The Witcher 3

Zero-Cool

http://kotaku.com/5981680/the-witcher-3-announced-first-artwork-revealed

World supposedly 20% bigger than Skyrim's
30-40 minutes to cross world on Horseback
New streaming technology (CDRED Engine 3)
Geralt's Memory is restored
No chapters/acts
Dude is ****ing DONE fighting for everyone else
Everything from solving MYSTERIES to slaying monsters
Coming out on "all top-of-the-line" consoles - I'd say that confirms next-gen is in.

I'm mad to play either The Witcher 1 or 2 (stupid PS3!) Since it looks like this will be out on all next gen consoles, hopefully 1 or 2 will be ported to PS3 like the rumours going around.

Ri_Nollaig

Yes sir! sign me up!
Loved the witcher 2!
1 was very good too but had a few annoyances (...the combat stances), still a great game. Great developer too who are happy to continue to support their game with updated content for free.

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

uuuuuuuuugh i dont know if I like that

witcher 1 and 2 were very focused stories, skyrim.... it was beautiful to walk around in but it was almost completely soulless. I hope they're not just doing the "x% bigger than skyrim" because they can and that they have some actual plans so that it doesn't suck in the ways skyrim did.

ShadowHearth

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar wrote: »

uuuuuuuuugh i dont know if I like that

witcher 1 and 2 were very focused stories, skyrim.... it was beautiful to walk around in but it was almost completely soulless. I hope they're not just doing the "x% bigger than skyrim" because they can and that they have some actual plans so that it doesn't suck in the ways skyrim did.

+1 on this.

Witcher was focused, so it had a great story and characters. I loved that in witcher games. I really hope they are not going skyrim way where it is quantity over quality.

danthefan

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar wrote: »

uuuuuuuuugh i dont know if I like that

witcher 1 and 2 were very focused stories, skyrim.... it was beautiful to walk around in but it was almost completely soulless. I hope they're not just doing the "x% bigger than skyrim" because they can and that they have some actual plans so that it doesn't suck in the ways skyrim did.

That was sort of my immediate thought but I trust CDPR, they've been talking about their new engine:

“With the REDengine 3 we combine the positive aspects of both approaches for the first time, creating an open environment with a complex, multi-thread story.”

So I reckon they'll pull something out of the bag.

ShadowHearth

danthefan wrote: »

That was sort of my immediate thought but I trust CDPR, they've been talking about their new engine:



So I reckon they'll pull something out of the bag.

If there would be one developer that i would trust in to not fecking up, thats CD project Red. If they say that they can pull it off, then i am still naive enough to believe them.

Azza

There track record is good so far. But they have only made 2 games.

The Witcher 1 was good but was a buggy mess on release.

Fingers crossed. The Witcher 2 was excellent.

Mr Freeze

Azza wrote: »

There track record is good so far. But they have only made 2 games.

As long as EA doesn't buy them, we could be looking at something amazing.

danthefan

Mr Freeze wrote: »

As long as EA doesn't buy them, we could be looking at something amazing.

Well there's a video posted on NeoGAF with some of the devs from CDPR and one of them says (heavily paraphrasing here) "we aren't interested in having some producer from XYZ company telling us Geralt can't have grey hair" or something, I think they definitely value their independence and hopefully they won't be bought out.

Azza

I dunno I think changing Geralts hair color could make the game sell an additional 3 millions copies. His hair color almost ruined the first 2 Witcher games for me. Hopefully, EA or Activision buy them out and change his hair color. Oh and make it a yearly FPS with lots of DLC map packs. They should bring in the Resident Evil 6 team and get them to corroborate with the guys who did the new DMC to oversee the changes. Are the Mass Effect 3 writers still available?

danthefan

Azza wrote: »

I dunno I think changing Geralts hair color could make the game sell an additional 3 millions copies. His hair color almost ruined the first 2 Witcher games for me. Hopefully, EA or Activision buy them out and change his hair color. Oh and make it a yearly FPS with lots of DLC map packs. They should bring in the Resident Evil 6 team and get them to corroborate with the guys who did the new DMC to oversee the changes. Are the Mass Effect 3 writers still available?

DMC has actually reviewed very well, not that I've played it.

All the extra content for TW and TW2 was all free which is pretty damn great, you could forget about that if EA or someone took over. Not going to happen though.

Sarky

"Open world" causes alarm bells to ring. Most developers who go down that route end up having no idea to make a story fit into that mould. Oblivion and Skyrim had really bloody dull main plots, and their worlds are populated with dead automatons. CDP know how to tell a good, more-or-less linear story, and the first two Witchers are phenomenal in that regard. I hope they do their homework before trying an open world game.

Still, a new Witcher game is hard thing to avoid getting excited about...

Completionist

Isn't The Witcher 2(Perhaps TW1, I haven't played it) sort of open world anyway? You are confined to acts but within those acts you are free to do as you wish.

Providing the ability to travel around the world freely will cause some major problems story wise. Think Kvatch from Oblivion, You return after saving the city yet it is still burning and no matter how long you wait no attempt to restore it is made, The refugees still hide in the church and fires still burn. This is a major hurdle to overcome story wise, Do you just magically rebuild the city or abandon it? Leaving it burning for eternity is not a good way of telling a story and TW should never sacrifice story for open world.

You could compare Kvatch to the likes of Flotsam from TW2, I left that town a burning mess with most of the guards and citizens dead... What should I expect if I were to return? I suppose it could be a bandit camp or something now but that isn't exactly very deep story wise.

Imagine the quality of The Witcher plot lines having to be stretched across an area larger than Skyrim. What exactly fills in the gaps between the main towns? Pointless caves or bandit camps such as in Skyrim? Or does the story just be confined to areas at a time and the rest of the world is pointless padding?

It is a near impossible task to create a large world that has actual depth.

Sarky

The witcher games so far have had big areas for each act, but there was only linear progression from one act to another, and if you happened to return to an area later, the story had changed the place significantly, so it's not the same.

I'd be fine with an open world without a huge amount going on in the wilderness. When you couldn't take ten steps in Oblivion without stumbling across some bandit/cultist/quest-giving NPC, it ruined the immersion even further. I'd like to see something a little bit Mirror's Edge in open world games: Climbing a mountain should involve more than just following a steep path. When I'm out exploring I want to leap across deep chasms, I want to climb out on the limbs of trees to reach a vine I can grab to scale a cliff, I want to dive a hundred feet into a lake to get away from a scary predator. That's way more interesting than encountering bandits or goblins every 10 minutes. Morrowind did this fairly well, with some very cleverly designed ruins and temples, and the ability to levitate/fly to get places.

Kvatch was handled terribly in Oblivion. Look at Monterrigioni in AssCreed- It started off as a wreck, but got progressively prettier every time you came back. It wouldn't have taken much for Bethesda to have done something similar with Kvatch. Hell, even replacing the citizens cowering in the church with beggars roaming around the ruins would have been better than a whole town stuck at one point in time.

Mr Blobby

Oh this makes me a happy chap .

Not entirely worried about the open world aspect, because I know Cd Projekt Red have the tools to keep me hooked.

Some cracking dialog in there also.

"Something's troubling me."
"What's that?"
"What does a bloody Witcher eat, anyway?"
"Eh, mushrooms?"
"Spuds?"
"Why spuds?"
"'Cause he's a human, like us. He sweats, he bleeds, prob'ly eats spuds, too."

:pac:

Burgo

danthefan wrote: »

Well there's a video posted on NeoGAF with some of the devs from CDPR and one of them says (heavily paraphrasing here) "we aren't interested in having some producer from XYZ company telling us Geralt can't have grey hair" or something, I think they definitely value their independence and hopefully they won't be bought out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gIsYuPIKco

mentions it here. Already excited about it.

danthefan

CD Projekt RED announces The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt

Designed to be the crowning achievement from the renowned RPG developers; for the first time will combine mature, nonlinear story with a vast, fully open world.

CD Projekt RED has officially announced the title of their next upcoming game: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Further, they've announced that this, the ultimate game in the series, will also be the final Witcher game from the studio. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt combines CD Projekt RED's trademark decision-based storytelling flair with a living open world larger than any other in modern RPG history.

"The captivating and nonlinear story of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt takes place in a rich, truly open world environment. A world which is thrilling to explore, full of daring adventures, momentous quests, memorable characters, and unique monsters. Players will freely travel through woods, lakes, mountains, cities, and villages. Each region is inhabited by distinct populations with their own customs, legends and problems. The world of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is 30 times bigger than The Witcher 2," said Adam Badowski, head of the studio.

"Imagine playing a dark fantasy game with the same great nonlinear story as in the previous Witcher titles, but now told in a world you can explore freely with no artificial boundaries. The war-ravaged world is so huge that to reach further places you will need to ride a horse or sail a boat to get there. A world where your choices have truly epic consequences. From the development side, this goal is extremely demanding. Our team had to make significant design changes and our tech had to be rebuilt. But we believe that this will lead to a completely new level of nonlinearity and a whole new, richer gaming experience. As a gamer, I would love to play this kind of RPG and I think this is what many players are waiting for. This is our dream come true at CD Projekt RED, and we hope it will be the same for you!" adds Badowski.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is the final episode of the award-winning RPG series and the last part of the legend of Geralt of Rivia. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is the most robust and breathtaking game ever created by CD Projekt RED. Open world free-roaming exploration is an adventure in itself as the player will gallop through war-ravaged lands, sail misty waters and track down dangerous beasts for money. An improved combat system will allow players to feel like a real monster-hunter, a witcher who uses his superior senses and fighting skills to survive in a dark fantasy world--while he embarks on a quest to save his loved ones. The new core mechanics of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt immerse the player in the experience completely, with no Quick Time Events, only intuitive RPG gameplay.

Badowski continued, "People may ask if this is really going to be the last Witcher game. Yes, it is. Why? Because we believe that we should end the series on a high note. Technology has progressed to where we can finally tell the story the way we want, with the visuals we want, in the world we imagined. This will be the ultimate fantasy RPG experience, and while we're hardly out of stories to tell, we believe it's time for us to look to new worlds and new horizons to keep pushing the boundaries of what we can create."

For all of those who have never experienced the adventures of Geralt before, this will be their last chance. The game will be accessible all players--those who are fans of the series and those who just love RPGs--thanks to availability on all major high-end platforms and an introduction designed to smoothly introduce all those who visit the world of the Witcher for the first time."

The game will be released in 2014 simultaneously on all high-end platforms. Making use of the same remarkable art direction from The Witcher 2 combined with the support of in-house technology--the recently-announced RPG-oriented REDengine 3--The Witcher 3 will take full advantage of the technical capabilities of modern hardware and will set a new standard for RPG visuals.

CD Projekt RED has added a whole new section to their website. If you want to find more information, please go to www.thewitcher.com

For more details check out the latest issue of Game Informer, available for online subscribers starting from today. There you will find exclusive materials in a 14 page cover story, including early screenshots and concept artwork.

Azza

Lol I love the way they release a statement with

the Witcher 3: Wild Hunt immerse the player in the experience completely, with no Quick Time Events, only intuitive RPG gameplay.

There advertising no quick time events.

KonFusion

World supposedly 20% bigger than Skyrim's
30-40 minutes to cross world on Horseback

Does this make sense to everyone else or are the maths a little off?

Surely skyrim takes less than 10 mins to cross on horseback?

gizmo

KonFusion wrote: »

Does this make sense to everyone else or are the maths a little off?

Surely skyrim takes less than 10 mins to cross on horseback?

Maybe the horses are slower in Temeria?

Sarky

Maybe it's going to actually be to proper scale?

ShadowHearth

gizmo wrote: »

Maybe the horses are slower in Temeria?

From what i heard skyrim horses are on drugs! :pac:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Q7CInjswYg

Azza

Info translated from a German website.

•36 final states of the world and 3 epilogues (each 1 hour long)
•You can import your save game, but it’s not going to change backstory of the game. Still, it will affect characters.
•Numerous types of monsters, but one type you’ll encounter are Ice Giants (this was confirmed in an earlier screenshot, and thanks for OnlySP for catching that particular bit of information).
•You can buy horses or tame a wild one by using Axii.
•There’s also a special mode activated for hunting monsters – studying tracks will reveal what special items or preparations Geralt will need to make to kill a particular monster.
•Geralt will be much more agile. Now he can jump and climb wherever he want.
•Wild animals will appear. Geralt may hunt them and take their furs, claws etc.
•Main storyline is 50 hours long, and this may vary depending on the paths you take through the game.
•You can travel the world on horses or boats, both of which will improve during the game. Boats can be “borrowed” from the beach – and they will improve as the game goes on.
•Now people will call the guards when they see Geralt stealing their stuff
•There is a new mechanic similar to VATS from Fallout 3. You can aim at the specific parts of monsters bodies in slow-mo. No more QTE
•Geralt now can achieve 60 level max
•PC and console versions have completely different UI
•Geralt’s effect on the environment is now more pronounced – the Igni sign can literally set the world ablaze.
•You gain experience points only by completing quests, hunting will provide you money and crafting materials
•Two new minigames: axe throwing and card games
•Economy depends from the area. In some places you can buy something for a lesser price, or sell it for higher price.

There also appears to be different factions you can join.
•One will have to decide for any group, such as the Order of the Flaming Rose and the Societal. A sorcerer is always independent.

Gran Hermano

Looks like no XP farming by killing monsters in the woods like last time:
•You gain experience points only by completing quests, hunting will provide you money and crafting materials

Big Knox

Azza wrote: »

Info translated from a German website.

•36 final states of the world and 3 epilogues (each 1 hour long)
•You can import your save game, but it’s not going to change backstory of the game. Still, it will affect characters.
•Numerous types of monsters, but one type you’ll encounter are Ice Giants (this was confirmed in an earlier screenshot, and thanks for OnlySP for catching that particular bit of information).
•You can buy horses or tame a wild one by using Axii.
•There’s also a special mode activated for hunting monsters – studying tracks will reveal what special items or preparations Geralt will need to make to kill a particular monster.
•Geralt will be much more agile. Now he can jump and climb wherever he want.
•Wild animals will appear. Geralt may hunt them and take their furs, claws etc.
•Main storyline is 50 hours long, and this may vary depending on the paths you take through the game.
•You can travel the world on horses or boats, both of which will improve during the game. Boats can be “borrowed” from the beach – and they will improve as the game goes on.
•Now people will call the guards when they see Geralt stealing their stuff
•There is a new mechanic similar to VATS from Fallout 3. You can aim at the specific parts of monsters bodies in slow-mo. No more QTE
•Geralt now can achieve 60 level max
•PC and console versions have completely different UI
•Geralt’s effect on the environment is now more pronounced – the Igni sign can literally set the world ablaze.
•You gain experience points only by completing quests, hunting will provide you money and crafting materials
•Two new minigames: axe throwing and card games
•Economy depends from the area. In some places you can buy something for a lesser price, or sell it for higher price.

There also appears to be different factions you can join.
•One will have to decide for any group, such as the Order of the Flaming Rose and the Societal. A sorcerer is always independent.

This is going to sound strange but it seems like they're using Red Dead as their openworld basis and adding in everything else from the Witcher series with the usual RPG elements. And no I'm not complaining because if they get it right it will be amazing!! :pac:

BizzyC

Sounds incredible....

I'm a little worried though that it'll end up being too ambitious.

Azza

Don't worry I hear there out sourcing this to John Romero and Gearbox studios. :pac:

Link to some newly released screenshots
http://www.gameranx.com/updates/id/13154/article/the-witcher-3-screenshots-released-depict-large-scale-fantasy-environments/

AlmightyCushion

Ignii can set the world on fire, you say. I like the sounds of that.

Kiith

Excellent new trailer. No ingame footage or anything, but nicely sets the tone of the Witcher universe for anyone not too familiar with it.

I'd have to say this is my most anticipated upcoming game.

Skerries

this will definitely be a day one for me

ShadowHearth

Well, like always, pure gold CD Project RED.

Jelle1880

https://twitter.com/Aga_Szostak/status/367710779929538560

So they got Charles Dance as a voice actor, sweet

blatantrereg

I loved the original game. Never got into the second one in the same way, and doubt I've completed half of it. One thing that disappointed me was the removal of the rhythm-based combat, which I had liked. I also never got drawn into the story in the same way.

I was seriously impressed with the storytelling from the start with the first one and the ambiguous decisions that you are faced with. I think it was the Of Monsters and Men quest in chapter 1 that first made me notice the quality it had in that regard. It has wow factor really. I liked the chapter structure as well, which added to the feel of being immersed in a story for me.

The novelty of the game was a lot of the appeal for me. Things are a lot more interesting the first time you experience them, than when you are faced with the same basic concepts over and over again. Obviously with any sequel it is different to offer the same feeling of novelty as with an original game - especially when trying to maintain what made the first game appealing too.

The sequel lost some of its uniqueness I think. It seemed more influenced by other highly successful games, a bit more mainstream - less focused on its own particular world and stories. Reproducing elements of the original and mixing them with more generic features I guess. An awful lot of fuss was made about the graphics. Again the wrong thing to be trying to wow people with I think. I didn't think the graphics were that special in any case [and I did play at max settings]

I hope that trend doesn't continue with the third instalment. The removal of the chapter structure doesn't bode well in my mind. Neither am I excited by the game world being bigger than Skyrim. It suggests they are focused on the wrong things. They aren't making the sequel to Skyrim.

The level of investment plays a part of course. Has to be a focus on return on investment. Safer bet to go with proven formulas and what appeals to the broadest range of buyers. Have to be brave to be too different with big budget titles. Compare the level of diversity in games in the 80s and 90s, when budgets were much smaller in general, with the homogenisation of games now.

So yeah. My attitude is that it will be a dead space 3-esque crapfest. Hopefully I'll be happily surprised though.

[Not that I've played Dead Space 3, but I'm willing to take the general comments on it as true.]

Xenji

Very good and in depth write up of the game by Eurogamer, well worth reading.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-11-19-the-witcher-3-what-is-a-next-gen-rpg

Skerries

got lost in that review and several other link offs

MadYaker

Gameplay trailer:

Gummy Panda

When is it out?

MadYaker

No release date yet. Id say Jan/Feb? It looks like the dogs bollox anyway! Can't wait.

Mitch Connor

MadYaker wrote: »

No release date yet. Id say Jan/Feb? It looks like the dogs bollox anyway! Can't wait.

when i was reading about it, it seemed like it was hinting at the second half of the year.

Skerries

yeah I'd say 3rd quarter next year

dreamers75

Loved the 1st one, couldnt get into the 2nd one...

Mehish on this one as in i wont play it until i finish the 2nd one.

Kiith

I'd say i only enjoyed the 1st one, whereas i absolutely loved the 2nd. Much improved in pretty much every way imo. Fantastic game, and can't wait for the 3rd installment.

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

used to love 2 as well until I played dark souls, now whenever I try and replay 2 the combat just feels awful and I never get far

Kiith

Have you tried it recently with the combat enhancement mod? I've not tried it, but it's supposed to be excellent (though i doubt it'll ever compare to Dark Souls).

SeantheMan

I tried twice to get into the first one, but couldn't. I may have to give it another go.
People always talk about the choices etc and it really appeals to me, I just wasn't enjoying the story that much at the start.

How many hours do you have to put in before it really kicks off ?

Skerries

give it at least 10 - 15 hours before you decide against it or until you can get past the swamp as that was the only bit I didn't like in the first game

Magill

You just know this is gonna be an excellent game.

SeantheMan

Wow 10-15 hours is a big commitment for a game. Considering many you play these days are completed in that time.

Kiith

Yeah, the first can be tough to get through. I actually think i played the 2nd before i actually finished the 1st.

Actually, i'm not even sure i ever completed the 1st...

Mickeroo

Chapter 2 is an absolute nightmare in the first game, was seriously regretting not playing it at the lowest difficulty setting at that point, the amount of running around in that chapter was also extremely tedious. It improves a lot in chapters 3 and 4 though. Must get back to it soon and finish it, still have chapter 5 to play and then on to the second game.

Trailer for this looks amazing I have to say. Like the look of the combat, not a big fan of it in the first game.

Sarky

Yes, the swamp was rather a slog if you didn't know what you were doing. Especially if you were playing on the hardest setting, and had been using up potions willy-nilly before that, leaving you short on vital ingredients for the big fights. It opens up so much after that though, it's like a whole different game. The investigations, the murder mystery, the side stories, they're just magnificent.

I got bogged down in real life and other things while playing Witcher 2, last time I played I was just about to make a choice on whether to follow Iorveth or Roche. I'm almost afraid to go back to that choice because it's such a big one.