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Originally Posted by fable  I cannot speak to The Witcher, but this neatly summarizes why I dislike cutscenes so much, and especially long cutscenes in games: they are a cheap way (creatively speaking) around the problem of building a coherent, detailed gaming RPG environment. They are not cheap when it comes to financial cost, however, and the money spent on them could in my opinion better be spent on game development, itself. |
To have another mechanism to convey story advancement like this is impossible given current technology and knowledge of the player.
Cut-scenes are a mechanic just akin to limiting dialogue options. So I do not see the issue with them, when they are used properly - as I feel they are in this game.
We must remember that CRPGs are not PnP, and are limited by the scope of artificial control, or rather control via proxy, via scripts and coding based on the developers idea of how the game will flow. I've yet seen a game interactive enough with a story compelling enough to allow the player free reins and not restrict him, lest there was a real life GM in control.
Interactivity in games will for many years be limited to what the developers what the player to achieve, meaning which direction they take through the "main" story of a game. You do not have the option to ask every person about everything you want.
Also The Witcher is more an interactive story, so cut-scenes actually do work quite well. You are The Witcher, and you play his story. You do not create your own character, name him what you want and "role play" that character, you roleplay The Witcher.