Interview The Witcher 2 is a Fully Open World

[mondblut]

And like I said elsewhere, someone tell me how you make an open-world game with a central plot that doesn't feature scaled enemies.

http://www.mobygames.com/game/wizardry- ... ark-savant
http://www.mobygames.com/game/might-and ... ld-of-xeen
http://www.mobygames.com/game/dos/raven ... ne-prophet
http://www.mobygames.com/game/fallout-2
http://www.mobygames.com/game/windows/gothic

tl;dr version: the farther from start, the tougher they get. Gothic version: settlements and major roads technically belong to the start zone.

 

[SuicideBunny]

The only games that successfully created a big, real time open world without level scaling retardness are Gothic1&2.

yeah, neither ultima 7 ever happened.

 

[mondblut]

yeah, neither ultima 7 ever happened.

It's not like Ultima 7 makes any use of levels anyway.

 

[SuicideBunny]

and of course you need to to that in order to be an acceptable solution to the retardation of levels and level scaling.

 

[Forest Dweller]

I'm going to have to get The Witcher (after I get a new computer) so I can get The Witcher II and have my past choices influence it. Sounds cool, and the more side quests in a game, the merrier.

I wouldn't count on that.

The only games that successfully created a big, real time open world without level scaling retardness are Gothic1&2.

Yes, and because of that, there wasn't really freedom of exploration. There were only very specific places that you could go to in the beginning, and as you progressed various places would "unlock" for you based on your skills. They were more like adventure games than anything else.

 

[toro]

Gothic games are adventure games!? Great argument.

 

[Silellak]

The only games that successfully created a big, real time open world without level scaling retardness are Gothic1&2.

yeah, neither ultima 7 ever happened.

Damn, beat me to it.

 

[Raapys]

Yes, and because of that, there wasn't really freedom of exploration. There were only very specific places that you could go to in the beginning, and as you progressed various places would "unlock" for you based on your skills.

Part of what made it so great was that you actually *could* go to those areas if you were lucky enough to find a really great weapon or spell scroll. And, of course, there was always running.

 

[coldcrow]

^

Exactly that.

If you say you can't imagine an open gameworld without scaling you imply that you want an uniform challenge; a faulty larping mindset indeed.

Why shouldn't there be some evil monstrous abomination in that swamp beneath the road, ready to swallow you whole?

The better the game is balanced without scaling the merrier the feeling of accomplishment if you survived some out-of-the-way encounter.

 

[Forest Dweller]

I'm not denying that. I'm just saying that saying that Gothic 1 and 2 are open-world/free-exploration games is misleading.

 

[made]

I call bullshit. Surely CDPR must realize that an open world where every area is accessible from the start is way too confusing for the average gamer. We can't have such antiquated mechanics in todays RPGs.

 

[Lesifoere]

Never mind open world. I don't believe for a minute they'll deliver everything they have promised so far, but they're piling so much shit up on top of each other that even just half of it being true would be more, more than enough for me to thank the RPG gods and call TW2 Game of the Decade.

 

[King Crispy]

If you say you can't imagine an open gameworld without scaling you imply that you want an uniform challenge; a faulty larping mindset indeed.

And I think it's safe to say that no one here wants "an (sic) uniform challenge". Rather, many hope not to have the problems associated with level scaling in Witcher II when level scaling is the only practical solution as of now to prevent players from potentially ruining their games in a truly open world.

As has been asked, and not answered, if there is an alternate solution it needs to be pointed out.

 

[humorguy]

Can we just have the text below, in bold type, at the top of every site on the World Wide Web that deals with CRPG's:

"EVERY SINGLE FIRST PERSON CRPG IS AN OBLIVION RIP OFF AND EVERY ISOMETRIC CRPG IS 'DIABLO LIKE'"

Thank you for your time.

 

[Rhalle]

tl;dr version: the farther from start, the tougher they get.

That's the definition of linear, isn't it?

Or you do the beginning parts of unrelated quests together and then do the end, in different pieces? (Perhaps that's the way Witcher 2 works?)

And that's not exactly open world. That's linear, but with parallel linear-ness instead of a single rail.

 

[Konjad]

It was a linear game. If there was any scaling it was minimal. And like I said elsewhere, someone tell me how you make an open-world game with a central plot that doesn't feature scaled enemies. I'd like to hear it.

You make it like Gothic, Gothic II, NotR were made. And NotR was perfect.

 

[Konjad]

Never mind open world. I don't believe for a minute they'll deliver everything they have promised so far, but they're piling so much shit up on top of each other that even just half of it being true would be more, more than enough for me to thank the RPG gods and call TW2 Game of the Decade.

Except timed dialogues like in AP FFS!

 

[Elwro]

Open world does not make (case in point: Eschalon 2) or break (case in point: Planescape: Torment) the game.

 

[WhiskeyWolf]

Never mind open world. I don't believe for a minute they'll deliver everything they have promised so far, but they're piling so much shit up on top of each other that even just half of it being true would be more, more than enough for me to thank the RPG gods and call TW2 Game of the Decade.

Except timed dialogues like in AP FFS!

 

[DarkUnderlord]

Moreover, considering the fact that you will have more endings to The Witcher 2 than you had in the first part

Awesome, that means there's at least 2 different endings!

 

[Carlos' Bitch1]

I enjoyed the first game, and am looking forward to 2, however....should I wait for the Super Awesome Platinum Gold Titanium edition? Or will we get the full experience straight out of the original box?

Just thought I should ask.

 

[Turjan]

I enjoyed the first game, and am looking forward to 2, however....should I wait for the Super Awesome Platinum Gold Titanium edition? Or will we get the full experience straight out of the original box?

Just thought I should ask.

Well, if they keep up their policy, you at least don't have to pay for later additions, unlike some other games that charge again for each tiny addition.

 

[humorguy]

One thing is for certain, The Witcher is 1000% more 'open world' than Dragon Age!

The coverage of Dragon Age as an open world RPG that harkened back to the Baldur's Gate's of this world was absolutely laughable! With totally linear quests interrupted by random 'countryside battles' it was much more Mass Effect than it was Baldur's Gate, and yet the media fell over itself telling gamers how it was just like those great RPG's of 10 years ago!

While many complain about game developers and publishers, about DRM and dumbing down, etc, I think as gamers we let the media off big time, as they could do a lot more to represent gamers rather than the industry!

 

[Carlos' Bitch1]

The Gaming media, just like todays Motor Car media, is nothing but a whore of the industry. Especially online gaming media. Maybe a couple of surviving magazines and websites are not, but by and large, they usually are.

Pretty good for the industry, having a privatised, seperate marketing department.

 

[nomask7]

someone tell me how you make an open-world game with a central plot that doesn't feature scaled enemies. I'd like to hear it.

Gothic 2: Night of the Raven

Two Worlds

Fallout

There wasn't really freedom of exploration [in NotR]. There were only very specific places that you could go to in the beginning, and as you progressed various places would "unlock" for you based on your skills.

What utter rubbish.

Travelling in dangerous places wasn't easy if you wanted to do it with a noob character, but neither was it impossible nor necessarily unrewarding (stone tablets, amulets, rings, chests, buried treasure, rare plants such as dragon root and king's sorrel).

 

[humorguy]

someone tell me how you make an open-world game with a central plot that doesn't feature scaled enemies. I'd like to hear it.

Gothic 2: Night of the Raven

Two Worlds

Fallout

There wasn't really freedom of exploration [in NotR]. There were only very specific places that you could go to in the beginning, and as you progressed various places would "unlock" for you based on your skills.

What utter rubbish.

Travelling in dangerous places wasn't easy if you wanted to do it with a noob character, but neither was it impossible nor necessarily unrewarding (stone tablets, amulets, rings, chests, buried treasure, rare plants such as dragon root and king's sorrel).

Totally agree. In this multi-format world we live in so many gamers have no idea! We now are in a gaming world where 'diablo like' has replaced 'isometric', where real time combat now makes any cRPG a 'hack'n'slash and where a sci-fi cRPG that uises guns is called an RPG-Shooter or FPS/RPG hybrid, but if the game uses swords and magic is just called a cRPG! The amount of stupidity out there with regard what constitutes a cRPG is totally amazing.

I have had people tell me Bioshock is an RPG because you are playing a 'role'!! I responded that Call of Duty and Crysis are cRPG's then!

I have been watching some cRPG reviews on You Tube this morning and have see the above over and over!

 

[SuicideBunny]

where a sci-fi cRPG that uises guns is called an RPG-Shooter or FPS/RPG hybrid, but if the game uses swords and magic is just called a cRPG!

no, enclave or dark messiah of might and magic are still shooter rpg hybrids.
the former less rpg than the latter.