Considering stopping my playthrough and replaying TW1/TW2

Uh, no. A decision to save Triss prevents the massacre at the end of Witcher 2, which the Witcher 3 seems to entirely ignore.

Originally Posted by Thrasher
Uh, no. A decision to save Triss prevents the massacre at the end of Witcher 2, which the Witcher 3 seems to entirely ignore.

Uh, no. Saving Triss just mean that the massacre at Loc Muihne is less than in other possible endings, but it doesn't stop Radovid from starting his witch hunt afterward and Emyr was already killing mages left and right in the novels.

There was no massacre at Loc Muihine in the game if you saved Triss. Don't know why you continue to deny this… Another pointless decision in the grand scheme of things, perhaps, sadly.

I don't think it's hard to understand that some things need to be canon. There's no way you could have two separate storylines for something as major as that. It just isn't feasible for a game as large as TW3.

Originally Posted by Thrasher
There was no massacre at Loc Muihine in the game if you saved Triss. Don't know why you continue to deny this… Another pointless decision in the grand scheme of things, perhaps, sadly.

Going by the wiki, I guess I see where we disagree. I consider the brawl the start out after the dragon show up to be a massacre, what you are talking about is the Radovid with hunt cutscene that only play if you didn't save Triss. But from a narrative point of view saving Triss wouldn't change anything to Radovid's action. He started the witch hunt because of Philipa…

All I know is that after the dragon scene, there were mainly mage bodies everywhere if I didn't save Triss. That's my definition of a massacre. Few (or none, I can't remember) if I did save her. As well as a statement by the head mage (I forget his name) that disaster was averted. Don't really care what a wiki says about what happens later according to cannon.

My point is that I thought it was the MOST major decision you could make in the W2 game, and, as it turns out, it's totally ignored by W3. Sucks, I think…

If you save Triss, not only is there not a massacre, but the Conclave is restored as something of a ruling entity. This is completely ignored by the looks of it.

The save game import really is the biggest disappointment for me. Saskia is not even mentioned, nor is Iorveth, even if you choose to side with him.

As far as I'm concerned they could have just done what PB generally do: Ignore save games and set certain choices as canon. The current version of the feature is more annoying than useful because it ignores almost everything of relevance.

Originally Posted by Maylander
If you save Triss, not only is there not a massacre, but the Conclave is restored as something of a ruling entity. This is completely ignored by the looks of it.

There was no massacre in Loc Muinne, and the Conclave remained intact at that time, but I don't see how that would prevent Radovid from going on his anti-magic crusade.

Regardless of which path you chose in TW2, Radovid still discovers that magic users conspired with Nilfgaard against the northern kingdoms and assisted Letho in the assassinations of King Foltest and King Demavend.

Yeah, so that choice made no real difference. So much for the illusion of your choices having much of an effect… :/ They shouldn't be advertised as such.

Thrasher, TW3 is not ME3.
Choices made in TW1 & TW2 have no huge impact on the final part. There are no war asset surivors to gather from previous games (except maybe Letho if was spared).
Maylander says Iorveth is not even mentioned - that is not true. Rushing through this game is no good, picking non-yellow dialogues is important not just for lore and humor but, believe it or not, those sometimes open new sidequests.

I'm still not done with the game so can't know yet if the ending is red/green/blue.

Originally Posted by joxer
picking non-yellow dialogues is important not just for lore and humor but, believe it or not, those sometimes open new sidequests.

Going by some stuff I read on Reddit, quest givers appear/disappear based on the time of the day, super easy to miss them.

But there is too many quests in this game so it might not matter.

Originally Posted by JDR13
There was no massacre in Loc Muinne, and the Conclave remained intact at that time, but I don't see how that would prevent Radovid from going on his anti-magic crusade.

Regardless of which path you chose in TW2, Radovid still discovers that magic users conspired with Nilfgaard against the northern kingdoms and assisted Letho in the assassinations of King Foltest and King Demavend.

Sure, but the 2nd fall of the Conclave would be a massive event, certainly worthy of mention. Also, without the massacre of Loc Muinne, there would be a lot more magic users to contend with - keep in mind the only reason they got killed so easily is the massive shield in place, preventing them from burning Radovid & co to ash. Taking up arms against them without that shield in place would be a completely different story.

Edit: Also, if I recall correctly, the last thing the leader of the Conclave says to Geralt (right before facing Letho) is that they're going to seal the city and then restore it to its former glory. There's no way anyone could've assaulted such a bastion of magic power without immense casualties.

Originally Posted by joxer
Thrasher, TW3 is not ME3.
Choices made in TW1 & TW2 have no huge impact on the final part. There are no war asset surivors to gather from previous games (except maybe Letho if was spared).
Maylander says Iorveth is not even mentioned - that is not true. Rushing through this game is no good, picking non-yellow dialogues is important not just for lore and humor but, believe it or not, those sometimes open new sidequests.

Of course I explored all the non-yellow ones. There's no way there's any quest involving Iorveth in the game, or I'd know about it. The only mention I found was his Gwent card, and that obviously doesn't count. If he is mentioned at some point, I'd really like to know what was said - what he is up to? He should be somewhere around the Pontar Valley along with Saskia according to the save game I used.

Originally Posted by joxer
I'm still not done with the game so can't know yet if the ending is red/green/blue.

It's not. As far as I can tell, there are at least two endings depending on a choice made long before the actual ending. Quite interesting, I'm going to try the second option in my current game.

I specifically picked not killing Letho (as well as Phllippa) just to allow them to make an encore appearance. But those are minor to preventing the massacre. And nothing….

It is possible for them to show up actually. Nothing major, but they present.

Originally Posted by Thrasher
Yeah, so that choice made no real difference. So much for the illusion of your choices having much of an effect… :/ They shouldn't be advertised as such.

I said regardless of what "path" you took. There is no single choice that affects what happens to the mages as that's obviously meant to be canon.

As for your choices in TW2, most of them seem to be properly represented in TW3.

Originally Posted by Maylander
Sure, but the 2nd fall of the Conclave would be a massive event, certainly worthy of mention. Also, without the massacre of Loc Muinne, there would be a lot more magic users to contend with - keep in mind the only reason they got killed so easily is the massive shield in place, preventing them from burning Radovid & co to ash. Taking up arms against them without that shield in place would be a completely different story.

Edit: Also, if I recall correctly, the last thing the leader of the Conclave says to Geralt (right before facing Letho) is that they're going to seal the city and then restore it to its former glory. There's no way anyone could've assaulted such a bastion of magic power without immense casualties.

I don't agree that would or should make much of a difference at all. Radovid's army would still outnumber the mages 100 to 1. I somehow doubt the mages present for the summit at Loc Muinne would have a significant impact in the overall scheme of things.

It's also mentioned several times (though never explained why afaik), that the emperor of Nilfgaard has no love for the mages either. So once Radovid began his crusade, the mages/sorceresses were pretty much on their own.

Originally Posted by JDR13
I don't agree that would or should make much of a difference at all. Radovid's army would still outnumber the mages 100 to 1. I somehow doubt the mages present for the summit at Loc Muinne would have a significant impact in the overall scheme of things.

It's also mentioned several times (though never explained why afaik), that the emperor of Nilfgaard has no love for the mages either. So once Radovid began his crusade, the mages/sorceresses were pretty much on their own.

That would imply having an army anywhere near Loc Muinne. He only brought a handful to the summit (a small mercenary band). Did he suddenly march his army up there, through other kingdoms, in order to lay siege to the mages before Nilfgaard could get there? Again, this would be rather significant.

Also, what is to prevent the mages from doing what Glevissig did and simply decimate entire armies with fireballs? I understand that they can't do it in close quarter, but on a battlefield? To be perfectly honest, I don't understand why they don't just teleport in, cast that spell, and teleport out again. They could have dealt with Radovid easily based on what we've seen in the games (even with the massacre at Loc Muinne), but that's another debate entirely. It's actually an annoyance of mine that walking, talking nuclear weapons are being apprehended by regular soldiers. One of them would have "pulled a Glessivig", I'm sure of it.

Originally Posted by azarhal
Going by some stuff I read on Reddit, quest givers appear/disappear based on the time of the day, super easy to miss them.

But there is too many quests in this game so it might not matter.

Don't believe everything reddit says.
Most of sidequests you can trigger by several means. Some noonwraith contract for example you'll trigger if you find dead bodies in the field or when you reach a certain suspicious looking ruin or from the townboard. Some quests you trigger by just eavesdrop (can't now pull out of the sleeve in which villages, but it happened to me) and some by just going rightclick and inspecting some red object, for example

That's the beauty of this game, it's something I haven't seen in any other RPG ever.
Traders do have their operating time. Most are available during the day, some appear only at dawn, some only afternoon.

Originally Posted by Maylander
If he is mentioned at some point, I'd really like to know what was said - what he is up to? He should be somewhere around the Pontar Valley along with Saskia according to the save game I used.

Sadly, I can't remember what was said about Iorveth. Didn't care as I used the Roche path choice.
Gwent cards don't count, ofc! They do add a bit to the lore when you read oneliners on them, but that's not it.

Originally Posted by Thrasher
I specifically picked not killing Letho (as well as Phllippa) just to allow them to make an encore appearance. But those are minor to preventing the massacre. And nothing….

I don't think Phillipa can die during TW2. Or better said I can't remember she can. She can get imprisoned though.

Told you that Gerald is not space Jesus Shepard. The world is not rotating around him. His choices do have an impact on microlocations, but the ban of magic, racism, the war and such stuff, he just cannot change nor prevent. He is not a politician nor a superhero, his job is one and only - to kill monsters. And of curse, to survive.

Originally Posted by Maylander
That would imply having an army anywhere near Loc Muinne. He only brought a handful to the summit (a small mercenary band). Did he suddenly march his army up there, through other kingdoms, in order to lay siege to the mages before Nilfgaard could get there? Again, this would be rather significant.

No, I was talking about Radovid vs the mages in general, not just Loc Muinne. You seem determined to believe that the mages there would have been enough to change the overall outcome for some reason. They obviously weren't, but I won't try to convince you.

Originally Posted by Maylander
Also, what is to prevent the mages from doing what Glevissig did and simply decimate entire armies with fireballs? I understand that they can't do it in close quarter, but on a battlefield? To be perfectly honest, I don't understand why they don't just teleport in, cast that spell, and teleport out again. They could have dealt with Radovid easily based on what we've seen in the games (even with the massacre at Loc Muinne), but that's another debate entirely. It's actually an annoyance of mine that walking, talking nuclear weapons are being apprehended by regular soldiers. One of them would have "pulled a Glessivig", I'm sure of it.

It's a moot point. If the mages were that powerful on their own, why didn't they just conquer everyone else a long time ago?

Originally Posted by JDR13
It's also mentioned several times (though never explained why afaik), that the emperor of Nilfgaard has no love for the mages either. So once Radovid began his crusade, the mages/sorceresses were pretty much on their own.

Book spoilers, Emhyr hates mages because

As for all that talk of soldiers vs mages, there is few powerful mages around (i.e. Sources), the rest are no better than witchers or a country healer/witch who brew potions. As for Sabrina Glessivig, she cast a curse using her life to decimate a battlefield, not quite the same thing as throwing fireballs at soldiers. The Fyke Island curse was caused by a none mage.