So i have a major problem that has really prevented me from enjoying both witcher 1&2 and this is the fact that i constantly reload save games over and over because i did the tiniest thing wrong. I'm not talking about 'choosing the wrong dialogue' option or anything, it's much more pathetic than that.

I'm talking about, talking to a character at the wrong angle or miss hearing what they said so i load up the previous save, it's so annoying that i do this. Heck on the Dragon part in the prologue i spend 2 hours reloading it because i kept missing the text/didn't get the last kill on enemies. I even started the game over once getting to the la valette dungeons because i didn't get the balistia 100% accurate when you aim for count etcheverry.

Can anyone help? I really can't play the game like this since i'm not enjoying myself, i used to reload mass effect/dragon age saves but only due to wrong dialogue chooses but i think i've gone too far this time.

(Please ignore the troll face that was for a general discussion topic, this is a serious post).

Yeah that sucks. I am going through similar thing with Deus Ex 3 now - everytime enemy spots me and I get "hostile" status, I reload, because I cannot stand playing violently.

Sigh.

Hopefully for second playthrough I will be able to just say "fuck it" and kill anyone who attacks me without reloading all the time.

Huh, that's some heavy stuff there. At the risk of this being a troll trap I'll try and share my experience dealing with mildly compulsive behaviour.

First of all, you have to ask yourself whether this is part of a wider problem with your behavioural patterns or just a minor thing that happens when playing these specific games. Reloading when something doesn't fit sounds closest to "counter and arranger" type OCD, so do you keep everything around you in a specific order? Does asymmetry bother you? When you empty your pockets, do you arrange stuff so that it lines up? Are you superstitious about certain numbers, colours, or arrangements? If you answered 'yes' to more than two of the above, then it might be worth checking up with a specialist to diagnose you - it might not be full-blown OCD, but they'll know how to help you reduce the stress coming from not being able to control your environment.

If it's not that serious, or even if it is, here are some ideas how to deal with the symptoms. First of all remember that you don't have to go through this alone. Ask a friend or relative to sit with you while you play the game and patiently ask you not to reload. this is called "exposure and response prevention" and is part of the cognitive-behavioural therapy approach. When another person asks you not to reload you might be more likely not to do it despite feeling the urge to do so. Some minor discomfort or even anxiety might arise from the fact that you didn't perform your stress-reducing ritual, but if you bravely go on playing, this feeling should pass if you concentrate on the game. With time you should feel that the urge to reload is getting less pressing.

The second part of therapy is cognitive therapy. This is done on your own and is basically all about raising your awareness to the compulsive behaviour and realising that it's not WHO you are, it is not an integral part of you, nor are you doomed to repeat it. First star by being aware of the urge to reload. Whenever you do, pause the game and repeat to yourself, in your own words, that this causes you to want to reload. This is not really necessary. If I do this, I won't enjoy the game like I want to. I want to enjoy the game. These are my obsessions talking, I am experiencing the need to reload, but it will pass.

If necessary, take a few reaaally deep breaths, close your eyes for a while. Be aware of the urge, but do not feed it, let it pass on it's own. When you've calmed down enough, get back to playing. With time you won't have to pause the game anymore, but always try to notice and be aware of the moments the urge arises. If you know that there's an enemy, and you know him as well as yourself, you'll have no problem in defeating him. You do this by not giving him power over yourself, by looking the obsession in the eye and saying "I know what this is. This is not me. This is irrational, and useless. I will not do this".

I hope this helps at least a little bit. Take care!

Heh... Going for the Pacifist achievement, are you? There are some points in the game where you WILL be forced into a fight though. (Fortunately, these "boss" encounters don't count against the achievement.)

In some cases, enemies going hostile also don't necessarily result in failure. One example I can think of happened just last night. There were two guards standing around a corner from me, and their angle was such that I couldn't sneak up on them without being spotted (and I didn't have the Cloaking aug either). So, I just sprinted around the corner and closed the distance just as they became hostile and started pulling out their guns. I tapped the Takedown button (since I have the dual-takedown aug) and knocked them both out before they could sound the alarm. Sure, they went hostile, but I still managed to knock them out before a shot was fired and so no general alarm was sounded.