The Witcher 3 Alchemy System

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The Witcher 3 Alchemy System

  • Yes

    Votes: 250 24.3%
  • No

    Votes: 270 26.2%
  • I need to see it in action to be sure

    Votes: 294 28.6%
  • I prefer the system of TW1

    Votes: 363 35.3%
  • I prefer the system of TW2

    Votes: 104 10.1%

  • Total voters
    1,029
Has the The Witcher 3 alchemy/crafting screen been shown? I'm really curious how it will looks like.

Not yet. I'm curious too as we'll be spending a lot of time in that screen. No mention if secondary effects are still in either. I'm hoping they have more formulas than TW2.
 
Then your problem is not the herbs but the UI. Auto-Refill will definitely help there but for the cost of a good system that is thrown out the window.
Yeah, if that is called UI, then that I did not care for it at all in TW2. I think the crafting system potions/herbs in the meditation part had a real bad navigation system. This new grid system they talk about sounds way better;)
 
Yeah, if that is called UI, then that I did not care for it at all in TW2. I think the crafting system potions/herbs in the meditation part had a real bad navigation system. This new grid system they talk about sounds way better;)

Actually the new grid system is only said to be planned for the inventory. So if that was your problem, then it is already solves, as for the "hands" and the orange glow of the herbs, as far as I know the loot symbol (at least in the alpha version) is less intrusive this time and I am sure the herbs and enemies you can loot will only "glow" in Witcher sense, so I think that is solved too.

If those were your only concerns then I do actually not get why you are for auto-refilling and against the full-manual system. Yeah, sure, less herbs to collect is something that should be done, but in one of the "versions" stated they do let you collect a lot of herbs for the first time and then reduce the amount for every time after that unless you want to upgrade. Which is IMO a perfect compromise. That way you need ingredients, but not as much so it is not tedious for people.
Also with potions having 3 uses it is also made easier and it takes longer before you have to refill. Also, we do not need auto-refill. If I want to refill a potion I just meditate and refill it myself. If auto-refill is in it means every potion I made 1 time will refill which is bulls**t considering I might not want to use/refill some of the potions because I do not like them as much as other potions. IF - IF refilling means that you - in case you have used 2/3 uses for a potion and got 1 left - can "thin" the potion out in order to "refill" the 3 uses and then use the potion 3 times again (but with less effectivity (+5% of X instead of + 10% of X for example)), THAT would be okay with me, as long as it does not auto-refill but let me "refill" it myself and give me the choice to either refill or just collect ingredients and create a potion with full effect again.

I think the upgrade system would be for the exploration, the long time motivation, and give the potions more of a sense and use over time even if you already grew stronger (especially if we can use all versions of the potions - the weak ones and the strong ones - whenever we want), while the ingredient collecting for single potions is made easier by reducing the needed material and giving you 3 "charges" for the potion, which is great in order to not make the potion-brewing and collecting TOO tedious and frequent. It's the perfect way to go IMO.

The question, however, is if this is the version CDPR have at the moment, because as of now we have 3 versions flying around and no one is 100% sure which one they are working on and implementing at the moment....
 
Actually the new grid system is only said to be planned for the inventory. So if that was your problem, then it is already solves, as for the "hands" and the orange glow of the herbs, as far as I know the loot symbol (at least in the alpha version) is less intrusive this time and I am sure the herbs and enemies you can loot will only "glow" in Witcher sense, so I think that is solved too.

If those were your only concerns then I do actually not get why you are for auto-refilling and against the full-manual system. Yeah, sure, less herbs to collect is something that should be done, but in one of the "versions" stated they do let you collect a lot of herbs for the first time and then reduce the amount for every time after that unless you want to upgrade. Which is IMO a perfect compromise. That way you need ingredients, but not as much so it is not tedious for people.
Also with potions having 3 uses it is also made easier and it takes longer before you have to refill. Also, we do not need auto-refill. If I want to refill a potion I just meditate and refill it myself. If auto-refill is in it means every potion I made 1 time will refill which is bulls**t considering I might not want to use/refill some of the potions because I do not like them as much as other potions. IF - IF refilling means that you - in case you have used 2/3 uses for a potion and got 1 left - can "thin" the potion out in order to "refill" the 3 uses and then use the potion 3 times again (but with less effectivity (+5% of X instead of + 10% of X for example)), THAT would be okay with me, as long as it does not auto-refill but let me "refill" it myself and give me the choice to either refill or just collect ingredients and create a potion with full effect again.

I think the upgrade system would be for the exploration, the long time motivation, and give the potions more of a sense and use over time even if you already grew stronger (especially if we can use all versions of the potions - the weak ones and the strong ones - whenever we want), while the ingredient collecting for single potions is made easier by reducing the needed material and giving you 3 "charges" for the potion, which is great in order to not make the potion-brewing and collecting TOO tedious and frequent. It's the perfect way to go IMO.

The question, however, is if this is the version CDPR have at the moment, because as of now we have 3 versions flying around and no one is 100% sure which one they are working on and implementing at the moment....
Well as you already know, I am down for trying out the new system. I am willing to give it a chance before I judge it. My gut feeling tells me, that devs will give us the option to turn on/off auto refill. Maybe it is for easy mode, or maybe it just works best this way since the new game will play nothing like TW1&TW2;)
 
Well as you already know, I am down for trying out the new system. I am willing to give it a chance before I judge it. My gut feeling tells me, that devs will give us the option to turn on/off auto refill. Maybe it is for easy mode, or maybe it just works best this way since the new game will play nothing like TW1&TW2;)

And it's your right to trust your gut.

All I am doing here is making sure:

1. CDPR is aware of our worries and considers them
2. That we finally know which system they are taking now
 
Potion Question

Is the Witcher 3 going to allow us to drink potions during combat like in The Witcher 1 or is it going to only be able to be done at a fireplace like in the Witcher 2 ? I really hated how it couldn't be done during combat in the second game.
 
Last I heard, both. Drinking before a fight will be the best option because the game rewards people preparing for a fight properly and not people who rush into combat thoughtlessly but you can drink in the middle as well though that will not be as effective is what I remember.

I don't know if that has changed.
 
indeed! Like Sidspyker said, I remember reading that there would be some potions that would only be able to drink out of combat aswell, and the others you could drink them whenever you whant =D. But really whenever?? Why, YES! If Geralt is underwater swiming and looking for underwater chests, he can drink a potion! He will probably drink more salty water then delicious magick buffing fluid, but still... he is a grown witcher and can hold his drinks! (The second part might possibly not be true and has been invented by a really handsome person :sorcerer: )
 
Mutagen potions grant semi-permanent buffs (they don't have a time limit but you can swap them out when meditating) and can only be taken during meditation (up to 4). The second type of potions you can take almost whenever you want but you only have 2 types of these potions "ready to use/equipped" at once (you equip them during meditation) and each has a limited number of uses so the pre-battle planning phase is still there: you'll have to investigate and then based on that equip appropriate mutagens, potions and bombs.

It's basically a hybrid system between TW1 and TW2. TBH I'm quite happy with it.
 
They don't have a duration stat as far as I could tell and I think they said that they are permanent until you swap them out in an interview (seen/read way to many of those to give you a link).
 
indeed! Like Sidspyker said, I remember reading that there would be some potions that would only be able to drink out of combat aswell, and the others you could drink them whenever you whant =D. But really whenever?? Why, YES! If Geralt is underwater swiming and looking for underwater chests, he can drink a potion! He will probably drink more salty water then delicious magick buffing fluid, but still... he is a grown witcher and can hold his drinks! (The second part might possibly not be true and has been invented by a really handsome person :sorcerer: )

Fair point but all I really care about is if I can drink Swallow during a boss fight.
 
I think so! Makes sense that some of the potions that you can drink during combat would be Swallow and white raffard decoction, but again, we can't know until the game is out or one of the devs come out of the heavens and tell us. (maybe they already told us, and one of these fine gentlement/ ladys will tell us!) (That is what I get for not paying attention =x)
 
Seriously, still no update on which Alchemy system we'll get...?
I wasn't on those forums for like...forever (at least a few weeks) and still no new word on the Alchemy system?
 
I think the Alchemy system should be TW1 style with a new twist.
The system imo was the best ive seen in any game.
you had materials for common pots like swallow, but still had to find the base alcohol. In turn you had strong bases of alcohol for potions that you wanted to use for mutagens and other special potions.

So my think is keep the base TW1 system but add metabolism.

example: Take a potion a swallow, Onset effect 40% of vit regen, from time taken to 5 mins ....
Full effect 100% vit regen from 5 mins after consumption to 10 mins
Off Set 30% of vit regen, from 10 mins to 15.

IF metabolism is to be in game it takes time to get into the system and then time to take full affect then after effects
this makes most sense to me then a potion just instantly stopping, even more so since these potions are toxic
/2 cents
 
Honestly, I couldn't care less about which system the devs are going with, be it the one from TW1, TW2 or a completely new one but this auto-refilling business is utter bollocks and has no place in a mature RPG as far as I'm concerned.
Last time I checked TW3 is supposed to be played by adults and not preschoolers that have to be pampered constantly.
 

Jupiter_on_Mars

Guest
@Marcin Momot ,

I find it disheartening there's still no definitive answer on auto-refilling potions. You guys were asked about it, you guys answered, you guys worded the answer in such an ambiguous way no one can say for sure.

I understand you may want to postpone the unequivocal clarification to a point of no return but, honestly, we're past that. 5 months ahead of release there's no time to revert REDs' decision, whichever it might me. So though forum feedback on the matter is now likely pointless, I think a straightforward to-the-point answer would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!
 
(Ignore post, just read the one below)

My take on this is that:
  • Auto refill potions would only apply to level 1 potions. These potions wouldn't be very good in boss fights.
  • To use higher level potions, you would need to keep on top of the resources needed to upgrade.
  • They would be created as items in their own right and need it's own slot.
  • You would need to guess if the enemy requires a level 1 or higher potion
  • If you use a higher level potion and the enemy is weak; you have wasted that potion and can't change to a level 1 potion in a fight.
  • These would expire on use and require you to scavenge to make more.


For example:
You have level 1 potions.
But only have enough resources to make:
2 level 3 potions
4 level 2 potions
 
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Something remotely similar (and better) to this was semi-officially confirmed to already be in place (and hopefully still is):

About the potion system - in a recent interview Konrad told us that the potions would auto-refill. Is this still the case?

Automatically filling? No, no. Those are definitely consumable items, and you brew them you drink them and they are very very important in terms of preparation before the fight.

(A bit more of a clarification here since I talked to another dev off camera. The potions/bomb system works like this: You get the recipe and it will cost a big amount of materials to craft, and you’ll get something like 3 charges of the swallow potion for example. When you run out, you will need materials to craft the potions again, but they will require only a fraction of the materials needed compared to when you first craft the bomb/potion.)

How is ingredient gathering for potions? Is it similar to how it was handled in previous games?


It’s very similar.
 
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