Like every great fantasy saga, The Witcher 2 involves a journey that's both emotional and geographical.
As he seeks to solve the mystery that threatens the Northern Kingdoms, Geralt will cross multiple realms, each with its own landscapes, architecture and climate.
In the Witcher 2, you'll experience numerous types of open locations such as cities, fields, forests... and many different enclosed ones like taverns, caves or dungeons.
To hold players in the game world, every single place they can see has to look and feel exactly right. Everything has to fit its surroundings... every bush... every plant... every rock...
So for example, before placing the trees in a particular location, we considered things like the terrain, the humidity, and the sun and wind conditions. Only then could we choose the proper types, and decide exactly how each one should look.
It was also critical to think about appropriate places for the range of plants and herbs Geralt can gather to make potions and mixtures that aid him in combat.
Similar demands arose for other locations like places of power and monster nests. Each one had to fit the area where it's found as well as the gritty, dark feel of the world as a whole.
Another important concern was to have an appropriate architectural style for each race in the world. To create the dwarven city of Vergen, for example, we looked at a number of different concepts, then put in a huge amount of work to translate the one we chose into actual models and interiors.
We believe we achieved exactly what we wanted. The dwarven structures reflect their race -- rough and tumble on the outside, but warm, friendly and comfortable inside.
The environments in the Witcher 2 are also dynamic. They change according to the time and the weather.
What's more, these changes aren't just visual. They affect the world. People work and shop during the day, sleep at night, eat at mealtimes... visit the tavern and play dice during their leisure time.
When it rains, they take shelter... and sometimes complain.
Naturally, wild areas away from civilization tend to be more dangerous. You're more likely to run into thugs, monsters and other enemies.
Certain places can change according to the choices you make and how they shift the storyline. You may not even see some locations... until you decide to replay the game in a different way.
