So let's have a look at the 35min combat video again for an assessment of the combat/action UI (not inventory):
First: what we've seen:
1) You can only use the active sign with the press of a button in the console version so far. If you want to change the active sign you must open the ring menu and choose another sign.
2) It seems that you must choose your active items in the respective category by choosing it in the ring menu. There is only space for five items in the ring menu. It seems likely that you have to choose the selection you want to use in combat before in the inventory (in the demo: crossbow + two sorts of bombs).
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3) There is some kind of "mini hotbar" already in the alpha version. It appears only in combat in the left bottom corner with three slots. It seems like it's separated into "potions", "bombs/items/crossbow" and a third category which wasn't used in the demo.
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4) It seems like you have to choose the potion in your mini hotbar in the inventory screen so you cannot change your selection during combat. Potions don't appear in the ring menu (which is probably according to lore restrictions).
Second: what does that mean for the PC version imo (or better M/K):
So it seems like key bindings for signs is generally possible (although it's against CDPR's new parity policy). At least that was already done in W2 so it would be a real step back if that won't be possible in W3. The ring menu is restricted to 10 slots, 5 for signs and 5 for items. Possibly all ten slots could be bound to keys on PC when using M/K. But there is also another possibility: the mini hotbar doesn't really makes much sense to me on PC when using M/K, especially the slot for the active item if you can bind items to keys. It reminds me a lot of Assassin's Creed Black Flag. There you could toggle with keys or the mouse scroll whell through two categories, one for secondary weapons and one for gadgets. I guess items could work the same way they worked in AC Black Flag. You toggle through your items and you use the active one with the press on the key for using items. That way your mouse wheel or toggle keys emulate/replace the ring menu selection.
Since CDPR thinks that platform partity means that the UI should be exactly the same on each platform I assume that we won't see any changes in design here. So it's unlikely to get a hotbar instead of the ring menu although it would be almost the same from a functionality perspective with the PC/hotbar version just affording one click (which you need to open the ring menu) less. Why would a hotbar be of more use on PC with M/K? Well, the answer is pure ease of use and convenience. You would see you key binding at all time in combat without the need to open the ring menu or toggle through categories. You would also always see how much munitions/item you'd have left.
So my final assessment/wishes for combat UI:
1) If they really don't want to change anything in the UI for the PC version a combination of (free) key bindings to both signs and items (probably according to the items stored in the ring menu) and of the possibility to toggle through categories "on the fly" in combat (similar to AC Black Flag) with the press of a button or with the mouse wheel would be a solution I could live with. But also only the selection via toggling (without hotkeys) seems possible although I doubt it since that would cause a lot of anger from PC players...
2) If they eventually decide that a hotbar is beneficial for the PC version you could just work with hotkeys for the items in the hotbar (or by clicking on them). The "full free assignable hotbar" (with e.g. 10 slots) would replace the "mini in categories separated hotbar" (with 3 slots) already in place. Toggling through categories would become unnecessary. Same is true for the ring menu made for controller use. A perfect (imo) UI solution for the hotbar would include a button to hide the bar for everyone seeking for full immersion. That way the hotbar key could work in the same way as the ring menu key, but the difference would be that you could let the hotbar visible the whole time in combat while you have to "pause/slow down" the game" to access the ring menu. That breaks the flow of combat while a hotbar (which could be turned on and off) would just enhance the ease of use and the functionality of the game in combat.
As a long year PC user I would really favor the second solution. While I could live with the first (which worked quite well in AC Unity) I think the second would mean an even better ease of use for people using M/K. A free assignable full hotbar would make the game more flexible. You don't like bombs? Cool, fill the hotbar with signs. You don't like signs? Cool, fill the hotbar with bombs. You don't like the looks of an hotbar during combat? Cool, assign your signs and items to hotkeys and make the hotbar invisible until you need it again or until you want to change your assignments.
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Edit:
While where at it. Does somebody else also thinks that the the weather indicators in the upper right corner (left of the minimap) are way too prominent/big? I think a small icon like in Witcher 2 would be enough. I personally don't think that weather and daytime is that important to make it that prominent/big in UI...
Witcher 2:
Witcher 3:
