Since the very beginning of The Witcher development process we’ve always aimed at one thing – creating a game that would join all the RPG elements, but in a most modern and innovative way possible. One of such elements definitely is combat. We have wanted to make combat in The Witcher to look amazing, yet remain realistic... simply extraordinary. We have wanted it to fulfill the requirements of most advanced players, yet at the same time not to discourage the beginners with hard-to-master controls.

Designing of controls was one of the first big challenges. After numerous discussions and trials we finally decided to give to the players a system with highest possible level of customization. Hence, more advanced players will be able to control the game via mouse and keyboard, as well as use predefined keyboard shortcuts. The ones who never played RPGs or action games before can easily control the game by means of mouse only, so no troubles with game control should occur. During this year’s E3 majority of visitors to our booth, both journalists and developers claimed that our game had the best and most intuitive control system ever created for and RPG. It turned out the time we’d spent consulting each other (or even quarrelling)  was not entirely wasted.

Another equally important challenge was to design involving and dynamic mouse-controlled combat. The mouse, as we know, has two buttons, thus it was our aim for both of them to be used to control all actions in The Witcher. Our Chief Designer – Michał Madej suggested that the witcher should each time perform a sequence of attacks. This is how the idea of  ‘combat rhythm’ came into being. The first click by the player on the opponent triggers a phase of sequential attacks. Next step is for the player to keep clicking in the right moment (at the end of previous hit) – causing the witcher to cause even more damage. This way a certain kind of combo is created. Everybody liked the idea so much that is was instantaneously introduced as the basis for entire combat system of the game.   

Initially, the Witcher was supposed to gain more and more advanced types of attacks enabling the players co construct their own combos. Eventually, however, after numerous tests and never-ending discussions the idea was disposed of in favor of pre-defined sequential attacks grouped into three different combat styles: Powerful, Fast and Group. Each of the styles is more effective against certain types of enemies. The Powerful one causes the biggest damage, but the hits are slow – it checks out best against huge, heavily armored and slow opponents. The Fast style is a complete opposition of the Powerful one. The hits are swift and are most efficient when fighting lightly armored and agile enemies. The Group style lets the witcher cause damage to all opponents around, yet it causes the least damage of all three modes. It comes in handy when fighting against large groups of relatively weak enemies. During the game the player is allowed to dynamically switch between the modes and base his tactics on the actual set of his choices. But even different combat styles, acquiring new kinds of attacks along the character development and over 250 special skills were not enough for us. We wanted the mouse to work for the player at the peak of its potential.

Hence... the spells cast during the fight – The Witcher Signs. Players will be able to use them simply by clicking the right mouse button. There are five witcher signs available: a demolishing Aard allowing to knock the enemies down, Igni allowing to set the enemies on fire, a protective magic shield – Quen, a telekinetic Axii and Yrden – a magic trap. Each of the signs can be modified in various ways along with the character development. Combining the signs and combat elements resulted in numerous interesting effects and a range of tactical possibilities, yet...  we were still not entirely satisfied.

It was then that we decided to increase the realism. We decided to design in a way that would make the witcher to always face the enemy he’s fighting. The situations in which the character has the enemy behind his back and calmly awaits a backstab is impossible to imagine. The player may easily switch between the opponents by simply clicking on them. This allows us to create the sense of realism unseen in any RPG released so far. Additionally, we came into idea of increasing the dynamism of combat and character control. We added the ability to dodge achievable simply by double-clicking the left mouse button on the ground. It allows player to avoid forceful blows by strong enemies, take position during the fight and flank the opponents. This option too resulted in the increase of the range of tactical combat features, and guess what... this was not enough... even though the mouse had no more buttons.

Another step was to introduce a range of coup de grâce hits. We decided to introduce a spectacular range of say... finishing hits performed on the knocked-down or stunned enemies. A simple click on such an opponent (similar to the attack click) will cause the Witcher to perform a special action – behead the enemy, disembowel him, crush his skull, break his neck, slit his throat etc.   There are over a dozen of special coup de grâce hits, some of them ‘designed’ specially for monsters, other for people. During the tests we noticed that introduction of such hits largely increases the pleasure of gameplay and playability... though, perhaps this might stem from part of the crew’s inborn proclivity for sadistic behaviors :) 

Willing to add even more, we decided to introduce a series of special attacks – one for each combat style and one within each magic sign. And there it is... holding left or right mouse button causes the Witcher to perform a special attack or cast a more powerful version of Sign spell. He is thus able to disarm his enemies or stun all opponents that surround him. However, preparation of such special attack or Sign requires some time, making the character vulnerable. Each of special attacks bring about a different outcome – resulting again in the increase of tactical opportunities.

Another milestone as far as combat system was concerned, was our co-operation with professional swordsmen and fencing specialists of the Polish Stunt Academy – Paweł Pliszka  the choreography coordinator, Maciek Kwiatkowski – the double for The Witcher and Paweł Jabłoński – the double for all opponents. Their work was additionally supervised by our Head of Art – Adam Badowski and Chief Animator – Kamil Kozłowski who oversaw the visual aspect of combat sequences. I myself indulged myself in overseeing the gameplay aspect of the duels. We spent lots and lots of time with the guys from Stunt Academy. A month-long training session cost us all a lot of sweat and even blood. During this year’s E3 we presented a short video presenting our sessions – the movie can also be downloaded from www.thewitcher.com. The Stunt Academy guys really gave their best – in their work realism and a true hell on wheels. I dare say they worked out a style that can easily be called the witcher style that interweaves elements of Medieval swordsmanship, Aikido and many other martial arts. Having spent over 900 hours on preparing the choreography we all went to France to mo-cap approximately 200 various animation sequences used in the game combat system. A short movie depicting this event is also available on the Internet. With the mo-caps done the Art Department crew: Kamil Kozłowski, Piotrek Chomiak and Adam Badowski spent another dozens of hours transferring and polishing each and every animated sequence. To be honest, they are still working on them, still... what we want are combat sequences never seen before in RPG games.

In my short review of the combat system I haven’t mentioned one huge part of it – that is pre-combat preparations. Let me just say we have alchemy – so enabling the player to brew witcher elixirs, elixirs unlike in any other RPG game. We have modified weapons, we have allies with whom we’re able to co-operate much more effectively than in other RPGs. Even though the combat system has almost been completed and gives nearly limitless range of possibilities, we’re still working on it and keep implementing each and every interesting idea we get while thumbing through the books by Andrzej Sapkowski.  At the moment we’re polishing the arrow bouncing system implemented right before the E3. Soon we’re beginning introduction of further enhancements in opponents’ attacks and tactics they use during combat. OK, that’s enough for now, it’s high time I got back to work.