My Take on what Witcher 4 could be storywise.
I hadn't been able to get into the Witcher games until Witcher 3. I had bought Witcher 2, but my computer at the time simply wasn't up to par enough to play it. (I got at most 10 FPS). Once Witcher 3 came out though, I had a decent computer, and I remembered about the Witcher 2, got the Witcher 3 played it and fell in love with. (Though I must admit I never had a chance to go back and actually play Witcher 2).
I am a person who read the full books of The Lord of the Rings, (and you know how long winded those can be). So I love reading about history, back stories, etc. The sheer amount of information in the games biography, books, notes, etc. is just staggering. Despite all that though I have to admit again, I never actually read the books these games are based off, nor do I know all the lore (or if I read it at some point, I simply don't remember).
LIke for instance.. The things which stood out to me:
* There's always MALE Witchers, are there female ones as well? You never hear of them in Witcher 3 or any of the lore you can read in it. Ciri is close, but she never went through the trial of the grasses. Did they ever put females through it?
* What about the other schools? Now there is alot to read about them, but I'd like to know more. What makes them tick? Why are there even different schools? What really makes them different? Who leads them? WHy did the different Witcher schools break off from one another?
There's alot of story here that needs explaining. More to that later.
I adored the story of the Witcher 3 and its DLC's. So much so I was very sad to see it end. There's still so much potential in the story.
So here's where I think I'd like to put in my 2 cents, if anyone at cdprojektred is listening, or well.. reading..
------------------------------
I think the new story should take place a good 50 years or so from the end of the events in Witcher 3 and its DLC's. This would allow for a clean slate without undoing any of the events themselves. Some characters may not be around anymore from age, but some of the younger ones are now old and either leaders, or key members in the community. Something stories, quests, and shout outs to the earlier games events can still happen for immersion sake.
So what IS the new story going to be about? Well it could be about alot of things. Personally I think a continuation of the events that kind of went un checked and forgotten from Witcher 3 would be prime story telling material.
The Wild Hunt for example, I almost see their defeat like the defeat of the Empire in Star Wars, when luke first blew up the death star. Sure they were defeated, Geralt drove them back, and they failed in their mission. But does that mean they are entirely defeated? Not by a long shot, just like the Empire wasn't defeated the first time around either. I'm sure The Wild Hunt would not stand for an enemy or place to exist which could potentially thwart their plans in the future either.
No, I daresay it would make sense that The Wild Hunt would come back again, and this time much more determined, and with a whole new mission of securing a permenant residence in the lands that know of with a declaration of even perhaps an all out war between the ethereal Wild Hunt army and "The Continent".
Now if events in The Witcher 3 are to be taken at face value, it took a combined effort of Ciri, Geralt, and his host of alllies to stem back the what I would consider a small detachment of Aen Elle from Ri Na Lia. (I'm sure 99% of you know who they are, but for those who don't, the Wild Hunt are Aen Elle Elves from Tir Na Lia, a specific cavalry unit I should surmise lead by a general to ride out and find slaves from other worlds).
But lets look back at the Witcher 3 and its current story. What is going on in the world? At the time the world was torn with war. The group known as Witchers were slowly but surely dieing out, (and arguably the only real defense against the Aen Elle and The Wild Hunt), and there was work about that we lost track of. What about the Lodge of Sorcerresses? They were onto something, they had a goal which was never fully explained or delved into. Which makes sense since they are very quiet and to themselves, but still SOMETHING was going on with them.
The more fantastical beasts, and beings were being hunted by Nilfgard, and pushed out of the city, killed, hated on, etc, and I would imagine that would continue for the next 50 years.
Vampires are still strong, Witcher 3 having shown that many of them have very deep hold on all things human related politically, and many of the Rich, and famous are actually vampires themselves. (Such as Orianna I believe her name was).
Their defeat at the friend of Geralt, namely Regis, as Regis himself stated, would not be forgotten most likely ever, and he had to get out of the country for a very very long time.
As I mentioned previously as well, the Witcher schools are in an extreme dissarray, falling apart, and ultimately slowly but surely failing as no new recruits will most likely ever be trained as new witchers.
To say the least.. The lands of "The Continent" are surely ripe for an invasion. So lets recap on the recap quick.
The only real defense against the Aen Elle, the Witchers are a dieing breed and very few left. Vast amounts of the land don't even belive in magical things anymore thanks to the eradication of anything magical/fantastical, and so their ability to defend thsemeslves against such fantastically magical beings as the Aen Elle and the Wild Hunt would be like taking candy from a baby.
The Vampires being at odds with humans more so now than ever is at an all time high with Regis killing Detlaff, and loyal friends with Geralt who is human. Despite the differences between Geralt and humans the odds they have, I doubt to the vampires that makes much difference.
This to me, and the ending and loose threads that Witcher 3 lent us really opens up a whole new exciting potentials for Witcher 4.
Potential main stories, side stories, and over all arching story I forsee with all of this?
-----------
Firstly, of course, the imminent invasion of the known world by the Wild Hunt and Aen elle.
The Witcher schools. This could be a major part of the main story. Bringing them back together. Calling them in aid, and dealing with their internal squabbling, and political side of the Witcher schools help against the coming storm.
ANd yet another major decision and choice selection through the story and something which can really be played on with the whole "evil for the greater good" dillema. Do you re enact the Trial of the Grasses? Find the lost techniques, and inject life back into the Witcher schools in defense of this threat? Or do you find a new way to keep the lands safe?
This could be played out in an epic scene with all the Witcher schools coming together to argue, fight, and debate about that very decision.
Or it could play out that after all is said and done no decision was made, but that that decision comes to pass and is decided on at the end of the story after you defeat the invasion, (if you defeat it).
But the Witcher schools and Witchers being your only true defense against the magical beasts, maladies, and dangerous beings that live in other planes, and how down in the dumps the Witchers are is not the only point we've talked about.
For while you're trying to get the squabbling scraps that remain of the Witchers up to par, you still have the problem with the Vampires, who I'm sure like the Wild Hunt more so than the HUmans, and as an important side story, and or major event turner, getting the vampires on your side against the wild hunt, which in and of itself could be a daunting, exciting, and adventerously long story in and of itself, filled with very hard fights, and even more difficult decisions to be made. But if you make the right decisions, make the right calls, and in some cases, make the right real sacrifices, you can gain their trust, just enough that they'll tolerate your kind to fight back the wild hunt, but if not.. You have yet a new enemy to worry about.
But alas, even that isn't enough would it be? Even if you had them you still cannot fight back an invasion if the humans themselves refuse to believe their demise is imminent. While some may still believe in it, and trust the Witchers, and Geralt, not all will, nor will I think Nilfgaard would believe, or want to do anything about it, or believe teh Wild Hunt would try. I doubt Nilfgaard or many of the humans truly understand how powerful the Aen Elle can be, or that the Wild Hunt wasn't an army as they thought, but a small detachment of cavalry at best which almost bested them anyway 50-80 years prior.
Of course in those 50-80 years stories and songs were written that got well away from the truths, and truths stretched to the breaking point of what actually happened, to the point where most people think they fought off a horde and massive army of ethereal beings and so therefore will be no problem if they happen to come knocking again...
--------------------------
Just this would make for an amazing story for Witcher 4, but you also have so many side things which can happen. The Lodge again for instance, side stories, missions, quests, and people to meet with the different witcher schools.
The ending of the game would also allow for new and interesting developments. Perhaps a large part of the world re welcomes beings such as Elves, and doppelgangers back for aiding against the invasion, and fighting side by side with humans.
(It's one of the things which touched in stories like Lord of the Rings, where you see 2 races who were always so much at odds with each other, fighting together as friends), this could easily come to be in Witcher 4 at the end, humans finding these rather odd ball races aren't quite so bad as they originally thought.
But of course this in and of itself would be a dilemma which would need fixing, it wouldn't be easy to convince humans or these other races to fight with each other, even in the face of such insurmountable odds.
Perhaps at the end of the story as well, the Witcher shools are re enacted as defenders,and not seen as much as freaks or mutants? Or perhaps they are left to die out, who knows?
Or perhaps new ways of training them are found....
The potential in Witcher 4 is limitless.
Note on main character and Trial of the Grasses:
While I understand many people like being able to create your own character you must understand that if you do this, you'll want to play that character "however you want" This lends many problems to story telling, and really limits what the writers and developers can do with the story. You simply cannot make a game and story as in depth, expansive, and immersive as Witcher 3 and make it open ended in terms of who you play as either.
For this reason I think the new protaganist should be a new Witcher of the developers and writers choosing, at most the player being allowed to choose between male or female, and customizing their looks, but thats it. personality, etc. is all up to the writer and developer. (Similar to mass effects).
It would be quite interesting actually to have this be a relatively "new" witcher. Perhaps a Witcher is attempting to re make the Trial of Grasses, and actually succeeds but also goes missing along with his notes. You are that witcher, who is then perhaps taken under geralts wing for training.
Meanwhile through the story, and shown to you through the beginning of the game the nightmares you get from the trial, and the pain and endured being turned into a Witcher.
This would put the player in an interesting situation, and makes your voice at the decision of re enacting the trial of grasses really profound, and even more so for the player who's seen what its like first hand through their characters eyes first hand.
I hadn't been able to get into the Witcher games until Witcher 3. I had bought Witcher 2, but my computer at the time simply wasn't up to par enough to play it. (I got at most 10 FPS). Once Witcher 3 came out though, I had a decent computer, and I remembered about the Witcher 2, got the Witcher 3 played it and fell in love with. (Though I must admit I never had a chance to go back and actually play Witcher 2).
I am a person who read the full books of The Lord of the Rings, (and you know how long winded those can be). So I love reading about history, back stories, etc. The sheer amount of information in the games biography, books, notes, etc. is just staggering. Despite all that though I have to admit again, I never actually read the books these games are based off, nor do I know all the lore (or if I read it at some point, I simply don't remember).
LIke for instance.. The things which stood out to me:
* There's always MALE Witchers, are there female ones as well? You never hear of them in Witcher 3 or any of the lore you can read in it. Ciri is close, but she never went through the trial of the grasses. Did they ever put females through it?
* What about the other schools? Now there is alot to read about them, but I'd like to know more. What makes them tick? Why are there even different schools? What really makes them different? Who leads them? WHy did the different Witcher schools break off from one another?
There's alot of story here that needs explaining. More to that later.
I adored the story of the Witcher 3 and its DLC's. So much so I was very sad to see it end. There's still so much potential in the story.
So here's where I think I'd like to put in my 2 cents, if anyone at cdprojektred is listening, or well.. reading..
------------------------------
I think the new story should take place a good 50 years or so from the end of the events in Witcher 3 and its DLC's. This would allow for a clean slate without undoing any of the events themselves. Some characters may not be around anymore from age, but some of the younger ones are now old and either leaders, or key members in the community. Something stories, quests, and shout outs to the earlier games events can still happen for immersion sake.
So what IS the new story going to be about? Well it could be about alot of things. Personally I think a continuation of the events that kind of went un checked and forgotten from Witcher 3 would be prime story telling material.
The Wild Hunt for example, I almost see their defeat like the defeat of the Empire in Star Wars, when luke first blew up the death star. Sure they were defeated, Geralt drove them back, and they failed in their mission. But does that mean they are entirely defeated? Not by a long shot, just like the Empire wasn't defeated the first time around either. I'm sure The Wild Hunt would not stand for an enemy or place to exist which could potentially thwart their plans in the future either.
No, I daresay it would make sense that The Wild Hunt would come back again, and this time much more determined, and with a whole new mission of securing a permenant residence in the lands that know of with a declaration of even perhaps an all out war between the ethereal Wild Hunt army and "The Continent".
Now if events in The Witcher 3 are to be taken at face value, it took a combined effort of Ciri, Geralt, and his host of alllies to stem back the what I would consider a small detachment of Aen Elle from Ri Na Lia. (I'm sure 99% of you know who they are, but for those who don't, the Wild Hunt are Aen Elle Elves from Tir Na Lia, a specific cavalry unit I should surmise lead by a general to ride out and find slaves from other worlds).
But lets look back at the Witcher 3 and its current story. What is going on in the world? At the time the world was torn with war. The group known as Witchers were slowly but surely dieing out, (and arguably the only real defense against the Aen Elle and The Wild Hunt), and there was work about that we lost track of. What about the Lodge of Sorcerresses? They were onto something, they had a goal which was never fully explained or delved into. Which makes sense since they are very quiet and to themselves, but still SOMETHING was going on with them.
The more fantastical beasts, and beings were being hunted by Nilfgard, and pushed out of the city, killed, hated on, etc, and I would imagine that would continue for the next 50 years.
Vampires are still strong, Witcher 3 having shown that many of them have very deep hold on all things human related politically, and many of the Rich, and famous are actually vampires themselves. (Such as Orianna I believe her name was).
Their defeat at the friend of Geralt, namely Regis, as Regis himself stated, would not be forgotten most likely ever, and he had to get out of the country for a very very long time.
As I mentioned previously as well, the Witcher schools are in an extreme dissarray, falling apart, and ultimately slowly but surely failing as no new recruits will most likely ever be trained as new witchers.
To say the least.. The lands of "The Continent" are surely ripe for an invasion. So lets recap on the recap quick.
The only real defense against the Aen Elle, the Witchers are a dieing breed and very few left. Vast amounts of the land don't even belive in magical things anymore thanks to the eradication of anything magical/fantastical, and so their ability to defend thsemeslves against such fantastically magical beings as the Aen Elle and the Wild Hunt would be like taking candy from a baby.
The Vampires being at odds with humans more so now than ever is at an all time high with Regis killing Detlaff, and loyal friends with Geralt who is human. Despite the differences between Geralt and humans the odds they have, I doubt to the vampires that makes much difference.
This to me, and the ending and loose threads that Witcher 3 lent us really opens up a whole new exciting potentials for Witcher 4.
Potential main stories, side stories, and over all arching story I forsee with all of this?
-----------
Firstly, of course, the imminent invasion of the known world by the Wild Hunt and Aen elle.
The Witcher schools. This could be a major part of the main story. Bringing them back together. Calling them in aid, and dealing with their internal squabbling, and political side of the Witcher schools help against the coming storm.
ANd yet another major decision and choice selection through the story and something which can really be played on with the whole "evil for the greater good" dillema. Do you re enact the Trial of the Grasses? Find the lost techniques, and inject life back into the Witcher schools in defense of this threat? Or do you find a new way to keep the lands safe?
This could be played out in an epic scene with all the Witcher schools coming together to argue, fight, and debate about that very decision.
Or it could play out that after all is said and done no decision was made, but that that decision comes to pass and is decided on at the end of the story after you defeat the invasion, (if you defeat it).
But the Witcher schools and Witchers being your only true defense against the magical beasts, maladies, and dangerous beings that live in other planes, and how down in the dumps the Witchers are is not the only point we've talked about.
For while you're trying to get the squabbling scraps that remain of the Witchers up to par, you still have the problem with the Vampires, who I'm sure like the Wild Hunt more so than the HUmans, and as an important side story, and or major event turner, getting the vampires on your side against the wild hunt, which in and of itself could be a daunting, exciting, and adventerously long story in and of itself, filled with very hard fights, and even more difficult decisions to be made. But if you make the right decisions, make the right calls, and in some cases, make the right real sacrifices, you can gain their trust, just enough that they'll tolerate your kind to fight back the wild hunt, but if not.. You have yet a new enemy to worry about.
But alas, even that isn't enough would it be? Even if you had them you still cannot fight back an invasion if the humans themselves refuse to believe their demise is imminent. While some may still believe in it, and trust the Witchers, and Geralt, not all will, nor will I think Nilfgaard would believe, or want to do anything about it, or believe teh Wild Hunt would try. I doubt Nilfgaard or many of the humans truly understand how powerful the Aen Elle can be, or that the Wild Hunt wasn't an army as they thought, but a small detachment of cavalry at best which almost bested them anyway 50-80 years prior.
Of course in those 50-80 years stories and songs were written that got well away from the truths, and truths stretched to the breaking point of what actually happened, to the point where most people think they fought off a horde and massive army of ethereal beings and so therefore will be no problem if they happen to come knocking again...
--------------------------
Just this would make for an amazing story for Witcher 4, but you also have so many side things which can happen. The Lodge again for instance, side stories, missions, quests, and people to meet with the different witcher schools.
The ending of the game would also allow for new and interesting developments. Perhaps a large part of the world re welcomes beings such as Elves, and doppelgangers back for aiding against the invasion, and fighting side by side with humans.
(It's one of the things which touched in stories like Lord of the Rings, where you see 2 races who were always so much at odds with each other, fighting together as friends), this could easily come to be in Witcher 4 at the end, humans finding these rather odd ball races aren't quite so bad as they originally thought.
But of course this in and of itself would be a dilemma which would need fixing, it wouldn't be easy to convince humans or these other races to fight with each other, even in the face of such insurmountable odds.
Perhaps at the end of the story as well, the Witcher shools are re enacted as defenders,and not seen as much as freaks or mutants? Or perhaps they are left to die out, who knows?
Or perhaps new ways of training them are found....
The potential in Witcher 4 is limitless.
Note on main character and Trial of the Grasses:
While I understand many people like being able to create your own character you must understand that if you do this, you'll want to play that character "however you want" This lends many problems to story telling, and really limits what the writers and developers can do with the story. You simply cannot make a game and story as in depth, expansive, and immersive as Witcher 3 and make it open ended in terms of who you play as either.
For this reason I think the new protaganist should be a new Witcher of the developers and writers choosing, at most the player being allowed to choose between male or female, and customizing their looks, but thats it. personality, etc. is all up to the writer and developer. (Similar to mass effects).
It would be quite interesting actually to have this be a relatively "new" witcher. Perhaps a Witcher is attempting to re make the Trial of Grasses, and actually succeeds but also goes missing along with his notes. You are that witcher, who is then perhaps taken under geralts wing for training.
Meanwhile through the story, and shown to you through the beginning of the game the nightmares you get from the trial, and the pain and endured being turned into a Witcher.
This would put the player in an interesting situation, and makes your voice at the decision of re enacting the trial of grasses really profound, and even more so for the player who's seen what its like first hand through their characters eyes first hand.