The Witcher Officialsky Witcherovda 2 Impressiovna Threadskaia

[Havoc]

Honorary Potato-Volourn

I don't qualify for a Volourn-alike... I still have a brain.

 

[Mangoose]

I finished the game. It's not bad. Definitely going back for another run. Roche is such an easy choice for me. Also, felt invulnerable in the end game. There's simply nothing stopping Vigra / Swallow / Gadwall combo and 35 Armor-clad Geralt. You toss in a Quen right there and he can't be killed.

Sword is topped for the adrenaline build. Focusing on dmg reductions , HP and finisher unlock.
Magic is Quen Rank 2. Everything else is gravy. Aard isn't bad.
Alchemy for Potion Effectiveness bonus. Broke the game somehow.

Rerunning for Iorveth.

Well-made game...a little rough in the edge, but that's to be expected...

I am currently working on rebalancing the game i.e. making it harder.

If you are interested in a more challenging second run here's the second version of the patch above:

TW2RebalanceV2.7z - 38.8 Kb

After patch 1.2 prologue is a piece of cake. I made sure it is challenging and fun again. The same with Act1. The changes in equipment and nerfed Quen make should Acts 2 and 3 a more of a challenge as well (at least it made the battle of Vergen). You might want to use the advanced save imported equipment at the start of the game though. You can get the save file from here:

000127 - Order of the Flaming Rose-127.rar - 4.0 Mb

TW1 Neutral Path.

Nice. Nerfing Quen is such an obvious fix that I'm surprised it hasn't been patched or modded in until now. It's like an I Win! button that CDR blindly doesn't see.

 

[Grunker]

Oh, they see it. I'm almost tempted to think it's there as a safety-net for the consoletards. Can't handle the game? Press Q to win.

 

[Admiral jimbob]

and provides a decent enough challenge on hard.

I SUCK at action-games. With Quen, the game becomes right-click-to-win. But even when I stopped using it, the damage resistance from the Warrior-path made me nigh-invulnerable. I consoled myself into a mage instead, thinking that might be more fun, but Igni/Yrden/Aaxi, depending on the challenge, killed almost everything. Vigor was never an issue.

Now I don't like action-games in general, so the fact that I think the combat sucks big-time is hardly surprising. BUT, I usually die a lot in action-games, and I can say without lying that I died a total of less than 3 times after reaching level 16 or so.

I don't know how on earth you were able to get the game to a point where it felt challenging.

I'm still in Act 1, I know it's meant to get easier later on. Taking the game pretty slowly, so hopefully some decent patches/mods for balance are out by the time I get to curbstomp level.

 

[Grunker]

Mrowak's patch looks decent. My problem would be that if I patched the combat to a point where it was challenging, I would still hate the mechanics. Heh.

 

[Mrowak]

Nice. Nerfing Quen is such an obvious fix that I'm surprised it hasn't been patched or modded in until now. It's like an I Win! button that CDR blindly doesn't see.

It's still work-in-progress bros. Basically, as I am (re)playing when I find a section which seems too easy I toy with the settings to make it more challenging. I know act 2 and 3 will still need some heavy rebalancing. I should give monsters more immunities and higher critical poison/bleeding chances than they are now. I also think I gave too much hp to humans, especially in comparison with monsters.

There's also problem with Quen, you see... Originally I wanted to make it deflect only a part of the damage and such. Unfortunately this proved impossible - the way the spell works is hardcoded somewhere beyond my meagre understanding and capabilities. Or I am missing something obvious. So the only thing I did was reducing its absorbtion - it can rebounce one attack only - even if in Quen's highest form. This works in theory but thanks to 1sec delay before it disapperas it can effectively shield you from an immediate gangrape still. Moreover, if you pick sign intensity feats, visit adequate places of power and drink some pots it can rebounce more than one attack.

So, yeah - I'm still working on it.

 

[RK47]

Quen shd've just been an armor bonus and nothing else. I haven't installed your mod yet, but I've been using bombs more and noticed I kept getting 'locked' out of the controls when tossing the bomb at close range.

Anyone facing the same issues? I really hate it when that happens. Can't swing the sword, I can only move..and nothing else.

 

[Mangoose]

Would it be feasible to simply move the Quen improvement skill to a different node in the tree? So that if you want to spec Magic you don't need to upgrade Quen as it is a bottleneck right now.

 

[el Supremo]

I dunno, I do not have that much problems with arcade fighting, as a matter of fact I find it superior to clearly stat-based combat, by far, and even more; and still my Geralt felt rather squashy towards the end. It may be because I despise magic builds of any kind. So I was avoiding puting any talent in the magic tree, like a plague. I may change my mind, now that I have read the instruction to the game at least. I love the bullet time, of any kind. And it seems the only way to get bullet time, it is to invest into the magic tree. Quen, here I come.
First time, I combined group finishers with beresker talent. Now, it is too late to get group finishers along with bullet time (heliotrope) - that would be perfect. I am too deep into alchemy tree by now. So I'll try out beresker + heliotrope.
Unforunately, I cannot see myself trying finishers + heliotrope any time soon. Because, while the new version of chapter 2 is pretty good, I'll need several monthes of the "cool down" before I'll try this game again. Judging by how I was bored with the re-play of chapter 1, if I go for the third playthrough, before several monthes comes to past, I'll end up hating this game's guts.

 

[Excidium]

Seems you'd like Risen, RK47. Have you played it?

Also, I have a question:

Spoiler

Is Operator only available on Roche's path or have I just missed him (played Iorveth's path)?

Spoiler

I'm guessing it's only on Roche's patch because I missed that fight too.

Actually it is also available in Iorveth's path. However, the quest that leads to the encounter with the operator is netted to one of the subquests in Roche's path. If you didn't pick one you had no idea the other existed. Still, if you know where to go in Iorveth's route and how to solve a riddle you can trigger the operator's quest.

Lame, I know

Spoiler

Is that riddle the one involving four runes and a chest? I found it but gave up because I couldn't figure it out...

 

[mikaelis]

Seems you'd like Risen, RK47. Have you played it?

Also, I have a question:

Spoiler

Is Operator only available on Roche's path or have I just missed him (played Iorveth's path)?

Spoiler

I'm guessing it's only on Roche's patch because I missed that fight too.

Actually it is also available in Iorveth's path. However, the quest that leads to the encounter with the operator is netted to one of the subquests in Roche's path. If you didn't pick one you had no idea the other existed. Still, if you know where to go in Iorveth's route and how to solve a riddle you can trigger the operator's quest.

Lame, I know

Spoiler

Is that riddle the one involving four runes and a chest? I found it but gave up because I couldn't figure it out...

And I was wondering, WTF you are people all about with this Operator guy and shit??!! I ran through Iorveth's and Roche's path taking and finishing almost every quest, but I missed that one! And until I read witcher wikia I didn't even had a clue where I missed it!

Spoiler

sold the docs to fucking Dethmold. Don't even fuckin' know right now why I did it. And deleted all my saves from that part of the game

 

[Mrowak]

Would it be feasible to simply move the Quen improvement skill to a different node in the tree? So that if you want to spec Magic you don't need to upgrade Quen as it is a bottleneck right now.

From the text-file level I think it is impossible. It occured to me that in theory I could change the requirements for the nodes so that another node could be put in place of Quen. In theory. In practice the game refused to launch without giving me any exception until I changed the values back to defaults. We need an (Anti)hero to solve this quandary.

Again, anyone wiser knows how to get to hardcoded shit?

Seems you'd like Risen, RK47. Have you played it?

Also, I have a question:

Spoiler

Is Operator only available on Roche's path or have I just missed him (played Iorveth's path)?

Spoiler

I'm guessing it's only on Roche's patch because I missed that fight too.

Actually it is also available in Iorveth's path. However, the quest that leads to the encounter with the operator is netted to one of the subquests in Roche's path. If you didn't pick one you had no idea the other existed. Still, if you know where to go in Iorveth's route and how to solve a riddle you can trigger the operator's quest.

Lame, I know

Spoiler

Is that riddle the one involving four runes and a chest? I found it but gave up because I couldn't figure it out...

No. I think you talk about the Gargoyls' contract in Act 3. That's not it. To get the Operator's quest you need to start doing

Spoiler

'Three Sisters'

questline first in Act 2. You should stumble upon some interesting documents in the course of it. Depending on your choice in this chapter you will get to meet the Operator or not in Act 3.

 

[sgc_meltdown]

yes that's supposed to be triss

 

[Gragt]

Needs more tits.

 

[toro]

Finally finished the game.

Spoiler

No mods. Patch 1.2. Mage/Roche path. lvl 32 at the end. 35~40h.

Cons:
1) Controls, UI, Inventory, Items descriptions - this is a console game.
2) Exploration - it sucks a little bit, partly because of invisible walls and no ability to jump. It's really frustrating when you run and get stuck in a bush. And the irony is that the avatar can jump on special places. Maybe these complains are not too serious, but after Gothic/Risen, exploration of a corridors is really not attractive.
3) Inventory - it's really fucked up. One of the worst inventory, consolized crap that bears Bioware blueprint. It's hard to compare items, it's even harder to see what resources are needed for crafting an item.
4) Cutscenes and QTEs - the QTEs are really not necessary during cutscenes. They don't add anything to the game. And talking about cutscenes, their biggest problem was that the character position was changed by them. It really sucks that after a cutscene, you are with the swords on your back and surrounded by enemies. Basic flaw.
5) Maps - I don't know if they did it on purpose, but the map system was bad. Always needed to check the map several time, before choosing a direction.
6) Looting and crafting - the crap items could be reduced a little bit, cause they always bog down the player. In fact, they should not be lootable. But they implemented a 3-tier items hierarchy, in a world were traders don't offer cheap basic items for trade !? Also the trade system made no sense what-so-ever: sell a item with 50 coins and buy it back with 1500 coins!?
7) Combat - simply unbalanced and exploitable. As for DAO, it brings down the entire game. At the end of the game, I was using only Yrden sign and rolling around opponents. And maybe I'm repeating myself, but the consolized controls sucks.
8) Quests - unfortunately I didn't find any quest as good as Vizima Confidential from the first game. There is no spark, a genius quest or so.
9) Mutagen system changes were unnecessary. Also the meditation for drinking potions is lame. Is not actually adding anything to the game. If you don't want to allow a player to drink a potion during a fight is simpler to add a timer when the player drinks a potion. In that way, a player could not afford to drink potions during combat.
10) Dialog wheel aka Bioware style is still stupid. They also exaggerated with the mature comments.
11) To add also here, the description of books and items is unsatisfactory for me. It feels like a botchered job, good for consoles, but not for a true PC game.
12) Bugs - yeah, I had a couple of them. Like unresponsive controls during a battle.

Pros:
1) Exploration - the world is gorgeous. No comments about this. I would love to play Risen on this engine.
2) Quality content - I love HR textures and models.
3) Story - it's really good. And the end has a nice touch with the vodka.
4) Voice acting - I found it good, but I'm not a native English speaker.
5) NPC - they are good. No complains.
6) Items - the armor and weapon make a difference. Also they are named.
7) C&C - is open to discussions, but is there. From fake C&C as in Mass Effect, to real C&C as in Gothic. There are multiple ways to start or end a quest. It feels good.
8) Little sister - one example of quest were failing is an option and in fact it brings a bigger reward than succeeding. A nice surprise.
9) Combat difficulty - it forces a player to think. I like it.
10) Traps and bombs, skill, alchemy - good stuff.
11) The world has personality and more.

So overall, despite a lot of qualities, my experience with the game was fragmented because of all the shit that was happening: consolized controls, unbalanced combat, bad inventory, lame map and item descriptions, too many cutscenes. I like to play games in a couple of long sessions, but for some reason, I could not enjoy the world of Witcher 2. I never felt the game flowing in a normal way. I don't know. Maybe I don't have the right state of mind to enjoy it.

It's a good game, definitely better that whatever Bioware is producing lately. But after finishing it, the conclusion is that I want Risen 2. Badly.

PS: Sorry for grammatical errors, but I wrote the post after midnight.

 

[RK47]

I think the sense of danger is there when you're barely level 7, straight out of flotsam with the forest making that noise at night.

I actually had moments where I stopped...look around...just to make sure there's no endrega gangbang squad waiting for me behind that bush.

But yeah, there's definitely a bug with the controls. Attempting to use knives/bombs at close combat will result in Geralt unable to do anything else but move until he is hit by an attack. Kept trying but seeing no improvements.

Also, Alchemist 100% Trap and Bomb dmg is overpowered. I snared the fuck out of some fights by combining Yrden and dropping 5 Snares on top of one another.

 

[sgc_meltdown]

I actually had moments where I stopped...look around...just to make sure there's no endrega gangbang squad waiting for me behind that bush.

It's almost impossible for you to get surprise ambushed and cornered in this game. Half the time when you aggro something Geralt will say 'damn, you're ugly' or 'looks like they'll never learn' and you'll have more than enough time to position yourself or run the heck away.

The next 25% is when the monsters announce themselves like harpies screeching or gargoyles slamming onto the ground and the final 25% when you're in an underground or crypt area already looking for trouble.

 

[RK47]

Nekker nests? The first time they popped out of the ground, I think I died within seconds of backstab damage?
Oh yeah, the Endregas crawling down from the trees give me goosebumps.

I'm searching the official forum of mention of the 'control issues', still no luck. Hmph.

 

[SoupNazi]

ffs I die in the, like, first fight of this game, when you're supposed to shoot the ballista

 

[Satori (original)]

You patched up to 1.2? In any case just lure them into your Yrden traps and while one or two are struggling, take out the other free roaming guy/s.

000127 - Order of the Flaming Rose-127.rar - 4.0 Mb
TW1 Neutral Path.

I also used that savegame, the only 'downside' is that you start out with 20,000 orens which makes looting thoroughly optional, so you never really feel rewarded whenever you get an item/money etc.

For example, instead of doing the various missions around Flotsam in order to get the ingredients for the amulet un-hexing quest, you can just buy them off of that elf that you speak to about the Kayran's lair for 400 orens a piece, which is nothing if you have that save but a shitload if you don't. And in addition to that, you can also buy the Kayran trap right off of him for the same price.

 

[RK47]

For starters, use bombs to soften them up. If one of them is stunned, do a finisher.

Yrden is 4-5 seconds snare. While Axii will make the target fight for you. (Hold down Q)

 

[SoupNazi]

I see... for some reason I thought I could just slash them all up. I'll focus on using the spells stuff then as well. Thanks.

 

[Mrowak]

You patched up to 1.2? In any case just lure them into your Yrden traps and while one or two are struggling, take out the other free roaming guy/s.

000127 - Order of the Flaming Rose-127.rar - 4.0 Mb
TW1 Neutral Path.

I also used that savegame, the only 'downside' is that you start out with 20,000 orens which makes looting thoroughly optional, so you never really feel rewarded whenever you get an item/money etc.

For example, instead of doing the various missions around Flotsam in order to get the ingredients for the amulet un-hexing quest, you can just buy them off of that elf that you speak to about the Kayran's lair for 400 orens a piece, which is nothing if you have that save but a shitload if you don't. And in addition to that, you can also buy the Kayran trap right off of him for the same price.

I think they fixed that in patch 1.2. In the save in question I had 8,000 orens, but at the start of new game I carried a little bit over 500.

 

[Mrowak]

I see... for some reason I thought I could just slash them all up. I'll focus on using the spells stuff then as well. Thanks.

Once you get the hang of the system fighting gets super-easy. If you are having a hard time just use Quen. It's practically a god-mode.

 

[RK47]

Not as satisfying as Vanilla run as master alchemist...heheh. I think the dragon finale fight was hilarious because I didn't cast quen and the dragon couldn't kill me at all. I kept regen back to full HP.

Installed your mod, Mrowak, let's see how my Alchemist - Spellcaster build fare in my Iorveth's run.

Edit:
Hm. Felt like Godmode in Chapter 2 Cave-Run with dwarf gang. I stood still next to an exploding Rotfiend and it didn't damage me with Swallow / Gad / Vigra combo.

I also bought myself the Dragonskin armor for additional 20% trap damage multiplier.