wideoprezentacje - some information on TW3
A guy from Polish channel wideoprezentacje visited CDPR and had the opportunity to take a close look on the current state of TW3, plus he was accompanied by a Senior Quest Designer (Paweł Sasko, I suppose) who spoke extensively about the game. Obviously no recordings were allowed, but he managed to take some notes. Nothing really new, but here are the most interesting points:
1. Optimization
- TW2 could be better optimized [not a news]
- the team [the engine team, as I understand it] for the most part switched fro implementing new features in the engine to making optimizations
- one example: in TW2 the engine generated and processed the whole map's worth of water all the time, even if the water was under the land level - which obviously took a hit on overall performance. TW3 will be corrected in that regard.
- for now it's very roughly estimated that the game will run on current higher middle class PCs
2. Combat
- for now most things are still work in progress and subject to change
- the combat is basically TW2 enhanced: tighter, more dynamic, with greater arsenal of moves and features
- for now the same faults as in TW2 are still present, like a group of enemies surrounding the player and not using the advantage
3. Monster hunting
- monster tracking system will allow Geralt to enhance his senses, so that he might hear strange noises somewhere far away [i suppose new sounds will be played when Geralt's in the tracking mode]
- the bestiary will be very important to read, for we can learn what noise a specific monster makes when hunting [so the player's supposed to learn about monsters, not Geralt - which makes sense]
- when we hear the noise, we may try to pinpoint the direction and thus find the creature
4. Misc
- we can expect a very large number of different NPCs, thanks to easy and quick to use tools
- because the tools are easy to use (and very flexible and powerful at that), quest designers are keen on using them wherever they can
- TW2 had a limit (twenty-odd) of how many people could participate in a dialogue at the same time, now there will be no such limit [i presume it will be especially noticeable in cities, with people talking all around you]
- objects will also be able to 'participate' in dialogues, meaning for example that one NPC can give something to another; someone can throw us a coin purse and we'll catch it
(Source video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yM4BFIXY_NE)
What I found more interesting is an interview the guy commenced with Paweł Sasko. I won't translate it, but here are the highlights:
About importing save games: team tries to accommodate various choices players could make in both TW1 and TW2. The console versions are as of yet undecided.
- Paweł Sasko evaded the question about which areas would the map cover, and whether it'll be only Northern Kingdoms, or perhaps even Nilfgaard. There are the three main, confirmed regions (Novigrad, No Man's Land and Skellige), plus there will also be some additional areas that haven't been yet unveiled to the public. (The interviewer advised the viewers to pay close attention to Paweł's huge grin.)
- The overall area is supposed to be around 20% larger than Skyrim's - this will include water, but water is also explorable. There will be boats and 'some other ways' of traversing the waters. Water's also a gameplay element, it's used in quests. And there's not that much water apart from Skellige.
- The devs try to avoid using direct retrospectives of the events from the books (or even earlier games), as they could be confusing to new players. Generally they try to present any such reference in a way accessible to newcomers. Although knowing the books and the earlier games will improve the overall experience.
- Side quests will impact the main story line, some even to a huge degree. The goal is to blur the line between side quests and main quests.
- Geralt will be highly customizable visually, but for now it's not yet being really implemented, as it's relatively simple to do and has been pushed to the end of development. Hair/beard customization will be present in the game. Equipment will also differ visually. Plus it will be extended from what's been in TW2, as Geralt will be able to wear non-witcher clothes and armor. Geralt's apparel will also play a role in certain quests.
- There will be big differences between various armors, and it will impact Geralt's stats as well as his 'gameplay performance'. One armors will be better in combat than others. There is no strict classification between light, medium and heavy armors, though, but all kinds of armors will be present in the game.
- There will be easter eggs. They need to be.
(Source video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIMpGeskreg)
A guy from Polish channel wideoprezentacje visited CDPR and had the opportunity to take a close look on the current state of TW3, plus he was accompanied by a Senior Quest Designer (Paweł Sasko, I suppose) who spoke extensively about the game. Obviously no recordings were allowed, but he managed to take some notes. Nothing really new, but here are the most interesting points:
1. Optimization
- TW2 could be better optimized [not a news]
- the team [the engine team, as I understand it] for the most part switched fro implementing new features in the engine to making optimizations
- one example: in TW2 the engine generated and processed the whole map's worth of water all the time, even if the water was under the land level - which obviously took a hit on overall performance. TW3 will be corrected in that regard.
- for now it's very roughly estimated that the game will run on current higher middle class PCs
2. Combat
- for now most things are still work in progress and subject to change
- the combat is basically TW2 enhanced: tighter, more dynamic, with greater arsenal of moves and features
- for now the same faults as in TW2 are still present, like a group of enemies surrounding the player and not using the advantage
3. Monster hunting
- monster tracking system will allow Geralt to enhance his senses, so that he might hear strange noises somewhere far away [i suppose new sounds will be played when Geralt's in the tracking mode]
- the bestiary will be very important to read, for we can learn what noise a specific monster makes when hunting [so the player's supposed to learn about monsters, not Geralt - which makes sense]
- when we hear the noise, we may try to pinpoint the direction and thus find the creature
4. Misc
- we can expect a very large number of different NPCs, thanks to easy and quick to use tools
- because the tools are easy to use (and very flexible and powerful at that), quest designers are keen on using them wherever they can
- TW2 had a limit (twenty-odd) of how many people could participate in a dialogue at the same time, now there will be no such limit [i presume it will be especially noticeable in cities, with people talking all around you]
- objects will also be able to 'participate' in dialogues, meaning for example that one NPC can give something to another; someone can throw us a coin purse and we'll catch it
(Source video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yM4BFIXY_NE)
What I found more interesting is an interview the guy commenced with Paweł Sasko. I won't translate it, but here are the highlights:
About importing save games: team tries to accommodate various choices players could make in both TW1 and TW2. The console versions are as of yet undecided.
- Paweł Sasko evaded the question about which areas would the map cover, and whether it'll be only Northern Kingdoms, or perhaps even Nilfgaard. There are the three main, confirmed regions (Novigrad, No Man's Land and Skellige), plus there will also be some additional areas that haven't been yet unveiled to the public. (The interviewer advised the viewers to pay close attention to Paweł's huge grin.)
- The overall area is supposed to be around 20% larger than Skyrim's - this will include water, but water is also explorable. There will be boats and 'some other ways' of traversing the waters. Water's also a gameplay element, it's used in quests. And there's not that much water apart from Skellige.
- The devs try to avoid using direct retrospectives of the events from the books (or even earlier games), as they could be confusing to new players. Generally they try to present any such reference in a way accessible to newcomers. Although knowing the books and the earlier games will improve the overall experience.
- Side quests will impact the main story line, some even to a huge degree. The goal is to blur the line between side quests and main quests.
- Geralt will be highly customizable visually, but for now it's not yet being really implemented, as it's relatively simple to do and has been pushed to the end of development. Hair/beard customization will be present in the game. Equipment will also differ visually. Plus it will be extended from what's been in TW2, as Geralt will be able to wear non-witcher clothes and armor. Geralt's apparel will also play a role in certain quests.
- There will be big differences between various armors, and it will impact Geralt's stats as well as his 'gameplay performance'. One armors will be better in combat than others. There is no strict classification between light, medium and heavy armors, though, but all kinds of armors will be present in the game.
- There will be easter eggs. They need to be.
(Source video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIMpGeskreg)
