Gaming The Witcher 2 Interview

http://www.bit-tech.net/gaming/pc/2010/10/11/the-witcher-2-interview/1

 

I missed the first game, but I may well pick this one up. It looks very nice, and probably worth playing. A while before it comes out, though. Q1 2011 (Wikipedia)

 

crap, now i need to get a new rig.
hope they make a console version (with no compromises, no edits).
i see that witcher is/will be available on consoles (yay).

 

Interesting interview, thanks. I enjoyed the first Witcher game, though I waited until I could download the enhanced edition patch which basically makes the game playable. Hopefully they will release a more polished product initially this time.

Really looking forward to it!

 

I've tried to gety into the Witcher several times, although always failed near the begining. Although I'll try again before the release of this..
Imo the combat is not immersive or too hardcore, its plain crap.

I'm not asking for a plain hack 'n' slash arcade style system but something different.

 

it's based on the Neverwinter combat system...
Bioware's combat system (the witcher was originally a Neverwinter Nights mod)
are you saying their combat system sucks?
but as they said, the combat system for The Witcher 2 is getting refined

 

Well I've heard its a good game, and i really want to like it but i just think its horrible, and can't seem to play more than a few hours of it.
i've never played neverwinter nights either.

 

It does take a little adjustment having to click at precise times to link attacks, but you get used to it. I can understand you finding it a bit hard to get into at the beginning, as the game is a little slow to get going. It's worth a play through if you can stick with it long enough.

 

My point wasn't it being hard
I just didn't like it. Felt too awkward.

 

Nono I wasn't saying it was hard to play..but hard to get into as the start of the game is quite slow. The actual timing isn't difficult but it is kinda awkward as you say. But you do get used to it if you stick with it.

 

The Witcher I does take a bit of work to get in to and the combat does seem rather basic to begin with but once you begin levelling up and improve on your sword skills it becomes a lot more entertaining and interesting. Am still playing through it myself as only picked it up recently and have enjoyed the majority of it so far.

 

"A lot of people complained about combat being too difficult or too hardcore"


What the ****? The combat in the first game is the worst combat I've ever played in any game ever - because it was mindless and simplistic. All you did through the whole game is click the enemy and he attacks, click again, and he attacks again, click click click click click. You didn't have to do or think about anything at all. Even Dragon Age with it's butchered simplification of it's once great AD&D combat had far more going on. At least in that game you have to choose from several skills or spells and use them at a sensible time. It wasn't very deep or challenging or clever, but it was still about 50 times better than The Witcher.

The rest of the witcher was great, so I just have my fingers crossed that they have completely redone the combat to be far better, but every time I read about it, it makes me think it's going to be just as bad as the first game. It sounds like they wanted to make it an autopilot hack n slash for morons. Turn your brain off, and mindlessly click your way though 10000 battles against baddies, drooling at the mouth, watching the zomg orsum dood animations as he hacks people up and blood splatters about. Mindless hack n slash lameness, for the mindless modern "action"-RPG audience. It will be a huge success no doubt.

 

The Witcher was built from a modified version of the Aurora engine, but it was not a Neverwinter Nights mod.

The combat is nothing at all like Neverwinter Nights. NWN used the same sort of realtime/turnbased hybrid that the majority of Bioware's games have used since Baldur's Gate. The Witcher is a realtime hack n' slash.

Personally, I loved the Witcher but the combat really lacked any depth. I never understood why they included all the axes, daggers, and other cool weapons that you could pick up, and then didn't let you pull off combos with them. Everything but swords were completely useless.

I'd read earlier on in its development that the Witcher 2 was having its combat overhauled and I was pretty excited about it. I have to say that the developer's comments about the original's combat being "too hardcore" have put me off a little bit. Being too difficult wasn't the problem, it was too simplistic. I really hope the sequel doesn't have the same combat as the first, but easier.

 

Good to hear that CD-Projekt are going to try to minimise the DRM for Witcher 2, but the final say is surely going to be up to the publisher (Atari) who have a record of, well, "reluctance", on DRM-removal. However GOG is proof that DRM-free can work (I've spent more there in the last couple months than on any other games).

I'd agree with those who considered combat in the original Witcher to be its weak point - the focus on timing and arcade-level reflexes came at the cost of tactics and depth. At least CD-Projekt could consider providing an alternative system along the lines of NWN or Dragon Age - not least since multi-character control would require it.

 

Bah! The Witcher 2 looms on the horizon and I can't even get my hands on The Witcher 1 (Platinum Edition). Sold out everywhere around here. I'm sad now. I'll go away...

EDIT: Just got my grubby little hands on it! Me so happy! Me so happy!