Witcher 2

[grumbler]

Okay, playing the game, and it's fucking ridiculous.  I am fighting endless loops of the same battle near the ballista.  Clearly, the game wants me to do something I am not doing, but I have no clue what it is.  Kill guys, click on ballista, ballista fires (I can't aim it or anything, just click on it), and more endless troops to kill, rinse and repeat.

WTF?  Is this broken?

[Monoriu]

Okay, playing the game, and it's fucking ridiculous.  I am fighting endless loops of the same battle near the ballista.  Clearly, the game wants me to do something I am not doing, but I have no clue what it is.  Kill guys, click on ballista, ballista fires (I can't aim it or anything, just click on it), and more endless troops to kill, rinse and repeat.

WTF?  Is this broken?

It certainly isn't broken for me.  I remember that I had to stand at a spot behind the ballista to trigger some action that I had to do.  Then the enemy came, and as soon as I finished them, I returned to that spot to trigger more work with the ballista.  I think there were like three rounds of this.  After the ballista has fired, I returned to the upper levels to continue the story.

[grumbler]

It certainly isn't broken for me.  I remember that I had to stand at a spot behind the ballista to trigger some action that I had to do.  Then the enemy came, and as soon as I finished them, I returned to that spot to trigger more work with the ballista.  I think there were like three rounds of this.  After the ballista has fired, I returned to the upper levels to continue the story.

Must be broken, then, for me.  I've fired the ballista more than a dozen times, I am sure.

Edit:  Looked it up online.  Turns out a feature of the game is that it randomly requires you to mash the LMB a bunch of times really fast, and that the ballista is one of them.  Wish the tutorial actually mentioned that! 

[Cecil]

It certainly isn't broken for me.  I remember that I had to stand at a spot behind the ballista to trigger some action that I had to do.  Then the enemy came, and as soon as I finished them, I returned to that spot to trigger more work with the ballista.  I think there were like three rounds of this.  After the ballista has fired, I returned to the upper levels to continue the story.

Must be broken, then, for me.  I've fired the ballista more than a dozen times, I am sure.

Edit:  Looked it up online.  Turns out a feature of the game is that it randomly requires you to mash the LMB a bunch of times really fast, and that the ballista is one of them.  Wish the tutorial actually mentioned that! 

Is this your first time encountering QTEs?

[grumbler]

Is this your first time encountering QTEs?

Yes.  The tutorial didn't mention them, either.  This tutorial isn't nearly as useful and informative as the one in the first game.

[Grey Fox]

Gawd, that was confusing. Stupid QTEs.

[Syt]

Is this your first time encountering QTEs?

Quicktime events are a scourge that needs to be purged.

[FunkMonk]

This game just got patched to 2.0, with the following changes:

1. Completely new, extensive Tutorial System
    The new tutorial helps players fully enjoy the game from the very beginning and systematically explains the depth of The Witcher 2's combat and gameplay mechanics. It allows gamers to gradually and smoothly immerse themselves in the game world and Geralt's adventures.

    2. Special Dark difficulty setting
    The new Dark Mode presents players with a new challenge, the highest level of difficulty where every foe is now a significant challenge requiring careful planning and consideration. Dark Mode also features several new sets of equipment and items all linked together through a dark legend in the game journal. These cursed items harm Geralt so long as the sets remain incomplete, but once the player collects all the components, the Blasphemer's, Oathbreaker's and Kinslayer's outfits provide great advantages in combat. Dark Mode offers dark-themed gear with very high stats such as:
    • 18 new equippable items including
    • 3 new sets of dark armor (light, medium, and heavy)
    • 3 new sets of dark swords (3 silver, 3 steel)
    • Other Dark themes/elements in the game

    3. Completely new arcade-style Arena Mode
    Infinitely replayable and progressively more challenging, Arena lets you hone your combat skills and techniques against all the different monster types from the game. Dispatch wave upon wave of progressively more difficult enemies, earning awards that you can use to upgrade abilities, experiment with new weapons and armor, and to test your alchemy skills. Hirelings can also assist you in battle—for a price. Combat waves will continue infinitely until your character is defeated, after which you'll see a statistical summary of results. Players can share their results with their friends by uploading this summary to the official Witcher forums or to Facebook. Arena Mode includes:
    • New location, with a dynamic, responsive audience reacting to the events
    • A new monster type, Werewolf
    • Waves of different opponents, looped with increasing levels of difficulty
    • 3 different prizes to choose from in each wave
    • 3 new characters (mage, knight, and dwarven fighter) that can serve as allies during clashes
    • A shopkeeper offering gear and enhancements
    • 3 new GUI panels designed specifically for the mode
    • New dialogue
    • New background music
    • New Witcher Forum and Facebook integration

    4. Technical Bliss
    Version 2.0 includes all previous and new technical and gameplay enhancements such as:
    • 40+ new technical and gameplay enhancements
    • 100+ previous technical and gameplay fixes
    • All 9 previous DLC packs
    - Troll Trouble
    - Roche Commando Jacket
    - Ultimate Alchemy Suit
    - Ultimate Magical Suit
    - Ultimate Swordsman Suit
    - Finisher Pack
    - Mysterious Merchant
    - Barbers and Coiffeuses
    - A Sackfull of Fluff

I picked this up on Steam for $30 last week and it's been eating up the time I otherwise would be playing Shogun 2 or RO2. I'm quite happy with it. 

[sbr]

This game just got patched to 2.0, with the following changes:

I picked this up on Steam for $30 last week and it's been eating up the time I otherwise would be playing Shogun 2 or RO2. I'm quite happy with it. 

How's it compare to the first one?  I didn't like the first one all that much, not terrible it just couldn't keep my interest for some reason.

[FunkMonk]

I didn't much like the first one either, although I was interested a bit by the story and the universe it's set in. I remember not liking the combat at all in the first one, whereas in The Witcher 2 I'm really enjoying laying waste to mobs of people and monsters by myself. It's very tricky at first but once you get a feel for it you'll be slaying dudes left and right. The combat system rewards you for using everything at your disposal (your swords, potions, bombs, traps, magic).

[Josquius]

A worthwhile tutorial would be most welcome, letting people pick the order in which they do things was a big mistake, I got killed by that damn dragon loads of times before I figured things out.

Its not as good as the first one at all. But still quite good.

[sbr]

A worthwhile tutorial would be most welcome, letting people pick the order in which they do things was a big mistake, I got killed by that damn dragon loads of times before I figured things out.

Its not as good as the first one at all. But still quite good.

Meh, you don't like Morrowind, who's gonna listen to you?

[sbr]

I didn't much like the first one either, although I was interested a bit by the story and the universe it's set in. I remember not liking the combat at all in the first one, whereas in The Witcher 2 I'm really enjoying laying waste to mobs of people and monsters by myself. It's very tricky at first but once you get a feel for it you'll be slaying dudes left and right. The combat system rewards you for using everything at your disposal (your swords, potions, bombs, traps, magic).

That's not the answer I wanted, now I am going to have to pick it up next time I see it on sale.

[Oexmelin]

It's on semi-sale (i.e., 30$ rather than whatever was the original price) on GoG.

[grumbler]

The QTEs in Witcher 2 were too much for me.  I never finished the game, nor likely ever will.