Community: To what degree has the Aurora engine retained its modulation capability? Will it still be possible to create whole new levels, weapons, quests, spells, skills, combat styles, and various other effects, or will the game be rather hard-coded in such a way, as to prohibit the creation of mods? To what extent then will it be able to change the game? If, for example, someone's dream is to turn The Witcher into a Fallout-like world, will this be possible?
Michał Madej, (Chief Designer): This is a hard question on account of the fact that the answer is not really straightforward. The degree to which one can modify the game is greater in some of its parts, e.g. in the creation of quests, than in others, e.g. in the creation of whole new levels. Despite the fact that we're using the Aurora engine as our basis for the game world, the number of changes we've made to it (both in the rendering module as in the game's logic) is so great that we can actually talk about a new engine. Moreover, since we had to completely rework the edition tools used in making changes to the game, it is really difficult to compare our new toolset with that of Aurora's. In our final version of the game we would very much like to make this whole new set of tools available for the user, which would permit him to devise his own adventures, characters, modify the game world, as well as to create his own games using 3D Studio MAX.
Community: To what extent will The Witcher be reliant on in-game scripts? After all, there's a whole plethora of game developers out there who are very boastful of the fact that their game's not based on scripts, when in reality this tends to be just big talk. How will it be in your case? Great in-game scripts merely giving the illusion of freedom, or will it be true unobstructed freedom? To what degree will the completion of a particular quest for the second or third time be the same as the first time round?
Michał Madej, (Chief Designer): First and foremost, I would prefer not to get ourselves caught in the trap of thinking that in-game scripts effectively eliminate real freedom and merely create its "illusion". That's basically the same as saying that houses built without the use of the mallet are warmer. You have to remember that the use of in-game scripts is the only technique that permits the developer to actually render the game world sufficiently pliable as to freely modulate it, without having to make any changes and recompilations in the game's engine itself.
The way scripts are used, however, is another story. I'd also like to point out that the so-called "freedom" in any game is always an illusion, which makes the way we go about presenting this "liberty" in the game world really a secondary issue.
As a point of interest I'd like to bring to your attention that in The Witcher we've added the possibility of handling a very elastic LUA code, which has proved extremely useful in creating and modifying all the included mini-games, without having to so much as touch the main engine.
Community: Is it still the case that an hour in the game world is equal to two minutes in reality? Or has something changed since 1 September 2004?
Michał Madej, (Chief Designer): Yes, this is still the case. Perhaps some changes related to the matter will occur during the beta tests but for now it seems a good conversion rate.
Community: Will it be possible to find items that have previously been in the possession of say Geralt, Ciri, Regisa, Cahira, Yennefer, or Milva? And if so, will these objects prove to be of any use to the main character?
Michał Madej, (Chief Designer): Naturally. I say no more to not ruin the fun!
Community: Will it be possible to play the game on different difficulty settings?
Michał Madej, (Chief Designer): Yes. This will mainly have an impact on the control you have over the game (easier to control will mean less advance options, though), as well as the difficulty of individual monsters.
Community: Won't the active pause, coupled with the instant save option and the frequent dialogues significantly decrease the level of playability of the game, dragging it down to some kind of visual paranoia?
Michał Madej, (Chief Designer): I don't quite understand your fear. Firstly, the active pause function is there only to permit the player to choose his preferred Witcher Signs and Combat Styles at any given moment during a skirmish. Secondly, the save option is unusable during such fights. And thirdly, none of the dialogues take place during combat – they're pretty well separated in time and place from anything that would interfere with their listening.
Community: Might you have the Polish dialogues ready, that is are they already recorded, or are they only in English? …. and who will be giving his voice to the main character? Is it a 100% certain who he is?
Michał Madej, (Chief Designer): No, it is not. The written dialogues are originally created in Polish. However, since at present we're trying to "push" and "sell" the game in the West, namely to distributors and the media over there, voice-overs are currently recorded only in the English language.
Community: Will it be possible to assign spells and such to any button on the keyboard?
Michał Madej, (Chief Designer): Yes. The more advanced players will have the possibility of configuring preset hotkeys.
Community: As I understand it, there will be a lot of skills, spells, etc. Is it by any chance possible that you'll make the transition from one skill tab to the next relatively easy? Maybe something similar to NWN or Lineage 2?
Michał Madej, (Chief Designer): We have our own solutions regarding the combat system and the development of the main character than the games mentioned. The user's interface will therefore work in a different way as to what you've experienced so far. We assure you that'll be very intuitive, comfortable and easy to use.
Community: Will there be the option to "invert the mouse"?
Michał Madej, (Chief Designer): It seems to me that there's no need for such an option in a point&click game.
Community: From a purely technical point of view, is it possible that you create some sort of "teleport" option? I'm referring to those situations where the played character falls into the so-called "hole" (an internal game bug) and is unable to move, while the player's mischievous brother deleted or overrode all the earlier saves. Naturally I am not talking of a teleport in its traditional sense, but rather of the possibility or even the skill for the Witcher to commit suicide, in order to leave the "hole" and go to a city or something. A significant rollback of gained XP points would be a good idea to dissuade players from misusing this option.
Michał Madej, (Chief Designer): We do not foresee any such problems in our game and what's more, the technology that we use has long eliminated this type of threat.
However, you might consider looking to various "cheats" and the like (which in practice always pop up), which would enable you to use such a "teleport".
Community: Since you're using the Aurora engine (which has previously permitted the creation of mods), will it be possible to recommence playing the game from its very beginning with a fully developed character, previously used to pass the game the first time round? I am referring to such situations where, for example, in NWN the player could take advantage of his 20 level character and restart the whole plot again, with the monsters automatically being stronger, though (however easy the riddles remained). I'm therefore talking of a dynamically changing world. You could also refer to cheats here. Will a cheat-boosted character be faced with automatically stronger opponents?
Michał Madej, (Chief Designer): We don't want a "dynamically" changing world, which would accommodate itself to the skills of the character played. We generally see this as a bad idea, which inevitably takes the fun and sense out of character "leveling". { :D }In The Witcher, the player takes control of a character, which is to experience various adventures and take part in great plot events. For example, he learns of his past, he regains some of his forgotten abilities… it would be a bit weird if he could do it over and over again...
Community: Any love motifs in the game? After all, the Witcher's supposed to be regarded as attractive by a lot of women (tough, unwavering mystery of a man). Hence this should be in some way clearly pronounced in the game. As for example in Baldur's Gate II, yet better, much better.
Michał Madej, (Chief Designer): As I've said earlier – they'll be there. In fact, the whole plot of the game is based on important female characters and Geralt's romances and relations with them. Since Geralt had lost his memory, a lot of them take advantage of this…"Geralt, they lie as to you having been with Yen. It is I, who's the love of your life"
Community: I am wondering as to whether you will follow the rather ridiculously funny footsteps of most other RPGs, where after killing a monster, its possessions simply disappear? I'm talking of such situations where, for example, a goblin armed with a sword in Baldur's suddenly after his death becomes a goblin without a sword. In these cases an adversary's weapons (and the rest of his whatchamacallits) simply vanish, don't they?
Michał Madej, (Chief Designer): Our game follows the principle of "what you get is what you see". Each and every weapon wielded by your current enemy can be acquired or even wrested off him during combat. The principle works the other way as well – wolves don't magically drop swords or rings (unless of course they had some mage earlier over for lunch).
Community: I'm most afraid about the linearity of the game, though, since I don't very much pay attention to the graphics. Do you remember the game called "Adoma"? Will it be possible to venture anywhere on the map? To the sea, mountains or the forest? Will I have to get involved in the affairs of the world right away? Or will I be able to live somewhere off the beaten track, build myself a little wooden hut and get in shape by cutting some wood for the night fire, before going off to face the evil world?
Michał Madej, (Chief Designer): I therefore promise you that you've nothing to fear. The Witcher is to be a true "roleplay", where after a hard day's work spent on slaying monsters you can go fishing or look around for some nice girls with which to spend the night...
Community: I have a question regarding the energy needed by Geralt to cast signs. Will his energy regenerate on its own or will it be necessary to take some potions or will it be as in Diablo, where there's both?
Michał Madej, (Chief Designer): Geralt's energy will regenerate rather quickly on its own. However, there will of course be elixirs, which increase the speed of energy recovery. Moreover, other elements of the game will have an influence on Geralt's energy levels as well. For example, casting signs in power spots will be less tiring on the Witcher.
Community: Will the motif of Geralt's injured knee appear in the game? After all, the Witcher had almost lost several melees because of this.
Michał Madej, (Chief Designer): It's in there. I won't reveal any more.
Community: Referring to the question and answer posted in the previous Feature of the Week: You've mentioned that the region of Temeria, part of Brokilon, will be presented. However, Kaer Morhen is far to the north, past Keadwen in the Fire Mountains, yet it is there where the plot is supposed to start. Will this mean that thanks to the plotline we'll be able to at least briefly visit other regions, the dearer and the less so special locations to Geralt?
Michał Madej, (Chief Designer): Not quite. While the game does commence in Kaer Morhen (where the prolog to the game will actually take place), the player will then be taken directly to the lands that lie between Vizim and Brokilon.
Community: Will in game be some hidden treasures?
Michał Madej, (Chief Designer): Of course there will! Exploring in-game locations on our own, as well as finding hidden treasure is one of the most basic features of the RPG genre.
Community: Any news about tools for community?
Michał Madej, (Chief Designer): We are planning to get the game released with its own accompanying set of game modification tools. Depending on the user's abilities, he'll be able to either change the Witcher's adventures, alter the game code thus creating his own versions of the world, or even design whole new games (using the internal tools and exporters that is).
Community: What kinds of magic will we can see at world?
Michał Madej, (Chief Designer): The magic in The Witcher world is powerful but it's not that widespread as in the realms of high-fantasy. It can be said that it rather closely resembles today's science but its secrets are restricted to the few "in the know". In addition, there of course exist superstitions, curses, prophecies and the like, as well as genetics and mutations, which are seen in The Witcher world as tantamount to magical powers.
Community: Will Geralt be able to eat, sleep etc.?
Michał Madej, (Chief Designer): Yes. Sleep will be very important and necessary in the game, while eating and drinking will not be indispensable but useful.
Community: What kind of music will be used in the game? Bands' names, genre etc.
Michał Madej, (Chief Designer): At the moment we're developing our own soundtracks for the game use but there's a chance that we'll get "live" music to be played in the taverns, e.g. folk music, though not only.
Community: Will zones be cut off as quests are successfully finished or will it be possible to return to the newbie zone even at the end of the game?
Michał Madej, (Chief Designer): In general, throughout most of the game the player will be able, or even have to return to previous locations. However, at one point, when the plotline grows to an epic scale, the main hero will be compelled to follow certain major events till the very end of the game.
Community: Will be there some flying creatures (like wyverns or dragons, some type of vampires)? (If yes, can Geralt ride on them?)
Michał Madej, (Chief Designer): Yes, there will be flying creatures in the game but to a limited degree – again, it's a question of control imposed by the point&click and isometric view technique. Geralt will not be able to ride them, leaving flying to the mages, who seldom do that even so. As for wyverns, no one in the right mind would think of even attempting to domesticate such dangerous creatures as wyverns. So no wyvern-flying. Sorry
Community: Will there be a possibility to continuing the game after you are done with the main plot? (to just walk and kill monsters for money).
Michał Madej, (Chief Designer): No. The game is to end with a huge epic event.
Community: Will there be some special things happening during Midinváerne and Mida Te nights?
Michał Madej, (Chief Designer): These nights in particular will not appear in the game but other important and "magical nights" will, which will have a significant impact on the storyline and gameplay.
Community: What is the level of interaction with NPCs?
Michał Madej, (Chief Designer): Rather great. The dialogue system we've developed most definitely surpasses many games in the genre.
