Collecting questions for an upcoming Dev Spotlight feat. Damien Monnier

[Tzirael]

Could you elaborate on fist fighting? We know that it is now incorporated into the combat system itself rather than a QTE sequence but we have no details on how it works as compared to the rest of the combat system. Are there combos? Light and strong attacks? Is there a lot of moves/animations that Geralt has in his fist fighting arsenal? And can we use our fists at will, or are they only available during specific events?

How many types of additional weapons are there? Are there perhaps dual short swords like those of Assassins from W2 available? And does Geralt have his own animations for additional weapons or does he share them with other NPC's? Do additional weapons still have a dynamic stance like swords do?

 

[Rawls]

1. A few questions about leveling: Could you please describe the leveling system? How do developers balance leveling in an open world environment without level scaling enemies? Does leveling increase any of Geralt's stats automatically? Or does it just increase the type of equipment and skills Geralt has available to use? Or does it affect him in other ways? Is the main quest line non-linear? If yes, how are the levels designed to allow for balanced gameplay in each of the quests?

2. Can you please discuss the dialogue mechanics and how they interplay with choice and consequence in the game?

3. How does the open world environment effect the narrative focus of the story? Will a player completing side quests cause one to feel like they are abandoning the narrative thrust of the story? I thought the The Witcher 2 largely did this well. However, it seems like the challenge is much greater now given the open world environment. If one abandons a quest mid-mission, are there potential game play consequences to that later in the game?

 

[Butcher_of_Cidaris]

1. Can Gerald horse be killed or critically damaged? How well we should babysit Roach if we need at all to do it?


2. Will there be a possibility to restart your skills at some point in a game like in TW2?


3. How long day/night time last in real time?

 

[fereno]

I have many items from Witcher 2 and Witcher 1 saved in my inkeeper chest in my Witcher 2 savegame, which I'm going to import to Witcher 3. For example
Kingslayer's outfit, Raven's armor, Sihill, Elder blood armor. Will these items be avaible in The Witcher 3 ? I would like to wear my Kingslayer's outfit again.

 

[BlackWolf500.298]

Not sure if Alchemy is counted as gameplay, but here are my questions:

1. As you surely know there has been a lot controversy and discussion about the alchemy and potions system in the game and nobody really clearly knows what to think of it and how it works in detail.

Can you describe in detail how the Alchemy system of the game works, considering the gathering of ingredients (and the kind of ingredients you need (only herbs or also monster parts or even other things?)), the brewing of potions, the upgrading of potions or the brewing of "upgraded versions" of potions, the brewing of mutagens, the "alcohol bases", if there are any "secondary substances" like in TW1 and how much the system allows for experimentation including an example how that experimentation would look like, as well as how you apply potions before the battle and in the battle and how the "potion slots" work in the inventory? (Also a number on roughly how many different potions there are in the game and how many variations each potion (approximately) has would be immensely appreciated)

2. Can you explain how the "level requirements" for weapons work in The Witcher 3 and which impact the individual weapons of Geralt have on his damage output? (How is the difference between a weapon for level 5 and one for level 30 in terms of damage and other boni for example. How does that work with balancing in terms of not giving the players the ability to get too OP too early in the game or to be too underpowered without the right weapon). Also, could you explain the durability system of weapons?

 

[TemerianGirl]

Are there any Valkyries in the game? Oh... It's not a gameplay question. Hmm...

Will boats take damage when bumping on reefs and rocks? Will they have upgrades like for better speed and improved strength?
Other ships and boats can be destructed? And can we expect any interesting things underwater in open sea? It's probably too cold there, so I'm guessing there's only death. Or friendly vodyanoi priest by any chance?

 

[MadYarpen]

1. What feature/mechanics are you the most proud of?
2. What were three features/mechanics with which it was the hardest to convince producers to implement into the game - tell us why it was so hard, and what they do.
3. What was a feature/mechanics that didn't make it into the game - apart from squirrels and ice skating to make it more difficult.
4. What types of "birds' flights" was implemented?
5. What is it like to live in Poland for an expat?
6. What do you think about first two parts of Witcher computer trilogy?
7. Is the lack of monster respawns somehow mitigated, or can we clear all the world so that there are no monsters left?
8. Are you going to be a part of Cyberpunk team?
9. Can we expect ice-skating DLC?

 

[BlackWolf500.298]

7. Is the lack of monster respawns somehow mitigated, or can we clear all the world so that there are no monsters left?

+1
Good Question

 

[BroccoliSouP]

+1
Good Question

Well. From what we know it does not work like in other rpgs. It is not respawn system but ecology one even though I bet rather simplified. Short story long it probably works like nature so if something dies off something else will take its place. No annoying respawns and also more beliavalble. Now it must be confirmed but that it is at least how I undrestand it from what they said about ecosystem.

 

[Mohasz]

Not really a gameplay question:
We know we probably won't see Brokilon in the game, but will we meet any dryads in the game?

Gameplay questions:
How do you keep monster hunts interesting? Last time we heard there was supposed to be about 80 different monsters in the game, how many of them have actually ended up in TW3? Do all of the monsters have something unique to them (in terms of fighting style), or some of them are just 'reskins'?

Do we have to use the 'witcher senses' mechanic creatively at any point in the game, or basically it will be just an improved medallion (from TW2) that's used for highlighting stuff and progressing during investigatons? Can we examine clues without using the mechanic or we have to 'trigger' these objects, tracks or marks with WS to be able to examine them? Is mechanic now what it was intended to be when you first thought of the idea, or you had some more ambitious intentions with it?

Are potions more toxic on higher difficulties? Is the Cat potion more similar to the one in TW2 (x-ray effect) or TW1 (it was better there I think)?

Are there any quests that can be only stumbled upon randomly using witcher senses, talking to seemingly unimportant NPCs, entering hidden places, or picking up special loot?

Can monsters attack cities/villages or they spawn and move around in the wilderness only? Can different monsters fight each other or fight bandits?

 

[Kassandrian]

okay
first a huge thanks for organizing stuff like this, mighty BearKinley

now, to the potential questions:
Since it i known the most powerful items will be craftables, how difficult will it be to craft those - AND will there be a random component involved with gathering the materials for those items? As otherwise it seems pretty counterintuitive to make the most powerful items "certainly given" with the right knowledge.

maybe a more critical question (dunno if it would really help to ask that, but I'd be interested in the original scope of ambition):
maybe some examples of stuff that was cut, and possibly some elaboration on the reasons? (we know the VATS was discarded at some point, for example)

what is his favourite part of the gameplay mechanics?

 

[Attar]

1) Will we get a chance to see other Witcher schools?
2) In Witcher 1 Gnomes are said to be technologically advanced and are said to make the best items such as armour, Mount Carbon is said to be the place where they forge such powerful items. Can I go to Mount Carbon? Any chance to see Gnomes?

 

[Scholdarr.452]

Will there be raw input for PC mouses? Will we be able to fully bind/use our PC mouses and all of their buttons?

 

[JackalJ]

A couple of questions:
How did you start in the gaming industry? Did you start at CDPR or have you worked at other company's/games before?

What's a better way of getting a job as a game dev? Start with modding a game and learn it all yourself? Or follow a game dev education?

More game related:
How will the crafting system look like/work like? Is it like Guild Wars 2, were dor the top gear it's very expensive and you need a lot of materials*? Or a bit like World of Warcraft, were crafting is quite simple?

Since there is diving in the game, how will those mechanics work? Are there potions so we can hold our breath longer, so we can explore further and longer underwater.

*(in GW2 you need a lot of mats just to create the 'refined' mats to actually craft the gear. Which might make it a bit more work, possibly annoying, but the end result is quite rewarding.)

 

[lord_blex]

Q: Are quests designed with quest markers in mind, or can we have a full experience without them in every quest, just by looking at the journal, talking to people and using witcher senses?
For example Dijkstra only really mentions a very general location where we can find Johnny and at first look it seems to be really hard to find the area without a marker.

 

[shawn_kh]

Weapons and armor:
How long does it take for weapons and armor to degrade ?
Can we visually see the degradation on armors and swords ? For example swords getting chipped and armors looking battered and scratched.
Do we have to go to a craftsman to repair weapons and armor or Geralt can repair them himself in meditation mode ?

Locations:
Can Geralt travel to Kaer Morhen at will, or sections in Kaer Morhen are scripted ?
Is there a place such as Triss's house in Witcher 1 that serves as a hideout ?

Relationships:
What are the interactions Geralt can have with his lover (Yen/Triss) ? Can he take them on a date for example, get them a gift, or have sex with them anytime, or are these events scripted ?
Does Geralt's love interest react to infidelities ?
What are some examples of interactions between Geralt and friends such as Zoltan and Dandelion ? Can they give you quests ?
Can you go hunting with fellow Witchers or receive quests from them ?
Do Geralt and grown up Ciri interact with each other in the game ?
Can your decisions lead to the death of a main character ?

Ciri:
How do Ciri sections trigger ? Do they automatically interrupt when the player reaches a certain point in the story, or do the player has to unlock and trigger them ?
Can we skip Ciri sections on the second playthrough ?
Are Ciri sections more focused on combat or dialogues and decision making ?

 

[serxho92]

When fighting on horse, can you strike with different combos and use signs ? Can Roach attack with front o rear kicks ?

How much do the animations change while fighting with sword in comparison with axe or some other weapon ?

 

[Scholdarr.452]

Can Roach attack with front o rear kicks ?

In the Gamestar article the journalist said that Roach flees in combat if you're on foot so I guess Roach won't help you much on horseback neither...

 

[serxho92]

In the Gamestar article the journalist said that Roach flees in combat if you're on foot so I guess Roach won't help you much on horseback neither...

if that's the case then we shouldn't expect horse combat. It seems Roach is a Coward

 

[Scholdarr.452]

Questions:

1) Will there be quests (regular stuff, not only mini-quests) that can be solved without using (lethal) violence, like in the short stories in the books? If yes, can you give a rough estimate on the amount/ratio of those quests compared to the whole rest?

2) Can we play the whole game without using the crossbow even once, even if we want to fight against every enemy in the game? Are there quests that require us to use the crossbow?

3) Can (human) enemies surrender aka laying down their weapons? Can Geralt "mercy" enemies? Are enemies always dead when slain by Geralt or will there be seriously wounded enemies who just can't fight anymore (e.g. because they lost limbs in a fight)?

4) How do you plan to prevent that Geralt gets too wealthy? Or do you even care about that on a greater scale?

5) Will heavy armor have an impact on combat? Like being slowed down by the weight? Or do we have to wear heavy armor later in the game in order to be able to tackle high-class enemies even if we want to stick to the (book) lore by wearing more simple clothes?