keitheady: There really does seem to be a disparate between what the action looks like and what you actually have to do. You can't jam anything quickly, there is a real deliberate pace especially in early combats. You feel like you should be reacting to things in a certain way but really those things are actually acquired through leveling up the skillsets. Kind of a bummer out the gate but you do become more powerful and the enemies aren't total geniuses. I once again refer to Demon's Souls. You had every offensive and defensive move right from the get go. This game doles them out but doesn't make it apparent at first.

revial: Well, I'm fairly certain you don't regenerate vigor while Quen is active, so for those of us addicted to its use, we usually don't have vigor laying about. ;p

I can totally see the use of blocking (and riposting) as another method of play. Just not mine. ;)

(Ok, in 1 v 1, sure, but there's about five of those all game long).

scyld: So with the current system you can choose whatever strategy you like, with some preferring blocking and others preferring heavy Quen use?

Sounds like the system works. Making counterattacks too powerful would heavily favor straight swordsmanship and penalize players who would prefer to heavily use Signs..

And it looks like there are plenty of players out there that like using blocking as it is currently implemented. No offence, yes this means I'm firmly against "your idea," as you seem to fondly call it :p

scyld: So with the current system you can choose whatever strategy you like, with some preferring blocking and others preferring heavy Quen use?

Sounds like the system works. Making counterattacks too powerful would heavily favor straight swordsmanship and penalize players who would prefer to heavily use Signs..

And it looks like there are plenty of players out there that like using blocking as it is currently implemented. No offense, yes this means I'm firmly against "your idea," as you seem to fondly call it :p

revial: Not sure why you're directing this to me. You clearly quoted me saying it's another method of play, just not mine.

*shrug*

yogibbear: Blocking is fine. OP must still be in the very beginning of the game.

For me, the beggining = block with aard, then quick attack for instant kill. :P

Then once you can actually get some more vigor / riposte etc. then blockiing is PRO.

topeira: timed blocking is only something i've seen in batman:AA and now in the first templar.

the first templar, even though it's a low budget game, has some of the most fun combat systems i know. u need to face the opponent u r blocking if u wanna block him well, parry is a ddifferent button so u either block or take the risk in timing your parry. if u well time a block than it causes the enemy to recoil instead of continuing his combo.... it has a great system behind it. not as polished as many other games but great, non the less.

in AC:brotherhood there was a shift in a good direction undermined by another stupid idea by UBI - it looks like when u block u still get damaged half a health-diamond but semi empty diamonds replenish over time. if u block too many times in a row, eventually u will lose a health diamond so u can block a little but eventualy u need to do mroe than block, like dodge or counter.
this is fun and all but the issue is that enemies attack rarely enough that it's usually too easy to block and do only one dodge after a couple of blocks, and the WORSE thing is that the last heath diamond replenishes to so when u run out of health u can always just wait a bit and u r back with one diamond, so that last diamond it REALLY hard to lose. if no health meant DEAD in AC:B i'd love that game a whole lot more and it would have been much harder thanks to that.

i have issues with TW2 blocking as well. granted im only level 7 or so and havent unlocked the combat skill tree yet, but i find blocking not... responsive enough and that i get hit (fully. with blood and all) even when i block sometimes. but mainly i just get too many times where i block yet geralt doesnt raise his weapon. maybe it's just MY machine. dunno.

i agree with you, OP - blocking could be done better. once the player is given a lot of control over defense it makes even blocking fun. i had ideas back in the days on a system that will require timed blocking along direction facing. the better u face yourself and the better u time your block - the more the enemy will stagger allowing for more hits to hit him before he recovers. and heavy attacks are slower but go through poorly done blocks. that was my ideas.
in TW2 combat, for me as well, looks too weird with all the rolling and running away. i feel like a bloody tumbleweed.
the first templar did combat nicely. just look at that game and i think it shows how a combat should be if not taken to the extent i was describing above - effective and challenging yet realistic in the core. just wish it was as polished as Batman:AA or AC though....