Crivens, this is unprecedented. Last year’s most divisive RPG, The Witcher, is to be re-released. But not just re-released in a shiny box and with extra smutty collector’s cards – re-made, almost. Loading times are to be cut by up to 80%, stability’s in for a-fixin’ and there are to be improvements in “interactivity and precision in combat.” Most fascinatingly for me – as it was the often painfully wobbly dialogue that most kept the game from my affections – its script and voiceovers are in for a near-complete overhaul.
“The English-language version will, for the most part, be completely re-done. The amount of text in that version was reduced compared to other language versions and that was said to cause a significant decrease in immersion and atmosphere. Now the English version will be as polished and atmospheric as the other language versions.”
That’s still not all. Bloody hell.
“Over 50 new supporting character models will be added, so that the player won’t run into the same person too often. The inventory panel will be re-designed and improved, and some elements of the main game screen will be polished. However, one of the biggest changes that will greatly increase the player’s immersion in the game world will be improvements concerning dialogue scenes. Both Geralt and non-player characters will get over 100 new animated gestures which will make their body language during conversations much more natural. Additionally, the facial animation and lip-sync system will be re-created, making the faces of the speakers now even more natural, as well.”
So that’s The Witcher 2.0 then, with almost everything anyone bitched about due for a tarting up. It’s a second chance to be the game its developers wanted it to be, it seems. That’s pretty incredible – certainly, I can’t think of any other game that’s been officially re-loved to this extent post-release.
The Witcher’s sold a truckload, truly one of last year’s sleeper hits. So I wonder. Is this Enhanced Edition aimed at those who haven’t yet played the game, or rather at those that have already sworn undying allegiance to it, and won’t hesitate to buy a second copy?
Update – the new content will be free to existing Witcher owners, it seems. Me gazes forlornly at my timed-out, unpatchable, mega-buggy review code.
It’s enough to get me interested in revisiting the thing, certainly – I really struggled to stomach the atmosphere-fracture of the clumsily-translated dialogue and cutscenes, but maybe this will cause the scales to fall from my eyes.
Whether new lines can make the unchecked misogyny any less risibly cheesy remains to be seen. Let’s hope so.
More info on The Witcher: Enhanced Edition in this cut out’n'keep PDF.
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Edit: …and the italic tag overflow goes away. If an RPS god fixed it for me, thanks RPS god.
kieron: i have had it explained to me (via the intertubes) that geralt is also a sendup of various fantasy tropes. he is after all a total pussyhound who also happens to be sterile – so there’s no real consequences to his actions, and it’s exactly the sort of thing a young, frustrated adolescent male would dream up as an ideal sexual avatar.
i don’t know if i buy that, as i am totally ignorant of fantasy fiction.
i do like the game. and the relationships are generally on-topic in the game, to a certain degree (the chapter 4 sister who wants a ring is a jarring exception) so it seems doubly weird to take interesting characterizations and punctuate them with trading card follies.
then again, europeans.
Jeez guys, I’m etymologically-minded to point of [insert hyperbole here], and you’re even boring me.
….If it helps, Kieron, I suggested how they could have done it right…
Although I don’t see why a Witcher fan is duty-bound to pretend to like an element of the game if they actually didn’t. Considering the amount you overlook in Bioshock, I don’t think you’re one to be talking about ‘admissions’… ;)
Schadenfreude: According to the PDF, yes there will be new cards! *unzips*
Meanwhile, did anyone else actively enjoy the combat in Witcher? The timing element stops it from becoming a mere click-’til-they’re-dead-fest — indeed, if you click ahead of time, you cancel your prior attack, so you can’t get too lazy about it (plus if we’re gonna get reductionist about PC game combat, good luck finding a game where you don’t click someone to death) — and once you’ve worked out that the sword stances aren’t terribly complicated, the fights can be gracefully executed, and quite a bit of fun.
Yeah it’s pretty alright. I wouldn’t say I actively enjoyed it, but it does the job of punctuating everything else well enough.
As you say, it’s pretty simple, so you can sort of turn off your brain and enjoy the flashiness. Sort of reminiscent of KOTOR in that respect, in some ways.
The point of my question was to route out whether kadayi actually had a valid point to make, or was simply being pedantic and trolling.
Sadly it was the latter. If it were the former, he would have addressed the issue at hand, rather than continuing his militant and misplaced approach to definitions. (For the record, I find the CCG of women shagging a pretty damned hateful attitude, and thus certainly misogyny.)
John
Surely precision in the use of words is everything, when all there is to assess are words, no? If your refuting the very validity of a dictionary definition as an actual point of reference where in lies the common ground of language and clear communication?
The most I’ve done here is say ‘I’m not sure that’s an apt phrase’ and defended my position when challenged. If you genuinely think that’s trolling, then ban away (I suspect that’s what’s coming next….).
Kadayi
What you’ve done is endlessly repeat the same empty statement, which is now insanely tedious. Do it again and we will start deleting.
Played the Witcher over Christmas, thought it was entertaining if a little un-polished, but i’m looking forward to the update when it arrives.I would agree that the card collecting is sexist, but I wouldn’t go as far as labelling it as misogynistic.
CY
This is pretty good news, maybe I’ll play it after all…
ps.
I hate dictionary nazis.
@Tim
Definitely play it when the update arrives, you’ll be in for a treat. The bigger question beyond the update is really whether CD Projekt are working on a sequel, and if so how they will pull it off. The Amnesia trick isn’t going to work again, and with different endings to the Game where do you start from exactly? I suspect a bit of Baldurs gate 2 chicanery will be in order.
[Edited. Don't try to reignite the argument. Thanks - RPS]
This news pleases me immensely. And I liked the original trimmed down version. Kudos to CD Projekt for actually *supporting* their game post-release.
I’m not going to get into the whole misogyny debate – I would simply point out that a lot of people have judged the game from a Western European standpoint, whereas the original fiction (and the game itself) stems from an Eastern European standpoint, and a lot of the themes that provoke outrage here in the UK are a whole lot more mainstream in mainland Europe. Heck, I’ve just come back from holiday in France, and there you’ve got common-or-garden health magazines with naked women plastered all over the cover on the shelves in easy reach of children…
Taboos aren’t universal – you need to make an allowance for the context they’re in, and I fear that this is precisely what a lot of people have failed to do. Of course, you’re perfectly entitled to any indignation you might feel – but hey, no-one’s strapping you into a chair and forcing you to play. (Unless you happen to be reviewing it, naturally…)
I don’t want to reignite the argument, but I just don’t see the cards being such a big deal. The entire thing reminds me of oversensitive white people calling everything they see racist, while black people shrug and don’t really care.
I’m curious to hear a woman’s point of view. Is the fact that you get a memento of the sexual experiences an example of genuine woman-hating?
Looking forward to this new version. Already have it so will get the patch but may also get the game again, maybe. Then I will play it properly. Hope they fix the ability to remap mouse buttons to whatever the hell the user wants. “Pedro~” isn’t happy about that!!!
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