The Witcher Interview

The folks at Gaming Nexus have posted a two-page interview with CD Projekt's Michal Madej about their upcoming Aurora-powered RPG, The Witcher.
Q: Can you talk about the combat and magic systems in the game and they are different from the system gamers have seen in other RPG's?

A: In the process of designing the magic and combat systems, we followed two basic assumptions: fidelity to the book and accessibility for the gamer. We have based our work on simple and easy-to-grasp solutions instead of the hard-core mechanics from pen-and-paper RPGs, which are not always so intuitive. The combat allows the player to follow six styles three for each type of the sword (a witcher has got two swords: a silver and a steel one). You can have a fast steel sword, a quick steel sword, or a group steel sword. The same options are for silver swords. The gamer will use each of them, depending on the power and number of opponents; monster or human opponents also make a difference. In terms of magic you will find 5 witcher's signs, simple but very effective spells connected with five elements: Aard (telekinetic strike), Igni (fiery strike), Quen (protective shield), Axii (mind control) and Yrden (magic trap).