- Status
We've known this for a while now, I don't see it as a big deal to be honest, but then again we don't have a lot to go on.
We don't know at which rate the sword breaks, we also don't know how expensive it will be to repair said sword or how hard it is to find craftsmen to do it. So I'll wait for a bit more information before I claim the feature to be good or bad.
We don't know at which rate the sword breaks, we also don't know how expensive it will be to repair said sword or how hard it is to find craftsmen to do it. So I'll wait for a bit more information before I claim the feature to be good or bad.
It is still a videogame at the end of the day, having the deflecting arrows and bolts ability would change entirely how you approach combat, so having it unlocked at the start is rather silly gameplay-wise, because it would make the threat of ranged opponents really minimal (even though Geralt in the books had no problem of deflecting two goddamn arrows at the same time) but still, it is necessary in a videogame.
From a lore point of view it makes sense that Geralt has all his ability's and skills. But from a gameplay point of view it's bad, it become's boring really quickly in a 100+ game. And then people will say the progression curve is to steep again, because they need/want to learn all the button combinations to execute those unlocked ability's at the very start of the game. Just let people learn the skills throughout the game, people will feel like they accomplished something.
Why is that quote so bad? Is it that hard to imagine anyone, especially a seasoned witcher, to be able to deflect and somehow can point/aim the arrow away? This 'ability' would follow the rules of it's world. Because Witchers are, as we know, mutated humans who have greater strength, speed, agility, etc. Yet somehow a human, called Leo Bonhart, has been able to match a witcher's skill in battle. (with swords that is.) So it's not strange to assume one can deflect a arrow if he/she pays attention. (you know, someone who is exceptionally gifted or skilled.)
Progression of the character's ability to fight should not be about locking away essential abilities, it should come from the player's ability to learn how to use their assets more efficiently, which really only works if you have access to those abilities from the beginning. Playing a low level character feels like drinking a fine wine that is 90% diluted with piss! This is especially true for any subsequent playthroughs.
Also, level restrictions of items has never made any sense in the history of ever!
Durability on your swords can add some degree of immersion to the game, but it should take ages for it to make a difference, or it will only be annoying. If you could spend an hour of meditation to use a whetstone to maintain the sword yourself, that could work. Kind of like doing alchemy in TW1 took 1 hour to do.
Also, level restrictions of items has never made any sense in the history of ever!
Durability on your swords can add some degree of immersion to the game, but it should take ages for it to make a difference, or it will only be annoying. If you could spend an hour of meditation to use a whetstone to maintain the sword yourself, that could work. Kind of like doing alchemy in TW1 took 1 hour to do.
But they're not locking essential abilities, are they? From the previews the did say that at the beginning of the game Geralt has access to all 5 his signs and he can block, riposte, dodge, roll and dish out light and heavy attacks. So actually no skill that's essential is locked.
http://www.eurogamer.cz/articles/2015-02-14-exkluzivni-rozhovor-s-tvrci-hry-zaklina-3
Czech interview with Jose Teixeira
in short:
>tried to push for a volumetric mist, not allowed by the technical director, may come back to it in the future
>VGX in TW2 was done by one person
>Sapkowski visited the studio several times, mainly at the beggining, to check on the writers
>they had to rewrite the whole streaming system at the beggining of 2014 due to the amount of content
>many people favour the Japanese VA, Geralt sounds like a samurai
>few more "endings" than the original 36, decisions will affect the world around you, but wont lock out an entire area like in TW2
Czech interview with Jose Teixeira
in short:
>tried to push for a volumetric mist, not allowed by the technical director, may come back to it in the future
>VGX in TW2 was done by one person
>Sapkowski visited the studio several times, mainly at the beggining, to check on the writers
>they had to rewrite the whole streaming system at the beggining of 2014 due to the amount of content
>many people favour the Japanese VA, Geralt sounds like a samurai
>few more "endings" than the original 36, decisions will affect the world around you, but wont lock out an entire area like in TW2
Last edited:
Aw man, I'm incredibly sad. Props to Jose for at least trying to push for it.
I wonder if Semi-Volumetric Clouds are still happening or not...
I really really reaaally hope that you are right! If I have to slug through 5+ hours of watered down gameplay before I can finally enjoy the combat like in TW2, I will be massively disappointed and probably lose all faith in CDPR's competence in designing character progression.
If we want character progression in a game with a protagonist who is already pretty much the best swordsman in the world, the progression should not be about him unlocking abilities he should already have, but rather about learning new tricks. Like with reflecting arrows, he already deflects arrows constantly in the books, and he attempted to deflect a crossbow bolt back at its shooter once in the books, and the bolt narrowly missed its target. That's the kind of skill-development I can get behind. I am also ok with Geralt upgrading his signs in that respect, because casting magic is something he can do, but only at a very basic level.
I actually like that, I just hope that it won't happen too quickly and we can do some degree of maintenance ourselves with a whetstone while meditating or something like that. Thanks for the clarification.
THIS. Otherwise, loosing your precious sword completely after just a few hours, would totally suck..
EDIT: Thanks for the update, @Shavod.
Last edited:
All the information sound great,Especially excited about these
Did any of the previews or interviews mention how many of these slots in the special tree we will have at the end when all are unlocked`? I remember reading in one of the hands-on, that we will unlock the last slot at level 50, which was the max level according to the article writer.
I can't help but think feature creep is partially responsible for the delay. They've taken on so much, some of it even I deem not worth the effort, but it also reflects their ambition and the flat structure of the studio where almost anyone can suggest a feature. Too bad about no volumetric fog. The creeping mist outside Flotsam was already a cool thing, I hope we at least get something like that. I think it's safe to assume we won't be seeing the dynamic clouds and shadows Jose had mentioned either.
- Status