CDProjektRED website countdown leads to Witcher 3 cinematic trailer + Tywin Lannister as voice actor

[Eduku]

Recently a countdown had started on CDProjektRED's website, and it turns out to have been leading to the release of this cinematic trailer for The Witcher 3, which features Geralt doing his thing (a.k.a. being a badass). The theme of this trailer is moral ambiguity, fittingly enough.

Sure, it's a cinematic trailer and there's no gameplay, but I think they've shown plenty of that. That's how I think it should be done; show some gameplay first, then release all the flashy stuff afterwards.


Update: And Charles Dance (a.k.a. Game of Thrones' Tywin Lannister) has been announced as the voice of Emhyr var Emreis, the Emperor of Nilfgaard!

 

[BathorysGraveland2]

Seems very cool, but I must say, I'm unsure of the portrayal of Geralt here. Those soldiers are ultimately just following orders, I find it hard to believe he would attack them when he could walk away and lose nothing, especially after they just paid him for a contract.

But who knows, maybe there will be a character arc at some point. Also, I heard Vesemir alongside Geralt. It would be very cool to see more of the other Witchers, maybe even see 'em fight a little.

 

[Adam Jensen_v1legacy]

I don't usually care about CGI trailers, but these guys just make them so good.

 

[Eduku]

Seems very cool, but I must say, I'm unsure of the portrayal of Geralt here. Those soldiers are ultimately just following orders, I find it hard to believe he would attack them when he could walk away and lose nothing, especially after they just paid him for a contract.

But who knows, maybe there will be a character arc at some point. Also, I heard Vesemir alongside Geralt. It would be very cool to see more of the other Witchers, maybe even see 'em fight a little.

I dunno, it depends on how the player chooses to portray Geralt really; some would have played him as a 'good' character, others as a much more apathetic character. 'Canon' Geralt always struck me as being slightly good, in comparison with other Witchers.

Also if that was Vesemir, that would be pretty cool. The other Witchers kind of disappeared after the beginning of the first game. I believe they went off to find Salamandra and we never heard of them again.

 

[SonicWaffle]

I dunno, it depends on how the player chooses to portray Geralt really; some would have played him as a 'good' character, others as a much more apathetic character. 'Canon' Geralt always struck me as being slightly good, in comparison with other Witchers.

I'm currently playing through the first game, and I'm struggling to play Geralt as a good guy. He just doesn't seem to have it in him. When your reaction to someone screaming "oh god, this enormous demon is going to rape my children to death!" is "Huh, I specialise in killing those, how much will you pay me to help?" I'm pretty sure you can't label yourself a paragon of virtue.

It's quite interesting actually. Ordinarily characters fall somewhere on the moral scale, but Geralt is (so far, at least) strictly mercenary. It's nice that the game is trying to have the player make decisions based on what's best for the character rather than telling them to pick a side in the neverending war between good and evil.

Also if that was Vesemir, that would be pretty cool. The other Witchers kind of disappeared after the beginning of the first game. I believe they went off to find Salamandra and we never heard of them again.

Sad times. I was hoping those guys would show up again soon, I really wanted to know more about the order. So they don't reappear in the first game at all?

 

[Eduku]

I dunno, it depends on how the player chooses to portray Geralt really; some would have played him as a 'good' character, others as a much more apathetic character. 'Canon' Geralt always struck me as being slightly good, in comparison with other Witchers.

I'm currently playing through the first game, and I'm struggling to play Geralt as a good guy. He just doesn't seem to have it in him. When your reaction to someone screaming "oh god, this enormous demon is going to rape my children to death!" is "Huh, I specialise in killing those, how much will you pay me to help?" I'm pretty sure you can't label yourself a paragon of virtue.

It's quite interesting actually. Ordinarily characters fall somewhere on the moral scale, but Geralt is (so far, at least) strictly mercenary. It's nice that the game is trying to have the player make decisions based on what's best for the character rather than telling them to pick a side in the neverending war between good and evil.

I think the first game demonstrates this more than the second, the game will often 'penalise' you (in a story sense, not gameplay) even for choosing a 'good' option, simply because you picked sides instead of being apathetic and remaining neutral. It's interesting how it defies the conventions like that; normally in RPGs you can pick the good option and everything's all fine and everyone lives happily ever after, where in this game you'll end up paying the consequences for not killing that guy or whatever later on. The second does this too, but not to such an extent, maybe that's why I have this impression of Geralt being a kind of good guy (played through the first one quite a long time ago).

Sad times. I was hoping those guys would show up again soon, I really wanted to know more about the order. So they don't reappear in the first game at all?

I'm afraid not. You do meet one other Witcher, but he's an exception and also kind of spoilerish.

 

[DementedSheep]

Geralt has a beard, shit must be getting serious.

His body shape still looks straggly elongated to me.

Dudes face at 1:43 lol

Seems very cool, but I must say, I'm unsure of the portrayal of Geralt here. Those soldiers are ultimately just following orders, I find it hard to believe he would attack them when he could walk away and lose nothing, especially after they just paid him for a contract.

But who knows, maybe there will be a character arc at some point. Also, I heard Vesemir alongside Geralt. It would be very cool to see more of the other Witchers, maybe even see 'em fight a little.

I don?t know about that. You can play him in different ways in the game but while book Geralt likes to play up the apathetic thing sometimes he?s actually very moral. In fact other characters bring it up as a weakness of his all the time. He doesn't go looking to be the hero or want to get involved in shit and won?t if it is solider vs solider even if it is someone he knows but he?ll defend civilians when shit is happening right in front of him. At least in my interpretation of things.

 

[BathorysGraveland2]

snip

snip

Hmm, yeah, that's true I guess. I'm currently reading through the entire book saga right now (fan translations) and am so quite concerned with a "canon" approach to Geralt, as close as the author originally wrote. With what you said though, yeah this trailer could be quite accurate. Hmm.

 

[SonicWaffle]

I think the first game demonstrates this more than the second, the game will often 'penalise' you (in a story sense, not gameplay) even for choosing a 'good' option, simply because you picked sides instead of being apathetic and remaining neutral. It's interesting how it defies the conventions like that; normally in RPGs you can pick the good option and everything's all fine and everyone lives happily ever after, where in this game you'll end up paying the consequences for not killing that guy or whatever later on. The second does this too, but not to such an extent, maybe that's why I have this impression of Geralt being a kind of good guy (played through the first one quite a long time ago).

While I find it interesting from a storytelling perspective, from a gaming perspective it's a pain. With the game being as long as it is I'd wager the odds of more than a tiny fraction of players playing through it twice are miniscule, yet it's so incredibly easy to miss things or screw up by choosing the wrong decision. The game never quite writes you into a corner, but a lot of the mechanics - normal-looking NPCs who might give a quest or info if approached, random characters who are present only during the day or night, having to make a decision without much information which then has a knock-on effect on the rest of the game - manage to shut out quite a lot of content for a first time player like myself.

For instance, in the first chapter I gave the Squirrels their purchases because nobody has given me a good reason not to. This led to Coleman being dead in chapter 2, ending one quest and altering several more. I also missed out on a trophy kill, since there was no indication that the Ghoul crypt would actually open up (rather than being mindless NPC chatter) or that talking to the Royal Hunstman again would give me a second quest. Added to all this, I apparently missed two meteorites in the first chapter by not re-treading old ground, and never encountered the blacksmith at all since he was never by the inn when I visited.

I understand that the idea is to reinforce the concept of actions having consequences, and most of the time it does so fairly well, but there also seems to be a whole lot of tedious repetition of conversations or returning to supposedly cleared areas just in case something has changed. That's just frustating, not fun. I feel like the concept could have been streamlined somewhat to avert the need to keep doing the same things in the same places and talking to the same NPCs, just to make sure you've definitely done everything.

Sad times. I was hoping those guys would show up again soon, I really wanted to know more about the order. So they don't reappear in the first game at all?

I'm afraid not. You do meet one other Witcher, but he's an exception and also kind of spoilerish.

Is that the elusive Berengar? I've been attempting to follow his trail for a while, but he always seems to be one step ahead.

 

[endtherapture]

Seems very cool, but I must say, I'm unsure of the portrayal of Geralt here. Those soldiers are ultimately just following orders, I find it hard to believe he would attack them when he could walk away and lose nothing, especially after they just paid him for a contract.

But who knows, maybe there will be a character arc at some point. Also, I heard Vesemir alongside Geralt. It would be very cool to see more of the other Witchers, maybe even see 'em fight a little.

Geralt was fine with them carrying out orders and killing the woman for being a looter, but it was when they decided they'd hammer her tetth out that they should be killed, and her saved, cos they were more monstrous than her.

 

[Glongpre]

That was an amazing trailer. I like where this game is headed, with the moral stuff. So exciting. Makes me want to play number 2 again, but I can't...must resist urge...must finish dragon age origins. I hope you can ally yourself with a particular dragon, and proceed to wreck faces, nilfgaardian ones.

 

[Eduku]

While I find it interesting from a storytelling perspective, from a gaming perspective it's a pain. With the game being as long as it is I'd wager the odds of more than a tiny fraction of players playing through it twice are miniscule, yet it's so incredibly easy to miss things or screw up by choosing the wrong decision. The game never quite writes you into a corner, but a lot of the mechanics - normal-looking NPCs who might give a quest or info if approached, random characters who are present only during the day or night, having to make a decision without much information which then has a knock-on effect on the rest of the game - manage to shut out quite a lot of content for a first time player like myself.

For instance, in the first chapter I gave the Squirrels their purchases because nobody has given me a good reason not to. This led to Coleman being dead in chapter 2, ending one quest and altering several more. I also missed out on a trophy kill, since there was no indication that the Ghoul crypt would actually open up (rather than being mindless NPC chatter) or that talking to the Royal Hunstman again would give me a second quest. Added to all this, I apparently missed two meteorites in the first chapter by not re-treading old ground, and never encountered the blacksmith at all since he was never by the inn when I visited.

I understand that the idea is to reinforce the concept of actions having consequences, and most of the time it does so fairly well, but there also seems to be a whole lot of tedious repetition of conversations or returning to supposedly cleared areas just in case something has changed. That's just frustating, not fun. I feel like the concept could have been streamlined somewhat to avert the need to keep doing the same things in the same places and talking to the same NPCs, just to make sure you've definitely done everything.

I think it's a case of having to get out of the 'completionist' mindset of typical RPGs and accepting that you aren't going to be able to get everything on the first playthrough. I do think you're underestimating the number of people you have played the games through multiple times, though. Especially in the second game, the fact that there is a wildly different second act depending on your choices during the first is a big indication that the game is meant to be played through more than once.

Sad times. I was hoping those guys would show up again soon, I really wanted to know more about the order. So they don't reappear in the first game at all?

I'm afraid not. You do meet one other Witcher, but he's an exception and also kind of spoilerish.

Is that the elusive Berengar? I've been attempting to follow his trail for a while, but he always seems to be one step ahead.

Yeah, that would be him. It's quite a long quest, but if you keep following it you'll run into him at some point.

On a side note, I have my new avatar. That sequence is just too good, especially that derp face from the soldier at the beginning.

 

[The Madman]

Hmm, yeah, that's true I guess. I'm currently reading through the entire book saga right now (fan translations) and am so quite concerned with a "canon" approach to Geralt, as close as the author originally wrote. With what you said though, yeah this trailer could be quite accurate. Hmm.

What Geralt says in the trailer, save for the 'killing monsters' quote at the end, is actually taken straight from the books. Here's the full quote from The Last Wish:

?Lesser, greater, middling, it's all the same. Proportions are negotiated, boundaries blurred. I'm not a pious hermit, I haven't done only good in my life. But if I'm to choose between one evil and another, then I prefer not to choose at all.?

So I wouldn't worry. CD Projekt know what they're doing when it comes to staying true to the source material.

 

[Eduku]

Some more good news for Witcher fans. Charles Dance (a.k.a. Game of Thrones' Tywin Lannister) has been announced as the voice of Emhyr var Emreis, the Emperor of Nilfgaard. As a big fan of his portrayal of Tywin Lannister, I'm really looking forward to his performance in Witcher 3.

 

[Ferisar]

Hmm, yeah, that's true I guess. I'm currently reading through the entire book saga right now (fan translations) and am so quite concerned with a "canon" approach to Geralt, as close as the author originally wrote. With what you said though, yeah this trailer could be quite accurate. Hmm.

What Geralt says in the trailer, save for the 'killing monsters' quote at the end, is actually taken straight from the books. Here's the full quote from The Last Wish:

?Lesser, greater, middling, it's all the same. Proportions are negotiated, boundaries blurred. I'm not a pious hermit, I haven't done only good in my life. But if I'm to choose between one evil and another, then I prefer not to choose at all.?

So I wouldn't worry. CD Projekt know what they're doing when it comes to staying true to the source material.

But the Killing Monsters bit was so well placed.

And uh, oh yeah, this trailer... I said words about it... in that other word location place.

I like it a lot

 

[hazabaza1]

Some more good news for Witcher fans. Charles Dance (a.k.a. Game of Thrones' Tywin Lannister) has been announced as the voice of Emhyr var Emreis, the Emperor of Nilfgaard. As a big fan of his portrayal of Tywin Lannister, I'm really looking forward to his performance in Witcher 3.

Awwww yiss.

Gotta say this trailer looks pretty good, and while I fucking hated Tw1 I thought 2 was pretty damn good, so looking forward to this even more now.
Just hope I can track down my save file...

 

[BathorysGraveland2]

snip

But this is what I don't get, killing those soldiers is one evil in and of itself. The only path that wouldn't be any kind of evil, is the one to do as Vesemir says: walk away. But then, in the world of the Witcher, evil doesn't really exist. That innocent woman that was saved may go on to butcher some peasant and his wife for their food later on, or make them themselves into the food.

 

[Bat Vader]

That was an awesome trailer. I am hoping they also have Christopher Lee voice a character as well. With a fantasy game like The Witcher 3 you need the man that played Saruman to play a part.

 

[The Madman]

But this is what I don't get, killing those soldiers is one evil in and of itself. The only path that wouldn't be any kind of evil, is the one to do as Vesemir says: walk away. But then, in the world of the Witcher, evil doesn't really exist. That innocent woman that was saved may go on to butcher some peasant and his wife for their food later on, or make them themselves into the food.

The point as I see it is that he never saw the woman do anything wrong, all he did see was the cruelty of those soldiers which in his mind is one evil too many. Maybe she did do wrong, maybe she deserved it, but regardless he wasn't there for that. What he did see was cruel soldiers, taking their time to torture and torment someone helpless to defend themself.

Thus: But if I'm to choose between one evil and another, then I prefer not to choose at all.

I imagine if it had been a more civil hanging and they hadn't been threatening to 'take out the hammer' he very might have just kept on going, but their cruelty crossed the line between man and monster.

Either way it's just a neat promotional trailer so don't think too much into it. I imagine a lot of it was also because 'it would look cool in a trailer'.

 

[Glongpre]

Sweet, Dance as the emperor

That pretty much guarantees a choice to kill him or not. Well not really. Maybe he helps you with the Wild Hunt, where to find them or something, or he has you do something for him in exchange for Yennefer. I foresee great turmoil and backstabbings. Ah yes, it will be glorious.