"OBS:" THIS POST MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS!

"OBS:" This is an open Topic for everyone intressted, so you can leave your own thought here aswell as commenting myn.

I would also like to remind people that thise are my thoughts and I would appreciate if some sort of maturity could be retained even if you wouldn't agree with me or anyone elses thoughts.



EDIT: This Topic is one of several describing my thoughts since having all in 1 was to long.

Original Post:

http://www.gog.com/en/forum/the_witcher_2/thoughts_on_the_witcher_2


COMBAT:

"PROS."

The combat in TW2 is intressting and mutch harder then the one in TW1, it still has some flaws but it has aloot of potential and there for a step in the right direction.

"CONS."

The fighting system isn't build for group fights in general and what I mean by that is that you can't take on several enemys at a time but you have to run around, use spells and take them out 1 by 1 and unless you upgrade your abilitys and attacks to effect more then 1 target then you will have to roll around aloot.

I understand the logic of this and I like it. They are trying to force you to use more then just melee attacks, to use Signs, bombs and traps but it is still abit frustrating for me since in order to use all of then efficiant then you'd have to uppgrade them all first.

2 facts are clear, Dodging is awsome in TW2 since it works and Blocking sucks in TW2 since it is usless.

Why blocking must use up vigor I don't know and why it wont block 100% damage I don't know ither. Both of those reasons are nither logical nor are they realistic witch is why blocking isn't used in the game by anyone smart enuff. But it is ashame since trying to counter attack is fun.

"SUDGESTION."

So I like how dodging works in the game but Blocking should realy be fixed. It shouldn't cost Vigor and it should block all damage also pressing "E" for block should interupt any weapon swing you are in to since one frustrating thing in the game is that you can't block when you want since your in an weapon swing witch makes it impossible to block in action unless your waiting for it. Counter attack could also be more then just weapon swings so if you press "Q" instead of the mouse when you see the icon then Geralt will block and counter with an sign instead.

Now for logical, difficulty and fun reason you can only block 1 opponant so if 2 attack you at the same time you'd be better of dodging. And also blocking shouldn't work on all monsters a specionaly not Biger once like Trolls or souch and boss fights should be depending on opponant and thinks like that.


BUGS:

Some buggs that I gott when I was fighting, I'm not sure if anyone other then me have had them but in an non evil way do I hope that it's not just me :P

1: Some times I have found myself fighting an opponent and in the middle Geralt stops attacking and is running forward instead like as if he is running to hte opponant while he is standing right in front of it. This one has gotten me killed some times since I can do anything when he is ruing like that.

2: Some times when I press "R" in combat it all buggs up. I can't do anything othere then press the movment keys A, S, D, W can even move the camera. I don't take damage ither and all I can do i restart it. I think it has only happend 3 times and it is when I press "R" in combat (Trying to throw an item that is)

3: To offten have I bin hitting the air when an opponant is far away. The system (Atleast for what I can understan) is supposed to make Geralt Roll or do somthing in the direction of the opponat if he is far away but this doesn't work all of the time. As I said, I have to offten bin hitting the air instead of flying forward twords the enemy in fights and it realy makes me miss oppertiunetys to attak them.

"4" This isn't realy a bug but it is a function in the combat system that I don't realy like. If you hit a block or a parry you are left standing still for about 1-1.5 seconds leaving you wonrable for hits from the opponant who blocked you. As I said this isn't a bug but a funtion but one that I don't realy like. Since you can't realy know when your opponant will parry having an penalty this big is abit anoying since it might gett you hurt aloot for somthing you realy couldn't have prevented in an sence.



Yours // Philip From Sweden

Blocking doesn't suck, I actually use it more than I dodge. While dodging will get you out of tight spaces, it does nothing to open your enemy's defense like blocking an enemy does. Just give it a chance and try not spamming it.

Dodging does give you a chance to land a hit on the enemy's back though.. :P

Group fighting is certainly better than in the first game at least, where you would just switch to the appropiate style and click away. Overall my biggest problem with the combat was the extreme reverse difficulty curve (combat got easier - a LOT easier - as you progressed). I plan to try to replace my Quen usage completely (at least outside of bossfights) with Blocking on my second playthrough, hopefully making it a bit more challenging.

Yes the combat system is aloot better then in the First one since that one was to easy and no challange at all and that is why I said this system is a step in the right direction.

And well the Blocking might not be all that usless. I used it some times for the fun of it so. But what I wanted to say is that it isn't as good as it should be / it is worse then it should be.

For me the only problem with the combat is the reverse dificult curve. By the end of the game it got uttherly easy. Even on insane,

Someone should make a insane + mod asap.

Not using queen help a bit, but still, by the time you got the adrenaline ability the combat gets preatty easy.

Still for me it is the best combat in a game so far, in all rpgs the first one to really combine realism and tactics.

5th run now and so far I have not found any unresposiveness bugs other than the one when you try to trow a bomb you don't have anymore.

Beside not having any real group fighting i quite like TW2 combat.

Tho i do wish there was abit more fluid to it, like swords could clash with each other without being a dead stop in your fighting unless its a heavy hit on block ect.

Not implementing group combat was a mistake IMO. They need to add group style, albeit doing a lot less damage, and add more monsters to the game. Also they need to implement forward flip so you can jump over opponents and not get cornered. It's crazy that they took out these large parts of Witcher 1 combat.

Fighting gets too easy because the gear and weapons get much better along with crits etc. There is a mod that adjusts gear to make the back half of the game much harder.

As for blocking all damage there is a talent you can selct for that.

After really learning the dodge roll attack I am liking it alot. I roll into an attack and hit the guy again. As his friends are closing in I side roll to a new mob and hit him. I can then forward roll and get a backstab or two in. The key is jab, jab, roll, jab. It's not cheese like running in circles spamming bombs but moving and changing targets. Lot's of fun since I learned how to do it.

You should naturally be able to strike more than one opponent with one blow if they are near eachother. It doesn't come close to how group attack should work.

You can't use Aard if you don't have vigor so then Geralt, the monster slayer with super agility is then stuck getting hammered on all sides, with no way to get out. That's why they had it in TW1 because naturally he should be able to flip over someone if he has no other way to repel them.

If you really had super agility you wouldn't ever get cornered now would you. :P Also, if you manage your resources well in a fight and mix up your tactics, you should never run out of vigor.

<space> = roll
<alt> jump/somersault.

Also neatly removes that wait for "drop down/jumpon" then click mouse that can seriously annoying. Small drops and jumps can now be done with the button, while the mouse click is only for large drops.

I've notice buggy hit detection though. I've seen several times that an opponent missed me by at least a centimeter on screen, which would be like 3-4 meters for Geralt and his opponent, and yet Geralt still got hit.

At least group combat in the first game actually worked unlike in this game. Fighting a group without using signs or bombs in this game is just a sure way to increase your blood pressure and possibly make you break some of your belongings depending on your temper.

Block is terrible when fighting in groups, since even if you block one enemies' attack, the second you drop your block it's guaranteed that another enemy will land a blow on you the second you release it. And dodge-rolling is only good if you do it before and opponent launches an attack, otherwise you get nailed anyways, especially against the Endrega Queens.

I guess I am just one of those people that prefers a boring fighting mechanic that actually works as opposed to a neat idea that is blood-boilingly broken. It's a shame, since most everything else about The Witcher 2 is better than the first game. But until (and if) combat actually starts working it is just going to be a frustrating experience for me.

Combat things you listed as cons are in my opinion pros.

any body here plays Prince of Persia 2 ? Other precessor seems not be that good, but PoP 2 is particularly a masterpiece in my book.

The martial art in game are awesome, tons of combos. During the game, the players will be unlock more complex combos. Before unlocking, even the player know the key combination, he or she cannot use the combos.

I love to see action RPG to progress that way: a combination between stats and player skills. Progressing the skill tree will unlock more combos.

I wish to implement combat in those possible ways:

--> the enemy ability to block a strike depends on player's level and enemy levels.
--> the combos, powers, and especially finishing moves depends on player's levels.

---> I hate to see some weapons, some sword are vastly more powerfull that others or the character becomes vastly stronger in later game. I wish to see the player strikes tat the end of the game is just as hard as the beginning. However he or she will have much more techniques.

Look at the vast majority of RPGs game: you would see combat is pretty repetitive, include WC1. Throught the entire game, the see the same "slash and push" move. Using different weapons doesn't show different moves as well. The hands seem to be the main tool. The legs and body seems useless except when jumping 12 ft high.

So the questions is why must player endure the same combat styles through out the game. Why not try to implement better moves, better combat techniques ?

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I come up with an example: Letho fight. In the first encounter, each other your strike barely makes a scratch, wherest in later fight, you make much more powerfull strike. It is ironic that you just encounter a dragon fight and now him.

So how about Geralt learns longer combos to defeat Letho block. WC2 so far just has 1 block time for enemy. But if you give the enemy ability to block multiple times, and give the player longer combos, that would be awesome to play.

*********

In short: RPG combat unlocks more technicque skills but not necessary make the player god-like You know just a bit tweaks and you can make blocking cost less to no vigor?

I think it is part of the combat ' strategy the games want you to learn - you can't master all magic and sword. You can only use a few technique.

I think dodge is weak part of WC2 combat. Too much rolling.

**********

Yet, I copy from another thread here my response. I think block could be further polished. The enemy has counter-block ability, or blocking multiple times.

And the players will have longer combos to defeat such blocks