Topic: The Witcher 2

[Xessive]

Throughout the game as you unlock parts of Geralt's memory (between chapter cutscenes), you can talk to Triss and reveal a bit more.

Don't get me wrong, I think I'm in love with Triss. Her personality is my kinda girl plus she's gorgeous, sexy, photogenic, etc.

[MysterD]

Joystiq -> Namco Bandai suing over European publishing rights for The Witcher 2 and DRM removal in PC version.

Okay, this is going to get confusing. Namco Bandai is suing Optimus SA, parent company of CD Projekt Red, over the European console publishing rights for The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings. It claims that Optimus failed to meet its commitment with Namco Bandai when it gave THQ the rights to distribute the Xbox version of the game in some parts of Europe.

What does Namco Bandai have to do with The Witcher? Namco Bandai actually owns the European distribution business of Atari (who will publish the console release in North America, and who published the PC version in Europe), after purchasing it in 2009. For its part, Optimus says that it only signed a distribution deal with N amco for the PC version, and had its choice of distributor for the console release.

In addition, Namco Bandai claims CD Projekt Red violated its agreement when it spontaneously removed DRM from all versions of The Witcher 2. As a result, Namco is withholding payment of around €1.255 million ($1.8 million) -- a threat to which Optimus president Adam Kicinski blithely responded (as translated by Google): "Our liquidity situation is very good. Therefore, the lack of a few million does not have any leverage on current activities. Withholding of payments means only that for some time, our partner will have to give us the money with interest."

He added that he was confident the case would be settled before it went to court -- or, if not, Optimus will win the case "and then the loser will pay for our lawyers."

Wow.

    Via: Giant Bomb
    Source: CD-Action

[MysterD]

Info on upcoming Patch 1.3.
Patch 1.3 ChangeLog w/ 45 things listed for changes, additions, fixes, etc - NO ETA on its release yet.
Some things include...
New DLC Quest "A Sackful Of Fluff", Storage Space at Inns, Quickload button added, Additional Junk Inventory added, Option to Hide the HUD, Added Game Ratio Aspects, De-buffing Quen,  NVidia 3D Driver Issues Fixed, etc.


EDIT:
Full list from GOG on Patch 1.3 Change-Log.

(click to show/hide)

The official news with changelog will be released later today on our official site, but I'd like to share it with you earlier. Please bear in mind that this is not final version. Again, sorry for delay.
-------------------------------------------------------
Patch 1.3 Corrections/Amendments

1. New FREE DLC – “A Sackful of Fluff” is a new quest in Chapter 2 of the game. To start the quest, visit the eccentric Elthon, who inhabits a solitary hut near the quarry outside Vergen. The quest will prove most rewarding to those who demonstrate patience.
2. Game now supports 4:3, 5:4, 16:10 aspect ratios.
3. Item storage has been added. Players can now store items from their Inventory at inns. To leave items in storage or collect previously stored items, talk to innkeepers.
4. A ‘Junk’ panel has been added to Inventory to provide greater clarity in item classification.
5. New menu option added in ‘Extras’ - enables players to view in-game animated sequences (flashbacks, memory flashes, dreams stolen by harpies) outside of the game.
6. A ‘Quickload’ option has been added under the F9 key.
7. The game's HUD can now be hidden in order to produce HUD-free screenshots! On newly installed game copies, the option to hide/show the HUD is available by default under the 'H' key. Users who have modified the key assignments on their installations should go to the 'Input Settings' dialogue of the Witcher 2 Configuration Tool to assign a key to this option. Please note that the game cannot be played with the HUD hidden.
8. Issue involving the game not running at 2560x1440 resolution has been resolved.
9. Issues with nVidia 3D Vision technology have been resolved. Players no longer need to uninstall the related drivers.
10. Key bindings have been corrected to enable configuration of mouse buttons for use by left-handed players.
11. Assorted key binding options have been added to facilitate configuration of controls and quick access to various in-game panels.
12. Issue related to game settings being reset to defaults upon patch installation has been resolved. Patches no longer reset game settings.
13. The configuration file is no longer over-written when the launcher/configuration tool is patched and over-written.
14. The launcher now closes while the game is being patched, thus eliminating the resulting game patching error.
15. The launcher now closes completely and no longer continues to operate in the background.
16. ‘Installed game version is invalid or incomplete’ error in updater when free space on system drive is insufficient – message has been corrected to reflect more accurately the nature of the error.
17. Mutagens are now alchemy ingredients. Minor mutagens drop more frequently than do major mutagens, though the overall mutagen drop rate has been reduced.
18. Corrections have been made in the mutagen drop rate and in Thorak’s store.
19. ‘Dragon’ section of Prologue does not become available until after all assault-related sections have been completed, thereby softening the difficulty curve at the start of the game.
20. During the fight against the kayran, when the bridge collapses, a map pin appears at the end of the bridge to facilitate player navigation and quest completion.
21. Map pins have been corrected in many quests.
22. Quen Sign slightly de-buffed – Sign dissipates 20% faster after foes land a blow. Assorted minor balance issues related to this Sign have also been resolved.
23. Issue with Dragon’s Dream bombs has been resolved. Damage to bosses from cast daggers has been reduced by one-half.
24. Several optimization improvements have been made in the tavern in Vergen.
25. Problem with music accompanying ‘stealth’ sequences has been resolved.
26. Issue related to arm wrestling Bart Bargee has been resolved. Players can no longer win coin from this character endlessly.
27. Option to fist fight woman praying at a statue in Vergen has been deactivated.
28. Mini-game contestants at one of the in-game taverns now switch positions correctly without blocking one another.
29. Problem involving Fenn’s sword in combat has been resolved.
30. Problems with herbalist’s gloves have been resolved.
31. In the Prologue, Geralt retains his steel long sword throughout, i.e., he is no longer automatically equipped with his default sword for the ‘Assault’ sequence.
32. Problem with some nekkers being immortal has been resolved.
33. Issue with triggered black screens blocking game progress has been resolved.
34. Interactions no longer appear on nekker nests after these have been destroyed.
35. The “Scent of Incense” quest no longer shows up as failed after being completed successfully.
36. Sudden switch to gameplay just prior to cut scene involving Cynthia and Philippa has been eliminated.
37. Triss, Roche and Iorveth are now de-spawned before the final credits roll.
38. Guard pacing cycles have been corrected.
39. The Redanian messenger in Henselt’s tent can no longer be killed, preventing him from re-spawning.
40. Elf woman in Vergen no longer strikes a T-pose.
41. Rotfiends feeding on corpses no longer re-spawn after corpse is burned.
42. Several fixes have been made in the functioning of in-game populaces.
43. Numerous problems with cameras in dialogue sequences have been resolved.
44. Assorted corrections have been made in dialogue sequences (including King Foltest’s gestures on the town walls in the Prologue).
45. A progression break in the ‘In the Claws of Madness’ quest has been eliminated.
-------------------------------------------------------


Andrzej Kwiatkowski
CD Projekt RED

[Xessive]

Niccce.

[MysterD]

I really love CDP, they seem to go out their way to implement things the fans really want for free - i.e. fixing KB/mouse controls controls, adding free DLC, adding storage, etc.
Wish more companies were like that.

[MysterD]

Patch 1.3 released for Non-Steam versions.
Steam users, your patch will be eventually coming.

[MysterD]

GameBanshee -> Witcher 2 - Version 2.0 PC will be shown off at GamesCon,which supposed to contain a new DLC.

Posted by WorstUsernameEver at 2:12 am on 08.14.2011 (8 hours ago)

At the end of the most recent video put on the official The Witcher website, the music video of Forgotten Land by Polish band Riverside, which contains game footage, the folks at CD Projekt RED tease a "new & improved PC version 2.0" for The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings and direct us to this year's GamesCom for more information, which is held from August 17th to 21st, meaning we should get more information soon.

This is probably the "as-yet-unannounced update to the PC version of the game" which is supposed to contain a major DLC for CD Projekt's critically acclaimed action-RPG.

[MysterD]

Version 2.0 coming to PC on Sept 29th and will also come equipped w/ the 360 version [when that ships].

The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings will be upgraded to version 2.0 on PC with an automatic update on September 29, CD Projekt revealed today at Gamescom. The free enhancements include a new tutorial system to train players on the game's mechanics, hopefully sparing the frustration of dying 18 times in the first 20 minutes of the game.

It will also add a "Dark Mode" difficulty, which is like Insane Mode but allows saving.

There will also be a new "Arena Mode," an arcade-style survival mode that has you hacking and slashing through wave after wave of ever-more-hearty beasts.

The update throws in 20 new tech enhancements that the devs didn't delve into.

CD Projekt also announced that the Xbox 360 version of The Witcher 2, scheduled for Q1 2012, will include all the DLC updates to the game, including the 2.0 version.

[K-man]

So I picked this up yesterday.  I've been pushing through the first game the past few weeks and the story has really ramped up for me (after a dreadful time in the swamp, has to be the low point in the game).  Anyhow, I opened it and stuff literally just falls out of it.  This is what PC games used to be like.  All these extras that aren't essential to the core experience, but are nice to have and look through.  I've installed the game, but am holding off on playing it until I get through the first game (which hopefully won't take very much longer).

Even if I end up hating the sequel, which I doubt, I certainly don't mind spending the coin on the off chance that packaging like this makes a return.

For any other game, this would have been sold as a collectors edition and would have likely garnered a 20-30 dollar premium.

[MysterD]

GameBanshee -> LOTS more info on upcoming Patch 2.0.

Adam Badowski, Studio Director commented “We quite modestly called this new update 2.0, but while testing it, we have realized that this update is, actually bigger than Enhanced Edition known from our first game! So this is a major update not only for us, but also for all those who want to start their adventure with the game and for those who would like to play it again.” He added, “We promised to support our game after release and also bring new content for free. Version 2.0 is one of the steps to fulfill our promise.” Isn’t this policy too generous? Adam Badowski replies:  “Around 1 milion units sold worldwide and solid financial results are the best proof that that we have the right approach. You don’t need draconian DRM to have good sales and you don’t need costly DLC to have good financial results. You just need to treat you customers fair, and you get not only financial results, but fans admiration which for us is absolutely priceless!”

The Witcher 2 version 2.0 the most notable gameplay enhancements and features are:

• New Tutorial System – New, more comprehensive tutorial is designed as a separate part of the game and takes place in the Kingdom of Keadwen. New Tutorial System gradually explains  all gameplay mechanics, from very basic to the most sophisticated systems. The Tutorial ensures that start of the game for everyone will be a pleasureable experience without too steep a learning curve.
• Special “Dark” difficulty setting - A new, intensely challenging difficulty setting that provides the ultimate challenge for players. On the “Dark” setting, The Witcher 2 is nearly as difficult as “Insane,” but allows players to save the game. It also provides a completely new set of dark-themed gear with very high stats. “Dark” mode also includes other special elements related to the “dark” theme. This setting is yet another reason to play the game again for those seeking new Witcher challenges.

New items in the “Dark” setting:
3 new sets of dark armor (light, medium, and heavy)
6 new dark swords (3 silver, 3 steel)
Other “Dark” themes/elements in the game…

• Completely new, arcade-style Arena Mode. Infinitely replayable and progressively more challenging, Arena Mode lets you hone your combat style and techniques against all the different opponents from the game as well as a new monster type, the Werewolf. Dispatch wave upon wave of increasingly more difficult enemies, earning awards that you can use to upgrade abilities, weapons and armor, and to test alchemy. Hirelings can also assist you in battle for a price. Combat waves will continue until your character is defeated, when you’ll see a statistical summary of results. Players can share their results with their friends by uploading this summary to the forums or to Facebook.

Arena Mode includes:
New location – forgotten stronghold in the Kingdom of Keadwen
Dynamic, responsive audience reacting to the events
A new monster type, Werewolf
30 different waves of enemies, looped with increasing levels of difficulty
3 different prizes to choose from in each wave
3 new characters (mage, knight, and dwarven fighter) that can serve as allies during clashes
A shopkeeper offering gear and enhancements
3 new GUI panels designed specifically for the mode
New dialogue
New background music
New Witcher Forum and Facebook integration

Each one of the new features was accompanied by live gameplay footage showing them in their full glory, but version 2.0 is not only about new features. There are also more than 40 new technical and gameplay enhancements to be included as well.

Version 2.0 will be available via automatic update to all existing and new users for free on the 29th of September. All versions of the game will update automatically to the 2.0 version, whether bought before or after 29th of September.

Release of the version 2.0 is synchronized with special sales promotions which starts today! Gamers from all over the world will be able to take advantage of this special deal as Steam offers Assassins of Kings for 29.90 Dollars or Euros (depending on your currency) from 22.09.2011 to 06.10.2011. CD Projekt RED sister company GOG.com is not far behind, with their promo starting on the same release day as version 2.0. They will be offering The Witcher 2 for 29.99$ from 29.09.2011 to 06.10.2011. If you haven’t bought the game yet, it’s a great opportunity to buy it now, as The Witcher 2 is definitely not a game to miss.

[shock]

Some interesting stuff in there.  The tutorial changes are nice, I'm sure, but a little late..  Arena sounds cool.  None of this is worth a reinstall, though.

[MysterD]

Some interesting stuff in there.  The tutorial changes are nice, I'm sure, but a little late..  Arena sounds cool.  None of this is worth a reinstall, though.

I haven't uninstalled TW2 - probably won't anytime soon, either.
I'll be looking forward to the patch.
Though, who knows when I'll get to a 2nd run-through of TW2, though.
I never finished my 2nd run-through of TW1.

[MysterD]

CDPR on DLC and expansions.

In conversation with Rock, Paper, Shotgun, CD Projekt Red's development director Adam Badowski had some choice words to share regarding DLC and the more restrictive policies Microsoft require its publishers to follow.

"We don't see the idea [of paid DLC] as wrong, but we definitely don't like to see gamers treated like dairy cows that are primed for milking," said Badowski. "All too often, DLC is seen as an additional revenue opportunity. That's not bad in itself -- we're not only in this industry to make games, we're also here to do business. But we shouldn't look at it exclusively from the latter angle, because that sometimes leads to decisions that could leave a bad taste in one's mouth. If you only think about the business in terms of the money it can generate, I think you could come awfully close to forcing players to buy something additional in order to enjoy fully a game they just bought. And that's simply not fair."

Badowski admitted that this isn't always the case, but his team is committed to providing additional content for The Witcher 2 on PC for free. His reasoning behind this is that he believes consumers are well within their rights to expect a developer to continue servicing their product after release, rather than just washing their hands of it.

When the Xbox version of The Witcher 2 launches, however, life may not be so simple. Due to Microsoft policies that need to be followed, Badowski says, free DLC is likely to be out of the question. That said, the Xbox 360 version of The Witcher 2 will incorporate everything from the new version 2.0 update -- itself offering several months worth of DLC packages.

"Any payable DLC that appears [for PC] is likely to be a more classic expansion pack along the lines of, say, Baldur's Gate: Tales of the Sword Coast," added Badowski. "But this is a purely theoretical discussion at this point, as we have yet to confirm or even plan any official expansion packs."

[Quemaqua]

Them dudes are smart cookies.

[MysterD]

Them dudes are smart cookies.

I wish more dev's thought like these guys do.

[MysterD]

TW2's sales -> GOG version sells 35K; Steam sells 195K; Over 1 mill at retail worldwide.

[Pugnate]

Yea retail is still king. This proves it like anything.

[MysterD]

Patch 2.1 released.

[W7RE]

couple questions:

Is there a demo for this game?

Do I need to play The Witcher to understand what's going on in The Witcher 2?

Would it be possible to explain the structure of the game? For reference, I've played a few dozen hours of Fallout 3 and Skyrim. Is it similar? Less open?





I probably shouldn't be looking at another RPG. I'm playing the shit out of Skyrim and still have FO3 and all it's DLC, as well as the original Dragon Age which I haven't touched yet.

[shock]

couple questions:

Is there a demo for this game?

Do I need to play The Witcher to understand what's going on in The Witcher 2?

Would it be possible to explain the structure of the game? For reference, I've played a few dozen hours of Fallout 3 and Skyrim. Is it similar? Less open?

I probably shouldn't be looking at another RPG. I'm playing the shit out of Skyrim and still have FO3 and all it's DLC, as well as the original Dragon Age which I haven't touched yet.

No demo that I know of.

Playing Witcher is not necessary.  The tutorial and beginning of the story give you the gist of it.  I haven't played Witcher 1 and never felt compelled to in order to understand what was going on.

It is significantly more closed than Fallout 3 or Skyrim.  I would say it is more KOTOR-esque (if you played that).  You basically go to medium sized quest area with about 40% of quests related to main quest and the rest related to other quests.  Once you finish that area, you move on and cannot go back.  And it's Bioware-esque in that when it ends, it's over.

The combat is frustrating, particularly at first.  Interface is clunky and very non-intuitive.  That said, the graphics and story are fantastic.  Those elements alone make it worth a playthrough, IMO, but I think you'll have to expect a bit of disappointment/frustration along the way.

Just my opinion.  I haven't played since 2.0, so maybe some of these issues have been addressed.

[Xessive]

The Witcher was a great game but not necessary to enjoy The Witcher 2, it primarily serves to fill you in on Geralt's history with King Foltest.

TW2 certainly has its interface issues but it's a big improvement over its predecessor. The combat has been tweaked in v2.0, it's a bit more responsive and has better flow overall but it still kinda odd compared to many other melee combat-oriented games. The newly added Arena mode (v2.0) is great practice!

[MysterD]

GiantBomb -> CD Projekt RED drops piracy initiative to chase pirates.

[shock]

Good decision.  I was hoping this would start becoming the industry norm.

[MysterD]

The Witcher 2: Assassins Of Kings - Enhanced Edition announced for PC and X360 for April 17th.

Details:
Upgrade will be FREE download for game owners on PC on April 17th; X360 version will be released at Retail same day (April 17th).
X360 version will have the SAME content-wise as the PC version.
Free Witcher comic book for game owners and other goodies.
3 hours of new content added.
Act 3 has been extended.
New characters and quests will be introduced.
Extended 3 1/2 minute cinematic on an assassination on one of the Kings.
X360 GamePad gets more control-related stuff added.

[Xessive]

That is sexy news. Sexy news.

[MysterD]

I so <3 CDP.
They always try to improve their games, give out FREE DLC, give other goodies to their fans, and make their fans happy.
And this is why I don't mind dropping good $ on their games when they 1st release them.

[MysterD]

Eurogamer -> Witcher dev's next two 2014/2015 "AAA+" games are simultaneous PC and next-gen console releases.

[Xessive]

Have you guys seen the new intro video?

Not bad. Not bad at all.

[MysterD]

CD Projekt says they'll never use DRM ever again.
I hope they can hold true to this and if they have to get outside publishing, they can convince publishers to go this route.

[Quemaqua]

I really need to get this eventually.

[MysterD]

I really need to get this eventually.

Trust me - you WILL NOT be disappointed.

[MysterD]

The Witcher 2: Enhanced Edition - Upgrade Patch for PC version owners is up for Pre-Load.
It's around 13 GB in size [so far].
They'll give you the rest of the files you'll need to complete the upgrade, April 17th...

[Xessive]

Nicccce.

[MysterD]

Witcher 2 PC version owners who didn't buy the game from GOG, you can register your game on GOG now.
GOG version owners - you don't have to do above said step. It's automatically on GOG for you.
EE Patch is fully out now. Though, looks like servers getting hammered or having installation issues...
Many of the Goodies got EE updated versions, as well [New Comic Book, New Triss Pics, Updated Manual, Updated Soundtrack, etc] - so you might wanna DL what you need or just DL the entire 2.8 GB Goodies EE Pack.

EDIT 1:
If you want to manually install the EE upgrade or just need the files missing to update from TW2 Regular-to-EE, go here and grab what you need:
TW2: EE - Manual Install Files.

EDIT 2:
Basically, I DL'ed to the folder where you put all the EE Upgrade files:
All the Part 0 files for the language packs (EXE files for installing language packs).
Re-DL'ed Main Files Part 0, 1, and 2 [Part 1 and 2 are rumored to be corrupted; Part 0 is the necessary EXE file].
Ran TWEE_Patch.EXE.
All went fine and can run the game.

EDIT 3:
If you have ALREADY finished the game [recent or long ago], the game created a End Credits Save.
If you Load that, It'll give you the EXTRA slideshow-style] results for your actions.
AWESOME!

[Xessive]

For anyone who pre-loaded the massive update, you may encounter an error "pack0.dzip corrupt," just re-download part 1 and 2 from the EE manual update page and replace them in the pre-load folder then try reinstalling the update.

I was annoyed at the thought of re-downloading a 14GB update but luckily I didn't have to

[MysterD]

For anyone who pre-loaded the massive update, you may encounter an error "pack0.dzip corrupt," just re-download part 1 and 2 from the EE manual update page and replace them in the pre-load folder then try reinstalling the update.

I was annoyed at the thought of re-downloading a 14GB update but luckily I didn't have to

Right.
Pretty much what I was stating in Edit #2.


EDIT:
PC Gamer -> Why CD Projekt Updated The Witcher 2 For Free.

t’s been a year since The Witcher 2 was first released on PC. Since then a series of big patches have added new quests, characters, combat tweaks and game modes. Earlier today, the Enhanced Edition made even more additions. Like every update for The Witcher 2, it was released as a free download. I met up with level designer Ziemak Marek last week to find out why CD Projekt have decided not to charge for additions that other companies would sell as DLC packs.

“It’s a part of our philosophy,” Marek said. “Our concept is to create a really great RPG game, and if it’s not great for everyone and it’s not as great as we’d like it to be, if it has some glitches or there are some elements that could be better, then we feel responsible for remaking them.”

Marek went on to say that “it wouldn’t be fair” to charge players for these remade areas. “It’s just improving the game,” he suggested, “it’s not delivering something that’s new.”

But it is adding something new, I suggested, mentioning the new difficulty mode and combat arena added in the 2.0 patch, and the four hours of new quests added in the Enhanced Edition. All these extra areas took time and money to develop, why not pass that cost on to the player?

“We do some extra work, but on the other hand, when you buy The Witcher, we’re promising you a really great experience. If you don’t feel satisfied enough then we, sometimes, probably a little bit guilty because we’re after delivering a really great experience,” he said.

Marek went on to explain that CD Projekt hope that free updates instil sense of goodwill among players. “If you trust as a player that our games are great, you like them, you enjoy them, even if we can’t think about everything, if you find some glitches or problems in the game, you’ll be sure that will be fixed,” he said. “Then you’ll probably feel good when you’re buying our games, and that’s what we’re after.”

“We’re giving resources for that,” he said.

[Xessive]

That's true. My experience with The Witcher, the Enhanced Edition update, and CDProjekt RED support they won me over. When The Witcher 2 pre-order started I bought it on GOG.com immediately. It's a game that I don't mind paying full price upfront for since I have faith in the developer and publisher; I know I'm going to be playing and enjoying it.

[MysterD]

PC Patch 3.2 released.

Version 3.2 Corrections/Amendments (18th June 2012)
Patch 3.2 is a UI modification for the PC version of The Witcher 2 Assassins of Kings Enhanced Edition. The mod adds the following enhancements to the game. It can be used optionally (enabled by default) by players when installed. You can disable it in Configurator DLC Menu.

Minimap: Adds a north arrow.
Alchemy: Crafting slots show how many ingredients there are; better default ingredient selection (e.g., not having to filter out quest item ingredients all the time); un-rotates alchemy element symbols; saves custom ingredient selection for a formula (until you close the panel or go to another formula, but no longer resetting every time you create something).
Tooltips: Taller, and scroll faster.
Inventory/Trading/Storage: Sorting buttons (sort by time acquired, name, aggregate weight, aggegrate price.) Reversible sort also possible.
Trading: Places a checkmark next to books, formulas, and crafting diagrams that you already have in your inventory.
Crafting: Shows how many items you have instead of capping the number at how many are required. E.g., 30/3 instead of 3/3.
Other: Sorts some lists alphabetically: crafting, alchemy, elixirs.

From what I've read on GameBanshee, CDP hired David Block, the guy who made the UI Mod and decided to make it officially part of The Witcher 2 game.

[MysterD]

REDKit modding tools for The Witcher 2 to be shown-off behind closed doors at GamesCom 2012.

[Pugnate]

Finished The Witcher today! Started The Witcher 2. Holy mother, this games looks amazing.