bukary on 11/6/2014 at 14:46
Here's a summary of the hands-on with The Witcher 3.* This is from Polish journalist and The Witcher is Polish game, so you might take it with a grain of salt. But I trust this particular journalist. Here's what he says:
- The first presentation (at Microsoft conference) was... quite uninteresting. Fortunately, the gameplay that was shown to the journalist behind closed doors was "absolutely phenomenal".
- The shown quests were part of the large storyline quest: Geralt was trying to find Ciri.
- The city (Novigrad) "looks insane": it's huge, colorful, detailed and living. - Obviously, there are children in The Witcher (unlike in many other games).
- The landscapes are even more impressive than the city.
- After visiting Dijkstra (well-known character from the books) in Novigrad Geralt traveled to Velen. This area is far away from Novigrad, so Geralt used fast travel system: you can teleport with the use of landmarks near main roads. (Of course, you can ride a horse to Velen, if you like).
- Loading (after teleportation) was very fast.
- Velen is part of No Men's Land. The swamp looks (another quote) "insane".
- Animals/monsters will spawn in a believable way: they will fly from above, get out of the water etc.
- Some animals/monsters are herbivorous. Geralt will have to scare them away in order to find/gather some ingredients for potions.
- The fighting animations need some additional work. They are not as fluid as they should be. It will be fixed.
- Dodge system looks and works good.
- Geralt might use the enviroment in fights. For example he can destroy a hive with the crossbow and bees might attack his opponents.
- Geralt was also fighting werewolf.
- There is day/night cycle for monsters. Some of them will spawn only at night.
- Each small quest was unique and interesting. There are choices to make that will drastically affect the outcome of the quest/conversation.
- Geralt's "backpack" resambles the one from Diablo (or Deus Ex?). It's a grid panel with items that occupy one or few grids.
- Geralt can swim. There's great underwater world (caves etc.) to explore.
*Sorry for hundreds of mistakes. I just don't have the time to correct this right now.
Briareos H on 11/6/2014 at 14:54
Cool, thanks. I'm glad to see the grid-based inventory back -- inventory tetris might not be the best thing ever but it's still better and more involving than a slow, mouse-unfriendly list.
Hoping the monsters spawning locally won't be used excessively, I'd hate for the game to turn into Final Fantasy.
mothra on 11/6/2014 at 23:25
I especially love the gamespot demo, the Johnny character is very good and the interviewer even had intelligent questions.
Beleg Cúthalion on 12/6/2014 at 09:34
Geralt has Focus now. Hooray! :erm: Doesn't look like it's linked to a potion, either. Man, I wish the non-automated brewing mechanics from the first game were back. And combat looks more generic as well, don't know if that can be fixed by making it "fluid". But before anyone calls me a naysayer, I'm really looking forward to this. And I've read the books in German because we have translations. :p
mothra on 12/6/2014 at 13:43
Focus is "Witcher sense" and replaces tuning of medallion in TW1/TW2
Potions are divided into 2 categories:
"normal" potions:
you will have to find ingredients, recipe and brew the potion
everyone of those created potions will refill when you rest
you can "load" potions and then release them during combat (they will have a short duration)
you can loose toxicity from consuming potions over time or by resting
Better Recipes/Upgrades for the same potion can be found throughout the world
"mutagenic" potions:
you will have to rest to drink AND activate them
they have a permanent effect and toxicity
you can cancel the effect while resting or replace/add other mutagens
CDPR says that should give players the option to "go hardcore" and mix mutagens/potions/toxicity to maximum effect while "casual" players can just use mutagens with an occasional swallow.
I hope that works out and that upgrades/mutagens are tied to quests/exploration/challenges.
june gloom on 13/6/2014 at 02:56
stop tormenting that griffon geralt what are you doing
Thirith on 13/6/2014 at 05:58
Looks like the Mountain got to that bust before this guy received his Collectors Edition...
