Attack for God's sake!! A.K.A. What am I doing wrong?

I just had that happen and it's so annoying I had to turn it off for a while. There was a huge, long cutscene where someone was trapped outside the city gates about to get attacked by a bunch of demon dogs or something, and nobody would go out to help this person. The hero steps up, and says I'll go do it. Another load, then I'm immediately thrust into battle getting torn to shreds. Blech.

Sad to say it never gets better in this regard, however to game in general is so good it's worth playing. Though I highly suggest, at least until we get some confromation from the developers that Save games will work with patch 1.2, you might consider playing something else, for a the next week. Just as an effort to help spare you guys the torment of those mechanics many of us have suffered through for the last month. Since there have been so many complaints about this, it's possible they will do something about it and if not then you really still lose nothing, but worst case is you get to chapter 2 or 3 and boom the patch won't work with old saves, forcing you to start over.

I didn't think about the save thing. I don't think I can wait to play it though, I'll have to risk it.

Incedentally I have always felt the opposite about the speed of Geralt's 'sword-drawing'. He's lighting in my opinion, and I've said before that's the only redeeming thing about getting jumped right off the bat. Maybe I'm just attaching reality to the game a bit too much, but I've drawn two-handed swords off my back before (don't ask) and it doesn't work like that in real life… so be thankful he isn't slower.

Could the speed be slightly related to framerates you are getting Sammy? I know I've had times (pre NVidia 8800 days) where a game would lag and I didn't even realize it was a performance issue until playing it again with more power.

The part I totally agree on is that they should allow you to draw your weapon whenever you want to and sheath it when you want. A ridiculous design to have it any other way.

Good point, Shadows are usually the biggest culprit for lagging out an action sequence.

In group battles, take care to target the closest enemy, not one Geralt will try to run to.

Moreover, these are the situations where the KING AND QUEEN bomb shines - keep a stack of those on a quickslot. Much faster than powering up an Axii, cheap to produce, and you even find some early.

I've never made or used bombs. Are they really that effective?

Me either, I hate Fear effects, with scripted, uninterrupted animation effects. If you trying to catch those little buggers while they run, it takes a second to play the attack animation, they will just run out of the way, leading you into previously unaccessed areas where more monsters come join in the fun.

I guess if groups are a problem then you could stand still and let them come back to you, as you whittle their ranks.

I really prefer the Stun, then Coup de grace, there might be a bomb for Stun, Pain?

>stand still and let them come back to you

That's the idea. And usually not everyone runs.

Enemies might become more resistant later but up to where I am now (end of act 3)
I find them very convenient "panic buttons". Much more useful than charged signs at least, and they don't need endurance.

There is a stun bomb, and also a blinding bomb (for that fast silver bonus) but I don't know these yet.