Patch 1.2 For 'The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt' Allows Enemy Upscaling, Improved Inventory And Map UI

In case you missed it, the Blood and Wine expansion for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is available today. Even if you didn’t get Geralt’s last adventure, CD Projekt RED still has something for you by way of a new update. Patch version 1.2 fixes multiple issues with the base game as well as the Hearts of Stone expansion, but more importantly, the patch introduces both gameplay and UI improvements.

Tougher Enemies, Easier Gwent Card Collection

In terms of gameplay, you can now make the experience more challenging by upscaling enemy levels so that each foe is more difficult to kill by enabling the feature in the Gameplay settings. However, the increased difficulty doesn’t change the amount of experience gained from combat or the loot obtained from the dead foe. It’s just there to give you an extra challenge if you’re tearing through enemies like paper when Geralt is at level 40.

For Gwent fans, finding every single card is a tough path to follow, but the developers made the process easier so you’re not tearing out your hair by exploring every corner of the world. A new book, titled A Miraculous Guide to Gwent, is available to purchase from the Gwent scholar in the game’s prologue or from a merchant near St. Gregory’s Bridge in Novigrad. The book will show the missing Gwent cards from your collection as well as their location.

Improved Systems

You’ll also notice a drastic change in the way that the management panels (such as the World Map, Inventory, Character, Alchemy and Crafting) are presented. For example, the Inventory page is now further divided into multiple subcategories such as weapons, armor, potions, oils, food, gear for your horse, crafting and alchemy. Comparing similar items is also simpler and easier with a larger font, and all the differing traits between the two items are clearly displayed.

When you visit the appropriate merchants, you’ll also see an improved Crafting and Repair system. In addition to better descriptions and visuals for each item available for purchase, you can now buy your missing components directly from the Crafting panel so you don’t have to constantly switch between buying items and then crafting them in a separate window. For repairs, there is now a single button that allows the merchant to fix any equipped items that are completely damaged or deteriorating.

But perhaps the most interesting upgrade involved the regional maps. You can now see a small description of the quests available to you on the top right corner of the Maps screen, as well as filters so that you can dictate which icons can appear. Points of interest, such as blacksmiths, waypoints, or caves can be selected on the left side of the screen, which makes it easier for you to locate them instead of panning all over the map.

So Many Changes

Other improvements include the ability to read books and scrolls right after you collect them without having to go to the game’s Inventory panel, a visual change to the Quick Access menu (making it easier to read the description of multiple signs and items), and a more detailed display of potion Buffs for Geralt.

There are many other improvements that you’ll notice the next time you play the game. For the complete list of changes, you can check out the long list of patch notes. In the meantime, the beautiful region of Toussaint is finally available for you to explore. A strange beast terrorizes the area, and it’s up to Geralt to quell the threat.

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