Gaming The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

There's so much to do in White Orchard alone I can't begin to imagine the scope of the main world.

I also like how slow the levelling system is. I've been playing for a fair few hours and still only level 3. Can't grind out levels in generic fights like most rpg's.
 
Did the console versions restrict the PC version?

"If the consoles are not involved there is no Witcher 3 as it is," answers Marcin Iwinski, definitively. "We can lay it out that simply. We just cannot afford it, because consoles allow us to go higher in terms of the possible or achievable sales; have a higher budget for the game, and invest it all into developing this huge, gigantic world.

"Developing only for the PC: yes, probably we could get more [in terms of graphics] as there would be nothing else - they would be so focused, like if we would develop only on Xbox One or PlayStation 4. But then we cannot afford such a game."

Why did the graphics change?
"If you're looking at the development process," Iwinski begins, "we do a certain build for a tradeshow and you pack it, it works, it looks amazing. And you are extremely far away from completing the game. Then you put it in the open-world, regardless of the platform, and it's like 'oh shit, it doesn't really work'. We've already showed it, now we have to make it work. And then we try to make it work on a huge scale. This is the nature of games development."

It was captured PC footage, not pre-rendered, Badowski confirms, but a lot had to change. "I cannot argue - if people see changes, we cannot argue," Adam Badowski says, "but there are complex technical reasons behind it.

"Maybe it was our bad decision to change the rendering system," he mulls, "because the rendering system after VGX was changed." There were two possible rendering systems but one won out because it looked nicer across the whole world, in daytime and at night. The other would have required lots of dynamic lighting "and with such a huge world simply didn't work".

It's a similar story for environments, and their texture sizes and incidental objects. It was a trade-off between keeping that aspect of them or their unique, handmade design. And the team chose the latter. The data-streaming system couldn't handle everything while Geralt galloped around.

The billowing smoke and roaring fire from the trailer? "It's a global system and it will kill PC because transparencies - without DirectX 12 it does't work good in every game." So he killed it for the greater good, and he focused on making sure the 5000 doors in Novigrad worked instead.

"People are saying that 2013 was better but actually there's plenty of things that improved since 2013," Michal Platkow-Gilewski points out. "Size of the world, frames-per-second..."

"Yes!" realises Adam Badowski. "The game's performance: people say the game is well optimised. This is the first time for this company!" It's the first smile I've seen from him all interview.

Marcin Iwinski picks it up: "Maybe we shouldn't have shown that [trailer], I don't know, but we didn't know that it wasn't going to work, so it's not a lie or a bad will - that's why we didn't comment actively. We don't agree there is a downgrade but it's our opinion, and gamers' feeling can be different. If they made their purchasing decision based on the 2013 materials, I'm deeply sorry for that, and we are discussing how we can make it up to them because that's not fair.

"It's very important to stress: we are continuously working on the PC version, and we will be adding a lot of stuff, and there is more to come. We've proven it in the past that we support our games and we will be looking at the feedback and trying to make it better."
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Eurogamer had an interview with CD Projekt.
 
White Orchard alone is massive, I've just been running around to all the question marks seeing what's what.

Got murdered by some Drowners, but was surprised I could easily handle the Wraiths, especially with the muddle sign.
 
Ok, finished the first Griffen timeline and on my way to Visim, Vizim? Whatever that town is called.

Controls on pc are a bit unorthodox, although its the standard keyboard clicks that move you around. Its the dodging with Alt thats difficult, so i tend to roll around with the space bar.

Countering im leaving purely for human fights, wraiths are so far easy to kill. I can see why drowners are difficults, just dont let them surround you and pick them out one by one, they die quick.

Enjoying the game, seems quite massive.
 
Q80 said:
Ok, finished the first Griffen timeline and on my way to Visim, Vizim? Whatever that town is called.

Controls on pc are a bit unorthodox, although its the standard keyboard clicks that move you around. Its the dodging with Alt thats difficult, so i tend to roll around with the space bar.

Countering im leaving purely for human fights, wraiths are so far easy to kill. I can see why drowners are difficults, just dont let them surround you and pick them out one by one, they die quick.

Enjoying the game, seems quite massive.
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Vizima :)

For PC, I'm going to do the unorthodox thing and suggest you use a controller. Makes dodging a breeze.
 
Can I go back to side quests in White Orchard after I had moved on to Vizima already? Got two of them I would like to complete there I think.
 
Sarni said:
Can I go back to side quests in White Orchard after I had moved on to Vizima already? Got two of them I would like to complete there I think.
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Yes, via fast travel at the green signs. It's even recommended if like me you are severely underleveled and are getting punked by higher leveled drowners and humans...
 
This has trumped Bloodborne as my second favourite game of all time and I've only done two main quests in Velen. The side quests, Witcher contracts etc are fantastically done, the voice acting is terrific, the ambiance, the world, the creatures, the combat is brilliant imo, the music, the depth in crafting new stuff, alchemy, oils, bombs, armour, weapons etc etc.

Even with the performance issues it's already a 10/10 for me. It's on another level to any game(s) I've played since Snake Eater.
 
DatIrishFella said:
This has trumped Bloodborne as my second favourite game of all time and I've only done two main quests in Velen. The side quests, Witcher contracts etc are fantastically done, the voice acting is terrific, the ambiance, the world, the creatures, the combat is brilliant imo, the music, the depth in crafting new stuff, alchemy, oils, bombs, armour, weapons etc etc.

Even with the performance issues it's already a 10/10 for me. It's on another level to any game(s) I've played since Snake Eater.
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Sounds fantastic. Looking forward to playing it.
 
Still level 1 :lol: Done a fair few side quests too. only at 873/1000 experience. Mental. Also my horse is a jerk, moves everytime I go to get on it.
 
Earthquake said:
I done everything I found at White Orchard, and after leaving, was level 4, barely.
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As I posted that I made a decision and gained 350exp, on my trial play I chose the other decision and received nothing iirc. I may have even been given an ability point as well as the exp, plus the one for levelling up. Had to dash off though as it was time for work :(
 
the meditation is so pointless, it just wastes time. Just fecking put in auto-regen so we don't have to constantly do it you dicks.
 
Organic Potatoes said:
Yes, via fast travel at the green signs. It's even recommended if like me you are severely underleveled and are getting punked by higher leveled drowners and humans...
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I did everything in White Orchard and I'm still kind of under levelled in Velen. I went wandering and kept hitting level 9-14 enemies. Not too bad if there's one or two, but if you run into a group of them it's a nightmare. Although I did clear out a bandit camp full of level 9 bandits when I was level 4. They didn't all charge at once, which let me pick them off a couple at a time.
 
Sat at work thinking about which side quest I'll take on next :/ also considering using one of the signs against my team leader
 
This game is absolutely immense. Just got out of the White Orchard and found myself in Velen, it's about ten times the size of White Orchard with plenty more things to do. I went back to White Orchard and immediately got a great contract.

Stupid question - where can I buy some new weapon? I think I have the money now.
 
feck me, this game is so good. The side quests induce so well - material is incredible in all facets. Blows other RPGs to shreds. Either I'm playing at a pace too quick, or I'm just playing way more than you lot are. Either way, I'll post my thoughts. I'm sure you when you guys hit these side quests you'll agree. Read on if you're somewhat far into the game with the side quests (starting from Crows Perch and ending in Novigrad area).

The Bloody Baron's quest is ridiculous. Probably my favourite so far. The fact is he is such a nuanced character; simplicity would reduce him to scum but he is thrown thrown a shred of mourn and redemption, with regards to all that has happened, and this all lays on a very difficult moral dilemma that you choose in an alternate side quest, with the trapped spirit in the tree. The way this one concluded was so moving, I didn't expect it at all and it really, really hit me.

Then you have the 'A Towerfull of Mice' quest, which is met with a real macabre backdrop, and ends in such a grim tone. That kiss, man.

Oh, and then you have the quest with Dandelion/Priscilla. Which starts with a very upbeat, regular RPG-like mundane task of helping your dopey idiot of a friend sort out his Cabaret show but then transforms into a morbid hunt of a despicable serial killer, whose killings were flat out cold, even by this games standard. This quest also had a sick irony to it, it starts with Priscilla singing a beautiful tale (which, judging by the lyrics I assume was about Yen and Geralt) to turn culminating in her potentially never singing again.

It looks set to sweep GOTY for me. Perhaps Arkham Knight has the capacity to best it, but I can't see that happening.
 
Sarni said:
This game is absolutely immense. Just got out of the White Orchard and found myself in Velen, it's about ten times the size of White Orchard with plenty more things to do. I went back to White Orchard and immediately got a great contract.

Stupid question - where can I buy some new weapon? I think I have the money now.
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All the best weapons I have so far are loot or crafted.
 
Earthquake said:
All the best weapons I have so far are loot or crafted.
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I see. I've looted a lot so far but have not picked up anything that great.

Do you also notice a bit of stuttering while moving the camera at a slower pace on PS4? Probably the only technical issue I have right now that is noticable. Framerate has somehow steadied and is good now, I expect it to be completely fine after 1.0.3 update that will probably land on PSN within 2-3 days. Graphics are gorgeous for an open world game, and I'll say it again - the design of the whole world is absolutely spectacular.
 
Is it possible to travel from White Orchard to Novigrad on foot/horse instead of using fast travel? I can't check now and I'd like to know.
 
Quen is so OP, especially that knock-back skill it gets early on. If you spec into high stamina regeneration you basically never taken any damage since its always on.
 
DWelbz19 said:
feck me, this game is so good. The side quests induce so well - material is incredible in all facets. Blows other RPGs to shreds. Either I'm playing at a pace too quick, or I'm just playing way more than you lot are. Either way, I'll post my thoughts. I'm sure you when you guys hit these side quests you'll agree. Read on if you're somewhat far into the game with the side quests (starting from Crows Perch and ending in Novigrad area).

The Bloody Baron's quest is ridiculous. Probably my favourite so far. The fact is he is such a nuanced character; simplicity would reduce him to scum but he is thrown thrown a shred of mourn and redemption, with regards to all that has happened, and this all lays on a very difficult moral dilemma that you choose in an alternate side quest, with the trapped spirit in the tree. The way this one concluded was so moving, I didn't expect it at all and it really, really hit me.

Then you have the 'A Towerfull of Mice' quest, which is met with a real macabre backdrop, and ends in such a grim tone. That kiss, man.

Oh, and then you have the quest with Dandelion/Priscilla. Which starts with a very upbeat, regular RPG-like mundane task of helping your dopey idiot of a friend sort out his Cabaret show but then transforms into a morbid hunt of a despicable serial killer, whose killings were flat out cold, even by this games standard. This quest also had a sick irony to it, it starts with Priscilla singing a beautiful tale (which, judging by the lyrics I assume was about Yen and Geralt) to turn culminating in her potentially never singing again.

It looks set to sweep GOTY for me. Perhaps Arkham Knight has the capacity to best it, but I can't see that happening.[/QUOTE]

Bloodborne will also be in with a big shout. That game is also incredible.
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