Maxed out Igni + Maribor Forest + Petri's Filter + Tawny Oil = Victory. You could just spam Igni and annihilate everything around you.

To this day, the first boss (yes, the stupid dog thingie) was the most difficult fight I've had in the game.

You ain't kidding, that fight was awful.

Well, the combat is fairly broken, but you aim to get a gear/combo setup that lets you bypass the many flaws. It occasionally has Gothic-like moments of perma-stun chaings by multiple NPCs.

There is less skill involved than just making sure you have the right combination - once you do, you just click whenever the combo needs it and it's basically insta-win.

Certain fights, especially early on, can really favor consumables as well. To this day, the first boss (yes, the stupid dog thingie) was the most difficult fight I've had in the game. I had tried various strategies and routinely had my ass handed to me. However, I then tried one potion I had not previously used and it becamse an instant win.

Towards the end, I had the best custom sword as well as some improved gear - other than worrying about an occasional clusterf*ck, it was just combat by numbers.
Then you just become a sword wielding god.
Recalling the elite plant thingie in the swamp as being extremely mis-placed,
Ray

Uhh...there have been entire pages dedicated to the patching process for The Witcher.

The problems really boil down to there being multiple SKUs, the developer being lazy about releasing one collected, comprehensived patch, and a few of the mini-patches/added content intending to be installed at certaion version. Some of the newer versions aren't as bad, but the original releast was a total pain to do correctly.
The developer having occasionally bad links is also fun.
I realize it's a small team, but I see various other teams do this, too. If you want people to play your game, don't make it hard to actually start the game.

Noting the DRM people could learn a thing or two about that as well,
Ray

Loved the Witcher. Had to try it a second time though to get into it. I think having a PC that could run it well made all the difference. Glad I did get into it though as it ended up being one of my favorite games from last year (that I played, not year of release). The Witcher 2 is now an auto buy for me. Even if it's not as good as #1 I feel it will be worth it just to support these guys for the good times in the first game which I got for so cheap having not looked into it until long after the initial release.

Jerykk wrote on Mar 23, 2010, 15:34:
Um, what? Finger gymnastics? Combat in The Witcher consisted of occasionally clicking when you saw your cursor light up. It wasn't exactly complicated or challenging.

Hmmm... admittedly, it has been some time since I tried the game. I could be mistaken as to the specific combat dynamics. My apologies for perhaps talking out of my ass, but I still have the persistent feeling of not "getting" the combat of the game.

Frijoles wrote on Mar 23, 2010, 16:53:
I need to reinstall this with the no-cd patch. I wish they'd let me register it on Steam and just download it there (or put it on sale for cheap). I got to the forest area where chicks with green tits were walking around. Formatted the computer and didn't reinstall it. The patching process, if I remember correctly, sucked. So I've yet to do it. I have the DVD sitting on my desk, too, mocking me.

Oh well, I'll be buying #2 through Steam to avoid this problem in the future. Hopefully it's the UK version (hopefully there aren't any censored versions).

I don't know what makes patching this game any more annoying than any other, to be honest, unless you just mean there are a lot of massive patches, which is true.

I rebought the game to have the Collector's Edition, a real sexy package, and even that has a few large patches.

Patches are good though, of course.

One of the best startup games on PC to date. I never heard much of it but once it came out BLAM news spread so fast how awesome it was I had to buy it. And happy I did, OUTSTANDING game.

Number 2 is a no brainer purchase. Can't wait!!

Eh, kind of, it's fun for a little while, but I can't play for any great length of time, I get bored eventually.

At least you are consistent. I was about to tear you a knew one if you said you loved Diablo based on your criticisms of the combat in Witcher.

Overon wrote on Mar 23, 2010, 15:24:
Fair enough but let me ask you a question. Did you like Diablo style gameplay?

Eh, kind of, it's fun for a little while, but I can't play for any great length of time, I get bored eventually.

I loved the first game. It felt like how I wanted Neverwinter Nights to play. It had a great ambiance and it was cool to see your choices have a visible effect on the world.

Looking forward to the sequel.

There is a secret message near the end of the video. I quote with all grammar and spelling errors and awkward phrasing intact:

This message is for our biggest fans. Analyzing our stuff pixel by pixel, bit by bit. It's good to see you again! :-)
BTW: Simple minded people think that nobody is reading those days, dear reader of this,
we think that we can agree that it is bullshit, huh?
Same as the fact that single player RPGs are dead, or PCs?
We sold 1.5 mln units game from dying gnere on dying platform - so we somehow cannot agree;-)

Before we start talking about TW2:) please let us thank you for your great support and appreciation.
It always motivate us and make us happy.

We started working on TW2 right after release of TW. Our goal was to create all the things
which made TW so great in TW2 even better.
We are very proud of TW but let be honest, it was our debut. We never made any game before,
and we practically learnt as we worked.
So there were many things which could be done better, you know it as good as we:-)
But the vision, the main concept remain the same: game with mature, captivating and unliniear story,
and full of spectacular combat.
A game created by a team of independent thinkers immune to corporate priorities,
who don't care what's trendy at a given moment.

The core vision of the game hasn't changed. What has changed is the quality and the maturity we can deliver.
That's largely because, we're more experienced and also due the fact that, we've created our own technology.
Do you remember how we made significant improvements with the Aurora Engine in the original game,
but it still had its limiations?
Now we've created technology designed specfically to create
non-linear games with extensive plotlines and a living world...
well, there's no point in expanding on that too much - you have to check our tech yourselves!
Nevertheless, we have many reasons to believe that you will like The Witcher 2!
See you soon and stay tuned :)

Geralt's new look is much more Slavic.

I will admit, I never played much of the first game even though I wanted to I never found the time. However, I am impressed with CD Projekt RED work since first game, will definitely check this game out.

I need to reinstall this with the no-cd patch. I wish they'd let me register it on Steam and just download it there (or put it on sale for cheap). I got to the forest area where chicks with green tits were walking around. Formatted the computer and didn't reinstall it. The patching process, if I remember correctly, sucked. So I've yet to do it. I have the DVD sitting on my desk, too, mocking me.

Oh well, I'll be buying #2 through Steam to avoid this problem in the future. Hopefully it's the UK version (hopefully there aren't any censored versions).

The biggest problem with The Witcher is it doesn't feel like your character, becasue it's not. You are forced to play someone whom does and says things you wouldn't, it's a bad choice for an RPG style game. You couldn't choose female, couldn't adjust you appearance, nothing.

That's because Geralt has a multi book established background. Look at the witcher wiki to see what I mean. You can't have an established character just change sex. This isn't a nameless character with no background like in other RPG's. It's the nature of the game.

Secondly at least in the first game they spent so much time trying to be this false Neutral, it emotionally detaches us from the game, just like playing Geralt. Many of the quests and solutions didn't feel real, like the two main girls struggle to win Geralt or the first major quest with Abigail. She and Geralt had some of the most touching heartfelt dialog through acting writing and animation. By the 3 or 4 chapter the BEST QUEST in the game was totally crapped on and thrown away, all for the sake of FALSE choices with the two FORCED romantic leads.

Witchers are supposed to be neutral. Other witchers are far more neutral and Geralt. His problems always arise of rarely making the neutral decision. If you look at the character you realize he's not neutral at all even when he desperately tries to be.
I agree that the story forced you to choose among Romantic leads. That was a design decision. Maybe they should have included Abigail as well and that would make things more interesting.

Hell, all they had to do was make us a new Witcher in training whom was out to discover or possibly save Geralt (from some kind magical torpor?). Then all of Geralt's old/previous alliances would/could still be relevant. Then you could not only infuse Geralt's past but build start your own

Yes they could do that, but you wouldn't be playing Geralt. They decided to build a game around that character based on a ton of background material. Again a design decision.

Um, what? Finger gymnastics? Combat in The Witcher consisted of occasionally clicking when you saw your cursor light up. It wasn't exactly complicated or challenging.

JoeNapalm wrote on Mar 23, 2010, 15:11:
I'll probably reinstall (a fourth time) to give it another try - but I don't know when. Too many games I enjoy already on the HD right now.

Don't waste your time. If you didn't like it the other three times then you won't like it a fourth time.

JoeNapalm wrote on Mar 23, 2010, 15:11:
I don't get it.

I don't dislike the game...I just couldn't get into it.

Many people have told me that it gets great like 10 hours in...but why would I play that long if I'm not having fun?

I'll probably reinstall (a fourth time) to give it another try - but I don't know when. Too many games I enjoy already on the HD right now.

-Jn-
Ifriti Sophist

Actually I played 10 hours in because I heard that too, and let me tell you it does not get any better. I was hoping once I got inside the city the linearity would dissolve a bit, but that was not the case at all.

I've heard so many great things about the first one, I bought it pretty early on, tried getting into it multiple times and just can't. The interface angers me, the combat is so very repetitive, and the world far too linear. I don't mean to crap on the game, I can see why other people might enjoy it, but I guess it's just not for me.

Fair enough but let me ask you a question. Did you like Diablo style gameplay?