List of changes and cut content from the May 2014 leaks (copied from Reddit)

[Zyvik]

It makes more sense for Letho to be there. He fought the Hunt once with Geralt and could probably be a bigger help. Furthermore his school is specialized on the Hunt, so it makes sense as he is the last known Witcher of the school of the Viper to help Geralt against the Hunt.
Sile is ist another lodge sorceress and not a friend of Geralt. She woudn't have been at Kaer Morhen anyway, as Geralt only invited friends.
What would have been the point for her to be at the end battle? Margarita and Fringilla have maybe 10 seconds screentime before the Naglfar appears. No need to show another sorceress for that 10 seconds. I would have rather cut out Margarita and Fringilla. If CDp can't give them proper roles, they shouldn't include them at all.
It's also debatable if the deal to give the lodge amnesia and shelter in Nilfgaard would have included Sile, as Nilfgaard wanted to capture her after the Witcher 2 events according to Letho.

You misunderstood.I don't want her to be at the battle in Kaer Morhen.I want her to be at the final battle along with other sorceresses.Even if they showed her for 10 seconds it's still would be better than what we currently have for her in the game.

 

[Toyen]

Exactly!

I dont think the writing was entirely bad when it comes to her torture and dying thing, it was certainly shocking and unexpected but as I said, there should have been a side quest prior to this much earlier in the game with a flashback later on that would determine whether she ends up like this or helps you fight the hunt.

 

[Scryar]

We don't know why CDp changed it. Maybe it was a question of ressources, time or they thought it fits better with the plot if she just dies.
I don't see how a 10 seconds cameo at the end benefits the plot.
There are just too many sorceresses. So many that CDP didn't know what do to with Margarita and Fringilla. They have no purpose. They are just there, the same would have been the case for Sile. I don't see the point in it, except for like you mentioned Fanservice.
I don't mind Fanservice, but I also don't think it should be a priority.

 

[Toyen]

I´m certain they´d find an interesting role for her : )

And if not then they should let me write the quests!

But somebody must control me otherwise she´d take over the Northern kingdoms riding on Saskia´s back.

 

[Innamoramento]

I don't mind Fanservice, but I also don't think it should be a priority.

Well, all romance with Triss was a fanservice, but look how big role it takes. They wasted 3 free DLC's for an outfits that was an awful fanservices (especially whorish Triss and Ciri with an open belly. WAT?). Why all this is okay and good, but when a fan complains about how his favorite character was treated in the game, about this meaningless cruelty towards her, they should shut up, because there is ppl who do not give a damn about her.
If REDs brought up the Lodge, witch consists of 10 women, then they can somehow find a place for all, it is not too many, it is that much how they are. Plus Sheala is not dead in canon, she is alive and well in Kovir, as a royal counselor. As a fan it hurts to see that she was brutally cut, her place was taken over by whom, Triss? OMG, big nope.

 

[Zyvik]

Well, all romance with Triss was a fanservice, but look how big role it takes. They wasted 3 free DLC's for an outfits that was an awful fanservices (especially whorish Triss and Ciri with an open belly. WAT?). Why all this is okay and good, but when a fan complains about how his favorite character was treated in the game, about this meaningless cruelty towards her, they should shut up, because there is ppl who do not give a damn about her.
If REDs brought up the Lodge, witch consists of 10 women, then they can somehow find a place for all, it is not too many, it is that much how they are. Plus Sheala is not dead in canon, she is alive and well in Kovir, as a royal counselor. As a fan it hurts to see that she was brutally cut, her place was taken over by whom, Triss? OMG, big nope.

Yeah,the fact that Triss takes her place(and also becomes a head of the Council AND Conclave)is a final nail in the coffin

 

[blameless75]

There was going to be a pig mask, in addition to the wolf, fox and bird masks.

(tiny SPOILER I guess)

Dijkstra wears a pig mask at Vegelbud party. So it’s there still.

 

[saladin1701]

Well, all romance with Triss was a fanservice, but look how big role it takes. They wasted 3 free DLC's for an outfits that was an awful fanservices (especially whorish Triss and Ciri with an open belly. WAT?). Why all this is okay and good, but when a fan complains about how his favorite character was treated in the game, about this meaningless cruelty towards her, they should shut up, because there is ppl who do not give a damn about her.
If REDs brought up the Lodge, witch consists of 10 women, then they can somehow find a place for all, it is not too many, it is that much how they are. Plus Sheala is not dead in canon, she is alive and well in Kovir, as a royal counselor. As a fan it hurts to see that she was brutally cut, her place was taken over by whom, Triss? OMG, big nope.

You're complaining about someone complaining about their favourite character/s whilst complaining about the lack of screen time given to your favourite characters. Do you even understand the concept of irony?

 

[Innamoramento]

You're complaining about someone complaining about their favourite character/s whilst complaining about the lack of screen time given to your favourite characters.

The thing is - you can complain, I can complain. We are even, right?

 

[Scryar]

Well, all romance with Triss was a fanservice, but look how big role it takes.

Calling the seconds most important character of the first two games "fanservice" is just disrespectful towards the writers of the games and the many people that like her.

They wasted 3 free DLC's for an outfits that was an awful fanservices (especially whorish Triss and Ciri with an open belly. WAT?).

You seem to have some serious problems to accept that different people have different tastes.They outifts may be not for you, but other like them. That doesn't make it objectively "wasted". At least the outfits didn't change anything about the plot. You demand a plot change just because you like a certain character.

Why all this is okay and good, but when a fan complains about how his favorite character was treated in the game, about this meaningless cruelty towards her, they should shut up, because there is ppl who do not give a damn about her.

What do you mean, how Sile was treated? Sile was exactly treatet like CDP thought it would serve the plot. It's not CDP job to satisfy you or any other person. They write the story they want to write. And they wanted to let her die in that prison

If REDs brought up the Lodge, witch consists of 10 women, then they can somehow find a place for all, it is not too many, it is that much how they are.

So they should include all of them for the sake to include them? Even if it doesn't serve the plot or even makes no sense? Just to satisfy your desire to see your favorite characters? Luckily CDP's writers are professionals and not just some guys who write cheap fanficiton

Plus Sheala is not dead in canon, she is alive and well in Kovir, as a royal counselor. As a fan it hurts to see that she was brutally cut, her place was taken over by whom, Triss? OMG, big nope.

Books canon differs from games canon. There are many changes. The complaint comes too late anyway as she can die in Witcher 2.


On a more personal note. I'm happy what they did with her. Imo it would have been a waste of ressources to give her a bigger role. They couldn't find a place for Margarita and Fringilla, the same would have been the case for Sile.

 

[moonknightgog]

You seem to have some serious problems to accept that different people have different tastes.They outifts may be not for you, but other like them. That doesn't make it objectively "wasted". At least the outfits didn't change anything about the plot. You demand a plot change just because you like a certain character.

It's not that. Those outfits are useless because of those stupid pre rendered cutscenes.

And they wanted to let her die in that prison

Make her an appearence was stupid. Yeah, Sheala die no matter what, give to her 30 stupid seconds of screentime with a couple of underwhleming lines.

 

[Waldlaeufer]

They couldn't find a place for Margarita and Fringilla,

Shame about Fringilla though, but maybe they will bring her in with the Touissant expansion, yay :wondering:

 

[Innamoramento]

You seem to have some serious problems to accept that different people have different tastes.

I am sorry, but you seem too (if you prefer to go personal on me for it). I have different view from you. I am disappointed with the role of Sheala in TW3, I write it here. I have no right to be disappointed? I have no right to wish her role would be more appealing and important? You think her role serves the plot, you do not want more sorceresses in the game. I do not tink so, and want more, and I speak about it freely on forum. What I do wrong? I voice my opinion, like everyone here.

 

[dragonbird]

Drop the flaming please.

 

[Dracolich55]

The thing I am missing the most is the potential Sabbath, sounded way darker and interesting.

Anyone know why it was cut? Is it because they wanted a broader appeal?

 

[BladeRunnerBlues]

The thing I am missing the most is the potential Sabbath, sounded way darker and interesting.

Anyone know why it was cut? Is it because they wanted a broader appeal?

One can never tell for sure, but considering how tame the game's sexuality is compared to The Witcher 2, it is very likely that they opted out from depicting it that way because of self-censorship, fearing that too many players could find it disturbing. Too bad, since the Sabbath was the only quest involving a direct confrontation with the Wild Hunt in the game outside of "The Battle of Kaer Mohren" that is worth mentioning, and in its original pagan glory it would have been much more atmospheric and fitting to how they actually foreshadow the event.

 

[Scryar]

It's not that. Those outfits are useless because of those stupid pre rendered cutscenes.

That's a fair point, but I wouldn't say that made them "useless". There are only 3 or 4 prerendered cutscenes int he game, in which they always wear their standard outfit. It may be immersion breaking for some people, but for me personally it just doesn't happen frequent enough to bother me. Though Yennefer's alternate outfit is the only one I use anyway, but I know people who also like the other alternate outfits. Either way it's nice they gave people the choice and it's not something that needed a lot of ressources to be accomplished. But most important, it doesn't change the plot for the sake of Fan service.

Make her an appearence was stupid. Yeah, Sheala die no matter what, give to her 30 stupid seconds of screentime with a couple of underwhleming lines.

I like how they did it. They could have killed her offscreen like Henselt, but decided to gives us a visible conclusion of her story. Like mentioned before, anything else than a small cameo would have been a waste of ressources (like Margarita's and Fringilla's "cameos") but letting her appear for a minute was a decent move.

 

[Zyvik]

I like how they did it. They could have killed her offscreen like Henselt, but decided to gives us a visible conclusion of her story. Like mentioned before, anything else than a small cameo would have been a waste of ressources (like Margarita's and Fringilla's "cameos") but letting her appear for a minute was a decent move.

It could've been a decent move if her death made sense.We have three powerful sorceresses on the boat and they can't heal Sheala?

 

[Scryar]

One can never tell for sure, but considering how tame the game's sexuality is compared to The Witcher 2, it is very likely that they opted out from depicting it that way because of self-censorship, fearing that too many players could find it disturbing. Too bad, since the Sabbath was the only quest involving a direct confrontation with the Wild Hunt in the game outside of "The Battle of Kaer Mohren" that is worth mentioning, and in its original pagan glory it would have been much more atmospheric and fitting to how they actually foreshadow the event.

The sabbath was just one big waste of opportunities. They could have made it to one of the most memorable quests in the rpg history, but chose the most shallow way to implement it

It had everything to be awesome:
- first time Geralt and Ciri spend time together
- a boss fight against the according to various polls by far most popular villains
- a boss fight against the first important Wild Hunt member and the guy who killed Vesemir
- a sabbath itself is imo a very interesting concept

Imo almost everything they did with this part of the game was disappointing:
- the sabbath was just lame. The three most disturbing creatures in the witcher world host a feast and something what reminded me of a garden party I visited last year is everything we get?
- Geralt's "payment" to get access to bald mountain was to dive for a coin. Really?
- the Sylvan had no purpose, aside from being another boss fight in a moment another boss fight was definitely not needed.
- The crones were teased as these ancient and very powerful creautures several times in the game. It shouldn't have been possible for Ciri to just easily slaughter them in a 1vs3 fight. That killed their myth for me.
- Considering the almost non-existent characterization of the Wild Hunt, Geralt's meeting with Imlerith would have been a great opportunity to give them more depth.
There was no real urgency and Geralt said before that he remembers Imlerith from his time as a Rider of the Hunt. It would have been the perfect time for a flashback or at least a conversation. But all we got were some pointless two-liners.

---------- Updated at 08:49 AM ----------

It could've been a decent move if her death made sense.We have three powerful sorceresses on the boat and they can't heal Sheala?

She was almost dead when Yennefer appeared. She probably wouldn't have survived the teleport to the inn.

 

[Zyvik]

She was almost dead when Yennefer appeared. She probably wouldn't have survived the teleport to the inn.

I bet Triss was in much worse state after Sodden,but she recovered.