In one of the interviews you boasted to have collaborated wit members of a fencing (swordsmanship) guild while motion-capturing the combat sequences.

Indeed. A group of fascinating people. The only trouble is that swordsmen of such groups usually stick to the historical realties, trying to reconstruct the fencing techniques to look just as they did centuries ago. Styles they represent slightly lack pageantry. What is efficient is not always pretty. Hiring professional stunts proved far more effective. Their main task in everyday life it introducing visually stunning fights into movies, they’re at the same time learned of swordsmanship, masters of fencing. They were able to preserve the realties, but enhance them with the scenic effect... put emphasis on details that desirable in a computer game. We were aware of there being a Stunt Academy in Poland – a highly experienced one (with wide international acclaim). They proved to be masters of their trade – helped us achieve what we really wanted. We co-operated with several stuntmen supervised by a movie master choreographer. The sequences we had created abroad, in the studio were then reinserted into computer and are now available in the game. The result is astonishing.

What about the combat itself. Will it have more European style to it – like Arma, or perhaps something like eastern martial arts, e.g. Kenjitsu?

The opponents in the game use classic European combat styles. Geralt’s abilities have been worked out for the purpose of the game. They consist of a wide range of elements originating from different fencing techniques and together comprise an entirely new quality. I would not dare call it Aikido, Kenjitsu or Arma – it’s something new. The witcher combat style. We have taken advantage of virtually limitless possibilities offered by computers to create a desired effect. Thanks to our work it is quite obvious that The Witcher in not just a man, not just a classically trained warrior.

Since The Witcher is a monster slayer, perhaps you could share with us some information about the non-human enemies? I believe fans are counting on being able to face creatures so well described in Sapkowski’s works.

And they will have a chance to meet a number of monsters The Witcher faced in the novel. Additionally we’ve decided to introduce a number of monsters suggested by a certain key introduced into the literary original. Monsters born as a result of Plane Conjunction – abominations like ghouls, graveirs or vampires. Ones being result of gruesome curses and those led by the curses to leave their graves and avenge horrible crimes of the past. Add to that mutants and there you have it, quite a number. Various categories are characterized by certain common features, still they differ in combat style and tactics – both used and required to defeat them. We have always wanted to make combat as interesting as possible, not just a mindless killing frenzy. That is again where we’re trying to stick close to the books. While fighting Sthriga Geralt took advantage of his agility and strength, but also wisdom and general skill. He knew his enemy’s strengths and weaknesses, typical behaviors. The very knowledge of monsters’ behaviors, gradual getting to know it and the ability to use that knowledge will often play a prevailing role in the game. Take w vampire for example: you may of course kill it with a silver sword (though it might be quite tiresome a task), but why bother when you have garlic, a wooden stake and holy water – these will allow players to make everything quick and painless. Each of the monsters may be fought by means of brutal force, but only clever use of knowledge and tactics will make the fight really easy.

What about wounds and hit points? What use do you make of these? What about HP recovery?

Here again we decided to utilize a very original approach. The effectiveness of combat in The Witcher is not base solely on the damage taken or inflicted, but also on a thing I might call ‘critical effects’. Everyone with a slightest idea of combat as such knows that you do not have to turn your enemy into a bloody spot just to win the fight. Why not hit in a way that would stun them for a while, make it difficult for them to move or knock them down. Such a trick gives us immediate advantage. If we started choking, coughing and sneezing during the fight we would virtually be left at our opponent’s mercy but I do not believe any abstract Hit Points would apply. We’ve done our best to implement all of those aspects in our game. The blows bring about certain effects or chances that effects, like a stun or a temporary shock, will appear. Thus, the easiest way to win is to use temporary handicaps of our enemies. The player might of course try and change into a sword-based lawn mower :), but a simple blinding of one’s adversary might prove an easier path to end the fight up with one swift stroke. We do our best to avoid ridiculous situations so common in other games, where hitting even a paralyzed or stunned enemy becomes a problem. In The Witcher any such opponent is a potential candidate for having his throat slit. Ain’t that a much more effective way... and it gives much more realism to the combat.

Do the injury effects apply to The Witcher himself?

Naturally, though not to as great an extent. Geralt is generally less susceptible to such effects. He’s a trained beast slayer, a mutant and this itself gives him a deal of unquestionable advantage during combat, against majority of humans that is! Nonetheless, the opponents’ attacks may inflict some critical damage. Each blow carries along a certain level of pain. After receiving a hit the main character may be (for a second or two) find himself in shock (this is visible in the screen, the character staggers for a while in pain) – this may in consequence lead to a breach in hit sequence and abrupt decrease if combat efficiency. Threshold of pain can be increased, though. Yet, such increase will not fully eliminate the perception of pain. The very idea broadens the range of tactical tricks to be used in combat. Also the monsters’ attack will bring along certain threats like poisoning, temporary weakening... hence, fighting them will be hell of a challenge.