This is one where I cannot see the merit in not including this. Before the final battle, there's enough time to run around finishing side quests but not enough time for a simple conversation? Besides, you are the one to activate the Sunstone. The Naglefar does not show up on it's own. It is possibly the last time many of them will see each other and there is no way they wouldn't have had more to say to each other.
I should have specified: I don't think there should be long scenes *immediately* before big battles, with everything else as in my previous post. This is definitely arguable but I think right before a big event - be it a battle, a wedding, a theatre premiere, a business meeting or whatever - you have all kinds of crises to deal with, everyone has several jobs, there are checks and double-checks... sometimes you don't even run into the people you most want to talk to until you're all on centre stage. Think of the start of W2: you may be trying to share a moment before the battle but sooner or later someone's going to interrupt - and that was a battle Geralt should really not have even taken part in. What's less arguable is I think the ability of the people involved to choose when to interact: if you knew tomorrow you might die at the appointed battle time of 10am, why wait until 9:45 to say your fond farewells?
On the other hand I would absolutely love more interactions some time before that, e.g. the night before the final confrontation on the boat taking you all to Undvik, or after setting up camp there; I find it likely that Geralt would be spending as much time as possible with the people who matter to him the most at that time. If such a preceding scene existed, the now infamous 'Good luck' would seem ok to me; maybe a little more could be done, like a quick squeeze on the arm and a significant smile, or a moment's hug, but if they spent a lot of time talking before walking into battle I think it would seem odd. It would also disrupt the build-up of tension, I think - unless rudely interrupted.
Incidentally, if I recall correctly that one boat carries Geralt, three former or current lovers, Ciri, Philippa Eilhart, Crach and Cerys. How it ever made the journey in one piece is beyond me
Also, *after* a major event I would certainly like to have some denouement with the people I have chosen.
I was already fuming from having Yen shoved in my face through the whole 'UMA Kaer Morhen sections' with no Triss present and no reactivity allowed towards the Triss. So relief at seeing Triss finally there, excitement at seeing Ciri re-united with people quickly replaced by mounting anger by their cheap lazy decision to force passionate Yen kiss on those who had ended things with her. Barely any reaction from Triss and no follow up sequences based on it made me even for annoyed. Really extra kick in the gut to very poor Kaer Morhen section to that moment.
I agree with that very last point. I don't actually have a big issue with Yennefer's kiss to Geralt in front of everyone, in and of itself. Yes, it's hugely embarrassing for Geralt and of course painful for Triss, but it's also quite plausible in my view and it certainly fits with the running theme that they have a messy relationship. Love doesn't have an off switch, sometimes people get carried away and they forget what's proper, and sometimes that's even a good thing. Let's not forget the kiss during Triss' own quest at the ball! Suspend for a moment the idea that Geralt is madly in love with Triss at the time and sees nothing wrong with it; in Triss' mind, based on the story up to that point, he's still off-limits and she tries to apologise for it afterwards. If there's anything that consistently seems to evoke strong positive emotions in Yennefer it's Ciri, so to me it stands to reason that she would react towards Geralt in the way she does when she sees him bring her back safe and sound. I would also argue that since Yennefer should be aware of Geralt's choice by this point, she will be just as crushed by her own actions a few moments later once she realises what she's done, with all implications, so I wouldn't say this is a case of her stepping out of bounds maliciously, or an instance in which Yennefer 'wins' over Triss in character.
What really is missing here in my opinion, and as you say, is some kind of comment about it afterwards from both Yennefer and Triss, together with a proper scene with Triss during the rest of that segment in Kaer Morhen; in fact, that kiss would be a superb way to get Geralt and Triss and Yennefer to talk about where they all stand, not necessarily all together right away in front of everyone but certainly soon thereafter. If the first trip to Kaer Morhen sees the angry fallout of Geralt's choice, the second trip in which everyone is reunited with Ciri should be the time to heal all wounds. To summarise, the only reason that kiss is really out of place right now seens to me to be that we don't have any resolution, before or afterwards, of Geralt's choice to be with Triss.
It annoys me that the game doesn't remember if I saved Triss or not in the second game. Surely that should have some impact on Geralt's relationship with Triss?
I somewhat agree with this. In Triss' own words: 'I'll never forget this, you hear? Never.' It was a hugely powerful moment for me in W2... but perhaps it should stay there? I'm not entirely sure how to best go about weaving it into the game. Both Geralt and Triss know it happened and carry that knowledge with them, and it surely influences their choices with regards to one another, but narratively it's something that should have been resolved long ago and they can't keep retreading old ground. I can only imagine bringing it up specifically in a place where it would become relevant to events at hand, and the first thing that springs to mind would be during the infiltration at the Witch Hunter headquarters:
G: I'm sorry I was too late to keep you safe in Loch Muinne, but I could never stand by and allow you to suffer the same fate again.
T: That's exactly why I need you with me on this: no matter what happens in there, you're the only one I trust to have my back.
The other place this could be mentioned is if Triss and Geralt were together in Nilfgaard and possibly in danger, or witnessing someone being questioned with extreme prejudice. I'm looking at you, Toussaint.
I dunno. Maybe the Rose dried up because he left? Which isn't going to change so we have to get used to that fact. He left and there wasn't any more love between them to nourish the Rose. Once wilted, maybe nothing could bring it back. That's why I think adding a small side quest to get her a new one would be quite rewarding.
I'm on the fence about this. I think Philippa mentioned in W2 that the rose was dying, either when Geralt handed it over to her or when she used it for her spell, so we know the legend wasn't true in game canon. Getting a fresh one would be romantic, but wouldn't that defeat the point of remembering? A new one, evena whole bouquet would be lovely butt should never replace the original one. I like the way Geralt finds it looking for clues at her home, I just think he's missing an opportunity to return it with sentiment rather than just commenting on it. I was actually hoping for one quick moment between them during some other quest together in Novigrad while things are still awkward between them in which she catches him looking at a box or a pouch containing the rose:
T: What's that?
G: A memory.
T [sad, assuming it's not about her]: So scared of losing them again that you have to keep them in a box? Must be a good one.
G [smiling bitterly, still feeling pushed away]: One of the best.
and then another moment when they're reconciled when he returns it to her, no longer having to wonder whether it would mean anything to her. I know there are some difficulties with getting this to work in game, but keeping it in my headcanon gives me warm fuzzy feelings
So, summarising, more concrete suggestions I would make or agree with (since my previous post):
- two lines acknowledging Geralt's choice in W2 to save Triss personally (possibly more in the expansion)
- return the rose of remembrance after choosing Triss as one true love
- don't remove the sudden kiss from Yennefer (KM2) but add some dialogue later on to resolve matters with both Triss and Yennefer
- add a scene with the main love interest either on the boat to Undvik or on the island itself the night before the battle
- after the war council leading to the final battle, either make Triss stop on the way out for a brief gesture or give Geralt an option to stop her for something more than a curt 'good luck'
http://forums.cdprojektred.com/thre...nce-s-choice?p=1770791&viewfull=1#post1770791
It does make me wonder what level those Toussaint quests will be with the Blood and Wine expansion will be.
"Blood and Wine, a 20-hour tale that will introduce the all-new in-game region of Toussaint, will take Geralt to a land untainted by war, where an atmosphere of carefree indulgence and knightly ritual masks an ancient, bloody secret."
I just hope I can take Triss to Toussaint for some "carefree indulgence"
I like the way you think
As I mentioned it would make sense to me if Triss had been absent from KM1 because she had left on another quest, gladly taking the chance to be away from Yennefer for a while, and it stands to reason that Yennefer would have given her something to do just as she does with everyone else at KM. Tasking a sorceress known for her liberal and skillful use of teleportation spells with something such as travelling to Nilfgaard to - well, pure speculation should follow elsewhere - would make perfect sense to me. I think this would go some way towards redressing the balance of time spent adventuring with Triss; the game progression would then have a more even distribution of questing with Triss and Yennefer.
Unfortunately I can see more reasons why it would make more sense for Yennefer to go to Nilfgaard herself, so this might just be wishful thinking.