vinci. No items actually have sentimental value to Geralt which bugs me, I'm pretty sure if you were given legendary armor worn by a legendary Witcher you'd keep it even if you didn't like wearing it. These items that get imported should also look rusted and worn, not fresh from the dry cleaner. Give me a reason why Geralt would give such a sword as Aerondight to some filthy merchant who will only buy it for 10 orens? By being rewarded with that sword Geralt chose to believe in destiny, that sword would definitely mean something to him even if it was rusted and covered in seaweed.

[Costin Moroianu]

Give me one good reason to believe this would not impact gameplay balance. I'm all for story but not at the cost of gameplay when it's not in any way required to have a good story. It's a item, an armor a tool and nothing special.

[antichrist616]

slimgrin said:

Well the dark sets have a story, somewhat. I'm all for rediscovering old friends like Aerondight and Raven's armor in TW3. However, I'm not for being stuck with them for half the game. Realistically, Geralt would have access to dozens of weapon and armor types. The really special ones we'd have to work for or craft. ›››

There definitely needs to be a side quest for giving them to a museum or some sort of story of Geralt giving them to another Witcher, like a Witcher in training under Vesemir, anything that makes sense D:

[slimgrin]

Costin Moroianu said:

Give me one good reason to believe this would not impact gameplay balance. I'm all for story but not at the cost of gameplay when it's not in any way required to have a good story. It's a item, an armor a tool and nothing special. ›››

They could include said armor later in the game, where it makes sense for it to be more powerful. I'm ambivalent about it really but that's one way it could work.

[antichrist616]

Costin Moroianu said:

Give me one good reason to believe this would not impact gameplay balance. I'm all for story but not at the cost of gameplay when it's not in any way required to have a good story. It's a item, an armor a tool and nothing special. ›››

There would be a way of knowing you received those items, so add them into the quest items and make them unusable and have no weight, I don't care so much for using them, I only care about them existing within a storyline.

[antichrist616]

slimgrin said:

They could include said armor later in the game, where it makes sense for it to be more powerful. I'm ambivalent about it really but that's one way it could work. ›››

Exactly, Aerondight could be that sword from Harry Potter for all I care, it held value in the first Witcher and I don't want to see that dissolve, any sense of value is all I'm hoping for

[Costin Moroianu]

antichrist616 said:

There would be a way of knowing you received those items, so add them into the quest items and make them unusable and have no weight, I don't care so much for using them, I only care about them existing within a storyline. ›››

Alright then. I don't think some extra gold for someone who imported is a bad balance idea ( considering we can earn unlimited cash through arm wrestling anyway ).

But I don't fancy the notion that Geralt would carry all these armors across the world with him when he doesn't plan to use them.

[▫ Dona ▫]

Costin Moroianu said:

Give me one good reason to believe this would not impact gameplay balance. I'm all for story but not at the cost of gameplay when it's not in any way required to have a good story. It's a item, an armor a tool and nothing special. ›››

Because some of us like loot to occasionally have a meaning. Raven armour was fun to piece together and added something special to TW1, and so did the legendary swords. Not EVERY piece of loot and upgrade has to have a meaning, but following a legend and crafting special armour adds flavour to the game. Raven armour DID feel special and that is awesome. I admit my mind went blank when read this topic, I honestly didn't care about a single piece of armour in TW2 (I didn't finish Dark Mode, though, because I absolutely refuse to grind and farm for anything in any game, it's the worst way to make the player acquire ~special~ items. Therefore I'm not familiar with DM sets, which did look nice on the screenshots.)

Costin Moroianu said:

But I don't fancy the notion that Geralt would carry all these armors across the world with him when he doesn't plan to use them. ›››

I did a playthrough wearing Raven armour only because it's the one I like the most. Made a nice challenge.

[Guy N'wah]

Of all the unique items from TW1, Aerondight is the only one that every one of my Geralts is sentimental about. I feel that importing it should be handled well or not done at all. TW2, by making it a minor sword with no attachment to Geralt's past, didn't handle it very well.

Costin's right; you can't make it a powerful sword from the beginning, because that's incompatible with the need to balance the game. But I don't think making it a valuable trade item is handling it in a way that does any justice to Geralt's life story. You could do that for unique items without such sentimental value like the Moon Blade. But it doesn't suffice for the symbol and vehicle of the Lady of the Lake's blessing.

I think unique items significant to Geralt's character, or the narrative, like Aerondight or Raven's Armor, need additional help from the story and the action. For example, if Geralt doesn't have them at the start of the game, they are lost, and he will be given quests at suitable times to recover them. If Geralt does have them, they are damaged or deteriorated, and he will be given opportunities to reforge or mend them.

"Listen, strange women lyin' in ponds distributin' swords is no basis for a system of government."

[Random drowner]

The solution is quite simple. You make gear much more similar in terms of stats and you tie your legendary imported items to the story development and the challenges you face in the game.

So, if you import legendary gear such Aaerondight and Ravens armour (which while being top tier items does not - like other top gear found in the game - give more than lets say ~30% better stats than default starting gear) you trigger a quest about some powerful group or entity wants to get their hand on your Gear(for example). This could be translated into encountering more powerful or numerous enemies and being ambushed more often earlier in the game and so on. The gear is also incorporated in side-quests and providing some unique dialogue and options here and there. Items can be ornamented, dyed and so on for variation.

The advantages of this strategy is that it integrates lore and game-play.

They could have pulled of something similar in W2, or even taken a short-cut and simply have you loose your gear in the prologue with options to get them back later in the game given the right choices was made enabling you to interact with people who have access to your confiscated or lost stuff.

[dragonbird]

Regarding TW2 swords, I'm really hoping/expecting Caerme to have meaning in TW3. It was a little pointless having it in TW2 if it doesn't get carried over.

[Aver]

Costin Moroianu said:

I don't agree with this. How exactly do you imagine there would be a balance if the import items would be much better then the default ones? W2 already has problems with the Moon Blade since it's better then all but two swords, which you only get later on, in ACT 1. ›››

Equipment from TW1 could be confiscated in prologue when you are in prison and retrieved in ACT 3 in Temerian camp.

[antichrist616]

▫ Dona ▫ said:

Because some of us like loot to occasionally have a meaning. Raven armour was fun to piece together and added something special to TW1, and so did the legendary swords. Not EVERY piece of loot and upgrade has to have a meaning, but following a legend and crafting special armour adds flavour to the game. Raven armour DID feel special and that is awesome. I admit my mind went blank when read this topic, I honestly didn't care about a single piece of armour in TW2 (I didn't finish Dark Mode, though, because I absolutely refuse to grind and farm for anything in any game, it's the worst way to make the player acquire ~special~ items. Therefore I'm not familiar with DM sets, which did look nice on the screenshots.)


I did a playthrough wearing Raven armour only because it's the one I like the most. Made a nice challenge. ›››

Marry me.
I DID THE EXACT SAME THING D:

[antichrist616]

Guy N said:

Of all the unique items from TW1, Aerondight is the only one that every one of my Geralts is sentimental about. I feel that importing it should be handled well or not done at all. TW2, by making it a minor sword with no attachment to Geralt's past, didn't handle it very well.

Costin's right; you can't make it a powerful sword from the beginning, because that's incompatible with the need to balance the game. But I don't think making it a valuable trade item is handling it in a way that does any justice to Geralt's life story. You could do that for unique items without such sentimental value like the Moon Blade. But it doesn't suffice for the symbol and vehicle of the Lady of the Lake's blessing.

I think unique items significant to Geralt's character, or the narrative, like Aerondight or Raven's Armor, need additional help from the story and the action. For example, if Geralt doesn't have them at the start of the game, they are lost, and he will be given quests at suitable times to recover them. If Geralt does have them, they are damaged or deteriorated, and he will be given opportunities to reforge or mend them.

"Listen, strange women lyin' in ponds distributin' swords is no basis for a system of government." ›››

That's a great idea! (:

[▫ Dona ▫]

antichrist616 said:

Marry me.
I DID THE EXACT SAME THING D: ›››

I'll... consider it? =P

However, I do agree it's stupid to have 'legendary' items in the beginning of a game that do less damage than a ladle.