I just started Witcher 3 and I gotta say, I'm pretty impressed. I've been more of a console player over the years so a great deal of the game's diction just flies right over my head. Besides the obvious answer of playing the first two games, is there a way to catch up on the lore before I continue onwards?
tl;dr: What's an easy way for a casual to catch up on the story
Read the in-game glossary's of characters and monsters.
Watch the opening sequence.
Books. Anderzej Sapkowski's novels (I think that's how you spell his name).
>>323884830
Play the first two games. I am so glad I did before playing the third. The choices mean so much more. They also carry over from the first 2 games. I cared so much more about the characters and choices this way. It makes it a personal deal.
The first game is really old school but its worth it for the story. Just blast through it on easy to get through the combat if you want but be prepared its still really long
2 is better but less witchery
3 is the most like the novels and the most witchery
You dont need to read the novels but it helps, especially with the 3rd game
>>323884830
The games are considered sequels to the original Witcher novels. The games themselves are, though not direct sequels, very connected to one another. Play them in order if you can, because skipping to the third game in a series so focused on writing and story is a little silly.
You DON'T NEED to read the books, but if you don't there are going to be a lot of references, characters, etc that you won't understand.
You can also read the in game glossary though.
>>323884830
If you're not retarded its pretty easy to jump into W3 with no prior knowledge and make sense of it.
Major characters like Ciri, Djikstra, Avallac'h or those viking guys are not mentioned even once in previous games. Also Yennefer was mentioned only once at the end of Witcher 2 and suddenly she is the main love interest in Witcher 3. I was wondering how someone who hasn't read the books is supposed to make any kind of sense about the plot or characters without constantly opening glossary.
>>323884984
?
>>323886172
Report shitposting and move on
>>323884984
>>323885940
Smells like some underage who skipped all the plot so he can bitch about shitty combat in /v/
Now is the good time to visit /lit/ and read your very first book.
How fucking long is this game?
I'm 51 hours in, while putting a bigger focus on the main story, and I just finishedthe Battle of Kaer Morhen
How much longer does it go for?
How hard is NG+ Death March compared to regular Death March?
>>323886610
In my experience, The Battle of Kaer Morhen is about 3/4 the way through.
>>323886610
>>323886962
That is about rightI finished the MQ yesterday at 240 hours, I think you missed out buddy
>>323887516
There are too many sidequests. If you get overleveled, the game is still easy even on the highest difficulty.
>>323887650
I didn't really feel that way, considering if you do quests when they are grey they give you no XP.
The game is probably easy on any difficulty as long as you know what you are doing.
But then this game is just simply not about challange.
I still have dlc to do so I'm happy
>>323887747
I just want to get the main questline out of the way and replay the whole game, including the sidequests, on NG+Also Triss is too cute
>>323887958
I don't see how its in ones way but do what you wish.
I'll finish the DLC now, maybe the next expansion too if it comes out when I'm free, then put this away for a year or so, then replay it.
I'm also kind of disappointed I didn't bang Triss this time but I'll do so in the next runhopefully I can still drop all the cunts even after that
Just picked this game up for a steal. Can't wait to start it and now I'm gonna try to read some of the books/stories.
>>323884830
Enhanced Edition was announced already. Should wait for it.
>>323888583
It was a fake leak.
The game is also ridiculously gorgeous. My screenshot folder is way to big because of this game.
>>323888646
What gpu?
>>323888707
SLI 980ti.
I generally play it in 4k and get average of 55fps. Pretty happy with it.
I used to have a single 980 and it ran at around 30fps in 3k. So anything above a 980 with get you ultra 1080 at a smooth frame rate easily.
I highly recommend you get best armor in the game, at least in terms of aesthetics. It has good stats as well, unless they come out with a better looking armor in the new DLC.
If you don't feel like searching for all the upgrade recipes you can go online and it will tell you where each upgrade recipe is located, it saves a lot of time. It still took me a few hours to hunt down the recipes and then grind for the materials to upgrade my armor but Ursine armor is pretty much the best looking armor in the game imo.
>>323888959
Nice man
>>323887516
>240 hours?
Jesus christ, I beat the game and started a NG+ but I'm not sure what my first runtime was, it was like maybe 50 or 60 hours at best, granted I didn't mess with a lot of the contracts though I did do a lot of the side missions so that might explain why.
I had tons of contracts left to do so if I had done all the contracts then I probably would have hit at least 100 hours if not 80 or so. I just don't understand how you put 240 hours into the game, HOS DLC is only an extra 10 to 12 hours at best. I mean unless you started multiple NG+ files and just kept replying the game from start to finish then I don't know why you have so much game time invested in it.
>>323887650
It's impossible not to overlevel, when I played it for the first time I noticed I was overleveled for a lot of the quests.
Just know that Triss is Tumblr tier and Yennefer is goat.
>>323885178
Man I really wish they would remaster the first game and give it some proper modern controls. I tried playing it but I think it's impossible to play it with a controller as it is, and I refuse to use a keyboard and mouse as I play my games on a couch in front of a large TV. I skipped straight to Witcher 2 and it's pretty great so far.
>>323889267
Just did all the side missions and contracts I've ever found, I started the battle of kaer morhen with a clean journal (and still did like 3 contract before the MQ ended)
Also, didn't abuse fast travel I guess, not until Skellige atleast.
I still have a bunch of races and fistfights left, also, never ever played Gwent, didn't like it, and ofcourse fucktons of marked spots on the map.
If there were even more fleshed out quests in there I could be playan this game forever, sadly many skellige quests seemed to be cut short already, just like the MQ.
What the fuck was Crach doing in the final battle anyway?
>>323888978
Pity it doesn't look like that in game and all the mods trying to get that look dont quite get there.
It still looks amazing though
>>323890168
True shame indeed, also the middle two versions are shit , I had the mods for those two and then took it out for the mastercrafted one so I'm not edgy black on black vampire looking motherfucker
I want to play this game again having read the books but the main story is so shit
also the combat drives me away every time
is there like a combat mod or something?
I am no lie 80 hours in and I am still in Novigrad. This fucking place mesmerizes me, what can I say
>>323889721
I played Witcher 1 with a controller using joy2key. Besides the menus you need a mouse for the menus. It also plays great with a controller.
Shani is my witcher waifu desu family
>>323891146
It's really amazing you should be impressed because its the best damn town I"ve ever seen in a game.
Is New Game+ worth it or am I better off just starting over?
>>323884830
The story doesn't have to do much with the first two games anyway, you wont really need it.
Also, sorry to say that, but story is gonna be shit in endgame
>>323885178
>The choices mean so much more.
The choices you make in second game mean literally nothing.
I risked so much just to save Saskia and she doesn't even appear in this game, lel
>>323891520
>>323891686
Okay m80
>>323891991
Yen is a bitch and she sucks
>>323892049
But the banter is amazing.
>>323892278
>>323892278
>>323892349
doesnt really fit geralts character imo
>>323892570
You clearly don't know shit about Geralt.
Though they toned him down quite a bit in the games.
>>323892570
He only does it for his true love (which is Yennefer).
>>323892609
>>323892631
pfft normally he's too angry to bant like this
especially when he's looking for ciri
>>323891520
>>323891686
>Shani came back
Well shit. Maybe I'll actually have to get around to playing this.And the copy of 2 I bought back at release for full price and never installed.
>>323892570
what?
Did you read the books? Geralt is always being a smart ass..
>>323892278
>>323892570
>He didnt fuck his love for years
>"It doesnt suit the character "
Are you a women?
Because i think about fucking my gf few times a day and it gets more and more when i cant make love with her.
So 3 options:
1. girl
2. gay
3. virgin
>>323892669
Book Geralt isn't very angry at all. nor is my geralt. He can get serious when needed but he's pretty chill and light hearted a lot of the time
>>323892739
grumpy is a better word then.
Book geralt is permanently grumpy/moody while on the hunt for Ciri
>>323892669
This is the game's fault, one momen you are so pressed for time Yen shits on everything, steals, does necromancy - then a moment later you are just chilling, helping out locals, fucking on a unicorn, have to ascertain if you love is true.
The "find Ciri" aspect really shit on a lot of things in the game.
But Geralt loves to bant, especially loves pretending to be an eloquent douche, which I really missed in the game.
>>323892702
He is always beeing sarcastic and has a lot of dark humor.
Meanwhile, around Yen, he turns into a kitten and cant stop giving her compliments and making childish jokes
So what's the deal with the combat?
I want to give this game a chance but the actual gameplay looks agonizingly repetitive.
>>323892735
well, you are a beta bitch.
And I dont like my Geralt to be one
>>323892849
Pretty much same as Souls or what have you
Swing, swing, dodge, repeat
Stir in some signs to taste and voylah.
>>323892849
The combat is perfectly serviceable
>>323892849
It is repetitive and you will get bored of using witcher senses.
I personally don't see how this is different from 90% of other games though - and atleast the rest, sidestories, characters, setting, atmosphere, grafix - are all much better.
I think combat can be enjoyed in the "how good I can make this look" way, I really liked it to be honest, its a huge shame I didn't unlock Whirl until my last few hours.
>>323892739
how could you ever see geralt as a chill and light hearted man
>>323892849
It´s ok. I just love to see the Ursine armor in motion when i use whirl.
>>323893105
its that beard and the voice actor
OP here, thanks for the responses, guys. This thread may not be moving that fast, but I'm glad you guys took time to answer my question. The shitposting also seems to be kept to a minimum, which is also appreciated.
tl;dr: thanks
>>323884830
If you are playing on PC and got it on GOG you can download a Compendium under the extras. Gives a pretty good run down of the lore of the world and important characters. It does have some pretty big spoilers for the first two games though if you do plan on playing them.
As for reading the books and playing the other games, you definitely dont have to to enjoy 3 but if you like what you have seen so far in 3 then they are worth looking into. Witcher 2 especially is worth playing for the story alone. There is a save import feature between 2 and 3, but for the most part it is underwhelming and does not change much.
Anyone have any mod recommendations?
>>323892849
Don't listen to /v/ too much. The combat is fine.
>>323891441
I might play it whenever I get a steam controller, that seems like it would be a good compromise.
>>323893513
Worked great on a ps3 controller. Also I love how one off random village girls are QT.
>>323893683
was she ciris gf?
That feel when you'll never get to bang this little shit. CDPR are the biggest cockblockers
>>323893803
She is random village girl you talk to for 1 minute then never see again
>>323894160
>Never see again
I dont know about you anon, but I saw this character about 200 more times throughout the game.
>>323892849
It's not balanced well enough to force the player to try all its systems. Results in people just using light attack over and over and then calling the game shit.
More enemies needed to deal with basic sword work better. They improved it a lot in the DLC.
>>323894048
>Tfw she shows up in Toussaint and you still can't fuck her.
>>323894048
Did that entire quest line just so I would be able to bang her. Was very disappointed.
At least Witcher 2 delivered on Nilfgaardian pussy. Nifguaardian bitches are the best.
>>323884830
read the last wish, watch w1 and w2 on youtube.
>>323895085
there's more books than just last wish dude
You sided with me, right?
>>323895362
Literally Hitler
>>323895362
Any good Witcher said fuck no to assassinating him. You stay out of politics dammit.
>>323895496
Yeah, but the game was designed in that way that you get a better ending when killing him
>>323889721
>Man I really wish they would remaster the first game and give it some proper modern controls
What the fuck is people's problems with TW1's controls?? Seriously, I played it back in 2012 for the first time, and had no problems with it. If anything, I prefer TW1 because it lets you to do everything with a mouse, if you so desire.
>I wanna sit on front of TV and use gamepad
oh, console fags.
>>323895537
Better ending is pretty subjective in this game. I stayed out of the games politics and got theCiri becomes a Witcher endingand was pretty satisfied with it.
>>323895362
No.
Most of geralt friends are witches, witchers, non humans.
Why would i side with someone who want to burn them alive?
>>323895362
>siding with anyone when your daughter is in danger
>>323893464
Just look for the top files on the nexus anon.
