Witcher 1
Images are sometimes not shown due to bandwidth/network limitations. Refreshing the page usually helps.
You are currently reading a thread in /v/ - Video Games
You are currently reading a thread in /v/ - Video Games
So I've had pic related on my library for a while, picked it up for a couple bucks, and never got around to it. Decided to try it tonight, and I'm wondering what I'm in for, and if there's anything to keep in mind, or pointers? What am I in for?
>>322461546
You're in for one of the last good, true CRPGs.
As in: not a consolized, linear action-RPG, but a proper WRPG where you do a lot of other things than just kill shit. Plenty of things to do, in numerous different ways, and several endings too.
Quite a bit like the STALKER series, this game also offers that bleak yet beautiful eastern European atmosphere. Ironically, just like STALKER, nowadays the rookies tend to get discouraged by the very beginning of TW1 as well; either they can't grasp the (very simple and olschool) gameplay and get their asses kicked, or they get bored (!) because of relatively open design and lack of forced pointers.
If you enjoy just living and exploring the land, this game is top comfy for that. I didn't know anything about the game originally, but ended up playing it FOUR times in a row within 3 months back in 2012, every time finding and doing something new and unlocking a different ending.
Sadly the fanbase's very divided nowadays, since the sequels were multiplat titles and very much streamlined / consolized. Because of this, there's a lot of people who've either never played TW1, or can't stand it.
Outdated garbage desu senpai
You won't finish it
>>322461874
just couple more tips:
-level up
-get better gear
-use and learn more Signs
-utilize Alchemy, a lot! The potions help.
-Like said: first two chapters are almost "tutorials". Stick thru' them, no matter what!
>>322461874
Wow what a nice 'do i fit in yet' post. Well done.
>>322461546
Even after W3 came out, this one was still the best one of them all. Played it on release and always hailed it as one of the best RPGs ever made.
It's crowning spot has to be however shared by the Hearts of Stone W3 DLC, since that was just way too fucking good and better than the main campaign of W3.
Anyway, everybody who likes the witcher universe really shouldn't live without playing this one at some point.
>>322461546
It's hard to get into especially for modern audiences.
The combat isn't really properly explained. Play on hard, that's the proper difficulty
>>322461546
>What am I in for?
Like all The Witcher games, mechanically speaking, it's not very good. The Witcher games are, as far as the mechanical side of an RPG go, pretty shallow, with the character-building options being pretty much limited to various flavors of flat percentual damage increases on what ever type of nearly indentical ways to dispense damage you personally prefer. The combat is easily the worst aspect of the game, it's stuck in a hell between direct and indirect control systems taking the worst of both. It also has a really poor pacing.
Just like all other Witcher games, it also has some of the best story, writing, characters, soundtrack and atmosphere you'll find in RPG. So if the story and the settings are what you really play for, you should be able to forgive the game for all it's undeniable mechanical short comings.
Combat is clunky as hell and the early game can be a slog, especially chapter 1 and the fucking swamp in chapter 2.
However, if you push through and get into it, it can be an incredibly enjoyable RPG with an interesting story/characters/atmosphere and very well-done questing.
There's not really much to keep in mind or worry about. There aren't even many important missables other than the trophy hunts that eventually get you the Moonblade, and that's just a sidegrade from the Aerondight that the game hands you during the main story anyway.
>>322461928
It's not outdated in any way.
Morrowind and Deus Ex I would call outdated, they're still one of the best games of all time. Witcher is actually easy on the eyes with some texture mods
Watch this video to get you in the mood
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZohodiFCOTU
>>322462294
>The combat isn't really properly explained.
Any tips then, to get my head around it?
>>322462306
>So if the story and the settings are what you really play for, you should be able to forgive the game for all it's undeniable mechanical short comings.
I do, though I'm slightly worried that it will be too dreary, for me to get properly invested. Is it a "shit's pretty fucked, but there's still good stuff going on, and you're actually making a difference", or is it Game of Thrones style "Everyone is a cunt forever, and everyone you remotely like will be killed for shock value"?
>>322462526
>Is it a "shit's pretty fucked, but there's still good stuff going on, and you're actually making a difference",
It's definitely more of the former. The Witcher stories (the original books, that is) originally started as a dark comedy series, making fun out of traditional fairytales and classic fantasy clichés. While it eventually became more of "it's own thing", the sense of humor is still there. In general, I'd say that compared to Game of Thrones, Witcher is A) much more self aware, and has no issues making fun of itself, and B) much more "human", that is much more oriented on more likable characters.
There is quite a lot of quite dark stuff, but there are also many genuinely fun, lighthearted, or flat out beautiful moments. Surprising love stories, sense of friendship and companionship that you would not normally expect from an RPG, characters that shock you with how cool and genuinely likable they are.
It's a bit of a shame that in the first two games, the developers still did not really know what to do about the main character, though. If you are like me, you might find it a bit jarring - Geralt is basically the weakest character in the franchise untill the third game. He is a bit... dull. Unlike just about everyone else in the game.
>>322462306
I wouldn't call the mechancis shallow, for example Witcher 1 has one of the better alchemy systems in a game, it's fun to play. Witcher 2 was kinda shallow, but mostly because it was short and they messed up the alchemy
>>322462526
Well, play it on hard. You can play in isometric mode which is better for combat and over the shoulder camera is better for exploring.
The combat works sort of like Gothic if you've played that one.To attack you press left click, then you can continue with chain of attacks. So you press left click, then at the right time, right before the animation ends, you need to press left click again to chain the attack, and you can do this indefinitely. The attacks even chain when the opponents are far away from you Geralt will just roll over to them. So you can do pretty crazy stuff because the animations are fucking insane, especially for group style. It's fun once you "get it" but never really properly explained.
I hear that Witcher 3 is a return to to the roots of Witcher 1.
Is this true?
>>322462908
The alchemy is literally the only mechanical aspect of the game that has any depth to it what so ever. As for TW2, I actually have to say that the combat in it, while broken as all hell, had a solid degree of depth to in theory. The difference between a really well planned out battle where you utilize all of the mechanics, tools and toys, to one where you just jump in swinging randomly was drastic.
Shame the balance allowed most people to ignore most of it by spamming Quen and roll.
I still maintain that TW games, all of them, are mechanically shallow. That is not where their beauty and appeal lies.
>>322462898
>>322462908
Alright, thanks anon. It always feels good to get actual vidya discussion going on. One last quesion, before I jump in. Do you think if I enjoy this, I'll enjoy the other two? Any major flaws to them I should be aware of going in? I've heard a lot of whining about 3, but I'm pretty sure 95% of that is just /v/ "it's popular so it sucks" shitposting.
>>322462953
>I hear that Witcher 3 is a return to to the roots of Witcher 1.
Kinda. It certainly is close to it in terms of atmosphere, settings and story. Mechanically it's as big departure as TW2 was, though there are mods that can make some elements of it very close to TW1 - such as mod that basically reintroduces TW1 alchemy to TW3.
>>322463152
Actually, one more question. Any must have mods? Graphics stuff, or bugfixes?
>>322462552
Maybe people don't want to read thousands of pages of books just to play the game that they are actually interested in.
>>322463152
My single recommendation in relation to the Witcher franchise is to consume the series in the correct order. Apparently this is a radical notion but for me it's completely natural that one would begin with the first entry in a series, and finish with the last, rather than starting with the last one.
>>322462526
>Any tips then, to get my head around it?
Get the talent that gives you a stun chance on the Aard spell. It's the first spell you get.
And use this guide to do all the side quests. Honestly some of the side quests are really good and very easy to miss. I've missed 10 hours of my first playtrough, was blown away how much I missed on my second one
http://guides.gamepressure.com/thewitcher/
Try to endure Chapter 3
>>322463270
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=153985930
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=439767642
>>322463152
>Do you think if I enjoy this, I'll enjoy the other two?
Yes. All Witcher games are flawed, each in it's own, very different way, and each will be getting on your nerves at times, but there is one thing all three of the share:
They are, all three, rather beautiful. And I'm not speaking about graphics or art direction (while that is a part of it): the thing about all three Witcher games is they have a charm. A soul. A sense of wonder and romantism to them. And while each of them goes about showing it in a slightly different way, it's present in all three of them and if you enjoy that sense of beauty in the first one, you'll find things to love in the next two as well.
>>322463802
No, The first one is just plain fucking disgusting eye cancer
Better play with Polish Voice Acting nigger
>>322464235
Czech is objectively the best.
>>322462552
>Within the very first chapter, he sleeps some horny slut, murders three men in the swing of a sword, and cures a seven year old striga curse which earns him a 3,000 oren bounty from the king himself.
Where the fuck will it even go from here? Geralt goes fucking hard.
>>322461546
>>322462552
don't listen to this guy. the first two books are fun enough, but don't really do anything to set you up for the games. Every book after that only turns everything more and more into a second rate ASOIAF knock-off.
Sure, for Witcher 3 it helps to know who Ciri and Yen are, but I can't really recommend you read thousands of pages of an inconsequential and mediocre book series just for that little bit of extra knowledge.
>>322462020
wow what an excellent 'ive never played it but want to fit in' post
>>322463152
First Witcher game is to me more interesting. There's more things going on, you do more Witcher's work, the story is more self contained and offers a lot more side quests and world building.
The Witcher 2 for my tastes is too focussed on the main political plot. But that one just sort of appears, never goes away and then fails to really wrap up within Witcher 2.
Music is also way worse than 1. Sure, visuals are more impressive and the gameplay is more active, but to me, that wasn't the charm of the first one.
>>322461546
It's pretty meh to be honest, the combat and most of the main story is garbage. Still worth a try I guess.
>>322462552
Read the books after the second one when hes regained his memory.
>>322464316
OH GOD YES
>>322464316
I tried, but the czech voice acting is seriously terrible
combat is absolute shit but the rest is great
How come i get lag spikes in Witcher 1? I have 980 and i5 4690k. It's when I run around the outskirts or inside Vizima. Nowhere else does this happen. (I'm only on chapter 2).
>>322467904
change camera mode.
>>322461874
>Plenty of things to do, in numerous different ways, and several endings too.
Dude I love the game too but theres no need to lie like that.
>>322461874
What the fuck is eastern european atmosphere?
>>322469817
sorrow, death and decay
>>322469882
That's the middle ages you are thinking of
>What am I in for?
>>322464334
>Act 3 better than Act 2
what the fuck is wrong with you
>>322470368
Spotted the swamp lover
>>322470503
exactly the opposite, I'm saying that Act 3 was just as bad as Act 2
>>322470220
You are hurt, get to cover!
>>322469050
I use OTS camera mode, is that the problem? I tried the game with same setting on my laptop and didn't get lag spikes. Weird.
>>322463326
Except Blood of Elves, the books are a great read.
>>322467904
Not much you can do about it. You might want to try to fiddle with the advanced graphics settings but it might not help.
>>322472614
Nothing I can do in the nvidia control panel?
>>322462526
collect all the fucking teeth and jaws of every thing you come across and never take them out of your inventory. One of the best swords requires all jaws and teeth
Good game with a great story and RPG elements, OP. I just finished W2 last night and although technically a huge improvement I felt W1 was more special.
Just fucking play the game you fucking nigger.
jesus. whats the point into diving into a new game if you are gonna be asking stupid shit before even playing.
God i hope you dont get past the prologue only because how much of a faggot you are
>>322478298
Kind of like the Star Wars original trilogy charm.
>>322462552
Read the two short story collections and maybe the first book of the saga. The rest is hot garbage.
>>322462020
Seems like you're doing exactly that yourself.
>>322469432
How am I "lying" exactly?
Four continuous replays, and I found new missions and ways to do things each time. I didn't even finish the detective thing on my first run.
>>322469817
Slavic environments, bleak mood... etc.
think STALKER, in medieval times.
>>322467904
Can't recally any lagspikes on my i5 + 560ti. Are you using some crazy 8x SSAA or something?
>>322461874
2 and 3 have much better writing. I like 1 but sometimes the dialogue can be painful.
>>322479252
What the fuck are slavic environments
>>322461874
>or they get bored (!) because of relatively open design and lack of forced pointers.
Or more because you spend a disproportionate amount of time running from A to B early on.
I'm assuming this tutorial castle level is considered shit by everyone and the game gets better?
....right?
>>322479531
The first half of the game can feel like a real slog.
>>322479531
Yes. Somewhat.
You are in for a game where you investigate a criminal gang and ultimately find out that it was all being coordinated by a guy who is actually the magical boy you save from the future who was trying to prepare for an apocalypse.
>>322479315
total opposite of burger environments.
>>322479531
I didnt consider it shit at all, but just about everyone else on /v/ has seemed to do so. Yes, the game improves a ton.
>>322461546
>>322480336
>total opposite of burger environments
What does that meeeeeeeeean
>>322480713
You're a nut!
You're crazy like a coconut.
>>322480798
Purely psychosomatic
>>322480952
lie down on a couch!
>>322462526
>>The combat isn't really properly explained.
>Any tips then, to get my head around it?
Think of it more as a rhythm game than a button masher.
Your cursor will indicate when you need to click to attack.
You can change between 3 combat styles: strong, fast, and group. It becomes pretty obvious which monsters are weak to which style.
Steel sword is for humans and animals, silver sword is for monsters.
Remember to use signs (magic), potions, and oils for your weapons.
Most people fuck up by assuming you have to mash left click to attack, when actually you just click once to make Geralt execute each stage of a combo, with the cursor indicating when you need to click. You get used to it pretty quickly.
>>322462526
>>322481248
Also this video explains the basics quite well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHukmQ3Loh4
Make sure to save every few minutes, it crashes very frequently
