The Witcher The Witcher IV - The Ciri Saga Begins

[coldaqua]

Name an engine feature from RED not already in Unreal.

I don't know much about game engines, but it just struck me as odd to drop an engine you've spent more than a decade developing and already shipped three games with - including two expansions.

 

[rusty_shackleford]

Name an engine feature from RED not already in Unreal.

I don't know much about game engines, but it just struck me as odd to drop an engine you've spent more than a decade developing and already shipped three games with - including two expansions.

Most/all of the programmers who originally created it are probably gone by now, it's likely becoming too difficult to maintain let alone expand.

 

[CrunchyHemorrhoids]

They regretted picking Aurora over UE 15 years ago. The difficulties they had with cyberpunk and the work done on the PS5 version of TW3 possibly also influenced this.

If we're assuming 5 years away similar to tw2->tw3 it would likely launch as a crossgen game, again.

Maybe remake the previous games in UE5 first as they're getting familiar with the engine and new tools, sort out kinks with the production process.

 

[Gargaune]

Having to crawl back to The Witcher after botching Cyberpunk. Sad!

Were people here really expecting CDPR would run a single IP over this decade instead of leapfrogging titles between Cyberpunk and a new Witcher trilogy? The Witcher 4 was always going to follow Cyberpunk 2077, and after that we'd get a Cyberpunk Later-in-2077 or whatever and so on, a title in each franchise every couple of years. Just letting The Witcher brand go cold would've been bad business, there's still milk in them udders.

I don't know much about game engines, but it just struck me as odd to drop an engine you've spent more than a decade developing and already shipped three games with - including two expansions.

It's a surprising move given how long they've been developing the platform, and doing it successfully, regardless of what our resident backseat Carmacks think. But it's a competitive sector with ever increasing specialisation and costs, and I'm not aware of any third-party mainstream titles having licensed REDengine, meaning it hasn't been bringing in money other than through CDPR's own products. Maybe it's just not worth it anymore, and signing on with Sweeney's crew won't just give 'em a codebase, but plenty of cross-platform support across as well. Basically, let the experts do their thing - Epic can make very very shiny shaders and CDPR can make infuriating itemisation.

 

[J1M]

Having to crawl back to The Witcher after botching Cyberpunk. Sad!

Were people here really expecting CDPR would run a single IP over this decade instead of leapfrogging titles between Cyberpunk and a new Witcher trilogy? The Witcher 4 was always going to follow Cyberpunk 2077, and after that we'd get a Cyberpunk Later-in-2077 or whatever and so on, a title in each franchise every couple of years. Just letting The Witcher brand go cold would've been bad business, there's still milk in them udders.

I don't know much about game engines, but it just struck me as odd to drop an engine you've spent more than a decade developing and already shipped three games with - including two expansions.

It's a surprising move given how long they've been developing the platform, and doing it successfully, regardless of what our resident backseat Carmacks think. But it's a competitive sector with ever increasing specialisation and costs, and I'm not aware of any third-party mainstream titles having licensed REDengine, meaning it hasn't been bringing in money other than through CDPR's own products. Maybe it's just not worth it anymore, and signing on with Sweeney's crew won't just give 'em a codebase, but plenty of cross-platform support across as well. Basically, let the experts do their thing - Epic can make very very shiny shaders and CDPR can make infuriating itemisation.

Given the success of Witcher 3 and the hype for Cyberpunk, I was expecting them to be able to work on two games at a time by now.

 

[Tyranicon]

Given the success of Witcher 3 and the hype for Cyberpunk, I was expecting them to be able to work on two games at a time by now.

I think there's a good reason that gamedevs with a specific brand don't really do that anymore. Even if the games aren't too similar, you're making games that compete with each other for sales because they likely share the same audience.

Also there's the matter of having enough resources, marketing, etc. Players also don't like having a "B" team/studio working on their favorite project either.

 

[Robotigan]

Switching to UE5

This is a good move for them. I don't think their engine was doing them any favors. It's clear it limited their design and contributed to development issues with the training time wasted on new hires. I'm not sure it did anything bespoke anyways, mostly just pushed high rez assets which Unreal can also do.

New protagonist

Thank Christ. Sick of Geralt's gravelly voice and too cool for school attitude.

Why are they announcing this now?

This is for recruiting not marketing. Bit of a labor crunch in games development at the moment.

 

[Robotigan]

I think there's a good reason that gamedevs with a specific brand don't really do that anymore. Even if the games aren't too similar, you're making games that compete with each other for sales because they likely share the same audience.

I don't think it's that. These games release 4 or 5 years apart, they're hardly cannibalizing each other's sales. Games are huge now and require a lot of developers and carry a lot of expectations. Very few studios have the enough experienced developers to work on several projects concurrently. The bad launch state of games like Andromeda and Fallout 76 stem from crucial parts being spun off to the B-team.

 

[Cyberarmy]

So they really given up on CP 2077 eh ?

Spoiler

 

[Oracscube]

Sooo..this new Witcher 4 protagonist, I'm assuming stronk wombyn?
Possibly stronk black wombyn, like the new TV show 'Blood Origins'?

Also, doesn't the Witcher TV series have some crossover, in an incoming mini DLC for the Witcher 3 next-gen upgrade?



Yes I thought so.. this shit is bound to have an influence on Witcher 4
How many woketards now work for CDPRXQTI, how progressive has it become, does anyone know?

 

[Preben]

Guys, is there a single RPG made in Unreal engine that's good? I can't think of any. Don't say Deus Ex, that was a completely different era, I mean more like UE3 or 4?

Mass Effect 2

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_Effect_2

 

[Cyberarmy]

Colony Ship?

 

[TheSoul]

Gamers have the memory of goldfish, it's the only explanation for buying unfinished jank for the thousandth time. Ultimately, they're getting what they deserve and will gladly buy the new witcher game in a few years once enough fake gameplay gets shown and they promise sex scenes.

 

[JDR13]

Please don't go woke.
Please don't go woke.
Please don't go woke.
Please don't go woke.
Please don't go woke.
Please don't go woke.
Please don't go woke.
Please don't go woke.
Please don't go woke.

 

[Oracscube]

Already...

https://www.gamesradar.com/the-witcher-4-teaser-fuels-theories-that-ciri-may-replace-geralt/

The Witcher 4 teaser fuels theories that Ciri may replace Gerald

..and her Zerrikanian sidekick

Making Ciri the star of The Witcher 4 would make it an even more exciting prospect


https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/witcher-4-cat-medallion-lynx-teaser/
What does this cat medallion mean for The Witcher 4?

This might be the Ciri game we've been waiting for
We? Not me, fuck off

For one, Ciri actually wears a Cat school medallion. It's not really mentioned in Witcher 3, but you can spot it hanging off her waist in-game and during cutscenes. While playing as Ciri, the Wolf symbol next to Geralt's health bar is replaced with a Cat symbol. The games don't call attention to this detail, but in the books, Ciri takes the Cat medallion from a bounty hunter named Leo Bonhart, who himself looted it from a Cat school witcher he killed.

There are other things that make Ciri a good candidate for protagonist. In what many consider to be the best ending of Witcher 3's main story, Ciri becomes a witcher and sets off on her own. A new game set after Geralt's retirement would be a natural place to pick up a new game and consistent with what CDPR has said about the future of The Witcher games.

https://gamehob.com/news/ciri-is-likely-the-main-character-in-the-new-witcher-gaming-saga/
Ciri is likely the main character in the new Witcher gaming saga




I really didn't like Ciri..

 

[ferratilis]

Guys, is there a single RPG made in Unreal engine that's good? I can't think of any. Don't say Deus Ex, that was a completely different era, I mean more like UE3 or 4?

Mass Effect 2

I said RPG

 

[fantadomat]

what witcher school medallion is that

School of the Beaver.

Most likely the fox,and you will play as some strong independent black woman.

 

[Arbiter]

Please don't go woke.
Please don't go woke.
Please don't go woke.
Please don't go woke.
Please don't go woke.
Please don't go woke.
Please don't go woke.
Please don't go woke.
Please don't go woke.

They already have.

 

[JDR13]

Please don't go woke.
Please don't go woke.
Please don't go woke.
Please don't go woke.
Please don't go woke.
Please don't go woke.
Please don't go woke.
Please don't go woke.
Please don't go woke.

They already have.

With what? Don't say the TV shows. CDPR has nothing to do with those.

 

[Arbiter]

Please don't go woke.
Please don't go woke.
Please don't go woke.
Please don't go woke.
Please don't go woke.
Please don't go woke.
Please don't go woke.
Please don't go woke.
Please don't go woke.

They already have.

With what? Don't say the TV shows. CDPR has nothing to do with those.

With recruitment practices, for start.

 

[Vincente]

Most likely the fox,and you will play as some strong independent black woman.

I think a Zerrikanian school would be named School of the Dragon, since they worship dragons there.

 

[Ezekiel]

Ciri's perpetually uneven collar annoyed me more than anything about the character. Also was even more boring to fight with.

 

[Salvo]

Please don't go woke.
Please don't go woke.
Please don't go woke.
Please don't go woke.
Please don't go woke.
Please don't go woke.
Please don't go woke.
Please don't go woke.
Please don't go woke.

They already have.

With what? Don't say the TV shows. CDPR has nothing to do with those.

Did you follow CP2077's development? Not even a little bit? Diversity hires, e-celebs, etc?

 

[Vincente]

I'm okay with Ciri being the protagonist if we get really detailed scenes of Leo Bonhart killing Rats, drugging Ciri, beating the shit out of her, and forcing her to fight in an underground arena.

 

[coldaqua]

With recruitment practices, for start.

Is this what you're referring to?

More from the GameSpot article:

"CD Projekt embraces diversity in the belief that a workplace which respect diversity is the cornerstone of openness and trust. This enables us to fully unlock the creative potential of our employees, which, in turn, translates into increased depth, innovation, and appeal of our products," the Polish developer said. "We also believe that diversity reinforces and enriches our organizational culture."

...

Overall, women make up 26 percent of CDPR's total staff, which is an increase from 2018. CDPR also pointed out that it's much higher than the Polish game industry average of 15.5 percent. The number of female developers working for CDPR has grown every year since 2017, and the percentage compared to men has stayed around the same, fluctuating between 24 percent and 27 percent.