Why do we have this arbitrary 'you can only use a set number of your skills' crap?
The Witcher 2 did it right, with a progression system that was full, tactical and useful.... no arbitrary limit on what skills to use.

In the couple days I've been playing, this single crappy design element has been a MAJOR block on what skills I can pick and I can't see any good reason for it! :-(

There's nothing gained by a slot based skill system; it just hinders actual gameplay by preventing me from being versitile!
Do you have to pause your daily life to actively change what you are doing ? No!

Example: You are driving to the mall with your friend and having a conversation.
You are chatting, driving and examining anything interesting outside all at the same time.

Now with this same scenario in the TW3 world, you would have to stop driving and reacting to traffic to chat with your friend, then stop doing both those thing to check out that attractive girl going down the sidewalk.
And so on and so on.... It's just nonsensical!

My guy should be able to use all the skills he's leaned over his entire life to improve his combat, not have some pointlessly arbitrary slots system, which just works to deny use of his skills!
This thing makes me angry. :-(

It's also confusing if you ask me.

One skill I noticed is vitality. What the eff man? I upgraded this ability and to be able to use you need to add it manually? That should not be. Regardless of the circumstances if vitality and other skills have been upgraded they should stick and affect Geralt all throughout the game.

Did CDPR just figured out that this will make the game more sophisticated? This is actually making Geralt an Eunoch.

I think it's an attempt at stopping Geralt from becoming overpowered. It also forces you to make a decision about your play style.
It doesn't make any sense, from a purely common sense stand point, that you should be limited and have to pick and choose. But from a game play perspective, I think it's a way of letting you customize your character. Rather than limiting the amount of skill points a lot more and making it harder to progress. You get your cake, like this, but you have to decide what part to eat.

Another design could have been less "gamey" and more immersive. What we got isn't the end of the world though. Geralt still kicks ass.

I don't really see how that is immersive - you either know something, and can use it, or you don't. It's not like you know how to make chee... I mean ham lasagne, but suddenly you cannot, because you decided to be able to wash the dishes.
I'd understand should we had access to skills, but selecting few main would give them bigger boost, as it would reflect skills you use most. Or, better, go Bethesda's way (never thought I'd say that, but they have a point), and boost only those skills you use, that would be immersive, as in book there was a situation where Geralt had problems casting sign because he haven't practices it for some time.
Instead of relying on Geralt's reflexes, like it was in Witcher 1, where we only were selecting swords, styles, and picking enemies, while Geralt moved, dodged, and made hits based on skills we gave him, now CDPR made us to rely on our reflexes for dodges, counter-attacks, rolls, but limit us on attacks we can perform. Not that I dream of going all Mortal Kombat here, but I certainly don't like existing system. Especially starting amnesia, where super monster killer could be beaten by bag of Portland cement. /grin

Hrmm.. I know what you're saying but think of the skills as "enhancements" rather than as "tasks/abilities". The skills enhance your skills at sword fighting, or signs, or alchemy. Not having the skills doesn't stop you from swinging your sword and hitting enemies with it, nor does it stop you from using signs, nor does it stop you from using alchemy. The way you used your driving analogy suggests that your understanding of the "skills" is that they are mutually exclusive "abilities" that are separate from the things you can do in the game.

Think of them as enhancements, which is what they are, and you will understand the reasoning. They are more akin to adding runes to your equipment than actually learning new abilities or new actions. When you find a new rune, you enhance your sword with it, you don't use the rune directly. The skills you learn increase (or enhance) the existing abilities you have and are generally not used independently of that.

Yes, there are a handful of actual "Active" skills but the vast majority of them are "Passive" skills, or in other words, enhancements. Completely different context.

That made me laugh. Thanks! :-) Lol nice visual image there! :-) I'm aware of that, but the difference in using them is worlds away from each other.
I also intended it to be a rather theatrical example. ;-)


Thanks guys. Glad to see some people agree with me!

thats like oblivion/skyrim auto-leveling mechanics - allows game designers to do nothing instead of balancing a game ;)

I disagree with that.
There's lots of interesting stuff in there; I just am annoyed that I can only choose a certain number per level. :-o

havent played the game yet - have to wait till friday(
I agree thats system is not bad. not ideal though..

This. Saying there is no reason for it is just being blind to the situation. They didn't arbitrarily put that in there. My guess would also be that it's to prevent Geralt being overpowered.

I also dislike it. I'd rather they used a different system, but it's not a deal killer for me.

Right, that's a good way to describe it. :-)

I'm still playing it. ;-)
This open world is awsome.... the inventory system works like a charm. The inventory sort is extremely intelligent and easy to use... just tons they did right.