Sailing in The Witcher 3.

[Phinnway]

Sailing in The Witcher 3.

For the longest time, sailing in The Witcher 3 is something I was not looking forward to. But I recently read an interview that changed my mind.

You can not only use the boat to sail but also swim under water, opening up new areas that are inaccessible by land. We have designed five large islands and about the same number of smaller ones, which we have not yet demonstrated in public.

You will see a lot of interesting places to explore: ancient ruins, abandoned buildings, caves and much more. We created each of these places in a unique way for the players who want to get there.

When I read that quote I immediately thought of Zelda: Windwaker.

Zelda: Windwaker is one of the only --if not the only-- open-world sailing games that exists. Nintendo decided to make it a sailing game because it was the only way to make a decent looking open-world game with the GameCube's limited power. And even though most people complained about how repetitive the sailing became, Nintendo really managed to create a wonderfully unique atmosphere. irate: The sunrises and sunsets, the waves on the horizon, the seagulls crying overhead, and, of course, the music. It was beautiful.

This is what I thought of when I read that interview. And suddenly I found myself looking forwards to sailing in The Witcher 3. When you stop and think for a moment you realize there aren't many open-world games out there with extensive sailing in them --just like there aren't many fantasy RPGs with cities as large as Novigrad. The Witcher 3 is really doing something unique by having a 9x9km map with extensive sailing. Something that will make The Witcher 3 stand out. O0

If Windwaker manged to capture such a strong sense of atmosphere on a console in 2002, just imagine the sense of atmosphere The Witcher 3 will be able to capture with modern graphics in 2015. I can't wait to see what they have in store!

View attachment 12235

And yeah... now that I've finished writing and editing this I do realize AC4: Black Flag is a thing :wallbash: But I decided to post this anyways because I think it is a discussion worthy topic.
Now listen to some Windwaker music while you write your replies :thumbsup:

Spoiler

 

[Aes Sídhe]

I'm all for it, have been since it was announced, I haven't played past AC1 so Minecraft is my only comparison, and I'd be expecting more from TW3s sailing experience, it may even have potential as one of those Hypnotoad games, like minecraft fishing.

IF there are currents and winds to contend with it could be a lot of fun, if its not we can no doubt fast travel once a location is discovered so we won;t be forced to do a lot of sailing, but I'm hoping its mechanics will be its own attraction. I'll be out on the seas diving and looking for grottos anyway.

 

[Mohasz]

I'm looking forward to exploring all those islands and secrets they have in store for us. I haven't played AC4 (or any other game that had sailing), so it will be new for me. It will be awesome to sail out to the open sea in a storm - short but awesome. I wonder how graphic - if it is at all - the damage of the boat will be. Also, can monsters attack Geralt while sailing, how can we fight back? Can - for example - a random whale rip apart our boat?

There's so many possibilities, and all we've seen so far is a 2 - second snippet and a screenshot. May 19th can't come soon enough...

 

[Vigilance.492]

Yea Sailing is one of those aspects of the game I feel we know very, very little about. It's likely that's because it's not all that complicated, and hence why it was my question directed towards Damien in the upcoming dev spotlight.

I'm not expecting ship complexity like AC: Black Flag or Sid Meiers: Pirates (I haven't played Wind Waker, so I can't speak for its complexity), but as long controlling your boat feels good and the sounds/sights/weather/exploration all combines for an atmospheric sailing experience, I'll be very happy. Any further complexity, like being able to attack from your ship, or jump off your boat directly onto other NPC's vessels etc, and I'll be fucking overjoyed.

 

[Adamastor]

sailing can be really fun try AC black flag for example i had lots of fun with it, almost never used fast travel in sea

 

[thislsmadness]

The sailing and diving are the things I am most reserved about right now. My experience with Windwaker is actually what concerns me. I enjoyed the sailing initially but after a dozen hours it really started to feel like a slog to move around the world. Hopefully, the boat is speedy and if we have to contend with sea monsters there are some intuitive combat options.

 

[dexter2]

Sailing in AC had nothing to do with real sailing. If you design simething like that you have to replace sails with engine. I hope CD Projekt made it a little bit more realistic, less extreme-arcade style.

 

[Vigilance.492]

Sailing in AC had nothing to do with real sailing. If you design simething like that you have to replace sails with engine. I hope CD Projekt made it a little bit more realistic, less extreme-arcade style.

I can't think of a single way that doing "realistic sailing" in a video game wouldn't be boring.

Simply by the nature of games, unless you were doing a Sailing simulator, you have to make it "arcadey".

 

[Phinnway]

I can't think of a single way that doing "realistic sailing" in a video game wouldn't be boring.

Both Windwaker and Sid Meier's Pirates! had wind direction. In Sid Meier's Pirates! different ships had different optimal positions relevant to the wind direction called "points of sailing" that maximized their speed. The sloop, for example, went fastest when it sailed diagonal to the wind direction. Windwaker also had wind direction, but you could control it by casting a spell you unlocked early in the game.

 

[Vigilance.492]

Both Windwaker and Sid Meier's Pirates! had wind direction. In Sid Meier's Pirates! different ships had different optimal positions relevant to the wind direction called "points of sailing" to maximize their speed. The sloop, for example, went fastest when it sailed diagonal to the wind direction. Windwaker also had wind direction, but you could control it by casting a spell you unlocked early in the game.

True, but you still just pressed forward and then pointed your ship in optimal direction and huzzah. You weren't like furling and unfurling your sail(s) when appropriate, directing your crew around to perform tasks in real-time, aiming your ship to cut through wave breaks ETC.

From the footage we've seen I think it's very clear that wind is going to have an effect on the speed and movement of the ship (If it doesn't they'll have messed up bad), but ultimately you're still going to be holding or pressing W, and steering with A/D (Well for M/KB) and most likely will have a Minimum speed (You won't reach a point where you literally don't move because of the wind, and have to bring out some oars). Which is still extremely arcadey, and there really isn't any way around that.

 

[OliverDK]

I don't hate the idea of sailing and using it as a exploration tool. But as a few other have mentioned it is the thing I am the most skeptical about. Not the sailing bit as I used to be a seaman by trade and the idea of sailing around exploring the islands are very appealing.

No my skepticism comes from the fact that as there are so much water to sail in judging by the maps we have available there is also a huge amount of water to dive in. To me that looks like a boring task to explorer, if there is secret treasures hiding under the water in many locations. I simply can't imagine it will become much fun to explorer for other that the first hour. After that I can only see it as a nuisance for so many reasons; combat under water, constantly have to surface for air, slow paced, difficult to explorer and so on.

So the truth is I currently wished they had limited the amount of water and focused on land areas, but in the end i depends on how it is done.

 

[Bellator Pius Gratus]

I look forward to exploring both land and sea! ^_^

I loved sailing in AC 4 Black flag. Well yes it's arcade sailing, but at least you did encounter severe wind conditions and currents at times. The weather even got stormy for crying out loud. Loved it!

But Geralt will be sailing a dinghy, not a large ship, so the closest ship comparison I can think of is Two worlds 2:

Spoiler

Spoiler

I'm sure I'll love it. Just let devs add a mini-ballista(think of it as a bigger version of the mini-crossbow) to the bow of the dinghy so I can shoot Nilfgaardian ships out of the water. ^_^

Ah, I reminisce a certain Temerian king giving Geralt ballista lessons.

"Soldier, spyglass!" :happy:

 

[shawn_kh]

I loved sailing in AC 4 Black flag.

This is the reason that I do not like the idea of sailing in the Witcher 3.
In Black Flag you play as a pirate, you have a huge ship filled with crew, and cannons to defend yourself and get into squabbles.
In Witcher 3 you play as a Witcher, you have a small boat with no crew, and a crossbow to defend yourself in order to get away.
Witcher 3's sailing is not going to be as good as Black Flag's, because Black Flag's main focus was on sailing and sea exploration coupled with Ubisoft's massive resources and experience from AC III. I'm afraid that the sailing aspect of the Witcher 3 is going to fall short, and it is going to be compared to Black Flag's sailing and regarded as CDPR's failed attempt to take on Black Flag.

I'm concerned that CDPR has overdone it with implementation of so many things that are new and unnecessary to the series that the Witcher 3 is going to end up a cluster fuck of average shit.

I hope I'm wrong, but this is my fear deep inside.

 

[PT-Desu]

Personally i'm not expecting much from sailing...
I see it as just a way to get around.

 

[Bellator Pius Gratus]

This is the reason that I do not like the idea of sailing in the Witcher 3.
In Black Flag you play as a pirate, you have a huge ship filled with crew, and cannons to defend yourself and get into squabbles.
In Witcher 3 you play as a Witcher, you have a small boat with no crew, and a crossbow to defend yourself in order to get away.
Witcher 3's sailing is not going to be as good as Black Flag's, because Black Flag's main focus was on sailing and sea exploration coupled with Ubisoft's massive resources and experience from AC III. I'm afraid that the sailing aspect of the Witcher 3 is going to fall short, and it is going to be compared to Black Flag's sailing and regarded as CDPR's failed attempt to take on Black Flag.

I'm concerned that CDPR has overdone it with implementation of so many things that are new and unnecessary to the series that the Witcher 3 is going to end up a cluster fuck of average shit.

I hope I'm wrong, but this is my fear deep inside.

Sorry, I forgot to mention that I loved sailing in Two worlds 2 as well, which is a much better comparison to the sailing in Witcher 3. That was the point I was trying to make anyway. ^_^

 

[Ljesnjanin]

Sailing? I don't know what to think, to be honest...Ask me again in May...

But if sailing means possible encounters with mermaids, I wouldn't mind it

Or Vodyanoi emerging from the water to attack Geralt The Sailor - that would be interesting...

 

[Vigilance.492]

I'm afraid that the sailing aspect of the Witcher 3 is going to fall short, and it is going to be compared to Black Flag's sailing and regarded as CDPR's failed attempt to take on Black Flag.

I wouldn't be worried about that. I think CDPR are well aware the sailing portion of the game is not going to be overly deep or complex, and that is probably also why they thought of implementing diving, because it gave you extra reason to actually do something while you sail about. So rather than sailing just being this menial travel task to get from A to B, there's actually a purpose to being out on that ocean, things to do and areas to explore that are only accessible by boat and by the diving mechanic.

When people say, "I love the Sailing in Black Flag or SM: Pirates etc", I wouldn't take that as a comparison. Anyone who would actually try to do some mechanical comparison between a heavily ship focused game like the above and The Witcher 3, should honestly be laughed at. Most people will be sensible, and even if they state they like both, they aren't going to be making direct comparisons.

I'm concerned that CDPR has overdone it with implementation of so many things that are new and unnecessary to the series that the Witcher 3 is going to end up a cluster fuck of average shit.

I get this, I really do. I had huge fears about this in general going back in 2013/2014, and it's only over the last few months, where we've actually heard some hands-on impressions and finally gotten to see more of the game, that such a fear has been slowly alleviated (somewhat). Hopefully we'll see some proper sailing footage before release and that'll help alleviate anxiety over another feature.
That's why I've said in my previous posts this thread, set your expectations straight for Sailing in TW3. Don't expect anything complex or deep, just so long as feels good, sounds good, visually solid, and has some neat atmosphere to boot, it should serve its purpose well.

 

[Mgec]

I already like the idea because few games actually have a decent sailing system, add to that underwater exploration. I enjoyed the juggernaut ships in Black Flag and I certainly look forward to explore the coastlines and islands in Witcher 3.

 

[wichat]

Sailing, climging, hunting, running, riding, riding, joking, swimming, diving, well, I think I'll have no time for be tiring of noone of alll those actions

 

[Aes Sídhe]

The underwater grottos in Morrowind are the most memorable of all that games sub-environs for me, even ~17 years on they haven't been beat. They were difficult, dangerous, variable, and imaginative. They added to the game much more than their square footage.

I suspect the clock is finally ticking on that particular level design crown.