The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt [2014]

[HoonDing]

I hope the game will have a harem ending.

[Lexx]

I hope the new book gets a German translation soon.

[HoonDing]

Any word on whether drinking potions in combat will be possible again? Witcher 2 has so many terrible design decisions.

[mkreku]

I remember trying to drink potions during combat in the Gothic games. The nameless dude slowly picked up a flask from his belt, started fiddling with the cork and promptly died. He drank it in real-time! It was hilarious.

[Keyrock]

I though The Witcher 2 took it maybe a bit too far with not allowing you to drink potions at all during combat, although, from a realism standpoint, would you really be reaching for a flask or vial, even one conveniently strapped to your belt (just waiting to get shattered), while a pack of wolves is jumping at you or some guys are trying to spill your bowels with swords?  Anyway, I like that approach better than the absolutely ridiculous Elder Scrolls approach:

 

3 draugr are relentlessly attacking out intrepid hero.  Suddenly, they freeze mid-swing.  The hero calmly sets down his weapon and removes his invisible backpack.  He sets the pack on the ground and opens it up.  After rummaging through the pack he produces 5 flasks, a roasted piece of chicken, a mug of beer, a pepper mill, some cutlery, and a blanket.  The hero calmly sets the blanket on the ground, mere inches away from a frozen in time axe, then neatly arranges the food and potions atop it and sits down.  15 minutes later, after finishing his feast, the hero tosses the chicken bones and empty flasks away, packs up the blanket and cutlery, puts the invisible backpack back on, grabs his weapon, then magically the draugr unfreeze and the battle continues.

 

Ideally, you should be able to drink potions during battle, but it should be fairly time consuming and you either can't move while you're performing this action, or your movement rate is severely decreased (try drinking something while running full speed, it doesn't work too well).

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

I will now attempt to drink things while moving at various speeds.

[Humanoid]

Cast an ice spell on your potion before consuming it. In icy pop form it'd be so much more convenient to consume.

[marelooke]

Ideally, you should be able to drink potions during battle, but it should be fairly time consuming and you either can't move while you're performing this action, or your movement rate is severely decreased (try drinking something while running full speed, it doesn't work too well).

Wasn't this how it worked in the first Witcher? While not as epicly slow as mkreku's description of Gothic it was still something that left you vulnerable for the time it took Geralt to drink the potion.

 

As for shattering the vials, I always considered them to be some sort of metal/steel containers rather than plain glass, otherwise the way he wears them on him would probably result in no potions after a battle, whether he used them or not... ;-)

[HoonDing]

In Witcher 1, Quen was used to set up an impenetrable shield during combat to drink potions.

 

To be more exact: you should be able to quickly pop a potion when you spot enemies in the distance. In Witcher 2 you need to enter meditation mode.

[Keyrock]

I will now attempt to drink things while moving at various speeds.

Please document your findings thoroughly and report back to us.  A video of the experiments would be much appreciated.

[Keyrock]

In Witcher 1, Quen was used to set up an impenetrable shield during combat to drink potions.

 

To be more exact: you should be able to quickly pop a potion when you spot enemies in the distance. In Witcher 2 you need to enter meditation mode.

Agreed.  I'm all for being able to drink a potion before the enemies are upon you, or if you manage to somehow put a good bit of distance between yourself and them.  Being able to drink potions while engaged in melee should be either impossible, or come with a steep price (attack of opportunity-a-palooza).

 

As an aside, they need to de-god mode-ify Quen in Twitcher 3.  That sign was insanely overpowered in TW2.

Edited February 4, 2014 by Keyrock

[Nonek]

I believe that the potions are dealt with in two way in the third game, the preparation method of Assassins of Kings, and a second class of potions which can be supressed by Geralt's metabolism and the effects released when he sees fit. Mid combat or whenever.

[HoonDing]

Could it be that Yennefer is "the Consort" mentioned in Shilard's letters in Witcher 2?

[Nonek]

In the Kaedweni camp? Hmmm that's quite an intriguing idea, Ones first impressions were of the Empress whom Emhyr replaced Ciri with, but I suppose your idea is very possible. Certainly create an interesting dynamic between the Emperor, the Witcher and the two sorceresses.

[HoonDing]

Considering she lost her memory and her demeanor it would make sense. Not to forget according to Letho she tried to seduce Auckes.

[Maria Caliban]

I am looking forward to this. I'm hoping for better combat and more evil lesbian sorceresses.

[Nonek]

Considering she lost her memory and her demeanor it would make sense. Not to forget according to Letho she tried to seduce Auckes.

 

Yes it would be in character I agree, though I don't know if it would be for Emhyr.

 

Edit: Personally I never saw Philippa as being particularly evil, she was just a child of her times and playing the same game as the rest of the power brokers of the North.

Edited February 6, 2014 by Nonek

[Keyrock]

Supposedly The Witcher 3 will have 36 different endings, though just how different each of those endings is remains to be seen.  It would be pretty hilarious if it was just essentially the same ending with 36 different color explosions.

[Bryy]

I'm expecting 31 of those endings all to be variation.

[Nonek]

I've heard that it's 3 different endings in 3 seperate areas, and 36 different ending states of the world. Don't know how true this is though.

[Lexx]

Never forget the 500 endings of Fallout 3.

[Keyrock]

On the plus side, if they do go with the same ending with 36 different color explosions, they'll likely get a bunch of cupcakes mailed to them with different color frosting.  It will also be a challenge to the both the developers and the cupcake bakers to find that many different hues of explosions/frosting that you could still tell apart easily.

Edited February 7, 2014 by Keyrock

[HoonDing]

How many endings did CDPR claim Witcher 2 would have?

[Malcador]

Sixteen, I think

[Meshugger]

There are 36 different endings because there are 36 different females waiting to be bed by our esteemed witcher. Not that i mind that really.