The Witcher (video game)

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The Witcher

Developer(s) CD Projekt Red

Publisher(s) Atari

 POL: CD Projekt

Director(s) Jacek Brzeziński

Producer(s) Maciej Miąsik

Designer(s) Michał Madej

Programmer(s) Maciej Siniło

Artist(s) Adam Badowski

Writer(s) Artur Ganszyniec

Sebastian Stępień
Marcin Blacha

Composer(s) Adam Skorupa

Paweł Blaszczak
 Series The Witcher

Engine Aurora Engine

Platform(s) Microsoft Windows, OS X

Release 26 October 2007[show]

Genre(s) Action role-playing

Mode(s) Single-player

The Witcher (Polish: Wiedźmin [ˈvʲjɛ̇ʥ̑mʲĩn]) is an action role-playing game developed by CD

Projekt Red and published by Atari, based on the novel series of The Witcher by Polish
author Andrzej Sapkowski.[4] The story takes place in a medieval fantasy world and follows Geralt
of Rivia, one of a few traveling monster hunters who have supernatural powers, known as
Witchers. The game's system of moral choices as part of the storyline was noted for its time-
delayed consequences and lack of black-and-white morality.
The game utilizes BioWare's proprietary Aurora Engine. A console version was to be released in
late 2009 using an entirely new engine and combat system and entitled The Witcher: Rise of the
White Wolf; it was suspended, however, due to payment problems with console developers
Widescreen Games.[5] Two sequels were released: The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings in 2011
and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt in 2015.

Contents

 1Gameplay
 2Plot
 3Development
o 3.1Game engine
o 3.2Localisation variations
o 3.3Console version
 4Release
o 4.1Enhanced Edition
o 4.2Director's Cut
 5Reception
 6References
 7External links

Gameplay[edit]
A screenshot of an outdoor scene in The Witcher displaying additional lighting effects

There are three camera styles available in The Witcher: two isometric perspectives, where the
mouse is used to control most functions, and an over-the-shoulder view, which brings the player
closer to the in-game combat, but limits visibility. In all three views the controls can be changed
to be primarily mouse focused or a combined keyboard and mouse approach.
Players can choose one of three fighting styles to use in different situations and against different
foes. The fast style allows for faster, less-damaging attacks with a greater chance of hitting faster
enemies; the strong style deals more damage in exchange for a slow attack speed, and a lower
chance to hit faster enemies; and the group style features sweeping attacks best used if Geralt is
surrounded.[6] The player can switch between the styles at any point. Both of Geralt's main
swords also have distinctively different combat styles from other weaponry, and serve specific
purposes. The steel blade is used to fight humans and other flesh-and-blood beings, while the
silver sword is more effective against supernatural monsters and beasts (against some of which
steel may have no effect whatsoever). With precise timing, the player can link Geralt's attacks
into combos to more effectively damage enemies.
Alchemy is a major part of gameplay. The player can create potions that increase health or
endurance regeneration, allow Geralt to see in the dark, or provide other beneficial effects. The
recipes for these potions can be learned through scrolls, or by experimentation. Once the player
creates an unknown potion he can choose to drink it, but if the potion is a failure it will poison or
have other harmful effects on Geralt. Each time Geralt drinks potions they increase the toxicity
level of his body. This can be reduced by drinking a special potion or by meditating at an inn or
fireplace. In addition to potions, the player can create oils used to augment the damage done by
weapons. They can also create bombs for use as weapons in combat. Neither can be created
until talent points have been allocated into the corresponding skills.
A time-delayed decision-consequence system means that the repercussions of players'
decisions will make themselves apparent in plot devices in later acts of the game. This helps
avert a save-reload approach to decision making. It also adds to the game's replay value, as the
consequences resulting from the player's decisions can lead to great difference in the events that
take place later, and ultimately a very different gameplay experience than in prior playthroughs.
The player often find themselves choosing from the lesser of two evils rather than making a clear
choice between good and evil, a situation reflective of real life morality.[7]

Plot[edit]
This article's plot summary may be too long or excessively
detailed. Please help improve it by removing unnecessary details
and making it more concise. (July 2017) (Learn how and when to remove
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The game tells the story of Geralt of Rivia, a Witcher – a genetically enhanced human with
special powers trained to slay monsters. The Witcher contains three different paths, which affect
the game’s storyline. These paths are: alliance with the Scoia'tael, a guerrilla freedom-fighting
group of Elves and other non-humans; alliance with the Order of the Flaming Rose, whose
knights protect the country of Temeria; or alliance with neither group to maintain "Witcher
neutrality".
In the game’s opening cutscene, Geralt is tasked with curing King Foltest's daughter, Princess
Adda, of a curse that transforms her into a feral monster. Years later, a group of Witchers find an
amnesiac Geralt unconscious in a field and take him to the Witcher stronghold of Kaer Morhen.
As he struggles to recall his memories, the castle is attacked by a gang of bandits named the
Salamandra. The Witchers and sorceress Triss Merigold battle the invaders, but the mage Azar
Javed and the assassin Professor escape with the mutagenic potions that genetically alter the
Witchers. The Witchers head off in different directions to find information on the Salamandra.

Geralt looking over Vizima's dilapidated cemetery

Geralt heads south to Vizima, capital of Temeria and where Foltest reigns. On the outskirts, he
meets a magically gifted child called Alvin and learns that Vizima is in quarantine. To obtain a
pass, Geralt defeats a hellhound plaguing the outskirts, but is arrested upon trying to enter
Vizima. Geralt volunteers to kill a monster in the sewers in exchange for his freedom from jail and
emerges in Vizima's Temple Quarter. With the help of a private investigator, Geralt pursues
multiple leads on the Salamandra and witnesses rising tensions between the Order of the
Flaming Rose and the Scoia'tael. After a confrontation with Azar Javed and the Professor, Geralt
is knocked unconscious and saved by Triss, who invites him to a party of high-standing officials
in Vizima's Trade Quarter. There, Geralt meets Princess Adda and gains several new leads on
Salamandra's business front. As the Order and the Scoia'tael grow bolder in their efforts, Geralt
finds out more about Alvin's powers and visions while taking down Salamandra drug operations.
Geralt finally assaults a Salamandra base in Vizima with the help of either the Order or the
Scoia'tael and kills the Professor, but finds himself surrounded by royal guards after escaping.
Adda, who has been forging royal edicts in Foltest's absence, declares that she must kill him to
conceal her treachery, but Triss teleports him to a village on the other side of Vizima Lake. Geralt
and his friend Dandelion find some unsteady peace while taking care of Alvin, helping with
problems surrounding an ill-fated wedding, and negotiating between the village and the
inhabitants of an aquatic city. Eventually, however, the conflict between the Order and the
Scoia'tael threatens the village, forcing Geralt to finally pick a side or make enemies of both
factions. The scared Alvin mysteriously disappears in a flash, and Geralt and Dandelion decide
to sail back to Vizima to end Salamandra.
Foltest finally returns and retakes control of his castle, but at the same time civil war has broken
out. The Scoia'tael have caused an uprising, and the Order of the Flaming Rose has responded
by killing non-humans with little discern. Depending on which side Geralt took in the previous
battle, he must either help the knights or the elves in the battle or assist nurses in a field hospital.
He also deals with Adda, who has suffered from a relapse of her curse, after which the grateful
king discloses clues about Azar Javed's location. Storming the main Salamandra base with his
allies, Geralt finally kills the evil mage, but is shocked to learn that the Grand Master of the Order
of the Flaming Rose is the mastermind behind Salamandra's mutation program.
With most Knights of the Order and their mutants now entering open rebellion, the king again
turns to Geralt with a contract to kill the Grand Master. Upon being confronted, the Grand Master
tries to persuade Geralt of his "greater plan" to save humanity from prophecies of world-
consuming ice. The skeptical Geralt is cast into an icy wasteland illusion by the Grand Master,
who bears striking similarities to Alvin. Geralt successfully defeats him and is then approached
by the King of the Wild Hunt in specter form, to collect the Grand Master's soul. The specter
warns Geralt of the impending events or fights him and disappears, upon which Geralt murders
the Grand Master and escapes the illusion. In the ending cut scene, a man with a Witcher’s
vertical pupils attempts to assassinate Foltest, but is thwarted by Geralt, leading directly into The
Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings.

Development[edit]
Prior to CD Projekt's involvement, Metropolis Software (which CD Projekt bought in 2009 and
closed in 2010) had obtained a license from Andrzej Sapkowski for his novels in The
Witcher series, around 1997. However, due to several other projects that the studio was involved
with at the time, and concerns from their publisher TopWare about the materials' international
appeal, the project never got farther than some initial media and a playable level.[8]
CD Projekt later approached Sapkowski for rights for the series. They were able to secure the
rights for about 35,000 zloty (approximately US$9,500) from Sapkowski, who wanted all the
payment up front, rather than through royalties, even though these were offered to him. In a 2017
interview, Sapkowski said that at the time that he had no interest in video games, and was only
looking at the deal from a financial benefit standpoint.[9]
Game engine[edit]

A screenshot of The Witchershowing the lighting and the "over-the-shoulder" camera

The Witcher is powered by a heavily modified version of the Aurora Engine by BioWare,
enhanced for single-player. A number of changes have been introduced to the original engine;
some of them are described below.
One of the most important features of the Aurora Engine is that the world is designed exactly as
the developers envisioned, rather than using a tile-based system. All the environments are
developed in 3ds Max and then exported into the game engine. As a result, developers can
create unique game worlds, rather than recycling the same tiled objects over and over again. CD
Projekt's version of the engine supports lightmaps generated in 3ds Max. Shadows generated
this way are reported to look more realistic, and provide better game performance.
The modified engine also includes texture paint, a special tool that allows the developer to paint
the environment using custom textures. This enables the developer to make the game world truly
unique. New realistic skyboxes and water effects designed specifically for The Witcher were
added to the engine. The natural light during various phases of the day is realistically altered,
and the day and night transitions serve to enrich the game's ambiance. The weather can
dynamically change from a light drizzle to a dark, stormy downpour accompanied by thunder and
lightning.
Other important changes include motion-captured animation, improved physics modelling, new
mechanics and combat system. Additional modifications include the introduction of portals and
the inclusion of additional graphical effects (glows, advanced dynamic shadows, blurs, etc.)
Localisation variations[edit]
All the female portrait cards shown after Geralt's "sexual conquests" were censored ("retouched
to a more modest standard") for the U.S. release version.[10] The in-game Dryad was also
reskinned so her hair covered more of her body in this release.
Some dialogue between characters is shortened in the non-Polish-language versions. Lead
designer Michal Madej has disputed claims by fans that this was due to the sometimes crude
language, but that the decision to edit down dialogue occurred because of production-related
concerns in game development. Proofreader Martin Pagan noticed this shortened version during
his work and writer Sande Chen confirmed that it was not due to censorship. Fans have
theorised that it may have been done for voice acting cost savings, especially since much of the
vulgar language has been retained. [11]
Console version[edit]
On 29 November 2008 a video covering the console version of the game was uploaded on the
Internet. On 2 December, CD Projekt Red officially confirmed that The Witcher will be ported
to PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 consoles and released as The Witcher: Rise of the White
Wolf.[12] It had been built from the ground up for Widescreen Games' DaVinci Engine and featured
a host of differences.[13] According to CD Projekt Red senior designer Jakub Styliński, the game
featured a new interface, redesigned boss battles, new music, "a smattering of new models", and
a redesigned character development system, in addition to an entirely new action-oriented
combat system with enhanced AI, additional motion-capture animations and the ability to directly
control Geralt's defensive maneuvers.[13] CD Projekt also confirmed that Rise of the White
Wolf would have featured downloadable content.[13]
On 29 April 2009 it was announced that the production of the game had been halted due to late
payments from CD Projekt to the French developers of the console version, Widescreen
Games.[5] A release from CD Projekt's CEO Michał Kiciński stated that payments were delayed
due to Widescreen games not meeting development deadlines, additionally stating that
"technical incapability created a risk of missing planned quality" and that CD Projekt had ended
their association with the company.[14]

Release[edit]
Enhanced Edition[edit]
At Game Developers Conference 2008, CD Projekt Red announced an enhanced version of the
game which was released on 16 September 2008. The significant changes featured in the
enhanced version are over 200 new animations, additional NPC models and recoloring of
generic NPC models as well as monsters, vastly expanded and corrected dialogues in translated
versions, improved stability, redesigned inventory system and load times reduced by roughly
80%.[15][16][17] In addition, all bugs are said to be fixed and the game manual completely
overhauled. There are also two new adventures available to play through: Side Effects and The
Price of Neutrality. A new option is to mix and match ten different languages of voice and
subtitles. For instance, players can now choose to play the game with Polish voices and English
subtitles. Other featured languages are Russian, Italian, French, Spanish, German, Czech,
Hungarian and Chinese.
Aside from the game enhancements, The Witcher Enhanced Edition includes a "making of" DVD,
a CD with 29 in-game soundtracks, another CD with "Inspired by" music, the short story The
Witcher from the book The Last Wish, a map of Temeria printed on high quality paper, and the
official strategy guide. In addition, a new and enhanced version of the D'jinni Adventure Editor is
on the DVD with the two new Adventures. The game updates, as well as the box's extras, are
available as a free download for owners of the original version who registered their game on the
official forum. Furthermore, old savegames are compatible with the Enhanced Edition.
According to CD Projekt co-founder Michal Kicinski, the Enhanced Edition required a $1 million
investment, and the company had shipped 300,000 copies of the retail version worldwide as of
December 2008.[18]
Director's Cut[edit]
CD Projekt released a Director's Cut version of the game in North America on 31 July 2009. It is
equal to the Enhanced Edition available to the rest of the world, but without the censorship
applied to the North American version. The company has since released an official uncensored
patch that makes the North American version the same as the international for those who have
purchased a boxed version of the game.

Reception[edit]
Reception

Aggregate score

Aggregator Score

Metacritic 81/100[19]

Review scores

Publication Score

1UP.com B-[20]

Eurogamer 7/10[21]

GamePro 4.5/5[22]

GameSpot 8.5/10[23]

GameSpy [24]

GameZone 8.8/10[25]

IGN 8.5/10[26]

Awards

Publication Award

GameSpy PC RPG of the Year[27]

 IGN Best of 2007, Best RPG[28]

The game received mostly positive reviews. The game's cumulative score stands at 81 out of
100 on Metacritic.[19] Michael Lafferty from GameZone gave the game 8.8 out of 10 describing it
as deep, immersive game that will "ask you to think and make choices, not just hack and slash
your way to glory".[25] The Witcher's cinematic intro was nominated for the 2007 VES Awards in
the category of Outstanding Pre-Rendered Visuals in a Video Game[29] and the game's
soundtrack was voted "Best Fantasy Game Soundtrack" in the 2007 Radio Rivendell Fantasy
Awards.[30]
In 2010, the game was included as one of the titles in the book 1001 Video Games You Must
Play Before You Die.[31]

References[edit]
1. ^ Jump up to:a b c "The Witcher Release Information for PC". GameFAQs. Retrieved 4
August 2013.
2. ^ Jump up to:a b c "The Witcher: Enhanced Edition Release Information for PC". GameFAQs.
Retrieved 4 August 2013.
3. ^ "The Witcher: Enhanced Edition Release Information for Macintosh". GameFAQs. Retrieved 4
August 2013.
4. ^ Aihoshi, Richard (24 May 2006). "The Witcher E3 View". IGN. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
5. ^ Jump up to:a b "Development of the new Game "The Witcher: Rise of the White Wolf" is Frozen
for Playstation3 and Xbox360!". prnewswire.com (Press release). Archived from the original on 3
May 2009.
6. ^ Ocampo, Jason (2 July 2007). "The Witcher Exclusive Impressions – Combat and
Story". GameSpot. Retrieved 2 November 2007.
7. ^ Arulnathan, Justin (24 August 2007). "The WitcherTheGamerGene Preview". TheGamerGene.
Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 24 August 2007.
8. ^ Purchase, Robert (19 May 2015). "The Witcher game that never was". Eurogamer. Retrieved 10
December 2017.
9. ^ Purchase, Robert (3 March 2017). "Meeting Andrzej Sapkowski, the writer who created The
Witcher". Eurogamer. Retrieved 10 December 2017.
10. ^ Burnes, Andrew (24 October 2007). "The Witcher Preview". IGN. Retrieved 17 November 2007.
11. ^ Breckon, Nick (7 November 2007). "The Witcher Script Heavily Edited for English Audiences,
Says The Writer". Shacknews. Retrieved 17 November 2007.
12. ^ "Console version announcement". Archived from the original on 6 December 2008.
13. ^ Jump up to:a b c Hollister, Sean (9 December 2008). "The Witcher: Rise of the White Wolf Q&A –
Console DLC Confirmed!". GameCyte. Archived from the original on 18 August 2011.
Retrieved 10 December 2008.
14. ^ "CD Projekt Respond To Widescreen's Witcher: Rise Of The White Wolf
Accusations". ve3d.ign.com.
15. ^ Steve Butts (22 February 2008). "GDC 2008: The Witcher Enhanced Edition".
16. ^ "The Witcher Enhanced Edition Fact Sheet (PDF)" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 29
December 2009. Retrieved 18 July 2008.
17. ^ "The Witcher Official Site". Archived from the original on 3 September 2008.
18. ^ Hollister, Sean (10 December 2008). "CD Projekt's Michal Kicinski Talks Witcher Sales, Piracy
and DRM". GameCyte. Archived from the original on 9 March 2009. Retrieved 10
December 2008.
19. ^ Jump up to:a b "The Witcher for PC Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 12 August 2008.
20. ^ Neigher, Eric (8 November 2007). "The Witcher (PC)". 1up.com. Retrieved 12
August 2008.[permanent dead link]
21. ^ Whitehead, Dan (26 October 2007). "The Witcher". Eurogamer. Retrieved 12 August 2008.
22. ^ Rivera, Amanda (4 December 2007). "Review: The Witcher". GamePro. Archived from the
original on 5 December 2007. Retrieved 12 August 2008.
23. ^ Todd, Brett (5 November 2005). "The Witcher Review". GameSpot. Retrieved 12 August 2008.
24. ^ Abner, William (21 November 2007). "The Witcher (PC) Review". GameSpy. Retrieved 8
January 2010.
 25. ^ Jump up to:a b Michael Lafferty (2007) "Gamezone Witcher Review"retrieved 8 January 2010
26. ^ Adams, Dan (29 October 2007). "The Witcher Review". IGN. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
27. ^ Accardo, Sal 'Sluggo'. "GameSpy's Game of the Year 2007". GameSpy. Archived from the
original on 23 July 2008. Retrieved 12 August 2008.
28. ^ "IGN Best of 2007". IGN. Retrieved 12 August 2008.
29. ^ "Visual Effect Society Nominations 2007" (PDF).[dead link]
30. ^ "Radio Rivendell 2007 winners".
31. ^ Mott, Tony (2010). 1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die. London: Quintessence
Editions Ltd. p. 751. ISBN 978-1-74173-076-0.

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