The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Fair enough. Speaking of action, could you maybe touch upon the game’s new combat system?

It's really tough to describe the combat system, as it is something you have to play and experience for yourself to fully understand. We're definitely looking at a more fluid combat system with Wild Hunt, where attacking an enemy feels more natural and smooth, unlike older games where you had to lock onto enemies constantly.

What we saw in Batman: Arkham Asylum is a very cool system, and I don't want to draw any comparisons, but that's definitely part of the motivation for us. I can make gamers a promise that combat in The Witcher 3 is already fun and that we're constantly balancing it till we hit that sweet spot.

Will you still retain some of the game's older mechanics, like different swords for different enemies, oils that can boost your skills, potions that can give you an edge in combat, and so on?

Yes, of course. The Witcher 3 is a Witcher game after all, and Geralt is a professional monster slayer. There is one steel sword for human opponents and one silver sword for all his supernatural foes. And this will definitely stay in the game along with other mechanics like crafting and alchemy.

But like I said earlier, you can play through the game without crafting new weapons or creating new potions as well. You may just have a tougher time with some of the enemies.

Geralt is a professional monster hunter, but there wasn’t a lot of monster hunting in The Witcher 2. This time around, will we get to track and hunt monsters in an unscripted way? Will there be side quests that tie into this mechanic?

It's funny, because in The Witcher 2, Geralt got so involved in the world of politics and wars that we kind of forgot he was a monster hunter. Witchers are like outcasts born out of a hellish initiation from which very few survive. Those who survive are given different mutagens that grant them superhuman abilities, so they're very fast, agile, and resilient. They're also very skilled swordsmen who have magical powers.

You'll see we have a whole system of tracking monsters using special Witcher senses. You will also be able to refer to our in-depth Bestiary that will be populated as you find out more about a monster through the story or side-quests. You can then use that information to pinpoint their weaknesses, and fight them more effectively. So yes, the monster hunting bit will be an important part of the game, and will make for some really cool side-quests.

 

In many RPGs today, you can become a demigod after grinding around for a few hours. In Skyrim, for example, I was killing dragons with one arrow after the 50-hour mark. How can you ensure that the game will constantly challenge the player?

I don't think this was an issue in our previous games, so I don't see why it should be an issue in Wild Hunt. We've made sure the game feels balanced at all times. We love Skyrim and we’re huge fans, but this is a different game. Skyrim was an out-and-out open-world game, while ours is a story-driven game that unfolds in an open-world scenario. The priorities of both games are very different.

You will be able to explore the game world of the The Witcher 3, but in a lot of ways, we'll be subtly reminding you about the plot. Do all the side-quests you want, but don't forget there is a story waiting for you - that I personally feel is the most rewarding part of the game.

So I could finish the story and then go back to tackle the side-quests?

At this moment, the answer is “almost.” Currently you have absolute freedom to do what you want up until the last few hours of the game. If we decide to allow players to return to the game after the ending, I imagine that, based on your choices in the game, some quests could be locked because of your previous actions. So, let's say you kill an entire village off, you won't be able to access side quests from there. It's not a particular example from the game, but you catch my drift right?

Sure. So player choices still play an important role in The Witcher universe?

All the time, and I think this differentiates us from other games out there. We don't tell you what matters and what doesn't, as your actions in the game speak far louder than words. I mean, there are 36 different endings in Wild Hunt.

What? For real?

Yes. We have an internal debate if it's 36 or more, but I can tell you that there are many, MANY different endings. You will definitely want to play this game more than once.

Any online component planned for the future, or is Wild Hunt a single-player experience only?

It's a single-player experience all the way, but we are looking to release the REDkit sometime after the game launches for the modding community. This way, people can create their own adventures, and this will inevitably add a lot of fun and replayability to the game.

 

How was development on next-gen consoles for you? How much of your vision did you have to sacrifice to gain stable frame rates on the PS4 and Xbox one?

It is extremely manageable. There is a lot of power in these machines, and I don't want to say we're using them to their capacity, but we're fairly close to doing so. We made a decision to go next-gen roughly two and a half years ago, so we've spent a lot of time with these machines, and it's been a great experience across all three platforms. On the old platforms, namely the Xbox 360 and PS3, we probably would have had to sacrifice nearly half of our vision.

 

Any plans to lease out the REDengine?

Yes, we are looking at that aspect. If people want to make an RPG, there's lot of tech out there already like the Unreal engine or Crytek's engine, but there is definitely a place for the REDengine on the market. We would love to see more upcoming RPGs using our engine.

The tech is super solid and it works very well on all three platforms, but having said that, we still have to release a game and that is our highest priority. The REDkit that we plan on launching soon after the game releases is also a good place to start and experiment with.

As a PC gamer, what kind of configuration should I be running if I wish to max the game out? 

(Laughs) We'll be releasing that information soon, but you can already start saving up for an upgrade.

Do you have a release date for Wild Hunt?

Not yet, but we'll be announcing it soon.

But it will be this year itself right?

Yes, in 2014.

 

So what’s next after this game? Can you tell us anything about Cyberpunk 2077?

People have been asking me if Cyberpunk 2077 will have multiplayer or if it will be a straight-up shooter, and I tell them to relax, because it will be a true RPG game.

We are known for storytelling, and big game worlds, and so we’re taking all what we've learnt from previous three Witcher games, as well as the open-world aspect, and applying it to Cyberpunk 2077. So yes, it is an all-out RPG game, but we're looking at having a lot of new gameplay elements that I cannot talk about yet. One thing I can say for sure is that it is definitely NOT a multiplayer shooter.

Most European RPGs do not enjoy the success and accolades that you guys have received. Does this put a lot of pressure on you now, or does this keep the team grounded? 

I don't think it does, but then again, I'm not a developer. Accolades are very important, because the recognition makes things easier for us. At E3 2013, we got 55 awards, and for The Witcher 2, the biggest number of awards we got was maybe five, so we've come a long way. This kind of recognition also builds confidence within the team, because they now know people like what they’re working on. This gives them renewed confidence, which in turn helps them to make a better product. Now we are financially independent, self-funded, and self-published across the world, but we didn't start from this position.

So will you continue to remain independent and self-publish future games?

Absolutely! We may be a stock-listed company, but all four owners - myself included - have no plans to change the way we work.

Digitally, do you plan on sticking to your usual platforms (Steam and GOG) for Wild Hunt, or are you also looking at other services like Uplay and Origin?

We will sell our game where it makes sense digitally, as we have no prejudices against any platform or any company. The game will be available on GOG (Good Old Games), Steam, and retail across the world, and this time around, we are looking at 14 localized versions.

Since you guys have started from scratch, do you have any advice for game developers who may face similar issues, the key one being lack of funding?

Unless you want to develop a huge RPG - which is not the best starting point since you can go bankrupt - start small. Just think of an idea, find the technological means, and then try and make a prototype. It can have just half an hour to an hour of gameplay. Show your creation to your friends. If they like it, contact the media/press, and see what they have to say about it. If it's good, they will tell you it's cool. If it's not, they'll give you a reality check, and then you can go back to the drawing board.

Take Papers, Please for example. The game doesn’t have stellar graphics, but the whole world is talking about it because it has character. I think the main problem with a lot of people is that they chase VC (venture capitalist) funding or publishers, but I think that's a backward approach. Make a solid product first, and then go out into the market. It starts from hard work and proving that you're worth it. The rewards will come later.