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Witcher 2 got pushed out for Linux few days ago and I decided it would be wise to cover this ASAP considering how big this release is and how much conversation there has been about its performance. So, let's start it up and check what's inside!
The Witcher 2, as you may already know, is an action RPG developed by CD Projekt RED with Linux version handled by Virtual Programming. In it you play as the witcher, genetically enhanced monster slayer, Geralt of Rivia who has gotten himself into a tricky situation after getting framed for killing his king Foltest. Now his mission is to track down the real assassin and clean his reputation.
Sadly this “port” wasn't a very good one. Like the Mac version, this one uses Virtual Programming's wrapper called eON, which ties the Windows libraries together and interprets the game for other operating systems. This would in my opinion be completely fine but sadly eON doesn't really cut it for this game. The performance is bad overall with low framerates and the game has a tendency to crash occasionally.
The game itself is really good. It's pretty, the combat is complex and requires plenty of skill and the story seems rather nice too. The RPG elements aren't exactly clear, as three of the four skill trees are locked at least for the first few hours of gameplay, but this doesn't decrease the enjoyability.
However, regardless of how good the base game is, the wrapper is quite bad. Some people are reporting decent performance, but personally the performance hasn't been too stellar. With my GTX 760 and Intel i5 2500k it's playable but I definitely expected more. Others are having even more problems than I am and for example our beloved Liam can only make the game run at 10 FPS, which is absolutely unplayable. In addition to that the developers are discouraging AMD and Intel graphics users from playing it, as the game not officially supported on them.
So all in all, I would suggest that you wait for them to release updates and performance fixes before buying it, as it's in a quite horrible state for many people at the moment.
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
The Witcher 2, as you may already know, is an action RPG developed by CD Projekt RED with Linux version handled by Virtual Programming. In it you play as the witcher, genetically enhanced monster slayer, Geralt of Rivia who has gotten himself into a tricky situation after getting framed for killing his king Foltest. Now his mission is to track down the real assassin and clean his reputation.
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Sadly this “port” wasn't a very good one. Like the Mac version, this one uses Virtual Programming's wrapper called eON, which ties the Windows libraries together and interprets the game for other operating systems. This would in my opinion be completely fine but sadly eON doesn't really cut it for this game. The performance is bad overall with low framerates and the game has a tendency to crash occasionally.
The game itself is really good. It's pretty, the combat is complex and requires plenty of skill and the story seems rather nice too. The RPG elements aren't exactly clear, as three of the four skill trees are locked at least for the first few hours of gameplay, but this doesn't decrease the enjoyability.
However, regardless of how good the base game is, the wrapper is quite bad. Some people are reporting decent performance, but personally the performance hasn't been too stellar. With my GTX 760 and Intel i5 2500k it's playable but I definitely expected more. Others are having even more problems than I am and for example our beloved Liam can only make the game run at 10 FPS, which is absolutely unplayable. In addition to that the developers are discouraging AMD and Intel graphics users from playing it, as the game not officially supported on them.
So all in all, I would suggest that you wait for them to release updates and performance fixes before buying it, as it's in a quite horrible state for many people at the moment.
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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I bought the Steam version to reward CDPR bringing it to Linux (already had the game on GOG), but its performance is significantly worse than running the Windows version in CrossOver :/ Given its age I don't really mind that they've used a wrapper, but I was expecting it to at least match Wine in performance and stability.
BTW if anyone didn't know this already you can use the key that Steam gives you to get a DRM-free copy of the game on GOG (Windows & Mac only for now, but GOG will be introducing Linux support later this year): http://www.gog.com/witcher/backup
BTW if anyone didn't know this already you can use the key that Steam gives you to get a DRM-free copy of the game on GOG (Windows & Mac only for now, but GOG will be introducing Linux support later this year): http://www.gog.com/witcher/backup
2 Likes, Who?
The performance on Windows was already bad and my PC is slightly old. Hope they solve the issues soon.
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Well.
I didn't expect CDPR to release this game on Linux.
So, even if it is not native, I thank them.
It's comprehensive that they didn't release a full port of an old game given the resources they have , the titanic task that reprogram a legacy hard tailored D3D application is and the lack of time they have now with The Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2070.
But ... it would be not so good if they repeat this with W3 and CP 2070.
No. If they really want to support Linux, the best thing they should do is make a native RED Engine 3 port to OpenGL / Linux, even if it mean a release delay.
I didn't expect CDPR to release this game on Linux.
So, even if it is not native, I thank them.
It's comprehensive that they didn't release a full port of an old game given the resources they have , the titanic task that reprogram a legacy hard tailored D3D application is and the lack of time they have now with The Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2070.
But ... it would be not so good if they repeat this with W3 and CP 2070.
No. If they really want to support Linux, the best thing they should do is make a native RED Engine 3 port to OpenGL / Linux, even if it mean a release delay.
3 Likes, Who?
I just upgraded to an AMD FX 8320 (8 cores) with a GTX460. It runs decent enough, but a native version would be much better. Sadly, I don't think they will make a native version. :(
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AMD released the new Catalyst drivers to fix game performance yesterday (on day one!), but I haven't tried it.
1 Likes, Who?
I tried to install GOG version on Wine but it stalls at 1/3 of the installation...
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I have to say that I have not really experienced issues with the game, so it might just be on some cards and some drivers that the performance is bad. I'm using a GTX 750 ti with the 334.21 drivers and it works pretty well on nearly maximum settings.
The game itself on the other hand (so far) has really not been that great. I love RPGs, but the first hour or so of playing (as far as I got) just feels like I'm taking orders from and being talked down to by a game that's pointlessly over-complicated. Comparing this to the Elder Scrolls game (closest comparison I can make), the UI, skills, combat, tech trees, etc. are just cumbersome and get in the way of the game as you're constantly pausing and navigating through counter-intuitive menus with different features that don't really need to be there. So far there has been nothing "fun" about this game, it has just felt like the developers are testing me like some snarky overweight PC gamer with a £1000 rig trying to prove a point about how they are so much more superior than us mere mortals. Don't think I'll bother playing this until I have a bit more patience.
The game itself on the other hand (so far) has really not been that great. I love RPGs, but the first hour or so of playing (as far as I got) just feels like I'm taking orders from and being talked down to by a game that's pointlessly over-complicated. Comparing this to the Elder Scrolls game (closest comparison I can make), the UI, skills, combat, tech trees, etc. are just cumbersome and get in the way of the game as you're constantly pausing and navigating through counter-intuitive menus with different features that don't really need to be there. So far there has been nothing "fun" about this game, it has just felt like the developers are testing me like some snarky overweight PC gamer with a £1000 rig trying to prove a point about how they are so much more superior than us mere mortals. Don't think I'll bother playing this until I have a bit more patience.
1 Likes, Who?
I tried to install GOG version on Wine but it stalls at 1/3 of the installation...
Try running the installer with the /nogui option
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I have to say that I have not really experienced issues with the game, so it might just be on some cards and some drivers that the performance is bad. I'm using a GTX 750 ti with the 334.21 drivers and it works pretty well on nearly maximum settings.The UI was quite confusing, I agree. So far it has done its job though and I more or less understand everything necessary, so I am not complaining too much about that. I might complain more if I weren't so starved for RPGs at the moment though. :P
The game itself on the other hand (so far) has really not been that great. I love RPGs, but the first hour or so of playing (as far as I got) just feels like I'm taking orders from and being talked down to by a game that's pointlessly over-complicated. Comparing this to the Elder Scrolls game (closest comparison I can make), the UI, skills, combat, tech trees, etc. are just cumbersome and get in the way of the game as you're constantly pausing and navigating through counter-intuitive menus with different features that don't really need to be there. So far there has been nothing "fun" about this game, it has just felt like the developers are testing me like some snarky overweight PC gamer with a £1000 rig trying to prove a point about how they are so much more superior than us mere mortals. Don't think I'll bother playing this until I have a bit more patience.
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It works pretty fine on my GTX760 and game haven't crashed for me. But yeah same problem form me as for the first Witcher game it feels so boring and overly complicated :(
1 Likes, Who?
Linux Mint 17, Geforce GTX660, FX8350, 12GB of ram, newest driver and it's about 2x the speed on Windows :/
There is a topic on the Steam forum of the game dedicated to fixing those issues, I really hope the port gets better. I can understand it being slower, since making (fully) native game is probably pricey, but where it's at now is just going too far.
There is a topic on the Steam forum of the game dedicated to fixing those issues, I really hope the port gets better. I can understand it being slower, since making (fully) native game is probably pricey, but where it's at now is just going too far.
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To be honest, the biggest complaint I have with the game is the incomprehensible naming of the spells. "Igni" I kinda get, but outside the tutorial there's nothing that actually tells you what each of them does. It's very confusing.
As to performance, works fine for me on a 4-year old system with an nVidia GTX750ti in it running on high graphics setting.
As to performance, works fine for me on a 4-year old system with an nVidia GTX750ti in it running on high graphics setting.
1 Likes, Who?
Lordpkappa May 24, 2014
Sure a native version it's the best solution.
But, as i said in the other post, the performance on my ring are good (i7 3770 and GTX770 on Ubuntu 14.04) and i see in others forum user with good results too, after proper setting the game.
But, as i said in the other post, the performance on my ring are good (i7 3770 and GTX770 on Ubuntu 14.04) and i see in others forum user with good results too, after proper setting the game.
1 Likes, Who?
I really wish have my money back :><::><::><:
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I have to say that I have not really experienced issues with the game, so it might just be on some cards and some drivers that the performance is bad. I'm using a GTX 750 ti with the 334.21 drivers and it works pretty well on nearly maximum settings.
The game itself on the other hand (so far) has really not been that great. I love RPGs, but the first hour or so of playing (as far as I got) just feels like I'm taking orders from and being talked down to by a game that's pointlessly over-complicated. Comparing this to the Elder Scrolls game (closest comparison I can make), the UI, skills, combat, tech trees, etc. are just cumbersome and get in the way of the game as you're constantly pausing and navigating through counter-intuitive menus with different features that don't really need to be there. So far there has been nothing "fun" about this game, it has just felt like the developers are testing me like some snarky overweight PC gamer with a £1000 rig trying to prove a point about how they are so much more superior than us mere mortals. Don't think I'll bother playing this until I have a bit more patience.
I got to be honest, I enjoyed this game (played it a few months ago) a lot more then Skyrim. I started playing Skyrim and it was all fine, then I started getting bored with the story so I just explored the world, did that for about 30 hours, it was quite fun but eventually I got bored and decided to go back to the main story, however the characters were so shallow I just couldn't bare it, none of them had anything memorable about them, it feels like they could be put in any other rpg ever created and they would fit in just as much. The only one I recall is Delphi, because her name was mentioned a lot, that's it.
While Witcher 2 doesn't have an open world, it does offer good characters, atmosphere, and story (which changes depending on your decisions)which drew me in. I didn't really mind the whole menu system, because all you got to do is use quen, then you're all set (unfortunately the combat system could use a redesign, you don't have to use like 80% of the stuff it offers, it's overly ambitious).
In the end I played Skyrim for longer, but I had more quality time on Witcher 2.
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Works fine here, once I installed mesa-git. But damn! this game is long. 20 hours in, no even half done.
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To be honest, the biggest complaint I have with the game is the incomprehensible naming of the spells. "Igni" I kinda get, but outside the tutorial there's nothing that actually tells you what each of them does. It's very confusing.
As to performance, works fine for me on a 4-year old system with an nVidia GTX750ti in it running on high graphics setting.
Spells' names (called "signs" ) don't come from the game, but originate from the Witcher books on which the settings of the games are based. I agree that they could do some better job of explaining their meaning (the tutorial info is available in your journal by the way at any time later in the game).
If you want more in depth review, see: http://witcher.gamepedia.com/Signs
About comparing to Elder Scrolls - I can't even compare. Witcher games are true masterpieces of adventure/RPG genre. Elder Scrolls games (the latest ones) are much weaker on the depth of the story and consequences of one's actions. They are more about exploration than about being an adventure/RPG. Morrowind was probably the best game in those series if you value the roleplaying aspects.
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Hopefully they will continue working on the port, so everyone(atleast most) can get it working properly. I also hope this means we will get witcher 3 and hopefully that is native.
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Lordpkappa May 25, 2014
Hopefully they will continue working on the port, so everyone(atleast most) can get it working properly. I also hope this means we will get witcher 3 and hopefully that is native.
I think that with the first update we will see more performance and stability for sure.
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BabaoWhisky May 25, 2014
Like someone said, TW2 use a wrapper because CDP works on Cyberpunk and TW3. But, i hope that these 2 games will have a "real" port on Linux.
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