Will Geralt be heavily limited to terrain?

[The_Surgeon]

Will Geralt be heavily limited to terrain?

In the previous Witcher games, Geralt was heavily limited by what paths he could travel on. In the forest of the second game, he was incapable of stepping over a couple roots or walk in between trees and was forced to move through some tight paths that were made available. This was not as much of a problem in the first game but the limitations were still a bit annoying. I understand that these are necessary so the player did not leave the area or so the game did not end up like Skyrim(player able to stupidly hop up mountains) but it was a bit too severe and did not allow for the player to use the environment to his advantage much.

Since the next game is open world, I am hoping that the next game will allow for some freedom in that regard. Specifically when traveling between towns/countries the player should not have to take main roads:

"'And why were you there? Why weren't you taking the main road?'
'It is hard for me to make a living on main roads, Caldemeyn.'"
- Sapkowski, The Lesser Evil,The Last Wish

As you can see from Geralts response to Caldemeyn of Blaviken, a witcher doesn't limit him self to main roads. Also in the short story, A Grain of Truth, Geralt sees crows circling an area so he goes off the main road to inspect.

So Geralt should not be limited in this manner, but will he be?

 

[HeelPower]

Hopefully not.

I think this time geralt should be able to move up slopes and obstacles , cross water , jump over fences (but not city walls obviously)

all it his own risk.

 

[adridu59]

the next game is open world

You called it.

 

[ReptilePZ]

"Will Geralt be heavily limited by terrain? "

Doesn't look like it.

 

[Tutux]

I don't think it would be like that, because I thought tracking monsters needs that kind of "following them" and ofc monsters can't be found around main roads!- at least, that's what I know~

 

[Kallelinski]

Well, Geralt will be able to swim, climb, jump and ride, so there's that. You could say he got some new moves.

The trailers already showed that Geralt can walk through the countryside, so i don't see any reason for a limitation here. They limited the areas in Witcher 2, because the engine couldn't do it any better. So it was rather limited by the software and not by the gameplay.

About avoiding the roads, they are the shortest connection to the next city, town or village to find a new employer. Without an employer there is no need to kill monsters, because he doesn't get paid for that as seen in that story.

He avoids the main roads, because there are no monsters around anymore, so why should he follow those to cities, where nobody needs a witcher anyway?
He needs to head to places where monsters could potentially attack humans, so smaller cities and villages then.

Also roads are better for your footwear and lowers the risk of an injury for your horse.

 

[EmperorZorn]

CDPR solved the issue with the open sea brilliantly.

Your boat needs wind, so if you drive too far off they can always change the wind direction to blow you "back on track".
The water is too cold to swim in for long (as they stated) so just like in Skyrim you will most likely drown if your stamina is depleted, preventing you from going where a boat can't go or too far without one.

If they handle other natural borders in such skillful ways I have no problem with those limitations.

 

[ReptilePZ]

so just like in Skyrim you will most likely drown if your stamina is depleted, preventing you from going where a boat can't go or too far without one.

Uhh...?

 

[EmperorZorn]

Uhh...?

Oops. I meant if you stay too long under water and your oxygen gauge runs out.
It'll probably be like that when you swim in the icy, deep water - a stamina gauge will appear and when it's empty you die.

So you'll need a boat to travel through that water, but the boat can be limited by the wind.
The developers can easily let the wind turn when you ride it too far off the map, blowing you "back on track".

There you go.

In my opinion it works far better than the typical "invisible wall" though, since it doesn't break the illusion of total freedom.

 

[ReptilePZ]

I think the idea originally was to use the Quick Travel system to teleport you back if you got too close to the edge of the map with a boat. Quick travel has been changed since then, though, so adding in wind is a possibility. Big waves that sink your vessel because you're in the middle of the fucking sea might also be a valid option. Or maybe the Wild Hunt's ship goes turbo mode AC4 style and rams your boat out of nowhere. So many good ideas.

 

[EmperorZorn]

I think the idea originally was to use the Quick Travel system to teleport you back if you got too close to the edge of the map with a boat. Quick travel has been changed since then, though, so adding in wind is a possibility. Big waves that sink your vessel because you're in the middle of the fucking sea might also be a valid option. Or maybe the Wild Hunt's ship goes turbo mode AC4 style and rams your boat out of nowhere. So many good ideas.

I don't know if you've played this game, but Gothic 2 also had a fun way to limit sea travel without the use of invisible walls.
If you swam too far out in that game, a sea serpent simply appeared and ate you.

Imagine Geralt in his little boat and a giant Kayran surfacing in front of him...

 

[ReptilePZ]

"Yrden, trap it with Yrden"

 

[EmperorZorn]

"Yrden, trap it with Yrden"

The moment a quicktime icon flashes, I'll voluntarily jump into it's maw and never use the boat again.

 

[The_Surgeon]

Anyone remember that one cursed part of the sea near Skellig Islands from the books? Where a storm would suck your ship up and teleport you to the coast where Vilgefortz's castle Styga was. Since the islands are gonna be in the game it would be pretty sweet if you sailed your ship to the edge of the map there and a hurricane just murders you and the game gives no explanation.
Like some sort of easter egg for those who read the books

 

[ReptilePZ]

But... it wouldn't make much sense since Vilgefortz isn't there to make the storm happen.

 

[Bellator Pius Gratus]

I don't know if you've played this game, but Gothic 2 also had a fun way to limit sea travel without the use of invisible walls.
If you swam too far out in that game, a sea serpent simply appeared and ate you.

Imagine Geralt in his little boat and a giant Kayran surfacing in front of him...

Really? I am ashamed to say that I don't remember that happening in Gothic 2. Remember it from Risen though, but then again its the same devs.
There was actually an achievement involved it happening in Risen.

So what would the Kayran do to Geralt in Witcher 3? 'Nicely' toss Geralt back ashore as the monster does in Risen 1?

"Nice Kayran, niiiice. Don't, no don't, DON'T wreck my boat and sink.....ah, plough it all. Stop laughing Dandelion and start to scoop the water out!"

Loved Gothic and Risen games! They knew how to limit player movement without the player feeling boxed in.

OP, you'll probably get you main roads but also the off the beaten path roads leading to backwaters. Screenshots from the game imply this.

I wonder though what and where the edges of the map will be drawn, and what prevents us from crossing over.

Probably Nilfgaard troops will stop us in the south, don't you think?

 

[Damariel]

Heh Gothic... game series of my teen years.

I think there will be some sensible obstacles in W3.

 

[goopit]

, but Gothic 2 also had a fun way to limit sea travel without the use of invisible walls.
If you swam too far out in that game, a sea serpent simply appeared and ate you.

how will they do that in land I wonder..

maybe a cutscene where Nilfgaardians will say you're not allowed to cross

 

[The_Surgeon]

I would think they would incorperate some sort of natural border and one path to go east where someone will stop you

 

[Jack Bauer 24]

How are the borders handled in Skyrim?