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Witcher 2 is out


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First, the intro you are in, it is very linear. At the end you make a big choice (you are half way there) that has major implications on the rest of game.

 

The next act you will be in town, from there you have main quest, bunch of side quests on board, you can roam, talk to vendors, etc... then act 2 is supposed to be bigger yet.

 

You should've been on the wall with king, you said you'd fire the ballista. And jumped down 2 platforms near tower. Then fight off like 10 guys down there. It's a small area so run around the whole thing and make sure nobody is left.

 

Once they are gone go to ballista and you get a little pop-up. You gotta spin the wheel (right lick mouse taps real fast). I never liked button tap puzzles but it's not bad.

That'll wind it, then you'll do something similar and smack it with hammer or something and it'll fire.

 

Then climb back up near wall by tower and continue.

 

Dark is the sway that mows like a harvest

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@rich: Missing an arm? If you mean literally the player model then no - it is normal. If it is something else then I don't know if it is missing. I have noticed a repeatedly flashing black rectangle with a white border at bottom right. This is really irritating now. But I suspect it is trying to access the internet and my firewall won't let it.

 

I didn't change the keys. I really was looking to read the key binds to figure out what did what and try to make sense of the joypad (though I've now found a list of default key binds in the user manual.) But I've also switched back to keys and tried the left mouse button instead but no different.

 

@Badcogg:

I've defeated the defenders and been all round the ballista scores and scores of times blind frobbing. I've stood at the back and at the sides of the back at different distances near and far. Previously all interaction eg, climb ladder, talk, etc showed a little popup. Is this supposed to be the same?

 

 

If as you say it is less linear further on then I'd like to persist but I see nothing I can do except start all over again. At least I'll try from an earlier save.

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OK, restarted from the wooden storming tower and I've finally got it working. :) The problem was

I hadn't realized there were more defenders round a corner and up some steps. I was aware of archers shooting at me sporadically from above but I thought they were on the tower and I didn't pay any attention. I'd killed everyone around the ballista and it was quiet around there apart from an occasional arrow so logically no reason why I shouldn't use the ballista. Stupid me. Using logic again.

 

 

I also suspect that black flashing rectangle might be Witcher's own task bar tray message. When you get the Witcher launcher there is an odd icon in the tray as well with a message "Witcher launcher" Erm yes. I can see there is a launcher program so I ignored the stupid message. This time I closed it. wtf is that all about? Also when you start the program from the launcher you get nothing for maybe half a minute or more like it's crashed. No message. No splash screen. Not even an hourglass. No indication anything is happening. First time I clicked several times and the icon in the tray because nothing seemed to work. Eventually the game starts. There are quite a few elementary flaws like that. Menu lists that don't wrap around at the bottom. Huh! Simple stuff that was worked out in the 80's.

 

Anyway, I feel a bit better about the game. After I started on the

ballista I got waves of new defenders so I got some better fighting practice and this is not bad. Finally fired the ballista and now I'm back up top.

I'll resume later.

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Everyone has said that the ballista fight was the hardest in game and I agree so far. There's some tough stuff yet, but at the ballista there are a bunch of guys, you have no idea how to fight, and have not leveled at all. But later you level, get equipment, and know what you're doing (lots of dodging flanks)

 

You can change difficulty at any time. So you can play easy for a bit, then bump it up.

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During launch there is the launcher (wolfhead/menu). Then when you launch there should be a small wolf head center screen like his medallion. That shows it's 'loading' I guess. Not sure if the eyes glow or something. It wasn't very noticable I recall, maybe it overlays the launcher and is just easy to miss.

 

I don't recall a taskbar thing other than an icon.

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Not sure what you mean about menu wraps either, I mean I know what you're saying, but don't recall seeing anything strange.

Dark is the sway that mows like a harvest

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If you use a mouse and see a cursor then it's easy to select from a menu list. If you have to scroll down with keys or joypad then big menus are easier if, when you get to the bottom it wraps around back to the top. This is more noticeable with nested menus as you scroll through each one. Another common error with menus is how to tell the selected item from the other item in a two-choice scrolling menu (no mouse) such as on a TV. Say one is blue and one red. Is it a blue menu with red the selector or a red menu with blue the selector? Scrolling just swaps the colors. Solutions: flashing cursor, underline, arrow at the side, etc.

 

I've found how to shift sets of buttons on xpadder for more options so tomorrow I'm going to set it up for Witcher. I'll select keyboard in-game but have Xpadder running and use the joypad. Sounds odd but it should cure the missing cursor problem. I cannot zoom the map at all. Plus it will give me more control over the joypad than is offered. If it works that is. No reason why not. It works in Dark Mod. :)

 

Talking of combat difficulties, I recall on day 1 I struggled with rats and wolves in Oblivion and even mud crabs I took damage from. :blush: Later one could swat them away.

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This Dragon Attack on the bridge is just mega-frustrating. This is not a game but torture. I've turned sound off. 50 times hearing the same thing is 49 times too many.

 

There is supposed to be an icon flash on screen but I've never seen it in all these tries. I just keep hitting the button and hope to get lucky. Another bug? Where exactly does this icon suppose to appear?

 

I would use a cheat without hesitation about now.

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Yeah, It flashes mid screen. Can't remember the button, might be a mouse key? You get about half way across and gotta 'dodge' behind the bricks on the side (right of screen). Gotta do it like twice going across.

 

I did notice there was a large patch yesterday and they said specifically 'it helps for retail versions most'. Mainly rendering performance I think. But I think there was also some gamepad stuff.

 

When I get home tonight I can load that up and see which keys specifically. The 'boss' fights do use special keys/timing like that, but there are only a few of them. Dragon, 1 big monster in first chapter ...haven't got to chapt 2 yet though that's next I believe.

Dark is the sway that mows like a harvest

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@Fidcal: There is a setting; "easier QTEs" or something. It should make it easier, assuming you have not already checked it.

And the game does get a lot better after the tutorial mission.

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Woohoo! that did it. In your face Dragon QTE. I found the setting difficult QTE's checked on the options. I didn't even know what that is. Thanks each.

 

Well I can say there was definitely no icon showing in the centre of the screen in my game. That's where the action is and where my attention is and nothing comes up. I just run and keep hitting the button. It's Y on the XBox joypad and RMB for keyboard settings. I tried both.

 

I wonder if this relates to the missing cursor bug in the menus? Also when launched there is a wolf icon shows on the desktop for half a second then disappears. I wonder if that is supposed to stay there until the game is loaded? Maybe a Vista thing.

 

I hope there are no QTE's with varied keys. I recall that in Shenmue on the Dreamcast. There is no chance of guessing multiple changing keys.

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Well the next big fight you'll know. I won't spoil it but you basically figure out how to fight it then I think there are 2 key presses to finish. So you'll pretty much know when the time comes to start mashing. It's probably the same key I'm sure, might've been right mouse.

 

I think they just did that to give you the 'epic finishing moves cinematics' rather than just swing sword once and dead... Like the dragon, it wasn't tough, and there really wasn't anything to 'do'. It was just cinematics.

Dark is the sway that mows like a harvest

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I finished the game last night and i have to say while there where a few issues with the design its one of the best games iv ever played, i have never felt so okay playing a premade character before, i generaly find what ever additude they give them to be obnoxious and unlikeable with them saying stupid shit left and right that i never agree with, Geralt however was quite agreeable with me and i felt like the dialogue choices where just fine for what was happening at the time.

 

This is one of the first games iv even bothered finishing in a long time because i cared about what would happen to the characters and wanted to know the reason behind the whole thing.

 

This is all my opinion of course and you may gladly have a different one.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I'm finding it hard to motivate myself to play this much. I keep getting stuck.

 

 

Currently I am on the Kayran quest and need to get past some creatures in a swampy area. I've replayed this so often I'm tired of it. But I need a silver sword. My silver sword I jammed in the mouth of the dragon so I don't have one.

 

Searching the net it seems there are two or three solutions. One might be if you import a save from Witcher 1. Another is seek out the dragon but that is long ago. I'd have to reload a very old gamesave even if there is one and I don't to replay all that lot. Another possibility is to make a sword but again I read the diagram is way back in an earlier section.

 

In my various attempts at this quest over the last week or so I think in an earlier try I somehow got past those creatures because I remember examining some mucus. What happened and why I didn't proceed from there I don't know. Anyway, even if that is possible it is hard to believe I can get far in this game without a silver sword. Why do they forcibly remove an essential weapon and not make it a main quest to get another? Or at least, provide that you might buy one in most places. I didn't actually realize the implication of that sword in the mouth at the time.

 

Some of the side quests seem outrageous when you search for solutions on the net. I wasted a lot of time trying to disable Laredo's ballista before giving up and moving on. Later I read you find someone who gives you or tells you something or other. How is one to know that?

 

 

I also cannot understand what to do with these areas of power with the shimmering air. Says something about use the medallion but I don't know what that means. I just keep trying different things without success.

 

I get the feeling that from the start one should absolutely search every area and speak to everyone in case you miss something. I thought I had reasonably well but clearly nowhere near enough. :(

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Save the Kayran quest for last. I made the mistake of doing it first and prematurely advanced the main story. I had to load up an old save to fully experience all Flotsam has to offer.

 

I'm not 100% sure where the crafting diagram is. I think I found it in a crate when walking from the ship to the village entrance just before being ambushed. It's not a huge deal actually as I know I've seen people selling various silver sword diagrams and even if you found the "witcher's silver sword" diagram you're bound to replace it with a better sword in short order.

 

The medallion reveals hidden things or containers with loot in them but you have to press a button to activate it. I played with a gamepad so I don't know what the coorsponding K/M button is.

 

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OK, thanks rich.

 

 

Believe it or not I now actually managed to get past those creatures by running away and around then coming back and picking off one or two then running around again to recover my strength and that power weapon thing. They can be killed without a silver sword. I had read they couldn't. More likely the silver is more effective but not critical. But I'm inclined to do what you say and leave the Kayran quest till later. Or rather, since I am now on the way to get a herb or something to counteract its venom I'll finish this walk then shelve the quest then go looking to get/make a silver sword.

 

 

So I'm still not clear how this works. Is it that this area has several quests you can do in any order but you have to make each one current while you attempt it. But then you have to complete all these quests to leave the area? Or maybe some are optional? So in that sense I guess it's like a Thief or Dark Mod campaign. This village is like a mission with various objectives, some mandatory, some optional?

 

I am using the Xbox360 joypad. As far as the medallion goes I press left trigger to show a circular thing I take to be the medallion with various sections. Meditation at the bottom. I've never figured it out though. Meditation seems to do nothing I can see. The other ones I'm guessing select spells or something. But as far as I can see the medallion itself doesn't do anything. It's just a menu. It did nothing when I was in a power area as far as I could see.

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The circular menu is your 'meditation'. In which you have choice of meditating (passing time/sleeping - the swamp is easier in daytime for sure), drinking potions, etc...

 

The medallion is what I told you about before, for me it's Z.

In the controls it's called, you guessed it 'Medallion'. It says left analog stock (so pressing the left analog stick like a button should do it)

It 'highlights things in the world, like dropped items, loot crates, important stuff, herbs. It also shows the 'power circles' or whatever.

You DON'T have to use it but it does help.

 

The power circles just give you boosts for a little while, not needed but they do make fights a little easier

 

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I believe the 'quick menu (tab) has the available quests. Most are optional, you find the note board in town, as you grab each note they get added. Also some people in town ask you to do stuff (I think they highlight on the map).

 

You can change quests at anytime in the menu. Just click on the one you want, they all have full descriptions. When chosen you get highlights in the map that guide you to the goals. You can complete missions without having them selected, but the map doesn't show you where to go, so you gotta get lucky. I completed some quests I didn't realize were quests this way (But I just grabbed all notes in town and didn't read them).

 

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The silver sword is better against monsters yes. But you DON'T have to have one.

I might've found the recipe in a box, but there is a dwarf in town that sells/crafts. I think you can buy from him, then have him craft it (if you have the ingredients). I little while later in game I found a better silver sword recipe anyway (still in the same town).

 

 

Make sure to buy the recipe for grape bombs. I didn't and I can't complete one side quest because of it... It can't be bought later is all I'll say. And that quest of course rewards you with a better sword.

 

 

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The monsters in swamp are tough as they swarm, just

 

 

Move and roll a lot.

Attack the bigger red ones, they give orders to the smaller ones.

Use your magic to blast, stun, set them on fire, then attack, then roll away. Do again. Use the magic a lot.

 

Also use the quen I believe. It's a shield that saves a lot of damage.

 

And buy/craft oils for your swords. Unlike potions you can drop them on your sword mid battle and they boost damage effects a lot. (Only one per sword at a time)

 

 

 

 

The town is really never more than 5 minutes away from the furthest spots. So don't be afraid to go back and get your silver sword, new quests, whatever.

Dark is the sway that mows like a harvest

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Didn't play Dragon Age. I tired the demo for II for about 3 seconds and the controls were horrible imo so I uninstalled right away.

 

I liked Morrowind but it's quite different. Morrowind is just a wide open kind of sandbox game. Go anywhere, do anything. Do quests or not. At some points I think it could feel boring/pointless because of that. But that was also it's strong point, the fact that you could just roam a huge land and do what ever you felt like doing.

 

This game is much more story driven, lots of cutscenes/discussions with ai about the story. There are side quests that aren't mandatory (somewhat like morrowind) but we're talking 20, not 2,000. And they have rewards so they are worth doing and expand the game beyond the main plot.

There are areas to roam, but you can roam for 20 minutes, not 20 hours.

 

So I don't know which dynamics you mean specifically, but I've found the game to be very enjoyable so far, but quite different than Morrowind in almost all aspects.

Dark is the sway that mows like a harvest

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I've just been lent Dragon Age on the XBox and tried it briefly and quite liked the look of it so I'll be playing that next (which will probably be 6 months the speed of my current progress in W2. :) I reckon I might have learnt the controls in 5 months so the last month should be fun!

 

You can use oils on your sword?

 

There's a quen?

 

There's a note board in town?

 

There's a town? (just kidding.) No seriously, There's a town? (still kidding. Or is I? I've been so long in the bog I have bog fever.)

 

OK, I've never used the medallion button. Now I see it - it's the button on the move stick. I've probably pressed it by accident as I've seen that ring of fire on occasion.

 

Looking again at the controls I see I'm missing lots. The problem is that the joypad is not listed in the book and of course, you can't see them in-game like you can with Dark Mod or Thief. So I'll try to memorise one or two at a time.

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Yep, oils are in inventory just like your armor/weaps, etc..

 

OK, Inventory is I, it doesn't even show in the controls launcher. I suspect on your controller it might be the start button (2 little buttons in middle of controller?)

Anyway, if you know how to see inv you'll see them.

 

Quen is on your magic menu, round menu, left side should be the five magics. Quen is like a force field. Helps block big attacks, reflects damage.

You WILL need to use it for

big brute who uses it himself (glows blue)

 

 

The note board is right in front of the inn where your friends are and a couple merchants in side.

 

The power ups are usually near old stone ruins. Big marker stones. Use your medallion and you'll see a red gas cloud, walk into it.

Dark is the sway that mows like a harvest

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