Let me just say you're in minority when it comes to the combat in witcher 1, but okay.

First of all you're suppose to use alchemy.... why? Because these devs made the game very similar to the witcher lore (books), you can't fight monsters without the proper oil or potions.. just like in the books.

What you're doing right now is complaining about something that's intentional. You're suppose to use potions/oil to fight monsters.

It's like using a steel sword towards a fleder and asking why they hell you can't penetrate their skin....

Please... there's nothing "masochist" about this game noir it's difficulty. I love hardcore games which are like "SHIT THE NEXT THING MIGHT JUST HIT ME, IF I DON*T PULL MY SELF TOGETHER", this is not one of those.

I'm playing this game on hard, and all of the issues you've talked about are very trivial.

You know this problem is easily sovled, the devs could just add VERY EASY in their next patch.

You want really hard games yet rewarding?

NINJA GAIDEN <---- or ----> Demons Souls

i only want a active block system to make me have more control over fighting more enemies.

using an auto block using a key that only works a few times is NOT the way to go about blocking.

IMHO a active block would make the system a million times better because you can take on many players without having to retreat but you will have to be smart and use what you have.

So as I said, as I upgraded the combat became quite fun. Still that's not a solution. The first half of the games' combat is too frustrating to be enjoyable.

The game is nice, cmon, CD Project make it even better!

I actually think that just making some sort of program to open up the game packages (the script one at that) would be enough. Then we could tweak the combat to our liking ourselves. Not much to do really, just an SDK or something. Witcher 1 had it.

Apparently the one's who likes a challenge and enjoys the combat of witcher 2 is now a "kid".


checklist:

I'm an adult, over 30 years old
I love oldschool rpgs
I love games that gives you a fair challenge
I absolutely despise medicrocity in games and in life
I love witchers 2 combat
I'm playing on hard

Actually you have more control...

For instance, the quick menu does not require you to click the sign(when using a controller) and there are not very many controls in the game . The game is defiantly more fluid with it.

Until you throw your controller in frustration during the tedious and broken Letho fight, and then find out that the XBOX controller is not user-serviceable. Then you have no control at all.

The more I think about it the more I think a primary problem is the auto-targeting system. Or an any-targeting system. Compare TW2 to Risen. Risen has very similar gameplay but doesn't have an auto-targeting system since it uses true mouselook, it depends on the player having a high precision accuracy to interact with the desired object. When you swing your sword, you don't swing your sword at a target, you just swing it and whatever it hits, it hits.

This is also a big difference for targeting chests or bags to loot or not accidently igni torches in dungeons while trying to hit a guard ( *grumble ).

To improve combat for mouse & keyboard users, drop the targeting system, give me strafing, true mouselook, a hotkey bar for signs & items and allow me to zoom out ( at least a little if not overhead like in TW1 ).

For me, difficulty has little to do with it. A lot of good examples of very difficult games which were still fun have been named in this thread. My main complaint is that certain things simply don't work well. Generally unresponsive controls and some really bizarre behaviors aren't a matter of difficulty setting, they're just lousy design.

Getting trampled repeatedly on the bridge not because of failing QTEs but because Geralt inexplicably refuses to run straight is not fun. Pulling off a cool finishing move only to realize that every enemy in the area has magically teleported up your arse is not fun. Attacking an enemy some distance away only to watch Geralt sit still and casually wave his sword like he's forgotten which is the pointy end is not fun.

I hear people saying that once you level up a bit things get better, but that doesn't change the fact that low level combat is more about working around silly design flaws than it is learning game mechanics.

What's your FPS ? I don't feel any lag, the game is very responsive. I used to when my FPS was low, but not anymore.

I Would've liked to have had some additional keys for STRAFING.

FPS is between 30-40 outdoors, that's definitely not the problem.
Sometimes I'll try to perform an action and nothing will happen, especially after blocking. Geralt will just sit in his idle animation while I press the attack button or try to dodgeroll away from a second attacker. I thought it was just uninterruptible animations at first, which wouldn't have been an issue (speaking as a Monster Hunter fan here) but it's so inconsistent I have a hard time believing that's the case.

Are you sure your not just out of vigor?

vigour is the worst system for the blocking.... it just does not feel right

i either want a active blocking system (preferred for me)

or a bar just for blocking that when it runs out you become defenceless.

I'll be uninstalling this until they significantly patch. This game is beautiful, but everything gameplay-wise is ungainly and frustrating: Navigation, combat, looting, taking potions, you name it. Geralt dies if a mosquito lands on his arm. The constant clickityclickity with unresponsive controls is maddening.

Really disappointed.

I think The combat, its VERY BAD... you should improve this on patches, because, gerald its suppoused to be a fantastic swordsman and he looks laike and idiot with a sword, running like acoward around enemies, rolling to their weapons....etc

Combat is so slow, its good to see more realistic animations but its more slow than normal, geralt can only roll to evade atacks?, thats prety dumb,blocking cost mana?? another joke... and he cant focuse his atention on batle, i mean he is running al the fuckn time!, he dosent adopt combat moves circle around his enemies... he only runs like an idiot.

No no no no no.... cobat just sucks in this game really, it sucks completely, its isnt fun, its just frustrating, we have an idiot geralt fighting with 10 monsters that can do tons of damage each one and are more competitive fighters than him... this sucks