The Witcher 3 Pre-Release Thread [GAME RELEASED, GO TO NEW THREAD]

[hiver]

I would never imagine that this phrase could be uttered on the codex. 2013: Skyrim sets the bar to be beat.

I'm serious too. The Witcher 2 was... not good at all, as an RPG, even if I thought it was a good game overall. I don't see this being any better, especially given CD Projekt are primarily concerned with boob rendering these days.

I presume you refer to secondary RPG mechanics, right? Like different skills, weapons, few different kinds of magic and so on?

Yeah. The Witcher 2 had a decent skill tree, but all the stats were abstracted out to the point where you didn't even have to partake in the character system, just roll around a lot and pick a sword with more damage numbers on it. The speech skills were a joke, you use one enough times and get better at it to the point where it always works, forcing you to just pick the same option every time. Even the alchemy system was dumbed down a bit. At least Skyrim has decent perks, skill leveling, choice of attributes to increase, and less black-and-white equipment system. It's a pretty low bar, although I only brought it up because CD Projekt seem very eager to compare their game to Skyrim directly.

Oh, no worries, i can only agree with that. Plus Skyrim did not have QTEs either.
Dumbing down on mechanics from W1 were the worst. Alchemy was dumbed down horribly - in my book.

Basically, the only thing i enjoyed in W2, for that half i played, was mature approach to story, characters, plots of some quests and dialogues and such - however uneven it was.
And the fact that it implemented at least some measure of limiting content based on players choices, even if it was executed in a bit of a hamfisted manner.
But thats a core RPG mechanic.

As far as amount of secondary RPG mechanics go, Skyrim takes the cake by a big margin.

Anyway, it has been clear for quite some time now that CDprojekt wants to take over Bioware role and now, to attract a decent amount of Skyrim core audience.

 

[DalekFlay]

Anyway, it has been clear for quite some time now that CDprojekt wants to take over Bioware role and now, to attract a decent amount of Skyrim core audience.

Even Bioware has said Dragon Age 3 will be more like Skyrim. I think Skyrim's massive success was hard to ignore.

 

[Jaesun]

Yes. I noticed quite a bit of the Bio developers mentioning playing Skyrim and commenting on it.

 

[tuluse]

Gothic 1+2 and even Risen beat any game made by Bethesda. It depends how much I'll like it if they decide to go the carefully hand-crafted and thought-through Open World style with interesting characters and quests like Piranha Bytes or the "let's fill everything with dragons and caves and shit, even if it's all boring" of Bethesda.

And yet which is incredibly more successful at attracting players?

Looking at Skyrim's sales and MMOs in general I think it is obvious people want quantity over quality when it comes to RPGs. Can't blame CDPR for responding to what people want really, though I guess that has nothing to do with what we wish they did.

Though honestly I thought Skyrim was a step in the right direction for Bethesda and reasonably varied and well designed (world wise).

I think doing 2 million sales on PC should be enough.

Oh well, we have kickstarters at least.

 

[DalekFlay]

I think doing 2 million sales on PC should be enough.

If they were passionate about making games like the original then yes, sure. However I don't think they are. The Witcher tried to emulate action games a lot relative to the engine it ran on. The Witcher 2 basically was Mass Effect with swords, much more action focused. This third game seems like a natural progression for them, from my perspective... the direction they have always wanted.

I don't see compromising principles to make money here, I see going after a certain style because it's considered the best way to make a modern action RPG.

 

[sser]

NeoGAF site fella has more updates.

I don't think they're going the way of Bethesda or BioWare. Why would they need to? (Plus, BioWare has caught a lot of flak these past few years.)

 

[tuluse]

I think doing 2 million sales on PC should be enough.

If they were passionate about making games like the original then yes, sure. However I don't think they are. The Witcher tried to emulate action games a lot relative to the engine it ran on. The Witcher 2 basically was Mass Effect with swords, much more action focused. This third game seems like a natural progression for them, from my perspective... the direction they have always wanted.

I don't see compromising principles to make money here, I see going after a certain style because it's considered the best way to make a modern action RPG.

I thought the trademark of the Witcher games was the choices and consequences. Playing both of them were kind of shit, but the branching narrative sucked me in. An open world seems go against that.

 

[hiver]

Anyway, it has been clear for quite some time now that CDprojekt wants to take over Bioware role and now, to attract a decent amount of Skyrim core audience.

Even Bioware has said Dragon Age 3 will be more like Skyrim. I think Skyrim's massive success was hard to ignore.

Why of course. EA. Nough said.
Though scope of the game wont mean much if they deliver shit quality of Ass Deffect or DA2 again.

New gen consoles are coming - which to marketing seems like a whole "new" market with huge PR capabilities of hyping graphikz!!immershunz!! angle - so what we are seeing is biggest players positioning to take large bites of that cake.

Bethesda will probably go for Facepalm4 and some big extension or a new Skyrim - Elder Scrolls game.

CDprojekt has bigger chances to take over big amounts of audience from EAware, on account of horrible quality they sank to. Then some addition of Skyrim audience is only a plus.

Oh well, we have kickstarters.

Yes indeed. And for the fist time in years we will be able to just sit back, relax and watch the fuck fest in AAA side for amusement purposes only.

 

[made]

Guys, guys, teaser trailer is out, but the music kinda sucks. I'm sure the Codex can do better than that:

 

[Borelli]

So they show you the wolf talisman that you were looking at during the whole playthrough of W1 and W2? I'm so TEASED.

 

[made]

I'll start:

http://www.youtubemultiplier.com/51114d122cd15-tw3-trailer-enhanced.php

 

[Data4]

'Open world' requires the ability to run.

Fixed that for you.

Modified that for you.

Uh, no. Go back to your MMOs, dude.

You continuously dwelling on that gives me the strangest boner.

 

[evdk]

Guys, guys, teaser trailer is out, but the music kinda sucks. I'm sure the Codex can do better than that:

As the success of CDP game trailers is measured (by number of years one has moved back the women's rights movement) this one is pretty meh.

 

[markec]

No matter how good Witcher 3 is it will not steal much of Bethesda audience as long it has preset main character. Bethesda fans like to create female characters, use modding tools to make all manners of sexy clothing for them and then role play sluts.

 

[Mastermind]

*scrolls up and sees a bunch of consoletards fine gentlemen referring to stats and skills as "secondary RPG mechanics"*

Have I become too codexian for the codex?

 

[hiver]

Of course they are secondary RPG mechanics. Oblivion has plenty, Skyrim too, facepalm3 and so on - yet all those are action RPGs, or action-adventure-exploration-RPGs at best.

But not to delute and side-rail this fine thread, feel free to jump in over here : http://www.rpgcodex.net/forums/inde...on-damage-vs-armor-and-tilesets.79901/page-10
Do read it all before commenting.

 

[Toffeli]

Yes, please log off immediately.

 

[Metro]

You continuously dwelling on that gives me the strangest boner.

Continuously? When's the last time I mentioned it? But, yes, when those are the only games you play it warps your feel for other genres.

 

[hiver]

Toffeli

You Talkin` to me?


/

NeoGAF site fella has more updates.

NARRATIVE comes in three forms:

Lowest level = free form activities like crafting, monster slaying (seems to be much more extensive this time around) and questing.
Next level = Political situation of Nilfgaardian invasion is resolved through a core plotline for each area. These areas? -> Skellige, Novigrad and No Mans Land!
Final level = Geralt's main plot line, his search for his loved ones, and the chase of the Wild Hunt.

Seems alright. Would be nice if the unfortunately called lowest level would interact with the next level of politics.

Igni = new flamethrower effect

Just like in the opening cinematic if W1.

Critical strikes in areas that matter depending on how much you learn about said monster

Good - it will probably be streamlined so biodrones dont cry about unkillable monsters.

Monsters drop loot like unobtainable alchemical and crafting ingredients for unique potion, mutagen and item crafting.

Very nice.

Clues build up information (like a Bestiary perhaps?)
Books garner information about monsters
Townsfolk provide information

Good. I guess.

Team aware of frustrations of inventory management in The Witcher
Committed to a less tedious process

Easy. Dont make interfaces for fucking consoles.

 

[DalekFlay]

No matter how good Witcher 3 is it will not steal much of Bethesda audience as long it has preset main character. Bethesda fans like to create female characters, use modding tools to make all manners of sexy clothing for them and then role play sluts.

I only roleplay sluts in Black Isle/Obsidian games.

 

[Data4]

You continuously dwelling on that gives me the strangest boner.

Continuously? When's the last time I mentioned it? But, yes, when those are the only games you play it warps your feel for other genres.

Well, the most recent time was in a bored AMA thread I made in GD when I was flying home for Christmas. Before that was a few months ago, and I don't feel finding it. The only thing you ever say in reply to one of my posts is about MMOs. I guess it bothers you that I play a few from time to time. But you know, I'm not going to round and round with you about it. I play all sorts of genres, but what REALLY cracks me up is how you allow yourself to be affected by another's choice of gaming. Fucking hell, it's goddamned hilarious that you give me that much power over you.

 

[Infinitron]

I don't intend to watch this, but it's probably really really stupid:

 

[Data4]

I don't intend to watch this, but it's probably really really stupid

Cliffnotes: Geralt is a ripoff of Elric of Melniboné.

 

[Infinitron]

I don't intend to watch this, but it's probably really really stupid

Cliffnotes: Geralt is a ripoff of Elric of Melniboné.

 

[Data4]

I never got around to reading Moorcock (there's a joke in there somewhere, I just know it), but a quick Google image search is telling, at least in the physical features.