Did CDPR fail to portray Ciri correctly in The Witcher 3?

[mothramdeer]

I love Ciri in the books, and she's great as a kid in the tutorial/prologue in Witcher 3, but there's just something about adult Ciri in the game that feels off to me. She has this weird, stilted way of talking that sounds unnatural at times...the unbuttoned top doesn't bother me, but the high heeled boots do

 

[saltyB]

I love Ciri in the books, and she's great as a kid in the tutorial/prologue in Witcher 3, but there's just something about adult Ciri in the game that feels off to me. She has this weird, stilted way of talking that sounds unnatural at times...the unbuttoned top doesn't bother me, but the high heeled boots do

Ye, i read some posts about that! Well, in the German version....idk...her voice is good but sometimes a little weird! but it was okay for me!

 

[Jehane]

Ye, i read some posts about that! Well, in the German version....idk...her voice is good but sometimes a little weird! but it was okay for me!

The German voice is ok but she sometimes puts too much emphasis on words so her way of talking sounds a bit stilted and artificial. The longer I listened to her, the more it annoyed me that she over-emphasized every second word or syllable. That, however, is not CDPR's fault but the actress's who voiced Ciri in the German version. Other than that, I liked Ciri a lot because character-wise, I think they did a good job at portraying her. She has grown up since the books but still has moments of immaturity, and she still can throw a tantrum (see Avalla'ch's hideout after she's been told that he's just using her - love that scene). But she's also more responsible than in the books - still young but not a teenager any longer so she's also a bit more controlled. I especially loved her fighting style and that she could teleport. That was so awesome Also, being of the Elder Blood, she's not entirely human so I think she can afford to run around in that outfit while fighting I'm just trying to imagine how Ciri would react if Geralt told her "No, you cannot wear that, I won't allow it"

 

[saltyB]

The German voice is ok but she sometimes puts too much emphasis on words so her way of talking sounds a bit stilted and artificial. The longer I listened to her, the more it annoyed me that she over-emphasized every second word or syllable. That, however, is not CDPR's fault but the actress's who voiced Ciri in the German version.

I completely agree with you! It would be interesting to know who voiced her for the German Version!

But i loved her quote in the Ending:" Was weißt du schon vom Weltenretten, Dummkopf? Du bist nur ein Hexer "
In German it sounds much more funnier than in English IMO! ^^

Other than that, I liked Ciri a lot because character-wise, I think they did a good job at portraying her. She has grown up since the books but still has moments of immaturity, and she still can throw a tantrum (see Avalla'ch's hideout after she's been told that he's just using her - love that scene). But she's also more responsible than in the books - still young but not a teenager any longer so she's also a bit more controlled. I especially loved her fighting style and that she could teleport. That was so awesome Also, being of the Elder Blood, she's not entirely human so I think she can afford to run around in that outfit while fighting I'm just trying to imagine how Ciri would react if Geralt told her "No, you cannot wear that, I won't allow it"

Again! I also like her very much ingame from the way she was written! The Dialogs and everything were always very good and logical.
And i always had the feeling to speak with someone, who is already like you said grown up and responsible! And that was very well done!

But as i already mentioned in a Post on the Second Page:

They Way CDPR made her Appearance, was just wrong, and didn't fit her Role ingame!
And the Sauna scene was completely unnecessary, and blocked Ciri off, to interact with Skjall a lot more!

You can read the rest i mentioned in my Post on the second page!

---------- Post Merged at 10:30 AM ----------

Also, being of the Elder Blood, she's not entirely human so I think she can afford to run around in that outfit while fighting

What i want to add: Sure she has the Elder Blood, but she is still more Human than Geralt at least! Well but we don't know it since Ciri was never so heavly injured, at least i can't remember that she ever was!

 

[Jehane]

Yes, that quote's really funny in German - and also has a slightly sad ring to it. Great moment
I need to replay the game because I really can't remember the sauna scene... although I do remember that I was wondering why she would go to a sauna with wounds that were more or less open.

 

[saltyB]

Yes, that quote's really funny in German - and also has a slightly sad ring to it. Great moment
I need to replay the game because I really can't remember the sauna scene... although I do remember that I was wondering why she would go to a sauna with wounds that were more or less open.

Yes, right! I had to shad a little tear when she said that! And the smile from Geralt haha! But yk, it reminded us players that Geralt is not a Dovakhiin or a Halfgod or whatever , cuz normally it is always the main protagonist =the player, who saves the World! Normally! But no, not in The Witcher.

It was always Ciri! And that's why i absolutely agree with People saying that her Character was very well written!


But it was sad! Indeed the most emotional ending i have witnessed in the last years!


And with the Sauna scene: That's Exactly what i meant!

 

[Goodmongo]

Hey she visited a world with plastic surgeons and got a new face. She visited a world where high heels are in vogue and got a pair of stylish boots.

 

[Lytha]

The sauna scene was for characterization purposes, like most Ciri dialogue choices.

- level of prudeness (towel or not, reaction to Skjall in the stables)
- amount of importance she's assigning to her time with the rats (tattoo, that relationship with the other girl) ("I was young and drunk" vs. "that was someone special and dear to me")

It's more intimate than the choice between "I was taught how to fight at Kaer Morhen (witchers are awesome!)" vs "I learned how to fight on the road (witchers are less important)", and CDPR obviously thought that the players would like to have a choice about these more intimate details of the Ciri persona. What better way to dig into this than a chat with some nosey bored girl and her mum? They clearly didn't want to sexualize Ciri by giving her some nude bed scenes with some random NPC, after all, so that tattoo would have never come up as a topic. And Skelligers are like Scandinavians, and there's saunas in Finnland, and they had already established the ocean as being "ice cold and totally deadly", so some warming up might've been required after an extended bath in the sea (for non-Geralts, that is.)

I didn't really mind it, and I've toyed around with the different personas for the different endings that I aimed for in my playthroughs: A "Ciri is gone" ending fits quite well to "witchers were not important; rats were awesome; yes Gretka, I am lost; let's go ahead and waste time snogging Skjall instead of hurrying; don't be concerned about Skjall's family,..."

A "Ciri witcheress" ending fits other choices better.



But well, yeah, I can see how non-bookreaders might find this whole topic weird. "Tattoo? How should I know where she got that? Preferring women? What the hell?"



---------------

By the way, @Percival_Dickenbutts , thanks for the nudge that there's a mod that fixes those stupid boots. So much better by miles.

 

[saltyB]

The sauna scene was for characterization purposes, like most Ciri dialogue choices.

- level of prudeness (towel or not, reaction to Skjall in the stables)
- amount of importance she's assigning to her time with the rats (tattoo, that relationship with the other girl) ("I was young and drunk" vs. "that was someone special and dear to me")

It's more intimate than the choice between "I was taught how to fight at Kaer Morhen (witchers are awesome!)" vs "I learned how to fight on the road (witchers are less important)", and CDPR obviously thought that the players would like to have a choice about these more intimate details of the Ciri persona. What better way to dig into this than a chat with some nosey bored girl and her mum? They clearly didn't want to sexualize Ciri by giving her some nude bed scenes with some random NPC, after all, so that tattoo would have never come up as a topic. And Skelligers are like Scandinavians, and there's saunas in Finnland, and they had already established the ocean as being "ice cold and totally deadly", so some warming up might've been required after an extended bath in the sea (for non-Geralts, that is.)

I didn't really mind it, and I've toyed around with the different personas for the different endings that I aimed for in my playthroughs: A "Ciri is gone" ending fits quite well to "witchers were not important; rats were awesome; yes Gretka, I am lost; let's go ahead and waste time snogging Skjall instead of hurrying; don't be concerned about Skjall's family,..."

A "Ciri witcheress" ending fits other choices better.



But well, yeah, I can see how non-bookreaders might find this whole topic weird. "Tattoo? How should I know where she got that? Preferring women? What the hell?

Well, what can i say now? Everyone has his own Opinion about that in the End! I mean it's the purpose of this Thread!
Again for me, from a logical point of view, the Sauna scene was unnecessary! Or not placed very well in that Situation IMO!
They could have also stretch the Scene a bit more too i don't know!
And everything else about the Appearance of Ciri was kinda wrong for me. Not how her Character was written, that was well done!

And indeed. I was telling that from a Point of view of someone who didn't read the books before!
(Well, now i have read the books and i know all the details and everything)

 

[Lytha]

Hehe, my first encounter with these dialogue choices was also from someone who hadn't read the later books and had read the earlier books some years ago and forgotten about the story.

I just always went with the more sympathetic seeming dialogue option during her characterization process; had her being upset that Skjall seemed to have undressed her, went in with the towel (feeling stupid for it though) and was majorly confused about the "I prefer women" line, too.


So, anyway, considering that CDPR thought it important for the player to characterize what Ciri's stance about the rats, the tattoo and sexuality is like... how would you give the player these choices?

- In a flashback about a chat with Dandelion? ... not really.
- In a chat with Geralt and Yen? ... Uhm.... who would chat with their parents about such things?
- How about some chat with the "older sister" Triss? ... Uhm.... given the negative response Ciri had regarding Triss and her stupid advances towards Geralt in Blood of Elves, how about "nope"?
- Let's watch her having random hot sex with someone like Bea and they chat about it in bed. ... omg. No. We don't want players see the "daughter NPC" like a sex object. Stop it at once.
- How about some scene in which Ciri is being wounded on the leg or tummy, and so the tattoo is visible and it becomes a topic totally appropriate for a medical examination scene? We could do this with Avallach for greater creepiness... urgh. Well, scratch Avallach and let's do it with some random helpful peasants in a non-sexualized situation.

So yeah, we could argue about if the player really needs to make choices about the Ciri persona in these matters. But I think the way they've chosen works. Mostly.

 

[saltyB]

So, anyway, considering that CDPR thought it important for the player to characterize what Ciri's stance about the rats, the tattoo and sexuality is like... how would you give the player these choices?

- In a flashback about a chat with Dandelion? ... not really.
- In a chat with Geralt and Yen? ... Uhm.... who would chat with their parents about such things?
- How about some chat with the "older sister" Triss? ... Uhm.... given the negative response Ciri had regarding Triss and her stupid advances towards Geralt in Blood of Elves, how about "nope"?
- Let's watch her having random hot sex with someone like Bea and they chat about it in bed. ... omg. No. We don't want players see the "daughter NPC" like a sex object. Stop it at once.
- How about some scene in which Ciri is being wounded on the leg or tummy, and so the tattoo is visible and it becomes a topic totally appropriate for a medical examination scene? We could do this with Avallach for greater creepiness... urgh. Well, scratch Avallach and let's do it with some random helpful peasants in a non-sexualized situation.

So yeah, we could argue about if the player really needs to make choices about the Ciri persona in these matters. But I think the way they've chosen works. Mostly.

After watching the Sauna Scene again, i realized that there aren't even a lot of choices about the Ciri persona to be honest, depending on if you have a towel on or not!

With a towel:
1. If Ciri has a home?
2. If she likes Skjall or Prefer Women!

Without a towel:
1. If Ciri has a home?
2. If she likes Skjall or Prefer Women!
3. What about her Tattoo?

Well, sorry but that are not a lot of things to characterize someone! Also as i mentioned, only if you go into the Sauna without a Towel you get the Tattoo dialog?
So you get one dialog line more about her because she is in Underwear? Come on...

You could have simply implemented Dialog 1 and 2 into the scene where she is laying in the bed!

For me the scene where geralt talks with ciri after he finds her, was much more of a characterization ! Also because they put a lot more time and dialog's into that Scene!

 

[Lytha]

I didn't claim that the sauna scene offers a whole lot of awesome insights into Ciri's persona. But neither do the other dialogue choices we get for her.

"I am lost, too" (honest, though insecure) vs. "I am never lost" (bravado)
"I learned fighting at Kaer Morhen" (witchers are awesome) vs. "I learned it on the road" (my adventures with rats and Avallach are more important than witchers)
"I am a witcheress, they made an exception for me" vs "Yeah, I am not really one of them"
"Is there a problem?" (empathy) vs "Scared?" (mocking)
*winning the race* vs *losing the race* :lol: (she keeps her sword anyway, btw)
"Pull yourself together, Dandelion!" vs "I am trying to be optimistic" vs (some third option) (behaviour towards friends)
Prudishness or lack thereof (towel, undressed, etc)
Sexuality (tattoo & Mistle, reaction to Skjall in stable)
Concern for others ("go help your family" or not)

It's all tiny little bits, but you can use them to shape it up a bit. Tiny details, drawing bigger picture is up to the player's imagination.

Not that your choices had any effect later on, when she's saying her own lines instead of you chosing them for her like in those flashbacks. But it's nice to have some input options there for variety and for making her fit the intended endings better.

For me the scene where geralt talks with ciri after he finds her, was much more of a characterization ! Also because they put a lot more time and dialog's into that Scene!

That Geralt/Ciri chat on the Isle of the Mists was indeed characterization, but it offered zero input choices for the player about what the player thinks that Ciri's personality is like.

 

[saltyB]

I agree with you in some points! But now i am asking myself:

Why should the player anyway have some input into the characterization?

Ciri is already a formed Character with own thoughts and Opinions! Same as Geralt!
It is not a game where you form a Character!

In Mass Effect for example, you really form a Character through what you decide as a Player! And decisions will affect the whole continuation of the Story and how the other Characters will behave with you!

But all characters in the Witcher have already their personality!

We maybe get the illusion of bringing some Input into the Characters!
For Example, you take the Gold from Emhyr for bringing Ciri to him! And she will be angry about that! But it will not change anything between their father-daughter relationship!

It only changes which ending you get!

The Witcher lives from the well written Story and Characters!

That Geralt/Ciri chat on the Isle of the Mists was indeed characterization, but it offered zero input choices for the player about what the player thinks that Ciri's personality is like.

Again, why bringing input into her personality? She has already a Story to tell!

 

[Lytha]

Again, why bringing input into her personality? She has already a Story to tell!

[x] (illusion of) freedom of choice. Freedom of choice is generally perceived better than linearity.
[x] examples of the (relative) importance of player's decisions having an effect on the game's flow
[x] interactive choices might be more interesting and immersive than watching some static movie for minutes. It is a game, not a movie.
[x] possibility for fitting the Ciri personality to the endings the player is aiming for in replays
[x] offering variety for replays


=> an attempt at making the Ciri flashbacks more interactive and interesting, rather than tediously long movie cutscenes that the player has to watch passively.

 

[saltyB]

[x] (illusion of) freedom of choice. Freedom of choice is generally perceived better than linearity.
[x] examples of the (relative) importance of player's decisions having an effect on the game's flow
[x] interactive choices might be more interesting and immersive than watching some static movie for minutes. It is a game, not a movie.
[x] possibility for fitting the Ciri personality to the endings the player is aiming for in replays
[x] offering variety for replays


=> an attempt at making the Ciri flashbacks more interactive and interesting, rather than tediously long movie cutscenes that the player has to watch passively.

Okay there you got me!

I have nothing to say!



But to get back to the main topic of this thread, i still stay with my Opinion about how Ciri is portrayed ingame!

 

[SpotEnemyBoats]

To be honest, it felt really awkward. I like to immerse myself as Geralt, but it felt really weird. They made her too beautiful, doesn't let her character shine that much.

More importantly, I had this awkward feeling that she's my adopted daughter and she's very attractive. Its kinda not fair.

 

[Martinvls]

I totally agree with topic starter, as I remember the only point in TW3 where Siri is placed like a daughter is conversation with Emperor in the very beginning (and which is easily forgotten after 100+ hours of adventure before visit to Mist Island).
So Siri is most alive, most interesting NPC which you can play by yourself during her short missions and no wonder that average player which don't know anything about witcher universe before, start to perceive her more like a woman then a daughter. Also if you are young by yourself she looks like a more natural love interest, because Yen and Triss are just some very old cunning sorceresses which transformed their bodies with magic like Crones and Siri is young woman as she is.
You help small girl which were purposely "lost" by her parents in a forest, you can be kind with Skjall, you will be afraid that Siri was cursed to be Uma, and then save everyone in Kaer Morhen, defeat Crones and Navigator and White Frost itself, and she is the only one who receive a very good scene after final battle - I was really afraid that she sacrificed herself in that elven tower and was relieved when Geralt meet her in White Orchard. So there is so much touching and well directed content about Siri that it was really a "dirt move' from CDPR to make her so lovely when she is purposed to be "a daughter".
Triss in comparison has little amount of content and half of Yen's content is more annoying then attractive..

 

[sv3672]

More importantly, I had this awkward feeling that she's my adopted daughter and she's very attractive. Its kinda not fair.

Being an adopted daughter does not imply she cannot be attractive, after all, all very attractive women are daughters of someone. But anyway, I do not think they overdid it with Ciri, while she does look good, I still clearly view her as "daughter", and in my opinion she was not made attractive in the way that actual romance interests (even Keira and Shani) have been, even if it might be a subtle difference.

 

[SpotEnemyBoats]

Being an adopted daughter does not imply she cannot be attractive, after all, all very attractive women are daughters of someone. But anyway, I do not think they overdid it with Ciri, while she does look good, I still clearly view her as "daughter", and in my opinion she was not made attractive in the way that actual romance interests (even Keira and Shani) have been, even if it might be a subtle difference.

I'm not saying it doesn't happen, I mean its feels so weird. Ciri is freakin' beautiful. My heart would flutter if I were around Ciri in IRL, tbh.


In this way, I feel bad for fathers and brothers who had to go through this pain. I'm so happy I didn't.

I know, I'm very weird. I get that alot. Anyways...

 

[saltyB]

In this way, I feel bad for fathers and brothers who had to go through this pain. I'm so happy I didn't.

I know, I'm very weird. I get that alot. Anyways...

That is really weird haha!

:what3: