Witcher 2 Witcher 2 - preorder/sales - and financial sucess

I preordered from GOG long time ago. Aside how i feel about the game. I think its my duty as PC gamer , and RPG gamer to draw a line (with my wallet) which i want companies to follow

But I really wonder how their sales will go ? And i think lot of industry is looking with anticipation

If they go well , it will be a sign of hope for classic (complex) RPG and non-DRM customer trust

On other hand if it fails , we can all embrace the new Bioware and say "yes you were right, there is no market for (complex) RPGs anymore" , and forget about non DRM games in future

It is time we as PC gamers make a stand

I couldn't agree more buy the game people but as for drm its never going to go away. Hell Sony and Microsoft are said to be working on drm for there new consoles also. No more copying console games and to kill the used market of course.

2trix, you can't possibly expect that Bioware will follow GOG's (potential) success. Or CDProjekt's.
Especially with a game that used to use their engine, with creators that had to upgrade that very same engine and finally decided to ditch that engine. How they dare to make a completely new engine for the sequel, how they dare to avoid DRM! We're Borg, oops… We're Bioware, prepare to be assimilated.

joxer said:

2trix, you can't possibly expect that Bioware will follow GOG's (potential) success. Or CDProjekt's.
Especially with a game that used to use their engine, with creators that had to upgrade that very same engine and finally decided to ditch that engine. How they dare to make a completely new engine for the sequel, how they dare to avoid DRM! We're Borg, oops… We're Bioware, prepare to be assimilated.

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I dont expect Bioware to follow nothing. Bioware is no more. It is EA.
And the good doctors decided that their creative days are done (and thanks to them for many good games) and their money making days are upon.

Bioware next game will be full blown first person shooter (DICE are helping them)
with some dialogues throw in.


What I do expect is for investors and publishers to take heed of (hopefull) witcher 2 sucess , and stop molesting RPG companies into dumbing down games. And start taking PC (and core RPG) players seriously , as buyers.

Twotricks said:

I preordered from GOG long time ago. Aside how i feel about the game. I think its my duty as PC gamer , and RPG gamer to draw a line (with my wallet) which i want companies to follow

...

It is time we as PC gamers make a stand

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I wholeheartedly agree.
I have long since pre-ordered on GOG, and will buy as soon as possible.

, it will be a sign of hope for classic (complex) RPG

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How is TW1 more complex than say Mass Effect? it has even more dumbed down gameplay mechanics and not even a party?

Mass Effect also has C&C that will even effect the outcome of the entire game... something I have not managed to do in TW1 ? So I wouldn't say TW1 is much stronger there either?

GothicGothicness said:

How is TW1 more complex than say Mass Effect? it has even more dumbed down gameplay mechanics and not even a party?

Mass Effect also has C&C that will even effect the outcome of the entire game… something I have not managed to do in TW1 ? So I wouldn't say TW1 is much stronger there either?

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The thing with most games there just small changes that doesn't alter the game in meaningful ways. Mass Effect 1+2 are a step in the right direction but still I want a Living world that reacts not just small changes to what people say and different events in cut-scenes.

GothicGothicness said:

How is TW1 more complex than say Mass Effect? it has even more dumbed down gameplay mechanics and not even a party?

Mass Effect also has C&C that will even effect the outcome of the entire game… something I have not managed to do in TW1 ? So I wouldn't say TW1 is much stronger there either?

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You do mean ME1, not ME2, right? With ME2 it's not even a debatable contest, I think. Just a shooter with dialog where your hand is held so much, it's harder to do a quest wrong that right. What game affecting C&C do you mean? The only things I can think of are council vs alliance (almost no effect), Wrex (inconsequential) and the loyalty missions (which meant that a few squad members could die just before the credits rolled).

Even vs ME1, TW1 has a lot more ways you can complete quests, completely fail them, miss them, some depend on timing (ie being there at a place at precisely some time), others on your ability to analyze the information/journal. Way more than 'read precise directions in codex', 'travel to planet', 'shoot everything along the corridor when you arrive', get XP, rinse and repeat.

OT - Tom Gop said that TW2 cost 30m PLN to build, so about 10m USD give or take a few cents in f/x differences (not sure if that figure includes marketing, though). Financed over 3 years... I'm guessing it needs about 1.5m to make them happy. Hope they make it - these guys and Larian are all that's left, now that BioWare have gone full retard.

ME1 was before EA ? (or at purchase point) So it was still "old" Bioware.

I dont even need to discuss anything else but the clear direction Bioware is taking in DA:O -> DA2 or ME1 -> ME2 -> ME3

Lol sure ME1 better than ME2.

That's right that Witcher 1 had plenty dumbed down elements, small and relatively linear area but very few, simplified dungeons, awfully empty houses, only Dungeon Lords beat them at the game, very simplified equipment, very very few weapon/armor choices, not much tricks and puzzles elements, in some parts repetitive simplified fights, too many little pointless fights with no design, and few more I have forget.

But the writing is just unmatched and was making any story elements interesting to follow, even the encyclopedia was the only really to read I ever seen in RPG, the sense of humor is also unmatched for RPG, there's a real feeling of some choices and the game highlight well some consequences of past choices, and the more or less important choices really feel like choices ie each choices are well balanced on any aspect from greed to morale, also choices are well spread all along the game, the world living in general and through many dialogs was quite well done even if with some flaws, and the last but not the least the fights was good for those putting few effort in exploiting all their depth.

Very flawed and very dumbed down RPG on some points, but quite high quality on some other points.

and are well spread all along the game,

It is funny that we are comparing Witcher 1. A game by rookie team from Poland. Made with poor budget and on totally unfitting engine.
With super expensive project by the gods of PC RPG. And still Witcher 1 has thing or two to teach them.

Lol Bioware Gods of PC RPG? Sometime you should write seven words in your mind before write one with keyboard.

Dasale said:

Lol Bioware Gods of PC RPG? Sometime you should write seven words in your mind before write one with keyboard.

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Huh?!

Baldurs Gate ?

Twotricks said:

Huh?!

Baldurs Gate ?

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First not everybody agree about how great is BG1&2, I don't understand well why so many people put them that high, or at least why they think anybody will.

Anyway like it's been quoted multiple times BG2 has dumbed down many points in RPG, and probably for a reason. It's a sort of apparition of RPG targeted to mass market. And there's probably a reason for that, a RPG golden age preceded it, during this age it wasn't a necessity to dumb down anything because RPG was hugely popular in general. Then market and players base evolved and RPG sells dropped down.

From this short dark age, Fallout 1 is the first to have emerged and it has started all with high production RPG, but with a much more ambitious design layout than did BG1 few after, like keeping tactical fights turn based, (relatively) complex exploration, and more. But it's more BG1 and even more BG2 that started a general dumbed down process.

For example BG2 marks appearance of the dumbed down dungeons, the apparition of limited area with a complexity dumbed down to allow a higher production value, the appearance of a very organized world with limited free exploration, the apparition of dumbed down companions romances, the disappearing of puzzles and tricks to solve, the difficulty of the game centered on the action, and many more.

I won't agree with the theorist of the dumbed down conspiracy, and even less about Bioware the cause of all, but the point is BG1&2 is a way to make RPG but not the only way and not a reason to throw Bioware on a throne of RPG. For example I consider Fallout 1 hugely superior.

Definitely not going to pre-order Witcher 2. I'll let you folks go first and, if the forum doesn't erupt in a volcano of "can't complete chapter 3 because of such & such bug" posts, I'll go ahead and buy it. Waiting an extra day or three has saved me a lot of frustration over the years.

(Also, NVIDIA is saying the stereoscopic 3D in the game doesn't work so well with the current drivers but does work nicely with the next round of drivers.)

Atari has now announced they are also providing a DRM free digital download of TW2 and giving TW1 free with it. They've got it on the front page of Atari.com now.

It's nothing that GOG hasn't already planned for some time now but it's nice that the publisher is supporting that as well.

You know i think it will do well. I am flip flopping on this game when i said it has very little hype.

Interesting tidbit: I noticed the witcher is on place two of the steam topsellers today. Although there isn't that much competition atm (#1 is Brink), probably indicates it is doing pretty well.

Zloth said:

Definitely not going to pre-order Witcher 2. I'll let you folks go first and, if the forum doesn't erupt in a volcano of "can't complete chapter 3 because of such & such bug" posts, I'll go ahead and buy it. Waiting an extra day or three has saved me a lot of frustration over the years.

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Pessimistic approach, eh?
That's why the community is here to provide workarounds if needed (remember the Risen critical bug that was successfully dealt with before the patch - the community made a solution ).

Btw, I don't plan to reach the third chapter the very first day. I want to explore the chapter one thoroughly. And I'm pretty sure everyone else wants the same thing.
So... You'll have to wait a bit to see if there is any critical bug or not.

As for gfx card drivers and polishing up effects... Meh... Excuses, excuses... I don't believe that there is any RPG player interested into ingame hyperrealism.

GhanBuriGhan said:

Interesting tidbit: I noticed the witcher is on place two of the steam topsellers today. Although there isn't that much competition atm (#1 is Brink), probably indicates it is doing pretty well.

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On Amazon.com the boxed version is #1 in Strategy(?!) games and #3 in all games right now.

The expensive collector's edition is #1 in RPGs and #8 in all games now.

Obviously, the regular version was mis-categorized, but it's still nice to see it selling so well. In particular, I am surprised how well the CE is doing. Gamestop lists it as backordered on their site and can't guarantee they can fill anymore than what was already ordered.