Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt

Saw this today. First reaction is why why WHY would you turn a good series of story- and choice-focused RPGs into another Elder Scrolls clone. :( Y'know, I actually liked the Witcher games for those things precisely, I could care less for a horseback riding simulator set in the same universe...

Of course, if they manage to cram open-world exploration and good c&c into one game, it'll probably be the ultimate RPG. But that sounds waay too good to even seem true. So my current expectation is for a bug-infested, inferior clone of Skyrim. :roll:
 
well, I don't really see them turning this into TES so I'm not worried. I always felt the games needed a little bit more exploration. most of my favorite moments are in fact exploring the larger outdoor areas.

as long as they don't let free-roaming take away from storytelling, the way Bethesda like to do, I think it's gonna be fantastic.
 
Well that's the thing, it's a daunting task to keep up the same level of C&C/storytelling with an open world several times bigger than the last two games. I expect it to be naturally dumbed down whether they plan for it or not. Not to mention that the article makes a Skyrim comparison, which is unpleasant.

But yeah, definitely would be fantastic if they pushed the boundaries.
 
The open world step is fine, it's just a huge challenge. I'm not absolutely against it, but it's a significant transfer for fans and devs both. Even if they make it more story-and-open rather than pure open, the cost and effort to implement it well, relatvely bug-free, with enough content, and still have C&C...it's gonna be tricky.

But I like shooting for the sun and falling short. Gothic 3 was the same way. Better to do that then just keep making what you know because it's what you know.

I just hope it's not (too) motivated by reasoning that TES sells more than BioWare games so we better emulate TES. Obsessing about sales numbers of TES seems like a fool's gamble for any RPG maker.
 
Even though it's always done for hype purposes, but how i hate these dev videos, where they talk for the sake of talking.... Mindless froth aside, i really liked both of the Witcher games and like them mostly because of the story and setting, not for the open ended exploration, which is concerning since we have seen good franchises take the same road all too often. But this might turn out good, because monster hunting and trophies was a thing that i wanted to see explored further and they might even add some tricky puzzles (oh how i wish) that a linear game set for the mass market isn't always capable of. Yet somehow i get the feeling that we will be served with more fetch quests and horrid quick time events, with even more hand holding than before (obviously because of the bigger world).

BN mentioned Gothic 3, which got a few aspects right, at least in my book. The hand holding was pretty much non existent and as such, the world felt huge and exploration was fresh, infuriating and fun at the same time, since you never knew where and what you would find. And i feel like infuriating and fun is better than easy and bland. So i hope more of that, well, the fun and fresh part on the new Witcher.

Also, has anybody noticed the man? with the long blonde hair in that video :crazy:.
 
I agree with BN, it's nice to see them going further and not just rethreading the same water. I do think they're trying to bait TES fans a bit too much here, and that a C&C level like in TW2 (where an entire chapter of the story changed based on one decision) will be ungodly hard to acheive in an open world. Perhaps make it like New Vegas and still limit the players to some zones at first via tough monsters in order to put some pacing into the story.

On the other hand, I really like the concept of Geralt chasing after the Wild Hunt on his own accord, rather than (willingly or not) doing the bidding of the psychotic ruler du jour.
 
Geralt has a beard now. I am not sure if I can agree with that.
 
Lexx said:
Geralt has a beard now. I am not sure if I can agree with that.
Click to expand...

if there's anything that'd make Geralt even more awesome, it'd be a beard.

I can definitely agree with that.
 
Brother None said:
The open world step is fine, it's just a huge challenge. I'm not absolutely against it, but it's a significant transfer for fans and devs both. Even if they make it more story-and-open rather than pure open, the cost and effort to implement it well, relatvely bug-free, with enough content, and still have C&C...it's gonna be tricky.

But I like shooting for the sun and falling short. Gothic 3 was the same way. Better to do that then just keep making what you know because it's what you know.

I just hope it's not (too) motivated by reasoning that TES sells more than BioWare games so we better emulate TES. Obsessing about sales numbers of TES seems like a fool's gamble for any RPG maker.
Click to expand...

as far as I can read, its not only aiming for the sun but actually steeping out of the solar system.

I mean NO clue if that is true or not but "30 times the size of previous games ..." and filling ALL of that with life? Its not like previous Witcher games have been THAT small either for your typical not open-world RPG. I mean I have spend quite a bit of time with TW1.

I don't mind open world games with free exploration at all. But many of them tend to rather suck if not done well (Oblivion, Arcania etc.).

But who knows, maybe if they spend 5 or 7 years on it it might work. We have to wait and see. I give them the benefit of the doubt. But I really hope you are right BN and they don't go it simply because "Bethesda sells!"

*Hmm another article in German says only the TOWN will be 30 times the size compared to old locations and the world 20% more ... eh ... who knows what is true and what not. I guess its all pointless anyway since there is not really much information out right now, things might change over time.
 
Crni Vuk said:
But who knows, maybe if they spend 5 or 7 years on it it might work. We have to wait and see. I give them the benefit of the doubt. But I really hope you are right BN and they don't go it simply because "Bethesda sells!"
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I read somewhere that it's been scheduled for 2014, so they don't have THAT long :lol:
 
Ausdoerrt said:
Crni Vuk said:
But who knows, maybe if they spend 5 or 7 years on it it might work. We have to wait and see. I give them the benefit of the doubt. But I really hope you are right BN and they don't go it simply because "Bethesda sells!"
Click to expand...

I read somewhere that it's been scheduled for 2014, so they don't have THAT long :lol:
Click to expand...
well I have read that the engine is already finished and a lot of the models as well.

Though, it still seems rather like a "short" time to me as well. But as said, they managed to do a good job with the last two games. If they try to move a step further thats ok for me. I just hope they do it because they have the feeling its an improvement, not because they believe "it will sell more games". I mean, its not like the Witcher games have been worse because of a rather linear world compared to games like Skyrim. Not everything has to be like Skyrim because it sold 4 million games or something like that.
 
Damn... I had to format my HD when just finished chapter 2 of The Witcher... so I made a copy of the save but... damn... I was a bit exausted of the game (I could lose anything except those sex cards, so I took a really slow and intense pace, to make sure I got it ALL). And thus never reinstalled the game...

Now I find myself in a zone of comfort, playing fast and uncompromised games (the type I don't have to think/explore much, like FPS's, RTS's, Diablo 3, etc).

I can still make a replay of Fallout 2, sure, but just like I stopped The Witcher, I stopped Mass Effect 2 (barely finished ME1) and New Vegas, never dared to play Deus EX HR and Dragon Age Origins (thought I really want to), etc... how, and when, will I ever play Witcher 2 and 3...?

I... *sob* I think I have failed the RPG genre... /cry in shame
 
Great, another open world hiker, we sure don't have enough of them these days. What was wrong with the more confined areas of Witcher 2? Well, can't blem them for wanting those sweet Skyrim $$$
 
I actually enjoy your pessimism.

And if the UI is anything like TW2, I'll be passing on playing it. Still never got further than 20 minutes before alt-f4ing out of that frustration.
 
Aiming for consoles together with PC doesn't make me too optimistic. TW2 interface-wise was a total console port.

I also hope, the atmosphere will be closer to the first game, the second was too shiny and pompous for me. Partly because of the art direction, partly because of music. It was more generic fantasy than the first one.

I don't care too much if it will be open-worlded, it can turn into out to be quite nice if done properly.
 
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