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The Witcher 2Help: I really want to like this game(41 posts)(41 posts)
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Posted May 24, 2011
My first sitting I also died alot, even at the ballista part in the begining.
Then at the 5 characters before I open the gate for the king.

When I completed the whole prologue and had played half an hour or so in Act 1.
I restarted the entire game and played through the prologue again.

This time I had no problem what so ever with beating anyone, until I reached
the five last guards.

Yrden and Quen are your best allies, but don't forget Aard and the bombs as well.

The game is hard in the begining but you will need the skills you learn there later in Act 1.
Posted May 24, 2011
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MaXMC: Yrden and Quen are your best allies, but don't forget Aard and the bombs as well.
I use Aard pretty much exclusively. Yrden never really was useful to me because I am a rolling machine, constantly moving, so enemies moving isn't really my problem. Quen is cool, but I prefer having an Aard ready at a moment's notice and being able to block, so I ignore Quen to save my vigor.

The key for me really is to move constantly and know when to attack. In the prologue I was running in to enemy groups and that gets you killed in seconds in this game, even later in the game.
Posted May 24, 2011
Combat is really challenging when you learn it but as soon as you master it, it start to make sense and is quite easy and awesome at the same time.

On my second run which I just started on hard I massacred the guys in the courtyard on the first try very easily where I spent an hour on normal on my first walkthrough.

The hints:
1) Drink Swallow before the combat (just in case)
2) Put the bombs in the accessory slot
3) Make brown oil via alchemy and apply it to your steel sword (it gives huge bleeding bonus)
4) Use Quen right before you enter
5) Start the combat by charging (i.e. 'A' + fast attack is a good start) the weak unarmored guy and use combo fast, fast, strong, fast while keeping "W" pressed to progress the forward movement (yes, there are chain combos in this game and they are given to you right away). Normally, that guy will die before his buddies will be able to backstab you.
6) Don't block until you are high level, it takes vigor that you have to use on Quen
7) Run away from the crowd turn around and spam several bombs on them (the trick is to tap "throw" button very fast, so the second bomb should start flying before the first one landed). This will kill most of them, the rest will die after the first successful strike.
8) Combat should take less than a minute, though sometimes they spread out and you'll have to cast quen again.

P.S. Never allow any enemies to attack you from the back, at least before you get the skill that negate backstabs. Move away! Don't be greedy. Even if the guy you are attacking in front of you is almost dead.
Post edited May 24, 2011 by Maerd
Posted May 24, 2011
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SlackerSupreme: You're in the Prologue; no, the entire game is not flashbacks, this is just foreshadowing and setting up your objective. It's a tutorial also, but a very unforgiving one, most of the tips go by to fast to notice, and you'll have to refer to your journal to read them properly.

Keep it constantly in mind that Geralt is level 1, and is extremely weak at this stage of the game.

Tips
1. Dodge, dodge, dodge.
2. Don't ever let yourself get surrounded. Ever. You won't get swordsmanship and magical abilities to deal with groups until later in the game. Backstabs do like 200% damage.
3. Spells: use Quen to protect yourself, especially against fire(!) and missiles. Yrden is good for seperating people in groups.
4. You want to take on foes one at a time, where you can properly parry and hit back. Use Yrden and the environment and try to seperate the weaker foes (unarmored, no shield, etc) from the tougher ones. If a group is standing over there and hasn't noticed you, try to approach them from an angle where only one sees you, then kite him away from the group and kill him.
5. Learn to parry then strike back, but be aware of one caveat: parrying requires Vigor (that lil' yellow bar), but spells also use vigor. If you snap off a few spells and that meter is suddenly empty, guess what: no parrying. . If that happens use your mobility and tip #1.
6. Any of the flashbacks that have friendly NPC's with you, let them do the fighting, and skirt around the edges of the battle, taking cheap shots at the enemy. If an enemy "locks on" to you, run away until they're busy with a friend once more. Then cheap shot them again.

Until you get some levels, more health, more vigor, powerful spells, etc, you have to fight groups guerrilla fashion, hit-and-run, dodge, seperate, over and over.

Once you're out of the prologue, that's when the game really begins. It's a huge, wonderful game stretching out in front of you.

Good luck!
Tips.

Bombs...Traps, anyone?
Posted May 24, 2011
Well I finished the game yesterday and I still have some issues with the combat. The most important one is that we can drink potions only in meditation. Am I the only one to find it really, really idiotic? There are many fights in game beginning right after a cutscene and you simply can not drink a potion. You even can not eat something as in the previous game.
Another problem is that you get many useless skills in the training tree like throwing daggers. I have never used a dagger in my playthrough. Instead some useful fight skill should be there. Like the one to be able to hit multiple enemies. Was I the only one finding it first funny, than sad, having to run around the forrest because the game put 6 or more scoiatel at me. On lvl6!
Not to metion I miss the logic of blocking depleting vigor. I can swing the sword as long as I want, but two blocks and I am out? WTF?
But the biggest problem I had are bosses. Especially the krayen. Or even entrega queens. Dying 20 or more times IS NOT funny. Dying, because you forgot to hit a button in the right time and having to play it all over IS NOT funny. I really do not understand why these consolish QTEs were implemented. I for example play after getting from work. So I am tired and my concentration is not the best. And of course, having to go to youtube to see what I am supposed to do also is not funny. Then imagine my surpirse, when fighting Draug, I put yrden, it got stuck and I killed with 5 heavy hits. Boss fight over in about a minute.
Post edited May 24, 2011 by JaPan
Posted May 24, 2011
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JaPan: But the biggest problem I had are bosses. Especially the krayen. Or even entrega queens. Dying 20 or more times IS NOT funny. Dying, because you forgot to hit a button in the right time and having to play it all over IS NOT funny. I really do not understand why these consolish QTEs were implemented. I for example play after getting from work. So I am tired and my concentration is not the best. And of course, having to go to youtube to see what I am supposed to do also is not funny. Then imagine my surpirse, when fighting Draug, I put yrden, it got stuck and I killed with 5 heavy hits. Boss fight over in about a minute.
Just turn QTE off in preferences, it couldn't be easier.
And endraga queens? Just roll behind them (they turn very slowly) and beat them in the arse - it's their weak spot and it's described in an in-game book and monster entry.
Or change difficulty to easy, that's what I do for boss fights or else my wife complains that I shout and swear at my PC ;)
Posted May 24, 2011
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JaPan: Well I finished the game yesterday and I still have some issues with the combat. The most important one is that we can drink potions only in meditation. Am I the only one to find it really, really idiotic?
Inconvinient, yes idiotic, hardly.
My guess is they wanted to be more faithful to The Witcher saga. In books Geralt always drank potions before the fights (and only really tough ones) and had to wait a while for them to take effect.
Posted May 24, 2011
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JaPan: Well I finished the game yesterday and I still have some issues with the combat. The most important one is that we can drink potions only in meditation. Am I the only one to find it really, really idiotic? There are many fights in game beginning right after a cutscene and you simply can not drink a potion. You even can not eat something as in the previous game.
Another problem is that you get many useless skills in the training tree like throwing daggers. I have never used a dagger in my playthrough. Instead some useful fight skill should be there. Like the one to be able to hit multiple enemies. Was I the only one finding it first funny, than sad, having to run around the forrest because the game put 6 or more scoiatel at me. On lvl6!
Not to metion I miss the logic of blocking depleting vigor. I can swing the sword as long as I want, but two blocks and I am out? WTF?
But the biggest problem I had are bosses. Especially the krayen. Or even entrega queens. Dying 20 or more times IS NOT funny. Dying, because you forgot to hit a button in the right time and having to play it all over IS NOT funny. I really do not understand why these consolish QTEs were implemented. I for example play after getting from work. So I am tired and my concentration is not the best. And of course, having to go to youtube to see what I am supposed to do also is not funny. Then imagine my surpirse, when fighting Draug, I put yrden, it got stuck and I killed with 5 heavy hits. Boss fight over in about a minute.
1. No it's not idiotic to drink before hand, but cutscenes are buggy, yes because they don't pause the effect.
2. Throwing daggers is a machine gun. I would say, it's too powerful if you know what you are doing.
3. The ability to hit several enemies is already there.
4. Scoa'tel appear at night mostly, wait for a day or let the monsters kill them.
5. Yes, the vigor for the block is brutal, but it's made for balance otherwise you'll be invincible.
6. Kayran sucks big time, yes. Dragon sucks too. Draug mostly sucks. Letho is a good boss. The best boss fights in the witcher series are The Beast and Azar Javed from TW1. Any oversized bosses must be removed from the game completely because the fights with them are just ridiculously unrealistic even by fantasy standards.
7. You can turn QTE off in the menu (except for a fist fight, which remains qte).
Posted May 24, 2011
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JaPan: Well I finished the game yesterday and I still have some issues with the combat. The most important one is that we can drink potions only in meditation. Am I the only one to find it really, really idiotic? There are many fights in game beginning right after a cutscene and you simply can not drink a potion. You even can not eat something as in the previous game.
Another problem is that you get many useless skills in the training tree like throwing daggers. I have never used a dagger in my playthrough. Instead some useful fight skill should be there. Like the one to be able to hit multiple enemies. Was I the only one finding it first funny, than sad, having to run around the forrest because the game put 6 or more scoiatel at me. On lvl6!
Not to metion I miss the logic of blocking depleting vigor. I can swing the sword as long as I want, but two blocks and I am out? WTF?
But the biggest problem I had are bosses. Especially the krayen. Or even entrega queens. Dying 20 or more times IS NOT funny. Dying, because you forgot to hit a button in the right time and having to play it all over IS NOT funny. I really do not understand why these consolish QTEs were implemented. I for example play after getting from work. So I am tired and my concentration is not the best. And of course, having to go to youtube to see what I am supposed to do also is not funny. Then imagine my surpirse, when fighting Draug, I put yrden, it got stuck and I killed with 5 heavy hits. Boss fight over in about a minute.
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Maerd: 1. No it's not idiotic to drink before hand, but cutscenes are buggy, yes because they don't pause the effect.
2. Throwing daggers is a machine gun. I would say, it's too powerful if you know what you are doing.
3. The ability to hit several enemies is already there.
4. Scoa'tel appear at night mostly, wait for a day or let the monsters kill them.
5. Yes, the vigor for the block is brutal, but it's made for balance otherwise you'll be invincible.
6. Kayran sucks big time, yes. Dragon sucks too. Draug mostly sucks. Letho is a good boss. The best boss fights in the witcher series are The Beast and Azar Javed from TW1. Any oversized bosses must be removed from the game completely because the fights with them are just ridiculously unrealistic even by fantasy standards.
7. You can turn QTE off in the menu (except for a fist fight, which remains qte).
1) Why are they buggy? The time does not flow in conversations? The whole system is buggy, because sometimes you even do not know there is going to be a fight after a conversation.

2) As I said, I have never used them, I have two swords for gods sake, why should I throw daggers?

3) Read my post. I know it is there, but accesible later in the game, while the game constantly throws groups of enemies at you from the Prologue.

4) But if you do the quest regarding the elf who seduces and kills man in Flotsam, you end up being surrounded by Scoa'tel. So I have tu run away. And the solution to wait till monsters kill them does not sound right. By this logic I could wait for everyone to be killed by someone else :(

5) OK, but in this case NPC should also use vigor for blocking and not to be able to block all my attacks almost indifinetly. Looks really silly when a witcher is done for after two blocks while even the basic soldier can block over and over and over...

7) Thanks, must have missed that one. Does it turn them completely off? How is the game then? The same and I only do not have to push the buttons anymore? How is the Krayen fight then as you have to click to get to the tentacle and then once again while you are on it.
Post edited May 24, 2011 by JaPan
Posted May 24, 2011
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StingingVelvet: Or maybe it's because the tutorial is a piece of crap, and the game does not really tell you how to play.
You know, I wont argue that the game wouldnt benefit from more intuitive prompts as to what to do, and could stand to ramp up a little more gently to some of the challenging set pieces in the prologue.

But even though the game may not go out of its way to "tell" you how to play, I cant agree that the game doesn't "teach" you how to play. Is there anyone who doesnt feel like they eventually (after several reloads) come out of that Ballista sequence with the skills they need to handle large group combat in the rest of chapter 1? Theres really no way to get by that encounter without developing the skills you need for the game. It just gives you a particularly intensive crash course.

There are friendlier ways to go about doing that for casual game players. Im not sure any of them would be as effective. That prologue took my ass, which was a wad of cookie dough when I first entered the game, and whipped me into Witching shape, which I needed to be to deal with the Witcher's dangerous world. You could bounce an oren off it now.
Post edited May 24, 2011 by Cyjack
Posted May 24, 2011
Leaving combat aside for a moment...

The worst thing about the prologue for me was how frustrating and useless some parts were. The first thing my char got to do, after all those ridiculous cut scenes that made me think I was watching a movie instead of playing a game, was trying to aim a ballista at that guy with the feather plume. No help, no clues, and even knowing the correct degree was no help and hitting felt more random than anything else.

Worse, just to add to my frustration was that unlike combat, I really didn't learn anything from succeeding at that task.

The same thing with running down the wall during the dragon attack. Too much of the prologue was frustrating, required many loads to complete, and were necessary to do just to move the story along. And, again, did nothing for making me play the rest of the game better.

I know lots of people love the really dramatically rendered cutscenes, but I don't buy games to see how well the people working on the game can make movies. As much as i love playing Witcher 2, the prologue was a failure if it was supposed to be a tutorial.

Still, once i got past it i love the game. It's a horrible introduction to a great game.
Posted May 25, 2011
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Cyjack: The tutorial segments can be read in your journal tutorial section after they pop up. They will explain how combat works, and, among other things, how to lock onto a single target. There is also a manual.
Perhaps this is the fault of Steam, but there is no manual available with my game. I have searched through the game dir and while there ARE txt files in several languages named manual, they are installation and very basic troubleshooting instructions. I have looked through my journal already, and again after your suggestion, and there is no entry as to 'target locking'.

It's ok to admit that this game might be good, but is really lacking in introducing the player to the actual mechanics. I imagine you purchased some sort of Special Edition that came with a game guide or such?
Posted May 25, 2011
Oh, with that courtyard fight where you have like six+ foes to beat:

I'm on my 2nd playthrough on Hard, and I tell you what, now that I know how to use Axil, it rocks! You have to hold the button down until a foe is throughly "brainwashed". It was far easier than using Yrden to seperate groups - just Axil a guy (the big guy in armor is the best), let them brawl, and draw out a single foe for yourself. I kicked butt hard using this tactic than I did on Normal using Yrden.
Posted May 25, 2011
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Wishb0ne: Leaving combat aside for a moment...

The worst thing about the prologue for me was how frustrating and useless some parts were. The first thing my char got to do, after all those ridiculous cut scenes that made me think I was watching a movie instead of playing a game, was trying to aim a ballista at that guy with the feather plume. No help, no clues, and even knowing the correct degree was no help and hitting felt more random than anything else.

Worse, just to add to my frustration was that unlike combat, I really didn't learn anything from succeeding at that task.

The same thing with running down the wall during the dragon attack. Too much of the prologue was frustrating, required many loads to complete, and were necessary to do just to move the story along. And, again, did nothing for making me play the rest of the game better.

I know lots of people love the really dramatically rendered cutscenes, but I don't buy games to see how well the people working on the game can make movies. As much as i love playing Witcher 2, the prologue was a failure if it was supposed to be a tutorial.

Still, once i got past it i love the game. It's a horrible introduction to a great game.
This is good to know, I find the prologue boring and frustrating in the same way you do: essentially introduction to an inexplicable mechanic that is frustrating to figure out and then immediatly abandoned. I will persevere through last prologue chapter, but I can already tell this story is likely nonsense and full of continuity issues.

I like how some people have explained that I can just 'lock on' my target. That's interesting because the game never instructed me on this, nor does the steam version include a manual. Don't tell, show. Most games follow this concept, and I find it a huge failing that Witcher 2 does not.
Posted May 25, 2011
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indelible: I find the bulk of the criticisms - and it's no difference in this thread - are branding the combat system poor because it is quite demanding and challenging at times, which leads to frustration. Sadly games like Dragon Age and Mass Effect have bred a lethargy in gamers that leads everyone to acting all surprised when a game comes out that seemingly throws a curve ball in the form of a demanding and challenging combat system.

I was one of those people to begin with, I'm not ashamed to admit, however as the game progresses I realised what was happening. As I gained new abilities and better equiptment, the combat became less demanding and more forgiving. I think CD Projeckt were attempting to deliver a gameplay experience that highlighted your progression in a more noticable way, as in as you gain levels and stated attributes you gain in power and things become easier to deal with. I think it punctuates the character of Geralt in a really nice way, and if it was intentional - which I can't see how it wouldn't be - it really is a credit to CD Projeckts ability to create an immersive experience all round.

So my only retort to the crticism in this thread is: demanding and challenging isn't synonymous with poor. If you feel that gameplay that offers a challenege to the player and forces you to actually play, rather than just to sit back and hammer your mouse button mindlessly, is poor, then I guess it is poor. HOWEVER after consideration I personally don't think it is poor at all. I think it is bang on and I am very much looking forward to my second play through on a higher difficulty, knowing that all that stands between me and the next chapter is my ability, or lack thereof.
Well, you are entirely wrong. I love challenging games. I mostly play Quakelive, and if you don't know what that is or don't think it IS the most challenging FPS then you are a hopeless. My problem with The Witcher, is that the combat has not been explained to the player. It is difficult because I didn't even realize I could dodge until I reflexively hammered space bar during an intense fight. It's bad game design. I think you are a consoler. I think you mash your max 12 buttons on your controller during fights rapidly and it equals WIN. I think this sort of nonsense does not work on a keyboard with 10 times that number of keys AND a mouse with nearly that number of buttons. I think it is far easier to figure out what 12 buttons do than figure out which 12 buttons on a 125 key keyboard do something and in what context and situation.
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The Witcher 2Help: I really want to like this game(41 posts)(41 posts)
(41 posts)