The Witcher - Peek #16 @ RPG Vault

Dhruin

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Peek #16 for The Witcher at RPG Vault has popped up with a look at the protagonist Geralt:
Geralt is no human. He is a witcher, a genetically enhanced mutant created and trained to slay monsters for a living. Transformed by magic and alchemy as a child, he gained superhuman abilities - lightning-fast reflexes, immunity to poisons and disease, and cat-like eyes that allow him to see in the dark. Through grueling training at the fortress of Kaer Morhen, he became a master of the sword, skilled in the use of magical signs, and privy to the mysteries of alchemy.
More information.
 
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Finally!! Oh joy of joys!!
This article contained a screenshot showing The Witcher in armor!! Okay, it was very light leather based armor, but still! I had concluded based on all previous information that the character would look the same for the entire game. It would now appear otherwise...
 
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I still suspect that he might just look slightly different on these particular screenshots for some reason, and that his gear is not customizable in any way.

Edit: As far as I know, The Witcher is kind of like Drizzt Do'Urden (Frostbrand, Defender, Mithril Chain, panther figurine, etc), and his gear is defined in the books.
 
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The one with red tones looks like concept art, maybe?

Geralt is looking good, though either way. Usually being unable to pick the female gender as the player character is a turn-off for me. I've never really understood why guys often play with a female avatar, but I think I'm beginning to get it. For this game I don't think I'm going to mind playing a male character at all. ;)
 
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@ Magerette: Yes, I'm not talking about that picture... I'm talking about the last screenshot (at least it was the last one at the time) where he is standing in water in the sewers. He is definitely wearing some sort of additional armor and it is definitely an in-game screenshot. Whether or not it actually makes it into the game is anyone's guess.

@ Maylander: I'm sorry but that explanation you gave in the last post just sounded silly. What exactly did you mean by "he just looks slightly different in these screenshots for some reason?"' What 'reason's' would that be?

..You may very well be right, but I'm just saying that your arguement in that post may not hold up well on a debate team. ;)
 
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Heh... well... hmmm.... that is an interesting question... let's see.... heh...

;)

lateral posterior oscillation
 
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those screens look quite nice. probably will be the only game left for me to buy this year.
 
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Wow, really like these pics! :)
Up till now they have looked good but these are very impressive.

magerette
"I've never really understood why guys often play with a female avatar, but I think I'm beginning to get it."

Hehe, looks like you stumped a couple of tough guys, there magerette. ;)

There are two reasons I am know, but there could be more.
The first is why I always play a female, if possible in any game, especially in a RPG.
There is no way I am spending 20+ hours, many cases much more as in the Witcher looking at some guy's butt, if I have a choice in the matter, since I prefer third person perspective, atm.

I have heard all the positions (afaik) about why devs can't give the option of gender choices and they are all lame and full of crap, i.e. mostly self-justifications.
Since the Witcher doesn't offer a choice, it's defiantly not a positive sign of the game.

Second I have read that some guys (mostly teens) like playing girls characters in games just to control them.
One study I read some years ago listed as an example a console beach volleyball game or similar where they did jumping puzzles mostly to watch jiggly bikinis in action, which I am not saying is a bad thing but mostly sounds like a phase. :)
 
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Acleacius wrote:

...There is no way I am spending 20+ hours, many cases much more as in the Witcher looking at some guy's butt, if I have a choice in the matter, since I prefer third person perspective, atm.

Ace, I'm thinking I totally understand where you're coming from. I think we had this conversation a long time ago in another thread( about romance in games, when I said you were scaring me ;) ) However, as I said, Geralt is helping me adjust to the idea. I don't think I'll mind spending those 20-40+hours the way you describe, but I can see how you might. :)

I have heard all the positions (afaik) about why devs can't give the option of gender choices and they are all lame and full of crap, i.e. mostly self-justifications.
Since the Witcher doesn't offer a choice, it's defiantly not a positive sign of the game.

In most games, I agree. In this game, though, I think it's only logical, since they are basing it on the novels, that the player character has to not only be a guy, but a particular guy (the Witcher.)

I can't see how they could work a female character in except as an NPC. It's more positive IMO that they are trying to stick to the story the way Sapkowski wrote it, since that's what the game's about. And there are some fringe benefits for us females. :)
 
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for me its not about seeing the female form in simulation but rather the whole package. usually the dialogue spoken, voice acting, coupled with the outfits ecetera are much more appealing to me. its often the same reason why 3 out of 4 (possibly more) bands/solo artists i listen to are usually female fronted/created. and over the years i've had far more close female friends than men. i just relate to the opposite sex better usually. that doesn't mean i understand them better though mind you;) so yes in games the male characters are either too arrogant, ignorant, passionless, or my favourite term cro-mag. however my favourite characters to play are the male characters but usually that is in games where you aren't given a choice of gender, race, etc.- the thief games, the gothics, and anachronox.
 
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Hehe, I think your right, I remember something about this coming up before, also. :)

Literary works obviously aren’t interactive and most stories usually need to be specific but in games it would only enhance the outcome, with only minor adjustments.
This is an area Troika, Bioware and Obsidian put work into improving their games that really paid off.
So I can't see how there would be a single negative associated with a Witcher being a female, though I could easily be overlooking or not understand Sapkowski's world, where there maybe be some reason females can't be equal. :S
 
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I also don't care about staring at 3D digital booty ... it is about the character, dialog, hopefully the slightly different reactions of others, and so on. I almost never played as a female for a very long time, but decided to do it for my 'dark side' trip through KotOR. Then the fact that in Jedi Academy the female voicing is so much better (Jennifer Hale FTW), then Kult: Heretic Kingdoms, and so on ...
 
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Hmm... can't say that I've played many games where I was given the option to choose genders. I played Morrowind and always chose a male character because he could carry more. But I will admit that I enjoyed playing the female characters in that old action-rpg Enclave, mostly because they had very attractive digital booties - which, as Ace so eloquently put, is much more enjoyable to watch than a dude's. (Sorry Txa, but I do care about stuff like that.... not much,.. but a little)

I completely relate to everything Curiously Undead (whom, btw, needs an abbreviated nickname) said - I too listen to mostly female recording artists; especially the ones who front hard rock bands, and I prefer womens' voices in games than mens'. I also have many more female friends than male... so I think their should be more female characters in games. That being said, it doesn't bother me in the least that The Witcher does not offer the option to choose... reminds me of Gothic in that respect, and just makes it easier to project myself into the role!
 
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I think part of my problem with a lot of male avatars is what C.U. mentioned, the Cro Magnon cave man look. You want your character to be able to grasp simple concepts like thrust and parry and only pick up the good loot--some of these male models look like crossing the street is too much of an intellectual challenge. It's a minor aspect of a game, though, not a gamebreaker for me.

I had no problem playing the male character in Gothic and relating to an all male world because it was believable and done well. Same with playing The Nameless One--it was his story, and I can't imagine playing it as anyone else. And that's the feeling I get from The Witcher. Geralt has a backstory through the novels and it would be important to see the world through his eyes. Not that a female couldn't be a witcher, but I think it would make the game far more generic feeling if they took Geralt out of it.
 
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Well, for my part, it's pretty simple: I like sassy, assertive, confident chica's in real life, so why not play one in a game now and then. :) Plus, variety is a good thing.
 
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The best female voiced charactor in game - detective Carla Valenti of Fahrenheit :)
 
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