The Witcher 3 - Visuals

[May17th]

@Shelledfade, it's so nice when you pick one sentance to quote and ignore the rest:

And if someone really feel misled.. well I do not feel sorry for them, because they set themselves up.
Fact is that someone started to look at images from a game development process, and therefore should not be surprised by what I call small adjustments.

But I understand, there is not everyone who understand this unless the developers puts a big sticker "work in progress" on everything they release in the game development process.

I get a little annoyed when people almost alleges that the game developers have been trying to make the game look worse or as if they are blind and did it by accident, when they most likely have worked their butts off these last months to make the best looking fantasty game and they have! But that's just how I feel, just don't say you feel cheated or treated unfairly.

 

[dragonbird]

Another reminder - please don't think it's necessary, or even acceptable, to continue to post the same comments multiple times. I'm sure that the person you're answering read it the first time, and it's just arguing for the point of arguing. We, as moderators, will be more than happy to help people resist the temptation if necessary.

And yes, I know I'm just repeating myself. Sigh.

 

[oOParaOo]

I don't think there's been ANY video with anything approaching a real GI solution. The recent ones use AO and more accurate ways of lighting, but not GI.

AO is not lighting it is shadows. Like in door frames, cracks and the such. (which were removed as well on that castle shot)

 

[dragonbird]

How does something become an accident if it was done intentionally for the sake of platform parity.

This is how debate works:
You say something
Someone replies
You say something DIFFERENT to support your earlier point, or back down, or keep quiet.
Saying the same thing again is not a response.

OK?

 

[dragonbird]

AO is not lighting it is shadows. Like in door frames, cracks and the such.

My post may not have been clear. "The recent ones use AO and (they) use more accurate ways of lighting but not GI.

(which were removed as well on that castle shot)

I'm not sure which castle shot you're talking about, but if it was that Nvidia one, my recommendation would be to ignore it as meaning anything. Nvidia removed it from their press release, I'm fairly sure it was a screw-up and someone in Nvidia just picked up an old image they had lying around.

If it wasn't that one, could you clarify? I haven't noticed anything without AO.

@Shelledfade - as already stated, you are welcome to respond to any points made as long as you're not just repeating yourself. Oh, and using insulting terms doesn't really help either. And if you wish to discuss moderation further please take it to PM.

 

[Wolfmeister1010]

Ah, so the turquoise coloring of the water is SUPPOSED to look exotic. I see. Well, makes me feel better just knowing that it is a choice on purpose by devs.

Still think it doesn't fit in with the environment. I mean, this isn't the bahamas. Would have liked more blue-grey to represent how it is the cold and temperate northern realms


Still the water looks amaze in terms of physics and ripples and stuff.

 

[Shelledfade]

Ah, so the turquoise coloring of the water is SUPPOSED to look exotic. I see. Well, makes me feel better just knowing that it is a choice on purpose by devs.

Still think it doesn't fit in with the environment. I mean, this isn't the bahamas. Would have liked more blue-grey to represent how it is the cold and temperate northern realms


Still the water looks amaze in terms of physics and ripples and stuff.

after thinking about it, that's actually a really good point. I think the colors themselves are a bit extreme on specific things as you point out. We should be able to change stuff like that though with sweetfx and settings on our monitors if we want. But yeah now that you mentioned it the ps4 leaked gameplay I was watching on twitch earlier did give off a very tropical vibe.

I think that's the best way to describe these colors compared to previous stuff we've seen. It seems like a much more Just Cause 2 / far cry 3 / tropical vibe rather than a more mid-western-in-fall vibe that the vgx trailer had. Which makes some sense if its a bunch of islands, I just prefer the other style over this since that's what I'm used to from witcher 1 and 2.

---------- Updated at 03:04 AM ----------

Does anyone know if the visuals like foliage or weather-types in an area change based on what season it is in the game? I know there is a day-night cycle but I don't think I ever heard anything about this. I realize the amount of work for that would be staggering and probably isn't in the game, they probably have snowy-type exclusive areas within the game while other areas probably don't change based on season but figured I'd throw this out there.

 

[dragonbird]

Does anyone know if the visuals like foliage or weather-types in an area change based on what season it is in the game? I know there is a day-night cycle but I don't think I ever heard anything about this. I realize the amount of work for that would be staggering and probably isn't in the game, they probably have snowy-type exclusive areas within the game while other areas probably don't change based on season but figured I'd throw this out there.

I don't think we've heard anything, and I'm not sure if we're expected to be in the game for long enough to know. (Although you presumably COULD stay for long enough). I suspect it doesn't deal with it, it would be huge job. Maybe that is one for the modders, it would definitely be a nice feature.

 

[mecha_fish]

I don't think we've heard anything, and I'm not sure if we're expected to be in the game for long enough to know.

I think the weather changes as a result of the plot:

Spoiler

I have heard something about one of the areas (I think it was Skellige) becoming very snowy as a result of the plot (e.g. that snowed in city in the Sword of Destiny trailer). I'm not sure if I really want to find the source, though, because it's a bit spoilery imo. I'm fairly certain that they had to de-snow Skellige for this sort of contrast to have any affect.

 

[ONLY_ONCE]

I am very excited, I have been playing the hell out of RDR & TW2.. and TW3.. is going to be my dream game.
It looks so much better than both of those titles in every way!
How could anyone really complain about TW3's visuals @ this point?!?
Serious.. both those games were flawed as fuck and my picky ass still loved them anyways.
TW3 seems to have way less flaws and way more detail and that says a lot in and of itself.
:hatsoff: Congrats CDPR, I feel yah!
9 More Days 19 hours!

 

[Slammey]

Hello to you all!!

I just signed up because I had to voice a comment on all this. So this is my first post, please bare with me

First and foremost, I want to thank CDPR for all their great work on this series since the beginning. It's not easy to start little and grow big in this industry or any businesses actually in these money hungry modern times that corporations are so greedy for, day after day. Some less than others thank god.

On that note, I too was kind of disappointed when I started to read comments in the past few months on how visuals were "supposedly" downgraded the more media/trailers came out compared to the ones we've seen last year and so on...

I can see today on why gamer's are being deceived and/or disappointed. Not really because this is a BIG part of this reality whoever creates/develops games for a living in this day and age but because of the 'false" advertisement we see every single day on any products that we consume in our lives.

But I can also understand from their point of view the urge to thrive in these trouble waters infested with money sharks, deadlines, quarterly year expectations and so on. After all, these guys have families to feed, houses, cars and bills to pay and whatnot, like we all do!! To each is own right ?

That being said, I pre-ordered the game in June 2014, almost a year ago because I was amazed at the first glimpses of footage I managed to gaze my eyes upon for the first time. Not just some CG footage but actual "game play" .. And yes!! Oh god was I excited!!..Finally, the best looking RPG out there was going to emerge into reality one day or an other!!!

Yes, consolers were undoubtedly getting their version and share of pleasure in knowing they also would get to play this amazing forthcoming game. We were all and still most of us, looking forward to what we know today as May 19th 2015. The day where we will hibernate for I don't know how long inside our man caves hooked to our PC and surround headphones, enjoying all the glory of the first double click to start it all!!

As for the visuals well, see, it's like the Big Mac's commercials. When have you ever went to Mc Donald's and gotten the all mighty juicy Big Mac exactly like it is shown on TV ?? Humm!?? I surely never did!! lolll!! Not gonna happen guys. Is the Big Mac still good ?? Hell yeah it's frikkin good!! Do I go and complain to the cooks in the back saying why the f* is your hamburger half the size then what it shows right up there buddy!!??...Off course I don't. Did it ever crossed my mind ? Hell yeah!!. But you know..what's the point right ?

Yes CDPR might of reduced some effects and/or textures or whatever you seem to find. But all and all if you have a decent rig or even the chance to own a beast of a machine, well, you will enjoy the game nonetheless.

I will take stability, better frame rates, a steady 60 or above depending on your hardware and with all max settings available in the game over ridiculous stuttering, frame drops or whatever makes you swear when you'r it runs like poop!!

Yes consoles will always limit PC visuals, performances, because that's just the way the world is, that, until consoles become obsolete or on par with PC 's hardware. Companies want to make money and they try to target as much as they can individually wise. I know I'd do the same.

But let's stay positive, the game will still be amazing and judging by some recent trailers out there, one of the most beautiful RPG's out there and for months to come at least, especially for the size of the world it was created into will still awe us in many different ways.

That's the downsides and upsides of technology today, we always want more and better. But remember folks, games are just going to be more and more amazing and great looking the more we move on in life.

So for the youngsters out there, be glad to witness the evolution. VR is coming soon and that will also be truly incredible. Be patient and enjoy it while it lasts. And for the older guys, like me, well, we know because we've seen the days of the commodore 64 or even older.

It's a great era to be in for all of us gamer's!!...Just chillax and cook food, prep the drinks and enjoy the present moment. Have fun, after all, it's just a game. It's not like our lives depend on it now does it!!??...

Meanwhile, stop winning and try to understand all the implications that surrounds this subject. It's not as easy as it looks to please someone. Imagine millions...

Take care and be well!!

 

[frozenkex]

Well at least it will be better than MKX PC version, but I didn't expect I would be comparing Witcher to that.
Skyrim was very consolified and people complained but Skyrim even on launch was very customizable as well as through ini files. Skyrim HD resolution pack did make a difference as well, to textures that it affected, which quadrupled their resolution.
I kinda wish I had waited a little for mods to come out etc.

 

[Netero]

the game looks better before? cool story bro

http://www.worldsfactory.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/geralt_cliff.jpg
http://www.worldsfactory.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/thewitcher3_cliff_1.jpg

That's a spurious comparison. You do realise that those videos were released within a coupe of weeks of one another around the time of PAX East? Nobody is basing their view on a visual downgrade by comparing videos that were released in the last few weeks with one another. This is based on comparing videos and screenshots released in the last few weeks with those released last year and earlier. Just watch the 35 min game-play video or the SOD and VGX trailers and compare those with what we have seen since the beginning of this year. Compared to both of those photos you posted there is a clear difference, both in the art style and the visual quality.

 

[Mohasz]

Honestly, I can understand the lower fidelty compared to the earlier trailers. The game was far from ready back then, they might have believed they can actually make the game look that good. But this recent comparison with the city wall makes me scratch my head. I can only hope it's on lower settings and/or with tessellation off.

 

[caruga]

I've seen the previous videos and images, I do not think the game has gone from better to worse in term of graphics.

Fair enough. Wish I had your eyes. (Well, maybe).

And if someone really feel misled.. well I do not feel sorry for them, because they set themselves up.

Fact is that someone started to look at images from a game development process, and therefore should not be surprised by what I call small adjustments.

But as I said before, I think the game looks as it should! Everything is a process, and it came out right!
You may be disappointed, just don't say you feel cheated or treated unfairly.

That's my opinion.

I'll just link what this guy wrote because it aligns with my own feelings. I think people aren't unreasonable to have been believers in the original graphics. But then I would say that, not wanting to appear foolish and all.

---------- Updated at 02:03 PM ----------

Honestly, I can understand the lower fidelty compared to the earlier trailers. The game was far from ready back then, they might have believed they can actually make the game look that good

I've always maintained that if CDProjekt had actually come out and said something like what you just described, these discussions would be a lot shorter. It would fit right in with the narrative the company has cultivated and fans have perpetuated that CDProjekt are consumer-friendly honest to a fault, and will talk to you like an equal.

Maybe I bought into the 'paragons of the consumer' image that the company has a little too much, because their responses on this whole alleged downgrade issue have been a little... well, what you'd typically expect from a company trying to reflexively protect, or even engineer, its image. PR-ish, if that's a word.

Oh well.

 

[braindancer12]

Honestly, I can understand the lower fidelty compared to the earlier trailers. The game was far from ready back then, they might have believed they can actually make the game look that good.

 

[Gerudon]

Honestly, I can understand the lower fidelty compared to the earlier trailers. The game was far from ready back then, they might have believed they can actually make the game look that good. But this recent comparison with the city wall makes me scratch my head. I can only hope it's on lower settings and/or with tessellation off.

A little bit of "downgrading" is normal during the optimization process. The big problem in the industry by now is, that they publish so much screen shots, trailers and videos and deliberately try to show off the game as the best looking game of all time. And if the downgrades then come, people are up in arms and you can't blame them for that.

 

[harkinsteven]

Hello to you all!!

I just signed up because I had to voice a comment on all this. So this is my first post, please bare with me

First and foremost, I want to thank CDPR for all their great work on this series since the beginning. It's not easy to start little and grow big in this industry or any businesses actually in these money hungry modern times that corporations are so greedy for, day after day. Some less than others thank god.

On that note, I too was kind of disappointed when I started to read comments in the past few months on how visuals were "supposedly" downgraded the more media/trailers came out compared to the ones we've seen last year and so on...

I can see today on why gamer's are being deceived and/or disappointed. Not really because this is a BIG part of this reality whoever creates/develops games for a living in this day and age but because of the 'false" advertisement we see every single day on any products that we consume in our lives.

But I can also understand from their point of view the urge to thrive in these trouble waters infested with money sharks, deadlines, quarterly year expectations and so on. After all, these guys have families to feed, houses, cars and bills to pay and whatnot, like we all do!! To each is own right ?

That being said, I pre-ordered the game in June 2014, almost a year ago because I was amazed at the first glimpses of footage I managed to gaze my eyes upon for the first time. Not just some CG footage but actual "game play" .. And yes!! Oh god was I excited!!..Finally, the best looking RPG out there was going to emerge into reality one day or an other!!!

Yes, consolers were undoubtedly getting their version and share of pleasure in knowing they also would get to play this amazing forthcoming game. We were all and still most of us, looking forward to what we know today as May 19th 2015. The day where we will hibernate for I don't know how long inside our man caves hooked to our PC and surround headphones, enjoying all the glory of the first double click to start it all!!

As for the visuals well, see, it's like the Big Mac's commercials. When have you ever went to Mc Donald's and gotten the all mighty juicy Big Mac exactly like it is shown on TV ?? Humm!?? I surely never did!! lolll!! Not gonna happen guys. Is the Big Mac still good ?? Hell yeah it's frikkin good!! Do I go and complain to the cooks in the back saying why the f* is your hamburger half the size then what it shows right up there buddy!!??...Off course I don't. Did it ever crossed my mind ? Hell yeah!!. But you know..what's the point right ?

Yes CDPR might of reduced some effects and/or textures or whatever you seem to find. But all and all if you have a decent rig or even the chance to own a beast of a machine, well, you will enjoy the game nonetheless.

I will take stability, better frame rates, a steady 60 or above depending on your hardware and with all max settings available in the game over ridiculous stuttering, frame drops or whatever makes you swear when you'r it runs like poop!!

Yes consoles will always limit PC visuals, performances, because that's just the way the world is, that, until consoles become obsolete or on par with PC 's hardware. Companies want to make money and they try to target as much as they can individually wise. I know I'd do the same.

But let's stay positive, the game will still be amazing and judging by some recent trailers out there, one of the most beautiful RPG's out there and for months to come at least, especially for the size of the world it was created into will still awe us in many different ways.

That's the downsides and upsides of technology today, we always want more and better. But remember folks, games are just going to be more and more amazing and great looking the more we move on in life.

So for the youngsters out there, be glad to witness the evolution. VR is coming soon and that will also be truly incredible. Be patient and enjoy it while it lasts. And for the older guys, like me, well, we know because we've seen the days of the commodore 64 or even older.

It's a great era to be in for all of us gamer's!!...Just chillax and cook food, prep the drinks and enjoy the present moment. Have fun, after all, it's just a game. It's not like our lives depend on it now does it!!??...

Meanwhile, stop winning and try to understand all the implications that surrounds this subject. It's not as easy as it looks to please someone. Imagine millions...

Take care and be well!!

Why could they not just leave the graphics the way they were and allow us to set the graphical options ourselves like we've been doing on PC for like 30 years!

 

[dragonbird]

Please be reminded that re-opening discussions from months back that have already attracted a LOT of posts (and two previous threads) does not add to the discussion. Such posts will be treated as having been made just to cause argument. Which is why four posts just got deleted.

 

[huber1989]

To me the most obvious aspect is the draw distance and that is 100% lower than in early trailers. Personally I don't have an issue with downgrades because sometimes it's simply hard to judge at an very early date what you'll be able to deliver. However, I think it's just unacceptable that companys (and it seems CD Projekt now belongs with those) keep denying absolutely obvious changes to the graphical quality. I would be perfectly fine if they'd just be honest about it and told us: "Guys, we that was the quality we believed would be possible. We were wrong and had to make certain comromises."