The Witcher 3 Pre-Expansion Thread

[Immortal]

You want less density, more density, the world is too big, too small, too much stuff to do etc usw...

 

[Infinitron]

 

[DosBuster]

The major disappointment was just how at the end of the Baron's quest I was like "Fuck yes, more of this please.", and it just.. never got to that point again.

 

[Perkel]

It is trailer from those "bang someones head on table, until he agrees with you".

weird.. i don't remember that part with filipa.

edit. nah it is from fight with her

 

[Makabb]

Weird to release a new trailer a few months after the game.

 

[Perkel]

Weird to release a new trailer a few months after the game.

Not weird at all. Christmas season and they just did their first 50% off on game. They would be idiots if they wouldn't use that season to promote their game especially since it is so "beloved" by everyone.

 

[Makabb]

still waiting for last expansion and goty bundle

 

[Perkel]

still waiting for last expansion and goty bundle

Same here. Decided to hold off with hearths of stone and wait for blood and wine to do proper playtrough

 

[pippin]

Exciting news! We’d like to announce that we’ve won five Global Game Awards in the following categories:

Game of the Year
Best Developer (CD PROJEKT RED)
Best Open World
Best Story
Best Audio

We would like to thank everyone who voted for us and for your ongoing support!

Get ready for the Boston Salt Party

 

[WhiskeyWolf]

Exciting news! We’d like to announce that we’ve won five Global Game Awards in the following categories:

Game of the Year
Best Developer (CD PROJEKT RED)
Best Open World
Best Story
Best Audio

We would like to thank everyone who voted for us and for your ongoing support!

Get ready for the Boston Salt Party

http://www.game-debate.com/awards/2015/best-rpg

 

[pippin]

Even if it's with PoE, that means more people think Obsidian makes better rpgs than Bethesda. Fine by me.

 

[Rahdulan]

Well shit, that was a surprise. PoE of all games considering how lambasted it got.

 

[pippin]

I think only the Codex thought it was bad. Most reviews were positive, but people forgot about it pretty quickly.

 

[PlanHex]

This is an outrage.
SR:HK deserves to be 3rd on that list.

 

[rado907]

Wow, just started this one, and it oozes quality from the get-go. I thought that TW2 was a massive improvement on TW1 in pretty much every aspect; and this one looks like a massive improvement on TW2.
Seems the next-gen finally hit us. This is the first game I have to play on lower than high-ish settings. On high settings, the graphics approach photorealism, it's insane.
The game looks like Grant Theft Horses: Witcher Edition, with next-gen graphics.
-----
One thing I didn't like was that a pack of wolves ate my Geralt. Usually I don't mind that when my character is a Lvl 1 Peasant armed with a pitchfork and dressed in rags. By my Lvl 999 Witcher Geralt of Rivia, armed with all sorts of fancy gear and magic spells, should be able to handle a few wolves.

 

[rado907]

Played through the prologue (basically up until right after Vizima), and wow, I haven't been this impressed by a single-player game since GTAIV. And before that, Morrowind, Football Manager, and the Paradox games. I have to play on lowest settings, but the graphics are still stunning. Better yet, the transitions between indoors and outdoors are seamless. Loading screens in TW1 were a bitch.

The gameplay is fantastic. Just in the first area, there are so many memorable quests - the one with the wraith by the well, the fight with the griffin, and the search for the missing brother come to mind. And other than the quests, there are so many cool moments - for example the first time you slaughter a gang of bandits from horseback; or when the Nilfgardian fellow infodumps the course of the war; or when you meet Yen for the first time; or when you first play cards. Then there's the banter, the facial expressions and the body language, all the little things that add up to a coherent and masterful whole.

I can see why people complain about the Witcher's GPS; but that's a flaw one can overlook in light of the game general magnificence.

Way to go CD Projekt!

 

[Rahdulan]

Just in the first area, there are so many memorable quests - the one with the wraith by the well, the fight with the griffin, and the search for the missing brother come to mind. And other than the quests, there are so many cool moments - for example the first time you slaughter a gang of bandits from horseback; or when the Nilfgardian fellow infodumps the course of the war; or when you meet Yen for the first time; or when you first play cards. Then there's the banter, the facial expressions and the body language, all the little things that add up to a coherent and masterful whole.

I love the fact there's more personality and charm in those White Orchard's innkeeper scenes; the way she emotes when you talk to her or when those mouth breathers want to beat up Geralt upon exiting the inn, than in Dragon Age Inquisition's entire run time. And it's otherwise completely forgettable couple of scenes in the tutorial area most players won't even remember in the end. Almost as if you were dealing with believable characters!

 

[rado907]

I love the fact there's more personality and charm in those White Orchard's innkeeper scenes; the way she emotes when you talk to her or when those mouth breathers want to beat up Geralt upon exiting the inn, than in Dragon Age Inquisition's entire run time. And it's otherwise completely forgettable couple of scenes in the tutorial area most players won't even remember in the end. Almost as if you were dealing with believable characters!

Lol, true that, man, the innkeeper woman actually had an interesting and memorable personality! Ditto the garrison commander and the curly wisewoman lady and the homosexual hunter ("You know, I can cure lycanthropy!") and the creepy guy whom you meet at the inn at the very start.
And like you say, that's just in the prologue.

 

[kenup]

So, there won't be Ioverth or Saskia in Blood and Wine and people bring up the Mass Effect series as something that did save game importing better, smh. I mean, I'm pissed at the lack of effect from that choice too, but damn.

 

[Endemic]

So, there won't be Ioverth or Saskia in Blood and Wine and people bring up the Mass Effect series as something that did save game importing better, smh. I mean, I'm pissed at the lack of effect from that choice too, but damn.

Philippa says she lost control of Saskia, but that's about it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFZPA2ElnUg

Which apparently doesn't react properly to an imported savegame, since she says the same thing regardless.

 

[Carrion]

I don't know why Iorveth or Saskia should make an appearance in the first place. For fan service? If it makes sense for the characters to be there (like Shani in Oxenfurt), by all means go for it, but there's no need to force old characters in when their stories are pretty much over already.

Some people seem to be pissed about Roche being in the game and Iorveth being not, but they seem to be ignoring the fact that Philippa was almost exclusively on Iorveth's path whereas everyone who finished TW2 spent at least a few hours with Roche.

 

[Tytus]

So, there won't be Ioverth or Saskia in Blood and Wine

Is that confirmed? If so - such a waste.

 

[Tytus]

I don't know why Iorveth or Saskia should make an appearance in the first place.

Iorveth is a Scoia'tel that worked with a Nilfgaard in the previous war and he has the highest bounty on his head yet. So it would be logical that he would seek refuge on Nilfgaard's side (especially if Saskia lost). Nilfgaard treats elves a lot better and Touissant is a province of Nilfgaard.

 

[Carrion]

I'm not saying he can't be there, I just don't understand the fanboys who can't let go and keep demanding that he absolutely should be in the game, apparently because they're still pissed about BROche or something. Seeing old characters again would be nice, but the game is already overflowing with those, and in my opinion CDPR should only bring old characters back if they have an actually meaningful role reserved for them. Everything else is just fan service, and if you give in to that, you'll soon end up like BioWare (which arguably already happened to an extent with the enhanced romances).

Besides, I think that Iorveth dying in some forest fighting some pointless battle seems like a pretty fitting end for the character.

 

[Tytus]

I'm not saying he can't be there, I just don't understand the fanboys who can't let go and keep demanding that he absolutely should be in the game, apparently because they're still pissed about BROche or something. Seeing old characters again would be nice, but the game is already overflowing with those, and in my opinion CDPR should only bring old characters back if they have an actually meaningful role reserved for them. Everything else is just fan service, and if you give in to that, you'll soon end up like BioWare (which arguably already happened to an extent with the enhanced romances).

Besides, I think that Iorveth dying in some forest fighting some pointless battle seems like a pretty fitting end for the character.

I agree to an extent. Problem is that their story arcs didn't really end, they just stopped. Espesially with Saskia's case. Having a dragon on your side would potentially change the outcome of the war. So both sides (especially that Lodge's plans were uncovered) would want to find her (if she survived). This doesn't have to be a massive epic side quest. You can even handle this in a form of gossip, a letter, or a conversation with some character. To know what happened to her if she survived. Or even better meet the still wounder Saskia (from the battle with Geralt) to find out she still is and will be for a prolong period of time out of comission. You can even have Iorveth there (who loved her). Picture this. After the ending of W2 - Iorveth takes wounded Saskia back to Nilfgaard because he knows they can take care of her. You meet them both in Touissant where she recovers in lush, magical land - but Iorveth tells you that he won't make them turn Saskia into a weapon and he plans to elude with her, when she feels well enough. Or if you killed her, Iorveth tries to take revenege on you for taking life of the women he was in love with. You have a somewhat proper reason to both be there and with a dose of variety - to include the player's choice. That would make for a satisfying end for both of their story arcs and address the "dragon in the room".