Interview Witcher queries at FiringSquad

[Saint_Proverbius]

Tags: Witcher, The

There's <a href="http://www.firingsquad.com/news/newsarticle.asp?searchid=9889">an interview</a> with the creators of <A href="http://www.thewitcher.com">The Witcher</a> over at <A href="http://www.firingsquad.com/">FiringSquad</a>. The questions are pretty cookie-cutter, such as <i>What makes Witcher different?</i>, <i>Will there be a demo?</i>, and other fun things. Here's a clip:
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<blockquote><b>FiringSquad: Single player RPGs have been few and far between lately but there seems to be a resugance in this field with Neverwinter Nights 2, Elder Scrolls IV Oblivion and Gothic 3 all due out this year. Why do you think that single player oriented RPGs have come back into favor?
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Gary Keith:</b> As we knew going into The Witcher, there is a very large audience of fans who enjoy the genre. Although the MMO market is the hot topic right now, people still enjoy a solid story-based experience and rich worlds. We ended up going down the single-player route after we broke down the RPG experience we wanted to provide. We wanted to provide a rich and deep story in a non-linear structure. Then we chose to focus on one character as we felt it was the best way to deliver this story-based experience. Finally, our goal is to set a benchmark in PC RPG combat with interesting tactical options and hundreds of animations to bring the real-time combat to life. All those factors led us back to a single-player experience. Oblivion’s recent success shows the strength of the single-player-oriented RPG genre and verifies for us even further that we are headed in the right direction. We think there will always be a small group of developers that will dedicate themselves to this genre in one way or another, and our goal is to be one of them. </blockquote>
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The funny thing about the question is that I'm pretty sure more single player CRPGs came out within the last few years than MMORPGs.
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Spotted at: <A HREF="http://www.shacknews.com">Shack News</A>

 

[Naked_Lunch]

Depends how far back you're willing go. In 1999-2002, sure, a helluva lot more RPGs came out. From 2003ish onwards, MMORPGs have easily overtaken releases. I don't have the exact figures on me, though I could probably find them.

 

[Elwro]

"As Geralt — a renowned slayer of monsters — tries to regain his lost memory and pursue a group of assassins who raided the witchers’ stronghold, he finds himself trapped in a struggle between powerful political powers."
Another amnesiac main hero?

 

[Micmu]

Oh boy, it started...

Oblivion’s recent success shows the strength of the single-player-oriented RPG genre and verifies for us even further that we are headed in the right direction.

Considering how pathetic RPG oblivion is, this isn't good at all. As predicted, due to it's success (thanks to PR), this consolified crap will become a benchmark for future "RPG"s. And I thought WoW was bad.

Yes, we do plan to release a demo, but the date is still under consideration.

Can't wait.

 

[LlamaGod]

"As Geralt — a renowned slayer of monsters — tries to regain his lost memory and pursue a group of assassins who raided the witchers’ stronghold, he finds himself trapped in a struggle between powerful political powers."
Another amnesiac main hero?

Heroes should keep a magical back-up storage of their brain. This seems to be a re-ocurring problem. Just like how American presidents should wear helmets all the time.

 

[Volourn]

"Depends how far back you're willing go. In 1999-2002, sure, a helluva lot more RPGs came out. From 2003ish onwards, MMORPGs have easily overtaken releases. I don't have the exact figures on me, though I could probably find them."

It also depends on how one defines a RPG as well.

 

[Saint_Proverbius]

Depends how far back you're willing go. In 1999-2002, sure, a helluva lot more RPGs came out. From 2003ish onwards, MMORPGs have easily overtaken releases. I don't have the exact figures on me, though I could probably find them.

MMORPGs.. There's City of Heroes, Star Wars Galaxies, World of Warcraft, and EQ2. I'm sure I'm missing a few from Korea.

CRPGs.. Space Rangers 2, Oblivion, Gothic 2, KotOR2, Bloodlines, The Fall, Kult, Dungeon Lords, Mount & Blade, Hammer & Sickle, Metalheart, Neuro Hunter, Seal of Evil.. And I'm not even mentioning things like Fate, Dungeon Siege 2, X-Men: Rise of Apocalypse, etc.

 

[TalesfromtheCrypt]

MMORPGs.. There's City of Heroes, Star Wars Galaxies, World of Warcraft, and EQ2. I'm sure I'm missing a few from Korea.

Dungeons and Dragons Online, Saga of Ryzom, EVE Online, Lineage 2, The Matrix Online, Anarchy Online, Planetside (if you want to count it as such), Ragnarok Online...

And I'm not mentioning the Bulk of Asian stuff...

 

[Atrokkus]

Gee, Saint, you're such a N00B in MMORPGs!

 

[LlamaGod]

Theres alot of MMORPGS that show up and fizzle quickly, too. Horizons and Rubies of Eventide for example.

 

[Old Scratch]

AutoAssault, Rising Force Online, The Sims Online, Puzzle Pirates

Another amnesiac main hero?

Since we're listing games here, which RPGs had amnesiac heroes?

Shadowrun for the SNES
Planescape: Torment
KOTOR
Gothic 2(sorta)

I know I'm forgetting quite a few.

 

[Elwro]

In Gothic 2 (if you chose the proper dialogue lines)the hero remembered what he did & who he met in the first game. He just got badly injured in the temple of the Sleeper and, uh, forgot how to do anything and lost all his stats.

And when saying "another" I only had PS:T and KotOR in mind, which imo is enough.

 

[elander_]

We consider our game a modern version of a classic story-based RPG with tactically deep real-time combat. Our game is focused on the story of one character who has a past. There are not a lot of games going down the route of providing this type of set-up from the beginning, but we felt it was important to help deliver a very rich story.

That's because it's usual to provide a world setup and not just a character setup and let the player choose the character and how he wants to play that character. I just don't know were's the big problem for a good crpg to deliver one or more very good plots.

Geralt is a monster-killer-for-hire and trained in combat, but in no way does that hinder the character development throughout the game. The player will decide how to develop the special abilities, resulting in one’s own unique version of the character.

Smells like character development resumes itself to development of combat abilities. Reputation? Reaction meters? Affiliations? Important choices that affect the world and allow your character to develop? What about some information on this?

Our combat is also quite unique, as it is as stunning as you might see in some console action RPGs, but yet still tactical in nature, as in the classic turn-based systems. This combination of highly fluid real-time movement and the tactical choices is an aspect we think players will enjoy.

Yes like we never seen anyone trying to do that before. FOPOS anyone?

Well they did mentioned they are trying to make a "modern" crpg which means an interactive movie with inconsequential dialog. The crpg part is that you can chose your combat pooooowwwwers. They also mentioned a demo which inspires honesty. So at least i hope for an interesting movie part and a balanced and interesting combat part ortherwise this will be just another Oblivion.

 

[TalesfromtheCrypt]

Smells like character development resumes itself to development of combat abilities. Reputation? Reaction meters? Affiliations? Important choices that affect the world and allow your character to develop? What about some information on this?

While I undertstand you are pessimistic, I don't get why you just don't read the interview here at the codex.
What you describe here is mentioned in the interview, just read it.

 

[elander_]

Theres nothing in that interview except vague promises. I don't believe in promises. This is being realistic not pessimistic.

 

[LlamaGod]

at the beginning of Gothic 2, I think Xardas explains you're not an amnesiac. You've just lost all your physical abilities, since you died and were brought back.

The 'Who are you again?' dialog options are for people who never played the first game.

 

[Volourn]

"Planescape: Torment
KOTOR"

The word is protagonist. You aren't neccessarily the hero. Moron.

 

[Old Scratch]

"Planescape: Torment
KOTOR"

The word is protagonist. You aren't neccessarily the hero. Moron.

Oh Volourn, don't even attempt to lecture me on English ya cheese ball. I remember when you could barely spell moron all of three years ago. By the way, you may wanna recheck the definition again there bud:

1 a : a mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent endowed with great strength or ability b : an illustrious warrior c : a man admired for his achievements and noble qualities d : one that shows great courage
2 a : the principal male character in a literary or dramatic work b : the central figure in an event, period, or movement
3 plural usually heros : SUBMARINE 2
4 : an object of extreme admiration and devotion : IDOL

Hero doesn't just mean "the good guy" anymore than protagonist does and though the term generally had male connotations in the past, it's considered gender neutral these days.

Not everyone's vocabulary consists of one word for each specific object or situation. There are these things called synonyms you might want to look into. Or better yet, don't attempt to nitpick casual posts on a message forum. People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones and all that shit.

 

[yarpen]

Theres nothing in that interview except vague promises. I don't believe in promises. This is being realistic not pessimistic.

That's what interviews are about, no? We can promise something and you can believe it or not :wink:

 

[elander_]

THEY READ THE CODEX!!!!

It's good to have your own idea of crpgs but as a customer i prefer to read about concrete features and how they work in pratice.

For example Fallout had reputation tags like grave digger or slaver, reputation per town, etc. When being a slaver it would have consequences when joining some factions or obtaining quests from some people. At the end of the game you get a video for each town showing what hapened to the town as a consequence of your actions there.

Fallout also had apropreate choices and reactions from npcs based on your reputation, skills and affiliations in almost every quest. Instead of forcing the player to be a quest-bitch, quests usualy had different outcomes and solutions that would reforce a certain character development path.

I don't think nobody is expecting this kind of deep and sofistication in crpgs anymore. Which is sad because there is nothing in this that stops a crpg from providing a good plot and a pre-made character. The problem is when crpg evolution amounts to JUST providing a good plot and a pre-made character and the rest is all bollocks with only one or two moments to show-off the press. So no i don't think there is not much to believe anymore and it's not our fault.

 

[Kendar]

Their is a new video at Gametrailers. It's about the combat and visually, it's apparently going to be interesting. I like the little reminder at the end of the video : "no, wait, don't leave, it's an RPG, I promess !".

 

[Saint_Proverbius]

Dungeons and Dragons Online, Saga of Ryzom, EVE Online, Lineage 2, The Matrix Online, Anarchy Online, Planetside (if you want to count it as such), Ragnarok Online...

And I'm not mentioning the Bulk of Asian stuff...

Wow, D&D Online came out? Plus Lineage 2, Saga of Ryzom, and Ragnarok Online are those little Asian thingies I excluded. Anarchy Online is a bazillion years old by now. Oh, I did forget Matrix Online, though.

Still, I think I've made my point that there are just as many, if not more, single player CRPGs being made versus MMORPGs than the other way around.

 

[Naked_Lunch]

I'd say it's about equal, but certainly more MMORPGs are coming out than singleplayer RPGs in the near future. PCgamer did a big thingy about and they had like 50(!) or so new MMOs coming out in the next year or so.

 

[Saint_Proverbius]

I'd say it's about equal, but certainly more MMORPGs are coming out than singleplayer RPGs in the near future. PCgamer did a big thingy about and they had like 50(!) or so new MMOs coming out in the next year or so.

Most of those won't even see the light of day, Lunch.

 

[Naked_Lunch]

Probably, but it's interesting to see how many of them are just absolutely flooding the market. I mean, when's the last time a major media outlet did a thing on the mindblowing number of singleplayer RPGs in developemtn?