The Witcher Patch Removes DRM, Adds Adventure

@Ueziel: The reason there's no "overt good or evil choice" is because that is the nature of the world the game was based in. The game's ethos is best explained by the line printed on the back of the box "There is no good, no evil - only decisions and consequences". The point of the choices isn't to analyze them from the perspective of "do I want to kick the puppy or pet the puppy", but to ask yourself "Am I willing to deal with the consequences of my decision whatever they may be?" The game presents a refreshingly amoral contrast to the typical transactional, black and white morality so common in RPGs. Geralt is still Geralt regardless of what you do, but the world around him is affected in ways that the game intentionally keeps from being apparent until later to discourage save/load powergaming to try to get the "right" answers. Depending on the choices you make, important characters may live or die later in the story, certain quests may play out differently, but the point is that they are the way they are not because you decided to do the "good" or the "bad" thing, but simply because you acted in one way or another and the consequences flow downstream from that regardless of your motives.

Powerlurker

@-MasterDex-: None of that mattered because it made it boring. There's no overt good or evil choice and there's no impact on Geralt because he's always neutral. So why have the choice at all? It doesn't increase anything and it doesn't change anything except what you kill.

And the game had no tactics. It was "this enemy is quick, pick speed style" and "this enemy is standing in front me. hit with aard sign to stun and instant kill."

It was an interesting story overall, but the gameplay is unbelievably bland.

@-MasterDex-:

"[www.xpadder.com] Works wonders, it's been around for some time too."

Thanks for the link. I'll check it out. I've used JoyToKey in the past but it's a bit clunky.

"My gaming rig could be built for €400 now, that's a good bit cheaper than $1000. Don't try the cost argument."

My original statement was that you can't build a decent gaming PC for the same cost as a 360. A 60GB 360 retails for about 160 euros on Amazon's UK site. A copy of Vista goes for around 60 euros at the same store. Can you build a gaming PC on par with the 360 using the 100 euros you've got left in your budget? I doubt it.

"You're shit out of luck on the patching front anyway since consoles now allow for the same thing."

All console patching is automatic. Most PC games have a manual patching system. It's much easier on console, and that was my intended point.

"Also hardware conflicts and driver incompatibilities can all be minimized to near extinction with proper care."

Minimized, yes, but they never seem to go away.

"Also, regardless of whether you use a PC for gaming, work or whatever, you're still likely to run into a problem or two with it's day-to-day running."

Agreed. Windows tends to slow down in the months/years after install. There are things you can do to maintain performance but a fresh install is sometimes the best cure for an ailing PC.

"It is a preference thing but when you base that preference on fallacies and half-truths, you can't expect people not to call you out on those."

My preference for console gaming isn't based on half-truths, though. I was an avid PC gamer some years ago so my complaints are from experience. I just got tired of purchasing a game only to find out it ran like crap because it was optimized for a different video card than mine or something. PC gaming is great if you've got the time, money, and patience for it. Some people just like to pop in a disc, sit in front of the TV, and play.

I still game on PC, but play most of the newer titles on console. That's just my situation. I'm glad there are so many who enjoy PC gaming even if I've lost the patience for it, so don't take my feedback as a slam against you or your preferences.

billnabors65

@FtGF:
2.4GHz Core 2 Duo
9800GT
4GB RAM

@TheSheriff:

Didn't the witcher come out first?

@cwbys21:

I didn't have any issues installing the game.

But my brother did.

The patching didn't work for him because of the DRM...

@-MasterDex-:

Just gonna play devil's advocate on the patching comment...

I would say patching on the PC is a little bit more convoluted than on the console side of things.

Also a chance of missing things up.

Now...I've never had an issue...but I know that it could confuse alot of people.

@uzivatel: With kb/m? I don't see how you had a problem then.

@[www.xpadder.com] Works wonders, it's been around for some time too.

@billnabors65: My gaming rig could be built for €400 now, that's a good bit cheaper than $1000. Don't try the cost argument. There would also have been very little difference between the cost of a 360 and the cost of an equivalent PC, granted, the PC would be more expensive but that's an issue of value.

Some of us don't want to be bothered resolving hardware conflicts, video driver incompatibilities, and patching. It's a preference thing.

You're shit out of luck on the patching front anyway since consoles now allow for the same thing. Also hardware conflicts and driver incompatibilities can all be minimized to near extinction with proper care. Also, regardless of whether you use a PC for gaming, work or whatever, you're still likely to run into a problem or two with it's day-to-day running.

It is a preference thing but when you base that preference on fallacies and half-truths, you can't expect people not to call you out on those.

-MasterDex-

@DocSeuss:

"Preference doesn't change the fact that GTAIV for PC does have better graphics"

GTAIV is a horrible example. It was a horrible port to PC.

Sure...there are many other Games that "look better" on PC. But again, that is just a preference.

@FtGF: I know that gaming laptops don't have the same guts as gaming desktops, but I would expect to run most games even on low. Unfortunately, that doesn't work.

I know you're paying for portability with a laptop and not cutting edge visuals, but it's hard not to feel stiffed when nothing runs on it very well.

And you're also forgetting something else: at the time of 360 launch, it was indeed more powerful and cheaper than any comparable PC. Even nearly four years later, you can't build a PC and load Vista/Win 7 on it for $299 or less. Hell, the OS costs half that.

So yeah, you could build a decent gaming rig with enough research, time, and effort for maybe a thousand bucks, but many of us don't want to deal with the hassle. Some of us don't want to be bothered resolving hardware conflicts, video driver incompatibilities, and patching. It's a preference thing.

billnabors65

@-MasterDex-: The Witcher on PC does not support gamepads, even though Vista does indeed support the 360 controller among others. I checked a bunch of forums looking for official support or even some level of "hacked" controller support for the game but none (at the time) existed. That may have changed in the year since I had it.

billnabors65

An amazing game if you haven't played this and love fantasy games you need to. That said the books released in the US are slow and take forever to get to the battles you often fight in the game. The story telling in the game is fantastic and so is the combat though.

Wohoo, I can finally buy the game. Well, after six months or so actually since my military service begins next monday, lasting at least six months. But still, you have one more potential customer.

@-MasterDex-: Well, I may not have playd as many WRPGs as you guys, but I would think that some 20+ WRPGs could be enough to give me some basic idea.

uzivatel

@[kotaku.com]

Later this year: Dragon Age: Origins, Alpha Protocol, Risen, ME1 DLC and maybe some others.

uzivatel

Wait. Is the console version officially canned?? Damn! I was hoping for this to come out later this year to tide me over till Mass Effect 2 comes knocking...

Any news on that or did I just miss the memo?

excaliburps

@billnabors65: Yeah! Damn PC! Not supporting 360, Wii or PS3 controllers!

....oh wait, it supports all 3, and loads more.

@uzivatel: You can't have played to many WRPGs or WRPGs on PC because I thought the control scheme was one of the best aspects of the game. The controls were really smooth and the way the attacks were done really helped make things flow all the better.

@Ueziel: That's the point to the moral choices, that's what makes them great. They aren't simply kill girl/save girl. You have to make decisions that will impact you one way or another and just like Geralt, you're making those decisions on your own with only what you know from the beginning of the game.

Also, the game wasn't aout collecting multiple armor sets and powerful weapons to defeat foes in a plethora of different ways. It was about using what you have, your skills and talents as a witcher and of course your own personal ability at the game and tactics. Hell, there was only a handful of special swords, three silver swords, and a small selection of run of the mill swords that you wouldn't want to use as a witcher anyway. There's also only two different suits of armour too. The small selection of weapons and armour to choose from means you can focus on what's important - playing the game and experienceing the story rather than spending ten minutes searching through your inventory to find that perfect sword for the mission.

-MasterDex-

@billnabors65:

That was your first mistake "gaming laptop" is practically an oxymoron. Also here we go again with the tired $1000s worth of parts. Come on there is like 5 people on Kotaku that know anything about computers and if you were one of them you would know that statement is BS. Especially now where you can get amazing hardware dirt cheap.

@billnabors65: A gaming laptop and a gaming desktop are nowhere near the same. You can spend over half as much on a desktop that will run circles around the best gaming laptops. You don't need to spend thousands at all.

Sir-Lucius has no pictchar!

With all the amazing stuff they crammed into the "Enhanced Edition" box they released recently, you'd only be stealing from yourself if you pirated their game, it's a brilliant package. (And they didn't even try and boost the price by claiming it was a limited edition run.)

Those guys really are embarrassing all of the other publishers who claim they are supporting the PC market.

@TheSheriff: bikes and time of day were free. cars, big surf island, cops and robbers were paid

cwbys21

I saw a copy of this a few days ago for like five bucks. I should've bought it.

So this isn't coming to consoles? What a shame.

@mind in rewind:
@slim934:

What are your PC specs guys?

@adoggz: and they don't screw with Europeans -> they are better than Valve

fix-cz

@DocSeuss: The PC version is only superior if you've made the investment to make it run that way. Most folks who own a PC aren't willing to shell out thousands of dollars to run a few games maxed out, so the PC version for us is actually inferior to the console counterpart.

I spent 2500 bucks on a "gaming" laptop several years ago. Unfortunately I can't run any "current" PC games on it, so things like BioShock, Oblivion, GTA IV, etc. won't even run on it despite meeting the minimum specs. For me, the PC version is a lot worse than the console experience. For that reason, I always take the comments of "the PC version is always teh bestest!" with a grain of salt. In most cases (for someone like me) it's by far the worst version.

billnabors65

@Vecha: Wishing Prototype would go down in price!: Its one of the worst schemes I remember and I would like to believe I did play few WRPGs myself (playing Arcanum right now).

uzivatel

@Vecha: Wishing Prototype would go down in price!: Preference doesn't change the fact that GTAIV for PC does have better graphics. ._. Multiplayer, I wouldn't know, but that's the problem with wireless internet; it makes multiplayer next to impossible.

DocSeuss

@Matt0505: But The Witcher isn't a console game, so it is clearly not the best version of a console game that is released on PC.

Unless you meant that multiplat games are better on PC, which is really too general of a statement to be correct. Yeah, Mirror's Edge, Fallout 3, and Dead Space were superior on PC, and yes, the PC will always look vastly superior to consoles (unless consoles suddenly get >1080p and AA features), but still, a lot of games ended up kinda sucking on PC because most devs release them as an afterthought.

DocSeuss

@Ukawelmaschopa: Honestly, having gone through it recently, I'd say that the "choices" that you make in-game are pretty lame. They create little story opportunities, but there are a few big choices in the game and it gives you absolutely zero background to go on for how you should make those choices. If you go and read the books, you have a bit more to go on, but otherwise you're just blindly guessing based on nothing.

And then combat is really pretty lame. If you put it on consoles, it'd actually play a lot like Phantasy Star Online. It's great that there are magic things to use and different weapons but there's no point in using a ton of them when you can easily get by with just the basic stuff.

I did really like the skill system though.

@Matt0505: I never play games on my PC so it would be a waste to invest in a new one just to play a few games. My PC is 6 years old though so eventually I will need a new one and I'll make sure it's a good machine that can play some of these games and run Windows 7.

@cwbys21: the cards is what I am talking about. Thats the part I am confused about, also, will this update the steam version or will we have to wait for steam to update it.

Azriel77

@capillary-action: 1920x1200

@uzivatel:

The controls sucks?

How so? I've played many WRPGS on the pc and I don't think the witcher is that much worse...kinda confusing at first with how you should attack different enemies.

@slim934: GTA IV runs great on my PC and surely looks better at 1920x1280 and controls the same as 360 with a wireless 360 controller.. Granted it requires a beast to run but it's still the best version.

@KungFuZod:

Ummm...where are you from?

PC Fanboy land?

No. It was worse.

Now. I'm not saying Consoles are better. I won't say PC is better.

It's preference. And let's leave it at that.

@cwbys21: With the exception of "Big Surf Island" and a few cars, the rest of Paradise's DLC is free. The three freeburn modes and the motorcycles pack were free and (with the bikes at least) added a significant extension of gameplay

@Limeade: I am amazed at the number of $60 games with less than 10 hours of play that get rave reviews. I guess it helps when so many of the reviewers get the games for free.

I am stunned and very upset any time I pay top dollar for a game and finish it the same day.

@AkumaX: The combat drove me nuts too. I liked the idea of the alchemy stuff, but not got far enough in to try it out. I suppose I might grab this and give the game another shot tonight. If I've not packed the disc away.

The one thing that I like about The Witcher and CDProjek is that they are great supporters of their game and content. Patches, fixes, new revamped gaming editions, removing DRM, player content, tools, etc. Now that is definitely something worth sinking one's 60+ bucks into these days, not just some frilly story for 4-18 hours of gameplay and then billions of 10 dollar DLCs that only play 40 mins to 2 hours of content.

@adoggz: CD Projekt run GOG, so I suppose that comparison may be closer than you think.

@cwbys21: For a second I thought you meant the entire game, The Witcher, was for free.

... :'(

@KungFuZod:

You saw wrong. I own it and my PC is definitely more powerful than the 360 at running games. Despite that it looks and tends to run like ass.

slim934

@AkumaX:

you are aware thats the tutorial portion of the game right?

the main draw of the game is not in its combat, but its outstanding writing and story....for me, it really picked up in the second chapter.

cobrax25

@xxXX_Insanities_Birth_XXxx: The official minimum requirements are joke. My PC more than meets them but the game is almost unplayable (it is playable enough for me to say the controls suck).

uzivatel

@Azriel77: I thought this patch was supposed to remove those cards?

cwbys21

@TheSheriff: most of Burnouts support is paid dlc, The Witcher's is free.

cwbys21

@FoxMcClaud: intrusive drm? I didn't even know the game had any before I saw the article up here announcing the new patch.

cwbys21

I'm not planning to uninstall that game anytime soon, so I'll make sure to patch it eventually.

Now on the other hand, one thing I need to make sure of, is to actually play the damn thing -_-

From the few hours I've sunk in it, it seems like a great game. Dunno what I'm waiting for...

I got this game last week since I just built a new PC capable of actually handling it. I just don't get the hype. The graphics are outstanding but the gameplay is just meh. What am I missing that all the reviews and people that love it see. I played as far as beating the wizard boss and saving the castle. It's just click click, sword is flaming, click. The holding shift to move around the actual screen is annoying too. I'm not trying to bash the game, I want to like it, but I'm just not getting it. Somebody help out please.

AkumaX

@capillary-action: Burnout Paradise would like a word with you

@Azriel77: The EE patch uncensors the dialog and there are unofficial patches to restore the rest.

@ShaggE wants to join the Egg Council.: I'm pretty sure that Penny Arcade joke was played out YEARS before the game's actual release...

@Vecha: Wishing Prototype would go down in price!:
I seem to remember seeing that GTAIV was much prettier on the PC than its console counterparts and better multi player to boot.

KungFuZod

@Matt0505: My PC is more than capable. I would rather play it on 360.

this was one of my favorite games of the past few years. really looking forward to this. after finishing it i started up oblivion on PC after only playing the 360 version. i just can't play anymore jrpgs.

humanoise

I am holding off on playing again until the directors cut version is announced and they release a patch to upadate the game to the uncensored version.

Azriel77

Nice! I just recently started playing this again. The Witcher has received arguably the most post release developer support of any game aside from MMOs ever .. plus it has titties!

CD Projekt Red are also responsible for the best xmas card ever. NSFW
[news.filefront.com]

@FoxMcClaud:

Blasphemy! You open that box right now and you play that game, good sir!!

Now this is a mustbuy. I always wanted to buy this one, but I hate Games with intrusive DRM. Games that are DRM Free often deserve a buy (not all of them, cause some are just plain bad). Some of the Games I bought to support the DRM Free Policy, I never even played. Like Galactic Civ 2 is sitting unopened on the shelf ;)

FoxMcClaud

@ShaggE wants to join the Egg Council.:

Haha, the author of the books actually wanted it to be translated as Hexer. In German, "Hexer" is the term for a "Warlock" (Yeah, I know he's polish).

And then CD Projekt translated "Hexer" to "Witcher." This makes sense because "Hexe" means "Witch." So they made it Witch-er, making it more masculine.

Since CD Projekt translated it that way, the books were then translated in such a was aswell.

Personally, I like the word Witcher. :D

@Ukawelmaschopa: The 360 version has been canned? I was going to try it with love film. I don't know if my PC can run it or not (I'll need to check the minimum and recommended specs) but I'd rather have had it on 360 so this sucks.

xxXX_Insanities_Birth_XXxx

@Vecha: Wishing Prototype would go down in price!: No remember GTA4 wasn't designed to be played on todays PC's har har har.

@Ukawelmaschopa: I was bummed when the 360 version of the Witcher was canned. My home PC isn't powerful enough to play it, and to be honest the combat looks meant for a gamepad which the PC version doesn't support (I played a bit on my work machine). Kudos to CD Projekt for supporting and improving the game post release.

billnabors65

@ShaggE wants to join the Egg Council.: I think you'll find that I am considerwabbly Witcher, than yow.

(In case no one gets the olde english reference).

ThursdayNext

@Matt0505:

Except Ghostbusters? GTAIV? And a few others?

@Ukawelmaschopa: Sooooooooooo why don't you just buy it on PC. And if "my PC is too slow to run it" is your answer, invest in a new PC. You're missing out on great games, and the best version of console games that are released on PC.

Matt0505

@Ukawelmaschopa: It would be nice, but it seems like CD Projekt may have some financial problems.

uzivatel

@Ukawelmaschopa: The Witcher is a great RPG. One of the best in the last few years. You owe yourself a favor to check it out.

I haven't finished the game yet and now I have a reason to go back!

Solid game by the way.

I can't WAIT till my new computer gets here so I can finally play this! I've had it sitting for a year. Played a bit on my wifes computer, but its just not the same.

KaneTaker

whoo hoo! one friend of mine will be very happy, i didn't believe it at first, but he stopped playing witcher (and he liked it a lot) bacause the cd check on his original discs was driving him crazy :(
just emailed this news to him

Rob_Nomad

I wish I could get past the title, but it bugs me to no end.

Do they mean it like "Stop that man! He's Witching that poor elderly lady!" or "At first, I was moderately Witchy. But since then, I've become far Witcher than before."

man, they just keep making this game better and better. there like Europes valve

Yay for post-game support! I wish more companies did things like this, with a few notable exceptions.

How about DRM just goes away period? Doesn't seem to be worth a damn if it just keeps getting patched out. Sounds like a disease...

"Looks like your games has a case of DRM. We're going to have to patch that shit."

@Ukawelmaschopa: well perhaps its time to pick this one up new somewhere

starwind-hawking

I really hope that they'll somehow resurrect that Xbox-Version, The Witcher looks really interesting (and that's coming from a JRPG-nerd ^^).

Ukawelmaschopa

@LionheartAce: lol agreed! No DRM FTW!!! The only reason I bought Mass Effect on Steam was the fact that they removed the DRM.

biggerx