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Post by drhickman1983 on Mar 30, 2023 6:38:52 GMT
Ah!
I had forgotten plants used to open the menu. At least the next gen update fixed that.
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Post by RadicalRex on Mar 30, 2023 6:40:35 GMT
Oh that's good. Didn't know that, only played the original version on PC. Still, it was baffling in 2015.
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Post by drhickman1983 on Mar 30, 2023 6:47:05 GMT
There are a few really good quality of life updates in the next gen update (including the one that's free on the PC). Quicker herb picking, able to use different signs without changing them in the menu, some combat updates (it's still only functional, really, but probably better).
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Post by darkling on Mar 30, 2023 7:13:30 GMT
Having invested a whole bunch of hours into this now, I'm still of the opinion that the combat is hot garbage; moreover, it runs like ass, and several of the gameplay elements feel positively antiquated by 2023 standards. Despite the above, there's something special about this game, and I can't seem to put it down. It's called Gwent 😉 After the latest patch it runs beautifully on Series X, apart from a few hitches around Novigrad, which VRR generally sorts out. My main annoyance is simply getting the loot / interact button prompt to appear in front of Geralt. Or getting that bloody ignorant mule Roach to come hither when I whistle. The combat's a mixed bag for me. Taking down bandits on horseback is fun, until Roach inexplicably gets stuck on scenery. The general combat is fine, slicing off limbs and heads is satisfying, but I wish the lock-on system was better, which can sometimes turn an easy fight into a frustrating nightmare of being swamped by enemies from behind, due to locking on to irrelevant distant enemies. Thank god for Quen. The thing I hate about the combat is when it plunges you into a fight directly after a cut scene with barely a chance to block or dodge the first enemy's attack. |
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Ulythium
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Post by Ulythium on Mar 30, 2023 9:12:06 GMT
Heh. I do love me some Gwent, I must admit!
I'm glad it runs well on Series X, and I hope the PS5 version will be patched for the better before my playthrough ends - the endless auto-save stuttering really wears thin after a while, along with the flickering in the inventory screen and various other annoyances.
Taken individually, they're pretty minor; taken collectively, they mar the experience quite a bit.
With regard to the combat, it started out being one-dimensional, mindless, and button-mashy... and it hasn't improved at all, 40 hours and umpteen upgrades later. In all that time, I've had precisely *one* satisfying enemy encounter, and that came at the culmination of an optional quest I could easily have missed.
Enough bitching, though - as I say, the game has something truly special about it, and I'm enjoying myself immensely despite the above.
It'd take ages to put together an exhaustive list of all the things I *do* like about The Witcher 3, so here's a smattering off the top of my head for the sake of bringing balance to this post:
- The music
- The dialogue
- Gwent
- The narrative
- The voice acting
- The characters
- The beauty of the world...
- ... Juxtaposed with the ugliness of war
- The secondary quests and witcher contracts
- Meaningful RPG mechanics
If I had to score it right now, I'd probably go with 8/10 - some aspects are 6/10 quality, while others are 10/10 standard, and it'd level out in the middle.
I expect to end up giving it 8.5, though, if things continue in this vein throughout the rest of the campaign and both DLC expansions, due to the aforementioned X-factor.
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Post by drhickman1983 on Mar 30, 2023 10:35:56 GMT
The Hearts of Stone story and characters is probably the game highlight for me. So I think that score is going to be maintained  (Blood and Wine is good too) |
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Post by darkling on Mar 30, 2023 10:55:44 GMT
Truly one of my life regrets was not buying the limited edition physical Gwent decks after purchasing the DLC on PS4. I was unemployed at the time and couldn't justify the expense. Silly me.
So much to love about the game though. I still think its visual design is gorgeous, even by today's standards.
The way the trees and foliage move makes the landscape feel alive, and combined with things such as spectacular orange lighting at dusk, the game never fails to conjure certain moods and atmospheres, unlike any other game.
The idiosyncratic building architecture is also excellent, as is the music, particularly the tracks A Story You Won't Believe (or "The Gwent Song" as I call it) and Ard Skellig Village.
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Post by RadicalRex on Mar 30, 2023 10:58:42 GMT
The Hearts of Stone story and characters is probably the game highlight for me. Same here, HoS was my favourite. Has one of my favourite villains in all of gaming. |
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Ulythium
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Post by Ulythium on Mar 31, 2023 17:21:39 GMT
An addition to my list of things I like about this game:
- "More like The Crimson Asshole."
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Post by 😎 on Mar 31, 2023 17:47:50 GMT
Are the physical gwent decks valuable then? I have both of them just sat in a box somewhere.
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Post by darkling on Mar 31, 2023 18:23:06 GMT
When I was looking to buy them second hand quite a few years ago, the majority of decks available were Polish, so if you've got an English language deck it might be worth something.
... I mean... I mean... Nah not worth nothin mate. Cheap tat. Why, fancy selling them? I'll give you a couple of quid 😉
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Post by 😎 on Mar 31, 2023 19:57:16 GMT
Yeah, both the red box and the blue box in English, still sealed. Might have to go investigate now.
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lukasz
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Post by lukasz on Apr 1, 2023 14:13:43 GMT
Installed the game just to check out the graphical improvements.
I loaded my old save after completing Blood and Wine in 2019. Darn this game looks beautiful.
so on ultra+ even without RT it runs like hot garbage. setting it to high gives me playable framerate but FSR 2 is completely necessary to get min 55fps.
Specs: 6700xt
AMD 5600
native resolution: 3440x1440
interesting setting is Screen Space Ambient Occlusion. it is low/high only and on low it gives me 20-30fps extra (so average is 75fps pushing to 90fps on High in some field in Toussant). with quick screenshot comparison indicating a very little reduction in graphics quality so wont even be noticeable in gaming. Weird setting.
Means playing with settings to get optimal performance on a PC is a must.
but replaying the game is actually in the future. maybe with 6070ti or something like that. then I can max out the settings including RT which looks great but is 20fps only... but then they will probably release a remastered version or something.
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cubby
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Post by cubby on Apr 1, 2023 14:37:39 GMT
Next game will be on unreal 5, and they're remaking 1, presumably on unreal 5 too. I think they've finally had enough of fixing games for months/years after release.
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Ulythium
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Post by Ulythium on Apr 3, 2023 19:21:47 GMT
I know this is considered blasphemous in certain circles, but... I really hate Yennefer. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 3, 2023 19:28:51 GMT
We hate you, too.
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Ulythium
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Post by Ulythium on Apr 3, 2023 20:40:24 GMT
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Lukus
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Post by Lukus on Apr 3, 2023 20:58:25 GMT
I know this is considered blasphemous in certain circles, but... I really hate Yennefer. Totally wish I'd dumped her when I had the chance. |
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lukasz
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Post by lukasz on Apr 4, 2023 0:32:10 GMT
Red Head team for lyf.
Wasn't even a contest lol!
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aubergine
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Post by aubergine on Apr 4, 2023 1:19:37 GMT
I know this is considered blasphemous in certain circles, but... I really hate Yennefer. But her boobs! And butt! They’re clearly meant to be! |
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Post by RadicalRex on Apr 4, 2023 3:35:52 GMT
Totally wish I'd dumped her when I had the chance. I did and brothe a sigh of relief. Finally! |
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Post by darkling on Apr 4, 2023 6:47:41 GMT
I declared my love for Triss then shagged Yennifer on a unicorn. Apparently that gets me the bad ending.
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Post by drhickman1983 on Apr 4, 2023 7:26:27 GMT
Yen is infuriating at times. I mean I do think she and Geralt care for each other and it's the most canonical relationship, but fucking hell she's demanding at times and very much uses Geralt to get what she wants.
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Ulythium
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Post by Ulythium on Apr 4, 2023 8:40:06 GMT
I do wish Geralt would stop simpering whenever she's around, even after the player has already chosen to romance Triss. Pah!
No matter - I think I'm nearing the point at which I can break things off with her for good.
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cubby
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Post by cubby on Apr 4, 2023 12:10:43 GMT
I'm just a yes man through and through, if someone asks me to do something I just say yes. And that's why my Geralt is alone.
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aubergine
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Post by aubergine on Apr 4, 2023 15:16:33 GMT
Triss has an American accent. She’s undoubtedly a better person than Yennefer but Yen definitely feels like Geralt’s destined soulmate. He LIKES that she’s kind of an arsehole, I bet she uses a riding crop when they’re on that unicorn.
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Ulythium
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Post by Ulythium on Apr 6, 2023 23:28:04 GMT
Do the gwent cards that can be won from random NPCs remain obtainable after the end of Act 1?
I've bought or won all the others, but there are still 25+ I need to collect; however, I'm not sure I want to spend that much time wandering around in search of randos to play, and the Ugly Baby quest is there for the taking.
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Post by darkling on Apr 7, 2023 7:28:19 GMT
I don't think any of the cards in Velen are missable in the early game, but you've got to be careful once you get to Novigrad. I'm using this guide which is the most straightforward one I could find. |
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Ulythium
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Post by Ulythium on Apr 7, 2023 8:35:27 GMT
Thanks, darkling. From that guide, I only have the third step - winning cards from matches - to complete, and I'm wary of finishing the first act in case any of the playable opponents become unavailable once Act 2 is underway. Guess I'll be spending most of my gaming time over the long weekend tracking down gwent cards! |
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Post by darkling on Apr 7, 2023 8:51:42 GMT
I don't think the guide is divided into "steps" per se, more just 3 distinct ways of winning cards.
For example, section 1 mentions "Olivier (innkeeper), Kingfisher Inn, Novigrad" who is actually part of the "Gwent: Playing Innkeeps" quest mentioned in section 2.
Also worth highlighting this paragraph from the guide:
"When shopping for Gwent cards, make sure you exit the vendor's storefront and then pop back in; sometimes you can purchase duplicate cards this way. Having multiple Decoy and Commander's Horn cards can make your life a lot easier when you go after rare cards."
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