Convince me that Ciri is a good choice.

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I didn't read the books but I really enjoyed TW3. However, the main story line wasn't really extraordinary imo.

Ciri was on the run from the Wild Hunt. Geralt had to find her and save her.
I can see Ciri justified as the lead in a main story line, but I can't see her character being enjoyable throughout the game. Perhaps, I just can't see a girl as the lead. It's like if the next Metal Gear Solid didn't have Snake as the lead but some long lost daughter. It wouldn't be enjoyable.
 
Perhaps, I just can't see a girl as the lead.
If it's your main concern (i.e a female protagonist), I'm not sure I would be able to convince you and to be honest, I'm not sure I want to...

All I can say, it's that a decade ago, even before the release of The Witcher 3, the very same people who make the game you enjoyed, decided that Ciri will be the next protagonist and it was the best choice.
If you're not convinced, just wait until the release of The Witcher 4 and see by yourself.

In my case, I fully trust CDPR team to make a great game like they always have (even if playing as Ciri in The Wicther 3 was among my least favorite parts of the game). I personally think that even if they decided to make Uma as protagonist, they would have make a great story and game anyway.

PS : If you don't remember who is Uma, here he is :
Uma_by_Grafit_Studio.jpeg
 
Well, the release is still far away, so it’s too early to need convincing. So far we know almost nothing about the game.

However, Ciri was much more powerful than Geralt in TW3 and she is playing a huge part in the books too. So going with her as main protagonist is definitely not some random decision.

But no matter how good or bad something may sound in theory, in the end it will boil down to good writing, directing and game design to make it work. Anything can be entertaining and immersive if you are able to back it up storywise. At the same time, even the best ideas can easily fail if the writing falls flat.

Having played TW1-3, CP2077 and Thronebreaker I have no reason to doubt CDPR’s ability to tell a great story with intriguing main characters. But yeah, that’s just my view and only the final game will tell.
 
It's like if the next Metal Gear Solid didn't have Snake as the lead but some long lost daughter. It wouldn't be enjoyable.
Or worse - just some guy, completely unrelated to him at all. And not just that, but also make him a center of some spin off, where he fights giant robots, cyborgs and Brazilian samurais - who would even want to play that?
1735381691376.png

On a serious note, I don't see what makes her NOT a good protagonist. She wants to make a world a better place, she is strong, capable, determined, has a very troubled past and extremely interesting abilities. She is also younger than Geralt, which colors her perspective on things differently, because she doesn't have the same level of cynicism and life experience as he did.
 

Toyen

Forum veteran
I feel like the fact that they always knew it was Ciri makes the decision confident.

It's not like 'yeah we were thinking maybe bring out Geralt again, or lets create a custom character or something' but they have known for 10 years that it's going to be Ciri.

That's why I'm so happy about this. Creating a custom nobody witcher character was what I was afraid of.
 
I can’t convince you, as I’m quite skeptical myself that this was the best decision for this fantastic IP.

The fact that the devs decided from the very start (or even before) that it should be Ciri can be seen as a well-thought-out and confident decision. It can also be seen as a clear missed opportunity.
The creators claim that this decision was the result of long thought processes and discussions. I don’t believe them.
Everything points to the opposite, and the lengthy discussions were likely more about figuring out how to shoehorn Ciri in as the new Geralt.
To claim that Ciri was the only obvious choice to move the story forward suggests a lack of knowledge with both the games and the books.
It also assumes that moving forward was the only obvious choice here.
CDPR can tell a story, no question about that. And I’m convinced that even if they had chosen a different main character/protagonist/timeline, the story would have been just as good, if not better.
In my mind, it would at least have made more sense than what we’ve seen so far.
 
If you don’t like it then don’t buy the game.

It’s that simple.

The team @ CDPR have been laying the ground work and making plans for this character years before.

You’re not entitled to anything except your own opinion.
 
I didn't read the books but I really enjoyed TW3. However, the main story line wasn't really extraordinary imo.

Ciri was on the run from the Wild Hunt. Geralt had to find her and save her.
I can see Ciri justified as the lead in a main story line, but I can't see her character being enjoyable throughout the game. Perhaps, I just can't see a girl as the lead. It's like if the next Metal Gear Solid didn't have Snake as the lead but some long lost daughter. It wouldn't be enjoyable.
If you are CDPR and are hell bent on making a sequel to TW3 (which is a very bad choice IMO) then Ciri is the most logical choice because Geralt is retired and his story is done. But I would argue that Yenn, Ciri, Truss and everyone else are also done.

She is a great character in the books which didn't really transfer over to the game all that well - game Ciri isn't bad, just different from what we see in the books. I think there is perhaps an opportunity to make a spin off series involving Ciri - exploring her gifts and seeing what adventures she takes. TW4 is absolutely not the way to go about it and mutating her...bleh!
 
CDPR owns the rights to the Witcher franchise. It’s their Intellectual property. They made Witcher 3 what it is.
They are behind all the creative decisions.
They know what they’re doing
They don’t need fan lip service telling them how to make their games. You ought to be grateful and excited that they’re making this game and all the work that they’ve put into it. Story driven Role playing games are a rare commodity these days as they’re being replaced by live service games. They don’t need this negativity. Ethier support the franchise or move on. Stop trying to ruin it for the rest of us.
 
They don’t need fan lip service telling them how to make their games. You ought to be grateful and excited that they’re making this game and all the work that they’ve put into it.
I think fair criticism is good and helps to improve art - people were saying that Witcher 2 facial animations were bad, so they greatly improved them in Witcher 3, for example.

The problem is, as of now, we don't have anything to criticize outside of the concept - which is meaningless, because:
  1. We have no idea how this concept will be realized and, considering CDPR's track record, we have no reasons to worry about it;
  2. None of the criticisms will make a difference, because developers have already made a decision - story is already written, they won't scrap their main concept and start from scratch just to please few vocal people online.
 
They don’t need this negativity.
This is CDPR's official forum. Here, more than anywhere, people absolutely do have the right to be negative if they wish to, provided they follow the forum rules.

I'm sure CDPR were well aware that not everyone was going to like their choice of Ciri as main protagonist -- they've been in the business for plenty long enough to expect that -- and, as a result, more or less certainly are not taking it that hard.
 
Graphics and shaders have improved with upgrades in hardware. It’s not necessarily artistic choice.

Project Red is a company taking bold risks to create a unique IP based on their artistic vision in house instead of playing it safe and making a generic cookie cutter game as a cash grab or selling out and making live service games as other studios are doing.

They shared one pre-rendered trailer and toxic trolls take to the internet bad mouthing the company and the game thats still in development.

Then there’s the toxic YouTubers badmouthing the company and the game for clicks and views.

And spreading false information, conspiracy theories and hate campaigns against the company.

And to what end?

Let the fans enjoy what they have to offer.

None of us is entitled to anything except if you don’t like it, a refund and have a nice day.
 
But no matter how good or bad something may sound in theory, in the end it will boil down to good writing, directing and game design to make it work
I am seeing reports that key writers and directors from the previous Witcher games and CP have left already CDPR for another studio.
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They don’t need fan lip service telling them how to make their games. You ought to be grateful and excited that they’re making this game and all the work that they’ve put into it.
This right here is the problem with modern culture. The last thing we need are brand loyalists, begging a company for anything it will toss their way and being grateful for it. We should 100% NOT thank CDPR for their work - they are selling us a product for a profit and we are consumers of said product. If CDPR want our money, we are perfectly entitled to be critical of their choices. Gushing over every decision they make certainly isn't positive.
 
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To claim that Ciri was the only obvious choice to move the story forward suggests a lack of knowledge with both the games and the books.
Lol.
I am seeing reports that key writers and directors from the previous Witcher games and CP have left already CDPR for another studio.
Depends. Marcin Blacha is with CDPR - and he was the lead writer. Same with Borys Pugacz-Muraszkiewicz and Aleksandra Motyka.
It's also important to remember that Witcher 3 was released almost a decade ago, it's only natural that some people would move on to other projects and companies. Tomaszkiewicz brothers, for example, have left, but they have left after the release of Cyberpunk 2077, so they weren't working on critically acclaimed Phantom Liberty.
Majority of writers and designers, who worked on Cyberpunk 2077, for example, are still there:

Key people at key positions are still the ones who worked on the games that made CDPR a household name.
 
I can't see her character being enjoyable throughout the game

Her character wasn't really explored thouroghly in the game, and a lot of things from her past were completely skipped over.

Perhaps, I just can't see a girl as the lead.

If this is the issue then nobody can change your mind. But she was the co-protagonist of the book Saga, so her being the protagonist of a sequel trilogy is not forced at all
 
Well that is actually nice to hear
This is CDPR's official forum. Here, more than anywhere, people absolutely do have the right to be negative if they wish to, provided they follow the forum rules.

I'm sure CDPR were well aware that not everyone was going to like their choice of Ciri as main protagonist -- they've been in the business for plenty long enough to expect that -- and, as a result, more or less certainly are not taking it that hard.
 
original ciri was a good choice.
1. ciri is well known everywhere, has access to everyone. like for geralt, cdpr can do quests for ciri with everyone, from emhyr to random peasant.
2. ciri has no restrictions to be good or bad, like it was for geralt (he is an angel). cdpr can make her a monster (as she was created in the books) or a saint (as she started to become in the books and games).
3. ciri can use both sword and magic. cdpr can make her combat abilities completely customizable.
4. ciri is the daughter of the emperor, and she is also figuratively the daughter of witchers. so cdpr can make her a diplomatic problem solver from high society or a spitting lout.

original ciri was a typical "choose your style" character with every option available except her face. BUT. cdpr made a female (probably she is still female, who knows how she passed trials of the grasses. but we can have a new option to choose here) witcher. doesn't feel great.
 
Ciri is an obvious choice IF we want TW4 to share not just the universum but the characters.

Personally I was hoping for the same universum, but new NPCs and completely new story with a character we could create ourselves (a witcher, a sorceress, a human bard...?), but I completely understand the choice of Ciri too.

As someone has already mentioned - Ciri is a guarantee of returning cast of characters. She is the only character that can take over after Geralt without changing many things too much. She knows all the witchers, all the sorceresses, all the kings and otherwise important figures.

In the main story of the books series she is, arguablly, already more of a protagonist than Geralt is... In the way that she has plenty of focus and the whole story revolves around her rather than the witcher, who is 'only' responsible for leading/finding her.

Ciri is a character who still can be shaped as a character. Despite being set as a rightous girl who fights for whatever her heart tells her is worth it, she is still impulsive, too emotional, she still loves mischieves and is no stranger to being simply... naughty... In a sense she is a complete opposition to Geralt, who was supposed to be emotionless - she is a bomb of emotions. Since we are being introdueced to her being a witcher I can imagine she will get to be steered by players between being emotionally a cold witcher and an affectionate human, without being forced to be either way by her teachers.

I believe there were only 3 choices to create a new game: Geralt (who we already knew won;t be the case), Ciri (who was the only option to more or less continue on the path set in trilogy) or a completely new character with card blanche, mostly unknown to all the NPCs we met in trilogy.
 
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Ciri is an obvious choice IF we want TW4 to share not just the universum but the characters.

Personally I was hoping for the same universum, but new NPCs and completely new story with a character we could create ourselves (a witcher, a sorceress, a human bard...?), but I completely understand the choice of Ciri too.

As someone has already mentioned - Ciri is a guarantee of returning cast of characters. She is the only character that can take over after Geralt without changing many things too much. She knows all the witchers, all the sorceresses, all the kings and otherwise important figures.

In the main story of the books series she is, arguablly, already more of a protagonist than Geralt is... In the way that she has plenty of focus and the whole story revolves around her rather than the witcher, who is 'only' responsible for leading/finding her.

Ciri is a character who still can be shaped as a character. Despite being set as a rightous girl who fights for whatever her heart tells her is worth it, she is still impulsive, too emotional, she still loves mischieves and is no stranger to being simply... naughty... In a sense she is a complete opposition to Geralt, who was supposed to be emotionless - she is a bomb of emotions. Since we are being introdueced to her being a witcher I can imagine she will get to be steered by players between being emotionally a cold witcher and an affectionate human, without being forced to be either way by her teachers.

I believe there were only 3 choices to create a new game: Geralt (who we already knew won;t be the case), Ciri (who was the only option to more or less continue on the path set in trilogy) or a completely new character with card blanche, mostly unknown to all the NPCs we met in trilogy.
Well yes, but she doesn't fit to be a witcher. It's destroying the arch she was setup with in the books and frankly, also in the previous games. Even when you got the monster hunting ending. There was this magnificent arc setup for her to be a child of prophecy and a magical proginy. Making her a witcher kind of ruins her arc from also in previous games and in the books. it's like all that is going to ge tossed away just to make her female Geralt with political motivations. If she could so easily pass the trials of the grasses, then basically the entirety of the story of W3 and a couple of books is made useless. At least when I hear all the explications I hear so far about her passing it. If undergoing the trials under some witcher school means numbing her Elder blood, she could have basically done it in all the time Geralt was searching for her. Meaning no Wild hunt would come search for her. Also as a witcher she should become sterile, so her elder bloodline ends with her. So that is that arc completely cut off.

In so many ways it doesn't make sense for her to become a witcher in this story while there was already an awesome arc setup for her. She was already the lady of space and time. In game you would teleport allover the place with her. There was so much room to explore with and room for growth. And now we are stuck with her being a witcher. It's like a downgrade in every form. And it will be a devaluation of Geralt and all the other witchers coming before her. Because I'm sure she will be beating them in every aspect effortlessly in being a witcher, despite being the least experienced amongst them. I bet there will also be this big old moment where she lectures Geralt on how wrong on everything he was in life.

She would have been such a more interesting character to explore if she didnt pass the trials. She would have been more lore friendly and there would have been so much more opportunities to explore.

Geralt was by no means an angel. he was meant to be a blanc slate and you could be a very cold bastard with him. I mean you could literally sell off Ciri with him lol and have every penny paid for her being counted while she was with you. If a character is a blanc slate he is by nature more malleable for picking both evil and good sides. A character like Ciri who will probably have her political views pre disposed is less malleable.

Could have also gone for a young Vesemir for a witcher game. There would have been plenty to tell about him. How he experienced the wolf school in it's prime and how he got there. How he first participated in putting the younger witchers through trials and how he got a change of heart. That would have also had quite some room for storytelling. Frankly, my hopes are not very high up for W4 atm. W3 was a masterpiece in a lot of aspects of the game and I fear that it has set the ceiling so high it will be impossible for w4 to reach. And none of the W3 crew is still working on W4 or that's at least what I heard.
 
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And none of the W3 crew is still working on W4 or that's at least what I heard.
Ah, so the game director (Sebastian Kalemba) and the narrative director (Philipp Weber) themself do not work on The Wicther 4?
I mean, they worked on The Witcher 3, so...

About Ciri who want to become a witcher, you simply choose to ignore that she explicitely said it's a damn curse. Something she never asked for. And the fact that she's tired of hiding, fleeing, by people try to use her, and most important hearing people saying what she can or can't do?
 
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