Game News The Witcher 2 News Bundle

[VentilatorOfDoom]

Tags: CD Projekt; Witcher 2, The

<p>With this whole E3 thing going on naturally some info regarding The Witcher 2 surfaced.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><a href="http://uk.pc.ign.com/articles/109/1098720p1.html" target="_blank">Let's start with the IGN Preview.</a></p>
<blockquote>
<p>We didn't get to play at E3 2010, but we did get a chance to see some of the game in action. Choice and consequence still factors into The Witcher 2's progression, as the choices you make in conversation affect how events play out further down the line. While in conversation you'll see the interface is much different, with a handful of short dialogue options appearing in the left middle of the screen as interactions play out. You're also given a limited amount of time to input each option, so you'll need to think fast as to how to approach each situation since the decisions can have far reaching effects.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Far reaching decisions and timed dialogue - a classic RPG element since Alpha Protocol.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>To finish off the demo CD Projekt showed a boss fight against a huge squid creature. To bring him down, Geralt had to run around and avoid tentacle swipes and place magic traps on the ground. When activated the traps caused a tentacle to stick to the ground, letting Geralt hack it in two. Occasionally the boss would switch up its attack pattern, spitting at Geralt and pinning him to the ground. To break free, you have to slam a button repeatedly. After three tentacles were removed Geralt had the ability to jump up onto the creature's limbs and swing around the environment. Holding on required Geralt to again hit a button repeatedly, which eventually guided the tentacle into a nearby stone bridge, bringing it tumbling down onto the creature's main body. Geralt can then run up the downed structure and deliver the killing blow to the boss.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Slam buttons repeatedly, I can hardly wait. Well, at least: <em>For minigames, you'll find a new <strong>optional </strong>alchemy challenge.</em></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><a href="http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=250068" target="_blank">Now we'll continue with CVG.</a></p>
<blockquote>
<p><span class="text_article_body">Those choices will also be made more interesting for us Anglophiles by the mere fact our language is being used as the primary language in the game. While it might rightly annoy Polish speakers to see a game from their country made in English, the consolation for us is that we won't be getting the substandard translation the original Witcher suffered from on release (and was corrected in the Enhanced Edition).</span></p>
</blockquote>
<p>Well, <a href="http://www.rpgcodex.net/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=42421" target="_blank">last we knew</a> was that the game is written in polish but implemented in english. Which is totally not the same like being written in polish and then translated to english. Whatever it is that they're actually doing, they seem to put more effort into the translation. Good.</p>
<blockquote>
<p><span class="text_article_body">In the first game, there were a host of different magic powers, plus others related to combat, physique, mental strength and things like that. This time, the skills tree has been squished down into only a few branches, but these have been extended substantially to allow for more options than before.</span></p>
</blockquote>
<p>I hope that doesn't mean they dumbed down the character system even further?</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>thanks to hiver!</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>

 

[MasterSmithFandango]

We didn't get to play at E3 2010, but we did get a chance to see some of the game in action. Choice and consequence still factors into The Witcher 2's progression, as the choices you make in conversation affect how events play out further down the line. While in conversation you'll see the interface is much different, with a handful of short dialogue options appearing in the left middle of the screen as interactions play out. You're also given a limited amount of time to input each option, so you'll need to think fast as to how to approach each situation since the decisions can have far reaching effects.

 

[hiver]

They did say that timed responses will be present just in some specific cases but seeing that overall whole dialogue will be masseffectish really sucks balls. hairy ones.

 

[dr. one]

To finish off the demo CD Projekt showed a boss fight against a huge squid creature. To bring him down, Geralt had to run around and avoid tentacle swipes and place magic traps on the ground. When activated the traps caused a tentacle to stick to the ground, letting Geralt hack it in two. Occasionally the boss would switch up its attack pattern, spitting at Geralt and pinning him to the ground. To break free, you have to slam a button repeatedly. After three tentacles were removed Geralt had the ability to jump up onto the creature's limbs and swing around the environment. Holding on required Geralt to again hit a button repeatedly, which eventually guided the tentacle into a nearby stone bridge, bringing it tumbling down onto the creature's main body. Geralt can then run up the downed structure and deliver the killing blow to the boss.

 

[WhiskeyWolf]

Shut up Polish fanboy!

 

[Mrowak]

To finish off the demo CD Projekt showed a boss fight against a huge squid creature. To bring him down, Geralt had to run around and avoid tentacle swipes and place magic traps on the ground. When activated the traps caused a tentacle to stick to the ground, letting Geralt hack it in two. Occasionally the boss would switch up its attack pattern, spitting at Geralt and pinning him to the ground. To break free, you have to slam a button repeatedly. After three tentacles were removed Geralt had the ability to jump up onto the creature's limbs and swing around the environment. Holding on required Geralt to again hit a button repeatedly, which eventually guided the tentacle into a nearby stone bridge, bringing it tumbling down onto the creature's main body. Geralt can then run up the downed structure and deliver the killing blow to the boss.

Jesus Christ, no! Not Quick Time Events. God damn, I hoped they would scrap that terrible idea. I know that the gameplay must catter for the largest possible crowd, but this?

Holding on required Geralt to again hit a button repeatedly, which eventually guided the tentacle into a nearby stone bridge, bringing it tumbling down onto the creature's main body.

When I imagine Geralt doing that and then reflect on how he dealt with monsters in the novels I...

No, for the sake of sanity better not to think too much about it.

All the same, the other promises do not sound half bad. Well, I did enjoy the first Witcher (especially moded).

 

[Phelot]

OMG I WILL FIRST JOIN HUMANS MY FIRST PLAY N THEN I WILL PLAY AS ELVES SO I CAN ROMANCE ALL THE CHARACTERS

 

[denizsi]

Fuck this shit. It suddenly sounds as much bad as the previous update made it sound good.

 

[Raghar]

What can I say about... Yes I know: FF XIII had superior tentacle rape.

 

[Kron]

[...]with a handful of short dialogue options appearing in the left middle of the screen as interactions play out. You're also given a limited amount of time to input each option[...]

CD Projekt showed a boss fight against a huge squid creature.
[...]To break free, you have to slam a button repeatedly.
[...]Holding on required Geralt to again hit a button repeatedly.

Aw, fuck.
I mean, the combat in the original game was shit, but I was still kind of looking forward to the witcher 2, atmosphere - like. Now I just don't know what to think...
Aside from, Fuck you videogaming industry for letting me down yet again!!

Now I just have to foolishly hold on awaiting the savior RPG that shall never come.

 

[nomask7]

I don't understand the hate for timed responses. Do you all sit for ten minutes pondering three or four different responses when someone asks you something?

This.

If you can't make the dynamism of the world more realistic by decreasing the number of easy conscious choices and increasing the number of unexpected consequences from unconsidered actions (the rule in the real world), at least limit the goddamn response time.

 

[Kron]

increasing the number of unexpected consequences from unconsidered actions (the rule in the real world)

I'm guessing you liked the way this was "implemented" in AP.

"Unconsidered actions" my ass.
The way it worked in AP, you pretty much never knew what kind of answer Thorton would toss out.
You read "agressive" and it could either be cursing someone like a retard teenager, or sort of acting like a weathered bad ass.

About the real world: even if most decisions in life are made in just a handful of seconds, their origin comes from a set of characteristics that define your personality, a thing which is in the making in an RPG (mmh, is my character like this or like that?). Besides, in real life, you are always conscious of what kind of answer you're giving.

But seriously, since when are videogames about emulating this kind of stuff? It reminds me of all that ridiculous stuff about FPS being better than iso because "you don't live your real life from an isometric point of view". Games are about providing mechanics that work efficiently, in a balanced, engaging and entertaining way.

 

[nomask7]

Games are about providing mechanics that work efficiently, in a balanced, engaging and entertaining way.

I agree. What I don't understand is how someone who accepts what you just wrote could think that CRPGs are anything except crap, in general. MotB was fun for me, because I didn't know what I would miss or gain by skipping the woods part, and because my hurried choice (my character was in a hurry) led to my not learning to control my spirit hunger, which in turn led to my turning into an evil spirit-eater while I was simply trying to survive (I had to eat the old god of death, simply had to). I became evil, even though my original plan was to be the good guy.

That sequence of events was, although not balanced or efficient, at least engaging and entertaining. It was also something I couldn't expect, at all, when I began to play the game. Even fairly far into the game I still had no idea something of the sort would happen. I didn't know you could learn to control the spirit hunger. I thought it was just damn hard to be good in an indifferent world, especially when you had been cursed.

 

[Arcanoix]

It would be nice if we could speak to the monster and maybe reason with it, but then it wouldn't be "new-shitcore" enough.

 

[FeelTheRads]

I don't understand the hate for timed responses. Do you all sit for ten minutes pondering three or four different responses when someone asks you something?

It would be nice if we could speak to the monster and maybe reason with it, but then it wouldn't be "new-shitcore" enough.

Not sure if serious...

 

[Twinkle]

I don't understand the hate for timed responses. Do you all sit for ten minutes pondering three or four different responses when someone asks you something?

Sure, bro. Turning dialogues into yet another QTE sequence where you can't even lose because the game will pick a response for you is a welcome change over all these shitty dialogue trees.

 

[MetalCraze]

So Obsidian copies Bioware and CDP copies Obsidian?
Gaming industry is like a one big whorehouse today.

In the first game, there were a host of different magic powers

They mean those only 2 spells anyone ever used?

To finish off the demo CD Projekt showed a boss fight against a huge squid creature. To bring him down, Geralt had to run around and avoid tentacle swipes and place magic traps on the ground. When activated the traps caused a tentacle to stick to the ground, letting Geralt hack it in two. Occasionally the boss would switch up its attack pattern, spitting at Geralt and pinning him to the ground. To break free, you have to slam a button repeatedly

True RPG!

I don't understand the hate for timed responses. Do you all sit for ten minutes pondering three or four different responses when someone asks you something?

Do you instantly heal your wounds by using medkits?
It's a game not a fucking movie. It should be played you know. Not play itself.

 

[Data4]

I don't understand the hate for timed responses. Do you all sit for ten minutes pondering three or four different responses when someone asks you something?

No, but sometimes I use dialogue pauses to go take a piss or get something to eat/drink. Sure, I guess I could bring up the game menu or something, but timing dialogue seems too... "gamey". Flame on!

 

[nomask7]

This is why the Codex doesn't matter. Whenever a game developer accidentally visits, he notes that 99% of the Codex consists of retards, whose absolute number isn't notable, either.

 

[FeelTheRads]

You are more retarded than you think.

 

[relootz]

This is why the Codex doesn't matter. Whenever a game developer accidentally visits, he notes that 99% of the Codex consists of retards, whose absolute number isn't notable, either.

You are not the exception Nomask.

 

[Dny]

I don't understand the hate for timed responses. Do you all sit for ten minutes pondering three or four different responses when someone asks you something?

In a RPG you have to, GASP, read before you know the things your character can say. In the real world, you speak your own mind. You're the dumbest shit of the codex for bringing a comparison between the two.

 

[FeelTheRads]

Well why don't you whine about real time combat then? I mean you leave the mouse and the bad beasts still attack! That's the game playing itself man....oh noes!

:facepalm:

 

[Clockwork Knight]

I don't understand the hate for timed responses. Do you all sit for ten minutes pondering three or four different responses when someone asks you something?

Sure, bro. Turning dialogues into yet another QTE sequence where you can't even lose because the game will pick a response for you is a welcome change over all these shitty dialogue trees.

I don't understand. It's a quicktime event that isn't a quicktime event?

 

[hiver]

the worst thing is there is no reason for it.
you could and should be able to fight that with all witcher usual skills.