Company News The Witcher Enhanced Edition announced

[Ausir]

Hm. From the fact sheet I'd say that e.g. the inventory changes won't be downloadable. If they're "integral to the enhanced edition" and there's no mention of any "download date", then that's it, I'm afraid. This contradicts what Kicinski said, though.

All changes integral to the enhanced edition will be downloadable. The ones with a separate download date are ones that will be available before the release date of the Enhanced Edition, the rest will be downloadable after the release.

 

[denizsi]

What about Polish VO with English (or any other language) subtitles? I guess we can "hack" the game again to set it so, but it would be neat if they made such an option.

 

[Elwro]

Thanks for the clarification, Rondel. and Ausir.

 

[Kingston]

They are handling their entry into the market pretty darn well, from the consumer standpoint at least.

 

[Crichton]

Here are the most important changes!

*By that I mean level loading times, which will be reduced by 80%, the stability of the game on different configurations,

*First and foremost, the English language version will be, for the most part, completely re-done. The amount of text in that version was reduced compared to other language versions and that was said to cause a significant decrease in immersion and atmosphere. Now the English version will be as polished and atmospheric as the other language versions.

*Speaking of language versions, most of them will be more or less improved. Significant changes will also be made in the German version, where we are planning to re-record the voices for many of the characters.

*Over 50 new supporting character models will be added, so that the player won't run into the same person too often.

*The inventory panel will be re-designed and improved

*Both Geralt and the NPCs will get over 100 new animated gestures which will make their "body language" during a conversation much more natural. Additionally, the face animation and lip-sync system will be re-created, making the faces of the speakers now even more natural as well.

These changes sound useful, I'll delay my 2nd Witcher playthrough to accommodate them, but I'd trade them all for some gameplay additions.

 

[Vamp]

Vamp, you might be stretching the 4-5 hour point with GoW, as it's at least 8-10 hours on PC thanks to the extra 4 levels. CoD4 and Airborne, however, can easily be completed in less than 6 hours; and let's not forget Kane & Lynch which is about 5-6 hours long.

Well, extra content or not, it's still not a long game by any means. Though GoW might not have been the best example but I'm sure you get the point I was trying to make.

About those new mods, does anyone know how exactly they will work? I mean, are they new quests that are placed into the game world letting the player decide whether he wants to do them or are they like seperate adventures you can load from the main title?

 

[Ausir]

They're separate adventures.

 

[Rondel.]

They are separate adventures. They are not interfering with game.

 

[Vamp]

Alright thanks!

 

[OSK]

I'm glad I waited to pick this game up. I'll wait until this is released so I can play the game it was intended to be.

And WTF are they thinking giving this shit away for free? Do they think that's how Bethesda has made millions!?

 

[Texas Red]

The messiah of the industry has arrived :shock:. These guys prove that you can put the creativity to the front, be honest with your fans and still "feed your family"(though Poland has much lower saleries than the West). They want to perfect TW though it is already a fine example of how art can be integrated in to games. CDP did the "impossible".

I've been saying from the beginning but TW was an instant classic. It had everything: a satisfying story with aspects of mystery that leaves room for speculation, an interesting fantasy setting where you can be surprised and amazed, huge amounts of lore, real life characters that manage to be attractive without becoming over the top, many innovations such as my personally favourite combat/alchemy system or being able to visit social plot important social gatherings with your "friends", C&C and so on and on.

Meanwhile, Bioware is releasing some module for 5 bucks for ME. Its supposed to last 10 hours but that is probably like NWN OC lasting 140 hours or ME itself 70 hours.

 

[Jaesun]

I have avoided purchasing TW just on the whole b00bie cards and whatever. Just does not appeal to me. That said, a company that specifically enhances it's game greatly FOR FREE wins a a huge thumbs up for me. I'll be purchasing the Enhanced Version now.

Awesome move CD Projekt.

 

[Claw]

The hell? You have a thread of your own to take care of!

You can post in News Comments again after you've <s>done your homework</s> updated your Let's Play.

 

[Direwolf]

The question is now: Will those 2 mods work on a russian edition of The Witcher?

 

[Ausir]

They should work with the Russian version, but they'll be in English or Polish.

 

[Direwolf]

That doesn't bother me, as long as they work.

 

[Ausir]

By the way, CD Projekt buying Metropolis is pretty funny, since Metropolis was the developer of a cancelled Witcher TPP hack & slash game in the lat 90s or early 2000s.

 

[DarkUnderlord]

By that I mean level loading times, which will be reduced by 80%

That's quite a bit.

 

[Fez]

I think even the Codex is having trouble being entirely bitter and cynical about this as it's pretty much unheard of. Nearly all the gripes of the fans being addressed and they'll do it for free? Going back and fixing and redoing so much is great for anyone who liked or was interested in the game or theme. I can't think of anything in (the professional industry) that compares with this effort by the developers and was simply given away for free.

With all that going on I'd be happy to revisit the game for at least another play through.

 

[Azarkon]

I love the number of times he used "Polished" in that announcement. It must have become a inside joke at CD Projekt.

 

[Azarkon]

As far as the announcement itself goes, it's a great move by CD Projekt. Personally, the one I'm most interested in is the "80%" reduction in load time. That alone makes another playthrough bearable.

Interesting to hear that the premium modules will be free, however. If this move isn't due to some weird twilight zone separation between the way economics work in North America versus the EU (*cough* Uwe Boll *cough*), then it should serve to raise the bar for the rest of the game development industry.

 

[cardtrick]

On the other hand, we're being awful celebratory over an announcement of something that has yet to happen. I definitely believe there will be improvements . . . but some of what they're saying seems a little hard to believe. I would be shocked to see 80% reduction in load times, for example. And I doubt that the improvements to the inventory and alchemy panels will be significant. Similarly, I wouldn't be surprised if the number of new human models they're putting in gets scaled back between now and May.

Still, even if only half of what they're claiming is accomplished, this will be a great improvement. And if nothing else, this announcement at least shows that they are aware of exactly what's wrong with the game in its current state.

 

[Fez]

According to this videothere will be at least three modules. One made by a Canadian group. Two coming out soon and a third on the way?

 

[Crolug]

CDP earned 4,3 million $ last fiscal year and it seems they are not greedy bastards so no fucking around with their fanbase. It is simple, the bigger fanbase you create now, the higher the sales of future titles. Simple and efficient.

As for EE - guys it will be only 40.000 copies, compared to 600.000 already sold worldwide it's pretty symbolic issue so I am pretty sure EVERY bit from EE will be downloadable, well, maybe except for music CD :D

 

[Hümmelgümpf]

EVERY bit from EE will be downloadable, well, maybe except for music CD

Which has already been included in the Russian version of the game.