Automatic Sword Sheathing Suggestion...

[navaros]

Ah, thanks for the response. In that case Tyranith has posted a good point, why not patch it to make it a toggle-able option like Subtitles? That way those whom it drives nuts can turn it off and would be happy to take their chances with killing people. That way everyone on either side of the debate could win. That way everyone is happy and has a maximized Witcher gameplay experience enjoyment. Especially since this stuff still happens in places where no person is around. So even those who would accidentally kill people would probably turn it off in the many zones/portions of zones that have no people around to kill in themI think the reason I originally thought there was no reason for auto-sheathing was because with most of the NPCs you already can't attack them anyhow, even if your sword is drawn. Ie: Brickmaker Village, Lumberjack Village, Druid Village etc. etc. Because it gives you the chat icon instead of the attack icon if you highlight your cursor over them thus making it impossible to attack them. I've only played up to Act 3 so far. I think I've only ever hit some mercenaries or maybe some guards by accident. But fighting near them doesn't happen every often. Fighting near them seems to be a very small portion of the overall gameplay. So if the rest of the game is proportioned in the same way with so few encounters where they might accidentally be hit, it seems especially less of a good reason to implement auto-sheathing during 100% of the gameplay. The majority of which it only detracts from rather than helps with.

 

[dandraver]

The issue is, automatic sheathing of weapons and torches about every 30 seconds, and inability to draw your sword whenever you need to. This is one of the most annoying, gameplay-killing features ever put into any RPG game. The worst part is, there is no reason for this.

Actually, there is a reason. The reason is - the player could accidentally kill someone with their sword drawn after a fight (both chat mode and combat mode use the same mouse button for actions as you're aware). That's why after the combat mode ends the weapons are automatically sheathed. Now whether it's a good or a bad feature... It was actually one of the more debated topics among us (we talked about it several times actually)... Dan.

Sword sheathing? Debated? Interesting and well, hey I'm glad to hear an official response regardless. You touched on something I'm wishing you might divulge which was, is this also to prevent the killing of children NPC's and quest NPC's? Thx.

Not quite. Basically, all of the children and quest NPCs are so-called "plot characters", all of which have a green indicator, and those characters cannot be killed at all. Auto-sheathing was implemented to prevent the player from killing commoners in unsafe areas by an accident.

 

[Tracido]

Ok that explains it better. I am glad to hear it wasn't a direct safety feature to ensure sell able age ratings. Indirectly though the non-killable NPC's could; possibly. As for green NPC's that are not children, I'd rather not kill someone I just took a quest from or need in a quest later, accident or not. Yet, why in all intents and purposes of realism would all children be the same as NPC quest givers/storytellers? Reason being, in the game children could feasibly get killed whether by your character simply just on accident or by a NPC/Monster and either way it never happens.Now the commoners (the blue commoners like village defenders in act 1 to the old and bummy) was the true design purpose. I understand from a programmers level why that makes sense. However, in my first play through it didn't help me when the hounds were tearing up the village and I hit the blue commoners on accident, had to kill them all except the unarmed.Another thing I am glad to know is that you guys working hard are listening and are appearing to be doing the best to respond where allowed. Can you talk about why it auto-sheaths when I am anywhere but a village, that's all I get confused on or is it just there are blue commoner folks hidden in a few random spots which makes it effectual everywhere and that's exactly what you have already said?^|||This last sentence in my statement above is where this feature drives me out of my fricken' mind. Please debate more on this feature, and thank you.

 

[username_2071854]

[/QUOTE]Not quite. Basically, all of the children and quest NPCs are so-called "plot characters", all of which have a green indicator, and those characters cannot be killed at all. Auto-sheathing was implemented to prevent the player from killing commoners in unsafe areas by an accident. [/QUOTE]I think that you should have the possibility to stop the auto-sheathing (in the option menu for exemple) once you have the game "en main" (in french sorry I don't know the english translation") you don't kill npc or other important quest givers. I explain: once you played a little a the game, you have the reflex to undraw you weapon. so the auto-sheathing is useless and sometime a danger (in the swamp at chapter two and three for example). I think an option to stop auto-sheathing should be a good idea.

 

[tlazolteotl]

Well, err .. need some consistency?'cos giving due consideration to the vast majority of crpgs out there, players will expect to be able to talk with their weapon drawn.Although, my personal preference would be to overcomplicate .. manual sheathe, different button to talk and attack, etc.But seeing as one of the devs' mission objectives is casual-gamer accessibility, I won't let it bother me too much.What does bother me, though .. seeing as signs can't hurt friendlies anyhow, why are they disabled in "safe" areas?In particular, the battle in the village (Act 4), this was just plain bad .. left-click auto-drew my silver sword, which was annoying enough, but I couldn't select a sign until 5 seconds into the fight.

 

[Tracido]

but I couldn't select a sign until 5 seconds into the fight.

Yeah, but at least there is a way around that with the spacebar pause and pressing of a single # on keyboard, at least for me. The sword however, needs full animation to be drawn before you can defend yourself even (stuns, knockdowns, blinding, etc, then enemy coup, yay).Though, I know what you mean about your sign not previously selected. It is the same restriction as the sword not being selectable AT ALL during the day in some cities.

 

[tlazolteotl]

No, I mean the signs weren't selectable, at all.Pausing doesn't help.Q and E wouldn't draw the sword, either, 'cos the hostiles haven't engaged Geralt.The only way I could draw was to click a hostile, and then had to press Q to switch to steel. And still pressing 4 didn't turn Igni on.I hammered the number 4 until my Igni lit up ... it really did take 5 seconds.Oh, and I flatly refuse to pause, 'cos it's a n00b thing to do. ;D

 

[newfgamer]

Just sheath your sword yourself before the auto sheath kicks in. The Op is a drama queen, really, it is mildly annoying hardly game breaking or even a major issue.

 

[tlazolteotl]

Well, the time counter is actually still going if you do that.Drawing your sword again while running at another hostile, you'll re-sheathe your sword en route.The funniest instance I've had that happen was when I drew sword a split second before Geralt tries to sheathe it, which resulted in an invisible sword in hand.No sword on back, empty hand, killed enemies fine ... it was hilarious.

 

[Tracido]

Just sheath your sword yourself before the auto sheath kicks in. The Op is a drama queen, really, it is mildly annoying hardly game breaking or even a major issue.

See now this I agree with, the thread title makes it out to be hugely game breaking, but it is only in certain circumstances and the rest of the time just extremely annoying.

No, I mean the signs weren't selectable, at all.Pausing doesn't help.Q and E wouldn't draw the sword, either, 'cos the hostiles haven't engaged Geralt.The only way I could draw was to click a hostile, and then had to press Q to switch to steel. And still pressing 4 didn't turn Igni on.I hammered the number 4 until my Igni lit up ... it really did take 5 seconds.Oh, and I flatly refuse to pause, 'cos it's a n00b thing to do. ;D

Right, I meant that too.You mean as they are coming at you you can't engage anything until the lock-off to the sword and signs ceases.That does go under this issue but only when it applies to additional restrictions in towns.lol Fair enough, it just works for me when dealing with the lack of my signs pre-selected from all these restrictions in the first place.I also have experienced the "no sword on back, empty hand" syndrome. Good humor.

 

[tlazolteotl]

Yeah well, it's not quite the same with signs as swords.At least with swords you can click a hostile and force a draw. Doesn't work with signs.At least with swords it remembers which style you had previously. Have to re-select a sign.You can accidentally kill a friendly with a sword out. You can't with signs ... though I'm actually unsure about this, 'cos I think I only tried Yrden vs. a boy in the swamps.Anyhow, I think I'm just iffy about not being able to Quen in town for extra healing.

 

[Tracido]

You can accidentally kill a friendly with a sword out. You can't with signs ... though I'm actually unsure about this, 'cos I think I only tried Yrden vs. a boy in the swamps.Anyhow, I think I'm just iffy about not being able to Quen in town for extra healing.

You can't start an attack with a friendly sign wise. Kill them with signs non-stop after first sword strike hits however, oh yes. However, children and quest/story NPC's are never able to be targeted by either hence the green and blue notable diff.LOL @ extra healing, no doubt it's a darn shield, non-sensical to restrict it as if it were an offensive, yeah yeah takes some enemy vitality has a few offense mechanics as well but he or she has a point.

 

[tattooedbones]

I'm with the majority on this one... auto sheathing of the swords & torch is annoying. Other than that, this game is FANTASTIC! Quite possibly the best RPG I've played in years!

 

[Leki82]

i just remembered the other thing i hate with getting your sword out or putting it away. If you pull out or put away your sword out while standing still the game sticks you to the floor and you cant run or move until the sword animation has completed. However if you are already running you can pull out or put away your sword without being forced to stay still.i see no reason why you cant pull out the sword stood still and then dodge or move while the animation is happening.

 

[Maerd.298]

The issue is, automatic sheathing of weapons and torches about every 30 seconds, and inability to draw your sword whenever you need to. This is one of the most annoying, gameplay-killing features ever put into any RPG game. The worst part is, there is no reason for this.

Actually, there is a reason. The reason is - the player could accidentally kill someone with their sword drawn after a fight (both chat mode and combat mode use the same mouse button for actions as you're aware). That's why after the combat mode ends the weapons are automatically sheathed. Now whether it's a good or a bad feature... It was actually one of the more debated topics among us (we talked about it several times actually)... Dan.

Sword sheathing? Debated? Interesting and well, hey I'm glad to hear an official response regardless. You touched on something I'm wishing you might divulge which was, is this also to prevent the killing of children NPC's and quest NPC's? Thx.

Not quite. Basically, all of the children and quest NPCs are so-called "plot characters", all of which have a green indicator, and those characters cannot be killed at all. Auto-sheathing was implemented to prevent the player from killing commoners in unsafe areas by an accident.

Preventing from killing commoners by accident can be done the other way, ie. the pop up confirmation "Do you really want to kill this citizen without a reason? Yes/No" Well, you know, one rule of HCI (Human-Computer Interaction) states that the developers must never make a program that suggests the lack of intelligence of the user. (unless you are making special software for people with mental disabilities ) This is very old and well known by HCI specialists mistake that many developers have been making. The reason, that such approach always annoys many people, is caused by the unintelligent nature of the computer program itself... the program "thinks" for you and fails to make it well. This makes it look very bad because perceived "intelligence" of the program drastically drops in the eyes of the user, however, being "stupid" it still makes decisions for you. That's the most annoying thing in the world for any user.

 

[navaros]

Just sheath your sword yourself before the auto sheath kicks in. The Op is a drama queen, really, it is mildly annoying hardly game breaking or even a major issue.

See now this I agree with, the thread title makes it out to be hugely game breaking, but it is only in certain circumstances and the rest of the time just extremely annoying.

I described auto-sheathing as gameplay-killing and it is. It kills my enjoyment of the Witcher's gameplay by being an extremely annoying feature that cannot be avoided. If a game that should be really fun instead causes annoyance and aggravation due to an immensely annoying "feature" like auto-sheathing of weapons and torches every 30 seconds in every area of the game, it is reasonable to state that as a gameplay-killing feature. "Extremely annoying" is equivalent to "gameplay-killing". @The "just sheath your sword before auto-sheath kicks in" suggestion. What is that supposed to accomplish? That wouldn't make it any less annoying or do anything to have any effect on the problem. The only thing that would make auto-sheathing not be an extremely annoying problem is for the devs to patch this "feature" out of the game completely, or patch in an option to turn it off.

 

[username_2073186]

One thing that does bother me is the automatic sheathing of the torch when you pick up items from remains. Damn that's annoying. :-[

 

[username_2073389]

signedget the autosheathing turn OFFalso in times of dialogue, let their be an option before hand *DO YOU WISH TO SHEATH WEAPON?* so at least you made the choice, if the npcs get annoyed/scared, its their ass.

 

[newfgamer]

Just sheath your sword yourself before the auto sheath kicks in. The Op is a drama queen, really, it is mildly annoying hardly game breaking or even a major issue.

See now this I agree with, the thread title makes it out to be hugely game breaking, but it is only in certain circumstances and the rest of the time just extremely annoying.

I described auto-sheathing as gameplay-killing and it is. It kills my enjoyment of the Witcher's gameplay by being an extremely annoying feature that cannot be avoided. If a game that should be really fun instead causes annoyance and aggravation due to an immensely annoying "feature" like auto-sheathing of weapons and torches every 30 seconds in every area of the game, it is reasonable to state that as a gameplay-killing feature. "Extremely annoying" is equivalent to "gameplay-killing". @The "just sheath your sword before auto-sheath kicks in" suggestion. What is that supposed to accomplish? That wouldn't make it any less annoying or do anything to have any effect on the problem. The only thing that would make auto-sheathing not be an extremely annoying problem is for the devs to patch this "feature" out of the game completely, or patch in an option to turn it off.

Game-play killiing? Get a life bro, game-play breaking is a game stopping bug, crashes, this is a mild annoyaance, nothing more, you can sheath it yourself to avoid the auto-sheathing. This will stop it from doing it when you don't expect it. It is not EXTREMELY annoying, I played through 3 times, barely noticed it, only a few times. God, gamers are so whiney and ingrateful, no game is perfect, but to classify this as gameplay killing is nothing more then someone crying for attention. get a life drama queen. If this were GAME BREAKING, reviews would have mentioned this, it is a very small annoyance ina game this big and good. Hell, if this is game breaking, most games have game breaking problems according to you. Hell, Oblivion would be unplayable. Get real.

 

[cyberus12]

While I have to agree that *game breaking* might be a little extreme .......... I also agree that the animation lock-out leaving me vunerable and unable to do anything until the animation finishes is REALLY ANNOYING!!!!!