The ”size and density” of The Witcher 3 is flexing serious muscle, and Ziemak notes ”if there’s power to be used then why not use it all?” Still deciding on save game bonuses.
For those with saves from The Witcher 2, carrying over decisions to The Wither 3 will be a breeze to sort out - but Xbox 360 to Xbox One is another matter.
”At this point, we’re advanced in testing, running and experimenting with next-gen platforms, and at this point we know the game is pretty demanding. Of course, we still have the authorisation phase in front of us, but because of size and density, we are already close to maxing out the equipment,” admits Marek Ziemak in an interview with VG247.
”Of course, if we find more workforce in boxes, we will surely use it to make the game even better. I think others share the same opinion as us, if there’s power to be used then why not use it all?”
Ziemak isn’t quite clued in on how the talks with Microsoft are going over Xbox 360 save files. ”We’re looking for ways to allow people to load their save games from previous instalments and put them into Witcher 3. This isn’t problematic for PC as we’re in charge of that situation and control it fully. We’re investigating the possibilities of transfer between Xbox 360 and Xbox One, and if its possible, we will move ahead with that,” he continued.
BioWare faces a similar problem with Dragon Age: Inquisition, however their solution is a clever workaround by letting us define what choices were made at critical junctures throughout all previous Dragon Age games with something they call ’Dragon Age Keep’. This lets them avoid the cross-platform woes of carrying over saves.
”As for what to expect, players will be able to continue their progress, continue with the decisions made in storyline of The Witcher 2. They’ll also be able to collect some stuff from their inventory, such as gold, but we haven’t firmed up the full details yet. We’ll see. Things still need to fine-tuned and balanced,” added Ziemak.
It’s great to hear CD Projekt pulling out all the technical stops with The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, especially as its world is ”35x bigger than Witcher 2” with very different locations featured and no loading screens.
”We’re putting effort into creating unique elements in this world and producing various points of interest. We believe these things make a world more attractive and interesting. There are a few different kingdoms or relics you can visit as you travel through the game. All of them are connected and part of one coherent experience.”
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt releases on PC, Xbox One and PS4 in 2014.
