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[ThoughtsOfSpeaking]

The more i play I play this game, the more i love it.

 

[Flipyap]

Pulling up to baskets of apples with roach-when you dismount he starts eating them. Literally blew my mind.

He also drinks.

Smart horse.

It's a she. It's always a she. Stop misgendering that charming, if easily confused, horsey lady!

 

[codswallop]

Sort of related, but I read The Last Wish after finishing Witcher 3, and there's just so many little specific details from that book which ended up in all The Witcher games, it's astonishing. I read the second and maybe third book, but most of it seems to have come from The Last Wish.

I hate it when someone photoshops modern objects into what is clearly a Witcher 3 image:

Bamberg?

Edit: Ahh yes, Rothenburg.

 

[Dictator93]

Bamberg?

Rothenburg ob der Tauber

same thing though
edit: hah, yep

 

[lordfuzzybutt]

It's a she. It's always a she. Stop misgendering that charming, if easily confused, horsey lady!

Yep. My bad. She is a smart girl.

 

[axb2013]

Sort of related, but I read The Last Wish after finishing Witcher 3, and there's just so many little specific details from that book which ended up in all The Witcher games, it's astonishing. I read the second and maybe third book, but most of it seems to have come from The Last Wish.


Bamberg?

Edit: Ahh yes, Rothenburg.

Nein, you misspelled Oxenfurt. I can see the contract board, if this screenshot was taken a few steps closer, you would see the prompt to press "E" and grab a contract.

Spoiler

Ja, du hast Recht, mein Freund.

 

[Jisgsaw]

Sort of related, but I read The Last Wish after finishing Witcher 3, and there's just so many little specific details from that book which ended up in all The Witcher games, it's astonishing. I read the second and maybe third book, but most of it seems to have come from The Last Wish.
.

Well, not really.
Most of the stories in Witcher 1, 2 and 3 are leaning on the event of the book series (so depending on how you count, books 3 to 7). Obviously espcially TW3, as it centers on Ciri.

 

[His Majesty]

This one comes from the side-quest 'Roses on a Red Field' in Hearts of Stone.

Upon discovering a hide-out Geralt can charm the guards to count to 100. Yup, fully voice-acted. Counting jokes included. And after reaching 100 the guards regain conscience and will attack Geralt if he hasn't left.

 

[Dinjooh]

I hate it when someone photoshops modern objects into what is clearly a Witcher 3 image:

Reminds me of when I shopped a rally car into Witcher 3. Not totally sure why I did that.

 

[Shahed]

There are countless little things that awed me in this game but if i have to mention one this has to be Geralt's subtle (or maybe not) sense of humor.

Spoiler

While in broken flowers quest, Geralt speaks with Molly about Dandelion and the not-that-bright maid notes that she has seen him with his sister (Dandelion does not have a sister). She notices that his "sister" has different complexion than him and mentions that her hair is blonde unlike Dandelion's black. She comments that there must be from different fathers and nods naively when Geralt replies "Different mothers, too".

Right at the beginning of velen when you go to the inn.

Spoiler

After talking to the Baron's men you overhear them boasting to each other how they discovered that a farmer had dressed his daughter as a boy. They don't say outright what happens next but it is heavily implied.

As soon as you walk out of the inn, in front of a house to the right of the space you see a farmer talking to his daughter and you hear him warning her about the Baron's men, she then goes off running out into the wilderness. I never went back to check if she ever comes back.

This is an utterly amazing piece of world building, because it requires you to pay attention to various conversations, which are easily missable, in order to understand what is going on. They also have some less subtle vignettes with the Baron's men but this one hits you really hard, because you have to put 2+2 together.

Yeah I loved both of these. Geralt's dry and sarcastic humour was awesome and helped me quickly get over his accent, something that didn't work with Triss and especially dandelion. The "different mother's too" line cracked me up

As for the other one I really like the way it invoked emotions. Are you sure it was only implied? Either way I got so angry that I did what I could to kill those men. Most games NPC chatter while I acknowledge it, doesn't really affect me. This game did it really well by making me feel emotions, be they positive or negative

 

[axb2013]

Reminds me of when I shopped a rally car into Witcher 3. Not totally sure why I did that.

Awesome, I can't wait to drive the DLC

 

[shinobi602]

There was a mission where Geralt had to take a goat back to some old man and I managed to kill a bear before I found that goat. Towards the way back with the goat, Geralt passed the cave (which is not necessarily on the path you go) and remarked that luckily, he slayed the bear moments before.
That's something really small that I absolutely loved.

Holy shit why'd I never think of that!?

 

[GSG Flash]

Not sure if anyone's mentioned thisthis, but CDPR actually made realistic teeth for NPCs in this game. It makes the characters feel a lot more life like as compared to Assassins Creed, for example, where everyone, including the main characters, have straight block teeth.

 

[SkyTurnsRed]

Hearts Of Stone spoiler:

Spoiler

Wherever Vlodimir Von Everec is in control of Geralt's body, the Witcher medallion in the upper left is replaced with the von Everec coat of arms.

 

[SomTervo]

The city plan.
Just like the real thing, there are fields for crops etc near villages and cities. Something that's always missing in the many open world games out there. They just put a city over here and there without any source of food around. Where do people get their food from?

Exactly, they put in an effort to create an "infrastructure" to support the game's environments

It's incredible, isn't it – although it's worth noting that the Grand Theft Auto games are incredible for this level of overworld design and detail, too. I think they're the only other rival to CDPR for this. Everything in a GTA world is thought out functionally in terms of how cities are build and land is cultivated. San Andreas and GTA V are masterpieces for this.

 

[SomTervo]

Sorry for DP

 

[Deleted member 30609]

God this thread is great. I need to play the DLC.

 

[Jisgsaw]

It's incredible, isn't it – although it's worth noting that the Grand Theft Auto games are incredible for this level of overworld design and detail, too. I think they're the only other rival to CDPR for this. Everything in a GTA world is thought out functionally in terms of how cities are build and land is cultivated. San Andreas and GTA V are masterpieces for this.

Yeah, Rockstar and CDPR are in a league of their own when it comes to open world building.
I never thought any other studio could match Rockstar on this point, but here we are.

 

[SomTervo]

The time counter is more broken than you think. I checked the time after finishing the game and it only said 20 hours when I knew I put in over 100.

Dang.

How's Fallout 4 in this regard? Any peeking through windows in that game?

Haha

No

Seriously, Fallout 4 feels like a last-gen game in many ways. Not every way - it's still great - but in quite a few ways that count.

Seeing heads roll when you cut down enemies. Bodies floating in water when you kill them, the way the torso falls apart when you slice up men in two. Lol, very satisfying.

It's an inferior game, but Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor has the absolute best heads-rolling feature in gaming history.

Yeah, Rockstar and CDPR are in a league of their own when it comes to open world building.
I never thought any other studio could match Rockstar on this point, but here we are.

Word - and consider the fact that CDPR did it with a fraction of the budget, time and staff as Rockstar!

It's just insane!

 

[Auctopus]

How's Fallout 4 in this regard? Any peeking through windows in that game?

Errm, there's still a loading screen between doors.

 

[Gattsu25]

A very small detail but noticing that Geralt actually lifts his sheathes with his left hand so the angle of putting his swords back in is just right blew my mind.

CDPR could have just settled for a typical generic animation there like tons of other RPGs but no, they went far enough for that little detail. So cool.

...I never noticed this. That's awesome.

I'll pay attention next time I start it up.

 

[Darkstorne]

I like that you can sprint in a boat by double pressing X even though it makes no fucking sense whatsoever! Like how does Geralt even move the boat! I guess he's using a sign but wouldn't that drain his stamina? Why doesn't it? Is he using a special "move the boat" sign that is somehow free of charge? If so why aren't Witchers being hired to move ships around in bad weather/wind days? It would speed up commerce and give this dying workforce much needed market value. Do they just not tell anyone else about this sign? If so why? I mean i understand that much of their knowledge is secret but only in so much as it benefits them economically to manufacture market conditions so that not every one becomes a Witcher or dies trying to. But they need the money and the jobs now, so that doesn't justify it.

It's definitely just a benefit for gameplay, but you could assume he's using the aard sign I suppose. And as to why Witchers wouldn't then work on other ships for commerce:

1) There are very few of them.
2) Kids tend to die trying to become a Witcher, so that's not going to be a popular career path if all it leads to is getting to sit on ships and stare at sails.
3) Witchers are hated and feared by pretty much everyone because of their mutant biology and appearance. Incredibly popular books have spread fear-mongering about Witchers stealing children (not entirely inaccurate). They're tolerated at best, and only when they're needed for monster slaying. Pretty sure merchants would rather throw them overboard and use regular men with oars if the wind wasn't blowing.

 

[Hypron]

Errm, there's still a loading screen between doors.

That reminds me. My brother doesn't really play many videogames but he's a fan of all things Bethesda. He was watching me play TW3 yesterday — at some point I walked in a building and his mind was literally blown at the fact there was no loading screen haha

 

[Malick[AI]]

The world is so alive. Many open world games just can't get this right and W3 nails it.

 

[Flipyap]

Errm, there's still a loading screen between doors.

There are lots of houses (of comparable size to the ones in Wild Hunt) that exist in Fallout 4's open world and don't require loading a new map.

 

[Darkstorne]

There are lots of houses (of comparable size to the ones in Wild Hunt) that exist in Fallout 4's open world and don't require loading a new map.

Only houses with nothing of particular interest inside them though. The more furnished houses, even if they have no-one inside them, are still locked behind loading screens. It's one of the many reasons I'm convinced Fallout 4 began life as a cross-gen game.

 

[Jisgsaw]

It's definitely just a benefit for gameplay, but you could assume he's using the aard sign I suppose. And as to why Witchers wouldn't then work on other ships for commerce:

1) There are very few of them.
2) Kids tend to die trying to become a Witcher, so that's not going to be a popular career path if all it leads to is getting to sit on ships and stare at sails.
3) Witchers are hated and feared by pretty much everyone because of their mutant biology and appearance. Incredibly popular books have spread fear-mongering about Witchers stealing children (not entirely inaccurate). They're tolerated at best, and only when they're needed for monster slaying. Pretty sure merchants would rather throw them overboard and use regular men with oars if the wind wasn't blowing.

And more importantly: sorcerers would be much more apt for that, given that Witcher signs are a joke compared to what sorcerers can do (in Witcher's world).
Though all three points also apply to them.

 

[nadnerb 64]

The dynamic weather and the attention of detail to the sky box and the effects on the environment in the weather was just amazing. It did A LOT to immerse you in the world. Along with that is the dichotomy of being in an inn or a tavern with the storm raging outside created the perfect environment for Geralt to get smashed and tapping a hoe

 

[Bacus]

I love how many animations there are when people talk to each other. Two conversations never look alike!

 

[Nachtmaer]

This was another thing that stood out for me in

Spoiler

the Hearts of Stone DLC

. It's a nice jab at people stereotyping those "brown countries" in the Northern Kingdoms.

 

[Azzurri]

I love how your beard grows back when you shave it.

 

[X-Frame]

I just got to Skellige in my play through last night and through my Sony Gold's I couldn't get over the sound while I was just riding Roach, holding down the button so he follows the path automatically and taking in the sights, the music, and the sound effects.

I could just ride around the entire island, and there are multiple islands too, I just got there!!

 

[RMI]

the deep neckline on Keira Metz's outfit. hnnnnnnnnng.

 

[Majestad]

One detail I thought was amazing was from a quest from Heart of Stone. You come across this empty village with only an old couple sitting in the porch of their house. You start talking to them, and immediately they seem kinda weird. You ask where is the rest of people and they say they just vanished. At that point the game tells you to go back to who gave you the mission, but since I thought there was something off, I sneaked into this people's house. I was thinking I'd find a book or something interesting, but turns out that I found the entrance to their basement, where there's a bunch of human corpses and meat laying around. I go out and confront the couple, and they ask for forgiveness. These fuckers were cannibals. This blew my mind; the game acknowledging I went my own path to look for answers instead of simply going by what the mission was telling me to do.

 

[foxtrot3d]

One detail I thought was amazing was from a quest from Heart of Stone. You come across this empty village with only an old couple sitting in the porch of their house. You start talking to them, and immediately they seem kinda weird. You ask where is the rest of people and they say they just vanished. At that point the game tells you to go back to who gave you the mission, but since I thought there was something off, I sneaked into this people's house. I was thinking I'd find a book or something interesting, but turns out that I found the entrance to their basement, where there's a bunch of human corpses and meat laying around. I go out and confront the couple, and they ask for forgiveness. These fuckers were cannibals. This blew my mind; the game acknowledging I went my own path to look for answers instead of simply going by what the mission was telling me to do.

FUCK!

Spoiler

I knew something was up with those people but didn't know how to confront them about it and just continued with the quest.

 

[Easy_D]

AngryCentaurGaming posted an hour-long video where he just walks around in the game and points all the little details along the way (from animations to geometry of the terrain) that most people may have missed.

The attention to detail in the Witcher 3 is just staggering.

Thanks for posting, only had time for the first 15 minutes but it's a nice in-depth video, I like how he just doesn't go "this is that and that" and explains why

 

[Lunar15]

One detail I thought was amazing was from a quest from Heart of Stone. *snipped for spoilers*

I'd spoiler this, btw.

Also, I agree that it was a great moment. I wished there had been more quests like this in the main game, but the devs acknowledged that a lot of the quests in HoS were designed to work on shortcomings of the main game. More humor, more asking the player to go out of their way to find secrets, more character moments, etc. I'd say they succeeded.

 

[Auctopus]

One detail I thought was amazing was from a quest from Heart of Stone. You come across this empty village with only an old couple sitting in the porch of their house. You start talking to them, and immediately they seem kinda weird. You ask where is the rest of people and they say they just vanished.

Spoiler

At that point the game tells you to go back to who gave you the mission, but since I thought there was something off, I sneaked into this people's house. I was thinking I'd find a book or something interesting, but turns out that I found the entrance to their basement, where there's a bunch of human corpses and meat laying around. I go out and confront the couple, and they ask for forgiveness. These fuckers were cannibals.

This blew my mind; the game acknowledging I went my own path to look for answers instead of simply going by what the mission was telling me to do.

Oh man!

Spoiler

I knew something was weird with them!

I wonder what'll happen if I go back there and try this.

 

[friday]

I love all the rivers and lakes. Just makes me want to go for a swim.

 

[ODDI]

I really do appreciate the sound in the game how dev team handled the ambience especially in forest areas hearing wind pushing on the trees and branches/twigs snapping really good stuff.

 

[lordfuzzybutt]

I'd spoiler this, btw.

Also, I agree that it was a great moment. I wished there had been more quests like this in the main game, but the devs acknowledged that a lot of the quests in HoS were designed to work on shortcomings of the main game. More humor, more asking the player to go out of their way to find secrets, more character moments, etc. I'd say they succeeded.

You should also spoiler tag your quote too.

 

[RustyNails]

Anyone know when Blood & Wine will be released? I'm waiting to buy both the DLCs together so I get to play a full 30 hour Witcher game again.

 

[TheRed]

I love so much of this game and have put almost 200 hours into just because of how much I enjoy the world.
I was just playing and thought what was really cool that in skellige at the feast they have tamed the wolves that I've been running from because their so vicious over in Velen. But here they're just chilling by the tables during the party. Just great how different they make the people in each location.

 

[epmode]

It's incredible, isn't it – although it's worth noting that the Grand Theft Auto games are incredible for this level of overworld design and detail, too. I think they're the only other rival to CDPR for this. Everything in a GTA world is thought out functionally in terms of how cities are build and land is cultivated. San Andreas and GTA V are masterpieces for this.

I'd add Fallout: New Vegas to the short list. Obsidian put a lot of work into making the world a believable ecosystem and designed a whole bunch of quests to emphasize it. Production values aren't as good as GTA5 or TW3 of course but it's ridiculously impressive for such a short development period.

 

[Heimbeck]

Anyone know when Blood & Wine will be released? I'm waiting to buy both the DLCs together so I get to play a full 30 hour Witcher game again.

Looks like it will be sometime in Spring.
So it's at least a few months away right now.

One detail I thought was amazing was from a quest from Heart of Stone. You come across this empty village with only an old couple sitting in the porch of their house. You start talking to them, and immediately they seem kinda weird. You ask where is the rest of people and they say they just vanished. At that point the game tells you to go back to who gave you the mission, but since I thought there was something off, I sneaked into this people's house. I was thinking I'd find a book or something interesting, but turns out that I found the entrance to their basement, where there's a bunch of human corpses and meat laying around. I go out and confront the couple, and they ask for forgiveness. These fuckers were cannibals. This blew my mind; the game acknowledging I went my own path to look for answers instead of simply going by what the mission was telling me to do.

 

[Atomic Playboy]

There's a book called "How to Avoid Colossal Vessels", a nod to an item on Amazon that has some of the most hilarious reviews ever written: How to Avoid Huge Ships.

Occasionally, Geralt will make a purring noise to Roach while riding, complete with captioning that simply says "Purrrrr." My wife absolutely refused to believe the master warrior was purring at his horse until it happened while she was playing the game herself. I kept pointing it out to her too; "Look, there, he just purred at the horse!" "No, I'm sure that was just the horse whinnying." God dammit.

 

[Lunar15]

I like how, in general, you can look around and figure out why a town exists where it does. A town on the coast might be a fishing village or a ship building village, solely based on whether or not it's close to a forest. If the town's a shipbuilding town, you'll see where the forest has been cleared out a bit to get wood for the ships.

You can also figure out why a certain town was abandoned if no one lives there anymore. Each town kinda tells a story.

 

[RustyNails]

I love so much of this game and have put almost 200 hours into just because of how much I enjoy the world.
I was just playing and thought what was really cool that in skellige at the feast they have tamed the wolves that I've been running from because their so vicious over in Velen. But here they're just chilling by the tables during the party. Just great how different they make the people in each location.

Is that Bear school Gear? Looks sweet. I might get that school hunt for my next newgame+ playthrough.

 

[Majestad]

Damn, seeing how people missed that makes it even more amazing.

 

[iz.podpolja]

There's a book called "How to Avoid Colossal Vessels", a nod to an item on Amazon that has some of the most hilarious reviews ever written: How to Avoid Huge Ships.

Occasionally, Geralt will make a purring noise to Roach while riding, complete with captioning that simply says "Purrrrr." My wife absolutely refused to believe the master warrior was purring at his horse until it happened while she was playing the game herself. I kept pointing it out to her too; "Look, there, he just purred at the horse!" "No, I'm sure that was just the horse whinnying." God dammit.

In slavic languages, that's what you say (пррр/prrr) to make your horse stop.