THE WITCHER 3: WILDE HUNT

[Cerveza mas fina]

What this stuff about choices you have To make if havent got a savegame?

If you say you don't want to 'simulate a savegame' you make choices that you'd have made in w1 or w2(? not sure it all blended together lol)

I thought it was the opposite. If you simulate a save game (which is on by default at least on xbox one version) then you meet someone later who basically asks you questions that creates your save game states.

Thanks!

[OnlyRegret]

Hm...
My important choices to carry over are:
Save Saskia
Let Letho go

I don't really care about the others.

[Stoney Mason]

this game is a whole lot better than that one other fantasy rpg that came out last year

I liked Dragon Age Inquisition (with some rather large caveats) so for me it isn't really a competition kind of thing.

That being said, I can comment on some of the things it does better than Inquisition as I'm sure I'll comment on some of the things I may have liked more in that game.

The one immediate thing right off the bat, is that this game gets scale and scope of the world in a way that Inquisition didn't. Maybe it was because the game had to come out on old gen consoles also but those segmented little map sections never actually felt like a world. They felt like videogame maps where everything was compressed. And on top of that they littered everything with those map icons and fetch quests. Riding around on a mount in Inquisition felt unnecessary at best and just stupid at worst.  This game scales much more like skyrim so that while there are little quests and stuff everything you don't feel badgered to do everything because its not right on top of you. When you go somewhere, you actually go somewhere. It actually feel like a world and that helps so much with immersion.

I'm sure the next Dragon Age game will be a real open world instead of the faux open world of the last game.

[Stoney Mason]

This game was what reviewers and all those goty award stuff wanted Dragon Age and Shadow Of Morder to be. Those games were different and decent in their own right, sure. But let's not act like the crazy critical love for both of them overrated them highly.

Witcher 3 just eclipses them overall. Waaaaay better game and a lot more fun. I don't even find the story and lore meh here. Witcher's world is just a lot more interesting. I like when a fantasy setting is a lot more than just orcs, elves and dragons.

The side missions were especially shit in Inquisition. Not only in what you were doing, but they had all the emotional level of reading a dime store comic book. As a general thing Bioware is too concerned with so clearly delineating between good and evil that it makes everything feel kiddy. Good entertainment nowadays is all about living in the grey moral areas and the witcher universe is much more at home there.

[StealthFan]

nah breh Shadow Of Whoredor owned.

[Cheddahz]

Just realized that I didn't get my steelbook whenever I went to go pick up my copy at Best Buy, guess I'll make another trip up there

[Stoney Mason]

This game was what reviewers and all those goty award stuff wanted Dragon Age and Shadow Of Morder to be. Those games were different and decent in their own right, sure. But let's not act like the crazy critical love for both of them overrated them highly.

Witcher 3 just eclipses them overall. Waaaaay better game and a lot more fun. I don't even find the story and lore meh here. Witcher's world is just a lot more interesting. I like when a fantasy setting is a lot more than just orcs, elves and dragons.

The side missions were especially shit in Inquisition. Not only in what you were doing, but they had all the emotional level of reading a dime store comic book. As a general thing Bioware is too concerned with so clearly delineating between good and evil that it makes everything feel kiddy. Good entertainment nowadays is all about living in the grey moral areas and the witcher universe is much more at home there.

For me it's different, mostly because I find any and all typical fantasy shit to be boring and lame as fuck. Zelda is all this is good and this is evil but I like it cause at least it's very distinctive in that respect. Yes, that Zelda.

Either way. The Witcher's world is just its own thing fantasy wise in regards to videogames. And that's why its a lot more interesting to me than LotR or something that's trying to have those exact fantasy tropes as what's appealing to its setting.

Yes I brought up Zelda, make fun of me cause I deserve it.

It's probably too much to say that all good entertainment lives in the grey area. Star Wars does not live in the grey area for the most part. Neither does something like Guardians of the Galaxy (at least the movie, haven't read the comics. Nor does much of the comic book fare that exists in movie form).

But there is a disconnect when on one hand Dragon Age wants you to take it seriously in a way that something like Zelda doesn't. But then it doesn't trust you enough to make the world feel more believable. Not everything in entertainment has to be gritty and grimy but I think the hardcore audience that consumes this stuff tends to want more emotional stakes and more conflicted worlds nowadays when it comes to this sort of stuff. .

[fizzel]

Geralt is a wobbly dickhead in this game, i loathe floaty controls with a passion.

[Stoney Mason]

I think its more to do with quality versus uniqueness. Outside of the main quest you can tell when doing stuff in Inquisition that nobody gave a fuck when it came to mission or quest design. It felt like game designers doing a tick-list of to do items.

The witcher games have always felt better than that to me which is not to say they are perfect but more to say that more often than not it felt like somebody gave a fuck when creating the world. In fact I would say I enjoyed Witcher 1 and 2 despite their gameplay instead of because of their gameplay. I've already done side quests in witcher 3 in a few hours that had more heart and soul than anything in Inquisition outside of the main plot. Everybody has a different take on this stuff though. Like I said, I'm not the guy who shits on Bioware as the evil of all things in modern rpgs. I just think they could do better with the resources they have in hand.

[Eel O'Brian]

Crashed while I was playing cards

[fizzel]

The Witcher is great but I wouldn't even say it's more unique than Dragon Age when you boil it down. Epic dark fantasy, swords and sorcery, forestdwelling elves and mountain miner dwarves, dragons, sorceresses, an Elric-lite protagonist with similar gray moral proclivities, a nomadic 'Nordling' kingdom being put to the sword by the better equipped and organized, more temperate empire composed of client states.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

All by the numbers medieval european design and white participants/inhabitants.

[close]

It's cool, but it's no aesthetic/artistic step sideways or forward for games imo (or fantasy fiction).

In these grimdarkly dark fantasy settings it's the humans that are the bad guys rather than an orc horde.

[Cerveza mas fina]

First impressions:

-game looks tits
-combat seems improved over w1
-that central europe scenery makes me miss poland

[toku]

 

[StealthFan]

Geralt's janky ass movement is immersion breaking. I've played MMO's where the MC has more weight

[Human Snorenado]

Geralt's janky ass movement is immersion breaking. I've played MMO's where the MC has more weight

Playing on the dirtperson version, are we?

[StealthFan]

Geralt's janky ass movement is immersion breaking. I've played MMO's where the MC has more weight

Playing on the dirtperson version, are we?

The PC version has the same movement, breh.

I am talking about how he moves and runs, not controls. Dude is way too light.

[Stoney Mason]

Witcher combat has always been meh. I agree it feels too light and the animation system feels the exact same way it was in witcher 2. It felt janky back then and it doesn't feel that much better if at all. Higher frame rate makes it look smoother but it still doesn't feel right.

That's the next step for them. Improve the animation system. Improve the combat. And you pretty much have the complete package. Witcher isn't alone. GTA still feels like crap. Assassin's Creed still felt roughly like this up until that pirate one. (Didn't play Unity) That's one area where they could actually look to Bioware. By comparison the animation system looks real smooth in dragon age and while it doesn't feel all actiony like the combat system in this game, it still feels correct in what its going for with that franchise at least. Witcher has to find something that feels right for their game style. Running around and jumping should feel more fun and less janky. Still loving the game so far though.

[StealthFan]

Yeah the combat is assy. I actually prefer the combat in the first one. The combat has always been poor in the series, along with the the movement. That's ok though because quests, lore and dialogue owns.

[OnlyRegret]

I thought combat was pretty decent in W2.
Nothing fantastic but better than its immediate competitors/rivals.

My first death in W3

spoiler (click to show/hide)

In the very beginning, the dream bit. I went to the terrace to check the view, I tried climbing the railing for a better view.
Fell to my death.


Started over and made sure to hit on Yen and check out her belongings again before heading down the stairs. 

[close]

[Eel O'Brian]

Combat definitely flows better than W2, but yeah, dude moves like he evolved from a chicken.

[Eel O'Brian]

I'll probably wait for another patch before I load it up again. That crash pissed me off.  I mean, I'm used to consoles crashing now after the first couple months of BF4: Let's Crash!™, but damn. It wasn't even during a heavy action scene where you could kind of understand it taxing the hardware or something, it was during an iOS-style card game with nothing but still pictures and text. Evidently it's a bug:

http://www.reddit.com/r/PS4/comments/36fyiq/witcher_3_game_crashing_bug_in_gwent_anyone_else/

[sarslip]

crashes 

poor movement 

euro jank is back 

[doctavius bonbon]

Downclocked my GPU and haven't crashed once today.  Hate that I had to do that but w/e

Gwent time bb.

[El Babua]

Love that the camera spazzes out at default settings.

Also love that when adjusting camera sensitivity, the range is 0.5 - 1.5 for whatever reason, with arbitrary jumps to numbers like .6899999 for whatever reason. dirtpoor console version btw

You can never polish off the jank.

[Cerveza mas fina]

Geralt's janky ass movement is immersion breaking. I've played MMO's where the MC has more weight

Playing on the dirtperson version, are we?

Can you stfu about your pc for once?

I get it, you built one. Welcome to 15 years ago.

No need to bring it up every fucking post.

[Hitler Stole My Potato]

Jesus Christ what is up with the font size in this game? It's barely legible on the 50 inch I normally play on. I may have to hook the PS4 up to the 70 inch so I can read some of this shit.

This is worse than Dead Rising IMO..... Or maybe I'm just getting older

[sarslip]

Also love that when adjusting camera sensitivity, the range is 0.5 - 1.5 for whatever reason, with arbitrary jumps to numbers like .6899999 for whatever reason.

Is Polish numbers system.  Is good.  You like. 

[Brehvolution]

I'm so glad I went back to White Orchard. I would have missed at least 3 shrines of power otherwise. I also would have missed "Pan for Gran" which was a shitload of loot and basically free xp since there was nothing to do.

It kind of suck that you only get XP for quests. There is no reason to fight every pack of enemies you come across.

[sarslip]

There is no reason to fight every pack of enemies you come across.

raw meat 

[Rufus]

AMD Phenom II X4 965 BE
4GB DDR2(!) RAM
AMD R9 280X

Runs well on medium, gonna try to get a mix of high and medium going. Fuck an upgrade.

[sarslip]

Yes!  Jim Sterling's review is out now, finally someone on the side of gamers to give us that real spit about the downgraded visuals, bullshit PR spin, and sad state of decay over at CDPR.

For make no mistake, The Witcher 3 is most definitely fantastic. It looks gorgeous – even with the controversy surrounding its downgraded graphics and/or upgraded trailer visuals - Jim Sterling

[Brehvolution]

That feel when you have a shitload of inventory, yet when you go to craft something and you are missing ingredients.

[sarslip]

for real, inventory screen looks like christmas day, but i cant make some cat potion? 

[Rufus]

Really pleased by how well this runs on my 5 year old system. I can lock 30 on high, unlocked it hovers around 45-55, 60 during indoors conversations. Now I'm torn, optimize for 60 or eye candy?

[sarslip]

optimize for 60 or eye candy?

times like these you gotta ask yourself, what would Ubisoft do? 

[Brehvolution]

I say optimize for the smoothest combat.

[Brehvolution]

Saw my first boob.

[sarslip]

Saw my first boob.

only had two sit through two 20 minute scenes of Geralt in a tub.  or is there a third one to look forward too?   

[sarslip]

optimize for boobs.

[Sho Nuff]

So I couldn't get into the last Dragon Age on accounts that I couldn't give a shit about anything that was happening in the game (likely due to the fact that I hadn't played the first two) and the dialogue was kind of dumb and combat was sorta naff, plus the travel and loading screens between zones made the game feel strangely disconnected. On the other hand I love the shit out of Skyrim and all its goofy broken shit. Is there any reason why I'd like Witcher 3?

[Rufus]

optimize for 60 or eye candy?

times like these you gotta ask yourself, what would Ubisoft do? 

Damage control the jank? There's no slider for that. :B

[Hitler Stole My Potato]

So I couldn't get into the last Dragon Age on accounts that I couldn't give a shit about anything that was happening in the game (likely due to the fact that I hadn't played the first two) and the dialogue was kind of dumb and combat was sorta naff, plus the travel and loading screens between zones made the game feel strangely disconnected. On the other hand I love the shit out of Skyrim and all its goofy broken shit. Is there any reason why I'd like Witcher 3?

I thought Dragon Age Inquisition was a bunch of nonsense and didn't give two fucks about what was going on.  This coming from someone that played the other two DA games and really liked the first.   I got so bored with DA:I that I just stopped altogether and deleted it from my hard drive.

Even though I didn't like the first two Witcher games, I'm really digging this one so far even with its ridiculously small fonts.  Granted I'm early on so it may shit the bed the further I get but right now it's exponentially better than DA:I.  Finally feels like a true "next gen" RPG.

[Human Snorenado]

This game definitely scratches the "here's an awesome, huge ass fantasy sandbox, go walk around n kill shit n solve stuff n have adventures" itch, at least for me.

[Brehvolution]

Saw my first boob.

only had two sit through two 20 minute scenes of Geralt in a tub.  or is there a third one to look forward too?   

My son was watching it with me and I skipped by that part. And yes there is more

spoiler (click to show/hide)

A witch

[close]

[Courage]

70 hours in and I love this game. I honestly think it's gonna shape up being one of my favorite RPGs of all time.

[Brehvolution]

70 hours? I was just thinking I'd have to do some explaining to the wife for playing 9 in the past 2 days. 

Any advice on the best way to utilize ability points in the early game?

[Courage]

70 hours? I was just thinking I'd have to do some explaining to the wife for playing 9 in the past 2 days. 

Any advice on the best way to utilize ability points in the early game?

I've had it since Friday.

If you're playing on Hard, use it on the added Vitality in the General tree. I mostly focus on Quen, Igni and melee/anything with critical hit bonus.

[studyguy]

Ability point builds are basically W1 all over again.

Fuck all this shit full LIGHT/HEAVY swing builds so that you're W1 all over again literally mowing dudes down left and right with potion potency on top of it. I loved that part of W1 where you drop a potion and obliterate everything.

Fuck magic.

[Human Snorenado]

Igni tho

[studyguy]

Igni tho

I do enjoy that they went back to W1 style of potions/skills/magic.
Everything in W2 felt way too constricting. W3 uses the same freeform style W1 allowed so you'll inevitably become a fucking beast no matter what build you pick, but it also lets you have way way more variety in getting to that point. ALSO POTIONS FUCK THEY'RE SO GOOD WHEN YOU BUILD FOR THEM SHIT I MISSED THE FUCK OUT OF THAT.



Also the music in this game is stellar.

[Rufus]

Yes! I really loved that in W1, preparing with potions and oils before every contract. I play W3 on hard for that reason alone, hoping they won't be as optional as in W2.

Not feeling the combat so far though. I guess it gets better with a couple upgrades and once I've accustomed myself to Geralt's range and enemy behaviour. Movement I only find annoying when I'm trying to loot containers, because taking a single step is strangely difficult, at least using keyboard controls. Gonna give it a spin with a controller, see if that helps.

[Brehvolution]

Apparently, you do get xp for killing monsters if you are using the griffon head as a trophy. It's one of it's stats.

[Purple Filth]

loving the reactions to the jank by the newcomers/fanboys 

Good ol CDPR

[OnlyRegret]

Oh also. Didn't preorder, no special edition or anything.

Plain old edition, pop it open. Map, stickers, a thank-you, and the flipping soundtrack.
Based Poles.

 

[Human Snorenado]

It's like, Bro- do you even eurojank?

[studyguy]

Yes! I really loved that in W1, preparing with potions and oils before every contract. I play W3 on hard for that reason alone, hoping they won't be as optional as in W2.

Not feeling the combat so far though. I guess it gets better with a couple upgrades and once I've accustomed myself to Geralt's range and enemy behaviour. Movement I only find annoying when I'm trying to loot containers, because taking a single step is strangely difficult, at least using keyboard controls. Gonna give it a spin with a controller, see if that helps.

Looting is real rough, yeah.
I feel like all they really need to do is extend the range slightly and they're golden.
Fighting definately takes some getting used to, it again feels like W1 where you need more spatial awareness than W2 accustomed people to. Enemies fuck you up from behind if you're not careful and shit. Backing up against walls is good form, etc. Also I can't parry worth a damn for some reason.

Like planning shit out beforehand and fucking dudes up feels dope though, way better than 2.

Curious how they'll handle their inevitable Enhanced Edition for this. They always change so fucking much when they drop them.

[Great Rumbler]

loving the reactions to the jank by the newcomers/fanboys 

Good ol CDPR

CDPR is like a Polish Bethesda, the jank is a feature.

[Eel O'Brian]

No, I get it, I've dabbled with the previous two games. I just, you know, thought they might've gotten a little better about shit like that over the years. Like I said, my shit crashed...during a card game.

But the sunsets!

[Cerveza mas fina]

Soundtrack is real good, wish it was on spotify too.

Sure solw things are jank, but who cares

[Rufus]

Another thing that's annoying me are the menus, but I'm really fussy about UI and default bindings in general. Why is A not always "confirm", for instance? Why can't you sort your inventory if you play with a controller? (That I can see, anyway.) Why does it constantly display your quick items when using a keyboard, but not when using a controller? Why hold the button down to speed your horse? Yadda yadda.