The Witcher censored US vs uncensored UK?

Can anyone tell me what is censored in the US version and what the difference between these versions is? Are there different voice actors as well? Which version are all of you playing?

Gogamer has the American version on sale for 29.90 but not the UK version. That's 49.90. Is it worth buying the sale version or paying full price for the UK version? I hate censorship and feel like buying the UK as a matter of principal but of course money does come into play and $20 is a big difference.

Melanie

Hi Melanie

We have been covering this in this thread over at rpgwatch.com

http://www.rpgwatch.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2971

Here's another thread at rpgwatch.com

http://www.rpgwatch.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3014

The only difference between the UK version and the US versions is simply that the whenever Geralt (the main character in the game) sleeps with someone in the US version, he gets a card depicting what the women looked like with whom he just had slept. Since this is a family friendly site, let me just say that they are kind of risqué and (mildly) suggestive. That's the main difference. There's also some minor differences that I can't remember right now.

According to this site the cards are still in there:

http://ve3d.ign.com/articles/previews/35022/The-Witcher-Preview/p2/c1

Again, since this is family friendly site, please click on the link and read the comments about 'sex'. It will tell you (nearly) all you need to know re: what has been censored in the US version of The Witcher.

I do think that it is a personal taste whether or not you prefer to see full nudity in a game. Let me just say that I don't mind it nor do I encourage developers to put it into their games. The important point for me is that e.g. romances etc. are optional. And so are the case in The Witcher.

You might want to check this out, too

http://www.rpgwatch.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3147

It's about how the unlock the shortened English dialogues in The Witcher. Apparently Atari decided to cut the dialogues in The Witcher in both the UK and the US versions, making the dialogues not half as fun(ny) as in the original Polish version. (note the the moderators: The link above does contain a link to The Witcher's forums and the developers there, CD Project, seem to be supportive of unlocking the cut dialogues. However, if you feel this is not appropriate, please delete this part of the post). 20% or so of the original dialogu were cut:

http://www.rpgcodex.net/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=21134&highlight=witcher

/Karsten

Karsten, that's great. I'm going to check some of the links out. Just quickly though, I have the uncensored version and love it. Like you say, the "encounters" are entirely the choice of the player. Personally, I wish some of the sex on television was done as tastefully as it is in this game. But my question is whether the quite "salty" comments of some of the NPCs are in the censored version. Some of them have caught me off guard and had me laughing so hard I had to quite playing for a moment!

Well, I have the censored version, and really I believe that the only differences are very simple. The uncensored version has a bit less swearing, and there is no nudity, The women (and the cards you get of the ones Geralt gets to know real well) have longer hair, or a sheet to cover up a bit with, etc...

Drac, I love the way you put that - "salty comments"
I can honestly say, I've heard some pretty salty comments in this version! Hmmm...

Thsi is a great game, and I don't think my censored version took anything at all from that. Just my 2 cents!

Thanks for your replies everyone and the links, Karsten. I will go check them out. I think I might decide to buy the more expensive UK version if so much of the dialog is cut out. I'll let you know what I decide after reading the links. If a game is given a proper rating no one else should decide what other people may see or hear. I hate that the US does that to games. It's a ridiculous carryover from the puritan days.

Does anyone know if they mean the UK version too when they say the English version's dialogue was cut? I'm assuming yes that there is only one English version of dialogue. Is that right?

Both are cut down from the original scripting, yes. There was a working copy ( a beta) that had more language. But honestly, there is a lot of dialogue in the game as it is.

I decided to buy the censored version. I just couldn't see paying $20 more to hear some curses and see some nudity since both versions did have cuts. sigh. I really did want the uncensored version out of principal but then again, I can't afford to be principled at this point. lol.

Thanks, all. Maybe they'll release a patch that unlocks it for those who want theirs uncut.

Melanie

I feel the same way - no matter the content, I just don't like games or any art censored, so I bought the limited edition which includes the CD, wonderful art book and a making of the game on DVD. It was a lot of money though, and meant I couldn't buy other games. Was it the smartest thing to do, given a limited budget for games - don't know about that!
But either way, the game is just too good to miss and I'm glad you're going to play it! I'll be looking forward to seeing what you think of it.

I think you should be OK with your choice Melanie. 20 US dollars (about 100 Danish crowns) really is a lot of money to pay just to get to some extra nudity and hear some extra (mild?) swearing.

The important point is that you stil get the cards if you decide to sleep with the women in the game. Although I have to say that sometimes actual covering up nudity or a strategic placed piece of clothes on the body can be way more sexy than (full) nudity.
A hint of something is sometimes just more suggesting than seeing -ehm- shall we say --- the full nudity thing.

/Karsten

I don't think anyone is debating that Karsten. Just a general irritation that censorship takes away from the original vision of the artist.
And er...you haven't played the game yet, have you? The swearing isn't mild.

Ohhh, yeah. Mild is not what I would call it either, nickie!

I understand where Melanie is coming from and not wanting the censored version just on principal, but relenting because of the cost. I bit my tongue and paid the $50 so I could play the game the way the developer intended and without someone else telling me what I can and cannot experience. I had to think twice though!

I undertand when someone doesn't want something censored because it intrudes on their feeling of personal liberty. However, some developers go a bit too far in the liberties they take and I just think of censoring as a form of editing which should have been done in the first place. I have the censored version and even though the nakedness is covered up I still feel offended that the developer is offering multi free sex encounters and thereby suggesting it is OK behavior. To me that message is all wrong and no censorship has taken that away. I loved the story in the Witcher but the sex availability in the game was one of the things I really didn't like at all so going by a censorship label didn't help me avoid that. Anyway, that is my opinion so shoot me if I am old fashioned. I like RPGs that have some chivalry in them.

Ah, but my impression is that the Witcher isn't exactly a morally golden guy... there's much more brass and muck where that guy works!

Gremlin

You're right, gremlin, he is not a model of chivalry in this case!

Ah, freedom. That's why I love our society. Rowan is free to be somewhat offended and I am free to not be offended. And I don't think you're old fashioned! Rather, it's just your concept of what is right and what is wrong. The developer can offer what he likes and we are free to play, not play or play with caveats.

If we were all clones, it would not be nearly as interesting and fun. My circle of friends includes all types and I relish our differences.

So, I'm heading back into my uncensored version of The Witcher for hopefully a few hours! Vive la difference!

I think much of the beauty of the game was that you could make a myriad of choices on what you wanted the Witcher to be, with a few restrictions. In fact, in chapter five I was very surprised

I didn't think some of the choices I made would impact the ending of the game, but I was wrong. That was my favorite part - the fact that choices changed everything.

That's exactly how I feel about it Nickie. Rowan, you are entitled to your opinion about it and there is nothing wrong with that if it's how you feel. As Dracvlr said, that is what makes the world go round. What the company did though by censoring the American version is to deny the US market their right to an opinion and that is wrong.

It's not the point of seeing the extra nudity or hearing the coarser language or not. It's the point of someone making that decision for me. They have no right to do that to me and they have no right to do that to the artists. They created a work of art and it should not be changed because of their attitude that Americans don't mind violence but do mind sex. I think that's a pretty screwed up idea. Why would we not object to violence but object to something natural like sex? I think society is really crazy. I admit that sometimes things are just vulgar and its not necessary but I do not want anyone making decisions for me or touching works of art. They should have offered both versions to the American market if thye were so concerned. I resent having to buy a UK version. It makes the US look so bad.

That said though, I am very excited anyway about playing this game. I have been watching your threads and you are all having such a good time and it's about time that a mature game was actually for adults with real live adult themes!!!!

It's going to kill me to wait to start because I'm in the middle of playing Vampire Masquerade and Oblivion and loving both. Since Oblivion is a permanent feature on both pc's and I will always be playing it, I at least want to finish Vampire first. I had it sent "dirt cheap" though so it will probably not be here for at least a week.

Melanie, don't rush - those are both good games too, and you're loving them. What a great feeling though, isn't it, to be surrounded by fun games and have one waiting in the wings?

No, I haven't been playing the game as of yet. (don't have much money these days ) But I'm playing the demo for the game, and I haven't (as of yet) noticed any coarse language - other than what I would classify as mild language.

Being from Denmark, I understand and agree with all your points about this game. As for the sexual content in the game, it is optional. The point I was trying to make was that sometimes some developers seem to be more interested in catering to what is know to pubescent teens instead of a mature adult audience who might feel that nakedness is best viewed covered up. (not necessarily a critique of CD RED Project).

/Karsten

I'm thinking of producing an almost totally naked RPG as a follow up to Oblivion and calling it Elder Scrolls V: The Joys of Light Armor...

Sign me up for that one, Trail! Money is no object!

Reminds me of when my young grandson was playing around with Morrowind, he loved to run about in his little cloth. He thought it was funny!!!!

Don't worry, Nickie. I won't rush it. Vampire is too much fun.

TM, there's already a nude patch isn't there? I know there's one for Morrowind.

Hawkavonpuka, that must be funny watching your grandson play Oblivion like that.

Melanie

This was Morrowind, not Oblivion, not sure if he stripped the character in that or not. He said the armor was too heavy, when I played it, I used to turn myself around and around to admire my beautiful armor, even though I could barely walk. I must get back to those games too and Bloodlines, Fable and restart The Witcher.

Oh TM!

I have to add my two cents worth. I also object to any censorship. The main point being that most games are geared toward teenagers and I'm really tired of it. There's a huge population of MUCH older adults playing these games and I feel we've been completely over looked and ignored.

It's so hypocritical when you can turn on the TV to see and hear much more in a 'R' rated or 'PG-13' flick then what was censored out of this game. Good grief, watch any soap operas lately or listen to some of the RAP music (I fail to see 'music' in RAP, but to each his own)??

We have ratings for everything so people have a CHOICE and can make their own adult decisions. I have the censored version (it was cheaper), but from what I can tell from what I've read, the uncensored version would barely be a 'R' rated film if it was on TV and certainly not in the 'Mature' category of the same.

That's how I think on the matter.

I agree 100% Milee10! It's very hypocritical and I also think it's insulting. They are assuming that we are too immature to accept that for some segments of the population this is normal behavior and speech and we are either too fragile or too closeminded to hear and see it.

Hawkavonpuka, I did the same thing in Morrowind. I turned around and around and kept trying on different things to see which I liked better. I used a mod to enable me to carry more weight so I didn't have to worry about it and could dress up in whatever I wanted. I have a ring mod in Oblivion for the weight but since you can only use 2 rings, it's a drag. I need to find some mods that aren't rings.

Hey Melanie1, I've heard this mod works pretty well. I've never tried it, but it has a 9.98 out of 10 rating at Planet Elder Scrolls from 68 user ratings, which seems pretty good.

Oblivion Bag of Holding

I'm using the Bag of Holding mod in Oblivion. It really is great as it gives you unlimited carrying capability. You will get an error message whenever you try to use it - please ignore it...
The Bag of Holding will work...

/Karsten

Have you played Fable? When you boast and say that you are going to do something great, you can choose to do it naked to get the most fame.

Ana

Thanks Trail_mystic. I'll give it a try. I downloaded it. The message shouldn't be too annoying if I keep most of the stuff in there that I don't need right away.

Hear! Hear! Well said, Melanie and Milee. The Witcher is an adult game without anything to apologize for. Develop more like it and we will buy!

Melanie and Drac....thumbs up to you both!!! You bet your sweet booty we would buy !

I have to disagree with the idea that there should be no censorship whatsoever. If any game, art, film, or book contained hate or racist elements then there would be a an outcry from all of you so you can't claim to be against all forms of censorship.

With sex and nudity it is a bit more of an ambivalent situation. Certainly it is "natural" but so is vomiting and excreting. Michaelangelo's David is a good example of nudity elevated to high artform that is truly beautiful. Sometimes sexual situatons can be funny but then the humor is in the situation not in the sex act itself. However, one must guard against cases when sex becomes an exploitation and is debasing to women. I believe that the unlimited sex which gains a "trophy" for each conquest is an insult to women and takes away the dignity and sacredness of what it should be. In that area The Witcher went too far. In some situations it wasn't optional. When I played I avoided most conversations that lead to a "trophy" encounter but some quests progressed only if you chose those options. Especially when playing the first time before a walkthrough is available it is often difficult to tell which quests are part of the main quest and which are optional. Also it wasn't necessary to have every female NPC (granny excepted) to have boobs hanging in your face when you talked to them. This is not my idea of mature adulthood. The Witcher is excellent in all other ways and it would continue to be an excellent game without all the boobs and the sex trophies. The sex in this game is just a cheap trick to gain more sales. I apply the same beliefs to movies and other artwork but that is another topic.

The real hypocrosity is in the teen/adult categories. If it isn't suitable for your teen to watch or play then it shouldn't be suitable at any time. Sex for trophies is always wrong regardless of your "maturity". Anyway, I hope I haven't stepped on any naked toes. I just wanted to illuminate a more serious viewpoint than accepting everything a developer throws our way.

You've all weighed in with your comments, and all are appreciated. But I think we've reached a point here where we're getting redundant, and getting away from what this forum is all about. This subject is now closed.