Anyone else with issues playing The Witcher (demo or full-game) on their MBP?

I downloaded the demo, but it's running like crap in Windows XP Boot Camp. Skipping audio/stuttering during the cut-scenes. When I get to play, it seems to run fine, but the stuttering cut-scenes 100% kill the mood. Is the full game like this, too? It's a shame because this would be a purchase for me, for sure!

 

I didn't play the demo, but the full version didn't have such issues for me when I played. I do remember reading something in their forums about stuttering cut-scenes and how to fix them though- so you might check there.

I have the European version, using Vista 32-bit of Boot Camp.

My problem was that the game would crash at times while saving - and sometimes the load-times would be annoying.

 

Hmm.... I didn't find anything in any forums that was substantive. Which forum are you referring to?

 

The official Witcher forums. But I may be wrong.

 

I remember for me the first time I ran it, it ran like garbage, and I didnt know why. Then i checked the settings and it was set to something like 16x aa. So you might wanna check that out.

I have no idea why it would set it like that, but I guess its auto set the settings badly. After I set it lower, or off the game ran fine.

 

Are you talking about the demo or the full game? I messed with all the settings in the Demo, even turning down the details to completely low, and the in-game runs great, but the load screens and cut-scenes have stuttering audio.

I don't know if the retail version will be the same, but I'd like to not buy it if it will have the same problems...

 

Oh, I was using the retail version when this happened. Did you try turning down the AA? It usually isn't on the same screen as most graphics settings.

Other then that I don't know. Cutscenes were traditionally supposed to look better, so maybe they make them look better (with better models or something), so that could be a reason why.

I havn't played the game much since, but the bit that I did play, played fine.

 

Thanks for that info. I'll risk it and buy it, hoping it works. AA was completely off. I literally turned everything down to low, including the resolution, and the cut-scenes and loading screens stuttered. The freakin' loading screen stuttered!

 

Any update on this im am in the same boat the game is cool the but the cutscenes suck. is it just the demo because you cant tweak the settings

 

Yes I have an update. I bought the full game and there are no stuttering issues with it. Guess the demo is just crappy!

Game doesn't run that well, though. Running it on an external monitor at 1680x1050 with most of the settings on medium except the textures on high. Boy does it slow down at times with spell effects on screen, especially during in-game cut-scenes.

But yeah, the awful stuttering is just the demo.

People who say they run the game on high settings at 1440x900 on MBP 2.4Ghz models are simply not as sensitive to frame-rate drops as I am. I like a smooth experience, and with everything on high this game is anything but smooth.

 

Why are you running at a resolution that high if it slows down so much?

 

Because for whatever reason the nvidia drivers I'm using (163.71) don't give me that many 16:10 aspect screen resolution options. I can pick 1280x720 (which is really slow) which is 16:9 and is stretched to 16:10 for no apparent reason. Then there's 1680x1050 which is 16:10, and then 1920x1200 (which is a definite no-no). It's frustrating, actually. There's no 1280x800 on my external display listed in the video resolutions. I would probably use that on my 24". And when I go into the nvidia control panel, it won't keep the "scale" button checked, or I'd use 1280x720 with black bars top and bottom if I had to.

Ah well. Silly Nvidia drivers! I tried 163.75 and those don't even let my monitor run Windows in 1920x1200 properly.

Maybe I just need to buy a kick-butt computer.

 

Theres somehhing wrong there. Ingame you should be able to choose somehing like 1440 or 1360~ or 1270, all 16:10 resolutions.

I could do it, and ingame should have nothing to do with drivers. The resolutions there are usually pre-set from the company. I'd say go into the game again and go through all the tabs until you find some 16:10 resolutions.

It should have nothing to do with the nvidia control panel. I've ran it at 1440 and 1360~, so it can run on those resoluutions.

 

I, very respectfully, disagree. Depending on what drivers you use for your video card, it will change what is available in-game. May I ask what driver version you are using? I had to switch from the Apple "official" version for Bootcamp XP since Titan Quest ran like crap with them, and runs so, so much better with 163.71.

 

heh.

Um I don't know offhand cause im not in windows atm, but im using updated drivers.

Most games (most, not all) will run the game on a lower resolution, or "optimized" settings for what it thinks your pc can handle. But some games dont do that.

Now that I think about it, I think the witcher might have run in my native res automatically, but i honestly dont remember.

But still ingame, if its like most games it should have a list of reslutions that the dev put in there as being supported. It'd be the first game that I know of that would cross check that list with "supported" resolutions by the monitor.

Either way Id try ingame to see if you can change the resolution. Maybe theres a "hide unsupported resolutions" button or something.

But most if not all monitors nowadays should support those resolutions, maybe if nothing works you can upgrade to newer drivers.

I'd say you should because there is a performance increase with newer drivers, then apples standard bootcamp ones.

 

Yes I know. I use 163.71, which are pretty new. The latest on Nvidia's site are 163.75, but those have issues with external displays.

When using just my MBP, I can pick all the resolutions, including native 1440x900, but I can't pick that when using my external display.

 

Why aren't you using laptopvideo2go's 169.xx drivers? I think the latest is 169.25.

 

I had problems when I last tried the 169 drivers. Couldn't get 1920x1200 to display properly. Do you use an external monitor?

 

I use 169 drivers, and use an external display with no problems.

 

Which driver though? I used the 169.05 I believe and it didn't work properly.

 

Im using 169.04, those were the latest when i updated.

What exactly is the problem that you were having?

 

I used those, and my external display came out fuzzy, like it was in 1920x1200 but taking up LESS space than full resolution. I know it's a driver issue, because going back to 163.71 fixed it. Also, using 163.75 has that issue too, so I'm not sure what the deal is there....

 

weird. kinda sounds like you may have had the hz set to a weird setting that you monitor didnt like.
but either way the 169 drivers should increase performance. and 169.04 works fine forme with external display, so you could give those a try if you havnt already.