In regards to Radovid

[Klavi]

Some Iorveth path fans fantasized about Radovid allying Saskia to fight Nilfgaard but that sure as hell was never going to happen since Saskia is a threat to the absolute monarch system.

This is what freedom fighters actually believe?
The whole point of Iorveth's path is destabilizing the North and ruining the day for everyone, except Nilfgaard, for "a higher cause". And Saskia is supported by Phili, Radovid is surely aware of that. There was just no chance of Saskia's rebellion helping anyone.

 

[BlackWolf500.298]

I don't know, many people are talking about their kings or leaders being mad in the world of the Witcher, nothing uncommon. Maybe it is based on a choice you made in TW2, maybe it is just a comment that has not meaning. If a person is mad is up to the subjective opinion of the one claiming the person to be mad.

A big bad? I don't think so.

Also, he is a real bastard, we know that already (which is why Adda fits well as his bride ), but you have to be a little ruthless and cunning (and cunning he is, he is not a stupid one) to be a good ruler I guess. The degree though, that is what is important. Radovid and Emhyr seem very similar in a lot of things IMO.

 

[Sky999]

I think he means that Nilfgaard Empire is similar to the Roman empire.

No it was a discussion about accents, but that's my fault because I didn't include his full post in my quote:

"Well, my qualm was more with the quality of the acting rather than the nature of it. Besides, Henselt didn't have a posh accent, I think it helps to have that distinction between the areas with accents. Nilfs being kinda Italian, Kaedwenis Scottish and Aedirnians Welsh."

 

[Bansai]

No, it's idealistic which the witcher universe sure as fuck isn't.

Not really, it's common sense, they did it in the books when nilfgaard attacked, and they even did it in TW2 when humans and non humans allied to fight for freedom against Kaedwen.

So yeah, I stand by what I said, CDPR just pulled a lazy one with Kaedwen and our TW2 decisions.

 

[EliHarel]

Not really, it's common sense, they did it in the books when nilfgaard attacked, and they even did it in TW2 when humans and non humans allied to fight for freedom against Kaedwen.

So yeah, I stand by what I said, CDPR just pulled a lazy one with Kaedwen and our TW2 decisions.

What do you mean a "lazy one"? It's been hinted at for a long time that decision import will bear minimal and only token consequences. Each game in this series is standalone. If you focus heavily on decision import, you compromise that. TW2 wasn't about importing decisions from TW1, and CDPR had never heavily marketed that aspect about TW3 either.

I'm not bothered. I think importing decisions is a bit overrated, since it really limits the company's freedom in creating their story. I imagine that Radovid in TW3 will play a very big role, and I'll bet that he's pivotal to CDPR's political story. They would have their hands tied significantly if they had to take into account our big decisions in TW2 and create alternate scenarios for each one. I don't want that.

I want them as free as possible with TW3 to tell a solid story.

Also, in the books Foltest allied himself temporarily with Nilfgaard. They weren't exactly united, and I imagine Foltest would have preferred that allegiance if Nilfgaard didn't stab him in the back after a few weeks. Henselt was quick to sell out Aedirn when he saw an opportunity for himself. They North took a very long time to become best buddies for Brenna.

 

[Bansai]

Well then I don't really see the point in giving us world changing decisions like with Kaedwen if they're gonna screw them anyway in the sequel and make 1 canon version.

If you know you can't deliever consequences on those decisions later on, don't let us make those decisions, simple. I hate that in many games, and it seems Witcher will join the club. My north should be strong, but it won't be because my decisions didn't matter after all.

It's lazy, no other excuse for it. You either make it right, or don't bother at all. I'm replaying Witcher 2 right now and it looks like my choices won't matter, do I kill him? Do I give him or him anais and bussy? Well, it doesn't matter since Radovid just takes it all and loses his shit, lazy lazy lazy.

 

[CostinRaz]

I want them as free as possible with TW3 to tell a solid story.

I think that\s a nonsensical argument. Bioware has proven time and time again that you can create an excellent experience while still having decisions from previous games mattering. If CDPR wanted to make a stand alone game then they shouldn't have set TW3 directly after TW2 with the biggest events of TW2 playing a major role in TW3.

To not have imported decisions playing a role is ludicrous.

 

[Klavi]

Not really, it's common sense, they did it in the books when nilfgaard attacked, and they even did it in TW2 when humans and non humans allied to fight for freedom against Kaedwen.

So yeah, I stand by what I said, CDPR just pulled a lazy one with Kaedwen and our TW2 decisions.

Think about it, who's going to unite?
Temeria is done for.
Aedirn is a worthless pile of ass, even if you save Stennis, who's even more worthless than his worthless country.
Kaedwen is either weakened (if you supported the freedom fighters), in total chaos (if you killed Henselt) or still somewhat capable of defending itself (if you did the right thing). But Henselt can't hope to hold off the Empire by himself.
Radovid is a shady character, who definitely never deserved anyone's complete trust - Foltest knew that, even if he didn't act against him. Since the Empire didn't reach him, he can still be a major player, even if he is Rad the Mad now.
Saskia's little haven for nonhumans and peasants is the very definition of "inconsequential".
Rivia and Lyria? Yeah, right.

In the books, the North united because Emhyr didn't really prepare very well. This time however, all of the major Kingdoms are in fucking disarray, with dead or mad monarchs in charge.

 

[Sky999]

Not really, it's common sense, they did it in the books when nilfgaard attacked, and they even did it in TW2 when humans and non humans allied to fight for freedom against Kaedwen.

So yeah, I stand by what I said, CDPR just pulled a lazy one with Kaedwen and our TW2 decisions.

Yeah, when I played TW2 I chose to give A to Radovid because I thought it would create a strong kingdom, by essentially giving the territory of Temaria to Redania, and therefore doubling the size of Redania and giving it a much better chance to withstand an invasion by Nilfgaard, it's not great if it turns out that doesn't actually matter in TW3. I don't know what the point of all the choices were in the first place if their effects would be so minimal in TW3.

 

[CostinRaz]

I don't know what the point of all the choices were in the first place if their effects would be so minimal in TW3.

Realistically the only choice that would have mattered on big geopolitical scale is Henselt's fate.

Let's look at the ending of TW2. Nilfgaard invades as Loc Muinne occurs so obviously neither Radovid, alone or with Henselt, will be able to seize Temeria, and Natalis would have no time to stabilize anything in the country before Nilfgaard is past Temeria's protectorates. Temeria has also fought a bloody civil war AND has had to deal with a bloody uprising in it's capital. So the country is done for.

Aedirn is done for no matter what, even if Stennis lives then it doesn't matter since in his own words the royal army is annihilated and Saskia has no fucking chance in hell with her 1000 strong army.

That leaves Kaedwen, but Kaedwen is weak and divided anyway. Aedirn had the capability of mustering an army almost as strong as Henselt's and Henselt took grievous loses at both battles of Vergen, even if he won the second one. Then he's either dead along with Dethmold or he's alive but Dethmold is dead, or Dethmold survived. Regardless of this the stability of his rule is on very shady ground and TW2 makes it clear there's a very good amount of nobles who hate him.

That leaves Radovid as the only northern monarch with a stable rule and a strong army, in fact stronger then everyone else combined in the north ( besides Kovir ). So what is going to do then? March his army across the Pontar to try and save weak and very unstable nations? Or use the time he has to prepare his defenses as best he can and use the opportunity of Kaedwen's weakness to get the nobles on his side there and create a large buffer zone between his lands and Nilfgaard's eastern army. It makes a good amount of sense to try and defeat a substantially larger military using the natural barrier that the Pontar provides.

He may have even known about the invasion beforehand and made a deal with Nilfgaard to that effect, or maybe he didn't. Regardless it means that he wanted Anais because he then would have the ability to convince a good deal of Temerian nobles, including Natalis and the La Valettes, to withdraw their forces in Redania while leaving her under Natalis would led to much of the Temerian armies being destroyed in their country.

I do hope that our choices are represented, but I do know that Radovid occupying Kaedwen makes sense regardless of our decisions, although it means we can only have smaller consequences as a result, and it does not make him mad.

I remember the political trailer for TW2 where it's mentioned that Radovid is gathering large armies and building fortresses, he's been preparing for this for a long time.

 

[EliHarel]

I think that\s a nonsensical argument. Bioware has proven time and time again that you can create an excellent experience while still having decisions from previous games mattering. If CDPR wanted to make a stand alone game then they shouldn't have set TW3 directly after TW2 with the biggest events of TW2 playing a major role in TW3.

To not have imported decisions playing a role is ludicrous.

BioWare's achievements in this field are arguable, and I enjoy their games, don't get me wrong. I haven't played Inquisition yet so maybe I missed some great advancement they did, but from my experience with Mass Effect, it's not all that different than what's happening here. I don't recall any decision in ME1 that significantly shapes the starting political situation in ME2, and likewise between 2 and 3. Not to the extent of affecting the climate as drastically as what it seems Radovid did. The biggest consequences in ME I remember (and even then I think the extent of the consequences are limited) concern Shepard's companions. Very few alter the entire landscape. Udina or Anderson, Council alive or not, Collector Base, Rachni queen, the Geth heretics in A House Divided... I believe there is no decision you make in a game of BioWare that has overbearing consequence on the plot of a sequel. But, again, I haven't played Inquisition, so maybe I'm missing out.

I'll be happy if there's a nod here and there throughout the game about things we did and stuff we said to characters, but I'm not fazed about big decisions not being imported. Something like Radovid becoming the de facto ruler of the North seems like a major story point and I understand why CDPR will want to leave that as a constant, not susceptible to our previous decisions. My guess remains that this is something crucial to the plot, and I still stand behind my belief that the less a developer has to cater to play choice, the deeper an experience he can create. The more variables you try to capture, then the less in depth you can go. It's true to a single game, and it's particularly true to a series.

They chose a certain political situation. In turn, I expect them to commit and invest in it fully. Add an altogether different political situation, and you can invest a bit less. Add a third, and you can invest a bit less, and a bit less... etc. I prefer one general outline that is very fleshed out than several that are mostly skin-deep. It may have been a bit more jarring if TW3 takes place immediately after TW2, but if I understand correctly, it takes place half a year after, no? Unless something changed since the debut trailer. I think 6 months make it a bit more tolerable for CDPR to design the political situation they want regardless of TW2, than if they continued it one week after Loc Muinne.

Maybe I'll be proven wrong and CDPR will shock me with the extent of the consequences of previous games. I doubt it, and I'm fine with it. I never expected that and I still don't. As for why bother in previous games? I feel that's a bit melodramatic. I played TW1 for TW1, TW2 for TW2, and I'll play TW3 for TW3. Each game had its own payoff and I'm happy with that.

 

[Sky999]

Realistically the only choice that would have mattered on big geopolitical scale is Henselt's fate.

Let's look at the ending of TW2. Nilfgaard invades as Loc Muinne occurs so obviously neither Radovid, alone or with Henselt, will be able to seize Temeria, and Natalis would have no time to stabilize anything in the country before Nilfgaard is past Temeria's protectorates. Temeria has also fought a bloody civil war AND has had to deal with a bloody uprising in it's capital. So the country is done for.

Aedirn is done for no matter what, even if Stennis lives then it doesn't matter since in his own words the royal army is annihilated and Saskia has no fucking chance in hell with her 1000 strong army.

That leaves Kaedwen, but Kaedwen is weak and divided anyway. Aedirn had the capability of mustering an army almost as strong as Henselt's and Henselt took grievous loses at both battles of Vergen, even if he won the second one. Then he's either dead along with Dethmold or he's alive but Dethmold is dead, or Dethmold survived. Regardless of this the stability of his rule is on very shady ground and TW2 makes it clear there's a very good amount of nobles who hate him.

That leaves Radovid as the only northern monarch with a stable rule and a strong army, in fact stronger then everyone else combined in the north ( besides Kovir ). So what is going to do then? March his army across the Pontar to try and save weak and very unstable nations? Or use the time he has to prepare his defenses as best he can and use the opportunity of Kaedwen's weakness to get the nobles on his side there and create a large buffer zone between his lands and Nilfgaard's eastern army. It makes a good amount of sense to try and defeat a substantially larger military using the natural barrier that the Pontar provides.

He may have even known about the invasion beforehand and made a deal with Nilfgaard to that effect, or maybe he didn't. Regardless it means that he wanted Anais because he then would have the ability to convince a good deal of Temerian nobles, including Natalis and the La Valettes, to withdraw their forces in Redania while leaving her under Natalis would led to much of the Temerian armies being destroyed in their country.

I do hope that our choices are represented, but I do know that Radovid occupying Kaedwen makes sense regardless of our decisions, although it means we can only have smaller consequences as a result, and it does not make him mad.

I remember the political trailer for TW2 where it's mentioned that Radovid is gathering large armies and building fortresses, he's been preparing for this for a long time.

Yeah that all makes a lot of sense, thanks.

 

[Lieste]

We also don't know if that is the only possible setup. This is I think given to the player after Geralt details events of the last year.

While this situation seems plausible from *my* reading of the world and thus my choices within it... it could be a different tone but similar-ish results with different lead up.

Given a surpise assault while all leaders were busy in the mountains at Loc Muinne... I don't know that Temeria is saveable. Aedirn is going to fall (yet again) with no prospect of much delay after the recent civil war and the only variables are Henselt (troubled nobles, mauled army) and Radovid (mad as a hatter, but with a river line to hold on, his armies intact and his band of ruthless idealogues as a personal guard)...

 

[Guest 3782876]

Radovid has a chance to defense himself with this stop in the war, now he have time to boost his defenses e make some ties on the other realms, or not, you now, I don't know the extension of: ''Radovid Realms'' and how he do that.
Someone can explain? he is from another country, you know, why the other nobles would support him? because he can defend them?

 

[TheMorbidAtheist]

This old and very helpful thread should help with this discussion

http://forums.cdprojektred.com/thre...-quot-Best-quot-Ending-amp-Geralt-Archetypes)

And I'm not even talking about the KnightofPhoenix's tremendous contributions.

 

[GorillaHorse]

I told you!

 

[TangibleChop]

*spoiler*Can someone please tell me if Radovid orders witch hunts regardless of the choices at the end of Witcher 2 and savegames you import?