Witcher 3 Gameplay from GDC and PAX

[Agent_Bleu]

One reason for them to not show the highest PC graphics settings before the release is that these settings cannot be achieved on consoles (not even close), and showing them would somewhat deceive console customers, who would expect a similar level of graphics quality on their systems, which CDPR wouldn't be able to deliver. So this actually makes sense, in my opinion, and (if this explanation is right) it demonstrates a sort of integrity on CDPR's part.

Of course, almost every other company shows the best possible quality in the promotional videos, and doesn't care about this sort of thing; so one can say that people are used to this, but CDPR doesn't seem to want to deceive their customers even in this widely used way (again, if this explanation is correct).

Yeah, it could be that. It could be that it's not optimized yet and it's not something they feel comfortable saying at this point. Could be that they just genuinely want to surprise the gamers. I don't know, it's just speculation - which doesn't prevent people from claiming with utmost certainty that it's, definitely, this or that explanation alone.

It's not a regular practice, which is why there's some suspicion or unease towards that statement, I suppose. I'll have to wait and see (and hopefully receive specific information about ultra settings performance and what rig is required).

But i think they did not want to show ultra setting because it is still in development . They are trying to optimize it. So may be there will be some difference between now and retail version. And they dont want us to say that CDProject downgareded graphics. It happened 1 time. And with GDC footage they proved that they did not downgraded anything. So they dont want to face with this downgrade problem any more. When we see any difference we think that there is downgrade. But actually its not. Its only different type of something.

So i think CDProject know what they are doing.

Some statements here demand addressing.

@jerf , not sure I follow your logic. So showing Ultra would mislead console gamers?
Here's the obvious solution: show Ultra with a big bold «PC footage on Ultra» caption. There. Solved. And if you really are committed to avoiding any possible misdirection, put out Xbox One, PS4, PC on high and PC on Ultra footage, captioning each as such, and present requirements for Ultra, all of this ahead of release. This is what will allow consumers to make an informed decision. Anything short of this risks being perceived as disingenuous and I can't fathom what CDProjekt would have to legitimately gain by not living up to this ideal standard.

Mind you, I am not asking them to do it today. Nor next week. I fully understand they're probably on crunch time with optimization of all three versions and that Ultra will probably be relegated for last. That's perfectly fine and understandable. But I am not about to forego of basic consumer rights and just make a blind purchase of 40 plus 1000 pounds, give or take, just because I've been told two months from now I'll be pleasantly smacked in the face. No siree.

@amfibiya89 , the latest footage has done nothing in way of addressing claims of a hypothetical downgrade. Let's get this straight: the game can look beautiful to the nth degree and it still could've been downgraded. The claim is as follows: TW3 does not look as good as what VGX and SoD trailers indicated. To me, that claim is as viable today as it was last week. But no categorical pronouncement from me, I'm still somewhat on the fence. We have Marcin's reassurance and the chance RED Engine is inconsistent is still very much on the table.

Wow, we agree on something! But no seriously, I think all aspects are equally important but considering TW3 is not just a game, but a game promising quite a few things (specially for modern RPG standards) they should emphasize on these unique aspects that really set it apart. Many other games will feature fantastic graphics as well. (...)

I suspect our areas of agreement are far more extensive than what's apparent.
Anyway, sure, they should emphasize other TW3 selling points. Tomorrow they just might start doing that. Here's hoping.

 

[Aedan2]

@Euskalduna

I noticed that you asked about console quality several time now, here is the video from youtube where Damien Monnier, gameplay designer says that he will play the game on PS4, so that is a proof that the game looks great on PS4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4LHxsvknog

Personally i had a dillema for a quite some time, should I upgrade my PC or buy the game for PS4, but I decided that i will save the money and upgrade a PC because it will look definetly better on PC

 

[amfibiya89]

Some statements here demand addressing.

@amfibiya89 , the latest footage has done nothing in way of addressing claims of a hypothetical downgrade. Let's get this straight: the game can look beautiful to the nth degree and it still could've been downgraded. The claim is as follows: TW3 does not look as good as what VGX and SoD trailers indicated. To me, that claim is as viable today as it was last week. But no categorical pronouncement from me, I'm still somewhat on the fence. We have Marcin's reassurance and the chance RED Engine is inconsistent is still very much on the table.

I dont want to talk about downgrade but i will say one thing. Firstly its your opinion. I respect. But for me there is no downgrade. There is some difference. But we cant call all differences downgrade. Downgrade was in Watch Dogs. Even litle baby can see and understand that there is downgrade. But in Witcher 3 there are some differences between trailers and gameplays. First. VGX trailer has yellowish and orangesh filter on screen. For example. In last minute of VGX trailer where Griffin flies and attacks Geralt is same with January hands-on Griffin footage. But different TOD and different Griffin model.I cant say now it looks bad. But it looks different. They removed filter from screen, changed place where all happening (for example now there is no building in background but in VGX trailer had), Griffin looks different and so on.

You said it does not look as good as VGX and SOD trailer. But VGX and SOD trailers have totally different graphics too. Even they does not look same. But i cant say they downgrade in SOD trailer something.Simply they changed graphics during development. And SOD trailer is same what we saw after that trailer. I mean 35 min demo, GDC demo, but with high setting. I think game on ultra setting will look exactly same with SOD trailer. Because all models, assets even lights are same style. I dont say same. But same style.

 

[JasonShepard]

One thing that worries me really is the lack of Ultra footage. It seems odd not to show a game at its best. I've been hearing a lot of talk about a possible downgrade and comparing some screenshots (like the two posted before in this thread) makes me nervous even more. The vegetation looks less crisp in newer footage of the game and it's not spread evenly in some of what we've scene. There are other things that bother me, but the vegetation quality really just pops at me. I know blah blah, compression, not Ultra, etc. But how much of a difference is Ultra? What graphical features will Ultra settings include?
This is what I'd really like to know as a customer of TW3 CE and just as a fan of CDProjekt RED. Some Ultra screenshots or a list of definite graphical options/features would really set me at ease. If CDProjekt just hasn't been showing us Ultra due to wanting to shock us or optimization, then I completely understand that. This game is 2 months ( ;-; ) away and there's a LOT of time for improvement. But a list of features/options shouldn't be too difficult to give away.

 

[Polistiren1]

Downgrade talk again? Can you show texture to texture/vegetation object to vegetation object/character to character comparison or the like?
To, hopefully, end the downgrade talk for this comment thread, here are 2 screenshots from my Skyrim (please enlarge/download):
1) View attachment 10959
2) View attachment 10960
Is my game somehow downgrading in-game?

 

[Euskalduna]

@Euskalduna

I noticed that you asked about console quality several time now, here is the video from youtube where Damien Monnier, gameplay designer says that he will play the game on PS4, so that is a proof that the game looks great on PS4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4LHxsvknog

Personally i had a dillema for a quite some time, should I upgrade my PC or buy the game for PS4, but I decided that i will save the money and upgrade a PC because it will look definetly better on PC

Thank you aedan2 , My intention It has been, know things about the game and in my case the PS4 version. I am sure that cd project is and will does a great work, in the three plataforms but until now I havent seen any gameplay running in PS4. For that, my questions. Thank you one more time for your attention for my situation:hatsoff:

 

[wichat]

Downgrade here, in this thread?

BLUEHELP!!!

 

[jerf.674]

@jerf , not sure I follow your logic. So showing Ultra would mislead console gamers?
Here's the obvious solution: show Ultra with a big bold «PC footage on Ultra» caption. There. Solved. And if you really are committed to avoiding any possible misdirection, put out Xbox One, PS4, PC on high and PC on Ultra footage, captioning each as such, and present requirements for Ultra, all of this ahead of release. This is what will allow consumers to make an informed decision. Anything short of this risks being perceived as disingenuous and I can't fathom what CDProjekt would have to legitimately gain by not living up to this ideal standard.

Mind you, I am not asking them to do it today. Nor next week. I fully understand they're probably on crunch time with optimization of all three versions and that Ultra will probably be relegated for last. That's perfectly fine and understandable. But I am not about to forego of basic consumer rights and just make a blind purchase of 40 plus 1000 pounds, give or take, just because I've been told two months from now I'll be pleasantly smacked in the face. No siree.

Your solution is not ideal in any way. Showing Ultra with a big bold «PC footage on Ultra» in official promotional videos before release will just make console users jealous and alienate some of them.

Actually you are in a position to make an informed decision. If the videos released so far on High setting are enough for you to like the game, then you can preorder it. If not, nobody forces you to preorder; you can wait for the release and watch all of the third-party videos comparing all possible settings, and then decide whether you want to buy the game.

 

[Jasheon]

Most of you guys can't even run ultra settings, so why even care about it? Man you guys find everything and anything to complain about its really a shame.

 

[En-en]

Maybe they don't show ultra settings just because they feel like it. Seriously, stop being so paranoid.

 

[Agent_Bleu]

I'm not in a rush. There's still plenty of time for CD Projekt to do it.

Your solution is not ideal in any way. Showing Ultra with a big bold «PC footage on Ultra» in official promotional videos before release will just make console users jealous and alienate some of them.

Actually you are in a position to make an informed decision. If the videos released so far on High setting are enough for you to like the game, then you can preorder it. If not, nobody forces you to preorder; you can wait for the release and watch all of the third-party videos comparing all possible settings, and then decide whether you want to buy the game.

So - according to you - on watching Ultra console gamers would get «jealous» and that would «alienate» some of them. By that logic, console games might get resentful and feel deceived afterwards anyway, when they do get to watch different versions and compare. So it's wonderful, your solution to conceal it from all of us. You also seem to be forgetting that some have already played console versions of the game, namely the journalists attending the recent press events. What have they reported back? Console versions look inferior, which was to be expected, with Xbox One version already looking notably worse than the PC version on high, let alone on ultra. The word is already out.

Until footage from different versions is shown, people are hardly in a position to make an educated purchase by virtue of the fact that differences in platform versions can be relevant to them , even though they might not be to you. Buying the game entails choosing a platform. How are owners of both PC and PS4 supposed to choose between the two if they haven't been shown the differences? How are people who meet recommended ever going to decide if it's worth upgrading to Ultra, if they have no idea how much better looking Ultra is? Fact is REDs still have two and half months. Plenty of time for them to calmly put out platform-specific and settings-specific footage closer to release. No hurry. No drama. There is nothing unreasonable in this request. This is information that allows people to make an educated choice of which system to play TW3 on, day 1, zero hour. I'm rather surprised a few would be eager to give up on that basic right.

Most of you guys can't even run ultra settings, so why even care about it? Man you guys find everything and anything to complain about its really a shame.

Ultra requirements haven't even been announced, so I'm curious.
How on Earth do you know that? How do you know X, Y and Z fellow forum members calling for Ultra to be shown can't even run it on their systems?

You're just pulling that out of a hat, aren't you? But let's say you are right. How do you know some wouldn't upgrade before launch just so they'd be able to play ultra on day 1 if they thought ultra was worth upgrading for? Look around, browse TW3 threads on popular gaming forums. You will find no shortage of people saying exactly that.

Maybe they don't show ultra settings just because they feel like it. Seriously, stop being so paranoid.

It surprises me you would think that in a multi-million dollar gigantic project such as TW3, business decisions like which footage to show and when would be made based off on «just because they feel like it». That's a terrible, terrible point.

 

[Garrison72]

They probably couldn't show ultra on Nvidia's machine anyway.

 

[moonknightgog]

So you play as Geralt, he is a witcher...maybe you don't know what a witcher is...witcher is like...
LOOK AT THE SHADOWS !!11! LOOK AT THE SHADOWS !!!!1111!!!!


Fucking epic.

 

[jerf.674]

So - according to you - on watching Ultra console gamers would get «jealous» and that would «alienate» some of them. By that logic, console games can get resentful and feel deceived afterwards anyway, when they do get to watch different versions and compare.

There is a difference between official promotional videos released before the game comes out, and third-party videos coming after the release.

 

[En-en]

It surprises me you would think that in a multi-million dollar gigantic project such as TW3, business decisions like which footage to show and when would be made based off on «just because they feel like it». That's a terrible, terrible point.

It suprises me that some people still dont realise that CDproject is not your typical company. They do weird things.

 

[JackalJ]

@Agent Bleu If they released all of their footage on ultra then people would also feel cheated when they got the game on console, because the game doesn't look anything like the promo material. I don't think we want another Colonial Marines on our hands now do we?

And if they keep releasing video's and screenshots showing different settings (low, medium, high) then people would scream downgrade and say the game isn't consistent... Basically what has happened to the forums before CDPR announced what versions the footage was from.

 

[minicrom]

So you think that in GDC hairwork was enabled?

Yes totally. It seems obvious to me. The hair in GDC are the same that in the 35 minutes trailer where it was on (just compare griffin head fur and hair in this one with the hands on video). It is far more realistic in the GDC video. In hands on video the base of poney tail is rigid. Here it was a lot more flexible. Well I might be wrong but I m sure Hairwork is on on GDC video.

 

[Geralt_of_bsas]

Here's the deal, there's ONE reality, and the truth is consoles will not good as look as PC, now after that how you handle it is a different thing, you can either

1)be relatively deceptive and put trailers at Ultra without saying its Ultra that will disappoint people who later see the game does not look that good

1)or you can be more open and honest and announce its Ultra just for PC and still disappoint console people (but earlier)

3)or... you can just show the game at its worst quality, and disappoint PC users until they see Ultra for themselves in their PCs and then word goes out about it and console people also get disappointed ultimately.

My point is, there's no escape from how the game will finally look on all 3 platforms, and the differences it will have, might as well accept it and confront it as respectfully and honestly as possible, and not just let people crash against reality when they finally start their beloved and hyped up game.

In addition to this, to me personally its better that people get disappointed at graphics in a trailer, rather than when they are playing, since that will let them face the problem before it ruins their game experience by surprise.

One thing I keep as possible though, is that with all the "parity" claims and stuff we've seen from many games too, Sony and MS might not actually allow the devs to explicitly show 3 versions of the same trailers or screens from different platforms where you can totally see what looks worse before hand and thus impact sales and reputation (in sony and MS's minds).
But if CDPR are allowed to show the game how they want and say whatever they want about it, they should just do it in my opinion.

 

[ONLY_ONCE]

It suprises me that some people still dont realise that CDproject is not your typical company. They do weird things.

Yeah, they do cool weird things

 

[theta77]

Do we know what these little grey rectangles indicate in the top left?

It's adrenaline.
You gain it when you hit things and lose it when you're hitted.
Adrenaline increases damage you deal.
It's also resource consumed by various skills.
Some skills let you use it or gain it with Signs.
Some skills use adrenaline for other purposes (like saving you from certain death).

On high difficulty levels managing adrenaline is very important. You may try to discover golden builds, with optimal rotation (sword, Signs, alchemy), to compensate gain and expenditure of adrenaline.