The Witcher Gone Gold

[Zawath]

According to Worthplaying (http://worthplaying.com/article.php?sid=46531&mode=thread&order=0), the PC RPG of the year, The Witcher, is now golden:

Immersed in a vivid but harsh fantasy world, the player assumes the role of a white-haired witcher named Geralt, a renowned monster-slayer-for-hire and master swordsman with superhuman strength and reflexes. While trying to regain his lost memory, Geralt unwillingly becomes involved in a world-shaking power struggle.

Features:

- Choose from over 250 special abilities correlated to attributes, combat skills and magical powers to build the character in a way best suited to tactical needs and style of play.

- All quests can be accomplished in several ways and the game has three different endings depending on the player’s actions and choices throughout the adventure.

- Motion capture performed by medieval fighting experts at Frankfurt’s renowned Metric Minds studio, resulting in 600 spectacular and authentic in-game combat animations.

- 60-80 hours of gameplay.

If the game really is that long and has multiple endings, it will be awesome.

[MacD]

Cool! I like the look of thios game, and I'm not even talking graphically (although it doesn't look too shabby, especially for something based on the Aurora engine). What interests me in this game is the story and the way choices have farreaching effects...exactly what my RPG jones is all about. And a dark backstory where elves and dwarves are discriminated against....they have my interest :)

Wish I could find a translation of the books it's based on, though.

[KingGorilla]

RPG of the year?

Did they miss the part where Burning Crusade came out?

[Vandenh]

Hu? What?

This done already? Hmmm good. RPG end-of-the-year goodness.

[Dukefrukem]

This looks cool. Is it an RPG or MMO?

[NeuroMan42]

Been looking forward to this game for a LONG time.

[captainstrombosis]

RPG of the year?

Did they miss the part where Burning Crusade came out?

I don't think MMO's count in the same category as other RPG's. Just like comparing Oblivion to Blue Dragon is a bit flawed.

I don't know about RPG of the year though. The game looks like I will end up getting it, but something doesn't quite seem right from the gameplay videos I've seen.

[bean19]

RPG of the year?

Did they miss the part where Burning Crusade came out?

Mass Effect. However, the Witcher will no doubt win the prize for stupidest name. Feature list looks cool though. I'll definitely read reviews on it and rent/buy based on them.

The Witcher is an RPG.

[Draknodred]

I kind of blew this off when I saw at PAX but now I wish I would of given it a play... Oh well looks pretty interesting though.

[Grifter]

I can't wait to play this. I have been waiting for this almost as long as Dragon Age...where the hell is Dragon Age anyway? I haven't heard any news on that in almost a year now.

[Nura]

ooh nice, only saw abit of a walkthrough on gametrailers.. this should be good, i hope.

[TheKeck]

Is it going to be as witchy as expected?

[captainstrombosis]

I can't wait to play this. I have been waiting for this almost as long as Dragon Age...where the hell is Dragon Age anyway? I haven't heard any news on that in almost a year now.

Pretty sure that game is on media blackout until Mass Effect hits, so as not to steal any of it's thunder.

[torrefaction]

I've had my eye on this game for quite a while. Consider me interested.

[kurr]

Witchier than expected, but still not quite witchy enough.

[drakkarim]

the graphics look nice, the couple videos of game time i've seen seem a little too click-click-click-click like crazy, but who knows, i'll wait for a demo...

[Salamande]

RPGWatch (http://www.rpgwatch.com/) has a nice 2-part preview of The Witcher going. It certainly looks like it could be something special.

As for the name...blame CD Projekt (http://witcher.wikia.com/wiki/Witcher). Maybe it's a Polish thing.

[jpublic]

You know, just once I want to see a game with multiple endings where it's not the identical game for each ending with different choices made at key points.

I'd like to see one where, given your choices, you see a drastically different game at the end depending on which ending you're working towards. Perhaps even seperate levels.

[PIPBoy3000]

My main problem these days is that I don't have 60-80 hours laying around to dedicate to a game. I lean towards the short but polished games. Long gone are the days when I can throw dozens of hours towards a game in between work and family.

Sniff. I guess I'm grown up now and should stop visiting gaming sites.

[captainstrombosis]

My main problem these days is that I don't have 60-80 hours laying around to dedicate to a game. I lean towards the short but polished games. Long gone are the days when I can throw dozens of hours towards a game in between work and family.

Sniff. I guess I'm grown up now and should stop visiting gaming sites.

That or like everyone else you can spread that time out over weeks/months.

[[Jez]]

You know, just once I want to see a game with multiple endings where it's not the identical game for each ending with different choices made at key points.

I'd like to see one where, given your choices, you see a drastically different game at the end depending on which ending you're working towards. Perhaps even seperate levels.

Front Mission 3?

[captainstrombosis]

;1023189']Front Mission 3?

That game is so much awesome contained on a Playstation Disc. Plus the idea of MIDAS was pretty cool.

[tenchiker]

I can't wait to to give this a try. I'm still hoping for a demo though.

[TheKeck]

That or like everyone else you can spread that time out over weeks/months.
There's the truth.

[torrefaction]

That or like everyone else you can spread that time out over weeks/months.

You know, I'm sort of with him. Playing games that are this long over a huge spread of time tends to dilute the impact of the story. It also is that much longer that you have to play a single game, regardless of your mood, if you really want to get through it.

It's seeming like I may never actually put FFXII back in my PS2.

[Lothair]

You know, just once I want to see a game with multiple endings where it's not the identical game for each ending with different choices made at key points.

I'd like to see one where, given your choices, you see a drastically different game at the end depending on which ending you're working towards. Perhaps even seperate levels.

Might and Magic VII did this, I know, the path split relatively early and although the light and dark paths were parallel, they were also completely different games with different quests. It was awesome, also open-ended and had arcomage. Now I'm getting all misty-eyed.

[Dukefrukem]

This looks cool. Is it an RPG or MMO?

anyone? anyone?

[captainstrombosis]

You know, I'm sort of with him. Playing games that are this long over a huge spread of time tends to dilute the impact of the story. It also is that much longer that you have to play a single game, regardless of your mood, if you really want to get through it.

It's seeming like I may never actually put FFXII back in my PS2.

I am the opposite I guess. I can't stand sitting down and finishing a story in one sitting. Kind of like climaxing 3 seconds into sex. Such a wasted effort.

I tend to spread out JRPG's and story driven games. It also saves me considerable amounts of money, because I'm not buying a whole lot of games right away and end up picking them up on the cheap several months down the line.

Strangely enough though, I end up playing Multi-Player games in huge stretches for whatever reason. Making them the more time consuming game type for me.

[Grifter]

anyone? anyone?

Yeah dude, it's a 60-80 hour MMO.:rolleyes:

In the 2 hours between your posts you could have Googled it or..I don't know, read the thread or even (we're getting crazy now) use some of the links supplied above.

[Disgustipated]

Yeah dude, it's a 60-80 hour MMO.:rolleyes:

In the 2 hours between your posts you could have Googled it or..I don't know, read the thread or even (we're getting crazy now) use some of the link supplied.

Shut up, it's not like Firefox has Google search built into the corner of the browser. That shit is hard.

[bryan]

RPGWatch (http://www.rpgwatch.com/) has a nice 2-part preview of The Witcher going. It certainly looks like it could be something special.

As for the name...blame CD Projekt (http://witcher.wikia.com/wiki/Witcher). Maybe it's a Polish thing.

IIRC it's cause it's based off a very popular series of novels.

[pomeroy]

And, my obligatory:

Witchier than I expected.

Not quite witchy enough, though.

[Zane]

I'm amazed this hasn't been posted yet: http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/10/24

[torrefaction]

Wow, I forgot how long this game has been in development. 2004.

I mean, it's not that long in comparison to other games, I just sorta forgot how long we've known about it.

[GrinR]

I've been going through NWN2 now that the "Mask of the Betrayer" expansion has hit, and I'd be awfully surprised if Witcher could hold a candle to it.

[Mantooth]

I just hope that it is more witchy than buggy and that my aging system can keep up.

[YoungAlCapone]

I am only worried that my system doesn't have what it takes, otherwise I have been looking foward to this game for ages.

[Majster Wichajster]

Well, "The Witcher" does sound worse than "Wiedźmin," but there's not much you can do about it. I've read some impressions in a Polish magazine - positive all the way, except a few minor issues that can easily be worked out in a patch. It is a Polish magazine though, and I am rooting for the game's international success (since I am a Pole and all), so my opinion might not be as valid as I'd like it to be.

WoW is an RPG, but can it do single-player? I thought not.

Regardless, we should hope for it to be a good game - there is never enough of that.

[KingGorilla]

The game has boobs, the presence of which made up a considerable portion of the press screenings and showings at E3.

[captainstrombosis]

Regardless, we should hope for it to be a good game - there is never enough of that.

This statement makes me think that Poland is getting a few games released substantially later than all the goodies raping my wallet this season.

[Majster Wichajster]

This statement makes me think that Poland is getting a few games released substantially later than all the goodies raping my wallet this season.

The raping is pretty much even around the world this holiday season, except for the PAL lag, but that depends on what you are waiting for.

I did see a copy of 1945 1&2 Arcade Edition for the PS2, and I have already spent my money on 3 games, one of them being RE4. Pretty fucking late to the party.

I'd like to buy the Witcher when it comes out, but I have pretty much resigned myself to watch from the sidelines, since my computer sucks so much ass it's not even funny, and there is no point in buying a game you can't play.

If there are people here who have loved the music composed for Painkiller, Scorpic is working on this game.

[PIPBoy3000]

That or like everyone else you can spread that time out over weeks/months.

Oh, I have a few games that are sitting on my hard drive, begging for attention. They're high-quality games too. I'd love to finish Call of Duty, but just haven't had the time to get to it.

I find that I'm in a new phase of my life where money isn't really an issue. Instead, free time is such a rarity that I'm very careful about how I spend my time. Most days it seems like my son, who's limited to an hour of gaming per day, plays on the computer more than I.

This is coming from a guy who played through Baldur's Gate 2 twice, loving every dialog choice and and exploring every pixel of a 2D screen. These days, though, I'll take my Bioshock and Half-Life 2 which I can finish in a few weeks and feel well satisfied.

[drakkarim]

Well, "The Witcher" does sound worse than "Wiedźmin," but there's not much you can do about it. I've read some impressions in a Polish magazine - positive all the way, except a few minor issues that can easily be worked out in a patch. It is a Polish magazine though, and I am rooting for the game's international success (since I am a Pole and all), so my opinion might not be as valid as I'd like it to be.

WoW is an RPG, but can it do single-player? I thought not.

Regardless, we should hope for it to be a good game - there is never enough of that.

(stands next to Majster Wichajster) Me, too. I'm hoping for quality here, will probably buy just to support the developers.

I do like the idea of a 60-80 hour game, of course as it is quality 60-80 hours, not a boring grind. if there's good quests and a great story i'm in.

[EL CABONG]

I may wait till after I get a new pc. In a few months of so I should be able to pick it up on the cheap.

[captainstrombosis]

Oh, I have a few games that are sitting on my hard drive, begging for attention. They're high-quality games too. I'd love to finish Call of Duty, but just haven't had the time to get to it.

I find that I'm in a new phase of my life where money isn't really an issue. Instead, free time is such a rarity that I'm very careful about how I spend my time. Most days it seems like my son, who's limited to an hour of gaming per day, plays on the computer more than I.

This is coming from a guy who played through Baldur's Gate 2 twice, loving every dialog choice and and exploring every pixel of a 2D screen. These days, though, I'll take my Bioshock and Half-Life 2 which I can finish in a few weeks and feel well satisfied.

I could see that being an issue. I've set my life up specifically for more free time. I know it sounds weird, but I'm lazy and it suits me better to work just enough and have a shit load of nothing to do. I'm a lifelong underachiever.

[Kem0sabe]

RPGWatch (http://www.rpgwatch.com/) has a nice 2-part preview of The Witcher going. It certainly looks like it could be something special.

As for the name...blame CD Projekt (http://witcher.wikia.com/wiki/Witcher). Maybe it's a Polish thing.

Apparently the game is based on a polish authors series of fantasy books, where the main character is called a "witcher", hence, the name of the game.

Oh and to the guy that mentioned the burning crusade as an rpg... *sigh*

[walkstheplanes]

Apparently the game is based on a polish authors series of fantasy books, where the main character is called a "witcher", hence, the name of the game.

Oh and to the guy that mentioned the burning crusade as an rpg... *sigh*

Haha, I think a lot of us let out a collective sigh + palm to forehead when we read the whole Burning Crusade RPG thing.

[jpublic]

;1023189']Front Mission 3?

The Fron Mission series is part of that vast array of tactical games I buy and never really get into, because I suck at them so much.



Although Kudos to whomever for the M&M7 point. I should pull that one out again, if only for Arcomage.

[BigJonno]

My main problem these days is that I don't have 60-80 hours laying around to dedicate to a game. I lean towards the short but polished games. Long gone are the days when I can throw dozens of hours towards a game in between work and family.

Sniff. I guess I'm grown up now and should stop visiting gaming sites.

Would this have anything to do with you spending all your time making really kick-arse NWN modules?

[LongStepMantis]

I'm willing to give it the chance.
Besides, I learned my lesson about underestimating developers from that region after Gothic.
They should make a trilogy, Witcher, Witchest, and Witcheriest. Grammar be damned.

[Claus DuBois]

I'm willing to give it the chance.
Besides, I learned my lesson about underestimating developers from that region after Gothic.
They should make a trilogy, Witcher, Witchest, and Witcheriest. Grammar be damned.

LOL, "Peter Jackson's Return of the Witchiest Witcher"

[Claus DuBois]

The game has boobs, the presence of which made up a considerable portion of the press screenings and showings at E3.

I saw one preview back in July (Gmspy) that said adult elements removed for North American version. If so, may need to pick up the English import version through gogamer.com to get all the boobs and whistles.

[Tel Prydain]

Thought it was coming to 360 too? Perhaps I'm just crazy.

[Å®ÇTÌ¢ VåmÞ‡®Ë]

I've been going through NWN2 now that the "Mask of the Betrayer" expansion has hit, and I'd be awfully surprised if Witcher could hold a candle to it.

Here I thought I was the only one playing NWN2..
With the patches it's not too shabby ( still pissed about recycled sounds...)

/ontopic

looks VERY mmoish...

For the record:

MMO ≠ RPG

[YoungAlCapone]

I saw one preview back in July (Gmspy) that said adult elements removed for North American version. If so, may need to pick up the English import version through gogamer.com to get all the boobs and whistles.

I really hope it hasn't been edited for the NA release. That would be concentrated lame.

Not that I care about seeing boobies, I mean I am sitting in front of a computer, I see boobies whenever I please.

[drakkarim]

thanks for the heads up on the potential neutering of the NA version. i'll keep an eye out for the EU release.

[PIPBoy3000]

Would this have anything to do with you spending all your time making really kick-arse NWN modules?

Yeah. I tend to put my NWN2 project (http://adamandjamie.com/nwn2/) in a different category than gaming. While there are elements of fun tucked away in there, it's probably closer to some sort of obsessive compulsion. :eek:

I'm itching to get this second act in the campaign finished. It really has the stuff I wanted to release at the beginning - high seas adventure, treasure hunting, and the usual wacky quests along the way.

[Tel Prydain]

I really hope it hasn't been edited for the NA release. That would be concentrated lame.

Not that I care about seeing boobies, I mean I am sitting in front of a computer, I see boobies whenever I please.

People in NA don't deserve boobies.
Every country gets the goverment it deserves.

[FireFro]

Thought it was coming to 360 too? Perhaps I'm just crazy.

They have answered that question as "it's not out of the question" but as of now there is no announced 360 release of The Witcher.

Though I believe it would port beautifully...assuming it's turns out on PC as good I'm hoping it does

[Mantooth]

Good preview (http://pc.ign.com/articles/828/828211p1.html) over at IGN. The last sentence is what I was worried about. "If the few crash and presentation hitches we found in this preview version are fixed for the final, The Witcher should be a fine addition to RPG collections." I think I will wait for a few patches before I pick up a non-neutered import copy.