The Gamer's Quarter

[bleak]

I hope it's okay to crosspost things between here and SB

This was released on the 26th in the UK, slated for a 30th release in the States/elsewhere.

Here's a press release if you feel like it

Why hasn't there been any excitement about this game? This looks like a rather important release. Touting interesting, Diablo-style combat and mixing it with an engaging, Black Isle-esque plot and dialogue engine, I was actually shocked to find out that in a search of these forums, not one match appeared when I searched for 'witcher'. There's heavy emphasis on the game's "real world", as it is portrayed to be fully dynamic, and the choices you make in the game actually have an effect on it. To top that off, there are three distinct different endings that you can obtain through your meddling.

But now that I think about it, I haven't heard one word breathed about this game. Apparently it's been in development since 2005! Shocking, but this game's clearly been painstakingly planned out to the smallest detail, and tested to make sure that these realist ideals are upheld and function in practice.

So the story of the game thus far: You are a gentleman by the name of Geralt hailing from Rivia. Geralt also happens to be a professional monster slayer, and unfortunately but predictably enough finds himself involved in troubles which aren't necessarily his own. From the press release, "The Witcher is set in a unique fantasy universe where real-life issues dominate a troubled society. In this world there is no right or wrong, only decisions and consequences – consequences which must be lived with."

The whole shebang runs on a heavily modded NWN engine, and the graphics actually look pretty fucking good. I'm not a graphics whore by any stretch of the imagination, but this might help the less imaginative players become immersed.

Anyway, here're some screenies.
http://www.thewitcher.com/resources/screenshots/en/2396_800x600.jpg
http://www.thewitcher.com/resources/screenshots/en/2408_800x600.jpg
http://www.thewitcher.com/resources/screenshots/en/2407_800x600.jpg
http://www.thewitcher.com/resources/screenshots/en/2404_800x600.jpg
http://www.thewitcher.com/resources/screenshots/en/2399_800x600.jpg

There are already some patches out for the PC version apparently, and there's talk of a possible console version slated. Nothing definite in that respect unfortunately. So, who's excited about this? Anyone in the UK already grab this?
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[Ethoscapade]

for some reason i'm actually curious about this, even though between orange box and mother 3 a couple of weeks ago i honestly thought i finished any and all gaming for a good while. also i hardly have time for it.

i had a weird weekend, i guess. that probably contributes. i kind of like the idea that the game that'd bring me back into the fold (after two weeks lame lame lame) is some good earnest high fantasy schlock.

i can run it, at least. that's nice.

[Harveyjames]

Let's treat this thread as a social experiment. Which forum is better at talking about games? It's on like Donkey Kong.

[dhex]

well, the witcher seems kinda interesting, sorta. but the movies i've seen leave me a little cold. the promise of choices and consequences is always intriguing, but putting too much stock in the fantasies of devs results in WCIMLGIBMF syndrome (Why Can't I Murder Little Girls In Bioshock, MotherFucker?) which is never pretty.

then again, i felt the same way about hellgate, then played the demo and thought "you know, for 19.95 i would think about it, and for 9.95 it would come home with me." that there is no witcher demo is somewhat disappointing, because it definitely makes these decisions far more concrete. i am much more likely to shell out full or near full price for a game i've played the demo of (and enjoyed obviously) rather than one that relies on an "internet demo" to actually experience.

but on the positive side it looks good and looks interesting, but the whole mouse button combo thing is kinda ehhhhh at face value.

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/27095.html

love the narrator.
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[bleak]

Alright, I haven't viewed any of the gameplay videos up until this point, and that actually looks like it would be a rather engaging battle system, assuming that there are magic spells to be cast and such. As opposed to older games of course, where the gold standard of combat was the stale, "click your opponent and then wait for it to die" MMORPG style combat that I so loathe. Over on SB the claims the game's made about the combat system it's using has had it met with a lot of dismissal, but I think that compared to the older PC RPGs, this one is going to blow them away, and that's just in combat. I may be hyping this game up for myself way too much, but hey, no harm no foul. It's probably gonna be good anyway.
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[ryan]

The last time I was told that there would be an epic RPG that involved consequences was for Two Worlds, and that came out with a thud.

Regarding Hellgate: I'm in the beta and I'm bored out of my fucking mind. I keep hearing it gets better, but I would rather be doing something I enjoy rather than plodding along with my fingers crossed in the hopes that I didn't just waste hours of my life.
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Come to me, Mordel. We shall depart.

[bleak]

So I decided to go around and see what peoples first impressions were. Apparently this game is very well-received! The magic, item, and combat systems all mesh together very well, and the real world moral decision making, impact having actually appears to be very present in the game. People compared this thing's world to Oblivion's, saying that as opposed to feeling like a town has a population of like, 8, you can actually go and interact meaningfully with each NPC that's out there, and not feel like you're just talking to a piece of flavor. The only complaints I've read about the combat thus far is that the animations are pretty god damned bad. But the more I hear about this game the more I want it!
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[Dracko]

An Hour with The Witcher.
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"This is the most fun I've ever had without being drenched in the blood of my enemies!"