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    #16
    Preview video of 'The Witcher 2' at Gametrailers.com:
    http://www.gametrailers.com/video/pr...witcher/713327

    HD version:
    http://www.gametrailers.com/video/pr...witcher/713328

    Looks good.
    I'm not sure I liked the removal of the styles, tho', as I actually liked having to switch styles, between the two swords, and signs.
    I hope switching from one sign to another won't require having to go through the 'radial menu' thingy that's been introduced (hitting 1 - 6 for the signs, and 'Q' and 'E' for the witcher or silver sword, respectively, and 'Z', 'X' and 'C' for the styles felt 'natural' after a while ).

    The only real disappointment I have:
    I don't think I'll be able to get my hands on the Collector's Edition here...
    Oh well, the digital version in gog.com looks quite promising (at least it also has the artbook...but I really wanted some of the physical extras, like the coins and playing cards)

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      #17
      New 'environments' trailer for The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings:


      Short, but interesting read:
      http://content.usatoday.com/communit...he-witcher-2/1

      Also, The Witcher: Enhanced Edition (Director's Cut) is going to be available at http://www.gog.com/en/frontpage/ on May 10.
      It'll be on sale for a couple of weeks, at 50% off (at 4.99 USD, it's definitely worth it, IMHO).

      The presale and predownload of The Witcher 2 will also start on May 10 on gog.com.

      Last edited by gotthammer; 06 May 2011, 07:57 PM.
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        #18
        The thing I don't understand about the game are the sex cards. What the heck are they for? You had sex, yay, and they didn't even show it. Heck, the cards don't even show any real nudity. There is no other benefit in the game at all. So what's the point?

        The other thing I didn't like was not being able to collect and sell the weapons, and suit of armors cost 5,000 gold.

        In fact, I beat the game using the suit of armor that I started with. I never got any other suit of armor, not even the magical one you're supposed to get. Armor seems extremely hard to come by. There's really not a lot of ways you can make money, either.

        The story wasn't too bad, but I knew who the main villain was actually going to be well ahead of time, and I knew time travel (magical) was going to be involved. Then when the main villain appeared, they danced around his identity. Just go ahead and admit who the identity was.

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          #19
          I dunno (nor did I ever read, if they ever explained) why they went for the 'sex cards' instead of showing scenes, per se. Maybe it was to cut on more animations? In any case, they're doing away w/ the 'cards in the sequel as a lot of folks complained about them (I personally didn't mind).
          As for nudity: the American versions of the cards were censored (hence the 'director's cut', which, like the Enhanced Edition, is a free upgrade to any prior version), but the nudity is 'nothing special' and not really 'graphic' (I think I've seen 'more' in the first two episodes of 'Game of Thrones' ).

          Weapon and armor choices/customization was definitely a weak point of The Witcher. The raven armor thingy (the 'best' armor before game's end) required a quest, and the variant you get is, I think, choice-specific (i.e., which side you picked in the conflict).

          As for money...well, I don't think I every really had much problem.
          Other than the quests and selling 'bits of monsters', there's also the dice game which can provide a fair amount of cash. In my current playthrough, I'm trying to 'max out' Geralt's levels, so I'm grinding a bit (like the cave of Echynops in the outskirts, or the Alghouls in the 'heirloom' quest area in the sewers: I think the Alghouls drop 'white vinegar' which is 15 orens each).

          As for the story, I don't really remember how it 'unfolded' for me the first time.
          I think I was more 'concerned' over the conflicts between humans and non-humans than I was with the main villain (in my first playthrough, I think I sided w/ the Squirrels).


          edit:
          The Witcher 2 'Living World' gameplay video:
          http://www.gametrailers.com/video/ex...witcher/713621

          Last edited by gotthammer; 06 May 2011, 10:58 PM.
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            #20
            http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/the_witcher/

            The Witcher: Enhanced Edition Director's Cut is now available on gog.com for 4.99 USD. It'll be at that price for two weeks (it's regular price will be double that).

            The Witcher 2 will be available, at the same site, for pre-purchase/pre-download...later? Tomorrow?

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              #21
              I got my Enhanced Edition at Wall Mart for about fifteen dollars.

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                #23
                So, I've been playing it for a while now (I've spent about an hour or two...or three <?> at the river/swamp town called 'Flotsam').

                So...yeah. I need a new PC.
                I'm still looking for a better settings combo to balance visuals and performance, but I think I'll have to settle for most stuff on 'low'. If what I've read on some boards is right, the game is quite CPU intensive (and that part of my PC is over six years old ).
                This was painfully obvious when a small crowd of people were walking alongside Geralt...

                So, some more feedback:
                Stuff I liked:
                - Visuals (even on medium/low, I also kept texture downscaling on 'none' for a while): Great. Some vistas (esp. when on a high vantage point) are just great. I don't think there's really been an 'establishing shot' per se, but you do get a sense of the scale and the environment that you're at.
                The characters are also pretty to look at (the armour/uniforms are beautiful. I kinda wish Geralt could wear plate... )

                - Sound: The music and ambient noise (like the firing and winding up of siege weapons near the start) really lend to the 'atmosphere'. I also listened to part of the OST, and it's quite nice.

                - Dialogue/Voices: A bit mixed on this, but I like it as a whole. The dialogue, like the first game, feels 'modern'/anachronistic at times: cuss words, expressions. It works, I think, and some lines are quite funny.
                The voices are also generally good, but some could be better (I've seen on some boards where some folks complain about Triss' voice, but I liked it. She does sound 'American', tho', as do some other characters...I guess most people think 'British' <whether Welsh, Scottish or whatever> should be the 'accent' for a medieval fantasy setting... )

                Things I didn't like:
                - Quick-time events (QTEs): Gee. There's a 'difficult QTE' toggle in the options? *grumbles that he should've read the manual more thoroughly*
                I dunno how many times I died in that particular portion in the prologue (it involved a narrow stone bridge)
                Not all QTEs are bad, tho'. I like the new fisticuffs mini-game.

                - the Stealth bits in the prologue: the transition from sticking to the wall and moving isn't smooth. I'm not sure if the mechanic is lacking...or my PC is just old.

                Things I'm not sure I like or dislike:
                - Combat: I liked the first game's combat and I kinda miss it. The new combat is kinda interesting, but my experience might also be hampered by the framerates I currently have (my FPS is probably below 20, most of the times, hehehe).
                The 'normal' difficulty setting feels harder this time around. In the first game, I can 'coast' through most fights using just one or two signs and no potions. TW2, on normal, requires more use of the various signs and, for some fights, taking potions beforehand (as potions now can only be taken by meditating in relatively safe areas).

                - Story: Too soon to tell. It's ok, so far.

                So, that's it for now. I'm definitely not regretting this purchase and, despite 'technical difficulties' (i.e., slow/old PC), I'm enjoying it (except for that one particular QTE event...which I did manage to finish without toggling the QTE difficulty, but not without contemplating bashing my head on the keyboard first ).

                I'd like to post screenshots, too...but I haven't taken any. That and they'd probably look ugly compared to what people online have been posting.

                Oh well, back to gaming.
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                  #24
                  This review pretty much describes how I feel about the bad language in the game.

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                    #25
                    Meh, Game of Thrones still holds the crown for best swearing in Fantasy with lines like
                    "the war for Cersei's c***" and "f***ing boars and hunting whores"

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                      #26
                      Kinda funny that they used LotR pics, as some of the jokes are taken from that series of books/movies.
                      Spoiler:
                      the quest giver mentions twenty rings of power being a quest requirement, another NPC quotes the 'One ring to rule them all' line, with that NPC being answered by another NPC w/ a comment about walking barefoot into a volcano.


                      I dunno if there's more cussing in GoT, tho'. Especially when one gets to the part w/ lots of dwarves.

                      Just finished Chapter 2. Yup. I'm going to have to replay this, as I think I missed out on some stuff (even tho' I tried to be thorough).
                      I hope the next patch gives a 'performance boost'. The people w/ high end rigs might be complaining that their FPS dips below 50 or 60...when I'm happy if it's anywhere near 20.
                      (yup. still no new PC )
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                        #27
                        Originally posted by gotthammer View Post
                        I hope the next patch gives a 'performance boost'. The people w/ high end rigs might be complaining that their FPS dips below 50 or 60...when I'm happy if it's anywhere near 20.
                        (yup. still no new PC )
                        Hope you get that new PC, because the graphics are awesome!! I've got a HD 6870, and that isn't overly expensive, about 180 euros or so...

                        Just got the game. Pretty much everything exceeds my expectations, except for the clunky inventory, controls, key mapping not working properly and my save files being ignored (my witcher was with Shianni and now he's suddenly sleeping with Triss??)

                        Stuck at Chapter 1 though
                        Spoiler:
                        That horrible kraken kills me everytime. Once I sliced off it's tentacles but the rocks came after me next. Gave up soon trying

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                          #28
                          Originally posted by blazingfire View Post
                          Stuck at Chapter 1 though
                          Spoiler:
                          That horrible kraken kills me everytime. Once I sliced off it's tentacles but the rocks came after me next. Gave up soon trying
                          Yeah. The QTE stuff can get frustrating.
                          Spoiler:
                          I was able to kill it, after a lot of tries...and even w/ just 2 of the 4 'glowy tentacles' cut off. There will be a 'side swipe' that allows for a QTE, if you max the 'click the left mouse button really fast' part and jump off safely, the next part is to run up the rubble to the left over the Kayran and avoid the tentacles trying to swat you off and then it's all done. I found it quite satisfying, killing that thing.
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                            #29
                            Video review from www.gametrailers.com:
                            Standard version:
                            http://www.gametrailers.com/video/re...witcher/714183

                            HD Version:
                            http://www.gametrailers.com/video/re...witcher/714184
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                              #30
                              CD Projekt RED announced The Witcher 2 will be released for the XBox 360:

                              http://www.gametrailers.com/video/e3...witcher/714515

                              Patch 1.2 will be released tomorrow, I think.
                              edit:
                              Patch notes:
                              http://en.thewitcher.com/patch1-2/

                              GOG.com will also start selling 'classic' EA titles, starting w/ Wing Commander: Privateer (oooh...I loved that one ), Dungeon Keeper, and Ultima Underground 1 & 2:
                              http://www.gog.com/en/news/gog_com_s...ssic_ea_titles
                              Last edited by gotthammer; 02 June 2011, 08:21 PM.
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