The Witcher

[Faiblesse Des Sens]

Huh? Wheels are intuitive with a mouse. You just flick it in the proper direction. It's easy as hell. Hell, I used to have a program launcher that worked with a wheel back in my XP days.

[deanb]

I think he's meaning about using keyboard hot keys.

The wheel isn't a terribly horribly interface o PC, but keyboard shortcuts are king

[Faiblesse Des Sens]

I barely remembered them half the time in the first game and often clicked the menu to the side. I'm all for this wheel.

[Saturnine Tenshi]

Keys are quicker, and more importantly, they don't interfere with mouse functionality. If you're in the middle of a frantic foray, pirouetting around and shit, you're using your mouse to adjust your camera and attack. So its functions would interfere with using the mouse wheel, if only briefly, when it could have been bound like it was in The Witcher. Keystrokes are friendlier with WASD movement.

 

It(obviously) doesn't bother me enough to prevent me from buying the game. Just a tiny niggle.

Edited April 28, 2011 by Saturnine Tenshi

[Faiblesse Des Sens]

Of course they're quicker but they also require memorizing them. I like to switch between a few games at once and finish them slowly so I don't really like to memorize keys (which is why I like the grid system in SC2.) Did you even watch the video though? It pauses when you bring up the menu which destroys anything about interfering with other controls as you have the time do do whatever the hell you want. You are also assuming that there are no keyboard shortcuts. Do you remember that you could pause the game in the first one, too?

[Saturnine Tenshi]

Yes, I watched the video and talked with Kovach about how the guy continually said "DEVIL UP". I must have forgotten the auto-pausing. That's a plus.

 

Yet pausing wouldn't be necessary with keyboard buttons. I didn't need to use the function in the first game(on the hardest difficulty) and, let me tell you, I suck at thinking on the spot. Except MMO PvP... which may be the reason why. I don't even play RTS games, though. Only turn-based strats. Anything to the "5TGB" line is easily accessible to anyone who plays the game with any regularity. The keys "6YHN" and beyond are generally reserved for less frequently used functions.

 

If you don't play the game with enough regularity, then I can understand having the wheel as an auxiliary feature. Though The Witcher isn't exactly a labyrinth of input.

 

I just hope there is an alternative to the cursed torture wheel.

Not really assuming, just worrying.

Edited April 28, 2011 by Saturnine Tenshi

[Faiblesse Des Sens]

Yet pausing wouldn't be necessary with keyboard buttons.

 

 

 

I paused all the time in the first game. Not everyone plays the same. It's a PC game so I don't know why you're getting your panties in a bunch in the first place. It can just be modified to have keys for keyboard shortcuts (and they're likely there to begin with.)

 

Though The Witcher isn't exactly a labyrinth of input.

 

Different buttons for:

2 swords

3 styles

2 extra weapons

5 signs

journal/menus/etc

switch what side you're looking over

switching camera views

highlight objects

 

yeah... most of that I just handled by clicking. the only stuff I remembered even after not playing for a while would be highlighting and the 3 styles. hell, there wasn't even a command for bombs!

[Saturnine Tenshi]

Panties in a bunch because I'm discussing it? I didn't say anything about CD PROJEKT BETRAYING THE PC GAMAZ. I just think it's silly and backwards.

 

You can use one button for styles. Extra weapons are(unfortunately) superfluous in The Witcher, besides the axe in the first chapter or so(not to disregard the input). Journals/menus/etc. are all non-combat functions. Adds up to a few buttons, really. If you can't remember them, that's fine — fine, not bad.

Edited April 28, 2011 by Saturnine Tenshi

[Faiblesse Des Sens]

Calling it "silly and backwards" is the problem when I keep pointing out how useful it is.

Edited April 28, 2011 by Faiblesse Des Sens

[Saturnine Tenshi]

Sorry. By itself it'd be silly and backwards. As an additional feature, it's great. Better to add more options than limit them.

[AgamemnonV2]

It's better to have well-functioning features rather than unfinished features. I thought The Witcher was great but it did have a number of features that felt pretty weak (like having tons of worthless items in a game with a limited inventory). I'm not sure how you righties did it, but as a lefty I worked with the numpad as far as weapon exchange went. The Signi was a different issue. I always had to click to change them around. If all the Signi were actually useful I would've found it annoying but I was mostly using the fire Signi the entire time anyway. It took me half way through the game to realize holding down the sign powers it up and throws it, however.

[Saturnine Tenshi]

It depends on your build/game approach, really. When it comes to signs, I mean. Keyboards really aren't set up for lefties very well, are they? Wrt gaming.

 

I really didn't use any of the extra weapons because they were, as you said, nearly friggin' useless. That was my real qualm with the items.

[Hot Heart]

It took me half way through the game to realize holding down the sign powers it up and throws it, however.

 

 

...

 

But...but...

 

[deanb]

Oh btw Witcher 2 is kinda semi planned for consoles.

At the moment it seems mostly a "we've thought of it" rather than a "by end of 2011" kind of deal.

[MasterDex]

Oh btw Witcher 2 is kinda semi planned for consoles.

At the moment it seems mostly a "we've thought of it" rather than a "by end of 2011" kind of deal.

 

Yeah, I figure they want to get the PC version out there and working in good condition before they start on any console versions. I could see them perhaps going back to finish Rise of the White Wolf for consoles first and perhaps continuing on by adapting the second game to fit in with that version of The Witcher.

[AgamemnonV2]

It depends on your build/game approach, really. When it comes to signs, I mean. Keyboards really aren't set up for lefties very well, are they? Wrt gaming.

25% of the world is left-handed. |: \

 

I remember it took me a half hour just setting the key bindings for GTAIV so I didn't need to grow an extra three fingers. I still can't use the cellphone and drive at the same time (although perhaps that's maybe just social commentary).

 

I really didn't use any of the extra weapons because they were, as you said, nearly friggin' useless. That was my real qualm with the items.

And how about when you found a better weapon? You couldn't even take your old one and sell it. It was just, ugh. A bad system. I thought it was going to be neatly intricate like having different weapon fighting styles for axes and daggers. As soon as you get a new sword you never touch those weapons again.

 

It took me half way through the game to realize holding down the sign powers it up and throws it, however.

 

 

...

 

But...but...

 

Yeah. I stumbled on it by accident when I shifted in my chair and held down the right mouse button for a bit. Since you can't throw a Signi skill until you level up, it never appears in the starting tutorial.

 

I'd say potion crafting was another headache as well. Interesting, but a headache. If you used a substance that had two chemical properties and use it to create a potion, it's of a weaker substance and then takes up a DIFFERENT inventory slot from other pure-based potions.

[Saturnine Tenshi]

I'm left-handed, by the way. I just got accustomed to a right-handed setup.

[deanb]

[25% of the world is left-handed. |: \

Closer to 10%, if it was as high as 25% there would be much more accommodation of left handed people.

 

And how about when you found a better weapon? You couldn't even take your old one and sell it. It was just, ugh.

tbh the only reason I picked up new weapons was so I could sell them. When I go to a blacksmiths I'd sell my weapon in the spare slot. Never actually used them.

 

I'd say potion crafting was another headache as well. Interesting, but a headache. If you used a substance that had two chemical properties and use it to create a potion, it's of a weaker substance and then takes up a DIFFERENT inventory slot from other pure-based potions.

Could just pay closer attention .

My only dislike of potions is I wanted to make a bunch, but that'd mean taking up space on other stuff. Also I'd forget to use them sometimes. I've got enough that I probably can just go through the game constantly toxed up. Should start doing that.

 

 

[AgamemnonV2]

I used to criss-cross my arms to play games when I was young. Then I learned about key config customization. I never looked back since then.

[Saturnine Tenshi]

I used potions fairly often. Many of them are near requisite. I never had any trouble with inventory management, though.

[Kovach_]

Just dump all the ingredients and booze at the barkeep at regular intervals, then sit down and craft a shitton of potions in one go. That's how i did it. And yeah, i used them a lot (well, mostly oils and bombs).

[Saturnine Tenshi]

Once I read a book, I'd usually store it at the barkeep. You guys should get to downloading that new mod, by the way.

[Kovach_]

Why store the books? I instasell as soon as i read them.

[Saturnine Tenshi]

Because I wanted to keep them. Did you sell the STDs lingering on your fiery brand right after sticking it in some lass' gooey honey pot? No, you held onto them. It doesn't matter if they were useless, given you're immune to disease. Friggin' momentos.

Edited April 28, 2011 by Saturnine Tenshi

[AgamemnonV2]

I kept the religious signet ring you get from Chapter 1. I so thought that thing would become handy in the future. It wasn't.