Story-driven tutorial in TW3: Wild Hunt

[avydia1.388]

Story-driven tutorial in TW3: Wild Hunt

Hello everyone (sorry for my english)

I've been thinking about this for a while, it's an idea on how to design a badass tutorial for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.

The idea is simple: let the player go through Geralt's training when he was a witcher apprentice in Kaer Morhen.

It could be represented through a series of flashbacks, movie style. I'm thinking about the first 2 or 3 hours of gameplay ( yes I love preludes! I loved TW2 prelude so much, IMO the best part of the game), Geralt faces some situations that involve using his basic abilities (fighting, magic, alchemy, witcher sense, etc), before using them effectively in the specific situation, he has a flashback of his training in Kaer Morhen.
This is also coherent whith Geralt regaining his memory back.

During these flashback the player could learn the techniques and the gameplay mechanics, and the tutorial would be story-driven in perfect CD projeck style!

 

[Aaden]

The idea to make the tuturial Geralt's training is great, but I'd rather it was separated from the main game. If it's presentation is great, I'm sure I'd play through it gladly, but it should be a choice anyways. I think hour long tutorials and hand-holding in the beginning of a game are a chore - I don't like it when I play it for the first time and for a game with such great replayability as The Witcher games tend to have it's even worse if you have to play through it each and every time.

 

[Garrison72]

Not a bad idea. Either way, tutorials should be separate from the main game. I hate playing a game and in the beginning I get an immersion breaking tutorial. CDPR did it right in TW2. Better yet, just give us a manual.

 

[umair2012]

Not a bad idea. Either way, tutorials should be separate from the main game. I hate playing a game and in the beginning I get an immersion breaking tutorial. CDPR did it right in TW2. Better yet, just give us a manual.

I myself had no problems in the Witcher 2 , I feel the same way that some times too much text on screen to teach you how to do stuff break your immersion if not done right . However if they managed to do that right then it'll be good for new comers , if they gave us option to turn tutorials off then it'll be gold .

 

[Cs__sz__r]

Better yet, just give us a manual.

B-but the environment and stuff.

I'm also all for this idea as an optional thing. The only good forced tutorial was Blood Dragon.

 

[Aaden]

I myself had no problems in the Witcher 2 , I feel the same way that some times too much text on screen to teach you how to do stuff break your immersion if not done right . However if they managed to do that right then it'll be good for new comers , if they gave us option to turn tutorials off then it'll be gold .

For me it's not about text popups. It's about slow step-by-step gameplay, a terrible amount of handholding and learning things I learnt about a hundred times before, like using my 'W' key to move forward.
Actually, I didn't even mind the text pop-ups in TW2's initial release, because they were just an added layer on regular gameplay that was complete and challenging.

Better yet, just give us a manual.

I'm convinced we'll get one that's worthy of the name. After all, TW2 was my first game in a long time that had more than a leaflet with installation instructions and warranty stuff on it.

 

[Blothulfur]

How about Geralt being the teacher and Ciri being the student we play as, a steady introduction of the swordsmanship, signs and alchemy (in theory at least) while also introducing Geralt's child and their relationship. Build the connection for when she is re-introduced, give us a chance to see Kaer Morhen again as well.

 

[Garrison72]

How about Geralt being the teacher and Ciri being the student we play as, a steady introduction of the swordsmanship, signs and alchemy (in theory at least) while also introducing Geralt's child and their relationship. Build the connection for when she is re-introduced, give us a chance to see Kaer Morhen again as well.

The only problem with this idea is after 30-40 minutes as Ciri, I might not want to go back as Geralt.

 

[arkblazer]

How about Geralt being the teacher and Ciri being the student we play as, a steady introduction of the swordsmanship, signs and alchemy (in theory at least) while also introducing Geralt's child and their relationship. Build the connection for when she is re-introduced, give us a chance to see Kaer Morhen again as well.

This. it would not only introduce us to the gameplay but also give us a good context to the plot.

 

[gregski]

I think it has been confirmed that the tutorial will be a part of the game, no? I remember reading in a few interviews that the player will be slowly introduced to game mechanics as we play.

 

[jerf.674]

Tutorial presented as flashbacks of Kaer Morhen training is a very very nice idea. Still, it has to be optional.

 

[cmdr_silverbolt]

There isn't going to be a tutorial this time, there are going to be mini-tutorials during the gameplay, probably something like in Batman games.

 

[Aaden]

I think it has been confirmed that the tutorial will be a part of the game, no? I remember reading in a few interviews that the player will be slowly introduced to game mechanics as we play.

There isn't going to be a tutorial this time, there are going to be mini-tutorials during the gameplay, probably something like in Batman games.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 

[bengeddes]

I think it has been confirmed that the tutorial will be a part of the game, no? I remember reading in a few interviews that the player will be slowly introduced to game mechanics as we play.

There isn't going to be a tutorial this time, there are going to be mini-tutorials during the gameplay, probably something like in Batman games.

YUCK. That's even worse than no tutorial at all.

 

[cmdr_silverbolt]

Why do you guys say that? If it's something unobtrusive and fluid, then it's a pretty good improvement over the previous format. And you know, there was a way to turn off the tutorial in B-man games, so if you were already familiar with mechanics, you didn't need to see the button prompts etc.

 

[avydia1.388]

I don't understand why all this hate towards a story-integrated form of introduction to gameplay.
Wouldn't it be fun to see young Geralt training at Kaer Morhen?
I loved the first four chapters of Assassin's Creed 3, where you started as a young Connor. It really helps the overall immersion.

 

[alextyc1]

i just hope like many here said
no AC3 kind of tutorials...
half of the game was one huge tutorial

 

[Aaden]

Why do you guys say that? If it's something unobtrusive and fluid, then it's a pretty good improvement over the previous format. And you know, there was a way to turn off the tutorial in B-man games, so if you were already familiar with mechanics, you didn't need to see the button prompts etc.

As I said above: It's not about prompts, it's about a game design philosophy. Introducing a player to the game like this demands very slow, easy, one-dimensional, specifically adapted gameplay throughout the introduction.
Things like "Hey, there's a locked door. And look right beside it is a chest with the key in it. How convenient! That is THE opportunity to learn how to loot chests and use items!", "Oh, look, a single guard just so happens to be standing with the back turned toward you not moving at all, although it doesn't make any sense. What a great opportunity to use your backstab ability!" and "Bummer these crates are in your way and there's absolutely no way around. Luckily you have your Aard sign to smash them to pieces!" are all that you will get until the game decides tutorial is over - if it does at all, as there have been games that feel like one huge tutorial plus end credits.
Compare that to how TW2 started. You had practically all your abilities at your disposal and could explore them by yourself, at your own pace, and the game didn't feel twisted into something that had to fit a "I will teach you how to do this" pattern - at least most of the time; it had those moments but not a whole lot of them.

TL;DR: Integrated tutorials slow the game down, don't challenge anyone who ever played a game (therefore detract from the actual fun gameplay time) and twist the level design into a purpose-built abomination. Danger of having such a flat learning curve that the whole game feels like a never-ending tutorial teaching you something new, every now and then.

I don't understand why all this hate towards a story-integrated form of introduction to gameplay.
Wouldn't it be fun to see young Geralt training at Kaer Morhen?

Yes, it would be fun - or at least interesting. Would it still be fun when playing the game for the fifth time? Besides, arguably that concept is not story-integrated at all as Geralt's training is in the distant past and not related to TW3 at all as far as we know - you could separate it from the main game and put it into a tutorial mode without losing anything. Let us choose when starting the game, if we want to play it or not - recommending to do so when playing for the first time because it reveals some vaguely story related information (aka information about Geralt's past not directly related to TW3's story).

 

[tommy5761]

I think TW1 had it about right as it gave the basics of swordplay , fistfighting ,signs , making and potion consumption and the gifting plus a very basic premise of the story in the short prolog and the tutorial tips could be turned off . If they can achieve this with Witcher 3 then I would be satisfied .

 

[bengeddes]

As I said above: It's not about prompts, it's about a game design philosophy. Introducing a player to the game like this demands very slow, easy, one-dimensional, specifically adapted gameplay throughout the introduction.
Things like "Hey, there's a locked door. And look right beside it is a chest with the key in it. How convenient! That is THE opportunity to learn how to loot chests and use items!", "Oh, look, a single guard just so happens to be standing with the back turned toward you not moving at all, although it doesn't make any sense. What a great opportunity to use your backstab ability!" and "Bummer these crates are in your way and there's absolutely no way around. Luckily you have your Aard sign to smash them to pieces!" are all that you will get until the game decides tutorial is over - if it does at all, as there have been games that feel like one huge tutorial plus end credits.
Compare that to how TW2 started. You had practically all your abilities at your disposal and could explore them by yourself, at your own pace, and the game didn't feel twisted into something that had to fit a "I will teach you how to do this" pattern - at least most of the time; it had those moments but not a whole lot of them.

TL;DR: Integrated tutorials slow the game down, don't challenge anyone who ever played a game (therefore detract from the actual fun gameplay time) and twist the level design into a purpose-built abomination. Danger of having such a flat learning curve that the whole game feels like a never-ending tutorial teaching you something new, every now and then.


Yes, it would be fun - or at least interesting. Would it still be fun when playing the game for the fifth time? Besides, arguably that concept is not story-integrated at all as Geralt's training is in the distant past and not related to TW3 at all as far as we know - you could separate it from the main game and put it into a tutorial mode without losing anything. Let us choose when starting the game, if we want to play it or not - recommending to do so when playing for the first time because it reveals some vaguely story related information (aka information about Geralt's past not directly related to TW3's story).

Yup. Said it better than I could.

I have no problem with a tutorial that's connected to the story such as what was sugggested at the beginning of the thread. However, in that scenario (Geralt's training), the tutorial story is separate from the main campaign of the game, however relevant the characters might be. And that's how it should be. It should be separate and skippable. What I don't want is a tutorial that's integrated with main campaign that slowly adds one ability at a time and manufactures some little scenario where you have to try it out before moving on to the next thing. The beginning of the game should not be require you to go through this every time you play it, or even the first time if you don't need it. One reason I appreciated the prologue of TW2 is that you started with everything all set to go.

If a game wants to integrate training into the actual game story then pop-ups/tooltips that can be disabled or quickly closed are the way to go.