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[Zeliard]

TW1 is a point n' click game - the challenge is all in the decision-making and setup, not the action. TW2 from what I understand has turned into a full-fledged action RPG with direct button-to-action combat.

Well, point and clicks have extremely simple control mechanics, being just that, point and click. There's nothing at all inherently dumber about inserting an actual combat system in the game. It could easily be made dumber by removing those other aspects of tactical decision-making, but as far as I can tell it isn't doing that at all.

We've seen some previewers complaining about the combat difficulty, for one thing, which makes me think they're probably ignoring some of the other stuff like potions and Signs.

If anything what this does is keep all of the tactical and strategical elements from TW1 while introducing additional layers to the combat.

 

[shintoki]

Instead of rushing through 1 to play 2, you should just play through 1 normally and hold off on 2. Till you finish 1. You'll miss a pretty great experience if you just attempt to rush through it. Nor is the game difficult.

 

[zonezeus]

Also, is it true that you can go "anywhere" from the start? I read a preview or something that said that the whole map would be available from the start, unlike TW1, and that there was no level scaling as well.

If there is such an option I didn't unlock it yet. You can freely roam around the first town and everything around (pretty decent chunk of forest, judging from the map), but I didn't see any indication that I could move to some completely different location.

I honestly didn't really like the Arkham Asylum fighting system. Felt too simple, not enough control in the player's hands. It was basically a rhythm thing where I pressed one button in the enemy's direction with the occasional parry. I'm confident that TW2 won't be that dumbed down, but still.

I can see what CDPR wanted to do with Witcher 2 - to take a simple combat system like B:AA and multiply it's difficulty, but not by changing the system itself, but by adding obstacles around it. So yeah, combat system at it's very core is "dumbed down", but fights are difficult and chalenging. Let me say it once again - Hard IS hard and medium can kick a butt or two.

 

[Sethos]

Oh god he just went in town and this music came up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzEmk0zNFS0

*swoon*

Why is it that every YouTube version of that song starts crackling on the high notes on my sound setup and the original version from GoG does not? Does YouTube ruin it during upload or is everyone using a crappy version?

 

[AgentOtaku]

GNAAAH

HOW MUCH LONGER TILL MY GOG DOWNLOAD FINISHES!

...it's already the 17th here in Afghanistan =(

 

[BannedEpisode]

Just bought The Witcher: Enhanced edition on GOG since I had a couple dollers in my paypal account. Going to play through it and see how I feel about the series before taking the jump into the sequel (it looks very intriguing to me).

Edit: Bleh 150 KB/s. Guess I'll be playing tomorrow.

 

[Sober]

Try and get a perfect 3-batarang score on the first challenge room. The game's combat is nearly flawless imo, it's just to bad the game part of AA doesn't actually show it off. I can see what you're saying about wanting more depth, but I think a lot of people who have a bad taste from AA never actually saw what the game could be like if it were a lot harder.

Boy those combat challenge rooms were fun, especially to try to get 3-batarangs for. But obviously the goal isn't to chain attacks to get a higher xp bonus, I'm guessing, though doing that will probably make the fight so much easier. There were times in hard difficulty where I just gave up trying to run my multiplier up for its own sake and just use occasional takedowns to cull the giant herds of goons the game throws at you sometimes.

Granted, there is probably much more you can do in TW2's combat with 2 types of attacks, blocks and counters and the different signs. And you can't cheese your way out like Batman can by jumping over everyone.

 

[Corky]

It really isn't though. Reviews suggest that it's more of a next gen adventure game than it is a GTA game.

Which is why I explicitly wrote " I know , I know " thus insinuating that I'm well aware that L.A. Noire isn't a Gta-clone in the regular sense.

 

[Kyaw]

Oh god he just went in town and this music came up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzEmk0zNFS0

*swoon*

My god. So atmospheric...

Just in some hours, the game will be out...

 

[Zeliard]

Well, the game takes place over such a large area that there's no way you just walk from one side of the world freely to the other, it's not that kind of game. I'm sure the different chapters put you in opposite ends of the map, there's no way you literally walk across 3 or 4 kingdoms wherever you want. I'm expecting it to be a lot like the first, without the loading screens. I'll be very surprised if you're free to travel anywhere in the entire game at any point.

It'll be interesting to see where those "four" loading screens are placed. Do we know that yet? I assume one of them is the initial loading screen to get into the game, of course. The other ones for the kingdoms?

 

[Exuro]

It'll be interesting to see where those "four" loading screens are placed. Do we know that yet? I assume one of them is the initial loading screen to get into the game, of course. The other ones for the kingdoms?

Seems obvious that it would be during chapter transitions.

 

[Sn4ke_911]

Top 10 Reasons to be Excited about The Witcher 2

 

[Exuro]

So there isn't a weight limit. It just makes you slower and unable to dodge. That's kind of cool.

 

[bengraven]

haha, did that guy playing the livestream actually say "try to get your combat multiplier even higher"? If that's in the game, it better be a joke insulting Fable.

Edit: oh, he was making fun. Okay, it was still hilarious.

 

[Sn4ke_911]

My god. So atmospheric...

Just in some hours, the game will be out...

Yeah, so glad this is the town music. Fits perfect.

 

[Kyaw]

So there isn't a weight limit. It just makes you slower and unable to dodge. That's kind of cool.

That is very cool!
Much better than an actual weight limit.

 

[larvi]

Try and get a perfect 3-batarang score on the first challenge room. The game's combat is nearly flawless imo, it's just to bad the game part of AA doesn't actually show it off. I can see what you're saying about wanting more depth, but I think a lot of people who have a bad taste from AA never actually saw what the game could be like if it were a lot harder.

I would never be able to do that, but then again I don't want RPG combat to boil down to depending on my piss poor timing and aiming skills, but rather the choices I make in combat and how well I've prepared my character to be able to execute the actions I've chosen.

 

[Sn4ke_911]

Fuck. This game seems really hard on normal.

 

[bengraven]

Ho-ho-holy shit, just listened to that village music.

That's like Howard Shore quality music. One of the best songs I've heard in a videogame soundtrack. Man, I'm so glad I'm getting this soundtrack!

edit: oh and that callback to Witcher 1 at 1:30!

 

[Chiggs]

Fuck. This game seems really hard on normal.

Lol, I think I'll be starting out on easy.

 

[∀ Narayan]

I honestly didn't really like the Arkham Asylum fighting system. Felt too simple, not enough control in the player's hands. It was basically a rhythm thing where I pressed one button in the enemy's direction with the occasional parry. I'm confident that TW2 won't be that dumbed down, but still.

Ugh, yeah, I couldn't stand Batman AA, rented it and only could play a couple of hours of it. Hopefully there is more depth to combat in this game than that.

WHAT

THE

FUCK.

You obviously haven't gone into the deep end of Arkham Asylum's combat system. I felt the same way about the combat when I was going through the campaign until I started messing around in challenge mode. The game is all about maintaining combos. The higher you combo, the more your combat options increase. As far as beat-'em-ups go, I would put Arkham Asylum right under God Hand. The combat is really amazing once you get into it.

 

[Exuro]

Fuck. This game seems really hard on normal.

Awesome. What appears to be the reason? Are groups of enemies a huge annoyance or is it just tough?

 

[JohngPR]

Which is why I explicitly wrote " I know , I know " thus insinuating that I'm well aware that L.A. Noire isn't a Gta-clone in the regular sense.

My sarcasm detector.....it is broken.

 

[Sn4ke_911]

Awesome. What appears to be the reason? Are groups of enemies a huge annoyance or is it just tough?

Yeah i think that's the case.

 

[Zeliard]

Seems obvious that it would be during chapter transitions.

Haha, didn't even think of the chapters. Yes, that is quite obvious.

So we're getting no loading times when entering and exiting, say, castles, venturing out into a presumably large countryside/forest? Almost stretches belief given the first game.

 

[Corky]

My sarcasm detector.....it is broken.

Everybody gets one

 

[∀ Narayan]

Yeah i think that's the case.

 

[Exuro]

Yeah i think that's the case.

Hmm how is the streamer playing? Is he preparing with pots/bombs/traps, and/or using signs effectively?

 

[K.Sabot]

Hmm how is the streamer playing? Is he preparing with pots/bombs/traps, and/or using signs effectively?

A lot of the time he's listening to the chat, so it's a work in progress.

 

[Minsc]

Haha, didn't even think of the chapters. Yes, that is quite obvious.

So we're getting no loading times when entering and exiting, say, castles, venturing out into a presumably large countryside/forest? Almost stretches belief given the first game.

Someone said on a laptop the transitions took 2-3 seconds, so if your HDD isn't up to par, seamless transitions become loading times.

Lol, I think I'll be starting out on easy.

Don't forget you aren't stuck with the difficulty you pick, you can change at any point, as much as you want.

Difficulty only changes the ratio of damage/enemy health, except for insane where enemies use alternate tactics.

 

[Zeliard]

Someone said on a laptop the transitions took 2-3 seconds, so if your HDD isn't up to par, seamless transitions become loading times.

I do need to spring for an SSD, heh.

 

[Exuro]

Difficulty only changes the ratio of damage/enemy health, except for insane where enemies use alternate tactics.

I hope they make the perm death toggable. I'd like to eventually play at said difficulty but I don't like the idea of perm death.

 

[Zeliard]

I hope they make the perm death toggable. I'd like to eventually play at said difficulty but I don't like the idea of perm death.

That's the main point of it, though. Harkens back to stuff like Diablo 2's Hardcore mode.

 

[thetrin]

I hope they make the perm death toggable. I'd like to eventually play at said difficulty but I don't like the idea of perm death.

Isn't the perma death what makes that difficulty level so hard?

 

[Exuro]

Isn't the perma death what makes that difficulty level so hard?

They've said there's additional difficulty though. It's not just hard mode with perm death unless I'm mistaken.

 

[Sethos]

Never having played The Witcher, should I prepare myself for EVE Online learning curve?

 

[Snuggles]

I wonder how long it'll take for someone to complete a legit Insanity run. I'll give it a shot but I'll probably be dead within five minutes.

 

[Kyaw]

Never having played The Witcher, should I prepare myself for EVE Online learning curve?

No. More like Batman Arkham Asylum curve.
Cant say much more than that since we havent got the game yet.

Won't be anything like EVE online though.

 

[Zeliard]

They've said something about possibly offering a resurrection scroll later on as DLC for you sissies who want to play Insane mode without the Insane.

 

[Sethos]

No. More like Batman Arkham Asylum curve.
Cant say much more than that since we havent got the game yet.

Won't be anything like EVE online though.

Oh that's good - Super pumped, just wanted to prepare my body in case this was like hitting a brick wall at 200mph. Thanks man.

 

[zankara]

Does the Witcher series contain lots of fun exploration? Similar to something like Risen?

 

[Exuro]

They've said something about possibly offering a resurrection scroll later on as DLC for you sissies who want to play Insane mode without the Insane.

All I'm asking is a toggable option. Make it available for all difficulties.

 

[Van Buren]

Never having played The Witcher, should I prepare myself for EVE Online learning curve?

We don't know yet since the combat system is completely different.

What we can guess is that the approach to combat ought to be similar - preparing with potions, traps and sword oils ought to completely turn the tide of battle around as opposed to purely relying on manual dexterity during combat.

That said, it appears that the game is challenging even on the default difficulty, so it might take a bit of getting used to for people new to the franchise.

 

[Ricker]

The Gamestop/EBGames up here in Montreal I pre-ordered this from didn`t get their copies yet...that is not a good sign,usually they call customers on Friday saying it will be available on launch day,grrr...better be this week.

 

[Darklord]

Someone said on a laptop the transitions took 2-3 seconds, so if your HDD isn't up to par, seamless transitions become loading times.

I wish I had an SSD. :\

 

[Zeliard]

All I'm asking is a toggable option. Make it available for all difficulties.

CDPR has said they took influence from Demon's Souls for Insane mode so I don't think they'll compromise much.

There will likely be a small mod released anyway by the community that allows for disabling permanent death (as well as unlock Insane from the start). That sort of thing probably isn't too difficult to create since the only thing CDPR is really doing as far as perm death is disabling the loading of saves when you die.

But the point of Insane mode is meant to be that it's both harder and carries with it a crazy death penalty, with the latter being its primary feature. It's mainly the danger of perm death that will make the actual playthrough so different than in the other modes, not because the enemies are a bit more difficult.

 

[Omiee]

i should have the game tomorrow, i hope it lives up to my expectations.

 

[Kyaw]

Insane mode is unlocked from the start btw.

 

[Zeliard]

Insane mode is unlocked from the start btw.

Ah nice, thought I read you had to beat it on Hard first.

 

[Snuggles]

Does the Witcher series contain lots of fun exploration? Similar to something like Risen?

We're not exactly sure about TW2, but if you're asking about TW1, it's structured much more like a Bioware game than an open world RPG like Risen. Most of the chapters open up a new area that has a little bit of room to explore but overall the areas are contained and the game is driven by the narrative rather than allowing you to blaze your own trail.