[Aptorian]

Been playing the expansion a bit as well.

Really like the story. That first frog boss was terrific. Better than any of the bosses in the main game. Also like the new Eastern flavor the game introduces. I wonder about this Mirror Salesman guy. Who/what do we think he is? A demon? Some kind of god? A genie?

 Mentalist, on 19 October 2015 - 01:40 PM, said:

-Also, speaking of grind: I'm still short 2 troll stomachs I need to max out a few oils.

Yeah. All the story related trolls I have met I have let live if I could, since I think the trolls are great. The few trolls I have met in the wild haven't dropped the ingredients I need for the potions.

 Mentalist, on 19 October 2015 - 01:40 PM, said:

-one of the Hidden treasure tasks had me fight a giant spider. His model is no different from all the others, but his attacks and HP are like those of a giant Aracha. I was seriously annoyed and actually came close to dying. This hasn't happened for many hours.

Generally I find that the 30+ level enemies in Novigrad is now causing me considerable grief. For the first time in the game I feel a real need to use potions and tactics. Probably doesn't help that I spent the second half of the vanilla game being greatly over levelled.

[Mentalist]

I know everyone moved on to Fallout 4 by now, but still:

Found the time this weekend to finish "Hearts of Stone". Since I basically did most of the side stuff-explory bits first, it meant running through the main story.

The party was great fun, basically building on the ideas from that party quest in TW1 (which was also with Shani).

The Heist I'm not so crazy about-I wonder how much of a difference another crew would've made? Also, the choices there seemed a bit hamfisted. Not really impressed.

The last wish quest had some tough fights (even on Normal)... had me reloading again and again. At least until I"gave up" and went back to using Quen a lot.

Ending was well-done. That last boss sequence also took me a few tries to figure out until I clued in and used the Witcher sense.

Looking forward to trying out the fancy sword. I've gone back to Skellige and turned question marks back on, for whenever I feel like exploring some more.

I've changed my mind and probably won't do a new playthrough until after I'm done with the new DLC due in the winter.

One other thought about balancing in HoS: they've overhauled the economy. Dragon scales and rare metals became much cheaper, so merchants don't have a whole lot of money anymore. Makes selling my 20 Master-crafted trophy swords a genuine challenge, b/c no one has the money to buy. Felt a tad annoyed by that.

[Mentalist]

Time to necro the thread.

Second expansion, Blood and Wine is coming out May 31st

here's a teaser:



I haven't played in ages (mostly due to a general gaming slowdown). Now I have very good motivation to power through Thief 3 before I can play this.

Toussaint is supposed to be as big as Velen. CDPRED says there's about 30h worth of game in there.

This post has been edited by Mentalist: 11 May 2016 - 01:19 AM

[Tapper]

Nope, still playing, sneaking in 2 hours or so once a week - Blood and Bones, currently at Imlerith, who is a bastard to take down at this difficulty. First time in four levels that I died to something repeatedly.

I have been taking it slow mostly because I doubt I will do more than this single playthrough, so I want to go as completionist as possible - it is a big game. I planned to roll straight into Blood and Wine from finishing the main game and Heart of Stone, but I will probably not manage that.

[Tiste Simeon]

Meanwhile, I'm still here just struggling my way through Velen trying to level up as much as possible. Chasin' them question marks...

[Mentalist]

Drip-drip, trickles more setting info...

new dev diary

I'm particularly interested in "mutations"- is this gonna be a minor skill/stat buff like in TW2, or a major skill/talent gate like some mutagens were in TW1?

[Raymond Luxury Yacht]

I stopped playing as soon as I beat it back when it was new, haven't touched it since. Now I can do a new game + run through with all the dlc new to me. Looking forward to it. Trying to decide if I will turn off question marks this time to enhance exploitability, last runthrough it became a lot of compulsive ? clearing.

[WinterPhoenix]

So I started up a new save after hitting the Platijum Trophy for DS3, bought the season pass thingy so now I have HoS and will have B&W come release, no chance of me outpacing the release date, way too busy the next couple if weeks to give it the kind of time I have Dark Souls.

Currently on the Trail of Treats to find the Crones of Crookback Bog - did a hefty amount of side questing, ? clearing, contracts and such before touching main quest line, about 6 levels above the recommended currently. Sooooooo much Gwent playing, partly because I never got the full collection on my old save, primarily because I damn well love it! Think I've already played enough merchants that I no longer get cards as prizes, ran through Novigrad and Oxenfurt playing anyone who'd give me the time of day lol

I had sort of forgotten just how much I damn well love this game, looking forward to finally playing the DLC immensely.

2 things, firstly, can't stand Crookbacj Bog in its entirety, the Crones, the spirit in the tree, the area in general, I hate it! Second, damn does the Lubberkin quest hit you squarely in the feels!

[Aptorian]

I stopped half-way into the Hearts of Stone expansion because I was still worn out from playing through W3. I sort of want to pick the game back up with the Blood and Wine expansion but I still feel full. Like I can't eat more Witcher.

[Traveller]

I nearly put this on again last night. Nearly.

I remember finishing the Crookback bog and the Red Baron quests and arriving in Novigrad, but I just wasn't interested enough to bother with exploring it all, and haven't played it since.

I'll try again later and see if anything has changed.

[WinterPhoenix]

It honestly does more than any other game I've played to make me feel as if I'm truly in a living, breathing world - sure it has things that throw you out on the experience same as any other open world RPG, a helluva great effort though. It looks and sounds stunning too, honestly never had any issues being sucked in, it had me from the very beginning.

I hope it grabs you when you do pick it up again, though I fear it might not if it hadn't by Novigrad, truly a spectacular game. I wasn't expecting to love it as much as I do, a trade off I guess with being so thoroughly disappointed by Fallout 4 :/

This post has been edited by WinterPhoenix: 21 May 2016 - 09:54 AM

[Mentalist]

New Trailer

Looks like there's more vampires in the story.

Most excited about the diff. moster types + also the "mutagen" mechanics, which are supposed to allow better customization. And, y'know, a new area the size of Velen. Should be real good.

This post has been edited by Mentalist: 25 May 2016 - 12:51 AM

[Defiance]

This is super exciting for anyone who has read the novels. A great location and the return of certain book characters...

I think it was already confirmed that we won't, but man do I hope that Iorveth and Saskia somehow make an appearance. Not seeing my elven bro was my only real complaint about the third game.

[Mentalist]

 Defiance, on 25 May 2016 - 01:04 PM, said:

This is super exciting for anyone who has read the novels. A great location and the return of certain book characters...

I think it was already confirmed that we won't, but man do I hope that Iorveth and Saskia somehow make an appearance. Not seeing my elven bro was my only real complaint about the third game.

I read the books lon time ago, and don't remember much about Toussaint beyond a Witcher dancing fo days with a certain sorceress.

As for TW3, not having Saskia was super-annoyying, b/c I honestly hoped having her protecting Upper Aedirn would would make Nilfgaard advance falter. But since you get t disposition infodump before you can make your TW2 choices, clearly they didn't think it necessary. Guess for my replay I'll have to make a Roche save, as it's more "canon".

Edit: ok, I read in the RPS review that

Spoiler

Regis

is back. Did not expect that one. I may need to re-re the books since I was pretty sure he died. Dandelion even says that in the first game when you have a party wit Shani.

This post has been edited by Mentalist: 25 May 2016 - 05:05 PM

[Defiance]

Book spoilers regarding the DLC. Not really a big of a spoiler if you've only played the games.

Spoiler

Yeah, Vilgefortz killed him. He got lit up and turned into glass during the big showdown in Lady of the Lake. I'm super excited that we'll be seeing him, though I'm curious how his survival will be justified.

It'll be cool if there's some options to reminisce since the games have shied away from talking very much about Vilgefortz, Cahir, Milva, Angouleme, and other book-only characters.

This post has been edited by Defiance: 27 May 2016 - 01:44 AM

[Mentalist]

Patched to 1.21. DLC is downloaded.

Changes in UI make is slightly better- inventory screen is usable now, better sorting.

Not gonna be able to play B&W for a bit, b/c the Russian voiceovers (and apparently all but English) are not downloading properly rite now. Unless you use Galaxy. So I'll wait for a hotfix.

In other observations, "Fool's Gold" DLC quest is STILL bugged. Le sigh.

[WinterPhoenix]

 Mentalist, on 31 May 2016 - 04:10 AM, said:

Patched to 1.21. DLC is downloaded.

Changes in UI make is slightly better- inventory screen is usable now, better sorting.

Not gonna be able to play B&W for a bit, b/c the Russian voiceovers (and apparently all but English) are not downloading properly rite now. Unless you use Galaxy. So I'll wait for a hotfix.

In other observations, "Fool's Gold" DLC quest is STILL bugged. Le sigh.

Downloaded for PS4 last night, the UI changes with patch 1.20 are almost universally better, so much easier to use. Still only lv 27 on this playthrough though, so a little while before I can really sink my teeth into Toussaint yet.What's the bug in Fool's Gold? Everytime I have tried this quest it has completed fine in what I assume is the manner it is supposed to.

[Mentalist]

For whatever reason, when I'm supposed to examine the cursed pigs/villagers, they aren't interactable w/ Witcher sense. So no way to advance the quest.

When I get home I may try to re-install B&W setting Russian as installation language to see if that lets me play with proper voiceovers.

Otherwise it's back to Shadowrun until this is fixed...

[WinterPhoenix]

Ya know what I'm most looking forward to? New Gwent catds!!!!! So happy there'll be more playing and collecting. New Skellige deck will have to go some to beat the Northern Realms though, the only disappointing thing about Gwent is how definitively Northern Realms is hands down the best deck.

[Tiste Simeon]

I... I think I am done with this game. There is nothing wrong with it per se I just... can't do it any more. I don't really enjoy it that much! I dunno why, it just hasn't grabbed me. I have put loads of hours in and really tried to take everything on board, but it just isn't for me!