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About this mod
This mod aims to entirely rework crossbow combat in The Witcher 3. It introduces 4 new main crossbow types: semi-auto, automatic, sniper and shotgun crossbows. It not only changes all base game and BaW crossbows, but also brings 11 new, special 'crossbows' to game. Additionaly, it overhauls shooting mechanics and adjusts bolt prices
- Requirements
- Permissions and credits
- Changelogs
Complete Crossbow Overhaul
1. Introduction
2. New mechanics and Input
3. Skill changes
4. New Crossbow types:
-Semi-auto
-Automatic
-Sniper
-Shotgun
-Hybrids
-Special
5. Installation / Uninstallation
6. Known issues
7. Compatibility issues
8. Console item names
For Update information see changelog in "Logs" section
This mod uses or changes crossbow files, textures and models from Blood and Wine DLC and 13. DLC (the one that brought 3 new crossbows into game), one Perk and Mutation from Blood and Wine DLC. It's written for 1.31 GOTY version of the game. I don't know how it would behave on other game versions, but I'm almost sure, that it won't work (or lack some features) without any of mentioned DLCs.
1. Introduction
This mod aims to completly redesign crossbow combat in The Witcher 3. Crossbow in the base game is used almost only to shoot down flying or diving monsters (and in two quests). It's so under-powered that only with 'cat eyes' mutation (damage buff like 5x, knockdown, piercing and first shot taking 15% of victim's HP) it could actually kill something. Almost all crossbows were named just 'Crossbow' and the only things they had different were look and damage multipiller. This mod doesn't just buff crossbow damage, it changes crossbow mechanics entirely. Here all crossbows are divided into 4 main types: semi-automatic, fully automatic, sniper and shotgun-like crossbows. What's more, each crossbow has it's own parameters like Ammunition, Reload time, Range or Spread. In order to use all these crossbow types, some new mechanics needed to be introduced, and input had to be changed. This mod also adjusts price and crafting recipes for bolts a bit and adds legendary bolts schematics. All of the items also come in New Game+ variant (even free bolts). All of items and shematics added within the mod you can find spread across the world, in chests or shops (Hattori has almost all of them).
The mod is still unfinished. It contains many bugs (most of them described in 'Knows issues' section) and few work in progress features. Yet, I decided to publish it now, to gather some ideas of things that can be added, changed or fixed. If you have some ideas (especially for new crossbows and better names for the old ones) or encountered some bugs, feel free to contact me or write that in comment.
2. New mechanics and Input
Input changes:
1. Introduction
2. New mechanics and Input
3. Skill changes
4. New Crossbow types:
-Semi-auto
-Automatic
-Sniper
-Shotgun
-Hybrids
-Special
5. Installation / Uninstallation
6. Known issues
7. Compatibility issues
8. Console item names
For Update information see changelog in "Logs" section
This mod uses or changes crossbow files, textures and models from Blood and Wine DLC and 13. DLC (the one that brought 3 new crossbows into game), one Perk and Mutation from Blood and Wine DLC. It's written for 1.31 GOTY version of the game. I don't know how it would behave on other game versions, but I'm almost sure, that it won't work (or lack some features) without any of mentioned DLCs.
1. Introduction
This mod aims to completly redesign crossbow combat in The Witcher 3. Crossbow in the base game is used almost only to shoot down flying or diving monsters (and in two quests). It's so under-powered that only with 'cat eyes' mutation (damage buff like 5x, knockdown, piercing and first shot taking 15% of victim's HP) it could actually kill something. Almost all crossbows were named just 'Crossbow' and the only things they had different were look and damage multipiller. This mod doesn't just buff crossbow damage, it changes crossbow mechanics entirely. Here all crossbows are divided into 4 main types: semi-automatic, fully automatic, sniper and shotgun-like crossbows. What's more, each crossbow has it's own parameters like Ammunition, Reload time, Range or Spread. In order to use all these crossbow types, some new mechanics needed to be introduced, and input had to be changed. This mod also adjusts price and crafting recipes for bolts a bit and adds legendary bolts schematics. All of the items also come in New Game+ variant (even free bolts). All of items and shematics added within the mod you can find spread across the world, in chests or shops (Hattori has almost all of them).
The mod is still unfinished. It contains many bugs (most of them described in 'Knows issues' section) and few work in progress features. Yet, I decided to publish it now, to gather some ideas of things that can be added, changed or fixed. If you have some ideas (especially for new crossbows and better names for the old ones) or encountered some bugs, feel free to contact me or write that in comment.
2. New mechanics and Input
Input changes:
In version 1.0 an option has been addedto use default game input mechanics (see "Installation" section) - shoot with [use item button] release. This mechanics is not really comfortable to use, especially with automatic crossbows (they shoot all the time when holding [use item button], which is also used to enter manual aiming mode). To improve the comfort of using crossbow, i strongly recommend to use new, mod-provided input mechanics, which uses Left Mouse Button to shoot crossbow (hold for automatic crossbows) when in aiming mode (quick shooting and bomb throwing are unchanged). Aiming is still done using [use item button], but it's quite hard to aim with default middle mouse button. So I strongly recommend you to change the default middle mouse button to Right Mouse Button, then assign Witcher senses and Parry to 'E' and Interaction and Dismount to middle mouse button (or something else). I know, that at first it's not easy to get used to that sheme, but overall it's much better to parry with 'E' and not having to aim with middle mouse button.
This mod adds also other inputs:
- Scroll (only when aiming) to use scope (forward to zoom, backward to unzoom)
- 'Q' (only when aiming) to use scope by toggle (e.g. none => 2x => 4x => none...)
- '8' (by default, 'R' is taken by consumable quickslots) to force reload. you can change it only by switching 8 in all 'IK_8=...' to desired key (or button) name
- 'N' to use noctovision (currently only witch 'cat eyes' mutation) - to assign this one you will need to switch or remove key binding for meditation (default 'N')
Version 0.91 brought also control sheme for pads, which is very experimental, due to the fact that I don't have a pad myself. If you don't want to experiment, you can also install default game input mechanics (it's still worth to install the scope button though). I would appreciate if somebody that owns one could test if it's working or provide an idea for other control sheme (and which buttons to set for manual reload and noctovision toggle) for now the steering should look like:
- aim as default
- quick-shot as default
- Right Trigger to shoot when aiming
- Left Bumper to toggle scope (works as 'Q')
Mechanic changes:
To make shooting further than 20 meter possible, this mod have to change the way, the game proceeds projectile shooting*.
To make that I've used brillant Manual Bomb Aiming mod by eutirion, which I've included in my mod (commenting out all the lines with its content) and modified to fit crossbow purposes. The trajectory is still not perfect and tends to aim left from middle of screen especially at closer distances (as the crossbow is held in left hand). Also there are some minor issues with shotgun quick-shot bolt trajectory.
There are also few smaller changes:
- split bolts split randomly (not only left-right)
- 'cat eyes' mutation adds noctovision but buffs bolt damage 'only' by like 50% (enemy piercing and knockdown would be enough, not to mention that around 5x damage buff)
- ammunition usage is decreasedfor shotguns and automatic crossbows by around 5 times (depends on maximal ammunition / bolts fired at once)
- headshots now have additional instant kill chance
- special effect (like knockdown or instant kill) apply chance and adrenaline gain are reduced for shotguns and automatic crossbows as they count per bolt hit
- reload time for most crossbows is very large to pair increased damage output
*Vanilla (original) trajectory calculating
In base game bolts are launched towards the place on the ground, that the player is currently looking at, which is calculated ignoring all enemies and some obstacles. That doesn't cause much problem as long as you shoot only at close distances or use auto-aim (which, I think, made bolts almost homing missiles by the way). But when you are trying to shoot at something e.g. standing 30 meter away on the cliff the game would think that you actually aim at a point in air like 70 meter away (max range capp) and the bolt would just pass 1 meter above the target. It would make shooting from a sniper crossbow almost impossible.
3. Skill changes
I've also managed to change all crossbow-related skills. Only these 4 skills and 2 perks are affected, not their layout, so you don't need to reset character or start new game. Perks don't need to be equiped in skill slots to work (you only need to spend that one skill point on them).
Changed skills:
- Lightning Reflexes also multiplies headshoti nstant kill chance by critical hit chance
- Cold Blood was made core crossbow-related skill letting user (if he has at least 2 adrenaline points) to reduce reload time (by up to 60%) by the cost of half of current adrenaline
- Anatomical knowledge gives addtional 15% critical hit damage per level (max 75%)
- Crippling shot also makes bolts have 1% per level (max 5%) chance to cause stun effect
- Steady shot perk reduces recoil and spread by 50%
- Trick shot perk (BaW DLC) was renamed to 'Extended Magazine' and now adds additional 50% (rounded down) ammunition to all crossbows that could fire at least 2 bolts (shotguns witout magazine release 50% more bolts at once)
4. New Crossbow Types:
Semi-automatic
Crossbows capable of fireing multiple shots, each after button press and with animation. They also can be used by holding shoot button - they will fire just like if the button was pressed at the end of last shot
Automatic
This crossbow type can shoot projectiles at given fire rate skipping some elements of shooting animation. Because of their ammo capacity they are completly unbalanced underwater or on boat. They still quick-fire (pressing 'use item' key, not holding it) like any other crossbow type (one bolt at time). Most of them has also significant spread.
Shotgun
These crossbows are capable of shooting multiple bolts at once. Most of them are also automatic or semi-automatic. Not being effective at long ranges, they do massive damage in close combat. In game they are called 'Multibows' (I know, it sounds awful. If you have any better idea for a name, I would be happy to hear about it).
Sniper
Sniper crossbows are designed to shoot accurately even at distances like 100 m. They have extraordinary accurancy and always come with a scope. Zooming in also decreases mouse sensitivity, so the hardest thing about shooting at long distances is that game doesn't render any creatures further than around 70 m.
Hybrids
Most crossbows don't belong to only one of the types described above. There are multiple mixes like auto shotgun, semi-
-auto sniper, or even sniper shotgun crossbow.
Special
There are also some 'crossbows' that don't even shoot bolts. Currently there are 2 flamethrowers, a 'snowthrower' (it's completly useless for now though), a Plasma cannon, which projectiles don't collide with enemies, they can hit only ground and major obstacles, but deal area damage, 2 frost guns, 4 kinetic cannons and 1 freezing kinetic cannon. There are also 2 things that are 'work in progress' (almost not working, tons of bugs), but you can still get them using commands - Lightning gun ('Zapper') and 'Portal bow'.
Yours
If you have an idea about a new crossbow to be added, you can write that in comment or directly message me. It's relatively easy to me to add new crossbows to the game (until I run out of crossbow "model - color" combinations). The hardest thing for now is to keep them balanced.
5. Installation
1. Copy 'modCrossbowRework' to [Game Directory]\Mods folder
(If you have other mods that edit the same files, read 'Compatibility Issues' section)
2. Copy all text from .txt file in:
[Game Directory]\Mods\modCrossbowRework
to the top of:
C:\Users\[your username]\Documents\The Witcher 3\input.settings
(mind that input.settings is read-only by default)
3. (Recommended but optional) Launch the Game and assign imput as in 'New mechanics and Input' point.
If you want to preserve base game steering - [use item button] release insted of using the new one (LMB press to shoot), you can also download optional "base game steering" file, put "modCrossbowRework" into you "mods" folder and replace "rangedWeapon.ws" file or just change (in this file):
defaultSteering = false;
to
defaultSteering = true;
It's somewhere near the top of file and really hard to overlook (because of mass of comments around)
Uninstallation
1a. If you want to preserve your input configuration (or have some mods that might have edited it) you have to open input.settings (in C:\Users\[your username]\Documents\The Witcher 3\) and delete from there every line that was added when installing mod (they are be stored in [Game Directory]\Mods\modCrossbowRework in the .txt file).1b. If you don't care about key bindings, you can just remove the input.settings file (the game will recreate it with default key konfiguration during next launch)
2. Delete the modCrossbowRework folder from the mods directory
3.(If you made some merges with this mod's scripts) you have to delete all those merges or merge those files with vanilla scripts (this can be done by e.g. creating new mod folder looking like other mods and putting original scripts there or by manually using 'kdiff' tool from script merger tool folder) reverting only the changes that happened in areas marked with comments //modCrossbowRework and //modBombAiming
6. Known Issues
- Crafting menu shows crossbow level and attributes incorrectly
- Sometimes crossbow double-shots when using quick-shot
- Targets at shooting tourament part in Toussaint doesn't react on bolt hit you quick-fire at them usung new input mechanics. If you want to pass the quest, you can change to default steering mechanics for a while (you can also make use of shotgun, especially useful in horse riding part :).
- Manual aiming from horse is still buggy, but quick-shooting works well.
7. Compatibility issues
This mod should not be compatible with any other mod that changes crossbow mechanics or adds new crossbows to the game. If you really want to add new crossbows to the game, you have to ensure, that they are properly defined and have 'Range' parameter in weapons_crossbow.xml (otherwise they will not shoot at all).
When any of your mods edits one of following scripts, you can merge them or set higher priority for one of this mods (in both cases I recommend to use Script Merger).
Here I wanted to list all files that this mod modifies along with description how difficult the merging is in each case. In case of core file conflict (especially with XMLs, as they are almost entirely changed) I would recommend to just give this mod higher priority, as these files are quite difficult to merge and are mostly not necessary in bigger overhaul mods.
Keep in mind, that all XML files also come in New Game+ variant. Core files' New Game+ variant differs from base game one and you will need to merge them separately.
Core files:
Scripts
-rangedWeapon.ws
-playerBoltProjectile.ws
-playerAiming.ws
XMLs (in Bundles)
-def_item_crafting_recipes_bolts.xml
-def_item_weapons_crossbow.xml
-def_item_weapons_crossbows.xml (from BaW DLC)
-dlc13_items.xml (from 13. DLC)
-def_item_bolts.xml
These files are the ones with most changes. all xmls are almost entierly changed, so I don't recommend to merge them. Merging those 2 scripts may also be very hard as they have dozens of 'deltas' (that's how Script Merger calls single block of diffrences).
Useful (functionality-wise) files:
Scripts
-actor.ws (only 2 deltas) (enables damage reduction)
-gameParams.ws (only 3 deltas) (overrides crossbow level)
(if you want to have no level requirements, you can just place line 'level = 0;' before return statement in edited function)
-damageManagerProcessor (2 deltas) (adds only headshot bonus)
-signProjectiles.ws (3 deltas) (kinetic crossbow functionality)
-petard.ws (4 deltas) (applies custom trajectory to bombs - Manual Bomb Aiming mod)
XMLs
-geralt_skills.xml (around 5 deltas) (adds new skill parameters)
-geralt_mutations.xml (only 1 delta) (nerfs 'cat eyes' mutation)
Not-so-much-needed scripts:
-guiTooltipComponent.ws (3 deltas) (crossbow tooltips)
-inventoryComponent.ws (around 3 deltas) (crossbow tooltips)
-characterMenu.ws (6 deltas) (skill tooltips)
-hudModuleItemInfo.ws (around 4 deltas) (ammo counter)
Crossbow console names (to get item type in console "additem('Name')" ):
-'Crossbow 1' to 'Crossbow 7'
-'Crossbow q206'
-'Lynx School Crossbow'
-'Bear School Crossbow'
/\
(original names, 'addcrossbows' also works)
-'DLC13 Nilfgaardian Crossbow'
-'DLC13 Skellige Crossbow'
-'DLC13 Elven Crossbow'
-'Toussaint Crossbow 1'
-'Toussaint Crossbow 2'
-'Geralt of Rivia Crossbow'
-'Ravix of Fourhorn Crossbow'
/\
(still original names but 'addcrossbows' adds only base game ones)
-'Melter'
-'Hydra'
-'Blizzard'
-'Prototype Y-327'
-'Plasma rifle' (frost rifle in fact)
-'Plasma shotgun' (frost shotgun in fact)
-'Prototype A-12'
-'Prototype A-24'
-'Prototype A-48'
-'Prototype A-72r'
-'Mr Freeze' (renamed to 'White Frost')
To get all these Crossbows for New Game+ add ' NG' (case sensitive, mind space) to the name
Schematics console names:
-'Lynx School Crossbow schematic'
-'Bear School Crossbow schematic'
-'Prototype Y-327 schematic'
-'Hydra schematic'
-'Plasma rifle schematic'
-'Plasma shotgun schematic'
-'Prototype A-24 schematic'
-'Prototype A-48 schematic'
-'Prototype A-72r schematic'
-'Mr Freeze schematic'
-'Blunt Bolt Legendary schematic'
-'Broadhead Bolt Legendary schematic'
-'Target Point Bolt Legendary schematic'
-'Split Bolt Legendary schematic'
-'Explosive Bolt Legendary schematic'
Only Witcher crossbows schematics have New Game+ variant with ' NG'