Hey all. I'm currently downloading The Witcher now and I am wondering if anybody has any tips for new players that you wished you knew when you first started playing. No spoilers just some tips and strategics for new players to this game. Any all replies is appreciated thanks.

1 ) Save often ;)
2 ) The Witcher is *not* a click fest - if you just mash the mouse button, you'll disrupt your own attacks and end up Corpus Witchus. Take the lessons of the intro seriously.
3 )check the skill tree carefully. You'll get most skills eventually, but some are more useful to your survival earlier in the game.

Agree in those three tips. Also read the journal for know more about characters and history, dont keep just with say to you in game.

Don't give up too soon. The game is a little hard to get into, it gets better after a while.

Also take the time to really try the different points of view. At first I played with the third person view, but eventually I realized that I prefered the top down view, it's less immersive but easier to control.

This is a good tip. Many players don't like Chapter 1 very much, although I didn't mind it. But the game gets much better in Chapter 2.

Damn this game is hard. After the tutorial I thought "Damn! This isn't as hard as everybody is saying." Then I get owned by those green dog things after wondering around a little and trying to get a girl back home. Dose this game seriously just drop in in on your head ha ha?

Strangely, it gets easier as you get farther along. Early in the game you only have your steel sword and you don't have many skills yet. Later you get better equipment and better skills and suddenly the game isn't nearly as challenging. If you can manage to get through the first chapter things will get easier.

Also, things get easier as you learn strategies. The barghests (green dogs) are best fought with the fast style or group style, and are easy to knock down, which means using your Aard sign will be helpful. Once you get used to fighting monsters you'll find they get easier. You can look for books on certain types of monsters to learn the strategies to use against them, and also when talking to peasants you can sometimes get them to tell you about certain monster types so you don't have to spend money on the books. If you do buy the books, once you read them you will remember all the information in your journal so you can sell the books afterward. Learning about monsters like that is also very useful for certain quests because you won't be able to collect monster parts needed for some quests unless you've researched the monster first.

Also you can use your witcher elixirs for upgrade certain skills

That quest *is* hard - several groups appear, and you have to be quick and efficient in each combat, because the barmaid insists on 'helping' and frequently ends up as barghest fodder.

I usually leave it until I've gained a few levels, and then save after every combat.

You can practice group combat along the river or near the crypt - the barmaid (and her card) will still be available later.

Also, have you scrutinized the skills that give extra attacks ? Can help to put the beasties down faster.

The Witcher is a REALLY complicated game but it's not "hard", for an RPG player. My advice would be, concentrate on the story. Don't just grind through quests without a single thought of what's happening, because The Witcher is all about the story. But on the gameplay side, like I said, if this is your first RPG, you will probably dump it soon but if it's not you will beat it with patience. Learn, experiment and enjoy.

a hint that i loved basically (and found out only mid game)
you can autocollect ingredients by holding left ctrl + click.
Works on bodies and barrels , closest and crates...
:)

Try not to get fixated on gathering money&loot, getting just the right runes and meteorites. Good enough or best equipment will fall on your lap soon enough and there's not much else to do with cash. Concentrate on having fun!

That quest is easy! Really.

After rescuing the girl. Head straight to the nearest campfire. Rest until morning. Escort her home safely. Done.

Collect your reward. Heh.

[sniff]
[sniff]

Is that cheese I smell ?

But noted and filed for emergencies - ty :)

Sure. Why not? If the devs didn't want that as a possible solution, they could have disabled meditating for that sequence.