The Witcher

[MotherGraham~]

Anyone played it here? I recently obtained The Witcher and I must say that I regret not doing so earlier. While I'm just at the first actual village, I'm amazed at how the story is being developed as you continue your way throughout the world. Pretty much everything seems good so far, except a few things.

The first thing I aren't really fond of would be the combat system. Surely it's completely different than the casual RPG combat systems, but this one just plainly annoys me. And yet again: surely they attempted to make it as realistic as possible - such as the use of timing - it can piss me off at certain times. What do you think about it?

Second thing I'm not fond of either is the limited ability to change your appearance; such being clothes in general. The rest, if it comes to customization, is sufficient enough to me. But I, for one, always cared a lot about appearance. Perhaps even more than performance.

Err yeah. What're your thoughts about the game, should you have played it already (or am, at the moment)? I'd prefer not to read spoilers, so don't forget to put 'em into spoiler tags!

[MyNameDidntFit]

Urgh. I couldn't play it. I had a mate who raved day and night about how amazing it was in every way so I got a hold of it and stopped playing after a day or two of playing it.

The story was alright, the characters seemed reasonable and it's a pretty game... but I just couldn't force myself through the tedium of what is possibly the worst gameplay I've ever been put through.

Basically, I'm not fond of it.

[Jason]

Haha, get off that fence, MNDF... say what you really mean. :p

I've heard very good things about it, but I've got a list of RPGs to play that's a mile long, and I'm frightened to add any more to that list. I believe I heard rumours a while back that they're working on a sequel as well?

[MyNameDidntFit]

What fence? The game looks like it would be great if the gameplay wasn't complete and utter shit.

As for a sequel, yeah, they are: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JciyoGmnGyo

(though, to be honest, if they keep the voice actors that are in that trailer, I'm not even going to go near it)

[MotherGraham~]

I'm really looking forward to The Witcher 2. That, without a doubt. And to be honest, MNDF, I actually like those voice actors better than the original ones; specifically Geralt's voice actor there. I think that the voice actor in The Witcher doesn't really show any emotion or whatsoever.

[MyNameDidntFit]

I'm not talking relative to the original Witcher as I can't really recall them too well. Just that I thought the ones in that footage were... horrid.

[Seyon]

I’m actually playing this right now. I’m enjoying it immensely. I’m about halfway through Act 3 so I’m guessing about halfway through the game as a whole.

At first the combat was annoying but I’ve come to really like it. It gets much more involved when you are fighting large groups. Also, I’m enjoying the “lesser of two evils” story aspects and how choices really effect gameplay.
It does have its annoyances. Like occasionally, completing quest one quest before quest two will make it where you can’t complete quest two. Also there was a timed quest that I missed that it was timed. I completed objectives through the course of just general adventuring only to find it was part of a quest and now I lose out on the Xp I would have gotten for it. Much will be missed if not played with FAQ or wiki.

While I understand it, I also hated to lack of customization. I have always been a fan of customization and especially costuming in games. Graeme, you may want to check out “The Doppler’s Essence Mod (http://www.moddb.com/mods/the-dopplers-essence)”. It allows you to change your character model out for almost any character model in the game. I’ve been running through with this with no major problems. It will occasionally switch the model back and you will have to change it back every time you restart the game.

[MotherGraham~]

Well, unfortunately that modification alters the entire model, rather than clothes only and whatnot; something that could be compared to Fable, as to use an example. Thanks for the recommendation, regardless. I'll be sure to check it out.

As for The Witcher's progress so far: I'm halfway through Act II. I'm at the Temple Quarter still, and I somehow can't find Vincent and/or Jethro to reclaim my lost belongings unfortunately.

[Seyon]

Jethro is usually in the dungeon around the corner from Thalers's place, which is behind the hospital. And Vincent is just past the dungeon door.

[MotherGraham~]

Odd, I swear I've been walking from place to place for quite a while just in search of Vincent. I could only find some common guards, and an outpost where the Order of the Flaming Rose reside. But thanks for mentioning Jethro; I never thought he would be in the dungeon. I rather had the idea of some other outpost outside.

Cheers.

[Seyon]

Sorry, I forgot. Vincent will only be there during the daytime. I had the exact same issues finding him.

[MotherGraham~]

Yeah I found him yesterday. However, now I have to

Find Ramsmeat, for he is a suspect in my investigation. I've looked up guides on where to find him - as he wasn't at his home - and it seems that he's neither at the inn nor at his home.

Quite a pain to find certain NPCs I tell ya.

EDIT:: Huzzah...

Found Ramsmeat and killed him as the Detective instructed. Never mind my question, aye!

[Archangel]

I had a mate who raved day and night about how amazing it was in every way.

Ohai.

As for a sequel, yeah, they are: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JciyoGmnGyo

(though, to be honest, if they keep the voice actors that are in that trailer, I'm not even going to go near it)

Note the 'internal' tag there. Those voices are done by the dudes making the game; who are all polish, if I recall right.


But anyway. I'm the aforementioned mate who loves the game. Played through it twice and, whilst I'll concede the gameplay could be better, and there could be alot less tedium, I could go for a round three if there was nothing else on the table.

Of every game I've played so far, The Witcher remains the best in terms of moral choices and story development. Not to mention all the sexy time you get to have. But really, the ending of that game... sah good. Best I've seen in anything ever.

Considering the game is the first the CD Projekt RED studio has ever developed, they did a damned fine job, and a sequel should be much better.


On the topic of the sequel; it's set for release on PC and consoles in roughly the Q1 2011 era, and will come with its own engine as opposed to a modified BioWare one like the first game did. The video MNDF showed above was a leaked internal alpha-stage gameplay video the devs themselves had provided voices on for the purpose of demonstrating the game to prospective publishers.

They released an official trailer a month or two back, as such:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTHnjePQHPo