That was just an idea, they could've done something else like setting potions effects on a hold during conversations. But I'm just going out a limb here, they've obviously already made their decision.
I don't see why this kind of ability would be 'lore-breaking'. This could even be the part of the alchemy tree as a skill. In the beginning, it would be like in TW2, you drink the potions then they slowly wear off after a few minutes. Then you could activate them later at a specific time, all at once. Finally you would be able to activate them separa........but now that I think more about it, why the hell don't Geralt just drinks the potion whenever he wants? It would be the most reasonable way to do it. Brew them while meditating, drink them whenever you want. But there has to be some cool and (reasonably) lengthy animation as the potion takes effect to discourage using potions in mid combat (i. e. between two slashes). Something like this would be cool: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZcsNE6wCHI - Look at 1:10.
Of course all this while standing and even when foes might be nearby.
Of course all this while standing and even when foes might be nearby.
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[ it would be a very bad idea were they to design their quests when one of their main considerations would be "is a potion accessible?". ]
Its none of the developers business to worry about Geralt (me) and whether I have potions ready to use or not, its Geralts (my) responsibility!!!!
Just design great quests/battles and allow Geralt (me) to worry about how best to deal with them - enough said.
Its none of the developers business to worry about Geralt (me) and whether I have potions ready to use or not, its Geralts (my) responsibility!!!!
Just design great quests/battles and allow Geralt (me) to worry about how best to deal with them - enough said.
You and me both, then. Although, as much as I'm almost fine with the mechanic's in-game explanation to be kept vague instead of an outright "mutant metabolism, deal with it" solution, I noticed that quite a bit of people seem to be a little upset by both the system and its explanation.
I just hope they can straighten this business out, but as I'm sure they already know, it's impossible to always please everyone. Well, we'll see.
If you cannot drink potions mid-combat ( like in The Witcher 1 ) then no,it is not like the first games system. I have yet to see anything alluding to drinking potions in the middle of combat. I am going to assume the reason being is that you drink potions during Meditation. Hopefully we will have more information along with gameplay in the near future.
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Yeah but what about the nonsense of activating it later...it wasnt precisely described in that article but does that mean that Geralt could for example drink potion and maybe 3 in-game days and 40 min. in real time later activate it....cause that's just let me be polite....silly IMO
Also how many potions you can drink at once and keep them what....in cloud or on your server in stomach lolDoes that mean that you can drink 15 different kinds of potions and just you know use stomach brain to access them at your whim....cause again that would be silly
My hope is if the player decides to consume a potion that there will be some form of balance/negative side effects for prolonging activation of the potion(s) if you choose to do that but wait a very long time to activate maybe toxicity levels increase affecting Geralt's stats etc/ for example.-
There should also be a reasonable limitation of how many different potions you can drink before activating. Otherwise,as it stands from what we do know, I can see this potentially being a cheap tactic and/or lead to unbalanced gameplay ( Unbalanced If potions were to stack and then BLAM! you activate,although I cannot see that being the case here,let us hope not at least ).
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Maybe it could be something simpler, where if you drink the potions early they continue to drain but at a slow rate, but when in combat the drain is at normal speed. So no activating or anything like that, just common sense.
So to use an example, you are tracking a monster using your senses, you form an idea as to the type of monster after consulting with your bestiary, that would be when you drink your potions as you most certainly are on your way to battle to give you maximum lasting power.
A second example would be you are entering an unknown area, a forest maybe, so you drink a standard set of potions in preparation for potential conflict, so it runs down slow until you get to that conflict.
Thirdly, drink no potions, encounter a huge enemy, run the hell away, drink up and go back, but that wouldn't really be Geralt.
It has always been thus: Geralt prepares potions before combat, and drink the potions that he expects to be most useful. He is doing his research after all. Therefore a plethora of potions ought to make a return, and players can decide for themselves. Me? I prefer a mix of Swallow, Thunderbolt, Tawny Owl. And like to experiment, so please increase the many different possibilities devs!
It will be interesting to see what kind of potions will be brought to Witcher 3 considering the changes from Witcher 1 to 2. Either drinking the potion on the go as in Witcher 1, or while meditating as in Witcher 2, and effects directly released into Geralt's system or being on hold until you say when, I still say Quen is the little alchemist's best friend. :lol:
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@NotUS "Thirdly, drink no potions, encounter a huge enemy, run the hell away, drink up and go back, but that wouldn't really be Geralt"
Actually, when fighting a Striga, lifting the spell, not killing the monster, this is exactly the way to go. The running away part I mean.
No, but I understand what you mean, that you kind of wing it, seeing what monster you face before downing a flask. See them, stay back or run away, down a potion or two and run to fight them. Trouble is that we have no idea what kind of world the devs are creating regarding monster roaming. Can we as Geralt backtrack to safety and safely drink potions in peace, or has there suddenly landed a royal wyvern and we're stuck between two(very much inclosing, mind you) monsters. Ouch. Quen! Quen!! :lol:
Regarding the running part and it not being Geralt's way, I can honestly say that I've run like hell whenever I've killed Bloodzuigers, starting a chain-reaction of nasty explosions that completely sap away all of Geralt's health. I've yet to feel ashamed of not standing my ground facing those explosions, as Geralt wouldn't have a face to speak of anymore if I did. Nasty bastards those bloodzuigers. Oh well, to each his own(strategy and gameplay).
Player choice! :victory:
It will be interesting to see what kind of potions will be brought to Witcher 3 considering the changes from Witcher 1 to 2. Either drinking the potion on the go as in Witcher 1, or while meditating as in Witcher 2, and effects directly released into Geralt's system or being on hold until you say when, I still say Quen is the little alchemist's best friend. :lol:
EDIT:
@NotUS "Thirdly, drink no potions, encounter a huge enemy, run the hell away, drink up and go back, but that wouldn't really be Geralt"
Actually, when fighting a Striga, lifting the spell, not killing the monster, this is exactly the way to go. The running away part I mean.
No, but I understand what you mean, that you kind of wing it, seeing what monster you face before downing a flask. See them, stay back or run away, down a potion or two and run to fight them. Trouble is that we have no idea what kind of world the devs are creating regarding monster roaming. Can we as Geralt backtrack to safety and safely drink potions in peace, or has there suddenly landed a royal wyvern and we're stuck between two(very much inclosing, mind you) monsters. Ouch. Quen! Quen!! :lol:
Regarding the running part and it not being Geralt's way, I can honestly say that I've run like hell whenever I've killed Bloodzuigers, starting a chain-reaction of nasty explosions that completely sap away all of Geralt's health. I've yet to feel ashamed of not standing my ground facing those explosions, as Geralt wouldn't have a face to speak of anymore if I did. Nasty bastards those bloodzuigers. Oh well, to each his own(strategy and gameplay).
Player choice! :victory:
I'm fine with the new alchemy system and it definitely deserves a better explanation. I just hope that alchemy isn't going to be useless on normal difficulties like in the previous games since the only potion I ever needed was swallow, playing it on hard and dark mode made it feel a lot more significant but I don't want it to be a side feature for intermediate players only, I want it to be as much part of the gameplay as swords and signs.
I really like the idea that the effects of the potions consumed really kick in when Geralt is in stress, when I think metabolism I think the rate at which consumables are digested, unless Geralt's secretly a cow, this makes no sense to me. The previous alchemy systems didn't conflict with mutagenology (I don't think thats a word) but this one does and it leaves me a bit scared as to what they'll do in other areas (Eg, Geralt names his horse(s) Fluttershy)
I really like the idea that the effects of the potions consumed really kick in when Geralt is in stress, when I think metabolism I think the rate at which consumables are digested, unless Geralt's secretly a cow, this makes no sense to me. The previous alchemy systems didn't conflict with mutagenology (I don't think thats a word) but this one does and it leaves me a bit scared as to what they'll do in other areas (Eg, Geralt names his horse(s) Fluttershy)
Yeah, something really bad happened here. Sorry moderators! Would that I could delete them!
Don't worry about it, the forum's been going crazy for a few hours.
(And I've done some deletions for you
)
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Even if the potion you drank is no longer available, after a short period of time, but you never used it, kinda kills the Witcher feel and it's still time-restrictive as the old system. I simply love the "getting ready before combat that I'm 90% sure it's going to happen in the next minute" v/s the "getting ready for a combat somewhere, in the future, because I like drinking my potions of fat troll tissue anywhere, anytime".
To avoid the loss of seconds of Witcher 2 CDPROJEKT could just stop the timer while the cinematics are playing.
To avoid the loss of seconds of Witcher 2 CDPROJEKT could just stop the timer while the cinematics are playing.
This. A simple solution.
The potions are short-lived because the game clock runs faster than the real world, but that doesn't apply while there's dialogue or cinematics going on. Stopping the timer during those sequences would solve the problem.
Cinematics aren't the whole problem, the problem is preparing before entering an area and being able to use the potions when you need them, allowing level designers to put some extra stuff between the player and the actual big fight they've prepared for, without having to worry about timer constraints. Cutscenes are only part of the issue.
Plus if I just made a rare or expensive potion, I wouldn't wanna use it til i encounter a fight within what i was exploring
And I'd have no idea when or if I encounter an enemy
Increased potion duration will fix that, make it something like 20-30 minutes and it should be fine in most cases.
Well, this is based on the W2, considering the large areas that we can expect in W3 it might have to be a bit longer.
But I do want the potions to be drank beforehand.
As I remember from the books, Geralt takes some time to actually drink the potions and the process of drinking them is not as if he's drinking water.
It takes some time to assimilate them and take effect and he's a bit vulnerable in the process.
Longer duration will also make it viable to have (decent all-purpose) potions active at all times. Which is not what CDPR aims for.
Round and round the discussion goes.
Kinda sounds okay but I'd rather an "insert excuse here" option where you can activate the potions effect when you want
Then all potions should have some kind of drawback or negative effect so that you don't always have them active.
Like after the potion wears off, you can't immediately drink another one, there should be recovery time. This way you'd have to drink the potions when you actually think you'll need them, as you won't be able to meditate in a hostile environment.