Witchers and alliances.
Omigosh, I now have over 2,000 posts at tGA. I never thought I'd manage to post so much in a single website. Kinda creepy and funny at the same time. Still, I suppose it's a milestone for me so... yay?
In any case it's nice that tGA RP's still going strong. Once a few plot lines reach proper conclusions, I think it'll be time to post a new chapter, which should help some new people hop in (to whom I've talked to a while ago) more easily. There's just so much going on, so many characters doing shit all over the world, so I really have to figure out what plots to contribute to. I kinda want to aid all the players' quests but on the other hand I don't want my posts turning into a convoluted mess. I know where my priorities are: Unithien, Refan, Ferron, Khalid, the Master, and now Razoul.
I just gotta figure out whether to poke my finger into the whole "Vae kidnaps Glau" storyline or if I should let it be for now. I'm kinda itching to write about Glau and her past, but this is one of those issues where I'll have to take the plot as a whole into consideration. Does it benefit the story at this point to give an antivillain some character development? I guess I could squeeze some of that stuff in somewhere, but I'll wait and see what happens. In any case I'll have my hands full with the whole Northern Horde subplot as well as some character development for Khalid, Razoul and Unithien (about time, too, really). And I really don't want to step on Nic's toes with the Vae plot because I don't know how to deal with her interactions with Glau and what her ultimate plans for Glau are while Vae's around.
I wish Nic had time to post because it'd be interesting to see her write about Ax's reactions to being in Alent (former Lutherin) which she has had a history with. I could imagine the female warrior's frustration at seeing the Alentian mages desecrating the Locken shrines and palaces that have been turned into brothels (y'know, they really despise the legacy of the Locken monarchy). Or perhaps Ax just wouldn't care one way or the other, but still seeing the city should bring back some haunting memories, I reckon. I also wish to explore the whole Shyla Locken plot which has been hinted at throughout the Godslayer saga but I dunno if it's possible to do that without some interaction. Ax could be a suitable subject for it because out of all these characters she knew Shyla the best before they got separated. Luckily that particular plotline doesn't have a deadline, so we'll wait and see what happens.
Speaking of the "wait and see" approach, it's been sweet RPing the whole romance thing between Rain and Razoul with Tallonlorean. We've really hit it off well, and the blossoming love thing doesn't seem out of character for either character (people can disagree, of course, but I find the humanizing aspect of this affair rather touching particularly for the usually cold and reserved Razoul). It amuses me how their romance is both sincere and snarky, a combination which I haven't quite seen in the RP before on this level. They challenge each other emotionally but also intellectually, and despite their seemingly experienced outlook they're both somewhat naïve in matters of love, which gives them some added depth and shows their vulnerabilities. And this development will make certain future events all the more heartbreaking; I guess I just love bittersweet stuff. ^^
The plot's been full of comedy and tragedy, but we haven't had a sincere romance happen in a while. I think it gives needed contrast to the wacky antics and over-serious drama which various characters are going through. And it gives Razoul some much needed character development, helping me to explore his character and motivations on a deeper level, which also helps me with a certain creative writing assignment. This interesting side plot proves how much new players can enliven the plot and give it a fresh spin. Without Tal's contributions I doubt I could've explored Razoul this way, and I'm happy that I was given this chance because in my opinion Razoul deserves a deeper treatment as a character.
I've also noticed that people have been looking at my tGA RP ads, the most recent one of which can be found here. I shamelessly copied Nic's earlier tGA plug and used it as a basis for that, but I figured that I shouldn't change something that worked well in the first place, and I doubt she'll yell at me because of it anyway. It'll be interesting to see if that RP promotion will draw any people to the site or not. I've also promoted tGA via TVTropes, including a trope work page and a page for characters. Those are still far from done because I'm busy with other things, but the site exists so I can just add to it one bit at a time. I guess I should also worry about updating tGAWiki, but it's quite a laborious process for one person because the plot keeps moving. Some important people such as Ferron and Omaroch haven't had proper updates in a while, something which I should remedy ASAP. I just wish I had more time to spare for wiki editing, but alas it isn't so.
Let's start this section with a bang (can't bother to resize so look at it in its full awesomeness):
I wanna see the context of this scene in the Witcher 2, I really do! Geralt ploughing a succubus while wearing a funny nose? Must see. I wonder if Dandelion is involved (wouldn't be surprised, he is the lusty bard after all xD). I guess I'll find out soon because I'm aiming for Iorveth's path for this playthrough, so this event must happen there sooner or later. funnynose!Geralt, here I come!
Speaking of the Iorveth playthrough, I'm currently halfway through chapter 1, doing sidequests while preparing to meet Loredo in the mansion and facing the Kayran. I don't know if recent patches have decreased or increased the hard difficulty's, umm, difficulty, but the hard mode sure is challenging and tough at times, especially with my laggy framerates. I'm glad I'm not doing this on insane difficulty, though (which only grants you ONE life after which it's game over). Seriously, even one pathetic nekker can kill you with basically two strikes on hard mode if it attacks you from behind. And don't even mention those darn endregas which always seem to swarm me and kill me with their rushing attacks and poison. Urgh.
I now realize why I enjoy the combat in the Witcher 2 so much. It actually reminds me a lot about the combat mechanics of Seiken Densetsu 3 sans the partners. Sure, W2 has blocking, backstabbing and dodgerolling, but it shares with SD3 the bombs, daggers, spells during realtime combat from a specific menu, and enhancements on swords as well as potions. I wonder if CDProjekt has played through SD3 at some point because the combat is eerily reminiscent of an advanced version of SD3 combat system. It's kinda cool in any case and all the more reason to love this game.
Here are some tips for Witcher 2 hard mode (and yes, I'm glad I tried hard mode after normal mode, because I enjoy the challenge):
-Learn the art of dodgerolling, or you'll die. Learn the art of blocking, or you'll die. Learn the art of using different sign combos, bombs and potions, or you'll die. Learn the distinction between fast and strong attacks and their combos and cooldown times and their effects on different enemies, or you'll die. The sooner you learn that stuff by heart, the easier it'll get (well, not easier, but more manageable xD). This shit is much more important and crucial on hard mode than on normal mode, trust me.
-Always gather herbs for potion ingredients, even when you think you have enough of those already. If you don't, you'll regret it later. Herbs don't weigh in your inventory, so you have no excuse not to gather 'em. Potions are ESSENTIAL, making combat A LOT easier, but you can't have potions without them herbs.
-Always gather all sorts of loot everywhere at least in early parts of the game. You'll need to sell that stuff to buy better equipment, and you'll run low on money quickly.
-Don't be brave. Use every dirty trick you can (shield, trap, air spells, fire spells, persuasion, coating which weakens specific enemies etc.) in combat. The enemy may be stupid, but they can and will ambush you and swarm you when you least expect it. Draw them away and eliminate one at a time if you can, and heaven forbid you rush into a swarm of nekkers. Geralt is sneaky, not an action hero (at least not in early stages of the game, anyway).
-Put one skill point in riposte. You'll thank me later. This skill makes fighting opponents a lot more bearable, especially when you master the timing in counterattacking. Learn the enemy's patterns and use his attacks against him. Riposte will be essential in a certain part later in the game when you can't use dodgeroll and have to rely on blocking alone.
-Take note of the time of day when fighting. Some places become deathtraps at night when stronger enemies appear in SWARMS (I'm not kidding, they really do). It's thrilling to fight them all, yeah, but it's also hectic as hell and will drive you insane quickly unless you're well prepared. Just brew them potions and drink. And don't forget the oils.
That'll be all for now.
Yours,
Mikko
In any case it's nice that tGA RP's still going strong. Once a few plot lines reach proper conclusions, I think it'll be time to post a new chapter, which should help some new people hop in (to whom I've talked to a while ago) more easily. There's just so much going on, so many characters doing shit all over the world, so I really have to figure out what plots to contribute to. I kinda want to aid all the players' quests but on the other hand I don't want my posts turning into a convoluted mess. I know where my priorities are: Unithien, Refan, Ferron, Khalid, the Master, and now Razoul.
I just gotta figure out whether to poke my finger into the whole "Vae kidnaps Glau" storyline or if I should let it be for now. I'm kinda itching to write about Glau and her past, but this is one of those issues where I'll have to take the plot as a whole into consideration. Does it benefit the story at this point to give an antivillain some character development? I guess I could squeeze some of that stuff in somewhere, but I'll wait and see what happens. In any case I'll have my hands full with the whole Northern Horde subplot as well as some character development for Khalid, Razoul and Unithien (about time, too, really). And I really don't want to step on Nic's toes with the Vae plot because I don't know how to deal with her interactions with Glau and what her ultimate plans for Glau are while Vae's around.
I wish Nic had time to post because it'd be interesting to see her write about Ax's reactions to being in Alent (former Lutherin) which she has had a history with. I could imagine the female warrior's frustration at seeing the Alentian mages desecrating the Locken shrines and palaces that have been turned into brothels (y'know, they really despise the legacy of the Locken monarchy). Or perhaps Ax just wouldn't care one way or the other, but still seeing the city should bring back some haunting memories, I reckon. I also wish to explore the whole Shyla Locken plot which has been hinted at throughout the Godslayer saga but I dunno if it's possible to do that without some interaction. Ax could be a suitable subject for it because out of all these characters she knew Shyla the best before they got separated. Luckily that particular plotline doesn't have a deadline, so we'll wait and see what happens.
Speaking of the "wait and see" approach, it's been sweet RPing the whole romance thing between Rain and Razoul with Tallonlorean. We've really hit it off well, and the blossoming love thing doesn't seem out of character for either character (people can disagree, of course, but I find the humanizing aspect of this affair rather touching particularly for the usually cold and reserved Razoul). It amuses me how their romance is both sincere and snarky, a combination which I haven't quite seen in the RP before on this level. They challenge each other emotionally but also intellectually, and despite their seemingly experienced outlook they're both somewhat naïve in matters of love, which gives them some added depth and shows their vulnerabilities. And this development will make certain future events all the more heartbreaking; I guess I just love bittersweet stuff. ^^
The plot's been full of comedy and tragedy, but we haven't had a sincere romance happen in a while. I think it gives needed contrast to the wacky antics and over-serious drama which various characters are going through. And it gives Razoul some much needed character development, helping me to explore his character and motivations on a deeper level, which also helps me with a certain creative writing assignment. This interesting side plot proves how much new players can enliven the plot and give it a fresh spin. Without Tal's contributions I doubt I could've explored Razoul this way, and I'm happy that I was given this chance because in my opinion Razoul deserves a deeper treatment as a character.
I've also noticed that people have been looking at my tGA RP ads, the most recent one of which can be found here. I shamelessly copied Nic's earlier tGA plug and used it as a basis for that, but I figured that I shouldn't change something that worked well in the first place, and I doubt she'll yell at me because of it anyway. It'll be interesting to see if that RP promotion will draw any people to the site or not. I've also promoted tGA via TVTropes, including a trope work page and a page for characters. Those are still far from done because I'm busy with other things, but the site exists so I can just add to it one bit at a time. I guess I should also worry about updating tGAWiki, but it's quite a laborious process for one person because the plot keeps moving. Some important people such as Ferron and Omaroch haven't had proper updates in a while, something which I should remedy ASAP. I just wish I had more time to spare for wiki editing, but alas it isn't so.
Let's start this section with a bang (can't bother to resize so look at it in its full awesomeness):
I wanna see the context of this scene in the Witcher 2, I really do! Geralt ploughing a succubus while wearing a funny nose? Must see. I wonder if Dandelion is involved (wouldn't be surprised, he is the lusty bard after all xD). I guess I'll find out soon because I'm aiming for Iorveth's path for this playthrough, so this event must happen there sooner or later. funnynose!Geralt, here I come!
Speaking of the Iorveth playthrough, I'm currently halfway through chapter 1, doing sidequests while preparing to meet Loredo in the mansion and facing the Kayran. I don't know if recent patches have decreased or increased the hard difficulty's, umm, difficulty, but the hard mode sure is challenging and tough at times, especially with my laggy framerates. I'm glad I'm not doing this on insane difficulty, though (which only grants you ONE life after which it's game over). Seriously, even one pathetic nekker can kill you with basically two strikes on hard mode if it attacks you from behind. And don't even mention those darn endregas which always seem to swarm me and kill me with their rushing attacks and poison. Urgh.
I now realize why I enjoy the combat in the Witcher 2 so much. It actually reminds me a lot about the combat mechanics of Seiken Densetsu 3 sans the partners. Sure, W2 has blocking, backstabbing and dodgerolling, but it shares with SD3 the bombs, daggers, spells during realtime combat from a specific menu, and enhancements on swords as well as potions. I wonder if CDProjekt has played through SD3 at some point because the combat is eerily reminiscent of an advanced version of SD3 combat system. It's kinda cool in any case and all the more reason to love this game.
Here are some tips for Witcher 2 hard mode (and yes, I'm glad I tried hard mode after normal mode, because I enjoy the challenge):
-Learn the art of dodgerolling, or you'll die. Learn the art of blocking, or you'll die. Learn the art of using different sign combos, bombs and potions, or you'll die. Learn the distinction between fast and strong attacks and their combos and cooldown times and their effects on different enemies, or you'll die. The sooner you learn that stuff by heart, the easier it'll get (well, not easier, but more manageable xD). This shit is much more important and crucial on hard mode than on normal mode, trust me.
-Always gather herbs for potion ingredients, even when you think you have enough of those already. If you don't, you'll regret it later. Herbs don't weigh in your inventory, so you have no excuse not to gather 'em. Potions are ESSENTIAL, making combat A LOT easier, but you can't have potions without them herbs.
-Always gather all sorts of loot everywhere at least in early parts of the game. You'll need to sell that stuff to buy better equipment, and you'll run low on money quickly.
-Don't be brave. Use every dirty trick you can (shield, trap, air spells, fire spells, persuasion, coating which weakens specific enemies etc.) in combat. The enemy may be stupid, but they can and will ambush you and swarm you when you least expect it. Draw them away and eliminate one at a time if you can, and heaven forbid you rush into a swarm of nekkers. Geralt is sneaky, not an action hero (at least not in early stages of the game, anyway).
-Put one skill point in riposte. You'll thank me later. This skill makes fighting opponents a lot more bearable, especially when you master the timing in counterattacking. Learn the enemy's patterns and use his attacks against him. Riposte will be essential in a certain part later in the game when you can't use dodgeroll and have to rely on blocking alone.
-Take note of the time of day when fighting. Some places become deathtraps at night when stronger enemies appear in SWARMS (I'm not kidding, they really do). It's thrilling to fight them all, yeah, but it's also hectic as hell and will drive you insane quickly unless you're well prepared. Just brew them potions and drink. And don't forget the oils.
That'll be all for now.
Yours,
Mikko