How did you fall in love with The Witcher?

[Foxtrot1994]

How did you fall in love with The Witcher?

So... I would like to know how you guys discovered the Witcher franchise. Did you start from the games? From the books? Or maybe from the comics?

Personally, the first time I heard about The Witcher was in 2007, on "Giochi per il Mio Computer", a videogames magazine of my country. But I wasn't very impressed. In 2011, however, I heard about the upcoming The Witcher 2 so I got curious and checked out the first game. Oh my god, I was blown away! How could I have ignored such game? It was compelling, the lore behind it amazin. I remember I hammered my balls for not having played that game before!
Then, I found out that it was based on a series of polish novels and short stories, so I checked them out as well. I hammered my balls again, for the same reason mentioned before.

That's how my love started, a love with sorrows, yes (my testicles are not the same anymore), but still passionate and burning. What about you? Spit it out!

 

[StaGiors]

I first learned about the Witcher from a friend of mine back in 2007. He let me borrow the game for like a week and that was it for me. Fell in love with it instantly, and then waited for the Witcher 2 very patiently. Right before TW2 released I read the books for the first time. I was like.. I sat in my house for a whole week. And I know that if I decide to start reading the books for the fourth time now, I will sit in my house for another straight week. Why is it so awesome?

 

[wichat]

Well Iv'e posted this last year, but I'm proud of that moment of my life

Spoiler

I'm sorry if I repeat.... or not

Hi guys and girls of The Witcher family!

Today is not a good date for me, Victor has gone forever just a year ago, weirdly the same day of his birthday (today he'd be 52 years old). I really still miss him. But every time I enter in this forum I always remember him with a lot of thankfull because the fault that I knew TW and CDPR was him.

He knew about my love of RPG's and my demand for good quality graphic design. So one day he surprised me almost "forcing" me to enter in a site: trust me, look at those graphics, watch these videos and tell me what you think

The videos were on youtube about a game with endearing resminiscence of Medieval European, with a character that attracted me at first sight (maybe because he had the same hair color, the same determination and the same sour face that Victor had, who knows ? /> ).
The next day he handed me a pirated copy from BitTorrents and he told me: try it. I did. 2 days after he had already given away to me my original copy downloadable.

Today I find it impossible to separate The Witcher from my the remembrance of Victor, and how he sweetly spoiled me so often.

So today March 3, 2013, I want to share with the family of The Witcher this little grain of sand among many special cases that unite us, thanks to a common link: Geralt of Rivia.

Thank you very much for allowing me this daring license.

.

 

[gregski]

Like this:

 

[Foxtrot1994]

@wichatthat's touching :'(
I don't know who Victor was, but he must have been a very smart person if he introduced you to the Witcher franchise

 

[KingHochmeister]

I hate to say it, but I first knew about the Witcher from Angry Joe's review of Witcher 2, then I got really intrigued by the games, then a year later -after I got a good enough Video Card- I bought Witcher 1 and Witcher 2 and was deeply suprised by the quality of the narrative, the writing, the story, the world, the monsters and the characters.

Then after beating Witcher 1 and Witcher 2, I read the community english fan translations of the books, it takes a couple of quality games to make you actually want to read the source material of it, I really hope Sapkowski knows this

Seeing as he was deeply upset over the games in one of his interviews.

 

[Alan989]

I first found out about about The Witcher a few months before the release of The Witcher 2, when I found the trailers on Youtube. The setting fascinated me: the medieval mixed with the fantasy which was vastly different from other fantasy games I had seen before that. Then I read an article in PC Gamer and after seeing the screenshots of the game, I immediately got online and pre-ordered.

It took me a while to get used to the game: It was an off-on relationship for a while before I sat down a few months later and played it for a couple of months before I finished it. The story, design and the characters are what I remember the most (especially after the dullness of Final Fantasy XII with it's piss-poor character development and terrible world building: I never finished it ).

During that, I came over here and I lurked in the shadows for a long time, never registering until this year. The rest, as they say, is history.

 

[AutumnalWanderer]

For me, this is a long story. It has started in 2007's autumn if I recall correctly. I wasn't gamer at the time - actually I was before, but I changed more often, you know what I mean, when you are under of age 20, so I searched my path, I was a reader kind in primary school as well, but that was stopped for a few years, but when i meat the TW1 I was that state that I searched for a good fantasy storie - you can call it random, or destiny, it dosen't matter. I allways hated to go "big shopping" with my parents, but then, I went and I found a game, which has a wolf headed medallion on it's cover. I allways liked the wolves, so I took a clooser look, and I saw that is not only the text translated, but the voice acting as well, not to mention that Geralt has the same size of hair as me. So, when I arrived home I searched for it on Youtube, and I fell in love. Few week later I bought it, even if I knew that my PC won't be able to handle it. So I played on my father's laptop and this game is changed my life, literally. When I first unboxed the game and saw that the game's manual contains a little bit from the original stories, I knew that I will read it eventually. Well, I had to wait 2 months before the TW2 is released. Since then the first 4 books are translated, 2 short story collection and 2 novel. Hopefully the 5th coming in this year.
So, this game is have a big impact in my life, it is showed me a path, which I following since then. And yet no game nor book, did not the same. And I speaking about the Witcher's world as whole even, if the biggest and the first was the first game. So yeah, good to be here.

 

[dragonbird]

The Dragon Age forums at The Nexus - a thread on "If you like DA:O, what other games are you likely to enjoy?" It was the one that most people recommended.

 

[Ekul876]

It was the year 2010 and i had just heard the of The Witcher 2, so i decided to look into the first as i had previously ignored it (because I'm not much of a rpg lover) played the demo and immediately loved it, bought it straight away. Found out there were books, got the english books and pre-ordered 2, and The Witcher is now one of my favorite game series if not the favorite.

 

[gab96]

I was looking for two worlds 2 videos on youtube so i wrote TW2. I saw the hope trailer and went to buy it immediately after.
Hope trailer:

 

[Sephira]

So... uh... here's my story...

The first time I had anything to do with The Witcher was in 2011 at a friend's house, he had the Platinum edition and reading a bit 'the back of the packaging, manual etc. ... I wa curious, too bad that I had a filthy netbook and the only thing that I could run decently was the Sims 2 (and the two Max Payne), my old PC was dead for two years.
A year later, in 2012, I was walking around with my boyfriend in a shop and there I saw again the Platinum Edition, I was intrigued and wanted to buy it but I did not know if it could work on my new notebook. My boyfriend then told me he could give me a copy of GOG game, so I could try it without any problems.

Downloaded GOG copy, I tried it and I was blown away by the introduction. "That's cool!"

I thought it was funny and started playing with it. When I reached the second chapter my curiousity was tickling and I looked for more information ... Among the digital content I found a story in English, and "So, what is this?" I read a few clips and understood that it was linked to the introduction of the game, and I thought "Oh, but look! They also wrote this story as well as a compendium!

I did not know how wrong I was... don't judge me >_>

In fact, shortly after starting it came to me the curiosity to discover more about the title, then I came to know that it had been inspired by a saga novels. Since I was really enjoying the game I discovered with delight that there were italian translations of the books, so I bought the first one*

"What have I done!"

I liked it a lot, especially the style of writing that urged brilliant reading. Alternating serious moments, sad, hilarious and exciting battles in a tasteful mix, really. One of the highlights is definitely the emotional impact the book has on the reader. Even before reaching the end of the game I had already devoured the first two books in the series.

It almost seemed to me to be more passionate about the books than about the game.
Once I had read the novels I have to say that the approach to the game has changed, I noticed a lot of things, tips, and different goodies that will surprise and put a smile on the lips only to those who have read the adventures of Geralt of Rivia. And I could say that the whole intro was a faithful tribute to the saga, as it describes in great detail the entire sequence from which it is taken.

So:
Thanks to my boyfriend who introduced me to this series.
Thank you CDPR, you let me discover a great game and a great book saga I was missing.
And obviously thanks Andrzej Sapkowski for this saga.

And kids, that's how I met The Witcher.

*

Spoiler

When I went to the library to buy The Last Wish, I was so eager to read it, so when I checked the price and orde of desperation assaulted me: it was costly and I had not enough money in my pocket and I was like... Damn, now what?
When I was about to leave it came to my mind I had the library member card with me and hoping I had money in it I gave it to the sho assistant to check it. Those 6 euro in that card saved the day. I jumped like a cricket and bought it.

 

[Alan989]

So... uh... here's my story...

The first time I had anything to do with The Witcher was in 2011 at a friend's house, he had the Platinum edition and reading a bit 'the back of the packaging, manual etc. ... I wa curious, too bad that I had a filthy netbook and the only thing that I could run decently was the Sims 2 (and the two Max Payne), my old PC was dead for two years.
A year later, in 2012, I was walking around with my boyfriend in a shop and there I saw again the Platinum Edition, I was intrigued and wanted to buy it but I did not know if it could turn work on my new notebook. My boyfriend then told me he could give me a copy of GOG game, so I could try it without any problems.

Downloaded GOG copy, I tried it and I was blown away by the introduction. "That's cool!"

I thought it was funny and started playing with it. When I reached the second chapter my curious was tickling and I looked for more information ... Among the digital content I found a story in English, and "So, what is this?" I read a few clips and understood that it was linked to the introduction of the game, and I thought "Oh, but look! They also wrote this story as well as a compendium!

I did not know how wrong I was... don't judge me >_>

In fact, shortly after starting it came to me the curiosity to discover more about the title, then I came to know that he had been inspired by a saga novels. Since the game I was really enjoying the game I discovered with delight that there were italian translations of the books, so I bought the first one*

"What have I done!"

I liked it a lot, especially the style of writing that urged brilliant reading. Alternating serious moments, sad, hilarious and exciting battles in a tasteful mix, really. One of the highlights is definitely the emotional impact the book has on the reader. Even before reaching the end of the game I had already devoured the first two books in the series.

It almost seemed to me to be more passionate about the books than about the game.
Once I had read the novels I have to say that the approach to the game has changed, I made the case in most things, at different goodies that will surprise and put a smile on the lips only to those who have read the adventures of Geralt of Rivia. And I could say that the whole intro was a faithful tribute to the saga, as it describes in great detail the entire sequence from which it is taken.
Thank you CDPR, you let me discover a great game and a great book saga I was missing. And obviously thanks Andrzej Sapkowski for this saga.

And kids, that's how I met The Witcher.

*

Spoiler

When I went to the library to buy The Last Wish, I was so eager to read it, so when I checked the price and orde of desperation assaulted me: it was costly and I had not enough money in my pocket and I was like... Damn, now what?
When I was about to leave it came to my mind I had the library member card with me and hoping I had money in it I gave it to the sho assistant to check it. Those 6 euro in that card saved the day. I jumped like a cricket and bought it.

:clap::clap::clap:

Now that was a story for the ages! I hope you said thanks to your boyfriend for introducing you to the series, it sounds like he was a big influence!

 

[Sephira]

:clap::clap::clap:

Now that was a story for the ages! I hope you said thanks to your boyfriend for introducing you to the series, it sounds like he was a big influence!

I did it a lot of times, he helped me too, and I helped him in discovering the books, I have to make a fix on my post, indeed.

 

[Daeron87]

It was a dark, rainy afternoon, December of 2007 or January 2008, can't remember. I had just finished the mandatory military training ( poor hair and beard.. ), finished setting up my new pc and......found out that I was bored to start again some mediocre game I've played so many times before and have already stopped enjoying. So I went to a videogame shop, where I was good friends with the owner. He did know my taste, so I was introduced right away to The Witcher. He showed me some gameplay and although I was hesitant at first, since I couldn't create a character on my own, I was kind of intrigued. So, went back home, started installing, watched the awesome intro, and then...Magic happened! After some search, I found out that it's based on a series of polish books. Looked here and there, and managed to get Blood of Elves in english. The translation kind of sucked, but I knew instantly that the ideas and the mind behind that book were full of great inspiration.

Then after some time, I bought The Witcher : Enhanced Edition too. There is no such thing as enough support for good devs and games W2 I only played very recently and totally loved it, regretting at the same time that I didn't do it earlier. W3 collector's is the first game I've ever preordered.

Cheers to CDPR and Andrzej Sapkowski, without them my mind would be a poorer place and many hours would have been wasted in trivial things, like NOT contemplating hard as hell decisions and thinking about morals, balance, and the list goes on. :cheers:

 

[EcoSeis]

Hi, actually I knew about the witcher books before the game, since a kid I loved comics, and mangas, Spiderman, Batman, X-men, Dragon Ball, One Piece... and so on, I liked books too, but they weren´t the same, apart from some cases, like Harry Potter (I´m not ashamed of that, I love Harry Potter, it´s a part of my childhood), or Ruiz Zafón, an spanish author I love, but my mother was and is a hardcore reader, she loves books, and encourage me to do so, telling me that I must find the right "thing", it was 2003, and The Return of the King promotion was all over the place, I don´t go much to theaters, and I was a teenager, so the medieval stuff wasn´t my thing (that´s for history class), I didn´t know about the fantasy, I only knew what the posters showed, ha ha ha, so....

But for the third one, I saw the previous on dvd with some friends, before going to see the third one, and I was amazed, astonished, I knew they were books so I went to the little book store my mom is friends with, and bought the Tolkien pack, Silmarillion, The Hobbit, The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers and The Return of the King, and it was even more amazing, by 2004 I wanted more, so I asked to the librarian, about the genre, and that was the moment I first new about A song of Ice and Fire, and The Witcher Saga, I bought them both, only one from the first saga, they were too expensive, and the first two of the witcher The Last Wish and The Sword of Destiny...

After reading those, I went to my mother and said with a happy smile, "I just find my books".

Note: That´s what makes Geralt and company so special to me, they were a part of my first step to adulthood, in a sense... in terms of books Geralt of Rivia is and always will be my hero/anti-hero...

 

[Lanfear]

One day my boyfriend said to me: "Look! I found a game that you will surely love it!" and so began my little ("little"..if you listen carefully you can hear his hysterical laughter) obsession with this franchise! I think he regret his suggestion! :rofl:
I looked for some information and discovered the books, so i decided to read these before playing the games ("The blood of elves" was going to be published in Italy)
I immediately fell in love with the books and started TW1, waiting for the console version of TW2 (I thought that my computer wasn't powerful enough..I was wrong XD After the steam sales i took it on pc too!). This is the whole story .. or at least the short version!

 

[Luxorek]

I first heard of The Witcher novels when I was in Middle School, almost 10 years ago. I was a big reader back then and would devour anything from historical fiction to thrillers and classics. I remember I fell in love with high fantasy during the LotR trilogy days [good times, good times]. I read Tolkien religiously. Anyways, this is Poland I'm talking about so almost every parent here has heard about or read Sapkowski books and eventually someone at my school recommended [and lent] me the Witcher short stories.

I remember I read Sword of Destiny first and had this feeling of being blown AWAY by its contents. Dark fantasy, with Slavic influences and twists on classical fairy tailes - my God, I've found my true love. And so it started - I bought the rest of the books and read them one by one, often discussing them with my friends during recess. Then someday I heard from my classmate, who was a big gamer and who read a lot of Polish gaming press, that the Witcher video game is being made. I was intrigued and kept a close eye on the project.

Been a loyal fan of CDPR and The Witcher games ever since then.

 

[Foxtrot1994]

Thanks for sharing!

I looked for some information and discovered the books, so i decided to read these before playing the games ("The blood of elves" was going to be published in Italy)

Did you start with Blood of Elves?

 

[Foxtrot1994]

@Luxorek aren't you the one from YouTube? I think I saw one of your videos, an analysis of a Witcher 3 trailer...