Have another interview: http://clickonline.com/games/interview--maciej-szczesnik-%5Bthe-witcher-3-wild-hunt%5D/18544/
"MS: We’ve revamped combat completely and the finishers have also undergone major changes. Since we’ve tried to make fights more responsive and more realistic, we decided to portray the finishing moves within the combat choreography itself, rather than present them via separate cutscenes. This way we don’t break immersion and the finishers look even more spectacular."
"As you mentioned, QTEs are gone, but that doesn’t mean fist fights have met the same fate. In a way, they constitute an important, immersive part of the night life in the game world. Plus, mini-games are a good way of letting players take a short breather from questing, should they need one. We’ve replaced QTE mechanics in these fist fights with a new system, one that gives more control to the player. They will still be brutal and challenging, that’s for sure."
"Yes, Geralt will have new parry moves, counters and dodges at his disposal. Thanks to the 96 new combat sequences I mentioned, fights won’t come across as repetitive. Additionally, combat itself has been slightly slowed down, and in turn has become more tactical. Defense will play a crucial role during fights. You’ll now be able to block incoming attacks while moving - swing your sword, though, and you’ll create an opening for your opponent. Combat will thus require more planning and thinking."
"Players will be able to cast signs on mounted opponents - an Aard sign to knock someone out of his saddle or an Igni sign to wound him. As for horseback combat itself, we’re considering some options. It’s important to understand that mounted combat wouldn’t exactly be canonical with the source books - Geralt isn’t some sort of medieval knight in shining armor jousting in tournaments. Horses are his means of travel. Still, we’ll be able to offer more insight on that in the near future."
"Click: Are there any multiplayer plans for Wild Hunt? Assassins of Kings offered an arena mode, will this transform into a multiplayer option?
MS: Our focus is on making The Witcher 3 a breathtaking, unforgettable experience, a true storytelling gem among video games. Hard choices, morally gray characters - that’s what will make the next installment of Geralt’s story a truly great RPG. Any multiplayer features would only break the immersion we’ve worked so hard to achieve. That’s why The Witcher 3 will be a single-player experience only.
Click: When are you planning on showing off more Witcher 3: Wild Hunt gameplay footage next?
MS: What we’ve shown during E3 was a pre-alpha build and we were overwhelmed by the ecstatic feedback and numerous awards (over 50!) that followed; we still have a humongous amount of work ahead of us. That’s why you’ll have to be patient in waiting for the new footage.
Click: Can you confirm a release date? Or even a release period i.e. Q2 2014?
MS: The Witcher 3 will come out in 2014, period. We’re developing a game with a giant, open world and over 100 hours of gameplay - releasing it unpolished, just because we set a date earlier, would be an enormous waste."
More at the link including some Cyberpunk 2077 talk
@TheVoxelman on twitter
