11: Witcher 2: Evolution of Fantasy through the Cybertext Medium

11: Witcher 2: Evolution of Fantasy through the Cybertext Medium

Neil Nagwekar, @NeilNagwekar, The English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad, Beowulf, an early primary epic, set the first tropes of middle-age fantasy (kings, halls, monsters, brave warriors, good vs evil, etc.) Over centuries, alterations to these tropes began a slow transition toward epic fantasy through Faerie Queene, Childe Roland, etc. Tolkien stated: “Beowulf is so interesting as poetry that this quite overshadows the historical content”. The History of Middle-Earth would add tons of ‘historical content’ core to Lord of the Rings. Similarly, George R. R. Martin added gritty realism to A Song of Ice and Fire and the epic fantasy tradition. The Witcher games (2007-16) added distinctly POSTMODERN influences in (A) encouraging subjective canons (B) using cybertext medium (C) increasing ergodicity by allowing gamers to dictate story. Here, my primary focus is on Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings.

The author of The Witcher novels, Sapkowski declared: “I don’t believe different medias can converge. A comic book can’t be a prequel to a book, a game can’t be a sequel to a book”. But global support for the games contrasts this, shows the 'Death of the Author', and highlights subjectivity in canons. According to Aarseth, a cybertext reader is “a player, a gambler […] It is possible to explore, get lost and discover secret paths”. Witcher 2, as cybertext, can SIMULATE the elven world of Flotsam, stony ruins of Loc Muinne, etc. Simulations are not Narratives.

Ergodic literature is a kind of storytelling that prioritizes the reader’s traversing of the text. It manifests in the gamer’s CHOICE in dialogues, order of quests, endings, etc. Due to ergodic literature, no two players can consume one cybertext in an identical manner. Witcher 2 has 46 paths to completing its quests. The most important choice is between Iorveth or Vernon Roche. Each side has some separate main quests + cluster of unique side-quests + separate game-worlds. Both cannot be accessed in one walkthrough. Crucially, themes, tones and character arcs change! Roche takes you to Aedirn to aid King Henselt. There are ramparts, barbed wires, drunken soldiers and a haunting music in the background. Similarly to political fiction narratives like A Song of Ice and Fire. Iorveth takes you to Vergen, where you help peasant leader Saskia defend Vergen from Henselt. You side with the elven and dwarven underclass. The music is soothing, the cause more just. The romantic underdog narrative is similar in tone to Helm's Deep, Lord of the Rings. To understand the limits of ergodicity in Witcher 2, Frasca’s division of Ludus and Paidia in ‘Simulations vs Narratives’ helps. Ludus comprises compulsory quests that determine win or lose scenarios. Paidia is free play e.g. roaming around the map, playing mini-games, etc. In Witcher 2, paidia is often illusory. It nudges players into doing things the creators want. The best example is found in this video: Why let King Henselt live (in a game named Assassins of KINGS) after he says this in an optional dialogue? https://twitter.com/i/status/1397226262142275585 In conclusion: New canons, mediums, and more choices, are postmodern influences on epic tradition; The choice between Iorveth and Roche shows scope for subjective fantasy narratives; Paidia manipulations shows no game can have infinite choices and shows the limits of ergodic literature.

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