What do you want in Witcher 4?

[Tangsta]

Better level design, please!

Witcher looks gorgeous, but that comes at the price of good level design since it appears the world was designed to look 'pretty' first and foremost and accommodating for Geralt and Roach's movements was an afterthought. Better loot is also nice, though I think CDPR have a done a great job with the armor design in W3, we just need a better spread in between upgrades and more unique abilities.

Would also love epic boss fights similar to the Kayran in W2. That was sorely missing in this game! Especially the 'tease' in the 'Dragon' contract.

 

[Absalon89]

New Witcher game idea!!

Wouldn't it be awesome if they could make a new Witcher game, and make it entire RPG like with your own story. I know the latest Witcher game Wild hunt, is to be Geralts last adventures in the series, but they could make a new one where you create your own character and story in the Witcher universe. It could be a more deeper and interesting adventure for yourself, with story telling and player choices could affect the game in general. For example, Geralt of Rivia, the butcher of Blaviken, was a name he got in the books, but this could be transferred into a Witcher RPG open world game, so if you make a decision in a small town on a quest to kill all toy could be the butcher of this town, or hero. I am a big fan of the Witcher series and geralt of Rivia, but if this is his end, then this could be an awesome idea.
I know they are working on Cyberpunk RPG, but this could be a next step.

Let me know if anyone else share this idea.

 

[shanersimms]

Personally I like the structure imposed by playing a protagonist with a set and interconnected history with the gameworld. Although I certainly enjoy creating my own chars in games, I feel games that allow this lack the depth of storytelling and immersion possible when the char is "built-in" rather than "dropped-in" as your idea suggests. For me, when I play a Zelda game, I want to play Link. Now that I've enjoyed Witcher 1-3, when I play a Witcher game I want to play Geralt. When I play Max Payne... well you get the idea.

By having an imposed structure on a character and which you then assume that character's role, you have an RPG in which you can literally become a part of the world with your character, since the character whose identity you are assuming was already a natural part of that world. Whereas being able to create your own character simply lets you "drop-in" to the world which doesn't allow for your backstory, character theme, personality, etc to be truly integrated with that fantasy universe. It's not as if a compelling and interesting backstory you develop and carry around in your imagination can, in any way, be truly integrated into the game world in which the other characters are aware. In-game characters can't react to this backstory as programmers clearly can't anticipate any and all personas players could create and imagine.

Having a pre-set backstory for "Geralt of Rivia" allows for programming bounds that allow for these interesting quests, dialogue interactions, complex emotional elements between characters, meeting people from your past, the consequences of past experiences leading to situations you are now enduring etc. to be easily established in the game world.

A final pragmatic example, lets look at one of the most basic options for creating your own character. Are they male or female? Now look at how much intricate dialogue exists in the Witcher 3. How are you supposed to have cut-scenes of this depth and beauty if you don't know before hand if the protagonist is male or female? Would you expect developers to spend time and resources doing all of the protagonist dialogue then simply do it all again in the other male/female voice just because you might pick a different gender during character creation? Although clearly possible, this is not feasible. For the main story you would literally have to make the entire series of cut-scenes twice with different dialogue in each, since a male is going to interact differently with Ciri, for example, than a female.

So here on the other side of the debate I maintain that it would be best that if they make another Witcher game to not allow for unique character creation as you suggest.

 

[Geragio]

Character creator and school choice, the choice of school would be something like in the first part of dragon age origins where you play 1-2 hrs of unique story. then you embark on your main adventure. You could have it set many years before or after Geralts story.
For me personally its not Geralt that's makes the witcher a great game, but the world in which he lives. his unique lifestyle. the fascinating monsters. I would much prefer a game that is kept simpler, no wild hunt, no other worlds, just my witcher taking on contracts and getting caught up in the local politics wherever he goes.

 

[Absalon89]

I can see your concern, but all this worked with both Skyrim and Mass effect, i know its a lot. But considering they spend 3 years on developing Witcher 3, of course there should be some sort of story, but then you could have some choices in the beginning of the game as who you want to be and something like that. Like in mass effect. I think it can be done, its just a matter of initiative and will.

 

[Paul_cz]

I like Tuco's post, all around sensible improvements.

I also like shanersimms's post, personally I would very much prefer to play as Geralt again. Obviously that would be contingent on whether CDP are fed up with him or not
But if not, I would love to see him and his close ones go through more adventures. We all know that sweet, sweet retirement with Yen would last for a year or two max anyway, then they would get bored
I would love to visit more places, whether known ones like Kovir or Brokilon or Cintra, or unknown like Zerrikania or hell, capital of NIlfgaard.

 

[GhostofAnakin]

It would be cool if the game took place in an area that we haven't seen yet in any of the previous 3 Witcher games. The world is quite huge, so it would be more interesting if we got to see more of it.

 

[Tangsta]

- Levels didn't really add anything to TW3, beside including some silly arbitrary threshold to decide when you could harm some enemies or not.
Make it a level-less system, it will work for the better. No more stat increases at level up, no more enemies which can be harmed to any degree only when they start to appear in green (or using broken skills), etc. Make the growth far more horizontal than vertical. You could keep the talent system (maybe with more place of powers or new droppable items as unique mutagens to unlock talent points), the mutagen and the equipment as ways to define a progression curve without relying a weird, unfitting and a bit immersion-breaking idea that once again you are starting as a "level 1 witcher" just to cross level 30 thugs on the streets hours later.
It's important to stress, though, that a level-less system wouldn't (and shouldn't ) imply a game where you can easily beat anyone from the beginning. That doesn't need to happen.

I have to disagree with this. Getting rid of the levelling system will actually generate more problems than it solves. For example, how will they properly pace the content for equipment and Quests? The numbers themselves may be arbitrary but the system works and there's a reason why after decades of RPG development, devs are still using it.

Horizontal growth only works for games on a smaller scale, such as action/adventure games like Gears of War or Uncharted. In an RPG with a tonne of content, the levelling system is actually a godsend. It helps streamline and simplify what would otherwise be a nightmare development job. Plus the sense of progression is more easily apparent and quantifiable giving a nice sense of achievement.

Btw, I don't think Geralt has any stats other than HP. All his progress comes from skills, potions and equipment.

- Almost OT; but I'll take the chance to point that TW4 isn't the only place to look for some of these improvements. If CDPR wants to do a grat job, future expansions for TW3 could be a good chance to improve things, not just adding new content, but going back to revamp/expand on the existing one.

Now, this I definitely agree with. Especially considering developing W3 expansions would be far easier and more profitable than starting over with a brand new game.

 

[Tuco]

I have to disagree with this. Getting rid of the levelling system will actually generate more problems than it solves. For example, how will they properly pace the content for equipment and Quests?

Well, in my opinion, better than they did so far. And to be blunt, that wouldn't even require much, since progress and reward distribution were both rather weak points of the game.

The numbers themselves may be arbitrary but the system works and there's a reason why after decades of RPG development, devs are still using it.

Well, it's there because it's tradition in the genre, but plenty of notable titles managed to move successfully away from it (and no, I'm not referring to the "most popular ones", I'm talking about actual good games).

I'll admit it's also a matter of "flavor" for me. I just don't like arbitrary numbers attached to things. I like the way games like D&D or Gothic manage this stuff: a type of monster is just "that monster", without level flags, its power range keeps being consistent across the whole game and it's your task to learn how dangerous it can be and how powerful you'll need to be to deal with it.

Horizontal growth only works for games on a smaller scale

Horizontal growth, though, would be just the core here. As I already pointed, between talents, mutagens and equipment you would have more than enough room for a substantial increase in power... Arguably even still too much.

I mean, Monster Hunter Tri is a game that manages to offer a vertical growth and makes you chase increasingly bigger and more powerful monsters (essentially boss battles) without literally anything else than your equipment to mark the difference.

Btw, I don't think Geralt has any stats other than HP. All his progress comes from skills, potions and equipment.

well, you'd be factually wrong. There's more than HP (and in fact HP comparatively don't even change that much). It's stuff like attack power, sign intensity and so on that makes the most difference.
Oh well, that *AND* that MMO-esque soft cap to damage/effects when you are facing enemies with a significant level gap, actually. Which on a side note is (in my personal opinion) one of the worse additions to the core ruleset.

 

[thelostdunmer]

Obviously character customizations.

No talking protagonist.

More RPG.

Carry over superb quest design from Witcher 3.

Flintlock guns?

 

[Death132]

As much as I love the World of the Witcher, the world is dead to me without Geralt. He is the one that sparks magic and life into the world. He is what makes the Witcher World special. If Witcher 3 is the final game with Geralt as the protagonist, then the sequels will feel like the heart of the world was ripped out.

I like Ciri to some degree but the last thing I would ever want for the series would be a Ciri game. She doesn't hold a candle to Geralt. The only thing that could possibly fill the Geraltless void would be a protagonist that we create from the ground up ourselves with character creation.

 

[Tangsta]

well, you'd be factually wrong. There's more than HP (and in fact HP comparatively don't even change that much). It's stuff like attack power, sign intensity and so on that makes the most difference.

Horizontal growth, though, would be just the core here. As I already pointed, between talents, mutagens and equipment you would have more than enough room for a substantial increase in power... Arguably even still too much.

But there are still quite a bit of horizontal growth in this game. In fact, I think the levels are the only remnants of a vertical system. Mutagens and the four skill trees are entirely choice based and free-form. Geralt may be a Witcher, but you decide what type of Witcher he is. Sure the choices are still a bit limited compared to an MMO, but that's due to restrictions from the lore and the fact that Witcher 3 is strictly a SP RPG experience. Also, it's entirely possible to finish this game on low levels since I've already seen a Level 3 Geralt take on a level 35 contract with just skill alone.

More choices in skills would be nice, but I think CDPR have hit a nice balance here.

 

[whiplash27]

As much as I love the World of the Witcher, the world is dead to me without Geralt. He is the one that sparks magic and life into the world. He is what makes the Witcher World special. If Witcher 3 is the final game with Geralt as the protagonist, then the sequels will feel like the heart of the world was ripped out.

I like Ciri to some degree but the last thing I would ever want for the series would be a Ciri game. She doesn't hold a candle to Geralt. The only thing that could possibly fill the Geraltless void would be a protagonist that we create from the ground up ourselves with character creation.

Honestly, as much as I like Geralt, I'm ready to move on from him. The main reason is because of the books. There's too much of this attitude that Geralt of the games must be exactly like Geralt of the books. Giving us a brand new character with no connection to the original trilogy of games (or any other form of media) would be great and give CDPR a blank slate.

 

[centda]

Honestly, as much as I like Geralt, I'm ready to move on from him. The main reason is because of the books. There's too much of this attitude that Geralt of the games must be exactly like Geralt of the books. Giving us a brand new character with no connection to the original trilogy of games (or any other form of media) would be great and give CDPR a blank slate.

Can't agree with you on this one. Geralt is a very very likeable character, that shouldn't be just thrown aside. CDPR made him ingame almost the same as in books,
there are some slight differences. Also hands down to Doug Cockle, his voice acting for Geralt is spot on for TW3.
I am a fan of Witcher franchise, and i would still prefer W4 with Geralt, then without him.
Like someone already said on this forum few days ago, Witcher without Geralt would feel like Max Payne without Max Payne( which was at the time coming out, great game with great story)

 

[MisterKolega]

No Witcher 4?

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-11-06-seeing-red-the-story-of-cd-projekt i found this article and it's quite interesting to read for all Witcher fans.

"Whenever it comes, The Witcher 3 will mark the end of an era for CD Projekt, the end of more than a decade of using Andrzej Sapkowski's world (what comes next, besides Cyberpunk, no one seems to know). It should cement CD Projekt Red as a big boy of game development, and The Witcher years will be remembered as a climb to greatness and a stepping into the limelight. But that light can be as unflinchingly harsh as it can dazzlingly bright, and no longer an underdog, CD Projekt Red will begin to feel the pressure of expectation."

It seems there won't be a new Witcher game after The Witcher 3. I hope this information is out of date and CDPR will change there mind because the Witcher universe is to fantastic and amazing to be abandoned.

 

[dragonbird]

It's a 2013 article. They said later that there will be no game starring Geralt after TW3. There may or may not be other games set in the Witcher world.

 

[Paul_cz]

It's a 2013 article. They said later that there will be no game starring Geralt after TW3. There may or may not be other games set in the Witcher world.

And even that they could reconsider, if they find a way to not be sick of Geralt
After all, for many people TW3 is their first game with him.

 

[Sorowfortesque]

8 great novels and 3 magnificient games+ 2 extensions, to me that's more than enough, just let the universe sleep for at least one generation. I love the franchise, and i love how everything's end but now CDPR should make something else, and that something is call Cyberpunk.

 

[centda]

8 great novels and 3 magnificient games+ 2 extensions, to me that's more than enough, just let the universe sleep for at least one generation. I love the franchise, and i love how everything's end but now CDPR should make something else, and that something is call Cyberpunk.

It may be enough, but cmon, The Witcher universe is AWSOME

 

[harryagamez]

What do I want in probably future game taking place in the Witcher World? A game where you can be a mage.
Mages in witcher's universe are so complex and well elaborated that I would really like to play as one.