I also try playing the "traditionalist" Witcher style, i.e. without using a crossbow, and it can be annoying with harpies. One tactic that works is to let them approach and then stun with Axii - they fall down after that. The only cases where I use crossbow are really drowners in the water, because nothing else works.

Last edited by Shmerl on 12 Dec 2019 at 6:34 am UTC

And you can find some "snowboarding" fun there, in half pipe style valleys, where sliding works from side to side back and forth.

…doing it Witcher style? :D

…doing it Witcher style? :D

Yeah, poor Geralt's boots ;)

harpies really fly high I wonder if they feed on goats what the heck do those monsters eat that up high.

An interesting mechanic with Axii is also turning wild animals into temporary pets that follow Geralt for the duration of the sign effect:


Trying to get to the mountain peak that hovers above the ruins of Fort Etnir


That's pretty tricky, especially approaching from the side of the fort.


Small sub-peak on the way up:


Next one (you can see it in the previous picture as higher up):


Getting closer to another sub-peak:


After reaching it:

view back:

Now to the top of the mountain:

Reaching the peak and... what?


View back to the fort:

The ship has some alchemical equipment. May be it's the result of some experiment gone bad?

The opposite slope of the mountain is much easier to traverse. I suspect it was intended as the way to get up there.

Last edited by Shmerl on 13 Dec 2019 at 6:08 am UTC

Find N differences...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1Dl8Im4yCA

maybe we should open a different thread, with the exception of Tomb Raider there's not much hollywood movies about games, that also happen to have native linux versions.

The series are actually about the books, not about the games. Games are unofficial sequels to the books.

Is this going to be like Watchmen, where you get a lot more out of the series if you've read the books?

Or is this going to be basically the book series as a Netflix series?

Is this going to be like Watchmen, where you get a lot more out of the series if you've read the books?

Or is this going to be basically the book series as a Netflix series?

Hard to say in this case, but in general, reading the books first helps appreciating the films more, at least to me. Same applied to the Witcher games by the way. I read all the books before playing them, so many references in them made sense, which I suspect would be a lot harder to notice or understand for those who didn't read the books. Creators usually try to introduce things gradually for newcomers, but it doesn't always work.

Last edited by Shmerl on 16 Dec 2019 at 10:46 pm UTC

I also try playing the "traditionalist" Witcher style, i.e. without using a crossbow, and it can be annoying with harpies. One tactic that works is to let them approach and then stun with Axii - they fall down after that. The only cases where I use crossbow are really drowners in the water, because nothing else works.

I love to try to attack them as they fly in for a nibble of Geralt. Cool when I get the timing just right and chop them to bits before they're able to break the shield/do damage. If one hit doesn't kill them, they'll often be left squirming on the ground, and sometimes Geralt will then do a special move kill by stabbing the sword through them on the ground. Fun to watch (but can cause issues with heaps of the buggers attacking at once, since Geralt is 'busy').

If that ship is what I think it is... keep playing.

Been a long time since I played now, but it looks like this is where I was trying to explore and climb some mountains too. Wasn't as successful as you, though. Kept getting nearly to some tops, and then Geralt would slide down the hill. And once he gets going, that's it really (in steep places). Sometimes it works to sideroll, but other times he will keep sliding all the way down.

It was fun to simply go around exploring, however (apart from the damn dogs/wolves that spawn every-bloody-where).

The idea was to complete my NG+ playthrough (and the expansions) when I got the computer upgraded, but that seems to have been indefinitely put off due to all the AMD driver issues (and non-sales). Recently I've played loads of RimWorld and then Stardew Valley, but kinda got jaded from both now -- so maybe I ought to go back to this game after all. Oh well, it's almost Witchmas, so I'll see in the new year.


Edit: Has the TV series actually started yet, or when does it start? I don't have Netflix, nor a TV.

Last edited by Pangaea on 17 Dec 2019 at 12:36 am UTC

If that ship is what I think it is... keep playing.

Yeah, I figured it could be a part of some quest I didn't yet get to.

Been a long time since I played now, but it looks like this is where I was trying to explore and climb some mountains too. Wasn't as successful as you, though. Kept getting nearly to some tops, and then Geralt would slide down the hill. And once he gets going, that's it really (in steep places). Sometimes it works to sideroll, but other times he will keep sliding all the way down.

Yeah, it took me many tries to get to the peak from that side and also taking a few detours on the side of the mountain - it wasn't a straight path. Sliding off was the common outcome :) One useful tactic is to run or jump/roll forward (shift + forward or shift + forward + space) and doing it again and spamming it as soon as you land, before sliding starts. It helps advancing where normal walking doesn't work. And sometimes Geralt also ends up grabbing something on the surface and pulling up.

The idea was to complete my NG+ playthrough (and the expansions) when I got the computer upgraded, but that seems to have been indefinitely put off due to all the AMD driver issues (and non-sales).

Hopefully there will be some winter sales still on the AMD hardware. Navi cards got pretty good already with kernel 5.5.

Has the TV series actually started yet, or when does it start? I don't have Netflix, nor a TV.

I think it's coming out on December 20th. And they usually release all episodes for the season at once.


Last edited by Shmerl on 17 Dec 2019 at 1:21 am UTC

Aye, that trick with rolling forward is something I've used too, thanks for reminding me. Sometimes it works and you can get to places you otherwise wouldn't have. Like if you keep trying that repeatedly and manage to stagger forward somehow.

Oh, out already this holiday then. Suppose "everybody" will binge it and I'll somehow be spoiled about major events by about December 21st :-/

I just hope this will be a good series. Not something half-arsed (first series?), or totally butchered like the latter half of Game of Thrones. It will be fun to watch it, I just hope they do the books justice. I think the games did, especially Witcher 1 and 3 (I'm not a huge fan of the second game, something was just "off").

Last edited by Pangaea on 17 Dec 2019 at 4:31 am UTC

Is this going to be like Watchmen, where you get a lot more out of the series if you've read the books?

Or is this going to be basically the book series as a Netflix series?

In general though, it's known that series will follow the books. The first season will be based on short stories books - The Last Wish and Sword of Destiny. Further seasons will be based on subsequent books - Blood of Elves, Time of Contempt, Baptism of Fire, The Tower of the Swallow and The Lady of the Lake.

Last edited by Shmerl on 17 Dec 2019 at 4:57 am UTC

I also try playing the "traditionalist" Witcher style, i.e. without using a crossbow, and it can be annoying with harpies. One tactic that works is to let them approach and then stun with Axii - they fall down after that. The only cases where I use crossbow are really drowners in the water, because nothing else works.

If that ship is what I think it is... keep playing.

Think it is. Yeah, keep playing. That was a fun one :D

Latest benchmark, including amdvlk which started working again:

Hardware: Ryzen 9 3900X, Sapphire Pulse RX 5700 XT, 2560x1440.

Kernel: 5.5-rc2.

amdvlk (117.8 fps)


radv/llvm (119.8 fps)


radv/aco (120 fps)


Last edited by Shmerl on 20 Dec 2019 at 2:16 am UTC

Interestingly, apparently Henry Cavill who is playing Geralt in the upcoming series, is a big fan of Witcher games and even played through TW3 several times.

Interestingly, apparently Henry Cavill who is playing Geralt in the upcoming series, is a big fan of Witcher games and even played through TW3 several times.

I knew it! Superman was tired of saving the world, so booted up his Linux box and runs wine to play Witcher 3!

Kernel panics are his kryptonite now!

Is this going to be like Watchmen, where you get a lot more out of the series if you've read the books?

Or is this going to be basically the book series as a Netflix series?

In general though, it's known that series will follow the books. The first season will be based on short stories books - The Last Wish and Sword of Destiny. Further seasons will be based on subsequent books - Blood of Elves, Time of Contempt, Baptism of Fire, The Tower of the Swallow and The Lady of the Lake.

Ha, seems I have a lot of reading ahead of me.

Ha, seems I have a lot of reading ahead of me.

Enjoy! The books are very good, though quality somewhat can depend on translation. Some are better than others from what I've heard.

I knew it! Superman was tired of saving the world, so booted up his Linux box and runs wine to play Witcher 3!

Kernel panics are his kryptonite now!

Some recent sources I've seen about it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFrQhBq0gL8
https://www.pcgamer.com/the-witchers-henry-cavill-just-wants-to-stay-home-and-play-games/

And this article answers your question about whether reading the books would help understand the series, sounds like it would!

https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2019-12-19/netflix-the-witcher-henry-cavill-lauren-schmidt-hissrich

“We don’t do a ‘previously on’ for our episodes, nor do I coddle audiences into understanding everything that’s come,” Hissrich says.

Last edited by Shmerl on 20 Dec 2019 at 5:40 am UTC

Enjoy! The books are very good, though quality somewhat can depend on translation. Some are better than others from what I've heard.

I liked the short stories most, followed by Season of Storms and the latter books of the series proper. Not sure if the writing or the translation is to blame, but the first books of the series came over as a bit bland (I read them in German). My copy of the short stories is from 2000 and doesn't even bother to list a translator, so no idea if it's the same who did the current editions, but I liked both the writing style and the twists and turns each story took.

Guess I might be watching the series in my upcoming vacation. Gotta dust off that old TV first, though ;-).

I liked the short stories most, followed by Season of Storms and the latter books of the series proper. Not sure if the writing or the translation is to blame, but the first books of the series came over as a bit bland (I read them in German). My copy of the short stories is from 2000 and doesn't even bother to list a translator, so no idea if it's the same who did the current editions, but I liked both the writing style and the twists and turns each story took.

Yep, short stories are my favorite part too!

Last edited by Shmerl on 20 Dec 2019 at 7:20 pm UTC

I finished the Netflix series. Fair warning to those who are planning to watch it. It is very non-linear and by the time it gets to the point where everything is together to move the story forward rather than feeling like it just explained what happened before, the series ends!

Basically, season 1 is all about building the character stories. I am sure some of it at least is mentioned in the games. But with the way they did it, it seems it adds some book lore and game lore into it for the first season,and my guess is season 2 will be after them.