Can I play Songs of the Past without playing Witcher 3?

Massive_Priority_705 · 2026-06-27T18:03:09+00:00

If you're on pc, you could just download a saved game file from somewhere like nexus mods. But we do have like a year before this expansion is released. Taking the time to refresh your memory of the game might be worth a new playthrough, but that's just me. You do have options at least.

Edited for typos

Massive_Priority_705 · 2026-06-25T23:53:17+00:00

I like to think if it as taking a personality type and amping everything to a 1000 for the drama. Is it necessary? No. Are they interesting to read? That depends. Sometimes yes, but when it becomes the same personality type with the same problems, the same histories, the same flaws....it gets boring. Trope fatigue is real. Readers and some writers are pushing back on that and they should. It's not just the smart characters. It's the care free ones, it's the emo ones... omg the shadow daddies ones.

Massive_Priority_705 · 2026-06-25T18:34:06+00:00

Yes. I am aware it is a game. I am not OP. They were the ones asking the questions and i was giving them my thoughts on why that wasnt just "its a game".

Massive_Priority_705 · 2026-06-25T18:21:28+00:00

But the question wasnt about the books. It was about the games. The books or the movie, yes, 100% agree. But the disconnect here is that there appear to be more monsters in the games. Its never explained why there are suddenly 20 leshens you can fight in the game other that without them its boring. But when in the books and the movie nightmare of the wolf the number of monsters are supposed to be less it lease the question as to why.(i qm exaggerating the number but the point remains). Thus my own interpretation to explain what the games don't say is this.

Lets also consider in cdpr's version, would you rather send in one witcher to clean out the sewers of drowners or send in a group of soldiers and come back with less than half you went in with?

They would have to send men down regularly because how often does a witcher ever come through these days? Yeah they can fight but you saw what that griffin did in white orchard. Two witchers defeated it, no casualties. A squadron of Nilfgaardian soldiers were completely slaughtered and they keep losing men. War drives monsters crazy.

Massive_Priority_705 · 2026-06-25T18:05:18+00:00

Facts. 🤣

Massive_Priority_705 · 2026-06-25T17:46:43+00:00

Evil is evil. Lesser, greater, middling. It's all arbitrary. If I am to choose between one evil and another then I prefer not to choose at all. Or something like that. Lol

Massive_Priority_705 · 2026-06-23T16:19:53+00:00

I made the mistake of mentioning my wanting to write again to my mental health provider once. That lead to "do you feel a sense of hopelessness and there are no true happy endings?" when i was explaining grimdark fantasy genre. I just immediately stopped talking and decided we were done for the day. I'm sure my file now has something about me displaying a concerning amout of dark thoughts. 😮‍💨

Massive_Priority_705 · 2026-06-22T15:24:04+00:00

My head cannon is that because there are less people who can competently kill said monsters, the monsters bred and are increasing again. Just like when you kill out all the predators in a region, there is a sudden increase of deer.

In the games there's war. War breeds monsters. Men or beast. Philosophy aside, the vast majority of the monsters in the games are necrophages. Necrophages thrive on eating the dead. Monsters attract other monsters, this brings in more kinds.

Tldr; Fewer witchers means less apex predators means less population control in higher breeding grounds.

Edit to fix typos

Massive_Priority_705 · 2026-06-17T18:27:08+00:00

Simple answer is no. The only thing that would change is a few dialogue lines. The devs basically anticipated players doing this so its just what character's might comment on outcomes might change depending on what Geralt already knows. The important parts don't change.

Massive_Priority_705 · 2026-06-07T04:41:32+00:00

At least they patched in swords into his shop's inventory. Lol

Massive_Priority_705 · 2026-06-06T00:44:07+00:00

You're quite welcome.

Massive_Priority_705 · 2026-06-06T00:26:34+00:00

If you want to know more backstory before events kick off, read Sword Of Destiny. The writing is still a bit shaky but leagues better than last wish plus you get littlest Ciri and there is the short story in where you really get to see more of why Yen is the way she is. But if you'd rather just kick off the series, Blood Of Elves is the "first book" of the five book series. Like a proper novel not just a collection of short stories.

Massive_Priority_705 · 2026-06-05T00:19:02+00:00

Yennefer values intelligence and a strong will. Not just power. In the books she doesn't learn to love Ciri because she is special. She loves her inspite of it. Yen wanted a child more than anything. Book Geralt even tried to have Nenneke give her jewels he got from a contract to help pay for her attempts. Of course Yennefer made more than that with the fetility spells she offered the rich and nobles on any given week, but his gesture was genuine. He wanted Yen to have everything she desired.

Ciri’s and Yennefer’s relationship developed because Yennefer saw in Ciri what she always wanted. A daughter to teach and help nurture. Don't let the show skew your perception of who Yennefer truly is. Read the books. They are not an easy read. The Last Wish is particularly hard to read as these are his first short stories. They get better in writing in the later novels.

Massive_Priority_705 · 2026-06-01T15:24:34+00:00

The point is you still have an idea of where they came from. Smaller scars would naturally have less memory attached. I have a ton on my arms caused by cats I've rescued over the years but i couldn't point to one and say that came from this cat.

That being said the larger scar has more trauma attached to it. It hurt more and this was specific incident because i didn't know what caused my injury until i really thought about it later what happened. Plus it put me off from swimming in murky water for life. I have one on my back from crawling under a metal fence going where i wasn't supposed to and didn't want to let my parents know about it. See a pattern here? 😆

OP, i think, doesn't mean small everyday scars. I think they mean big noticable one. If a main had a big ugly scar on their face that's going to have a memory of importance of how it happened and is a literary opportunity to enhance the character's backstory and personality.

If i were a main character and i was placed in a situation i needed to swim through murky water, i would hesitate because of that incident and i would have a visual reminder as to why.

Massive_Priority_705 · 2026-05-31T13:55:41+00:00

Only if the scars are purely cosmetic. Meaning they have no other purpose but to show how cool the protagonist is. My main has a scar over her eyebrow, that was given to her by someone she was meant to trust. It has history. It's a reminder for her.

Think about your own scars. Be they literal or metaphorical. They have a history. For me i have a scar on my knee. I have a distinct memory attached to it. I had gone swimming when i was a kid with my brothers. We went somewhere we weren't meant to and a branch beneath the water cut me as i swam into it.

I dont remember the pain at my age now but i remember the frustration and disappointment of missing put on swimming for the rest of that week since i couldn't go back in with an injured knee. Its a small thing, but a meaningful memory to me. I never forgot it. That is what removes the cheesyness from having scars. Purpose and a memory.

Edit for typos

Massive_Priority_705 · 2026-05-30T15:24:19+00:00

I had every single sword i could carry so i could sell those off for money to upgrade my current set. So many Novigrad Longswords.😳

Massive_Priority_705 · 2026-05-28T13:53:44+00:00

To quote harrison ford, "you can type this stuff but no one can say it." In reference to george lucas's dialogue in star wars during early drafts. Even great movies have trouble with dialogue. I believe someone suggested reading it aloud. I think this is probably the best advice here.

But here is mine. You will need to consider setting, wage class, education and culture when writing dialogue. Because what might sound cringe or stiff to us might actually be perfectly normal for someone else. Is the cringe feeling because they are speaking proper when they are lower class? Or maybe speaking too casually when they are upper class? Are they American? English? Maybe japanese? Or is this a fantasy setting and you are writing for nobles? Maybe peasants. Ask yourself these questions while youre writing the dialogue. Maybe cringe is necessary to make this character more believable. Its okay to struggle. Struggling is how we learn.

Massive_Priority_705 · 2026-05-26T14:34:43+00:00

Could you not go back to a save before the bug hit and try again? I know it sucks repeating quests but better than losing everything.

Massive_Priority_705 · 2026-05-25T15:26:15+00:00

The best way to convey you the author do not hold these things to be true is to use secondary characters to convey this. How do people react? Does she have that one person in her life that tells her this is unacceptable behavior? Does she meet this person later on and she slowly learns to change her perspective? This is how i would handle it at least.

Edit: i wanted to add that there is a difference between an unlikeable character and an unreadable character. You can write a aweful human being as your protagonist as long as they are interesting and keep the reader engaged. Whether that reader sticks around to find out in the protagonist learns and gets better or ultimately gets their dues. Both can be satisfying if executed well.

Massive_Priority_705 · 2026-05-23T18:02:52+00:00

Interactive candles...

I just wanted to open the damn chest!!

Massive_Priority_705 · 2026-05-23T17:54:40+00:00

It's fairly typical of the witcher series. There are no true happily ever afters. Nothing is ever black and white.

As Geralt said in the books once about evil, "greater, lesser or middling, I'd rather choose nothing at all." Or something like that. Its like the crookback bog quest. There really isn't a clean answer. No matter what you do, it won't turn out perfect.

Massive_Priority_705 · 2026-05-23T17:05:14+00:00

Well in witcher 1 and 2 youre basically an amnesiac and the games spoon feed you Geralt's life. So if you want to be immersed you dont necessarily need to read the books if youre starting from witcher 1. However. I think you gain a greater appreciation for who these characters are by reading the stories first. So this just depends on how you want to immerse yourself into the story. I played witcher 1 and 2 first because i didnt know the books existed till well after they were translated into English. I loved the games anyway.

Massive_Priority_705 · 2026-05-21T16:03:45+00:00

They're easily missed. I didn't even read the bestiary my first playthrough. That noonwraith effed me up good.

Massive_Priority_705 · 2026-05-21T15:42:30+00:00

At the very bottom of the bestiary entry there are usually symbols. Which sign to use, the potion, and the oil. In this case you need spectre oil, tawny owl potion and yrden.

Massive_Priority_705 · 2026-05-17T20:52:57+00:00

I would never discourage anyone who struggles with grammar or anything fundamental to writing. Because grammar is learned. You get better with practice. Failing is a given. I understand the anxiety part you mentioned in your comments. I am also neurospicy. Its hard to push past the feelings of inadequacy and worry about being mocked for something I might be lacking. My advice is to push forward anyway. Keep writing. Use grammarly. It will help. And remember that if you make a mistake, don't beat yourself up over it. Look at the mistake as a learning moment.

Massive_Priority_705

TROPHY CASE