CDPR are hard at work on the Witcher 2, supposedly having recently "closed the Beta" according to a secret message shown in one of the recent dev diaries. That's all hush-hush and unofficial of course, but here's another (as yet untranslated) dev diary from CDPR, this time about the locations.
A quick sum-up of what is said and shown:
Developers stress the importance of hidden treasures, various nooks and crannies that are scattered in each of their sprawling locations.
Monsters and beasts are located in areas that make logical sense for them. Which means random, out of place lairs are not to be found.
Dwarves and their architecture are a focal point for the style and design at some point of the game. Dwarven architecture, devs say, is a reflection of their soul: gruff, unwelcoming exterior, with warm, friendly interior underneath. Thus the new locations shown in the video are bulky and heavy, somehow reminiscent of Roman/Greek-styled facades, entrances and portcullises. Geralt can be seen walking such a Dwarven city (and the screenshots that have been recently shown also point to Dwarven-styled tavern, probably within that location).
Devs are pretty certain that Witcher 2 is going to be the best looking RPG of 2011 -- and their claim isn't baseless, looking at the lush and vibrant places shown thus far!
Amidst their "Most anticipated games of 2011", GameSpot feature three new screenshots of the Witcher 2 and a nice mini-interview with Tomasz Gop.
The news are both good and bad. Here's the good; Witcher 2 is almost beta! Hooray!
It's almost beta, which means that the content of the game is pretty much there. Right now, we're shifting from working with our production schedule to the one that's driven by the bug database. Hopefully, there won't be too many of them to work through; once we're satisfied with the status of the game, we'll officially declare it "beta." The last things that are being tweaked before we finally submit our beta code are interface graphics and some of the cinematics.
And now for the bad: despite recent rumours and hints in a previous interviews, console versions of Witcher 2 are still just a "maybe". And a cautious one at at that:
I can't say anything has really changed in this aspect, as the news is the same as it ever was. We have not announced the console release of TW2 and, thus, I cannot talk any deeper about the topic. But it is true, indeed, that we'll do everything we can to make sure that the console version of the game hits the stores one day.
Russian fansite Kaer Morhen.ru (witcher.net.ru) have collected various community questions from community outlets in Russia and Ukraine and contacted Tomasz Gop, Senior Producer for the Witcher 2. The resulting interview answers a lot of intriguing questions, especially interesting to fans of the novels and previous game. Some items, as usually, are left unanswered - like for instance, regarding the possiblity to meet other witchers, or (and this is the one Tomek also evaded in our own interview) if Sorceresses' Lodge will make an appearance. Check out a few questions:
Who is the author of TW2 plot? Did authors of the original game take part in creating it?
Definitely the same people wrote the plot for TW2. This is the same team. Even if some guys are not working with us right now they have been there when we were writing the main story.
Will there be many new monsters in the game? What about the old ones? What is the source of inspiration for you?
Well, obviously we'll have monsters that are totally new, not present in TW1. And we have some old monsters as well. For example a drawner will reappear. And the main source of inspiration for sure, is the world created by Andrzej Sapkowski. There is a short story where a peasant got into trouble near the bridge and Geralt saved him from small monsters. So this story was an inspiration for us while creating nekkers. They are not exactly how those monsters were described but they were our inspiration. For sure there are also other sources and monsters not mentioned in books like a cursed field where warriors fight forever. That flaming monster is totally of our creation. Tentadrake on the other hand is by Andrzej Sapkowski.
Did you hear that Andrzej Sapkowski announced that he is going to make a continuation of The Witcher books? Do you think there is a connection between your game success and his decision?
Yes, I've heard about this. And this is really great news. Well I can't say this because I simply don't know. We have never discussed this with him. I hope there is a connection because we have always wanted to extend The Witcher as he sees it and to write story as he wanted to.
Read the rest at Kaer Morhen.ru (it's in English, don't worry :D)!
After a long while, CDPR have started to show off Witcher 2 in all its glory once more. Last month they've released the Third part of their Developer Diary series -- called "Characters" -- in Russian, and now the time has come for the English-subbed version of the clip (you can also watch it below). In addition, GeForce.com have conducted an interesting (if still rehashing the basics) interview with Tomek Gop regarding the inspirations, VO considerations, and how accurately the existing lore of the Witcher can be expanded upon by the creative minds behind The Witcher game franchise. Apparently, Andrzej Sapkowski (the creator of Geralt and the universe the Witcher saga takes place in) holds the first game in quite a high esteem -- and, according to Gop, will like the sequel as well.
Pay special attention to the details of the newly introduced characters in the video, and the interesting costume ideas for them. It seems that one of the newly introduced armors for Geralt takes after the assassin's tunic from the AC series...
PCGames.de have another preview of the game in their newest issue (print mag), but fans have put the video from that preview on YT. The video shows pre-beta footage with placeholder animations, but it's got very decent VOs already, and shows the inside of a tavern somewhere in the game...and the well-known dice game, with a new twist: you actually roll the dice yourself... Check out Geralt-the-gambler in the vid below!
It's that time of the year again, so Merry X-Mas from CD-Projekt RED and the Witcher 2 Team! (and us here at The Witcher Vault add to those warm season's greetings!)
Our network has recently published a new technical video depicting the marvel that is RED Engine (previously dubbed as "Tsood"/Miracle). This is what will drive Witcher 2 - and it's chock-full of modern technologies to not only deliver an outstanding roleplaying experience, but to also provide an exceptionally pretty and well-optimized game. The minimum PC requirements for the game are thus set pretty low - 1 GB RAM (2GB for Win Vista/7), 2.2 Ghz dual-core CPU and a GeForce 8800 or similar/higher GPU are enough to unleash the full potential of White Wolf's upcoming adventure on your rig. Take a look...
Need an answer to your gaming question? Good! Head on over and check out IGN Answers for all your gaming Q&A; needs. Ask a game related question and get an answer quick.
We've just received word from CD-Projekt RED regarding the game - and the news are GREAT! Check out the first officially confirmed release schedule for the Witcher 2:
The speculation comes to an end! CD Projekt RED today confirmed the release date of the one of the most-awaited RPG titles of 2011. The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings is targeted for release on May 17, 2011. Release dates in specific territories may vary, and will be confirmed closer to the date.
�We�ve decided to move the launch date back a few weeks to afford us more time to polish the game� - said Adam Badowski, project lead at CD Projekt RED. �Of course, we know that players would like to get the game as soon as possible, so we hope that they will forgive us! We strongly believe that the extra time spent polishing the title will be well worth the wait�.
There�s more hot news to come during CD Projekt�s autumn conference, which will take place on November 18. What news, you might ask? Most importantly, there will be more detailed information about the approaching worldwide launch of the title, as well as the Collector�s Edition of The Witcher 2. Moreover, CD Projekt RED will present pre-order information from all around the world.
And there won�t be a lack of controversial topics! The developers will explain their philosophy with regards to DRM implementation in their titles and they will let us know how it influenced the edition of the game.
CD-Projekt RED had just sent us a press release regarding their new Halloween contest. As every year, it's all about creativity and flair, but unlike in previous years, this time the rewards aren't simple Witcher-themed dice sets... this time you actually get the chance to get The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings early, and be a part of the game yourself! Read on:
CD Projekt RED is celebrating Halloween by tearing the faces off two gamers� and putting them in the highly anticipated RPG sequel, The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings! In the Doppler Effect Contest � launching today exclusively on http://facebook.com/TheWitcher � gamers submit photos of themselves dressed in their finest, most horrifying, or outright ridiculous Witcher-related costumes for a chance to get their faces onto characters in The Witcher 2.
The winners also won�t have to stand in line with ghastly ghouls and graviers waiting for the game, as they�ll also get a free copy of The Witcher 2 as soon as it�s ready. Perhaps they�ll even see themselves in the game, being seduced by our friend, Geralt, or perhaps suffering a less-enviable fate, decomposing slowly amidst a sea of freshly-slain villagers� muahahaha.
Just as CDPR promised earlier, 4Players.de, a German portal/journal about videogames, were delivered a video of Witcher 2 showcasing the non-linearity in quests and tactics. Unlike the usual PR blurb you would expect from a trailer, this one is actually a mini-movie with its own story; Zoltan and Triss meet up at a tavern and discuss Geralt's exploits. And just as the story told changes with each teller, so Geralt's actions during the prison break will differ from playthrough to playthrough. Expect Triss to be quite displeased with the naked breasts' bit, and Zoltan being quite fond of Geralt's dynamic swordwork.
Warning: the video at 4Players.de is for adult audiences only (18+).
As CD-Projekt RED informed us yesterday, a new Witcher 2 trailer is coming to 4players.de tomorrow. As usual, CDPR keeps a tight lid on what is gonna happen next, but at least a few teasing details are released about the upcoming video.
CD Projekt RED has announced that a fresh, new trailer from The Witcher 2 will make its Internet debut on September 23rd!
The game�s creators have said that the clip will focus on the many paths players will be able to go down in completing game quests. In addition, it will showcase a brand new game location � namely, the vast dungeons of a castle � as well as a series of new skills that the developers have granted Geralt.
On the day of its premiere, the video will be available exclusively on the German website 4players.de!
Check the vid and subsequent analysis in English here at the Vault later in the week!
Things seem to have been a little quiet at the Witcher 2 headquarters of late (even though they did start a forum anniversary contest last week). Quiet doesn't mean they're not hard at work though - and to prove that, Cynical Brit, a not-ironical-at-all portal for, you guessed it, Briton gamers, took Tomasz Gop for a wild ride... in a 30-minute-long interview - by far the longest one done in/around the Witcher franchise. Watch the resultant talk below or jump directly to Cynical Brit's interview! (caution: due to the length of the movie it might load quite slow...let it pre-load before watching!)
This video (c) Cynical Brit. Check the video back at Youtube or directly at Cynical Brit.com
A while ago, PC Games Hardware had a lengthy talk with Tomasz Gop (Senior Producer for Witcher 2) about various general aspects of the game. Enter Gamescom, and the opportunity to talk details arose. Editors weren't content with just simple PR spiel, but also cast a scrupulous look over the early beta version they've seen during the GamesCom presentation:
The engine called Tsood (phonetic version of "Cud" - "miracle" in Polish) is as stated before developed with both PCs and consoles in mind. Current iteration is DX9 only. Prototype engines for all platforms already exist.
The console version possibility has been tested on Xbox360 so far. Multi-core functionality is key here, with streaming technology used to avoid loading times only hindered by RAM/throughput capabilities of the machine. However, at time of release on PCs, medium or upper medium class rigs will be among the recommended specs. The only real advantage TSOOD offers over consoles on PCs at the moment is higher resolutions available.
Currently employed technologies include: parallax mapping, streaming, atmospheric lighting, Havok(r) physics, depth of field (dynamic for fights)
Editors saw some of the features still required polishing or working on: textures (some are not very detailed), facial animations and lip-sync (none at all at the moment), water surfaces (flat and barely animated), self-shadowing (looked pretty bad which even Tomek admitted). Devs promise those will be ironed out or improved in the course of development, of course.
At the end of the presentation, Tomasz once again reassured editors that the DRM system used in W2 will adhere to their philosophy of rewarding paying users instead of punishing them with ridiculous systems other games are using.
Gamasutra has had a chance to talk to Tomasz Gop, Senior Producer for The Witcher 2 at CD-Projekt RED about various meta-gaming aspects of the upcoming sequel. While ardent fans won't learn much from the interview about the game itself, it's a very interesting read on the game's origins, cooperation with Andrzej Sapkowski, goals and inspirations behind the game so far. Tomek confirms that the game is currently still at 60% (which is the same number we've heard at the first unveiling of the Witcher 2 at CDP Spring Conference) and still in alpha stage.
In addition, Tomasz explains the way they approached the new engine: keeping the plot and actual RPG mechanics at the core of their new system and their own SDK. They didn't abandon graphics (they do look great) but neither did they try to make a hard-to-define game like Mass Effect 2. Tomasz provides a good example of how core RPG values are to the game: your companions might influence events to a very large degree - if you put the right people in the right place (e.g. during a battle) your companions (not you) will help sway the outcome of the conflict.
The world in the Witcher 2 is alive in the most literal sense: what happens there happens with or without your presence. Some crucial events (hubs, not "hobs") are directly linked to you and your decisions as well as your companions' motivations, some (likely the larger, more geographically vast historic events) just happen anyway...
CDPR team have not just shown a whole lot of new stuff at Gamescom, they've also given away a lot of unique swag. Already at their first outing at CDP Spring Conference we had the pleasure of witnessing somewhat unorthodox press kits (full scale box with the original roleplay designs, many DVDs, posters and mouspads etc..), but as RPS reports the Gamescom 'kit just blew it out of the water...
Apparently, it contains a DIY paperfold mini-adventure game with deformed Geralt and various NPCs, with detailed instructions on how to make your own non-linear adventure. More so, the 'kit has a filled-in (in handwriting) notepad with journalist-like shorthand notes for the presentation (thus presumably freeing press members from the necessity to record their impressions, in favor of tasting Polish beer and chatting with devs).
All in all, CDPR scored big props not just from their audiences but from the industry members as well (which is kinda hard if you're not Sony or MS). Read more back at Rock, Paper, Shotgun.
GamesCom is over, and it's been a huge success for the Witcher 2 team and the sequel itself. Just as in case of E3, many previewers were PSYCHED by what they saw, so much so they've given W2 a major distinction:
IGN.com gave a very spoilery preview of the presentation, hinting at various ways of completing the situation presented (escaping from La Vallette's dungeon). They actually recommend the game already even based on small amount of stuff shown so far, basing on the overall quality, presentation and deep RPG elements of the franchise.
GameSpot is once again on the job, focusing not so much on the content of the presentation as the additional W1 vs W2 facts provided by the devs at the end of it. Apparently, there's A LOT of improvements there - only 4 loading screens as opposed to earlier 700 (more like 10.000 with all the huts), 16 discrete endings (as opposed to 3), 30+ armor sets (opposed to 5 armor pieces - this time it's more than just chestpieces too!), the list just goes on. W2 shapes up to be an incredible game.
Guys from GameInformer were there too and managed to take a peek at the flowchart presenting various quest threads, comparing it to Mississippi delta vis a vis complexity and amount of paths you can take. They too are in awe with what they've seen, and also show a promo pic of Geralt looking out to the Castle (check some of those pics in our gallery).
Gamersyde is last but not least here, showing the extended last part of the presentation, featuring the outskirts of La Vallette's castle, breathtaking vistas in the surrounding areas and the odd ghost battlefield, totally unreal - this is where the fiery beast composed of debris (we now know its name: DRAUG) shows up. The vid also shows some of those 4 loading screens - and a new tip pops-up hinting at the new "loot preview" option, which automatically shows up to 5 most valuable items in nearby container. Then Geralt is shown moving through the ghastly battlefield and fighting wraiths - ghosts made of the ethereal armors left behind by the dead soldiers... And then, battle with Draug himself commences. This...is EPIC. Watch it below or go back to GamerSyde to download the vid in a variety of formats!
Gamezilla.pl have been there at the Wticher 2 giant screen presentation at this year's GamesCom in Cologne, and managed to snap the shaky-cam vid of the footage. There's a LOT of new stuff shown, including Geralt being imprisoned in Baroness La Valette's dungeon, sneaking around the dark corners, new fist-fighting mechanics and much much more. The facial animations and faces aren't quite finished yet, but the game already looks FANTASTIC, with lighting, shadows, graphical detail on an incredible level. Pay attention to new alchemy effects - after drinking the Cat potion Geralt not only sees in the dark, but also sees living foes through walls, which not only looks cool but allows an incredibly functional sneaking/stealth mode of exploration.
Have a look below!
Warning! This video is 18+ only! By pressing "play" you acknowledge that you're not a minor in your country.
CDPR had today finally released some info as to what exactly will be shown during this year's GamesCom in a week in Cologne, Germany. Expect some new footage of Geralt on a huge screen as well as superb swag to be collected at their booth. Check their press release below for exact details!
CD Projekt RED has revealed some details about presentations of The Witcher 2 from August 18th to the 22nd at GamesCom 2010 in Cologne. Visitors will find The Witcher 2 in several places.
At CD Projekt RED�s booth in the business area (4.1), we�ll be showing previously unrevealed segments of TW2 in a series of presentations limited to press and trade visitors. PLEASE NOTE! We�ve only got a few spots left, so if you haven�t made your reservation yet, this is your last chance! If you qualify, contact Marcin Marzecki @ CDPR to reserve your spot at one of our showings! Don�t miss this chance to be among the first to see previously unrevealed game segments!
We�ll also be screening previously unpublished video of The Witcher 2 on a huge screen in the entertainment area (6).
More previously unrevealed videos of The Witcher 2 will be screened at another spot in the entertainment area (8), where we�ll also be handing out game posters, Geralt figurines and other goodies related to The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings.
New locations, new foes, and� a new Geralt! All to be seen at GamesCom 2010. We eagerly await all fans of The Witcher 2 in Cologne 2010!
About GamesCom...
GamesCom is one of the largest gaming conventions in Europe, boasting 245,000 visitors and 458 exhibitors from 31 countries last year alone. This year, the organizers still stick to the proven, simple philosophy:
(...) Expect spectacular indoor and outdoor performances, sensational live acts and the newest highlights from the gaming world.
It doesn't matter if you're a gamer or a professional industry worker, you can see the latest in gaming between August 18 and 22 (open to everyone between Aug 19 and 22) in Cologne. Buy tickets here!
After months of planning and designing, we're glad to announce that the new, Witcher 2-inspired look of our Vault is now online. You can compare the way they look and always go back to the Witcher 1-inspired one at any moment. Click here to reset the site to use the new skin or here to go back to the way things were...
The Witcher Vault
