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[Zomba13]

lol when talking about L.A. Noire, Brad mentioned the bug I posted in the OT (I was investigating a house and Rusty just appeared in the middle of the house in his car). Don't know if he read my post and got it from that or if it's a common bug.

 

[BarrenMind]

Thank you Bombcast, I now know why I'm sometimes unable to block in The Witcher 2. That was really getting irritating.

 

[obonicus]

lol when talking about L.A. Noire, Brad mentioned the bug I posted in the OT (I was investigating a house and Rusty just appeared in the middle of the house in his car). Don't know if he read my post and got it from that or if it's a common bug.

I spotted him posting in that thread early on, at least.

 

[Buckethead]

Bioshock sounds a-mazin'.

 

[LiK]

Is it me or are all these mega long Bombcast shows been insanely awesome lately? I can't get enough.

I had to skip the Bioshock stuff, too much info considering I'm in media blackout.

 

[Deleted member 17706]

It's too bad that Ryan and Jeff are simply unable to appreciate games that have some kind of difficulty and don't hold the player's hand.

Thank you Bombcast, I now know why I'm sometimes unable to block in The Witcher 2. That was really getting irritating.

How long have you been playing? I picked up the whole blocking uses vigor thing within the first couple of battles. Either way, I really suggest you take a look at some of the tutorial entries in the journal, or at least bring up the talent screen and look at the all of the talents. A lot of questions you may have will surely be answered.

 

[Nizz]

Is it me or are all these mega long Bombcast shows been insanely awesome lately? I can't get enough.

I had to skip the Bioshock stuff, too much info considering I'm in media blackout.

I give it to you, you have patience. I'm interested to hear what Jeff says about Infinite after having read only one preview for the game so far. I hope we get a good look at Infinite from E3.

 

[LiK]

I give it to you, you have patience. I'm interested to hear what Jeff says about Infinite after having read only one preview for the game so far. I hope we get a good look at Infinite from E3.

yea, been tough but going into Bioshock blind was the best thing ever so i wanna be surprised for Infinite.

 

[HamPster PamPster]

Calling the final twist of Bioshock Infinite now. Elizabeth tears herself right out of the videogame. Game ends with Shawn Elliot on the metro in Boston seeing a girl who looks just like Elizabeth wink at him and say "nice game"

Also, I started laughing at :ress A to save Dentist:: I like to think there was a 6 hour meeting where they laid out what professions would be hard for people to save. School Teacher Nurse Dentist!

 

[BarrenMind]

How long have you been playing? I picked up the whole blocking uses vigor thing within the first couple of battles. Either way, I really suggest you take a look at some of the tutorial entries in the journal, or at least bring up the talent screen and look at the all of the talents. A lot of questions you may have will surely be answered.

Just finished the Prologue. I poured over the Journal when I first started the game just to get it all out of the way, but it was late and I'm sure I missed a few things. Had to refresh myself on how to use bombs for a couple of the tougher battles for instance. Honestly I don't mind that either, I prefer having to look up gameplay mechanics rather than having pop-up hints all the time.

This was the last piece of the combat that I really wasn't sure about. I just figured I was pressing the E key at the wrong moment before letting an animation finish first, so I changed my combat tactics and stopped blocking altogether since it seemed inconsistent. If I had pressed further on the issue I'm sure I would have figured it out.

 

[MiniBossBattle]

Wait, so big push of Microsoft Game Room for E3?

Sunset Riders?

 

[MichaelEM3]

Jeff's response to a Formspring question I asked him in regards to a season 4 banner (featuring Patrick) for the Bombcast:

I guess we've been arguing about some of the stylistic elements of the new art and music, but it's getting there.

So hopefully it'll show up soon after E3 if not next week.

 

[Massa]

It's too bad that Ryan and Jeff are simply unable to appreciate games that have some kind of difficulty and don't hold the player's hand.

When you have limited time to play games you tend to avoid spending time with ones that are unnecessarily obtuse and do a poor job of explaining its mechanics to the player. That doesn't make it any more challenging or fun, just frustrating.

 

[The_Inquisitor]

Two weeks behind right now. Finally found a fast free connection where I am staying. Looking forward to nearly 5 hours of epic stuff.

Crew I don't know if you read this, but I'm counting on you since I'm going to be in Europe through E3.

 

[Deleted member 17706]

When you have limited time to play games you tend to avoid spending time with ones that are unnecessarily obtuse and do a poor job of explaining its mechanics to the player. That doesn't make it any more challenging or fun, just frustrating.

That's really not the case with games like The Witcher 2 or Demon's Souls. They aren't that difficult to figure out, and you get progressively better at them. Personally, I hate drawn out tutorials that teach you each game mechanic individually. There's nothing wrong with a game just letting the player figure things out.

It seems the mindset with a lot of people these days is that single player games should mostly play themselves.

 

[Foliorum Viridum]

I wish the others would invest more time in to games, but at least we have Vinny to get over that difficulty hump and discover great games.

 

[LiK]

I wish the others would invest more time in to games, but at least we have Vinny to get over that difficulty hump and discover great games.

That's why Vinny is the best!

 

[Foliorum Viridum]

I'd honestly like a video series or something where Vinny talks at length about weird/hard/obscure games he's playing that don't really get any coverage on GB outside of the Bombcast.

I mean, he talks enough about them on the Bombcast to make me happy, but a daily/weekly video detailing his progress through Demon's Souls or something? I'd eat that shit up.

 

[obonicus]

That's really not the case with games like The Witcher 2 or Demon's Souls. They aren't that difficult to figure out, and you get progressively better at them. Personally, I hate drawn out tutorials that teach you each game mechanic individually. There's nothing wrong with a game just letting the player figure things out.

Maybe I'm a fast reader, but I didn't feel that the lack of information was a problem. Most of the important stuff shows up in the tutorials, which you can then read again later. But certainly no one's saying that games need to play themselves, but I just think the combat system's difficulty is artificially inflated by being somewhat clunky and clumsy.

 

[obonicus]

I wish the others would invest more time in to games, but at least we have Vinny to get over that difficulty hump and discover great games.

Except with, say, Demons' Souls he didn't think the game was so great. He basically confirmed what the rest of the Bombcast already thought.

 

[Foliorum Viridum]

I honestly can't remember what he said about Demon's Souls because I only started it this week and before that I had no interest in it. The discussion probably passed me right by.

 

[Riposte]

Maybe I'm a fast reader, but I didn't feel that the lack of information was a problem. Most of the important stuff shows up in the tutorials, which you can then read again later. But certainly no one's saying that games need to play themselves, but I just think the combat system's difficulty is artificially inflated by being somewhat clunky and clumsy.

"Clunky" and "clumsy" are buzzwords. Rarely do they mean anything useful. Usually what they mean is "different, in a manner I do not like or know". Which is to say, that doesn't tell you anything.

Moreover "artificially inflated" is bullshit. Everything about a combat system is artificial. You are saying it is artificial because you don't understand it, thus assume it is not "legitimate" therefor not your fault.

But translation aside...

The only thing you can really call clumsy about Witcher 2 is the targeting system. A better way to explain it would be that it is too loose and can change on you too often. (Then again, there is a lock-on to prevent that.) I guess one can make an argument for attack animations, but the more I play it the better I get at controlling it. I assume there might be chance critical hit animations though, because sometimes Geralt will do more elaborate and more damaging spins.

EDIT: Vinny is intrigued by what he doesn't get, which makes him really entertaining and overall better at presenting new things. He didn't like Demon's Souls ultimately, saying something along the lines that he still didn't quite get why people liked in spite of its "cruelty". However I get the feeling his discussion on the game was cut short by the fact the three other guys in the room desperately don't want to talk or hear about the game.

Recently, they bashed Dark Souls for looking too much like Demon's Souls. As if it isn't a spiritual sequel not owned by Sony and as if it wasn't receiving changes as sequels do(how could they tell, anyway?).

I think the reason why so many people like Vinny is that even when he is misinformed, he is humble and open. Well, aside from certain rants about poor platform launches lol. I mean yeah, he is very funny, but there is someone else there too.

 

[Deleted member 17706]

"Clunky" and "clumsy" are buzzwords. Rarely do they mean anything useful. Usually what they mean is "different, in a manner I do not like or know". Which is to say, that doesn't tell you anything.

Moreover "artificially inflated" is bullshit. Everything about a combat system is artificial. You are saying it is artificial because you don't understand it, thus assume it is not "legitimate" therefor not your fault.

But translation aside...

The only thing you can really call clumsy about Witcher 2 is the targeting system. A better way to explain it would be that it is too loose and can change on you too often. (Then again, there is a lock-on to prevent that.) I guess one can make an argument for attack animations, but the more I play it the better I get at controlling it. I assume there might be chance critical hit animations though, because sometimes Geralt will do more elaborate and more damaging spins.

Yep.

People love to use words like clumsy, clunky, obtuse, and so on when describing systems that don't appeal to them. The only thing that really feels clunky to me about The Witcher 2 is interacting with objects in the world. Trying to pick something up or open a door can be frustrating at times.

 

[Brewster's Wallet]

yea, been tough but going into Bioshock blind was the best thing ever so i wanna be surprised for Infinite.

ditto here!

 

[obonicus]

"Clunky" and "clumsy" are buzzwords. Rarely do they mean anything useful. Usually what they mean is "different, in a manner I do not like or know". Which is to say, that doesn't tell you anything.

Well, yes, obviously. I can only categorize something in terms of what my opinion is. Should I derail this thread entirely with my complaints about TW2? I tend to avoid shitting in OT threads when I don't like a game (which is why I haven't posted in the TW2 thread at all). Here, I felt I should respond to your complaint about Ryan not validating your opinion on the game and therefore being wrong.

To elaborate slightly, I haven't found Geralt to be super responsive, but the combat behaves as if he isn't. That's clunky. The roll-backstab, roll-backstab you have to use against bigger enemies likewise feels clumsy. Maybe if the combat system allowed you some added blade finesse (think JK or even M&B) I wouldn't have this complaint, but you have two attack buttons. And the parry system you unlock later doesn't really help.

Moreover "artificially inflated" is bullshit. Everything about a combat system is artificial. You are saying it is artificial because you don't understand it, thus assume it is not "legitimate" therefor not your fault.

It's short-form for: I don't feel they earn the difficulty presented. There isn't an incredibly deep underlying set of mechanics* like you might find in action games**. There's a buff system, a spell system and a very limited fighting system. The game hamstrings your character by making him unnecessarily fragile, and making mistakes as you struggle with the controls and basic mechanics extremely costly. So you have negative feedback but hardly any positive feedback -- Geralt doesn't get progressively more awesome the better you do. Geralt isn't even a glass cannon; he's lacking significantly in the cannon part of the equation.

Now, this is almost a philosophical position on game design; different people will have different preferences on how games are designed, on the importance of negative feedback vs. positive feedback. I can't say they're wrong. But likewise it's really condescending to suppose that anyone who doesn't like the mechanics doesn't 'get' it. We can get it and still not like it.

But translation aside...

Not a translation. Your defense of the game is 'you just don't get it!' in some weird sort of appeal. I played it. I'm up to the third act (which doesn't make me an expert, of course). I like the game a lot, I just think the mechanics aren't very good -- so I agree with Ryan.

The only thing you can really call clumsy about Witcher 2 is the targeting system. A better way to explain it would be that it is too loose and can change on you too often. (Then again, there is a lock-on to prevent that.) I guess one can make an argument for attack animations, but the more I play it the better I get at controlling it. I assume there might be chance critical hit animations though, because sometimes Geralt will do more elaborate and more damaging spins.

I've only seen the elaborate spins when switching enemies. Batman-style, Geralt will break off and deliver an attack at someone else. That degree of auto-targetting and auto-movement is kind of jarring given how the rest of the combat works, though. You also get a random chance to get an auto-kill, depending on talents and maybe gear -- not sure how you see it trigger, possibly the 'mortally wound' message on enemies that haven't had their health bar deplete?

* That's not to say the game doesn't require skill. It does, but requiring skill by itself doesn't necessarily make it fun or worthwhile. Learning to sculpt Michelangelo's David on a grain of rice probably takes a lot of skill, but that doesn't mean I want to do it.

** I realize comparing the Witcher 2 to an action game might be unfair, but that's how intense a lot of the combat encounters are.

 

[Deleted member 17706]

The game hamstrings your character by making him unnecessarily fragile

Why do you get to determine that it's "unnecessary"? Seems pretty arbitrary, to me.

Geralt doesn't get progressively more awesome the better you do.

He really does, though. When I first started on normal, my Geralt looked like a clumsy coward in the early combat scenarios. On my second playthrough on hard, he's a confident badass. When you know how to play the game, the combat can look really cool. Parry an attack here, dodge a swing there and slash a guy in the back. Yrden one guy then Aard his friend and cut him down.

It's not on the same level as Demon's Souls, but skill and learning how to play is a major factor in The Witcher 2's combat.

Now, this is almost a philosophical position on game design; different people will have different preferences on how games are designed, on the importance of negative feedback vs. positive feedback. I can't say they're wrong. But likewise it's really condescending to suppose that anyone who doesn't like the mechanics doesn't 'get' it. We can get it and still not like it.

Saying that the combat system doesn't click with you is one thing, but the problem comes when people start calling systems they don't necessarily like "bad" in the objective sense and use words like "clunky" and "obtuse", etc.

I'm not a huge fan of the Devil May Cry series, for example, but I recognize that it has a very solid action system.

 

[Grisby]

I knew Vinny was going to end up getting The Witcher books (unless he was jolking). Are they any good?

Bioshock Infinite sounds crazy. Can't wait to see the E3 demo.

I'll bite Fjordson. The first Witcher book, The Last Wish, is very good and a fun read. The book has a great non-linear structure where it basically reads like a bunch of people telling different campfire stories, each one starring Geralt. The second, the Blood of Elves, has a more linear and continuous story. I found that one to be a bit boring, mostly due to the second half, but still worthy of the time it took to read (not long actually).

These books did not start out as videogames but instead the other way around. That gives them a huge leg up on most videogame books. I can't help but feel some stuff was lost in translation but then again, I don't know if that was the case for sure.

Bottom line, they are good books and made me feel all the more pissed that I don't have a PC to run the games. Although, with the Witcher 2 maybe coming to consoles I might be in luck after all.

On topic. I'm just now DL'ing the Bombcast.

 

[Deleted member 17706]

Another thing that kind of irked me was Ryan saying (paraphrasing) "Hey Vinny, you know by the time you finish The Witcher books and The Witcher 1, The Witcher 2 will probably be available on consoles!" as if playing the game on a console is somehow the superior way to go, even though Vinny has a capable PC and already owns TW2 for the PC.

It just struck me as a really odd and borderline fanboyish thing to say. Like Ryan is reluctant to acknowledge that games exist on the PC or something.

 

[HamPster PamPster]

Isn't E3 judges week only for playable games (not trailers)

Jeff make a FFXIII-2 joke... sure it was a joke but I hope that mean its playable at E3 considering I doubt Jeff would even think about it unless he saw it

Curious to see what that game is

 

[Massa]

Another thing that kind of irked me was Ryan saying (paraphrasing) "Hey Vinny, you know by the time you finish The Witcher books and The Witcher 1, The Witcher 2 will probably be available on consoles!" as if playing the game on a console is somehow the superior way to go, even though Vinny has a capable PC and already owns TW2 for the PC.

It just struck me as a really odd and borderline fanboyish thing to say. Like Ryan is reluctant to acknowledge that games exist on the PC or something.

That was Jeff, not Ryan. Ryan was the one who restarted LA Noire after 3 hours to play the inferior Xbox 360 version.

Isn't E3 judges week only for playable games (not trailers)

Jeff make a FFXIII-2 joke... sure it was a joke but I hope that mean its playable at E3 considering I doubt Jeff would even think about it unless he saw it

Curious to see what that game is

There used to be a rule that the game had to be playable by the judges, but now just letting them touch the controller to make sure it's runtime seems to be enough. It doesn't mean anything about the game being playable at E3 (for instance, I'm sure Bioshock Infinite won't be playable).

 

[notworksafe]

Another thing that kind of irked me was Ryan saying (paraphrasing) "Hey Vinny, you know by the time you finish The Witcher books and The Witcher 1, The Witcher 2 will probably be available on consoles!" as if playing the game on a console is somehow the superior way to go, even though Vinny has a capable PC and already owns TW2 for the PC.

It just struck me as a really odd and borderline fanboyish thing to say. Like Ryan is reluctant to acknowledge that games exist on the PC or something.

Well the GB dudes love comfy couches, controllers, and achievement points so that was probably refering to those being available on an Xbox Witcher 2.

 

[Deleted member 17706]

Well the GB dudes love comfy couches, controllers, and achievement points so that was probably refering to those being available on an Xbox Witcher 2.

Comfy couches and controllers (complete with Xbox 360 button graphics) are already supported.

 

[stupei]

I knew Vinny was going to end up getting The Witcher books (unless he was jolking). Are they any good?

Bioshock Infinite sounds crazy. Can't wait to see the E3 demo.

The Last Wish, which is the first collection of short stories, is really solid so far. It ties in directly with some of the characters in both games and gives you an even deeper understanding of the world.

Like Grisby said, the universe began with the (apparently very successful) novels, so there isn't that stilted sense you get sometimes from tie-in books that this is all world building work that happened after the fact. The vignette style also really benefits the feeling that you're witnessing moments in the lives of real character existing in a fully realized world instead of reading details that were sketched in to fill out an already established plot line for a gaming trilogy. I agree that there's probably something lost in translation and sometimes there is a bit of that mainstream kitschiness where the prose just isn't as elegant as it might be. All in all, though, I'd recommend it.

Another thing that kind of irked me was Ryan saying (paraphrasing) "Hey Vinny, you know by the time you finish The Witcher books and The Witcher 1, The Witcher 2 will probably be available on consoles!" as if playing the game on a console is somehow the superior way to go, even though Vinny has a capable PC and already owns TW2 for the PC.

It just struck me as a really odd and borderline fanboyish thing to say. Like Ryan is reluctant to acknowledge that games exist on the PC or something.

Ryan is currently playing the game on PC, so he kind of has to acknowledge it. Pretty sure he was just making the point that Vinny is going to take so long that by the time he starts to play TW2, there will be a new version of it available. He's making fun of Vinny, not PC games.

 

[Deleted member 17706]

Ryan is currently playing the game on PC, so he kind of has to acknowledge it. Pretty sure he was just making the point that Vinny is going to take so long that by the time he starts to play TW2, there will be a new version of it available. He's making fun of Vinny, not PC games.

Looks like I got the wrong guy (apparently it was Jeff who just recently put together a pretty monster gaming rig). Either way, I hope the intention of the comment was as you say.

 

[obonicus]

Why do you get to determine that it's "unnecessary"? Seems pretty arbitrary, to me.

Well, of course it's arbitrary, as it's based entirely on my opinion and I haven't claimed otherwise. I'll flip it on you, though. What does the game gain by making Geralt so fragile? I could see it if he were a glass cannon, but his damage output isn't so great (there is a glass cannon potion, though, in Thunderbolt, I think). So fights can end quickly for you, but not always so quickly for your enemies.

He really does, though. When I first started on normal, my Geralt looked like a clumsy coward in the early combat scenarios. On my second playthrough on hard, he's a confident badass. When you know how to play the game, the combat can look really cool. Parry an attack here, dodge a swing there and slash a guy in the back. Yrden one guy then Aard his friend and cut him down.

That's not really positive feedback, though, that's just player skill increasing to match the game's difficulty. Think instead of a combo counter that increases the amount of currency available to you for upgrades. You have adrenaline, but that kind of grows regardless of your performance, as long as you're in the fray. Its effects are slightly underwhelming as well: Heliotrope is great, but I don't care much for rage.

It's not on the same level as Demon's Souls, but skill and learning how to play is a major factor in The Witcher 2's combat.

Undoubtedly, but see my previous remark about the grain of rice. You might think the amount of skill needed is worthwhile in itself, while I don't, as I don't find the process of obtaining/applying that skill fun.

Saying that the combat system doesn't click with you is one thing, but the problem comes when people start calling systems they don't necessarily like "bad" in the objective sense and use words like "clunky" and "obtuse", etc.

Well, that's the problem with us writing in regular English, as opposed to E-Prime. But people on GAF do that sort of thing all the time. It's just as bad as people telling Ryan that he's 'wrong' when he doesn't like the game because he thinks the combat is bad.

I might be being too charitable towards GBers (and not charitable enough towards GAFfers) by assuming that as everything they say has their editorial slant, and is thus their opinion, while assuming that GAFfers are always trying to state objective fact unless otherwise stated.

 

[fadetoblack]

This was a great episode. Confirmed a lot for me.

Bioshock Infinite media block out confirmed. I don't want to hear or see another bit of information. Going into this one cold like I did for the first Bioshock.

If there ends up being a PS3 The Witcher 2, I need to pick it up. I don't think my PC will run it as is (i5-450m @ 2.4ghz, ati mobility radeon 5850 , 4gb ram, windows 7)

 

[Deleted member 17706]

This was a great episode. Confirmed a lot for me.

Bioshock Infinite media block out confirmed. I don't want to hear or see another bit of information. Going into this one cold like I did for the first Bioshock.

If there ends up being a PS3 The Witcher 2, I need to pick it up. I don't think my PC will run it as is (i5-450m @ 2.4ghz, ati mobility radeon 5850 , 4gb ram, windows 7)

I'm fairly certain that laptop will run the game fairly well. It's certainly leagues more powerful than the hardware in a PS3.

 

[Riposte]

Zefah gives good replies.

The roll-backstab, roll-backstab you have to use against bigger enemies likewise feels clumsy.

I don't see why. Against powerhouse enemies or mobs of enemies, you need to carefully attack them so that you are safe. In the case of mobs, once you unlock the "group style" attribute(like TW1) you become even safer. There are also techniques(and strategies), which allow you to forgo stuff like this. Bombs, traps, signs, and dodging only when a big enemy has blocked you(often followed by a slow, but powerful attack). Or when they charge you.

And the parry system you unlock later doesn't really help.

The Parry system works very well, but only in certain situations. It is mostly useful against enemies in a group who can block and usable whenever you've positioned yourself and your enemies in manner where you know no one one else will attack your guard before your target. (You are temporarily invincible during the parry attack animation.) I am not sure what you mean by finesse, but I suppose it doesn't matter.

It's short-form for: I don't feel they earn the difficulty presented. There isn't an incredibly deep underlying set of mechanics* like you might find in action games**. There's a buff system, a spell system and a very limited fighting system.

The Witcher 2's combat system is relatively expansive and most abilities have their uses(thus it is not shallow). While it might not have a hundred spells or abilities/combos, it governs what it does give very tightly by presenting you with difficulty and risk. (Witcher 2 is definitely an action game.)

What does the game gain by making Geralt so fragile?

By making defense more important, you increase tension/excitement and difficulty. It allows for fewer mistakes and makes risk/reward contain actual risk. (Also Geralt does decent damage. There might be a few exceptions, but those can be overcame all the same by using oils and potions. Preparation can be critical at times.)

That's not really positive feedback, though, that's just player skill increasing to match the game's difficulty. Think instead of a combo counter that increases the amount of currency available to you for upgrades.

The difference between superficial growth and actual growth. By increasing skill a player improves. By increasing moneyz/shinies/etc, the game tells you have improved(not to confused with score, which is a tool to measure growth). It should be obvious which is more valuable to players who want good combat systems. (Mind you, both are very pleasurable, for almost the same reasons too.)

To call into question one's ability to grade combat systems(even overall games) is perfectly valid. Opinions are worthless without logic, hence we have conversations. I believe the only reason Ryan(and you?) dislikes Witcher 2's combat is because he can't see passed his own ceiling. (Usually dismisses combat systems in favor of seeing more shinies: storylines, cutscenes, graphics, voice-work. Hence why he still likes the game.)

 

[Deleted member 17706]

Well, of course it's arbitrary, as it's based entirely on my opinion and I haven't claimed otherwise. I'll flip it on you, though. What does the game gain by making Geralt so fragile? I could see it if he were a glass cannon, but his damage output isn't so great (there is a glass cannon potion, though, in Thunderbolt, I think). So fights can end quickly for you, but not always so quickly for your enemies.

I like a challenge. I love games like The Witcher, Risen, Demon's Souls, all of which are completely unforgiving, but also completely fair. If you make a couple of mistakes, you're slaughtered. You quickly learn how to not make mistakes. You learn to read your opponent's moves and time your attacks. By the end of the game you will have become a very skilled player. This sense of progression, not just in new in-game abilities, but in your own skill at the game, is extremely satisfying to me. If I just wanted to mash buttons and watch cool stuff happen, I'd stick to God of War and its many clones.

Making Geralt relatively fragile is what brings this difficulty. If he was able to take a ton of hits before going down, or had quickly regenerating health, it wouldn't be challenging. You wouldn't need to really learn how to play the game as you could make your way through just by mashing the buttons. In my experience with the game, most opponents are just as fragile as Geralt. If you manage to get behind a solider, they will usually die in two or three hits.

That's not really positive feedback, though, that's just player skill increasing to match the game's difficulty. Think instead of a combo counter that increases the amount of currency available to you for upgrades. You have adrenaline, but that kind of grows regardless of your performance, as long as you're in the fray. Its effects are slightly underwhelming as well: Heliotrope is great, but I don't care much for rage.

I disagree, but it seems that most 'modern gamers' needs to be patted on the back every five seconds or they lose interest. Playing the game well and watching Geralt fluidly dispatch enemies on screen is reward enough for me. I don't need some "gamey" system in place to pop up on screen and tell me that I'm a good boy everytime I do well in a fight.

Undoubtedly, but see my previous remark about the grain of rice. You might think the amount of skill needed is worthwhile in itself, while I don't, as I don't find the process of obtaining/applying that skill fun.

Fair enough. You like what you like and that probably won't change. I don't see the appeal in achievements, for example, but tons of people eat them up. Maybe it's because I grew up playing older, and more unforgiving games in the late 80s and early 90s. Those games conditioned me to enjoy the feeling of accomplishment after overcoming a particularly difficult section.

Well, that's the problem with us writing in regular English, as opposed to E-Prime. But people on GAF do that sort of thing all the time. It's just as bad as people telling Ryan that he's 'wrong' when he doesn't like the game because he thinks the combat is bad.

I guess it's just a pet peeve of mine. I generally dislike it when people state their opinions in absolutes as if they are irrefutable facts. I don't think it's hard to say "I didn't like it", or "I thought it was awful", etc.

 

[Xyrmellon]

Why is Brad not allowed to discuss Red Faction Armageddon???? I got the new PC Gamer last week and it has a full review in it. How does that work?

 

[f0rk]

Why is Brad not allowed to discuss Red Faction Armageddon???? I got the new PC Gamer last week and it has a full review in it. How does that work?

Print press always get early exclusives.

 

[Fjordson]

I'll bite Fjordson. The first Witcher book, The Last Wish, is very good and a fun read. The book has a great non-linear structure where it basically reads like a bunch of people telling different campfire stories, each one starring Geralt. The second, the Blood of Elves, has a more linear and continuous story. I found that one to be a bit boring, mostly due to the second half, but still worthy of the time it took to read (not long actually).

These books did not start out as videogames but instead the other way around. That gives them a huge leg up on most videogame books. I can't help but feel some stuff was lost in translation but then again, I don't know if that was the case for sure.

Bottom line, they are good books and made me feel all the more pissed that I don't have a PC to run the games. Although, with the Witcher 2 maybe coming to consoles I might be in luck after all.

The Last Wish, which is the first collection of short stories, is really solid so far. It ties in directly with some of the characters in both games and gives you an even deeper understanding of the world.

Like Grisby said, the universe began with the (apparently very successful) novels, so there isn't that stilted sense you get sometimes from tie-in books that this is all world building work that happened after the fact. The vignette style also really benefits the feeling that you're witnessing moments in the lives of real character existing in a fully realized world instead of reading details that were sketched in to fill out an already established plot line for a gaming trilogy. I agree that there's probably something lost in translation and sometimes there is a bit of that mainstream kitschiness where the prose just isn't as elegant as it might be. All in all, though, I'd recommend it..

Wow, thanks guys. I loved the first Witcher's story (and universe in general) so I'll have to pick these up. I remember hearing that The Witcher originally sprung from a book, but I wasn't sure.

And I'm in the same boat, Grisby. Will hopefully get to play Witcher 2 on 360.

 

[MiniBossBattle]

Vinny should get a racing wheel

Add a penguin suit and the Happy Hour would run itself.

 

[LCfiner]

So did I misunderstand or does Vinny not drive? how does that happen?

Anyway, he should not get a wheel if he doesn't drive or play many racing games. but if he does get a wheel, the fanatec GT2 will work on the 360 plus PS3 plus PC

 

[Tamanon]

BTW, I was just like Vinny and thought that "Moment to Moment combat" was some kind of buzzword feature that Jeff was talking about, it's just such a weird phrasing.

 

[notworksafe]

So did I misunderstand or does Vinny not drive? how does that happen?

Anyway, he should not get a wheel if he doesn't drive or play many racing games. but if he does get a wheel, the fanatec GT2 will work on the 360 plus PS3 plus PC

Well he's from NYC (I think) and lives in SF, so he picked two great cities to live in if he's not going to drive.

 

[DaBuddaDa]

Well he's from NYC (I think) and lives in SF, so he picked two great cities to live in if he's not going to drive.

He's also color blind which throws another wrench in the machinery.

 

[notworksafe]

He's also color blind which throws another wrench in the machinery.

Just red/green I think, so that's not so bad. Just remember red on top and green on bottom.

 

[Tamanon]

He's also color blind which throws another wrench in the machinery.

Eh, generally signs/signals are specifically designed around color-blindness.

 

[Aquavelvaman]

Jeff is colorblind and drives alls the time. Vinny is driven