The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt [2014]

[BruceVC]

 

I think that is a fair (if non fixable) complaint. Oddly enough I cannot recall seeing anyone complain about the reverse in TLJ/ NOLF or similar, but I guess it does happen.

 

 

Personally, I very rarely play female characters if I have the choice.  I just feel I always struggle with the concept mentally and it distracts from my experience.  Oddly, if I am forced to play as a female character, it doesn't bother me as much.  May have something to do with my perception as to what level of control I have over the character.  If I perceive that the character is "mine" the female option is more difficult.  Otherwise, it's just another character.

 

You have accurately summed up my view, as most of you should know I consider myself a vociferous liberal yet I never play females as its probably because I battle with the idea of trying to role-play something I am not. I hope this doesn't sound sexist, because thats not my intention

[Azure79]

I usually play male characters my first time through, but I don't mind playing female characters. Now I really want to go back and play NOLF 1 and 2. I have the CDs somewhere. I wish Monolith would make NOLF3. 

[alanschu]

 

You have accurately summed up my view, as most of you should know I consider myself a vociferous liberal yet I never play females as its probably because I battle with the idea of trying to role-play something I am not. I hope this doesn't sound sexist, because thats not my intention

 

No it sounds fine.

 

For myself, the mental hang up that I typically get caught up on is that it doesn't feel like I'm roleplaying a woman, but rather roleplaying what a man thinks a woman would behave like.  As such I often second guess my own decisions.

 

It's sort of like those old Junior High/High School health classes, where the teacher would have people play the role of other classmates.  In the end it always results in people playing caricatures of each person (i.e. some guy would go "Hey everyone I'm Allan and I love computers!" which is a line that I would never say in school, but was more a reflection that people wanted to make it clear that they were behaving like me, not their normal selves!)

[Nepenthe]

 

 

I think that is a fair (if non fixable) complaint. Oddly enough I cannot recall seeing anyone complain about the reverse in TLJ/ NOLF or similar, but I guess it does happen.

My hypothesis is because a female protagonist is novel. Now if we were to suddenly be subjected to the next 10 years of only being able to play female characters, it might be different.

 

Personally, I very rarely play female characters if I have the choice. I just feel I always struggle with the concept mentally and it distracts from my experience. Oddly, if I am forced to play as a female character, it doesn't bother me as much. May have something to do with my perception as to what level of control I have over the character. If I perceive that the character is "mine" the female option is more difficult. Otherwise, it's just another character.

 

I don't think it's ever been a deal breaker, however.

Same here, but I'd never really given it any thought before...

[NOK222]

 

You have accurately summed up my view, as most of you should know I consider myself a vociferous liberal yet I never play females as its probably because I battle with the idea of trying to role-play something I am not. I hope this doesn't sound sexist, because thats not my intention

 

No it sounds fine.

 

For myself, the mental hang up that I typically get caught up on is that it doesn't feel like I'm roleplaying a woman, but rather roleplaying what a man thinks a woman would behave like.  As such I often second guess my own decisions.

 

It's sort of like those old Junior High/High School health classes, where the teacher would have people play the role of other classmates.  In the end it always results in people playing caricatures of each person (i.e. some guy would go "Hey everyone I'm Allan and I love computers!" which is a line that I would never say in school, but was more a reflection that people wanted to make it clear that they were behaving like me, not their normal selves!)

I always roleplay women first for some reason, and I guess I am just trying to implant my ideal lady, at the same time when I play as guys it feels slightly self inserty, so you can't win. 

[Malcador]

I don't really roleplay much in the games I've played, usually just go with what makes sense to me in that moment (so I'm probably doing it wrong ). Haven't really had much problem playing female characters in ME, TOR or even things like TLJ/NOLF.

[BruceVC]

http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2013/02/20/monster-hunting-in-the-witcher-3-wild-hunt.aspx

 

Latest video on monster hunting. I like the preparation that needs to go into the hunt, and we all love killing beasts.

Edited February 23, 2013 by BruceVC

[Azure79]

Nice. I liked the system in Witcher 2 where you had to read up on monsters. It looks like they're expanding on this by introducing options on monsters as you fight them and even unique monsters.

 

Really looking forward to this game. I like the fact that the main source of income will be hunting down monsters.

Edited February 23, 2013 by Azure79

[Hassat Hunter]

W2 really lacked monsters compared to W1. It would be nice if instead of like, 2 types per chapter, more of them appear.

[BruceVC]

W2 really lacked monsters compared to W1. It would be nice if instead of like, 2 types per chapter, more of them appear.

 

Well the good news is that they mentioned that W3 will be more like W1 in respect to monsters

[kalimeeri]

Good to hear!  Much as I love the games and Geralt's character, I agree that TW2 lost much of the 'feeling' of being a witcher by trade (a side effect of the political focus of the story, I'm sure).  In TW1, Geralt was practically dragged, kicking and screaming, into the human political scene, whereas in TW2 he almost seems to embrace it after the first few scenes with Triss.  I also called foul on the mechanics that forced you to prepare ahead of time for a fight against unknown enemies ... you knew it was coming, but it was a guessing game at best, more commonly a die/reload situation.

And you know, I can't for the life of me recall anything about the soundtrack in TW2 ... yet that of the TW1 still runs through my head.  So if CDP can somehow meld these two games together, it would be a fitting end to the series.

Edited February 24, 2013 by kalimeeri

[TheHarlequin]

On a related note, I bought the witcher 1 from steam recently. Played it about 30 mins and I simply couldn't get into it. I read all the hype, saw all the praise and I simply for the life of me can't understand why it is so highly regarded as a CRPG. Granted I was only playing for a half hour but most all games I play are able to capture me within that time period of playing. New Vegas, DA:O, XCom, Civ5, NWN2, Skyrim etc all 'got' me right out of the gate. Perhaps it's the fact I am forced into playing a specific character and can't create my own or the controls seem a little anti-intuitive. Either case was wondering if that happened to other CRPG players with this game and your advice.

Edited February 24, 2013 by TheHarlequin

[Tigranes]

The start of TW1 is the castle where you get attacked, no? I imagine you've played zero/little beyond that tutorial area. I'd say that heavily cinematic area makes little of an impression, and the colour, texture and character of the game (as well as the C&C) happens when you get to the pastoral town and start doing the quests there. If you are committed to giving it a proper go, then do so until there.

 

But then, if NWN2's turgid start was sufficient to get you going, I'm not sure what's happening...

[Orchomene]

Perhaps it's the fact I am forced into playing a specific character and can't create my own or the controls seem a little anti-intuitive.

 

You mean, like in PST ?

More seriously, the begining is far from the best part of the game. Also, putting you directly into action without getting used to the controls is not the best thing they have done in this game.

I'm not fond of the controls myself, yet I find the game pleasing in the story. Hope you can get past the action part and enjoy the rest of the game.

[Nordicus]

But then, if NWN2's turgid start was sufficient to get you going, I'm not sure what's happening...

Ugh, the start of NWN2 was like starting a Hobbit character in LOTRO

[HoonDing]

Funny how the first chapter of both TW1 and TW2 end with a ludicrously badly designed boss fight.

[Nonek]

Thought the Loredo fight was rather good myself.

[kalimeeri]

I read all the hype, saw all the praise and I simply for the life of me

can't understand why it is so highly regarded as a CRPG. Granted I was

only playing for a half hour

 

The game plays a little differently than standard conventions, and for those raised on D&D the leveling/perk scheme might seem very foreign at first.  But if you're interested in a good story driven game do give it a fair chance.  I think on my first playthrough (cold) it took me almost a third to half the game to feel comfortable with it ... but once I did, I was in love.  My youngest daughter reported the same experience, once I convinced her to play it; it's now one of her very favorite games, and she'd kill to have that lifesized statue of Geralt that CDP has in their offices!

On a side note, there's also a balancing mod by Oscuro for TW1.

[alanschu]

I wasn't at all impressed with the writing in the first game.  The second game, however, was a lot better.

[Malcador]

Funny how the first chapter of both TW1 and TW2 end with a ludicrously badly designed boss fight.

Fight against Aldersberg wasn't all that bad, agree with the dragon fight being horrible. I guess the alternative was the raid boss like fight against the Dragon in DA, heh.

[Nonek]

I wasn't at all impressed with the writing in the first game.  The second game, however, was a lot better.

 

I was quite content with the writing in the first game, there were high points such as the conversation with Zoltan on the games main theme, and low points such as some of the rather mistranslated portions, in the main however I thought that it did an admirable job especially when it came to dropping allusions to the book series. Now the narratives and the plots writing were things of beauty, pleasingly subtle and underplayed, while at the same time maintaining an internal logic that was consistent with the world and characters.

 

One piece of such writing that I really liked was the little conversations that you had with Alvin in Murky Waters, the real heart of the game, which are thrown back at you by Jacque DeAldersburg in his dream realm, and used as excuses for his schemes. Didn't click with me until after i'd slain the man and found the amulet i'd given him, I felt like a righteous avenger morally unassailable, only to find out that I had a hand in creating the monster that Alvin became.

 

I guess it's a matter of taste.

[Keyrock]

I thought the writing in TW1 was quite good, but the translation, voice acting, and overall production value, wasn't up to snuff (understandable since it was CDPR's first game to the best of my knowledge).  The production value, translation, and voice acting was immensely improved in TW2, which allowed the writing to come through a lot better IMHO.

[melkathi]

I haven't even finished The Witcher 1...

Luckily what I did play of it I did in German and not English, which, from what I heard, made a huge difference.

 

There is one thing that always bugged me and I could never figure out. When leveling up a skill - let's say for example my *wooshslashwhirl* attack used against many weak opponents - is the bronze medal upgrade I chose cummulative with the silver medal upgrade? Or should I, wherever possible, use bronze uprades for skills I wont want to strengthen further and hold out for a better upgrade I'll be wanting down the road? If I got a +10% damage and then take a +20% damage, does that turn into a +30% or is the +10% wasted as I could take the +20% without taking that first? (numbers in example completly random)

Edited February 26, 2013 by melkathi

[Keyrock]

I haven't even finished The Witcher 1...

Luckily what I did play of it I did in German and not English, which, from what I heard, made a huge difference.

 

There is one thing that always bugged me and I could never figure out. When leveling up a skill - let's say for example my *wooshslashwhirl* attack used against many weak opponents - is the bronze medal upgrade I chose cummulative with the silver medal upgrade? Or should I, wherever possible, use bronze uprades for skills I wont want to strengthen further and hold out for a better upgrade I'll be wanting down the road? If I got a +10% damage and then take a +20% damage, does that turn into a +30% or is the +10% wasted as I could take the +20% without taking that first? (numbers in example completly random)

It's been a long time since I played TW1, but if I remember correctly (that's up for debate), I don't think you can get the higher upgrades without getting the lower upgrades first.  Also, later on in the game, you will have tons of bronze medals, so go ahead and use them.

[alanschu]

The thing I disliked about the first Witcher's writing is how hamfisted it was.  "Oh look, we're dark and mature and racism exists.  Here's an obligatory scene of a dwarf getting picked on by big bad humans and Geralt can choose to help the Dwarf or do nothing at all.  So reaaaaal."

 

The game literally reminded me of my own attempts to make a "dark, edgy, and mature" module with the NWN toolset.  It came across as the the first attempt at writing for an RPG.  Maybe some of that was lost in translation, but ugh.

 

The moment that Lord stated "etcetera etcetera" in a dialogue line, I realized the writing was so much intended to be good, but rather campy, and I enjoyed the game much more after that point.  I laughed at the dialogue a lot in that game, but ultimately I felt like I was laughing with the game, instead of at the game.