Preview Witcher video fun at IGN

[Saint_Proverbius]

Tags: Witcher, The

<a href="http://pc.ign.com/">IGN</a> has a <A href="http://pc.ign.com/articles/730/730679p1.html">video preview</A> of <A href="http://www.thewitcher.com/">The Witcher</a>. It's around <b>38MB</b> and here's what all you'll see:
<br>
<blockquote>In our video preview, you'll see a lot of the combat and magic system in the game, as well as how NPC interaction works. Since the dialogue isn't all right or wrong, black or white, you have a lot of freedom in The Witcher as to how you want to develop Geralt as a character. You don't always have to do the "right" thing and, just like real life, even the seemingly good thing to do may end up having bad consequences in the end.</blockquote>
<br>
Kind of refreshing to see dialogue and interaction taking more room in a video hook than the magic and weapons.
<br>
<br>
Spotted at: <A HREF="http://www.bluesnews.com">Blue's News</A>

 

[omg_laserz_pewpewpew]

I'd be impressed if dialogue played as important a role in The Witcher as it did Planescape.

 

[Data4]

Based on the information in that video, The Witcher has been elevated to my Most Anticipated RPG. It's got the laundry list: choice & consequences, world that is affected by you, presumably a stats-based combat system, (even though it's realtime. I've never had a problem with RT in a single character RPG), and teh shineyz to boot.

I really hope they get a good publisher. I'm just afraid the game will only reach sleeper hit status in the US like the Gothics.

-D4

 

[jiujitsu]

That video was pretty cool. I'm definately looking forward to this game.

 

[dongle]

That is looking like a fun little game there. I know there was some doubt around these parts early on about whether they could deliver all they were hyping. Looks like they're making progress on it. Personally I'd like to see the sword swing and the ground movement circles toned down by at least half. (useless graphic-whore comment, I know)

So, lets see, choices:

Naked Booty -or- Bloody Corpse on a Table
. . .
Naked Booty -or- Bloody Corpse on a Table
. . .
Wait, wait, I'm still deciding. . . .
:D

 

[Jaesun]

Aside from teh pretty graphix.. the voice overs and music seems well done.

Still looking forward to this.

 

[Inziladun]

Looks pretty good. But from that Choice and Consequence tree, it looks like there will only be a few major consequences.

 

[Data4]

I was wondering if anyone knew if any of the novels The Witcher is based on have been translated to English. Since it's a sure bet I'm gonna get this game, I'd be interested in reading some backstory to the world.

-D4

 

[tarkin]

I was wondering if anyone knew if any of the novels The Witcher is based on have been translated to English. Since it's a sure bet I'm gonna get this game, I'd be interested in reading some backstory to the world.

http://thewitcher.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1248&PN=1&TPN=1

Note that these are self made translations. For the professional work You'll have to wait until april (or so) 2007.

 

[fraunclein]

Here's a exclusive cinematic teaser trailer from a Polish gaming magazine's cover CD:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zH9ep6M-cmc

At least the art direction is goddamn great. Let's just hope that the game itself won't be just a full-blown Twitcher.

 

[Claw]

I find the emphasis on morally ambiguous choices odd. What I mean is the claim of ambiguous choices.
Take the - oh, so often recited - example in the video. Is there really any moral abmiguitiy? You can either condemn both the prisoner and your friend, making the game easier for you, or save both lives and the game will be somewhat harder. Is that a moral dilemma, as the previewer claims? I sense a clear good vs. evil choice.

Of course, the question is if the choice is presented to us as such, i.e. if we know the results in advance.
Even so I see no moral dilemma. It's just that either choice will bite you in the ass in some way. It's better than having a right vs. a wrong (suboptimal) choice allright.

A moral dilemma would be if you just heard your friend is in danger and as you run to help, someone asks for your help to save a child in immediate danger. You can either save the child and risk your friends life, or save your friend and let the child die.
That's more of a dilemma, especially if you're playing a goody two shoes character.

Discuss. Or not, as you will.

 

[Saint_Proverbius]

Take the - oh, so often recited - example in the video. Is there really any moral abmiguitiy? You can either condemn both the prisoner and your friend, making the game easier for you, or save both lives and the game will be somewhat harder. Is that a moral dilemma, as the previewer claims? I sense a clear good vs. evil choice.

Keep in mind, that thing they mention is actually a HUGE SPOILER. You don't know those are the two outcomes. All you would have known if it wasn't mentioned all over the place is that you're milking the guy for information, and whether or not you should let him go at the end of it.

 

[Claw]

I'd reply, but I already did:

Even so I see no moral dilemma. It's just that either choice will bite you in the ass in some way. It's better than having a right vs. a wrong (suboptimal) choice allright.

Maybe what was meant is just that there isn't one right (good) and one wrong (evil) choice, where the right choice gets you the optimal result.
I wouldn't mind seeing a real moral dilemma, though.

 

[corvax]

I was wondering if anyone knew if any of the novels The Witcher is based on have been translated to English. Since it's a sure bet I'm gonna get this game, I'd be interested in reading some backstory to the world.

-D4

How about a movie?
http://www.amazon.com/Hexer-Michal-Zebr ... UTF8&s=dvd

I heard it's all right, nothing too spectacular. Fans of the book didn't really like it.

 

[27]

"How about a movie? (...) I heard it's all right, nothing too spectacular. Fans of the book didn't really like it."

No. The movie was one of the worst things Poles have ever made. It has barely anything in common with the books and, well, it just sucks. Terrible cast, barely any plot and such accomodation of stupid ideas that it just hurts.
Avoid it.

As for the game, I guess it will be harder to play (or to *khem* "immerse" themselves) for people who have read the book, as at the end of the last one the protagonist is almost a broken man, with crippled limb(s), just trying to find some peaceful spot to live the rest of his life. Certainly not the young-looking and very nimble guy from Bagiński's trailer.
I just wonder how are they going to explain that sudden change in appearance and effectivity.
Total transcendental amnesia perhaps?

 

[Data4]

Who says the RPG will follow a specific storyline from the books? I've heard nothing about the overall plot, but I imagine it'll be no harder than, for example, playing Darth Vader in Empire at War, despite the fact that at the end of the movie series he drops the emo act and dies.

I'm going to skip the movie. Spidey senses are detecting an aura of Uwe Boll, and I'd rather not taint what is already a good impression. The stories were pretty good. Sort of a cross between Grimm's fairy tales and low fantasy. The mature twist on the Beauty and the Beast type story in "A Grain of Truth" (with a generous helping of "Carmilla") gives me high hopes for the game... IF they keep those kind of mature themes. This isn't gratuitous "OMG! TEH BO0BEEZZ!!@" kind of mature, rather it's a non-juvenile, this-world-is-a-bad-place-with-bad-people unapologetic treatment of situations that renders most fantasy fluff work (like Dragonlance, although I like DL) down to the level of children's stories.

I can't wait til the full novel is out next year.

-D4

 

[27]

Who says the RPG will follow a specific storyline from the books? I've heard nothing about the overall plot, but I imagine it'll be no harder than, for example, playing Darth Vader in Empire at War, despite the fact that at the end of the movie series he drops the emo act and dies.

CD Projekt. I'm quite sure they said it few times on their forums.

I'm going to skip the movie. Spidey senses are detecting an aura of Uwe Boll, and I'd rather not taint what is already a good impression.

Not that I'm prejudiced... but I'm afraid his films are actually *good* in comparison. It is that bad.

I can't wait til the full novel is out next year.
-D4

Just out of curiosity - how is the novel published? Sequently or all five parts at once?

 

[Data4]

I can't wait til the full novel is out next year.
-D4

Just out of curiosity - how is the novel published? Sequently or all five parts at once?

Your guess is as good as mine. I just found out about it myself. The story "A Grain of Truth", as linked in tarkin's link above is a sample from the book The Last Wish, which is scheduled for publication in Great Britain in April 2007.

Here is the Amazon UK page about it.

-D4

 

[Elwro]

"The Witcher" game will take part 5 years after the events described in the books.

 

[denizsi]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zH9ep6M-cmc

I suddenly missed those Thief (I & II) movies within the game. That Witcher video had a similar vibe in some parts.

 

[Leo Valesko]

The Wicher (or Wiedzmin like I prefer to call it) is a great book. I saw few novels about Gerald translated into English. It was "Grain of Truth" and "Lesser Evil".

Concerning movie. Only thing worth something is an actor who played Gerald - it was Michal Szebrovski, one of the best eastern actors.

I don't think the game will be new Planescape: Torment, but I hope it will bring some fresh blood into CRPG-developing business.