The Witcher 2 - Preview @ Eurogamer

[Tilean]

Interestingly, this is the same guy who wrote a rather unenthusiastic review of The Witcher 1 for PC Gamer UK (which I personally agree with though; bad combat, badly designed world (no jumping fences…), in-your-face choices).

What I find perplexing is that he keeps telling the reader that TW2 is mature and serious and a "smart game for smart adults" without giving any compelling evidence for this. Improving upon the ridiculously childish sex cards in TW1 is hardly a sign of maturity and complexity. I don't need another game showing me a rape scene the first time I am released into its world to convince me of the world's "maturity".

 

[JDR13]

Yet both games were loved by fans, weren't they

As was The Witcher.

The usual SHUSH brigade is the aggravating party here, not people posting about how they perceive the game through the lenses of their preferences.

Ah…right. "No jumping=no purchase" (despite knowing little about the actual game) is perfectly reasonable of course.

 

[Dasale]

I cannot believe this defense of whiners of jumping, no matter how you look at it, it's rather ridiculous for a RPG fan. I can quote 10 time more good RPG with no jump at all than the reverse.

For the bad obstacle management in The Witcher 1 it's just that, bad management of obstacles. Add jump in The Witcher 1 would not solve anything just would add badly design open field (ie area that are like a boring arena, ie very poor design) and ton of bugs.

 

[Motoki]

If lots of jumping made for a good RPG then Ultima 8 would have been the best RPG ever.

In all seriousness though, I think that we're dealing with two completely separate sub-genres of RPG here. Narrative based RPGs with a strong story and characters but some limitations and Sandbox RPGs that focus more on world simulation with more freedom but generally a weaker story and characterization.

Honestly if people are more concerned with the freedom to go anywhere and do anything whenever they want and aren't arsed about a good story or interesting characters they are probably better off skipping TW2 and waiting for Skyrim and perhaps the Two Worlds 2 expansion.

For me personally, I like a story and interesting characters. While I do enjoy the freedom in free-form RPGs it usually comes at the expense of a weak story and dull, lifeless NPCs. There are always trade offs.

 

[Alrik Fassbauer]

Are we talking about "Jump & Run" games or about RPGs now ? :lol:

 

[Thrasher]

TW2 WILL have jumping, of a sort of puerile nature. Isn't that good enough?

 

[DArtagnan]

As was The Witcher.

His point seemed to be that you shouldn't have jumping, because it would break AI. I pointed out that games with jumping were loved regardless of the AI issues.

If you're saying that The Witcher worked without jumping, I think that's pretty established by now.

What some of us are saying is that jumping or flexible movement would have been an improvement.

It's not like The Witcher had much of an AI to break, is it. Enemies just spawned conveniently or popped up for quests - and they didn't roam around by themselves at all. I don't see how letting the player jump over obstacles would present a big deal.

Are you such a blind fan you can't acknowledge that jumping might have improved the game? Just a little?

Ah…right. "No jumping=no purchase" (despite knowing little about the actual game) is perfectly reasonable of course.

Maybe you can point out where, in this thread, people are saying no jumping=no purchase. I mean outside your head, of course.

What we're saying is that no jumping=cause for concern, as in concern about what else might not be in there.

Nah, I think what we're seeing is a bunch of rabid fans going nuts because we dare notice some potential flaws in this, as of yet unseen, perfection incarnate.

 

[DeepO]

Ah…right. "No jumping=no purchase" (despite knowing little about the actual game) is perfectly reasonable of course.

From a standpoint of someone who found movement and related area restrictions to be major elements standing in the way of enjoyment of the first game, I don´t see why this couldn´t be a "reasonable" deal breaker if these are still present in The Witcher 2.

In regards to "(despite knowing little about the actual game)" - claims in this thread were more in the "if no jumping then no purchase" vein, weren´t they?

 

[JDR13]

Are you such a blind fan you can't acknowledge that jumping might have improved the game? Just a little?.

Are you so blind as to not realize perhaps it wouldn't have? See how easy that was?

Of course it "might" have. We can speculate all day.

Maybe you can point out where, in this thread, people are saying no jumping=no purchase. I mean outside your head, of course..

Did you read the entire thread? Of course.. why would you do that?

Nah, I think what we're seeing is a bunch of rabid fans going nuts because we dare notice some potential flaws in this, as of yet unseen, perfection incarnate.

We have some rabid fans, and some whiny bitches. I guess it'll balance itself out eventually.

 

[zahratustra]

Interestingly, this is the same guy who wrote a rather unenthusiastic review of The Witcher 1 for PC Gamer UK (which I personally agree with though; bad combat, badly designed world (no jumping fences…), in-your-face choices).

What I find perplexing is that he keeps telling the reader that TW2 is mature and serious and a "smart game for smart adults" without giving any compelling evidence for this. Improving upon the ridiculously childish sex cards in TW1 is hardly a sign of maturity and complexity. I don't need another game showing me a rape scene the first time I am released into its world to convince me of the world's "maturity".

Cards were optional and having sex with women wasn't necessary prerequisite to finish the game. Cards needed to be enabled and you needed to collect certain object and choose very specific dialogue options to have digital sex. Complaining about it is like climbing a leader to peek through neighbors' window and than complaining that they have sex in public.

As for choices... Choices in TW weren't simple and consequences of those choices weren't obvious. But than I'm an average game player. You, on the other hand, must be extremely insightful to see all those consequences as obvious and in-your-face.

 

[DArtagnan]

Are you so blind as to not realize perhaps it wouldn't have? See how easy that was?

Of course it "might" have. We can speculate all day.

I'm asking your opinion about it.

Do you have one?

Did you read the entire thread? Of course.. why would you do that?

I missed that post

Well, then we agree it's a bit extreme in terms of reaction. But I recognise the right to have that opinion without being a whiny bitch.

We have some rabid fans, and some whiny bitches. I guess it'll balance itself out eventually.

You're both in one

 

[JDR13]

I'm asking your opinion about it.

Do you have one?

I'm pretty sure I just gave it.

So, now you can't point it out?

Even a reasonably intelligent idiot should know exactly what I was referring to.

You're both in one

Aww how cute, even despite the fail.

Not enough smileys in your post though. I expect more next time.

 

[DArtagnan]

I'm pretty sure I just gave it.

No, you said it "might" improve it as speculation.

Can you not give your HONEST opinion?

Even a reasonably intelligent idiot should know exactly what I was referring to.

There there, no need to get all worked up.

I corrected my post and said I missed his reaction.

Aww how cute, even despite the fail.

Not enough smileys in your post though. I expect more next time.

How many smilies does it take to get you to own up to jumping being a positive in a game like The Witcher?

That would exceed the limit, wouldn't it?

 

[Thrasher]

If jumping adding a million spots where Geralt could get stuck on terrain it would be horrible. With CDPs history of bugs, that would be my main concern.

 

[JDR13]

No, you said it "might" improve it as speculation.

Can you not give your HONEST opinion?

I did. My honest opinion is that's it impossible to do anything other than speculate. How can we possibly know if jumping would have made The Witcher better? Taking the time to implement that feature would have meant that other aspects of the game had received less work.

In short, there would have been tradeoffs. Would it have been worth it? We'll never know.

I corrected my post and said I missed his reaction.

Correct faster next time.

 

[DArtagnan]

I did. My honest opinion is that's it impossible to do anything other than speculate. How can we possibly know if jumping would have made The Witcher better? Taking the time to implement that feature would have meant that other aspects of the game would have received less work.

In short, there would have been tradeoffs. Would it have been worth it? We'll never know.

I'm asking you to pretend that The Witcher would have remained virtually the same, except for jumping.

How would that be?

You don't have to answer, if for some reason you just don't want to

Correct faster next time.

May I suggest you instead reply a little slower

 

[JDR13]

As I suspected, you're not actually looking for a realistic answer.

If you could add *any* feature for free, then I can't imagine how it would be a bad thing.

 

[DArtagnan]

As I suspected, you're not actually looking for a realistic answer.

Since you can't be your usual self and ignore the details for the straightfoward answer, I had to manipulate it out of you.

It's pretty apparent for even the reasonably intelligent idiot, that when we ask for jumping as a feature, we don't want it to mean sacrificing something vital to the game.

If you could add *any* feature for free, then I can't imagine how it would be a bad thing.

I can think of several thousand features I would consider bad things. In fact, I'd have preferred it if they removed the combat system and added a real one instead

 

[JDR13]

Since you can't be your usual self and ignore the details for the straightfoward answer, I had to manipulate it out of you.

Actually, I gave you an answer from the start, but you decided to shift into troll-mode rather than see it.

It's pretty apparent for even the reasonably intelligent idiot, that when we ask for jumping as a feature, we don't want it to mean sacrificing something vital to the game.

Then even a reasonably intelligent idiot should know that complaining about it is a waste of time.

 

[SpoonFULL]

I just realised that Geralt, the Witcher character, was imposed in the game by the story and developers which means that the we have no control over the character's history and experiences. Having Geralt jumping around like an 'ape' as one might wish to do would be against and maybe damage the 'set' character features as described by the Witcher book. Hence it might be justified to remove the arbitrary jumping feature to preserve the integrity and character of the Witcher. That is also probably why in Witcher two they have added 'control' jumping over fences and climbing as 'dictated' by the environment and set path of the Witcher, not us as players. Just a thought!