Red point for that 40K reference! 
Apart from being too short, the intro needs a voice. Either Geralt's, Vesemir's or Dandelion's, narrating the story so far, or at least what's happening there. Since the devs said that it could be played as a stand alone game by players new to the Witcher universe, I'm inclined to believe that this is not the whole thing, it feels a bit out of place for someone who hasn't seen the story so far. Good job nonetheless. As others have said, the character placement between past and present is clever, Yen looks strong and vulnerable at the same time, and much better than what previous glimpses showed us. All in all, good job, just a couple of things to take care of and it will be perfect.
Apart from being too short, the intro needs a voice. Either Geralt's, Vesemir's or Dandelion's, narrating the story so far, or at least what's happening there. Since the devs said that it could be played as a stand alone game by players new to the Witcher universe, I'm inclined to believe that this is not the whole thing, it feels a bit out of place for someone who hasn't seen the story so far. Good job nonetheless. As others have said, the character placement between past and present is clever, Yen looks strong and vulnerable at the same time, and much better than what previous glimpses showed us. All in all, good job, just a couple of things to take care of and it will be perfect.
This is the CGI intro like what you have in Witcher 1 with the striga or in Witcher 2 with Letho killing the Aedernean King on the boat that didn't have any dialogues either. This will be displayed before the menu appears like the last 2 games I take it. The actual story stuff will be once you start the game.Red point for that 40K reference!
Apart from being too short, the intro needs a voice. Either Geralt's, Vesemir's or Dandelion's, narrating the story so far, or at least what's happening there. Since the devs said that it could be played as a stand alone game by players new to the Witcher universe, I'm inclined to believe that this is not the whole thing, it feels a bit out of place for someone who hasn't seen the story so far. Good job nonetheless. As others have said, the character placement between past and present is clever, Yen looks strong and vulnerable at the same time, and much better than what previous glimpses showed us. All in all, good job, just a couple of things to take care of and it will be perfect.
Sure thing, but with the W2 intro, even a player with no Witcher experience could get that that big bald and fast mountain of muscle was a bad guy, or at least someone not entirely on your side. W1 intro had a simple narration, explaining a simple story that told us what witchers were. Truth be told, I was hoping that Vesemir's "Once we were many, now we are few" thing was part of the intro
Don't misunderstand me, I liked it very much, I just think that some voice narration there, would fill up what feels like an empty space.
this is exactly why i kinda felt let down first , nethertheless its perfectly fitting & awesome intro ...
though I have to say im kinda confused about it ... really expected ciri to be in here ... now my presumption of how the story goes is mixed up ... but I guess thats a good thing
I love this trailer/intro/whatever..
Yen is awesome, that spell was great. I haven't read all 25 pages, but I just saw something about negative responses - I would be happy if someone told me what is wrong with it. Just for curiosity, I don't want to argue with anyone.
// ok ... after refresh, absence of Ciri is out of game
I also found bits from my favourite tv series Game of thrones (Gregor Clegane probably knows
Yen is awesome, that spell was great. I haven't read all 25 pages, but I just saw something about negative responses - I would be happy if someone told me what is wrong with it. Just for curiosity, I don't want to argue with anyone.
// ok ... after refresh, absence of Ciri is out of game
I also found bits from my favourite tv series Game of thrones (Gregor Clegane probably knows
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Story-wise in the trailer, I thought the bag belonged to Yen? since it has the sense of it being to a "woman" and has keys, a torn book..maybe for spells or notes, letters etc. So, I thought it would have been hers, and Geralt later on found it, which he left behind "obviously in the trailer" but might in the story find clues in it. This would let us know how the game, or the "trail" kind of works..somehow a possible meeting then being apart for reasons leaving behind traces! Idk I thought of the Witcher-senses when I saw that? Are we going even to discover main clues like this in the wilderness by tracking or activating the senses? or maybe it would serve as a real lore-extra for the people who tried and really loved to explore. It would be nice if it was done randomly, because in the middle of doing some shit for other people you find something that belongs to a dear person of yours. It kind of keeps you going! :3
I think the part in bold is the most pertinent point to be made about this whole thing. We must recognise that not everybody who plays the game will have prior knowledge from the books, games, or even the various videos leading up to release. Over the lifetime of the game it must be expected, and therefore planned for, that "total newbie Witchers" will install and play this game, so we should think about how the intro as it has been shown so far will work for them. Its my considered opinion that It won't.
Witcher 1 did have narration for its intro, an opener & a closer voiced by Vesemir, the opening narration provided essential context to the events of the video, the closer in fact is more suitable to this game than it was to that game, it even hints as much itself. So a narration-free intro like TW2 is not a standard that must be followed, and even if it was I believe the central point still stands, The Trail desperately needs context to stand on its own.
I've tried to view the Killing Monsters & The Trail together imagining them slightly differently from they are at the minute as one piece instead. In KM we have Vesemir talking to Geralt, we have Geralt narrating to us, in TT we have no voice at all, just sounds of battle. We also know from info not in TT but provided to websites that Geralt is essentially travelling to a meeting arranged by letter. This piece of info surely must be part of the games info and not present in what we have seen for an unknown reason. The only reason that makes any real sense is that TT is not the full opening sequence.
If the theory that KM & TT together equals the opener is true - and it would certainly make sense particularly for the new Witchers referred to earlier - then the Year & Place on a black screen inserted into "Cleganes scene" is as inappropriate as it looks, since KM simply shows "No Mans Land" in writing bottom left at the beginning. Yet as I watch these two videos I feel even spliced together they're not enough. Heres what I think the opener has always been planned to be:
Begins with KM, pretty much as we see it, conversation between the 2 Witchers & some of Geralts interior voice that we love so much, followed by more of Geralt & Vesemir travelling & talking about The Letter & Geralts memory quest and why they are there, maybe even Vesemir reprising something of his TW1 closing narration portending the larger part of the game "The Time of Disdain", leading to The Trail which will have an entirely different soundtrack to what we have seen, either Geralt or Vesemir, or even Yen takes over talking here (perhaps the text of the letter describing her own state of mind?).
Would that work? Geralt narrating some, then Vesemir, then Yen? I can't think of such being done before, it would mirror (and we are seeing quite a lot of mirroring) the number 3 which is increasingly significant in this game. Vesemir taking the chance to note how the surrounding events resemble Ithlinnes Prophecy might allow for a brief glimpse of the Hunt or Ciri (although personally I don't think this is necessary - I believe its quite obvious now we begin on the trail of Yen in NML, then the next stage of the game will be looking for Ciri in Skellige, after meeting with Emhyr, and I suspect introducing one new beloved of Geralt at a time is enough).
edit: and I submit for evidence to support this theory the fact that Vesemir appears to be the next reveal, perhaps the middle part of the intro is coming next.
Plus I can't make it out who drops the bag in TT. Can anyone?
BTW: that Ambition video is simply superb !
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I don't get your point Wichat, I hope your just being funny
Considering this thread has had less activity over the same period of time than 4 screenshots & an anonymous post on another website made, having concerns about the state of the games introductory cinematic is more than valid for posting here, without being hinted to fuck off.
I know you don't recognise constructive criticism when you see it, but please try to be constructive yourself.
Considering this thread has had less activity over the same period of time than 4 screenshots & an anonymous post on another website made, having concerns about the state of the games introductory cinematic is more than valid for posting here, without being hinted to fuck off.
I know you don't recognise constructive criticism when you see it, but please try to be constructive yourself.
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I don't get your point Wichat, I hope your just being funny
Considering this thread has had less activity over the same period of time than 4 screenshots & an anonymous post on another website made, having concerns about the state of the games introductory cinematic is more than valid for posting here, without being hinted to fuck off.
I know you don't recognise constructive criticism when you see it, but please try to be constructive yourself.
I'm kidding as always I do-. I love the cinematic intro, I understand some criticism.... but If the Yen's bird could talk to the soldier instead piercing his head?
Oh, yes, I see... It's not a cat. Sorry.
I've read every comment in this thread, and no one hates it, lots of people have pointed out were they believe it fails, as I have done, so suggesting what you did doesn't seem remotely appropriate to me, even as a joke, unless you've completely misunderstood some peoples posts, viewing them as entirely negative.
To be fair it will feel like ages.
The time from the start of 2014 till now went by pretty fast, but it will be the last few months that will feel the longest.
I was surprised that I didn't like the cinematic at all. I usually like all that you do. But this one was a little disappointing in quality.