This version of the mod is for the Classic Edition of the game. The version for the Next Gen Edition is here.

In the vanilla game Geralt is always running. Controller players can slow down to walking with their left stick and KB&M players have a run/walk toggle for the same purpose. The problem is - those are not fluid. And the difference between walking and running is too drastic, so both speeds end up feeling wrong. The result - you never feel being in control, but rather always fighting the awkward turn angles, speeds and animations. Alternate movement option (forced by default) actually amplifies the problem by speeding up what needs to be slowed down instead.

The camera also feels off because of being static when it shouldn’t or moving without regard to the speed of the on-screen action. You feel yourself an observer overlooking a scene through a window rather than an active participant of the action.

We strongly believe that those two game systems are at the very basis of the proper player experience and deserve to be on the top of the most wanted improvements for a next-gen version of the game. So we decided to give them a rework. The result is overall slower (the player now uses jogging speed by default) movement with better player controls over different speeds introducing mouse wheel for KB&M and improving left stick responsiveness for controllers. And the camera is now giving the appropriate feeling of Geralt inertia which is equally important for both first-person and third-person experience.



Friendly Controls

The mod aims to give the player more control over Geralt and Roach movement. Jog by default, adjust your movement speed smoothly with a mouse wheel (or controller stick, if you're using a controller) and transition to sprint when you need it. Alternate between different Roach movement speeds smoothly with the mouse wheel or imitate spurs with double/triple-tapping of the forward key. Use your camera freely while riding - it's no longer tied to horse controls.

The mod contains alternative jog and run animations from 2014 Animation System mod by bulkane. Used with author's permission.

The mod requires your mouse wheel to be free of other assigned actions (like switching in between different witcher signs). With KB&M this functionality is not really needed as you have separate key bindings for selecting specific signs. And you can also use mods to instant cast signs on being selected (which is more natural for KB&M controls).

Friendly Controls Changelist

• Vanilla slow walk, walk and run animations are replaced with normal walk, jog and fast jog animations from 2014 Animation System mod by bulkane.
• Default movement speed for Geralt is jogging.
• KB&M players can alternate between walk/jog/fast jog speeds smoothly by using their mouse wheel. Controller players now also have access to all those speeds with their left stick.
• Vanilla controls for walk and sprint keys are left untouched and still work in the same way. But you can now initiate sprinting at any movement speed and not just when running.
• Crouching from jump and auto-roll angles fine-tuned for better landing.
• Roach movements are no longer tied to camera movements - it is controlled by movement keys (or controller left stick) only. Camera is free to look around.
• KB&M users can now also smoothly control Roach movement speed with their mouse wheel and controller users should now have more fluid control over slow-walk-trot speeds with their left stick.
• KB&M players can now also use double-tap of a forward key to imitate spurs and give the horse a speed impulse. Triple-tap immediately sends Roach into cantering.
• Pressing back stops the horse and unlike vanilla it won’t start rotating if you continue to hold the key.
• Both wheel and double-tap speed controls do not activate road auto-following, so you stay in full control of the horse.
• Vanilla speed controls still work the same way. Holding speed key/button still activates auto-following. But unlike vanilla auto-following with canter speed does consume horse stamina.
• Automated obstacle avoidance was changed to the one used for horse racing mode - i.e. your horse won't stop anymore at obstacles like rocks or trees. It is done mostly to combat overall glitchiness of the procedure that also tends to stop the horse while entering bridges.
• Turn rates for Roach are also adjusted for more fluid player control. Keep in mind that holding W and A/D simultaneously will result in smaller turn angles while releasing W will increase turn angles. Angle speed also made incremental - the longer you hold the keys, the faster you turn.
• The mod also fixes the broken system to maintain horse speed out of player control - Roach now slows down gradually instead of stopping almost immediately when all the controls are released. And continues properly when the player picks the controls up.
  

Friendly Camera

The mod aims to emphasize the weight of Geralt's actions in-game (mostly movements) by making the camera more reactive. It places the default camera closer to Geralt and then dynamically adjusts the distance to create proper perception of movement speed and acceleration/deceleration. It also adds a camera head bob tuned for different speeds to emphasize the movement (can be turned off in options). The result is a more natural cinematic representation of the game. The mod also fixes the broken system of camera presets and re-introduces it into the game with the ability to choose between default, closer or farther view. And it adjusts camera positioning for different in-game scenarios to provide a more proper view of the world and the player character.

To achieve the desired result vanilla camera spring code was changed to a more advanced version allowing for a wider range of motions: underdamped harmonic motion, overdamped and critical motion. You can find more information on springs for third-person cameras and the physics of spring movement here.

And here you can see examples of calculations and graphs for vanilla and modified spring.

Friendly Camera Changelist

• Camera preset system is fixed and re-introduced into the game: you can now switch between default, closer and farther cameras with F9 key (configurable in options).
• Default camera position is adjusted so it’s no longer located at Geralt’s belt but rather at his neck.
• Moving at different speeds now dynamically adjusts FOV and camera positioning using the new system of springs.
• Moving also activates the head bob camera animation adjusted for different speeds (can be turned off completely in options).
• Exploration, combat, interior and other states on the camera are tuned to provide a better experience.
• Camera now follows Geralt when jumping.
• Horse riding cameras are also adjusted for different movement speeds. Head bob is also introduces for riding (can be turned off completely in options).
• Sailing and crossbow/bomb aiming cameras are left untouched.
  

Future plans

We plan to continue the work on fine-tuning the numbers and maybe adding some other things in the future.

Installation

Use The Witcher 3 Mod Manager to install all parts of the mod automatically. Use Script Merger to fix conflicts.

For more details and manual install instruction see the readme files inside the corresponding mods folders.

Acknowledgements

Special thanks to bulkane for jogging animations and to TehPandemic for idle to slow walk animation transition fix.