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hemophilia posted:I think another aspect is CDPR seems to really care about 1. Making games and 2. the Witcher universe. We live in a strange time for games. I guarantee you, these UI updates are almost certainly the developers testing systems out for the Cyberpunk game or taking a system they'd built for that game and retroactively placing it in Witcher. This creates a strange issue--if you played and reviewed this game when it launched, with all the bugs and everything, and had a mediocre experience, is that really reflective of the quality of the game now, a year on, with massive changes to its user interface and content, as well as tweaks to its game mechanics? It's weird that game devs can now fix games post release. There's no other art form for which that can be the case, really.
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Jun 6, 2016 03:36
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I'm still completely baffled by the post-release support. It seems almost vulgar to talk about Blood and Wine in terms of value but you guys this was twenty dollars. CDPR could burn good will at Bioware levels for like the next two years and they'd still be top tier good guy developers.
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Jun 6, 2016 03:40
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Not just that, but instead of waiting until an enhanced edition to do UI and quality of life overhauls they did them with the expansions and incorporated them into the base game.
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Jun 6, 2016 03:43
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8-Bit Scholar posted:It's weird that game devs can now fix games post release. There's no other art form for which that can be the case, really. There is, occasionally. See the theatrical vs directors cuts of Blade Runner for an obvious example.
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Jun 6, 2016 03:44
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 Aerondight. You brilliant fuckers. Nine years coming full circle right here.
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Jun 6, 2016 03:44
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SirSamVimes posted:Not just that, but instead of waiting until an enhanced edition to do UI and quality of life overhauls they did them with the expansions and incorporated them into the base game. Not expansions, patches. So you don't even need to buy the DLC to get them.
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Jun 6, 2016 03:45
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Bryter posted:There is, occasionally. See the theatrical vs directors cuts of Blade Runner for an obvious example. Yeah, but that's different because the original still exists in its unchanged form, whereas a situation could arise where no pre-patched versions of a game may exist, particularly digital releases or something like that.
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Jun 6, 2016 03:45
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RatHat posted:Not expansions, patches. So you don't even need to buy the DLC to get them. That's what I meant by incorporated them into the base game. 
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Jun 6, 2016 03:45
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Lunchmeat Larry posted:
Is that better than the grandmaster swords? Besides sign builds of course.
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Jun 6, 2016 03:47
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RatHat posted:Is that better than the grandmaster swords? Besides sign builds of course. Yes. Very yes.
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Jun 6, 2016 03:51
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SirSamVimes posted:Hearts of Stone's side stuff was weak, but I think the main campaign is probably the best questline in all of Witcher 3. HoS definitely has the best main quest of the whole W3. BaW's main quest is a little less cool but it has a whole bunch of extra neat content instead.
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Jun 6, 2016 03:54
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I want to take a post to remark on just how good the environmental sounds are. I'm restarting a NG+ to go through B&W, and am in the very opening with Geralt and Yen in the bedroom at Kaer Morhen. Yen is humming, the fire is crackling, both of these sounds get louder or softer realistically as you approach them. Step out onto the balcony and you'll hear the wind and rustling of trees through the valley, and the grunts of Ciri practicing her swordfighting below. It's easy to overlook but if you pay a little attention you'll notice how flawless these environmental sound cues are, they really add to the world-building and realism.
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Jun 6, 2016 03:56
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RatHat posted:Is that better than the grandmaster swords? Besides sign builds of course. That sword eats every non-human (and panther/dog/pig whatever) enemy in the game for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Even if you don't have much luck with its powerups, liberal use of Quen and the cumulative damage increase means that most enemies won't survive more than three good hits.
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Jun 6, 2016 03:58
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Lunchmeat Larry posted:
I loved that touch. And it really is useful too! I really like Witcher series - as well as the books actually - but I think Witcher 3 takes the cake for me. One of the few games I played that left me really looking for more after beating it. Blood and Wine was no exception, especially with its conclusion. Just a quiet conversation with Regis.Didn't feel forced or cheesy. Really good stuff. And then, upon returning to Corvo Bianco, the reveal of Yennifer was similarly well done. A conversation that was satisfying, especially after the events of the main game and, if you know them, the book. I think the writers were really versatile. Might be my favorite RPG going. And the series is certainly among my favorites - even if the first is a bit rough around the edges.
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Jun 6, 2016 04:04
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Pellisworth posted:I don't think it's just the writing, there are a lot of RPGs you could point to that have really good writing or at least parts or individual quests (off the top of my head, Planescape: Torment, Vampire: the Masquerade, Alpha Protocol). Where Witcher 3 gets awesome is in the execution and in the sheer loving size and consistency of quality. Witcher 3's combat is not spectacular but I'm having a hard time coming up with any Role-Playing Game (in the classic terms, Dark Souls doesn't count) that has better combat, except for maybe Mass Effect 2? I am actually enjoying W3's combat system still, even after god knows how many hundred hours. Fire Barrel posted:I really like Witcher series - as well as the books actually - but I think Witcher 3 takes the cake for me. One of the few games I played that left me really looking for more after beating it. Blood and Wine was no exception, especially with its conclusion. Just a quiet conversation with Regis.Didn't feel forced or cheesy. Really good stuff. And then, upon returning to Corvo Bianco, the reveal of Yennifer was similarly well done. A conversation that was satisfying, especially after the events of the main game and, if you know them, the book. I think the writers were really versatile. Might be my favorite RPG going. And the series is certainly among my favorites - even if the first is a bit rough around the edges. Regis must be my absolute favorite character in whole of W3.
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Jun 6, 2016 04:04
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And CDPR is big into the whole 'DRM only hurts actual consumers' thing. They're a pretty great company. 
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Jun 6, 2016 04:05
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WhiskeyWhiskers posted:And CDPR is big into the whole 'DRM only hurts actual consumers' thing. They're a pretty great company. It's an ex-Soviet thing. In those countries people REALLY don't like paying for games, so you either have to go nuts for DRM (StarForce  , made my Silent Storm copy unplayable, thanks to GOG fro bringing it back) or adopt a more consumer friendly approach to make it worth for people to buy their games.
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Jun 6, 2016 04:08
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WhiskeyWhiskers posted:And CDPR is big into the whole 'DRM only hurts actual consumers' thing. They're a pretty great company. The DRM tower quest in Skellige is one of the high points of that zone imo
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Jun 6, 2016 04:08
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Jack Trades posted:Witcher 3's combat is not spectacular but I'm having a hard time coming up with any Role-Playing Game (in the classic terms, Dark Souls doesn't count) that has better combat, except for maybe Mass Effect 2? Are you excluding turn-based systems? Because I love turn-based combat and there's tons of great systems of that nature. Hell, they even tried to make an open-world turn-based JRPG. Metal Max. It wasn't very good though. I think Skies of Arcadia is a fantastic RPG, particularly in that you actually have a system that makes your choices--that is, how well you "play" your "role"--have a gameplay affect, in the form of your title.
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Jun 6, 2016 04:11
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also in my limited experience the level scaling option is awesome for keeping you on your toes and somewhat challenged in combat even when you're blinged out in best gear
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Jun 6, 2016 04:14
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8-Bit Scholar posted:Actually now that I think about it, there's not really a lot of Western-developed games I can think of whose writing especially stood out to me. poo poo like Warcraft was cool when I was a kid but now it sounds silly, same with Diablo. I never played many adventure games, so that's out too.
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Jun 6, 2016 04:27
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I'll tell you what really made this series come full circle for me [spoilers] not having to do the five chivalric value quests because my Witcher 2 save I'd had imported aerondight from my Witcher 1 save so I was told I'd already proven my worth and to fight the hermit, I was then instructed not to lose it this time, its glorious. [/spoiler]
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Jun 6, 2016 04:27
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8-Bit Scholar posted:Are you excluding turn-based systems? Because I love turn-based combat and there's tons of great systems of that nature. Hell, they even tried to make an open-world turn-based JRPG. Metal Max. It wasn't very good though. I think Skies of Arcadia is a fantastic RPG, particularly in that you actually have a system that makes your choices--that is, how well you "play" your "role"--have a gameplay affect, in the form of your title. Yeah, I was thinking that W3 has one of the best real-time combat system of any RPGs, even if it's not spectacular by action-game standards. You can't really compare real-time and turn-based combat systems. Otherwise Divinity: Original Sin has absolutely amazing combat system. StoneOfShame posted:I'll tell you what really made this series come full circle for me not having to do the five chivalric value quests because my Witcher 2 save I'd had imported aerondight from my Witcher 1 save so I was told I'd already proven my worth and to fight the hermit, I was then instructed not to lose it this time, its glorious. You can actually import W2 saves? I never knew that.
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Jun 6, 2016 04:28
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Jack Trades posted:Witcher 3's combat is not spectacular but I'm having a hard time coming up with any Role-Playing Game (in the classic terms, Dark Souls doesn't count) that has better combat, except for maybe Mass Effect 2? I also enjoy the combat. Playing around with signs, bombs, and swordplay is satisfying, even if it's not always perfect. Crossbow can be fun, but that's more of a utility item. Even the mounted combat is fun. Although, there are some turnbased rpgs that really are fun. Those, sometimes, tend to be too skewed for my liking. A lot, for instance, make magic/magic users just a lot better than non-casters and I find that kind of boring. And I agree, Regis is quite good. Honestly, I like all of the characters. Can't see myself ever choosing Triss, though, since I don't think it works as well as choosing Yen. Also, apologies if I'm overusing the tags. I haven't posted in this thread much, so I don't want to ruin it for someone! In terms of writing, though, I can think of a few other wrpgs that I really think have good writing, but it's a matter of taste at the end of the day. The Witcher series is probably on top for me at this point though. Also, I'm not really big on most adventure games (only ever could really get into really specific ones for some reason.)
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Jun 6, 2016 04:36
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Jack Trades posted:You can actually import W2 saves? I never knew that. Yeah, it replaces the shaving questions so doesn't affect anything outside of the choices in those questions and as I said if you have a run of imported saves from Witcher 1 aerondight being easier to obtain
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Jun 6, 2016 04:45
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I must be cursed. Worst ending in Witcher 3, worst ending in B+W. !!! On a side note, my wife watched me play most of both games, absolutely enthralled with the story telling, and options (moral, practical, or otherwise) all the way through.
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Jun 6, 2016 04:50
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Pellisworth posted:I want to take a post to remark on just how good the environmental sounds are. I'm restarting a NG+ to go through B&W, and am in the very opening with Geralt and Yen in the bedroom at Kaer Morhen.
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Jun 6, 2016 04:56
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Jack Trades posted:Witcher 3's combat is not spectacular but I'm having a hard time coming up with any Role-Playing Game (in the classic terms, Dark Souls doesn't count) that has better combat, except for maybe Mass Effect 2? I guess my question then would be why even have the sort of RPG mechanics that TW3 uses? Not that everything has to be Dark Souls, obviously, but TW3 has moments where it feels like it was pieced together from a cancelled MMO. You've got massive inventory clutter with hundreds of irrelevant pieces of incrementally better gear, an entire system of loot and crafting focused on picking up other peoples trash, bizarre enemy scaling throwing up brick walls all over the "open" world in a way that super clashes with the established lore, questionable durability mechanics and other money sinks, and (worst of all in an immersive role-playing game) poo poo all over the screen. I reached the point half way through the main story where I just went with full on into a signs build and completely disabled the HUD to avoid ever having to engage in any of that stuff. It's a testament to the strength of the characters, story, and world that this game is still the best RPG there is in spite of all of that, but it feels fundamentally at odds with the tone of the game to have, for example, a sword that is literally 20 times better than a different, lower level sword or a potion that doesn't really do anything because the veteran Witcher brewing it didn't have enough wolf livers for a gold-tier recipe. Maybe if the moment-to-moment combat were less clunky it wouldn't be such a big deal, but for me at least all that stuff just looks like a lot of wasted effort.
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Jun 6, 2016 05:09
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necrobobsledder posted:It's also an exhausting experience though because of how immersive the world is. A lot of posters half-jokingly complain about this game being too long and too good. Obviously it's 99% a good thing that the game is huge while being consistently great, there isn't really any filler or grindy poo poo like most large open-world RPGs would throw at you. It's almost too large and awesome, to the point that when you're thinking about a second playthrough, you're like: "Yeah, 120 hours... 4 hours a day... a full month? Holy poo poo that will be a commitment. Let's do it, c'mon Roach  Edit: Woozy posted:I guess my question then would be why even have the sort of RPG mechanics that TW3 uses? Not that everything has to be Dark Souls, obviously, but TW3 has moments where it feels like it was pieced together from a cancelled MMO. You've got massive inventory clutter with hundreds of irrelevant pieces of incrementally better gear, an entire system of loot and crafting focused on picking up other peoples trash, bizarre enemy scaling throwing up brick walls all over the "open" world in a way that super clashes with the established lore, questionable durability mechanics and other money sinks, and (worst of all in an immersive role-playing game) poo poo all over the screen. I reached the point half way through the main story where I just went with full on into a signs build and completely disabled the HUD to avoid ever having to engage in any of that stuff. Yeah, some of the mechanics seem to be in there because... this is what RPGs are supposed to do, right? Have XP and leveling and complex crafting and loot systems? That's what we need to make an RPG! I honestly could've done with an extremely simplified gear, loot, crafting, and ability spec system. It doesn't actually matter much, quests don't reward you much in those areas. For the player, it's a lot of fiddly micromanagement for little payoff. Embrace the fact that this is a story-driven RPG where you'll spend half or more of your time in dialogues or running around gawking at scenery, and combat is more about reading your bestiary and using appropriate tactics than gear or spec. gently caress complicated crafting and ability/talent setups unless they're super interesting and meaningful for players. Just give me more Witcher, I could not possibly care less about experience and phat lootz as long as I look snazzy and combat is intense and requires applied knowledge. Pellisworth fucked around with this message at 05:32 on Jun 6, 2016 |
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Jun 6, 2016 05:27
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That new crossbow mutation plus all the crossbow skills turns it from pea shooter into an elephant gun. I tested it out on a griffin and that poor fucker just stayed pinned on the ground until it died.
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Jun 6, 2016 05:28
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Jack Trades posted:Witcher 3's combat is not spectacular but I'm having a hard time coming up with any Role-Playing Game (in the classic terms, Dark Souls doesn't count) that has better combat, except for maybe Mass Effect 2? Dragon's Dogma on PS3/PC had probably my favorite RPG combat ever I think. It was a blast, and decently difficult for most of the game. Witcher 3's setup is cool, I love that potions are actually useful instead of just sitting in your inventory forever like most games. Decoctions are cool despite a good 85% of them being trash. The magic system is basic but flexible enough that it's interesting. I have a stupid amount of hours in the game and I still don't feel bored killing things. I never really got into the Souls games so I can't compare. If I can beat W3 on Death March could I hack it in a Souls game?
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Jun 6, 2016 05:28
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Hahaha, what the gently caress was that indeed Geralt. HoS spoilers the Caretaker was some Dark Souls loving poo poo right there, god loving drat. That was a kind of obnoxious fight but his patterns are easy to dodge--when he summons all his helpers to heal him, that poo poo is just annoying though. I kind of dug the design and the way the fight forced you to never get hit though. EDIT: Aw hell naw, poo poo's gettin' too spooky now 8-Bit Scholar fucked around with this message at 05:32 on Jun 6, 2016 |
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Jun 6, 2016 05:29
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8-Bit Scholar posted:Hahaha, what the gently caress was that indeed Geralt. HoS spoilers the Caretaker was some Dark Souls loving poo poo right there, god loving drat. That was a kind of obnoxious fight but his patterns are easy to dodge--when he summons all his helpers to heal him, that poo poo is just annoying though. I kind of dug the design and the way the fight forced you to never get hit though. Yeah that part gets very creepy. You're near the end of HoS fwiw. There are three bosses in short succession, they're a huge step above the difficulty of the end of the base game, which is why I suggest leaving it for when you're in your early 30s and have mastercrafted gear. They can be motherfuckers. Edit: unrelated and this might be kind of a weird thought, but one of things I really like about W3 is it gives me a few very meaningful options. I honestly think I prefer games with a somewhat pre-defined character and limited options with huge impact, as opposed to a blank slate who gets infinite meaningless reactions to their decisions. I think the mentality of a lot of recent open-world RPGs is to move toward MMO territory and offer the player a lot of customization of their character while making quests grindy and monotonous. Pellisworth fucked around with this message at 05:42 on Jun 6, 2016 |
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Jun 6, 2016 05:35
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Do I need to win all 3 parts of the knight tournament to become champion? The race is stupidly difficult since mounted combat is so awful.
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Jun 6, 2016 05:54
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I'm not really sure if I have mastercrafted gear or not, but I'd sure like to boost my stats if there's tougher fights to come, my damage is lacking. I'm level 36--I got the Viper set diagrams, but those are level 39 and I don't really see myself getting 3 full levels before then.
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Jun 6, 2016 05:55
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ok i beat witcher 3 and im fiending for more, bought hearts of stone when it was an entire dollar off on sale: anything I should know? not talking about difficulty really, what's fun? what's bugged? what will i regret or prefer to do to have the most fun and prepare to enter blood and wine with a good 'i'm here to slay monsters for coin' attitude? is the idea to just do hearts quests all in a row or should i mix em in with going around collecting the armor sets i didn't use in the main story?
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Jun 6, 2016 05:57
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Play again on death march, level scaling, take your time and take in the sights. Its like a different game than my "rush to the end for blood and wine" play
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Jun 6, 2016 06:06
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hemophilia posted:Play again on death march, level scaling, take your time and take in the sights. Its like a different game than my "rush to the end for blood and wine" play am i reading this wrong or is your advice on the best way to dive into my new 8 dollar video game to replay the 105 hour video game i just now beat and am done with for a year
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Jun 6, 2016 06:10
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extra stout posted:ok i beat witcher 3 and im fiending for more, bought hearts of stone when it was an entire dollar off on sale: At the wedding, don't worry about winning the card game. In fact, you should try to lose.
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Jun 6, 2016 06:11
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extra stout posted:ok i beat witcher 3 and im fiending for more, bought hearts of stone when it was an entire dollar off on sale: I'd say play however takes your fancy, there's not really any pitfalls that you won't know about. But the most common advice I've seen in the thread is to play Gwent at a wedding you'll go to straight away, and to make sure you lose. It's pretty great. e: See? ^
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Jun 6, 2016 06:13
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