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Post by AnDromedary on Oct 23, 2020 16:22:47 GMT
Fair enough about the amnesia angle but... And it was 2007. Things were just different back then. Pretty sure "what if a woman plays this and feels objectified?" wasn't one of the concerns on the drawing board.  Nah, I remember the game was mocked quite a bit for it's weird and random sex encounters back in the day. That's not just a question of 2007 vs. 2020. |
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Post by slimgrin727 on Oct 23, 2020 17:25:27 GMT
I don't think they were ever meant to be taken as seriously as the gaming media treated it. It was a tongue in cheek mini-game. That said, they made huge strides by having Shani get drunk and barf all over Geralt during sex.
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melbella
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Trouble-shooting Space Diva
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Post by melbella on Oct 23, 2020 23:47:24 GMT
I don't think they were ever meant to be taken as seriously as the gaming media treated it. It was a tongue in cheek mini-game. That said, they made huge strides by having Shani get drunk and barf all over Geralt during sex.
Really? Ugh, I'm glad I never actually did the romance, even though the game acted like I did just because I picked her to watch Alvin. 
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Post by Noxluxe on Oct 24, 2020 13:30:22 GMT
I like that part. It's a decent way to save Geralt's integrity if he's already attached to Yen or Triss. Hearts of Stone makes such a big deal of the romantic tension between him and Shani, and it feels awkward for that to just go literally nowhere. So instead she can have a little too much to drink and the two of them can progress to the point where they might have ended up screwing... but nope, she's too drunk, and he can semi-truthfully tell Triss/Yen that nothing happened. You get to flirt up a storm and be a gallant plus-one for a pretty girl, equally gallantly hold back her hair while she's barfing out of a boat, and also dodge another silly animated sex scene. It's win-win-win. I remember liking her romance a lot in the first game when I played it for the very first time, but it's just too long ago to remember any specifics. These days I prefer Triss both as Alvin's caretaker and as Geralt's dedicated romantic interest in the first two games, so Shani hasn't seen a lot of action beyond that afterparty one-night-stand. Come to think of it, I actually like the cards a whole lot better than I do the later sex scenes. They're seriously well-drawn and atmospheric and lively, and some are downright sweet. In fact, they're by far the pretties things in the entire first game. Whereas no amount of graphic fidelity, unicorns or underground elven baths will make animated 3D softcore porn do anything except tempt me to use the skip button. If they'd replaced the sex scenes in Wild Hunt with sweetly drawn scenes like in some of the sex cards or the romance-specific images you can see in the ending I'd have enjoyed that a lot more.   Way more impactful than all the huffing and grunting and unicorn abuse. |
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Post by AnDromedary on Oct 24, 2020 14:58:25 GMT
Before Witcher 2 came out, I also liked the Shani romance much better than the Triss one. My biggest issue with the Witcher series is that Witcher 2 allows save import but then forces you into the Triss relationship no matter what. So now when replaying Witcher 1 I feel like I kinda have to stick with Triss, just to keep continuity intact.
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Trouble-shooting Space Diva
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Post by melbella on Oct 24, 2020 16:21:39 GMT
I like that part. It's decent way to save Geralt's integrity if he's already attached to Yen or Triss. Hearts of Stone makes such a big deal of the romantic tension between him and Shani, and it feels awkward for that to just go literally nowhere. So instead she can have a little too much to drink and the two of them can progress to the point where they might have ended up screwing... but nope, she's too drunk, and he can semi-truthfully tell Triss/Yen that nothing happened. You get to flirt up a storm and be a gallant plus-one for a pretty girl, equally gallantly hold back her hair while she's barfing out of a boat, and also dodge another silly animated sex scene. It's win-win-win. Wait....the barfing happens in HoS, not Witcher 1?  'Cause, I just did the sex in a boat with Shani in HoS and there was no barfing involved. Well, except maybe by me since the damn scene lasted forever..... 
Hmm, maybe the barf only happens if Geralt is in another romance rather than single? That would make sense. Current Geralt is free and clear so Ciri shows up in B&W later on.
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Post by slimgrin727 on Oct 24, 2020 16:26:35 GMT
I like that part. It's decent way to save Geralt's integrity if he's already attached to Yen or Triss. Hearts of Stone makes such a big deal of the romantic tension between him and Shani, and it feels awkward for that to just go literally nowhere. So instead she can have a little too much to drink and the two of them can progress to the point where they might have ended up screwing... but nope, she's too drunk, and he can semi-truthfully tell Triss/Yen that nothing happened. You get to flirt up a storm and be a gallant plus-one for a pretty girl, equally gallantly hold back her hair while she's barfing out of a boat, and also dodge another silly animated sex scene. It's win-win-win. Wait....the barfing happens in HoS, not Witcher 1?  'Cause, I just did the sex in a boat with Shani in HoS and there was no barfing involved. Well, except maybe by me since the damn scene lasted forever..... 
Hmm, maybe the barf only happens if Geralt is in another romance rather than single? That would make sense. Current Geralt is free and clear so Ciri shows up in B&W later on.
You have to convince her to finish the bottle of wine. Consequences!
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melbella
N6
Trouble-shooting Space Diva
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Post by melbella on Oct 24, 2020 16:30:12 GMT
You have to convince her to finish the bottle of wine. Consequences! Ah, ok. I gave her the rowan bouquet, not wine. 
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Post by Ieldra on Nov 24, 2020 10:42:41 GMT
If they'd replaced the sex scenes in Wild Hunt with sweetly drawn scenes like in some of the sex cards or the romance-specific images you can see in the ending I'd have enjoyed that a lot more. One of the most memorable sexual encounters for me is the one with Vesna Hood. An almost classic date with wine and cake, only set in an old ruin said to be haunted, at midnight. So romantic. And hilarious to see the "haunting" confirmed. None of the "truer" romances in the later games made me smile like this, and that it led to nothing permanent only makes the memory sweeter.
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Post by Noxluxe on Nov 24, 2020 21:46:00 GMT
One of the most memorable sexual encounters for me is the one with Vesna Hood. An almost classic date with wine and cake, only set in an old ruin said to be haunted, at midnight. So romantic. And hilarious to see the "haunting" confirmed. None of the "truer" romances in the later games made me smile like this, and that it led to nothing permanent only makes the memory sweeter. Yeah, the Vecna Hood quest is very lovely. I wouldn't go so far as to say that I prefer it over the main romances though. Going hiking and exploring elven ruins outside Flotsam with Triss and taking her to a garden ball to help her rebellion and relieve her stress, fishing for Genie bottles with Yennefer heckling me telepathically, playing Cinderella with Keira and going to a wedding with Shani are all very romantic and fun and delightful little adventures. I usually really enjoy those quests even if Geralt isn't intending to take it to the next level with any of them, because of the lighthearted atmosphere and the sweet dialogue. And I don't mind that they can end in sex at all, so much as that CDProject Red feels the need to show it to me if they do. It's so... classless. The first game did a great job of panning away to distract you with something cool or funny whenever things got hot and heavy, like the idiots getting spooked by the "haunting" of Vecna's mill or the Witcher medallion going nuts on the floor while Geralt messes around with Adda. Followed by the sex cards, which are beautifully drawn and tease you a little bit without being gratuitous or making you check your watch while pink animated dolls bump uglies on the screen just in case anybody is interested.
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Post by Noxluxe on Jul 31, 2021 23:00:55 GMT
Am gathering my thoughts for another series playthrough starting at some point soon. If anyone is interested, this quick character building guide helped me understand and invest myself in some of the game's mechanics on the last run that I hadn't previously bothered with at all, like bombs and the Yrden and Quen signs, which turned out to be real lifesavers on the harder mod difficulties even though I didn't follow the guide to the letter. I also think I've resolved to go for Retired Bachelor Geralt by the end of the trilogy, dislodging himself from both Triss and Yen and enjoying himself pretty shamelessly through all the games. But in the meantime I'm not certain whether to take Alvin to Shani or Triss. Since TW2 came out my instinct has always been to take him to Triss to justify her and Geralt being so close by the start of the next game, but it's been so damn long that I don't remember where they actually stand with each other by the end if you take him to Shani's instead, and now I wonder if the two of them not having had their brief little family experience might help justify why neither ever mentions him to each other again? While Geralt having that with Shani might make her appearance in Hearts of Stone that bit more impactful? Which choice ultimately seems more canon-consistent? I play TW:EE on PC, TW2 on the Xbox 360 and TW3 on PS4 with no actual save transfer at all between games, so I guess that might lead to weird consistency issues too, but am not sure. |
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Post by Gwydden on Aug 1, 2021 12:46:06 GMT
I also think I've resolved to go for Retired Bachelor Geralt by the end of the trilogy, dislodging himself from both Triss and Yen and enjoying himself pretty shamelessly through all the games. But in the meantime I'm not certain whether to take Alvin to Shani or Triss. Since TW2 came out my instinct has always been to take him to Triss to justify her and Geralt being so close by the start of the next game, but it's been so damn long that I don't remember where they actually stand with each other by the end if you take him to Shani's instead, and now I wonder if the two of them not having had their brief little family experience might help justify why neither ever mentions him to each other again? While Geralt having that with Shani might make her appearance in Hearts of Stone that bit more impactful? Triss is furious if Geralt gives Alvin to Shani. But if our witcher goes neutral at the end, she joins him and stands by him anyway. I thought it was neat, since in my trilogy playthrough it set up Geralt jumping into Triss' arms when Shani ditches him in between TW1 and TW2.
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Post by Noxluxe on Aug 1, 2021 17:24:38 GMT
Triss is furious if Geralt gives Alvin to Shani. But if our witcher goes neutral at the end, she joins him and stands by him anyway. I thought it was neat, since in my trilogy playthrough it set up Geralt jumping into Triss' arms when Shani ditches him in between TW1 and TW2. That's a good thought. Also adds a shallow aspect to their relationship in TW2 which could help Geralt feel like less of a wet blanket for hesitating to declare his 'true love' for her at the elven baths even though they were planning to retire together. Him finally working up the courage to ask about his past and Yennefer on the way to Flotsam and realizing on some level that he's been using her for comfort more than anything else would be a good one-two-punch to the relationship, especially if they weren't consistently together in the previous game. Think I might go that route, and maybe save Anaïs (for the first time) in 2 to further distance them from each other before 3. Thanks for the idea.
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Trouble-shooting Space Diva
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Post by melbella on Aug 27, 2021 0:02:29 GMT
Noxluxe Just looking for an update on your progress. Did you play the extra episodes accessible from the main menu last time, or will you do so this time? I appreciated the extra time I got to spend at Kaer Morhen. 
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Post by Noxluxe on Aug 29, 2021 0:38:15 GMT
Noxluxe Just looking for an update on your progress. Did you play the extra episodes accessible from the main menu last time, or will you do so this time? I appreciated the extra time I got to spend at Kaer Morhen.  Oh, yeah, I completely forgot about meaning to do those this time. I'll try to squeeze them in after the game, if I can resist going straight to Assassins of Kings. It's kind of awkward, because when I start the game up I don't really feel like playing a fully powered Geralt having unrelated adventures before even relearning the system, but by the time I'm finished with one game in a trilogy I'm also usually itching to wash my hands of it and get into the next one. I think I remember playing the one with Eskel's child surprise once upon a time, but recall next to nothing about it. I've since read the books and pretty much fallen in love with him, he's totally my favorite Witcher and my top pick for a sequel trilogy protagonist. Might be nice to replay that one in particular and see some more of him. I'm currently in Chapter 2 running endless errands in the Temple Quarter and the Swamp, and it feels even slower than usual. Maybe I'll do some of the mods to get a change of pace before continuing with that. Saved Abigail even though I was planning not to, because Geralt's dialogue afterwards when meeting Shani makes it sound like he assumes the Beast was summoned by the villagers' sins whether or not he was skeptical about it in the witch trial, and him immediately getting arrested at the city gates fits better with having caused a bloodbath in self-defense. Also helped Triss get to the Mutagens rather than help Vesemir and the others with the Frightener, mostly because the ridiculous mutant soldiers showing up in later chapters if you don't completely break my suspension of disbelief considering that the mutagenic research and enhancements like that never turn up anywhere else in the rest of the trilogy even though they were floating around for months and experiments made it to that stage in such a short amount of time.
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And it was 2007. Things were just different back then. Pretty sure "what if a woman plays this and feels objectified?" wasn't one of the concerns on the drawing board. 
'Cause, I just did the sex in a boat with Shani in HoS and there was no barfing involved. Well, except maybe by me since the damn scene lasted forever..... 
'Cause, I just did the sex in a boat with Shani in HoS and there was no barfing involved. Well, except maybe by me since the damn scene lasted forever..... 
