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The Witcher 3 - Complete Edition (NSW) |OT| Switcher... The Portable Hunt

Komatsu

Member
CREDITS: A special thank you to the original OT posters ColonialRaptor ColonialRaptor and Coreda Coreda who did an amazing job - really, those were some of my favorite OTs of all time. The banners/logos I created for this OT all borrowed their style. I've also reproduced Coreda Coreda 's timeline and some of his descriptions.
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Platform: Nintendo Switch
Release Date: October 15, 2019
Genre: Action RPG
Price: $59.99/€59.99
Player(s): Single-player only
Developer: Saber Interactive (Original Developer: CD Projekt RED)
Size: 28 GB

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The Witcher 3 is set in the Continent, a fantasy world surrounded by parallel dimensions and extra-dimensional worlds. Humans, elves, dwarves, monsters and other creatures co-exist on the Continent, but non-humans are often persecuted for their differences. The Continent is caught up in a war between the empire of Nilfgaard—led by Emperor Emhyr var Emreis, who invaded the Northern Kingdoms—and Redania, ruled by the bloodthirsty and unstable King Radovid V. Several locations appear, including the free city of Novigrad, the Redanian city of Oxenfurt, the desolation of Velen, the city of Vizima (former capital of the recently-conquered Temeria), the Skellige islands (home to several pseudo-Viking clans) and the witcher stronghold of Kaer Morhen. The game, the concluding chapter of a trilogy, was inspired by Andrzej Sapkowski's series of novels and short stories.

Geralt is on the trail of his former lover, the beautiful and deadly sorceress Yennefer of Vengerberg. The Witcher had lost his memory and now, suddenly aware again of his former loves and enemies, he seeks answers. His adoptive daughter Ciri, the offspring of one of the continent's most powerful monarch, is missing and the former Kingdom of Temeria has been engulfed by the flames of war. To make matters worse, it seems that Ciri is being pursued by the Wild Hunt, a band of marauders from another dimension who seek her for a power she was born with.

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The main protagonist of all Witcher games, Geralt is a mutated monster-hunter known as being "of Rivia", though that was not his birthplace. Deadly, stoic and not prone to words, he is nevertheless fierce in defending those who he cares for.

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A sorceress - a wielder of magic whose powers, while forever preventing her from begetting a child, grant theirs wielder immense prestige and inspire fear in the hearts of many. Always elegant and always calculating, she is known for her cunning and her willingness to resort to less than traditional methods to get the job done.

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Another sorceress and a close friend of Yennefer, Triss always carried a torch for Geralt. She became his on-and-off lover for a time while he pieced his memory together. Together with Geralt, she was an advisor to the murdered King of Temeria. Now the kingdom they served is in shambles, she is trying to make her way out of the Continent.

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An (extremely) old Witcher, friend and mentor to Geralt. Always wintering at Kaer Morhen, the Witcher stronghold, he set out with Geralt in search of Yennefer and Ciri.

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Ciri, also known as Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon, is the adoptive daughter of Geralt and Yennefer. Born to the man who later became the Emperor of Nilfgaard, her happiest memories belong to the time she spent with the Witcher and Yennefer. Due to her bloodline, she has an incredible and mysterious power that is coveted by many.

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An omen of death, destruction, tragedy and war, the Wild Hunt is a spectral army led by a King from another world. They seek to capture Ciri and use her power for their own nefarious ends.


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The Witcher 3: Complete Edition is being ported to the Nintendo Switch by the New Jersey-based studio Saber Interactive. They are the studio esponsible for the original NBA Playgrounds as well as the sequel, NBA 2K Playgrounds 2. Recently, it was confirmed they were also handling Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered. Prior to the Switch, it worked on a number of Halo remasters for Microsoft. The Witcher 3 is not the only Saber Switch port coming out this month. In two weeks, their Switch port of Dontnod's Vampyr will be released.


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Pallas

Member
Love the OT, I’m happy that Switch owners can enjoy this game! I haven’t even finish it completely myself, I’m working on the DLC.
 

Komatsu

Member
I played it briefly a couple days ago. Frame rate was steady, even in Novigrad. Love to play this on the go. That said, Kaer Morhen and the Bog are incredibly ugly with the lowres textures and simplified meshes.
 

Spukc

always chasing the next thrill
I am playing the game now.
It looks unreal on the lite
How they pulled this off?
Amazing
 

GIANKKO

Neo Member
i was looking for some videos on the Tube and i've found this




the visual is a lot clearer than what i've seen around....someone with a 4k tv can confirm?
i mean if it's so clear i could buy it now, cause i prefer to play in front of my tv.
 

IbizaPocholo

NeoGAFs Kent Brockman
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i was looking for some videos on the Tube and i've found this




the visual is a lot clearer than what i've seen around....someone with a 4k tv can confirm?
i mean if it's so clear i could buy it now, cause i prefer to play in front of my tv.

I made the plunge and got the game. I played on a 24 inch monitor (the same one I played the game on for PC) for about an hour and it doesn't exactly look great docked. The lower quality textures really jump out. On the other hand, portable looks pretty good, the small screen hides a lot of the blemishes.
 
Hackers already found a hidden menu that allows for more processing toggles beyond just motion blur.


Looks way better with AA turned off. Take those jaggies over the Vaseline.

Edit: Here's a better visual break down of the discovered hidden settings.


And the first 45 minutes of the game with it turned off.
 
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RaptorGTA

Member
Great OT! Funny, when this was first announced I had no plans on getting it. PLayed the game on the PS4 when it first came out. Got about halfway through the game before stopping. Loved the game but didnt have time to play it.

Here I am owning it and to be honest this is amazing. Yea visuals aren't perfect, but gameplay, music, and atmosphere are all here. Loving every second of it!
 

Weilthain

Banned
I bought this a few hours ago I am downloading now will report back with my impressions coming from pc and PS4 triple dipper.
 

jshackles

Gentlemen, we can rebuild it. We have the capability to make the world's first enhanced store. Steam will be that store. Better than it was before.
I love how the game's RomFS mirrors the PC version.

People with hacked Switches are doing some awesome stuff like replacing the downsampled audio, migrating their PC saves, and installing PC mods.
 
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Romulus

Member
Holy shit, this is really the only way to play this on Switch. It goes from god awful blurry to acceptable.

Timestamped

 
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Weilthain

Banned
It’s pretty blurry in handheld mode yet looks fantastic. The text is clear and the frame rate is great!

Ive played from the beginning about 3 times and was really happy to see I could start from the expansions. The main story is completed already but the side quests remain.

this is amazing port of an incredible game!
 

-Arcadia-

Banned
i was looking for some videos on the Tube and i've found this




the visual is a lot clearer than what i've seen around....someone with a 4k tv can confirm?
i mean if it's so clear i could buy it now, cause i prefer to play in front of my tv.


Just as a general thing, games look really nice when a TV or screen is being filmed, as the image quality blemishes and such are generally hidden. It’s misled me a lot of times at trade shows. I wouldn’t take that to be an accurate representation of what you’ll see on your TV screen.
 

GIANKKO

Neo Member
Just as a general thing, games look really nice when a TV or screen is being filmed, as the image quality blemishes and such are generally hidden. It’s misled me a lot of times at trade shows. I wouldn’t take that to be an accurate representation of what you’ll see on your TV screen.
probably you're right...but it can hide aliasing or jaggies in general not the blur.
I don't know what to do really. to buy or not to buy... :D i play for 90% in dock.
 

-Arcadia-

Banned
Double dipped, Switch Lite only here, as my original unit needs a repair. All impressions from the beginning of the game.

This is cool on the Switch. Looking past Geralt into the environments, there is a pervasive slight blur to the game, but one that I found acceptable. If you want to enjoy these surroundings in crystal clear image quality, this isn’t the version for you, but that said, it does retain the beauty and feel of the world, right down to watching the gorgeous forests sway in the wind.

I disagree though, with DF, that this is some kind of technical showpiece. Behind the scenes? Absolutely. That it even runs, let alone well, is quite something. Looking at the screen itself? It doesn’t hold up to simpler, yet mostly pristine games like Breath of the Wild, nor the other versions of the game.

This version is more about taking the fun and atmospheric world of the Witcher on the go, or to a new audience, with an adequate level of visual performance. If that sounds fun for you, this is your version.
 

-Arcadia-

Banned
You know, the more I play, I’m changing my mind on that showpiece/holding up to the other versions thing. It really is remarkable how much the visuals were preserved in this port, from watching the detail in the faces, to simply enjoying a beautiful, atmospheric stroll through the woods at night.
 

Weilthain

Banned
Booted it up Max out on pc for a laugh next to the switch. I’m going crazy I like the switch version better it looks like a video game. Pc looks like 48fps hobbit films now
 

-Arcadia-

Banned
I've gotten a good way into this now, and I'm having a great time. Although my criticisms from the PS4 version stand (I don't think the gameplay is anything special), the worldbuilding, story, and feeling of being on an adventure, certainly are special and elevate the entire package.

People get antagonistic over this on Gaf, but it really does feel well suited for handheld. I love jumping into the game to take care of a few quests, or go on a little adventure, and the depth of the game is more digestible when you're not doing multi-hour stints in front of a TV, and you have a more pick-up-and-play feel.

It also really hasn't stopped impressing me that The Witcher 3 is on a handheld as small as the Lite, and looks, feels, and acts like The Witcher 3 in every regard even with the visual dialbacks needed to make this happen.

One of the most impressive ports ever.
 
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Jooxed

Gold Member
This game is a lot of fun to play on my lite. I haven't tried it on my docked switch yet but it has been nice to just pick up and set down
 

BouncyFrag

Member
For those worried about not getting the same experience found on the other gaming platforms, I give you this:
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Roach...Roach never changes.

I’ve made my way to Skelliga and the game’s open world is looking much better than the mainland thanks to less foliage and the rocky terrain looks really good. I’ve been playing in portable mode.
 
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PocoJoe

Banned
i was looking for some videos on the Tube and i've found this




the visual is a lot clearer than what i've seen around....someone with a 4k tv can confirm?
i mean if it's so clear i could buy it now, cause i prefer to play in front of my tv.


I borrowed it for few days and I would say it is almost unplayable, not because framerate but because it is just ruins the world and atmosphere.

At least if you have played it on ps4, it just makes me sad to see those areas with too much of uglyness.

But if one doesnt get bothered by this, then it is good.

Also switch controls + ergonomy on portable mode are so shitty (vs DS4+tv) that it were a problem.

Too bad Nintendo cheaped out with using slow ass tegra instead of something custom, this could have been an epic port with more perf
 

DESTROYA

Member
I borrowed it for few days and I would say it is almost unplayable, not because framerate but because it is just ruins the world and atmosphere.

At least if you have played it on ps4, it just makes me sad to see those areas with too much of uglyness.

But if one doesnt get bothered by this, then it is good.

Also switch controls + ergonomy on portable mode are so shitty (vs DS4+tv) that it were a problem.

Too bad Nintendo cheaped out with using slow ass tegra instead of something custom, this could have been an epic port with more perf
Your nitpicking with the too much ugliness , it looks fine and plays much better than expected.
Comparing it the PS4 version is just silly knowing some sacrifices had to be made, I’m having fun playing the game and you really don’t have to make too many compromises.
 

Jooxed

Gold Member
Your nitpicking with the too much ugliness , it looks fine and plays much better than expected.
Comparing it the PS4 version is just silly knowing some sacrifices had to be made, I’m having fun playing the game and you really don’t have to make too many compromises.

Yeah im not really sure what people were expecting given the hardware its running on. Though I will say it looks far better on my smaller Switch lite screen
 

BadSector

Banned
If you have a modded Switch, there's a mod, which puts "back" some of the PC (or PC-like) visual effects. Especially the Sharpness setting maxed out will make a big difference on the tablet mode, but there are 7 other settings, which were probably taken out prior to release. Can't really understand why, as the framerate isn't worse, in fact, it somewhat seems to be faster. The game is still butt ugly on a 4K TV in docked mode, but hey, who plays Witcher 3 Switch on TV anyway? :) It's for portable gameplay, and with the said mod it's almost flawless. It's also incredibly addicting to play it on the go, especially for a fan, like me. :) More info: https://wccftech.com/the-witcher-3-nintendo-switch-mod-graphics-options/ https://gbatemp.net/threads/the-witcher-3-enhanced-settings-mod.549937/
 
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Looking forward to trying this out when the patch hits NA. I will definitely be disabling AA and pushing up the sharpening. The game runs pretty well and looks very good for a switch game but, whatever temporal anti aliasing they use really can smudge up the picture sometimes - other times it looks fine, but it can be distracting.
 

Jooxed

Gold Member
Looking forward to trying this out when the patch hits NA. I will definitely be disabling AA and pushing up the sharpening. The game runs pretty well and looks very good for a switch game but, whatever temporal anti aliasing they use really can smudge up the picture sometimes - other times it looks fine, but it can be distracting.

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HD St.

Neo Member


Patch is live in EU and NA


Update 3.6 — list of changes:

  • Added touch control support.
  • Added save file integration with GOG, Steam and versions of the game for Switch from different regions.
  • Added more text languages (in selected regions).
  • Added more graphical options.
  • Added multiple performance optimizations.
  • Fixed various visual and functional bugs.
  • Various gameplay and crash fixes.
While transferring saves from PC, please keep in mind:

  • Mod-related bugs and blockers might get transferred from a modded PC game save file.
  • If the save file name has been changed on PC, the Switch’s Cloud Save feature won't be able to recognize it.
 

Jooxed

Gold Member


Patch is live in EU and NA


Update 3.6 — list of changes:

  • Added touch control support.
  • Added save file integration with GOG, Steam and versions of the game for Switch from different regions.
  • Added more text languages (in selected regions).
  • Added more graphical options.
  • Added multiple performance optimizations.
  • Fixed various visual and functional bugs.
  • Various gameplay and crash fixes.
While transferring saves from PC, please keep in mind:

  • Mod-related bugs and blockers might get transferred from a modded PC game save file.
  • If the save file name has been changed on PC, the Switch’s Cloud Save feature won't be able to recognize it.


Damn looks like AA off and Sharpening High is the way to go.
 
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