The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

[smackababy]

You need the saves. 1 -> 2 transferred some gold and a plot choice or 2 was mentioned which was poor. 2 -> 3 could be really good or equally poor. You made some interesting decisions there.

I'm sure, as with most other games that do this type of thing, if you simply want to start with a preferred choice option and not the default, you can download a completed save file that fit your liking. =)

 

[Merad]

I'm sure, as with most other games that do this type of thing, if you simply want to start with a preferred choice option and not the default, you can download a completed save file that fit your liking. =)

IIRC they have said that the game with open with something like a "the story so far" segment, and if you don't import a save then you just select your preferred options.

Still looking forward to the game, just also prepared for the game to run horribly on AMD cards because CDPR decided to sell out.

Can you name the last AAA game that launched without either Nvidia or AMD branding? They really have no choice but to "sell out" to one or the other because it's literally impossible to fully optimize a game without cooperation from AMD/Nvidia. Thankfully DX12/Mantle should end or at least significantly improve that situation.

 

[Stuka87]

Can you name the last AAA game that launched without either Nvidia or AMD branding? They really have no choice but to "sell out" to one or the other because it's literally impossible to fully optimize a game without cooperation from AMD/Nvidia. Thankfully DX12/Mantle should end or at least significantly improve that situation.

I do not care about branding, this has zero impact on the gamer (other than maybe a splash screen with a logo). What I care about is one company paying a developer to use their proprietary, closed source libraries that prevent the game from being optimized by their competitors.

 

[zinfamous]

I do not care about branding, this has zero impact on the gamer (other than maybe a splash screen with a logo). What I care about is one company paying a developer to use their proprietary, closed source libraries that prevent the game from being optimized by their competitors.

But isn't that how branding works in this industry? Whenever you see the NVidida TWIMTBP or the increasingly rare AMD splash screen, this means that the game has been optimized for that platform, no?

 

[chimaxi83]

But isn't that how branding works in this industry? Whenever you see the NVidida TWIMTBP or the increasingly rare AMD splash screen, this means that the game has been optimized for that platform, no?

In the case of Nvidia Gameworks, it also means purposely gimped on AMD hardware for at least a couple months, which is when the devs release a magical patch that resolves the issues.

 

[norseamd]

But isn't that how branding works in this industry? Whenever you see the NVidida TWIMTBP or the increasingly rare AMD splash screen, this means that the game has been optimized for that platform, no?

Yes that means the game might be optimized for the sponsoring company but that has never had anything to do with proprietary code until now. Basically the green team controls the code and not even the developers can see what is actually there in the game code.

In the case of Nvidia Gameworks, it also means purposely gimped on AMD hardware for at least a couple months, which is when the devs release a magical patch that resolves the issues.

Wondering if even the late patches will ever do much for AMD hardware.

 

[Merad]

Yes that means the game might be optimized for the sponsoring company but that has never had anything to do with proprietary code until now. Basically the green team controls the code and not even the developers can see what is actually there in the game code.

That's utter nonsense. Games have been licensing and using closed source 3rd party libraries for decades.

 

[norseamd]

That's utter nonsense. Games have been licensing and using closed source 3rd party libraries for decades.

Link?

 

[Merad]

Link?

Not sure if serious?

DirectX is a closed source proprietary library. Used by about 98% of PC games.
Havok and PhysX physics engines.
Bink Video
SpeedTree
Fmod and Miles for audio
Autodesk Scaleform for flash-based UIs

Those are common libraries off the top of my head. Now it's true that some of those do offer source code... if you pay the high licensing fees. Most games will use binaries unless they have a very strong need to customize the library.

 

[norseamd]

Not sure if serious?

DirectX is a closed source proprietary library. Used by about 98% of PC games.
Havok and PhysX physics engines.
Bink Video
SpeedTree
Fmod and Miles for audio
Autodesk Scaleform for flash-based UIs

Those are common libraries off the top of my head. Now it's true that some of those do offer source code... if you pay the high licensing fees. Most games will use binaries unless they have a very strong need to customize the library.

Minus the physics engines all of those are not made by those companies who are in the hardware industry. Less conflicts of interest to occur in that situation. And when the code is available regardless of how much it costs then it is far less problematic as then any of the hardware companies can get the licenses for those software codes as the ROI is probably worth it since many games use a variety of all of those software programs.

 

[ShintaiDK]

A little warning:

Writing in the CD Projekt Red forums, business development manager Rafał Jaki said fans of the company should not buy The Witcher 3 from Green Man Gaming.
A representative for CD Projekt Red tells GameSpot that Green Man Gaming's Witcher 3 codes are coming from an "unknown source."

http://www.gamespot.com/articles/witcher-dev-disputes-39-witcher-3-promotion/1100-6427129/

 

[norseamd]

A little warning:

Writing in the CD Projekt Red forums, business development manager Rafał Jaki said fans of the company should not buy The Witcher 3 from Green Man Gaming.
A representative for CD Projekt Red tells GameSpot that Green Man Gaming's Witcher 3 codes are coming from an "unknown source."

http://www.gamespot.com/articles/witcher-dev-disputes-39-witcher-3-promotion/1100-6427129/

And some small dose of civil right and reality.

http://www.justice.gov/usam/criminal-resource-manual-1854-copyright-infringement-first-sale-doctrine

https://www.techdirt.com/articles/2...-even-if-software-company-says-you-cant.shtml

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First-sale_doctrine

 

[Stuka87]

Not sure if serious?

DirectX is a closed source proprietary library. Used by about 98% of PC games.
Havok and PhysX physics engines.
Bink Video
SpeedTree
Fmod and Miles for audio
Autodesk Scaleform for flash-based UIs

Those are common libraries off the top of my head. Now it's true that some of those do offer source code... if you pay the high licensing fees. Most games will use binaries unless they have a very strong need to customize the library.

Not the same at all. PhysX is certainly proprietary (Well now, used to be cross platform until nVidia purposes changed it), the others are cross platform. There is no need to backwards engineer it to optimize for it, its in those companies best interest to have it run well on all hardware(Except for nVidia)

The problem with GameWorks is that its not made by a third party. nVidia purposely intended it to gimp AMD hardware. Normally both AMD and nVidia get to see game engine source code so that they can optimize for it. But with GW AMD does not have this luxury as GameWorks libraries are not available for them.

Back on topic, is anybody getting the DLC package?

 

[BlitzPuppet]

A little warning:



http://www.gamespot.com/articles/witcher-dev-disputes-39-witcher-3-promotion/1100-6427129/

Interdasting, that's actually where I put my preorder in at. The most recent update from GMG says that they are purchasing the digital copies through a 3rd party that is ProjectRed approved (so they ARE getting sales) and GMG is absorbing the cost of the discount.

 

[Grooveriding]

New video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chn9QN2W5V4

 

[escrow4]

New video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chn9QN2W5V4

*Snort*. I bet you can already say downgrade. Early videos and this. Oops, I meant "optimisation". I've already said it but this should have remained PC exclusive. I'll still buy it because this is the sort of single player game that I thoroughly enjoy plus I bought 1 + 2, but still. Consoles are still holding it back. And there is nothing else AAA to play now anyway. V is long done.

 

[Aristotelian]

*Snort*. I bet you can already say downgrade. Early videos and this. Oops, I meant "optimisation". I've already said it but this should have remained PC exclusive. I'll still buy it because this is the sort of single player game that I thoroughly enjoy plus I bought 1 + 2, but still. Consoles are still holding it back. And there is nothing else AAA to play now anyway. V is long done.

Does it really look that bad to you? Compared to some of the stills I saw I guess the video didn't look that impressive, but I definitely felt the sense of immersion from that short clip. Honestly, I'm going to be playing TW3 on my overclocked 2600k and GTX 580s in SLI, hopefully decently at 1080p. Eventually I'll replay through the game on a better PC with everything maxed, probably just prior to TW4

 

[Carfax83]

Conan O'Brien plays the Witcher 3! :biggrin:

Funny as hell, but it does contain some mild spoilers so you've been warned!

 

[Dahak]

Conan O'Brien plays the Witcher 3! :biggrin:

Funny as hell, but it does contain some mild spoilers so you've been warned!

Dang, beat me to it

 

[SLU Aequitas]

Does it really look that bad to you? Compared to some of the stills I saw I guess the video didn't look that impressive, but I definitely felt the sense of immersion from that short clip. Honestly, I'm going to be playing TW3 on my overclocked 2600k and GTX 580s in SLI, hopefully decently at 1080p. Eventually I'll replay through the game on a better PC with everything maxed, probably just prior to TW4

No, Escrow is just the resident pessimist/hater :-/

 

[Igo69]

Conan O'Brien plays the Witcher 3! :biggrin:

Funny as hell, but it does contain some mild spoilers so you've been warned!

lol I've seen this early in the morning :biggrin:

 

[Carfax83]

In the case of Nvidia Gameworks, it also means purposely gimped on AMD hardware for at least a couple months, which is when the devs release a magical patch that resolves the issues.

Sounds like an excuse to explain AMD's poor driver support

I'm glad that MAD Studios called out AMD publically for their driver support which fully explains the poor performance of AMD GPUs in Project Cars. That and the lack of DX11 multithreading which Project Cars uses..

As for Gameworks, the Witcher 3 will only use three Gameworks technologies. HBAO+, the best form of ambient occlusion in games (miles better than AMD's HDAO) and runs equally well on both AMD and NVidia hardware. Hairworks, which runs well on AMD but slightly slower due to the fact that it uses isoline tessellation and other than Tonga, AMD's tessellation performance is not equal to NVidia's..

And PhysX version 3.3x which is exceptionally well optimized for the CPU regardless of what brand GPU you are using...

 

[escrow4]

Sounds like an excuse to explain AMD's poor driver support

I'm glad that MAD Studios called out AMD publically for their driver support which fully explains the poor performance of AMD GPUs in Project Cars. That and the lack of DX11 multithreading which Project Cars uses..

As for Gameworks, the Witcher 3 will only use three Gameworks technologies. HBAO+, the best form of ambient occlusion in games (miles better than AMD's HDAO) and runs equally well on both AMD and NVidia hardware. Hairworks, which runs well on AMD but slightly slower due to the fact that it uses isoline tessellation and other than Tonga, AMD's tessellation performance is not equal to NVidia's..

And PhysX version 3.3x which is exceptionally well optimized for the CPU regardless of what brand GPU you are using...

I still only buy Nvidia GPUs because their drivers work very well. Not perfect sure, but a AAA game is out, Nvidia has Day 1 drivers, and a likely fat essay on what settings to choose across models with graphic options and the impact they have. Plus Gameworks in some games does work well and adds to the quality (some not all). Not happy about gassing Kepler but that's capitalism and built in obsolescence for you.

 

[RussianSensation]

No, Escrow is just the resident pessimist/hater :-/

This time he is 100% correct. Not to take away from TW3, as it's likely going to be an epic open world RPG, but from a technical perspective, it was 100% downgraded. Did you not see the awful fire effects completely lacking smoke?

Dualshockers interview:

G: While many focus a lot on pixel and polygon count, lighting is possibly the most important element in making a game look great. Could you give us some details about the lighting solutions and tech used in The Witcher 3? How much of it is dynamic, and how much is baked?

"We ended up not using Global Illumination, light bouncing and reflecting… this is similar to what I mentioned previously with visual effects, an area where things keep getting better every year, but these really cool solutions are still far too expensive to use in a complex game. So to add more detail to the lighting, the whole world is covered in “lighting and reflection” probes, that analyze the surrounding area and light it accordingly. It does a pretty good job."

G: Draw distance is another element that contributes to make a open world really feel “open.” Just how far can we see in The Witcher 3? Does it vary with different weather conditions? Is it the same on all platforms, or is it different?

"JT: As far as I know the draw distances are the same in every platform. Now of course it gets more complicated because it’s greatly affected by fog, and all those things, but in the more clear weather conditions, the visibility distance is pretty impressive!"

^ Now we know the developer stated before that the draw distance is far better on the PC but let's take their words for it since many developers misrepresent facts.

Very recent gameplay video on a 980 with Ultra settings on the PC. Forward to 4 min 40 second mark:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cgCNtO78IQ

^ There is a lot of visible shadow and object pop in in the PC version from every YouTube video I've seen and other gamers have noted this too. I would have liked to see the PC version to have greater draw distance because PC hardware is always evolving. There should be no reason for draw distance pop in for such primitive objects as trees and shadows on the PC.

But then there are obvious details that are hard to overlook.

BONUS

https://youtu.be/N4ony2r0QFs?t=8m44s
Blood on water, great water effects, brutal combat that felt heavy

https://youtu.be/KrXxdy9Qgpk?t=3m25s
No more blood on water and ground, blood toned down heavily, combat feels light

Source
-------------

It's clear the graphics tone/style has changed from 2013-2014 to today. The game looks like artistic but less realistic. Again, that's not to say it won't be an amazing game but removal of global illumination entirely and massive downgrades in textures/tessellation seem evident to me.

 

[Carfax83]

I still only buy Nvidia GPUs because their drivers work very well. Not perfect sure, but a AAA game is out, Nvidia has Day 1 drivers, and a likely fat essay on what settings to choose across models with graphic options and the impact they have. Plus Gameworks in some games does work well and adds to the quality (some not all). Not happy about gassing Kepler but that's capitalism and built in obsolescence for you.

Yeah, good driver support is absolutely critical, especially if you're running SLI like I am.. I expect the Witcher 3 to have a working SLI profile on day one as well..

Regarding Kepler performance, I still think the main reason why Kepler fell back was because its compute performance is significantly behind both the GCN Radeons and Maxwell and compute shaders are becoming more and more popular these days with devs..