Aaaaall right, so you compared a fairly big city from Witcher 1 to a small camp among ruins. Sorry, but it is flawed. How many elves should sit and dance around that campfire? 20 would make you satisfied?
Compare the first picture to Flotsam or Loc Muinne. While the latter are not of the same scale, it would be more fair and would clearly show that Witcher 2 is also "full of life".