The Witcher 3 NEEDs Ragdoll Physix (i.e. Dismemberment and Weapon Impact)

[Lanaya]

The Witcher 3 NEEDs Ragdoll Physix (i.e. Dismemberment and Weapon Impact)

Let me start off by saying that I personally DO NOT LIKE excessive blood and gore in a game, it just makes the game either silly or just disgusting. However what I ask here is not that AT ALL.

When I played the Witcher 2, no matter what weapon I used I felt (and still do feel) like using a stick - different weapon just meant a different looking wooden stick. You hit people with what seems the sharpest weapon in the world, and nothing happens. You don't feel like using a sword, or a mace or anything along those lines. You dont feel the impact of your weapons and signs.

Chivalry: Medieval Warfare was considered a very successful medieval combat game of 2012 and that is mainly due to the fact that they used ragdoll physix right. You used a sword it would cut heads and limbs of near to death enemies, Your actions, and your weapons meant something. It wasnt about a game of numbers, like this sword has 20 damage so its better than my 15 damage sword. It was about precision of hit. Now such degree is NOT POSSIBLE in the witcher because its a Third Person Perspective. However, that does not mean that the rest of the mechanics should be thrown out of the window. The witcher should have the ability to Cut off limbs and decapitate heads in finishers at least, just like in the first Witcher game. Just like this:

Image courtesy of Sirnaq.


and this: http://www.mobygames.com/images/shots/l/617539-chivalry-medieval-warfare-windows-screenshot-more-reds.jpg

See what I mean?

the next point is Sign effects, if you are using the Igni, you should feel like you are using a magical fire power, it should show burn marks, such thing is completely possible in Nvidea physix. There is a MOD released for Skyrim that achieves just that here are some images:

http://static.skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/images/34917-5-1366217370.jpg
http://static.skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/images/14692-1-1334056032.jpg

Link to the mods:
http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/34917/?
http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/14692/?



Fire should burn properly. With red engine you can even simulate cloth burning off the enemies, its difficult but it would be visually stunning, and you would feel as if you are actually doing something with different weapons. Not just hitting them with different variety of sticks.

All I want is impact in the combat, no matter how fluid and smooth it is, at the end of the day if you dont feel a satisfaction from your attacks and your kills, then it does not make all that fluidity worth much anyway.

So, what do you think?

REMEMBER
Such mutilation and dismemberment is advertised in ALL CGI trailers and Concept Art Flash Backs. Here are some examples:

Watch this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30RdrAfoDhs​

and

 

[AserPik]

Perhaps Halo rag doll physics, then we can go flying like crazy when you get poked by a stick...

 

[soldiergeralt]

witcher 2 alreayd had ragdoll physics, just not real time dismemberment.

 

[ironclaw]

I agree, PhysX would definitely be able to handle this sort of thing even on the basic version. As proved by Chivalry.

I'm still pro Havok because I think it would result in a better effect but regardless:

This game should have some form of dismemberment.

I don't think excessive amounts are good but the amount you suggest Mv.c9 is reasonable.

 

[Sirnaq]

Part of the satisfying combat is proper sound. Remember that sound when you penetrate enemy armor in tw1 fcr?

 

[prince_of_nothing]

I agree. I really missed the dismemberment of the first Witcher game. It made combat a lot more satisfying..

 

[rethla]

Flying heads in a realistic setting is not excessive gore?

 

[ironclaw]

Not at all. Excessive would be ripping their heads off, shoving your arm down their neck, pulling their guts out, tying the head to it, then using this new creation as a ball and chain style weapon...

 

[sidspyker]

Agreed, the combat needs to be satisfying. And in that regard I would suggest having more..'crunchy' sounds as well, should sound like we're slashing flesh.

 

[username_3604093]

Part of the satisfying combat is proper sound. Remember that sound when you penetrate enemy armor in tw1 fcr?

Best sound ever!

 

[Lanaya]

Part of the satisfying combat is proper sound. Remember that sound when you penetrate enemy armor in tw1 fcr?

great gif. Mind if I add that to the main thread?

 

[craniumj]

I completely agree with the OP. Dismemberment needs to be implemented in a realistic fashion. Sure it was present in TW2 but throughout my playthroughs(plural), I only dismembered about 3 goons. Also agree with Sirnaq about the sounds.

 

[whiplash27]

Dismemberment will probably be part of using Witcher sense. Cutting off certain body parts to gain a tactical advantage.

Although, it would be nice to also have more brutal finishers (no cut scenes please) when enemies are stunned. I don't think normal kills should do those kinds of things.

I also like the idea of enemies burning with Igni. It would be neat to have specific effects like that for each sign.

 

[SystemShock7]

That word gets tossed around a lot.. "realistic". In cases like sword play, the "reality" of sword fighting isn't the "reality" you see in movies, or video games for that matter. As cool as that Witcher .gif is, it isn't very realistic.
Now, I may not be an expert mutant swordsman, but I did train a couple of years with a broadsword while doing martial arts.

Now, there was some W3 game footage that showed Geralt striking a harpie, where you can see Geralt twist his body and strike with a counter-clock motion off his left shoulder, going low-high. Now THAT is realistic.

 

[deep-kind]

I think we should replace the word "realism" with "feel"

The important thing is not to replicate reality, but to give the player a sense of "right in the action"
I agree with SystemShock that the way Geralt moved was really good in the trailer, but fighting harpies with a silver sword is not realistic at all if you think about it.

Using animation, sound, and perspective, all these things together give the player the visceral feel that is needed to really hammer home the message "this combat is fukken awesome"

So we got cool looking movements down as shown in the trailer, all we need is proper "crunchy" sound, and the visceral "brutal feel" of combat, where dismemberment plays a big role

 

[rethla]

I think we should replace the word "realism" with "feel"

The important thing is not to replicate reality, but to give the player a sense of "right in the action"
I agree with SystemShock that the way Geralt moved was really good in the trailer, but fighting harpies with a silver sword is not realistic at all if you think about it.

Using animation, sound, and perspective, all these things together give the player the visceral feel that is needed to really hammer home the message "this combat is fukken awesome"

So we got cool looking movements down as shown in the trailer, all we need is proper "crunchy" sound, and the visceral "brutal feel" of combat, where dismemberment plays a big role

The realistic feeling in the Witcher is its trademark vs other RPGs. Some crazy manga Dragon age 2 fighting or Fallout dismemberment gore would not suit the game at all.

 

[Geralt_of_bsas]

I totally agree.

And by the way, one article about TW3 said that what was most incredible from the game were the graphics of the demo in actual motion, and that for example using igni literally burned some leaves that were flying with the wind and they turned to ashes in mid air.

 

[Lanaya]

I totally agree.

And by the way, one article about TW3 said that what was most incredible from the game were the graphics of the demo in actual motion, and that for example using igni literally burned some leaves that were flying with the wind and they turned to ashes in mid air.

Cool to hear, did it say that it will burn the fur as well? seeing how they are usingthe fur physix it only makes sense if it burns the cloth off their bodies. like burned capes and armor cloths.

 

[Marsep]

Combat already looks cool.
These are the kind of animations that The Witcher 3 needs:

 

[Geralt_of_bsas]

Cool to hear, did it say that it will burn the fur as well? seeing how they are usingthe fur physix it only makes sense if it burns the cloth off their bodies. like burned capes and armor cloths.

mmm no not really, but here you can read it:

http://www.psu.com/a019928/The-Witcher-3-E3-preview--Geralts-final-journey-is-my-Game-of-Show

the part i was talking about is right before the end.

Also considering Battlefield 4 will have trees that shake with explosions id expect trees to shake with Aard or other stuff than just wind in TW3, since CDPRED are pretty obsessed with detail, at least visually.