The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt/Gameplay Systems
This is a sub-page of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.
Ice Skating as Ciri
In the files of the final game there are remnants of the Ice Skating mechanic that was planned for Ciri including scripts, animations, and behavior graphs. The scripts indicate that there were 16 planned moves Ciri could execute while ice skating. These are tabulated and detailed below as well as showcased in the embedded video. Note that all state as they were left in the game files enforce the requirement that Ciri have her sword drawn while skating. There are indications in the animation files that swordless skating was planned but was never implemented.
| State | Description |
|---|---|
| Skate Idle | Stopped idle position. Ciri holds sword with reverse grip. |
| Skate Run | Default movement state. Also allows skate sprinting. |
| Skate Dash | Ciri uses her powers to gain a speed boost. |
| Skate Dash Attack | Ciri swings her sword while performing the Skate Dash to attack enemies. |
| Skate Dash Attack | Ciri swings her sword while performing the Skate Dash to attack enemies. |
| Skate Dash Attack Lock-On | Allows for the Skate Dash Attack to home in on enemies. |
| Skate Drift | Allows for quick sharp turns. Ciri jams her sword into the ground during this. |
| Skate Drift | Allows for gradual slow down. Ciri jams her sword into the ground during this. |
| Skate Fast Stop | Brings Ciri to an rapid halt. |
| Skate Backward | Ciri will start skating backward. |
| Skate Jump | Ciri will perform a jump. |
| Skate Jump Attack | Ciri will perform a spinning jump attack. |
| Skate Hit Lateral and Hit Frontal | Ciri's reaction to being hit frontally and laterally. |
| Skate Air Stomp | Unknown. Script file is blank. |
| Skate Air Dash | Unknown. Script file is blank. |
Examining the scripts and the developer comments in them reveals that CDPR also implemented a Flow mechanic that gives bonuses for stringing together moves with proper timing while skating. There are 4 speed levels when skating, 0 , 1 , 2, and 3. Each speed level has a maximum speed limit. Ciri starts at a speed level 0 and can get to speed level 1 by either sprinting or dashing. Speed level 2 can be reached via dash only while speed level 3 requires a dash with proper timing. Dashing will also give Ciri a speed boost to reach the next speed level's maximum speed. If Ciri falls below the previous speed level's maximum speed her speed level will automatically be dropped down to the previous one. When performing special moves like the dash, drift, slide, landing from a jump, or dash attack something called the Flow Gap will be opened. Ciri will have a period of time to string together another move for a bonus. The only real bonus CDPR ever implemented for this was getting to the final speed level. For example, if Ciri performs 3 dashes within the flow gap time of each other then she will reach speed level 3. The drift, slide, and backward skate all provide a another bonus where if Ciri is at a speed level 3 and performs one of these moves in the Flow Gap then her speed level cap won't get lowered back down to 2. Landing from a jump does not provide any bonuses on it's own but will open a flow gap to string other moves with.
CDPR developers have discussed this mechanic in interviewsafter the release the game. The mechanic was intended for use by Ciri during the quest On Thin Ice while fighting Caranthir and in the sequence leading up to the fight. A shortened version of this sequence still exists in the final game but without any ice skating mechanics. Developers indicated that this mechanic was cut likely because it was introduced far too late in the game's story and that good combat mechanics while skating were difficult to implement(this is pretty clear in the video showcase).
The scripts, animations, and behavior graphs left in the final game's files are sufficient to restore the Ice Skating mechanic in its unfinished state. This can be done in the PC version of the game by installing the Experimental Restored Content - Ice Skating mod. There are no models or textures for any actual ice skates nor any unused quest content related to ice skating left in the final game's files.
This mechanic can be found in or recovered by editing the following files in the game's scripts and archives
animations\woman\combat\woman_ciri_ice_skating.w2anims gameplay\behaviors\pc\behaviorgraph\pc_skating.w2beh gameplay\camera\new_camera.w2ent gameplay\templates\characters\player\ciri_player.w2ent game\cameras\exploration\driftCamera.ws game\cameras\exploration\slideCamera.ws game\explorations\exploration_movement_system\explorationInput.ws game\explorations\exploration_movement_system\explorationStateAbstract.ws game\explorations\exploration_movement_system\explorationStateManager.ws game\explorations\exploration_movement_system\exploration_substates\skating\explorationSkatingGlobal.ws game\explorations\exploration_movement_system\exploration_substates\skating\ExplorationStateSkateAirDash.ws game\explorations\exploration_movement_system\exploration_substates\skating\ExplorationStateSkateAirStomp.ws game\explorations\exploration_movement_system\exploration_substates\skating\explorationStateSkateBackwards.ws game\explorations\exploration_movement_system\exploration_substates\skating\explorationStateSkateDash.ws game\explorations\exploration_movement_system\exploration_substates\skating\explorationStateSkateDashAttack.ws game\explorations\exploration_movement_system\exploration_substates\skating\explorationStateSkateDashLocked.ws game\explorations\exploration_movement_system\exploration_substates\skating\explorationStateSkateDrift.ws game\explorations\exploration_movement_system\exploration_substates\skating\explorationStateSkateHitFrontal.ws game\explorations\exploration_movement_system\exploration_substates\skating\explorationStateSkateHitLateral.ws game\explorations\exploration_movement_system\exploration_substates\skating\explorationStateSkateIdle.ws game\explorations\exploration_movement_system\exploration_substates\skating\ExplorationStateSkateJump.ws game\explorations\exploration_movement_system\exploration_substates\skating\explorationStateSkateLand.ws game\explorations\exploration_movement_system\exploration_substates\skating\explorationStateSkatePrepareJump.ws game\explorations\exploration_movement_system\exploration_substates\skating\explorationStateSkateRun.ws game\explorations\exploration_movement_system\exploration_substates\skating\explorationStateSkateSlide.ws game\explorations\exploration_movement_system\exploration_substates\skating\explorationStateSkateStopFast.ws game\player\states\skating.ws game\replacers\ciri.ws
