Wow, something good for a change! Witcher Interview
Wow, something good for a change! Witcher Interview
Interview - posted by Jinxed on Fri 8 June 2007, 04:00:56
Tags: CD Projekt; Witcher, TheGameshark has done an interview with Witcher Chief Designer Michal Madej yesterday. So far no fatalities.
There are many good snippets worth quoting, here's two:
Gameshark: Can you explain how combat is going to work? The Witcher is a story-driven action-RPG, so are we to assume it’s like Diablo in that sense? Or are you taking it in another direction as far as control goes? How much strategy is involved during combat or are you simply clicking on bad guys until they die?
Michal Madej: First of all, we have to clear up a certain misconception that surfaced in your question – “The Witcher†is not an action RPG comparable to “Diablo.†As great a game as “Diablo†is, it’s best if you leave aside any preconceptions and connotations that you may have associated with it, for “The Witcher†actually has very little to do with Blizzard’s game. “The Witcher†is a classic RPG – more analogous with titles like “Baldur’s Gate,†“Knights of the Old Republic,†and even “Fallout†– though presented in a completely new, modern and fresh form.The interview sounds pretty good, until he talks about the combat:
As for the combat system, this was one of the greater challenges we had to face in the game’s production. The fact that we were looking to merge classic tactical choices with modern dynamic action in real time, as well as with easy and intuitive controls, all the while staying true to Sapkowski’s literary descriptions, was making us wonder why we were making life so difficult for ourselves. This was especially true, since we could not draw from similar systems, for they simply did not yet exist in other games. And while we had to work literally from scratch, in my opinion it was definitely worth it. Consequently, we avoided any unexciting static turn-based play, thoughtless and mind-numbing mouse-clicking, or a “click and forget†system. Instead, I dare say that the combat system we created is spectacular and dynamic, as well as one that gets the player hooked by giving him liberty to tinker around with a plethora of combination possibilities.Unexciting eh? Yeah, ToEE combat was boring, static and uninspired...Damn that turn-based, damn it to hell. Anyway, looks to me like it's real time with pause.
Spotted at Gameshark
There are many good snippets worth quoting, here's two:
Gameshark: Can you explain how combat is going to work? The Witcher is a story-driven action-RPG, so are we to assume it’s like Diablo in that sense? Or are you taking it in another direction as far as control goes? How much strategy is involved during combat or are you simply clicking on bad guys until they die?
Michal Madej: First of all, we have to clear up a certain misconception that surfaced in your question – “The Witcher†is not an action RPG comparable to “Diablo.†As great a game as “Diablo†is, it’s best if you leave aside any preconceptions and connotations that you may have associated with it, for “The Witcher†actually has very little to do with Blizzard’s game. “The Witcher†is a classic RPG – more analogous with titles like “Baldur’s Gate,†“Knights of the Old Republic,†and even “Fallout†– though presented in a completely new, modern and fresh form.
As for the combat system, this was one of the greater challenges we had to face in the game’s production. The fact that we were looking to merge classic tactical choices with modern dynamic action in real time, as well as with easy and intuitive controls, all the while staying true to Sapkowski’s literary descriptions, was making us wonder why we were making life so difficult for ourselves. This was especially true, since we could not draw from similar systems, for they simply did not yet exist in other games. And while we had to work literally from scratch, in my opinion it was definitely worth it. Consequently, we avoided any unexciting static turn-based play, thoughtless and mind-numbing mouse-clicking, or a “click and forget†system. Instead, I dare say that the combat system we created is spectacular and dynamic, as well as one that gets the player hooked by giving him liberty to tinker around with a plethora of combination possibilities.
Spotted at Gameshark
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