RPGWatch Feature: Inside The Witcher, Part 2
 

We wrap up our in-depth hands-on Witcher preview with a look at the character system, combat and more:
Read it here.

More information.

I'm not sure this second part came together quite the way I wanted it to, but there you go. If time permits, I may try to whip up some updated impressions from further into the game just before release.

Nice work, Dhruin. :)

I am certainly looking forward to this.

Unless there is a very easy mode or a way to shut off the combo system this pretty much ruins the game for me. I can't time my hits in games because I suck at it so every other time I attack I would be leaving myself open for an attack so I would be in a bad situation because of being hit so many times that I would end up getting killed quite often.

It really isn't that hard - the timing is fairly generous, and, of course there is an easy mode. If you played practically any action/RPG, you'll be able to cope with this.

What is the 'Death' consequence in the game, you didn't mention it. Are we to assume you never died!! :)

I love that you called the strategically placed "cat" card "one of the more tasteful examples" :lol: If that's tasteful, I blush to think of what the rest must be like…

About the "card" mini-game, is it just a cheap feature in the game (random females in the street you can engage), or is there really a mini-game, like a small quest or something to deserve the women's.. huh… Atention?

Good article. I am very much not a twitch gamer but it seems as though this is no more twitchy than Diablo which is within my range of acceptability.

I really see them losing sales unnecessarily due to not including things like Auto Chaining feature to help with non-twitch/non-hack & slash player and no Character Customization, which are easily worth the sales increase verses the time to program them.

Any chance of getting more info or a screen shot of the actual Tokens being spent?
Basicly would like to know/see more about this do we get 1 Token per quest or is it more like 5 Tokens per level?
Also are we forced to spend each point as we get it before we know (or think we know) how we will need to approach the next big fight?

Additionally didn't I read Geralt was sort of like a Vampire, yet I keep seeing references to a Wolf/Beast, like on the CS and the Necklace, or is this more Mythos we in the English speaking world have missed out on so far? :)

I thought the combat description sounded do-able; especially with a pause around for moments of panic. It sounds like they tried to be realistic without making it too easy. It's also nice to see somebody do something with alchemy to make it a worthwhile skill.

There look to be a number of ways that CDProjekt has tried to do things that are creative within the existing action rpg framework, and lord knows somebody needs to. I think playing a character where magic has to tie in with swordsmanship is a real divergence from the typical approach and should make it a lot more interesting than your average hack n slash attack mode.

I guess we'll all find out how good it actually does these things soon, which is good because the more I hear the more I want to play. Nice job, Drhuin. :)

I don't mind missing out on the babe trading cards too much, though. ;)

Death: you die. Reload. ;)

I didn't die for quite some time but the opening areas are more or less a tutorial. One or two of the "set piece" fights were harder and I had to use my precious potions (now I'm out - it' s not like Diablo where you stock up on 50x health potions and guzzle them every two minutes).

In the swamp, I was getting repetitively killed, particularly by a plant thing. I eventually ran through to each "safe" area. Not sure if I just missed the right way to kill it or my build wasn't very good - or maybe you are supposed to run.

There are quests, so far. I've only pursued a couple of options, because it isn't a feature I'm that fussed about. Winning a local wench just required some flowers, getting a freebie deal with the local prostitutes required a quest to get rid of three groups of jerks harassing them at night. There is an "old friend" that *looks* like a full romance - several quests in and I keep dropping hints but she isn't biting. Yet. I could be wrong, though.

I wonder if the Australian version will be completely uncencored, or if I'll have to get this one from gogame.uk as well. It's sounding like a very enjoyable game. Is it really possible we'll get two great RPGs inside one year?

I really don't see them losing sales over no auto-chain. In fact, without that, combat would be rather monotonous. It's an action/RPG - everyone expects *some* action.

No character customisation I agree with but this is a conscious decision rather than lack of budget or anything. Knowing that the character variation would be limited (to stay true to the books), they chose to create a marketable, recognisable character - Geralt. Not saying I entirely agree but perhaps they think the focused marketing will bring in more than they will lose. *shrug*

Didn't I say you get three tokens per level (so far)? Not sure what different screen I can take because you simply click on the skills you can see in these screenshots when you want to spend tokens. One token = one skill (so far).

Really, they're just skill points, except you need silver and gold for higher levels.

Medallion - not a vampire or anything; I think this is just the symbol for witchers.

Heh, I was quite annoyed when I first heard about the seduce-a-wench
minigame but mostly because it created concern (like quite a few people
pointed out) about how maturely they handled all those other adult (no
pun intended, maybe) Themes that are ingrained into Sapkowski's world…

Since everything else seems to have come out OK I can easily ignore that
bit of silliness…

The NPC's AI related glitch was the worst one I have seen in gameplay vids
and is some cause for concern, but I hope they had time to work on it as Dhruin says..

Great overall preview Dhruin. You seem to have tackled exactly the things I was
most interested in learning about (especially pt1). Great to know that they were
in such a generally good shape performance/stability wise in this already a couple
of months old beta…

First, thanx for the info, Dhruin.

As for "combo" issue, reading the article, I get an impression that the term combo is rather misleading… It doesn't sound like a hectic combination of assigned buttons/keys but a series of movements gained through skills, which can be broken if the players click at a bad timing. This system sounds more manageable than combos in some console/arcade action games. Rather, just as Dhruin pointed out, it might turn out to be boring in a long term.

A predefined protagonist is not rare in story-focused RPG. Geralt does look marketable than the nameless hero in Gothic series, of which I don't feel bitter as far as it reduces the risk of a failure, but considering the setting, I think Geralt is less customizable in terms of the abilities than his counterparts in Gothic. I understand this since designers repeatedly mentioned witchers are swordsmen but I wonder if they are successful offering a variety of game-plays through skill-branches. Although support magics called signs seem to be limited, alchemy appears to offer some rewards for explorations and resource-managements.

About mini-games, I'd rather like the designers enhance the main games rather than implementing cheap mini-games. However, here we go. Although I cannot but be cynical about how the cheap porno-like mini game turns out, I hope it won't be so stupid enough to ruin the dark setting. Generally speaking, a scent of eroticism may work in this kind of setting but as far as I see the "presentations" so far, they are way too obvious and obscene. In fact, for whom should the mini-game be in the first place? If someone were happy with this kind of mini-game at all, I couldn't but feel sorry for him or her (well, depending on the orientation)… Britney might say, "Mind you, being a sex symbol is a risky business." ;)

The decision makings in the story appears to be focused more on the character of the setting originally created by Sapkowski than on the characters of Geralt and/or NPCs different from conventional story-focused RPGs. The players are given decisions but they are not given decisions which can change the world essentially. Seeing the results of their own decisions cannot be ego-stroking since the players are not able to make difference in a long view. They cannot change the lives/destinies of Geralt and NPCs since they are left to the murky streams in the world created by Sapkowski. I am interested in how this approach turns out.

Well then we ask them to put cloaks in the girls, so puritanism wont be offended :biggrin:

I didn't see any mention of ranged combat. Are there bows or crossbows available or is it all melee?

Well, I don't care for puritanism or purerism ;) but I don't like to feel stupid when playing the game(still hypothetically speaking).

Could the combat possibly be something like it was in "Summoner"? The videos look A LOT faster than Summoner and they added a pause function, but does it feel like it did in Summoner? That would be prette awesome, because I quite liked the combat sytem there.

Honestly, I don't know how much variety you can get through the character system in different play throughs. I think they've done a good job in terms of sword specialisation but I really can't see much differentiation in character builds at this point. In terms of Gothic, there are waaaaay more skills to choose from but less overall differentiation.

I agree on the mini-games. I thought the poker and boxing fit the setting quite well and were nice diversions but I'd rather the time went into something else. *shrug*

There is a skill to deflect arrows, which I have. I've seen one instance of an attack from enemies with ranged weapons - I think. Don't laugh, but it was dark and I was getting hit by what I assume were arrows but it was a bit chaotic. I've not seen bows for sale and the weapon slots don't look they would take a bow.

So, I think there is some ranged weapons in the setting but I doubt Geralt can use them. Not 100% sure, though.

Very much like Summoner (though much more visually exciting). I left that comparison out of the text because I figured too few people would understand it.

decisions have great affect to the game world
 

The decisions you make have great affect to the world and they can change the game world completly. Small example. In the quest wich u choose to give the weapons to the elves' terrorists or protect the weapons. Cosquences: If u choose to give them weapons they will kill somone important in the future with that weapons and u won't be able to talk with him. I don't quite remember what's the consequence of protect them. For sure it will make the humans stronger in the fight against the elves. This is a small example from the spoilers. There are many more choises of bigger majority. Sorry 4 my language.

One thing you didn't mention Dhruin, is that four main stats affect other stats as well. For example if you want to get higher level signs you need to buff your stamina to an appropriate level (yep, in this game stamina works for mana). The same is with other skills.

Overall, great preview, looking for more :).

I stubbornly played a specialized mage in Gothic II, for example, but probably you are right. I know I am a minority – most of people tends to play a jack-of-all-trades type characters since such character-builds are more competent.
That's not what I meant. I know some examples including yours. However, different from conventional RPGs including even Fallout and Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines, not to mention Bioware games, in the Witcher, players' intentions are not always reflected to the end-result. Judging from what I read so far, you cannot expect good intentions are always rewarded well and are reminded that the road to hell is paved with good intentions. The players almost always have to make decisions without knowing the whole picture. In fact, Geralt himself is suffering from the lack of memory, which most likely has an impact on his destiny. In Planescape: Torment, even if the protagonist is suffering from total lack of his memory, the players can still put positive/negative effects on the lives of NPCs but I don't think this is the case of the Witcher. Whether you intend good or ill, the results are mostly left to treacherous and murky nature of Spakowsky's world aloof to human intentions. I don't know this is going as far as JP Sartre's Wall, in which Sartre shows the limit of existentialist heroism by describing the world indifferent to any human condition, symbolize as a wall. However, this may turn out interesting but can leave some players unsatisfied, too. Probably, we have to wait at least someone finishes the game.

As in the real life :). But i'm sure there's a lot of dialogues and info and this will help you to make right choice. Some of the decisions will depend on your character, not black/white RPG character, but your character as a human being . Some of your mood. There are many mature problems in the game like genocide and racism. Witcher is gray. There's no black and white decisions there. it's a bulls eye hit 4 me.

I'm eaglerly looking forward this long term consequence stuff. I want this game to challange me to think what I do. In most rpg games its far to easy to see beforehand the possible outcomes…

Character customization
 

Hi!
First of all, I'd like to mention, that I'm huge fan of Sapkowski's so called "The Witcher Saga", which Geralt is one of main characters (the story in The Witcher PC Game takes place 5 years after story from books). I have already read this saga twice (it includes 5 main books + 2 books which are short stories loosly connected with main 5-book story).
Some time ago (I don't remember well) there was… khem… "movie" made by polish crew. The movie turned out to be low-budget class B pathetic pseudomovie :). In fact this movie has nothing similliar with books except of the title and white hair of main character :). Actually, the movie is hatred by polish The Witcher Saga fans.

That's first purpose why developers decided to limit character customization. CDPR (developers) wanted to make The Witcher PC Game realm as similiar to Sapkowski's "The Witcher Saga" as possible, and as good as possible ;). They also didn't want their game to share the fate of movie. But even that PC Game is going to be similiar as books, they are some differences, which alters gameplay. For example: Igni sign is not as powerful as in game - in books its more like something between welding torch and little flamethrower.

The second purpose is that The Witcher is to be story driven. So developers decided to make bold character. Geralt fits well. I prefer that kind of character rather than Oblivion-like: you can be orc, elf or human; mage, knight or assassin; intelligent, dexterious or strong -> but no matter what type of character you are: story is the same, even NPCs treats you same. Its silly. Of course, there are mages in witcher's world, so you may ask "why not playing one of them"? Beacuse story wouldn't (couldn't!) be the same!

According to books: witchers are not vampires nor werewolves or any other known kind of creature. They are something like order or brotherhood _made_ to fight creatures. This is their job, they don't fight evil monsters in the name of god or anything, but for money. Witcher kills beast, takes gold and may buy some bread and get a room to sleep. To be a witcher you have to pass tough training and so called "trial of herbs" (most of human didn't stay alive after it, beacuse those herbs are poisonous, mutation making drugs). But not everyone may be the witcher. In fact, noone wants to, so little children are taken from parents, and then trained. Witchers _are_ swordfighters. They are trained to fight with sword, not a bow, not an axe. So, in the game, they do fight sword, not a bow (rarely with axe). The signs are "lesser" magic. They are to help witchers in tough situations (when they are getting bit by more powerful monster ;)). But in fact, real (true) magicians laugh when witchers calls their sings "magic". Wizards would call them "circus tricks". Witchers maybe can be compared to samurais.
And one more thing about Geralt. When passing trial of herbs - human child becomes mutated. For example his eyes are catlike, alse AFAIR they become infertile. But these are not only physical mutations, but mental too. Witchers are vanished from feelings, like love or shame. It's both good and bad for them, because for witcher is nothing special or bad to get into creepy, stinky, disguisting swamp and kill slimy drowner and then cut off his liver to make a potion. But as I said they are unable to love, so sometimes they get "You don't understand me" women problems :D. But Geralt is different. His feelings weren't totally vanished. It's easier for him to hide this "secret" (so he can easily put on his "feelingless mask") but sometimes it turns out that his not just killing-machine. Geralt is really fantastic character.

So you may complain about character customization and limited inventory. But you have to understand why it is like that. It's not beacuse developers are lazy or low on funds. It's beacuse Geralt and witcher's order is described pretty well in books and as the story developes we find Geralt really unique kind of (anti)hero. And developers wanted to make game with this unique kind of anithero. A hero with great story behind him and specific feautres of character. That won't be the same game if you could choose between elf, dwarf and human; mage or kngiht. If you like RPGs you should understand that, beacuse such limitation turns out to have positive influence on game plot.

No bows available. Only swords and other melee weapons. Of course swords are most important.

Dhruin
True they do need some action, but it seems that's what made Summoner so diverse giving it solid sales across many different genres.
There are RPG gamers that don't play clicky hack & slash RPGs, even had a few here at Watch mention it would turn them away.
I sure Witcher will do well, it sounds like a great game and I hope it gets the diverse sales. :)

Opps, apologizes I must have missed it, I should sleep more.
____

In general I am not sure why so many seem to be bothered by the Seduction abilities, it makes it seem more realistic, it's like some of you don't even know sex exist. :p
While it certainly wasn't a mini-game in medieval Europe, it's hard to believe many of us would be here if it wasn't for the seduction business (pun maybe intended). :)
_____
Dusk
Exactly.

Sounds like I will very much enjoy Witcher but this weapons scenario, what we have learned about the game so far, is that someone important dies either way and I don't see that would normally happen.

The problem is that English language world doesn't know Witcher world yet, if we don't get some explanation of the potential problems and what WE as gamers are fighting for, there will be no upside, which could possibly leave gamers unsatisfied.

Sabre
Wow, very good info here, thanks. :)

This certainly is true of oblivion, but there are many RPGs where different races and sexes are viewed and treated differently.
I don't see how playing as a dark haired or red haired Geralt would matter to anyone that's what choice is all about, maybe he is disguised so one of his girlfriends won't recognize him, in town. ;)

By not allowing us any customization, we English speaking potential fans will identify with Geralt less, it will be more like, "oh were playing some guy from a book" instead of a guy we helped build.
It's sort of like someone telling me well we sell 31 flavors of ice cream (RPG), but you can only have vanilla.
Vanilla is good but so are the other 30 flavors. ;)

U give weapons to terrorists. They kill someone with that weapon. Wouldn't that normally happen ?

Ok, sorry 4 double post but I need to tell something. The world in the game will be explained, so u don't need to know the book. Geralt has an amnesia so we learn the rules with him. People don't like him cause he is diffrent from them - he is a mutant. But he is a neseserry evil cause he is a monster slayer fo hire. He may feel connection for the elves and dwarves (they are different like him) , but mostly they are bloody terrorists. He kills monsters but sometimes humans are worse and more cruel than these creatures. So he must choose his role in the world where nothing is clear, and the future is uncertain.

Thank for the info on this game, the witcher and Geralt, MikeZZ :) Really and truly a great read :)

As for the good or bad actions in the game, I thought the choices were between bad and worse -- not between god or bad or neutral options in the game. From what I've read about this game, there is no correct and proper choice when it comes to solving the quests. You may solve the quests any way which you like as long as you've prepared to live with the consequences…

/aries100

I had heard some rumors… but discarded them as absurd…
Really, the stork thing seems much more plausible…

Seriously though its the card thing that gets me, not the erroticism… I too agree
that it adds texture and realism to the world and loved that there was a brothel
in G2.

Hell since they tackle with adult themes they could have gone the extra mile
and drawn some parallels between the kind of social rejection witchers *and*
prostitutes face (they are receptacles of loathing and disgust but their services
seem to be ever in high demand by the hypocrites ready to cast the first stone
at them etc … ;) )

Could this be the red-haired girl that I keep seeing in screenshots around the web? She's hot… for a 3-d avatar that is ;)

It seems that a lot of you out there are feeling slighted because of the lack of character choices/ skills offered. I completely understand that. Fortunately for me, Geralt is exactly the type of character I like to play. For the rest of you, I'd say that the world of the Witcher sounds so layered and interesting that I could see spin-off games from this in which you could play as.. say.. a female character or a mage, or a dwarf or elf, with an appropriate story built around them. If I were CDProjekt I would give that some consideration. It would be a refreshing change to see a sequel to a game (or add-on) that wouldn't necessitate playing the same character all over again.

I have to agree with you Jabberwocky, for a melee/magic using character. Geralt would be the personification of who I would prefer to play. And I agree, an X-pak or sequel would be an excellent place to add in some alternate character options.

@JonNik:Very good points, especially the social outcasts parallel. I don't mind brothels and hookers a bit either, in fact, I wouldn't have played Temple of Elemental Evil without the patch that added the brothel back in, because it was a valid and almost esssential strand in the plot, nor did I mind the gay pirate etc. It's the adolescent idea of making sex into a trading card minigame with soft core photos that to me adds very little to the real core of an adult themed game.

But as I've said before, compared to everything else the Witcher has going for it, it's pretty minor and ignorable for me. I may even end up buying th International version, not for the card game, but for the uncut artwork. :)

It seems that one of Sapkowski's short stories, Lesser Evil, is available for free at the net. If this story is any indication of the quests in-game, then we are certainly in for a treat. Does anyone of the Polish fans know if Sapkowski had anything to do with 'The Witcher's' (the game) storyline/writing? Also I would love to see the rest of his work published in English (can't read Polish, unfortunately, but looks like he's a better writer than most)

From what I know he was not directly involved in any of the aspects of the game.
Though I read that they were in touch with him during creation of the game.

AFAIK he accepted dialogues (in polish of course), storyline, and took part in preparation of glossary and a world map.

One of the novels has been published in the UK this year. It was in the CD Projekt goodie bag at the GC.

Mikezz
Well, I mean that we are told a important NPC dies either way, a different one but still seems the same outcome, at least from our perspective of not knowing the world or having played the game. :)

This is very good to know, we are fighting for something more than just gold and I am really looking forward to the game. :)

aries100
Still hard to wrap my head around that, since I don't see the real world choices as lesser of two evils, so every time someone says "like in the real world", it gets confusing. ;)

JonNik
Me too, it seems with majority of gamers being adults, it's long over due we get to deal with more adult situations, as the Witcher seems to be doing with current issues like racism and afaik these little sexcapades are more humor based. :)

I hope they had the time to do this, too.

Jabberwocky
Not really slighted but mostly think the game would get a bigger audience.

Yes sounds like a great world and that's a great idea idea about future works. :)