[Mentalist]

Tiste Simeon, on 31 May 2016 - 10:30 PM, said:

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!

How far in the main story did you get?

[Aptorian]

Tiste Simeon, on 31 May 2016 - 10:30 PM, said:

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!

Did you just do a bit of everything or did you try focusing on the main story quests? If you played through the Bloody Baron quest line and didn't like it, then there's definitely no hope.

Anyway, spent all last night finding new mods and installing them. Made sure I get full xp for all quests, the vendors all have 5000 gold, all the perks are permanently active, all quests are visible on the map, etc.

I still have to finish the Heart of Stone DLC but I am getting back into the swing of things.

[Mentalist]

I dunno, I didn't lurve the Bloody Baron line the way some people and most reviewers seemed to.

Highlight of main line, writing and creativity-wise (for me) was later on in Novigrad, when Geralt has to draw the doppler out of hiding and the things he does to make that happen

But as I've stated many times, the best parts of the writing are optional quests from people that are important to Geralt.

[Mentalist]

Right, forgot to mention: downloaded the Russian speech file from a Google Drive link on the GoG forums. Put about 2 hours into "Blood and Wine" last night (just got out of the Duchess' gardens and that next scene).

Too early to get a good impression yet. Toussaint looks pretty big, and there's about 10 job boards, which is nice. Haven't encountered anything about Mutations yet (though a helpful tooltip informed me that I will soon receive a "very interesting letter" regarding this). Since that's the new system I'm most curios about, as soon as that happens, i'll probably drop the main quest.

Visually, Toussaint is vibrant, but it seems TOO green and bright. It may grow on me though.

Haven't tried the new Gwent deck yet. Picked up a bunch (like 5) contracts on the first job board, haven't followed through yet. No chances to explore the capital yet, either. All in all, I've barely dipped my toe into into it. But it's nice to be back.

[Tiste Simeon]

I have done a lot of the main quests, in fact they have moved into Novigrad now, plus tons of other missions for both minor and more important characters. I feel like I have given it a good go by when I sit down to play it, it feels more like a chore than anything else...

[Mentalist]

Tiste Simeon, on 01 June 2016 - 03:08 PM, said:

I have done a lot of the main quests, in fact they have moved into Novigrad now, plus tons of other missions for both minor and more important characters. I feel like I have given it a good go by when I sit down to play it, it feels more like a chore than anything else...

Sorry to hear you say that. I won't pretend that everyone has to like it: if it's not clicking for you, then it's not your cup of tea. I can't say I'd write any accolades to the game's combat. The thing that really made it work for me was how well CDPRED conveyed the tone of the books into the game-and the world to explore, with well-written stories to just stumble into-like finding

Spoiler

Letho

while doing something basically unrelated.

But hey, if you're not feeling it, no point to force yourself...

[Tiste Simeon]

Thanks Ment. I think part of it is I don't have as much time to play something that requires so much. I found when I was able to spend a few hours playing it I really got into it but I can't really atm. My friend who I borrowed it from said I can keep it for now so if things change I can pick it up again. But with NMS getting close that's not likely!

It is a stunning game though, I can't deny that!

[WinterPhoenix]

Just onto HoS content in my playthrough, I've left the main quest at Final Preparations to go exploring the heretofore untravelled lands - holy shit I hate arachnomorphs. There doesn't seem to be any organic point at which to actually do the DLC, from a role-playing perspective at any rate. By which I mean I don't see how you could possibly reach a high enough level to tackle the areas before Isle of Mists/Battle of Kaer Morhen, I was lv 27 by the time I took on Isle and I did every single main and secondary quest, all witcher contracts but the highest 2, every treasure hunt and all ? In Velen apart from the DLC area and the Place of Power atop Bald Mountain. Even with the numerous sea based ? I have yet to do in Skellige I highly doubt I could have garnered more than perhaps 1 more level's worth of xp. The idea of attacking another major story story arc, or in fact travelling abroad to a whole other country really destroys any sense of urgency from a purely narrative/role playing perspective - in fact this would be a problem even before the Isle given the nature of your search and the dialogue surrounding it. Though I guess there are many out there that might argue that forcintg the player to play as Geralt is amore egregious error in that vein - not that I am one of them mind.The new content is pretty great so far - arachnomorphs notwithstanding! - though i'm seeing this Runewright business being prohibitively expensive. The main questline will be laughably easy when I get back to it eventually lol


I just encountered an odd bug I've not seen before - least I assume it's a bug - lv 36 Golem enemy guarding a treasure near Bowdon has no health, healthbar is showing nothing and my attacks do no damage! Not so fussed about the treasure, but I am worried about it proliferating and causes issues on actual quests. Have you seen this bug before Mentalist, Apt, anyone playing and reading this thread? I should mention I am on PS4 btw.

This post has been edited by WinterPhoenix: 02 June 2016 - 04:35 PM

[Mentalist]

WinterPhoenix, on 02 June 2016 - 04:32 PM, said:

Just onto HoS content in my playthrough, I've left the main quest at Final Preparations to go exploring the heretofore untravelled lands - holy shit I hate arachnomorphs. There doesn't seem to be any organic point at which to actually do the DLC, from a role-playing perspective at any rate. By which I mean I don't see how you could possibly reach a high enough level to tackle the areas before Isle of Mists/Battle of Kaer Morhen, I was lv 27 by the time I took on Isle and I did every single main and secondary quest, all witcher contracts but the highest 2, every treasure hunt and all ? In Velen apart from the DLC area and the Place of Power atop Bald Mountain. Even with the numerous sea based ? I have yet to do in Skellige I highly doubt I could have garnered more than perhaps 1 more level's worth of xp. The idea of attacking another major story story arc, or in fact travelling abroad to a whole other country really destroys any sense of urgency from a purely narrative/role playing perspective - in fact this would be a problem even before the Isle given the nature of your search and the dialogue surrounding it. Though I guess there are many out there that might argue that forcintg the player to play as Geralt is amore egregious error in that vein - not that I am one of them mind.The new content is pretty great so far - arachnomorphs notwithstanding! - though i'm seeing this Runewright business being prohibitively expensive. The main questline will be laughably easy when I get back to it eventually lol


I just encountered an odd bug I've not seen before - least I assume it's a bug - lv 36 Golem enemy guarding a treasure near Bowdon has no health, healthbar is showing nothing and my attacks do no damage! Not so fussed about the treasure, but I am worried about it proliferating and causes issues on actual quests. Have you seen this bug before Mentalist, Apt, anyone playing and reading this thread? I should mention I am on PS4 btw.

I'm not sure which village you are referring to- my names are all in Russian, and they are also diff from the "extras" map, so I get pretty lost with names.

I recall several high-lvl Golems, but I killed them all before HoS

Re: high lvl content: yeah, it doesn't really slot. There's one point in HoS where you are asked about Vesemir, and Geralt's response means it obv. Took place after the battle of Kaer Morhen.

Runewright is incredibly expensive (20k total, I think) and not all that useful.

I'm pretty sure CDPRED had no intention of "slotting" the DLC into main line. B&W especially seems (according to reviews) to be meant as "Geralt's epilogue" (suggesting that Apt's sad ending was non-canon)

I'm guessing I might get a better opinion once I do NG+

Incidentally, i'm level 40 on Normal, with 7 unused skill points. I should probably get on that...

[Aptorian]

Never experienced that bug before. I assume you tried reloading? Try googling it.

Regarding pacing and the paradox of simultaneously being in a hurry and wanting to do a hundred sidequests, I have a simple mental way of seperating them.

The way I see it, we the players, are roleplaying Geralt. We are sort of in a quantum loop of potential choices where everything couldn't realistically happen within the time that passes between the ending and beginning of the game. However everything we do outside the main story quests are simply "what if's". What if Geralt had stopped in that village instead of riding for Oxenfurt? What if Geralt chooses to accept the invitation to go to that island, etc.

Anyway, I finished the Heart of Stone DLC and played the intro to Blood and Wine. Really liked the ending of HOS. That story got really dark towards the end. Blood and Wine on the other hand seems fantastically colorful and adventurous. Very much a departure from the doom and gloom of the North.

Can't get the new mutation system to work though. Not sure if there's a menu I haven't located or I need to get a potion or something.

This post has been edited by Apt: 02 June 2016 - 06:41 PM

[WinterPhoenix]

Ah ok I understand, the actual village is not all that relevant though. My question was less about the specific instance, i.e. not really about that one golem near that village, it was more a question of whether or not anyone else has encountered that specific bug and more pertinently whether anyone knows what can be done to circumvent it. As I said I'm not so bothered about 1 guarded treasure, I'm pretty certain it's contents won't be better than Mastercrafted Feline Gear or Ofieri gear anyhow. But I am worried about a re-occurrence in a worse spot, i.e. in the middle of a quest. My thoughts being that if one enemy can bug out in that manner then others can as well.

Yeah it certainly doesn't seem as though they tried to fit the DLC in, in any manner that makes sense in a progressive narrative way, it doesn't really damage the quality of the content in any way it just feels odd from a role play perspective - doesn't really bother me as much as a whole paragraph might suggest though lol

B&W seems to take that to a new extreme though, because it honestly doesn't fit with any of the endings (and which is canon might well be a matter of some debate, I haven't read the books but from what I do know of character differences between the two media I would hesitate a guess that romancing Yennefer not Triss is canon) if it is supposed to take place post-main story - or post certain elements of it anyhow - as seems to be the case.

I might not bother with the Runewright then, if he really isn't that useful 20K is excessive and wold bankrupt me almost I believe. I'm already up to level 34, those Fallen Knights hand out sweet xp!

EDIT: Apt, that's a pretty cool view to take actually I really like that method. Yeah I tried reloading and I googled it, but didn't find very much and what I did find was all PC based, i.e. talking about console commands to circumvent the issue. Seems for some people it would occur during the White Orchard prologue, the Griffin would have no health but never die. Frankly I'm just hoping it doesn't occur anywhere important tbh.

This post has been edited by WinterPhoenix: 02 June 2016 - 06:47 PM

[Mentalist]

Apt, on 02 June 2016 - 06:39 PM, said:

Never experienced that bug before. I assume you tried reloading? Try googling it.

Regarding pacing and the paradox of simultaneously being in a hurry and wanting to do a hundred sidequests, I have a simple mental way of seperating them.

The way I see it, we the players, are roleplaying Geralt. We are sort of in a quantum loop of potential choices where everything couldn't realistically happen within the time that passes between the ending and beginning of the game. However everything we do outside the main story quests are simply "what if's". What if Geralt had stopped in that village instead of riding for Oxenfurt? What if Geralt chooses to accept the invitation to go to that island, etc.

Anyway, I finished the Heart of Stone DLC and played the intro to Blood and Wine. Really liked the ending of HOS. That story got really dark towards the end. Blood and Wine on the other hand seems fantastically colorful and adventurous. Very much a departure from the doom and gloom of the North.

Can't get the new mutation system to work though. Not sure if there's a menu I haven't located or I need to get a potion or something.

There's supposed to be a letter from a scientist or smth. In Toussaint.

I'm only about 2h into B&w so haven't hit that point yet, but mutations is what I'm most interested in, too. I should know more by the weekend.


Re: plot progression: it's a curse of ALL open-world games: the main story is generally sub-par, due to the "artificial"-feeling sense of urgency, while the player has so much choice to fuck around with the open-world. CDPRED, to their credit, partially dealt with this issue by making the bulk of their optional content top-notch, rather then the "collect x bear asses"-type filler. Since the bulk of the content feels like it has meaningful impact on Geralt (or, it's a job, which is his witcherish "calling", so equally important albeit not personal), it mostly manages to maintain the sense of "flow"--it's still Geralt's story, even if it's just a minor side quest.

But yeah, when I get down to it, large portions of the main line are not all that great. But the side-stuff makes it more than ok.

Also, I spotted a nifty rebalance/overhaul mod over on modDB. May look a that some time after the NG+ run.

[Aptorian]

Finished the quest that unlocks the new mutation system. It's supremely underwhelming. It's basically the same bullshit from the regular skill system. You can only use the activated abilities, which honestly makes no sense and just makes you feel like you're wasting ability points.

I cannot understand how this level/skill system was ever devised. Surely Q&A and test-samples would show that the system isn't interesting or satisfying.

[Mentalist]

Apt, on 04 June 2016 - 12:52 PM, said:

Finished the quest that unlocks the new mutation system. It's supremely underwhelming. It's basically the same bullshit from the regular skill system. You can only use the activated abilities, which honestly makes no sense and just makes you feel like you're wasting ability points.

I cannot understand how this level/skill system was ever devised. Surely Q&A and test-samples would show that the system isn't interesting or satisfying.

I got that far, but no free skill points to actually use it yet. Once I hit lvl 42, gonna do some re-speccing. Multiple mutations unlock additional skill slots. And some of the mutations sound pretty cool (I need freezing Aard in my life. I really do).

Looking @ Toussaint from the hills areound the capital is pretty gorgeous-seei the rolling greenery with all the ruined landmarks on the horizon.

Had a loooong talk with the smith about the 5 dead witchers carryng Grandmaster-lvl Witcher gear blueprints. Sorry, Main Quest, I got some munchkin-ing to do.

There seems to be SO much to explore here. I need to hit the country-side and look for places of Power for Moar Skillz!

There's a bunch of work that dropped on me like a pile of bricks so not sure how much progress i'll be able to make, but I want more of this game. Toussaint has potential to become an amazing timesink. Again.

[Mentalist]

Felt totally brain-dead last night, so instead of getting ahead with work put another 3 or so hours into Blood & Wine.

So, you can only have one "active" mutation at a time. I'm not gonna lie, I'm dissapointed, buuuuut... freeze damage on Aard + my current sign power bonus of almost 200% kinda makes any complaints about character builds obsolete. Chug any elixir/brew f good measure, and all enemies telegraph their attacks by bullet time so I can dodge and you've got the delicious cherry on top of the cake.

Yesterday I basically got on my trusty Roach and started galloping North, dealing with stuff as I encountered it.

Really nice touches: when you free an "abandoned settlement", there's now a nice cutscene showing you meditating an then sun rising to find the people are back. You also get some background dialogue about each location, which is nice.

I accidentally stumbled into the actual location for the Cat school Grandmaster gear quest. So now I go those blueprints.

Of course, with my sign-powah to teh max build, what I'm really after is the Griffin kit. So that's probably the next goal for the weekend.

The new type of places of interest- the Hanse (bandit army) HQ might have been interesting and challenging at some point. But since I can spam Alt-Aard and freeze, knockback and finish 90% of humans in 2-3 hits now, challenge really isn't there anymore.

[Dadding]

Mentalist, on 09 June 2016 - 01:34 PM, said:

Felt totally brain-dead last night, so instead of getting ahead with work put another 3 or so hours into Blood & Wine.

So, you can only have one "active" mutation at a time. I'm not gonna lie, I'm dissapointed, buuuuut... freeze damage on Aard + my current sign power bonus of almost 200% kinda makes any complaints about character builds obsolete. Chug any elixir/brew f good measure, and all enemies telegraph their attacks by bullet time so I can dodge and you've got the delicious cherry on top of the cake.

Yesterday I basically got on my trusty Roach and started galloping North, dealing with stuff as I encountered it.

Really nice touches: when you free an "abandoned settlement", there's now a nice cutscene showing you meditating an then sun rising to find the people are back. You also get some background dialogue about each location, which is nice.

I accidentally stumbled into the actual location for the Cat school Grandmaster gear quest. So now I go those blueprints.

Of course, with my sign-powah to teh max build, what I'm really after is the Griffin kit. So that's probably the next goal for the weekend.

The new type of places of interest- the Hanse (bandit army) HQ might have been interesting and challenging at some point. But since I can spam Alt-Aard and freeze, knockback and finish 90% of humans in 2-3 hits now, challenge really isn't there anymore.

I just finished the expansion a couple nights ago - I was also kind of disappointed that you can only have one mutation active at a time. Though it still is worth unlocking them all as it gives you four new skill slots ... three in actuality because the last one is bugged right now. Personally I've been playing with the one that pops decoctions every time you apply a critical effect. Or the one that increases your damage in proportion to your toxicity.

The final boss fight was a bit of a joke with all these abilities. Even on NG+ and Deathmarch.

I played through the three main endings - I was pretty satisfied, you've got a nice ride ahead of you!

244 hours. 78/78 Achievements. Loved the game to death, but It will be nice to move onto something new.

[Mentalist]

Yeah, i'll need to check how many hours I got logged, but it's a lot (on a vanilla Normal run). NG+ will probably spice things up, because I get lazy in combat, but i'll leave it for later. Same with that rebalance mod I'll wait till it's updated for B&W, so probably a year or so.

At this point I'm just enjoying the traveling and exploring, main story (I need to meet someone at a cemetery to talk things over) is not at all a priority.

[Mentalist]

Apparently I've got 140 h worth of "progression". That's not counting all the hours i've spent dying and replaying, so add about a third to it.

The tournament is really easy so far. I got atrocious time in the races (missed every crossbow target), but somehow still got first. Interesting story there, I wonder how it'll end up?

Been doing odd jobs to raise eome money, mostly. Won the boxing championship, collecting Gwent cards slooowly. I probably need to hit up the tourney to get a leader card and start an actual Skellige deck.

[Mentalist]

Been making good progress. Just about ready to go back to main story.

I hit Lvl 46 very early, meaning pretty much most of Toussaint optional stuff got greyed out.

I got Arondite back!!!! and it's awesome! (though the Grand-Master Griffin School Silver Sword is still better stats-wise).

speaking of which, I ran out of money to craft a full Grand Master set. oops.

Finished the statue, won the Gwent tournament.

Also, finally found 2 hostile trolls who dropped Troll Stomachs. Cursed and Ogre oils have been perfected at last!

[Mentalist]

It looks like migrating my install to an SSD did something bad to the saves. I can no longer read my previous saves. This is most distressing, as I can't find the new save location.

EDIT: found it. Weird as hell: the new save location is my external hard drive in the folder designated as backup for my C drive stuff.... it has a "my documents" folder too.
Putting old saves there made them recognizible for the game. somehow.

This post has been edited by Mentalist: 30 September 2016 - 05:25 AM