I'm a bit confused. People (and the description) said that the two expansions added ~30 hours of gameplay. Do they automatically enter the game? Have I already played through them?

Also, I can find the Yen alternate look, but what's the deal with the hair one and the Temerian armor one?

 

The expansions aren't out yet. When they come out, you have to buy them (if you haven't already).

 

The expansions aren't out yet, the time mentioned is just what they're expected to be.
All that's out right now is some of the free dlc, which is entirely separate.

As to the current DLC and how to access it ingame.

Beard and Hairstyles are accessed by going to a barber, their minimap icon is a pair of scissors, and getting a haircut/shave.

Temerian armor set is sold in White Orchard, by the merchant you save in the opening scene, he's right by the villages fast travel marker.

Nilfgaardian armor set is sold in Crows Perch, by the quarter master, he's across the road from the armorer.

Crossbows are sold by several merchants, Nilfgaard crossbow is same as the armor, Skellige Crossbow by the armorer in Kaer Trolde and the Elven Crossbow is sold in Novigrad, the merchants store is in a house south of the Gregory's Bridge marker, next to the fountain, there's a noticeboard right outside it.

The Missing Miners is a contract quest, you start it in Blandare in Skellige.

 

Ah. So the two expansions I paid for aren't out yet. That's a relief I suppose.

 

Yep, still a ways off.
The first expansion is set for October, and the second early next year.

Still some more free dlc coming, supposedly including, spoiler tagged if you want to keep it as a surprise.

Spoiler

New Game Plus mode, according to references people have found rooting around in the game files and dev console.

 

I might actually try plat if there's ...that

 

Is there any reason to play the first game? I have it, and the second, but it's so mindbogglingly boring and Not Fun that I want to skip it entirely. For the record, I've gotten to Vizima and am in the middle of the autopsy mission for the detective.

 

Not really no. I suppose it prophecises the coming of the Wild Hunt. Sort of. It also firmly established that Tris really wants to get her hands into Geralt's pants.

Honestly, I'd just watch one of those 20 minute recap vids.

 

I'm playing it right now. I'm up to Ch 3, which is in the trade quarter. A lot less depressing and more people. It looks like there's more to discover too. And more politics. It feels like the story is getting meatier. I even have to turn off my browser with its billion open tabs to give Ch 3 enough RAM to run properly. I never had to do that for the first two. My gaming laptop is decrepit though.

Ch 3 isn't amazingly better, and you're right that the first two chapters are pretty boring. The first time I played Witcher 1, I was like you and stopped playing part way into Ch 2. The game was drab and had no sense of wonder. That was five or more years ago. I'm only just now giving it a second go. Chapter 3 is markedly better, but I don't know if this is a temporary improvement or not.

Also, I play it in Polish with English subs. I prefer that to the inconsistent quality of the English voice acting.

edit: I think this Steam thread is for you: Please tell me Chapter 2 is the most boring chapter

 

Whichever one makes you run around in that fucking swamp is the worst one.

If you can make it to the last two chapters, I think, it's worth it.

 

Ugh. That was chapter 2. Apparently Ch 3 and 4 are fairly substantial in size while Ch 5 is quite short.

When I restarted Witcher this time, I looked for mods to overcome some of the worst pieces of the game as soon as it got boring. I have two scrolls that allow instant teleportation to the swamp and to Vizima, access to the innkeeper's storage box anywhere, two books granting me knowledge of all non-plot-important monsters, potions, and herbs, so that I don't need to hunt down the right bloody book so that I know how to pick a berry from a tree or pluck a fang from a beastie, to brew a potion or make a bomb.

And as soon as I did that I also installed a mod to increase the number of herbs per plant to make gathering them less laborious. You're going to want that innkeeper's storage box hack too to store your excess alchemical ingredients. There are more varieties of herbs and monster parts than can fit in your alchemical pouch.

Quite often Witcher is a bit ham fistedly obvious in the way it goes about things. Like the vampire brothel. I'd have spoilered its existence, but it's so bleedingly obvious what the place is [it's literally labelled "The House of the Queen of the Night" before you even walk in the door] that there's no point. The quest plot attached to it is alright, even if the conclusion is disappointing. Not disappointing as a narrative, but there was no obvious "hero path". And even after I've chosen the one I want I can't help but be disquieted [as a Witcher and a mostly decent person] with the outcome. It's refreshing and makes me reflect on the situation and choices of all involved to reach that outcome. The information I received all came from unreliable sources, so I'll never know if I chose well or not.

Things like that are why I'll keep playing.

 

Yeah, if I remember right Chapter 3 opens up the rest of Vizima, and then 4 takes you away from Vizima for a bit. Chapter 4 was definitely my favorite, and not just because Vizima was becoming very stale.

I actually didn't even use a lot of potions. I relied pretty much entirely on using the swords, and just a few healing potions where I needed them. Though I wasn't playing on a higher difficulty or anything, just Normal I think.

 

Playing the Witcher 3 and I messed up by doing the Masquarade quest before asking Triss about Phillipa and now that path is closed.

Did I miss anything important?

 

No. Plus, you can ask Yennefer. I think.

 

Ugh.... patch 1.07 broke more shit than it fixed and I'm only halfway through my first playthrough.

Guess I'll put off completion for another month :/

 

You're in luck then, aren't you? Seeing as they have an update out right now.

 

Unfortunately not..... since I'm talking about the most recent update. 1.07 just released yesterday.

And it broke everything.

EVERYTHING.

 

yeah... I just updated my bad.

 

Man, if CDPR had put half as much effort into the design of the other zones as they did with Skellige, this game would auto win game of the year (it still probably will anyway).

Discovering some random unused graphic, or a roaming animal, or a trash loot object at the top of a mountain that you're not technically supposed to be able to climb (dat jump and roll) is so incredibly satisfying. Although not quite as satisfying as sliding back down 1080 style.

 

So who has finished the game? how was the ending?