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Created by
glassfish777 and MerseyRockoffUploaded by
glassfish777Virus scan
Safe to use
About this mod
Restores three cut retrospective animations that narrated by Geralt that were intended to play after the three outcomes of In the Heart of the Woods.
- Permissions and credits
- Changelogs
Overview
Spoilers Ahead!
At some point in development CDPR planned for three additional Geralt narrated retrospective animations covering the aftermath and consequences of the the quest In the Heart of the Woods. For some reason CDPR decided to cut the retrospectives from this quest before release. However the videos for these retrospectives were partially completed and left in the game files next to the placeholder videos used during development indicating their unfinished state. This mod completes the videos and restores them to the game by having the one corresponding to the appropriate outcome play after the completion of the quest.
Background
The very first time I played Witcher 3 I swore I saw a retrospective recap video after completing the quest. In later playthroughs I was shocked to realize that I had misremembered and that the quest contained no Geralt narrated video recapping its outcome. However, later MerseyRockoff informed me that he had discovered that this quest indeed did have cut and unfinished retrospective video left in the game files.
The unfinished placeholder version of the cut videos are found among the placeholder videos left in the game files. There is a video recapping the aftermath and consequences for each of the quest's three outcomes: Geralt sides with the Woodland Spirit and Harald lives, Geralt sides with the Woodland Spirit and Harald dies, and Geralt kills the Woodland Spirit. The videos as found in the game files are in very poor condition. For starters they are in 720p while the vanilla retrospective animations are in much higher quality(1080p in 1.32 and 4k in Next-gen). Secondly, the videos feature no audio at allmeaning no music or voice commentary from Geralt. English subtitles are also baked into the video itself and not provided via the game's standard subtitle and localization system for prerendered videos. Lastly, these animations only depict a single scene from the aftermath of each outcome while most of the vanilla retrospectives show progress through multiple scenes corresponding to what Geralt is talking about at that moment. This is likely because the animations were cut before they could be finished. The written dialogue may also be of first draft quality.The recap videos in the state they were found in the game files can be viewed here.
At the time we discovered the videos we decided against restoring them as the poor quality, lack of audio, and baked in English subtitles would make them standout negatively compared to the other videos in the game. However with recent advances in AI technology we decided that it would be possible for these videos to be brought up to a comparable standard to the other videos and restored to the game.
Mechanics
The mechanics for this mod are very simple. Simply complete the quest In the Heart of the Woods with your desired outcome and the video corresponding to that outcome will play as soon as you finish the quest. As long as you install this mod before completing In the Heart of the Woods it should work properly.
Retrospective Videos
The cut recap videos were first upscaled from 720p to 4k using Topaz AI video upscaling software. The background music track was extracted from a vanilla recap video's .usm file. English voice acting for Geralt was generated using ElevenLabs AI voice synthesis. The components were combine together in the DaVinci Resolve 18 video editing software where additional letterboxing was also added to remove the baked in English subtitles. The produced video was encoded to game readable .usm format using the Scaleform Video Encoder where vanilla style subtitles were also added.The finished videos can be view here.
Installation
Unpack 'modWoodlandSpirit' to your mods folder. Make sure that this mod is given priority over all other mods. This mod is fully compatible with the Brothers In Arms Ultimate Bugfix and Restored Content Collection. Mod has only been tested on game version 4.02 but may work on older versions.
Rationale
We made this mod as we really enjoy restoring cut content for the Witcher 3 wherever we find it can be done. With advances in AI upscaling and voice synthesis technology and Nexus announcing their new policy on AI use we thought it would be great opportunity to restore these videos.
Translation
This mod is currently only available in English as that is the only game language we can verify that the voice synthesis is correct for. Anyone is free to translate this mod however if you wish for your translation to be included we request that you also be able to provide the dialogue audio as cannot verify it has been properly synthesized if we do not speak the language.
Additionally, some have said the recap dialogue is not very good. This might as well be the case since it was likely first draft/placeholder dialogueby CDPR. We may considering making in this mod with rewritten recap dialogue in the future.
Credits/Special Thanks
glassfish777 - Editing the upscaled video, extracted music, and synthesized audio together and adjusting timing so it all flowed together. Removed the baked in subtitles. Encoded the videos to .usm format and provided vanilla style subtitles.
MerseyRockoff - Editing the w2phase and w2scene files to get the game to play the video after the appropriate outcome. Upscaling the original videos to 4k using Topaz AI and synthesizing the necessary dialogue using elevenlabs. Original idea for restoration.
All video editing was done in DaVinci Resolve 18. Videos were encoded into .usm files using Scaleform Video encoder 4.6. Videos were upscaled with Topaz AI and dialogue was synthesized with elevenlabs. Remaining works was done in WolvenKit.
My Other Mods
Old Witcher 3 (1.32):
Novigrad Crest in Journal Restored
Restored Content - Shrines of Verna
Restored Content - Ciri's Fate
Restored Content - Old Mutagen Icons
Restored Content - Additional Perks
Experimental Restored Content - Ice Skating
Smooth Camera Zoom for Base Game Signs and Posters
Restored Content - Yellow Mutagens
Next-Gen Witcher 3(4.0):
Smooth Camera Zoom for Base Game Signs and Posters
Restored Content - Old Mutagen Icons
Restored Content - Yellow Mutagens - Next-Gen
Restored Content - Additional Perks - Next-Gen
Experimental Restored Content - Ice Skating - Next-Gen
Restored Content - Ciri's Fate - Next-Gen
Restored Content - Woodland Spirit Aftermath
Restored Content - Shrines of Verna - Next-Gen
Restored Content - Usable Whetstones
Other mods I have contributed to or collaborated on:
Restored Content - Buffed Monster
Restored Content - Buffed Monster - Next-Gen
Restored Content - Food
Healthy Food
Brothers In Arms-TW3 Bug Fix and Restored Content Collection(includes all my location fixes mods as well as some other things I've contributed)
Brothers In Arms- TW3 Bug Fix and Restored Content Collection - Next-Gen
DLC - Events
DLC - Events - Next-Gen
Spoilers Ahead!
At some point in development CDPR planned for three additional Geralt narrated retrospective animations covering the aftermath and consequences of the the quest In the Heart of the Woods. For some reason CDPR decided to cut the retrospectives from this quest before release. However the videos for these retrospectives were partially completed and left in the game files next to the placeholder videos used during development indicating their unfinished state. This mod completes the videos and restores them to the game by having the one corresponding to the appropriate outcome play after the completion of the quest.
Background
The very first time I played Witcher 3 I swore I saw a retrospective recap video after completing the quest. In later playthroughs I was shocked to realize that I had misremembered and that the quest contained no Geralt narrated video recapping its outcome. However, later MerseyRockoff informed me that he had discovered that this quest indeed did have cut and unfinished retrospective video left in the game files.
The unfinished placeholder version of the cut videos are found among the placeholder videos left in the game files. There is a video recapping the aftermath and consequences for each of the quest's three outcomes: Geralt sides with the Woodland Spirit and Harald lives, Geralt sides with the Woodland Spirit and Harald dies, and Geralt kills the Woodland Spirit. The videos as found in the game files are in very poor condition. For starters they are in 720p while the vanilla retrospective animations are in much higher quality(1080p in 1.32 and 4k in Next-gen). Secondly, the videos feature no audio at allmeaning no music or voice commentary from Geralt. English subtitles are also baked into the video itself and not provided via the game's standard subtitle and localization system for prerendered videos. Lastly, these animations only depict a single scene from the aftermath of each outcome while most of the vanilla retrospectives show progress through multiple scenes corresponding to what Geralt is talking about at that moment. This is likely because the animations were cut before they could be finished. The written dialogue may also be of first draft quality.The recap videos in the state they were found in the game files can be viewed here.
At the time we discovered the videos we decided against restoring them as the poor quality, lack of audio, and baked in English subtitles would make them standout negatively compared to the other videos in the game. However with recent advances in AI technology we decided that it would be possible for these videos to be brought up to a comparable standard to the other videos and restored to the game.
Mechanics
The mechanics for this mod are very simple. Simply complete the quest In the Heart of the Woods with your desired outcome and the video corresponding to that outcome will play as soon as you finish the quest. As long as you install this mod before completing In the Heart of the Woods it should work properly.
Retrospective Videos
The cut recap videos were first upscaled from 720p to 4k using Topaz AI video upscaling software. The background music track was extracted from a vanilla recap video's .usm file. English voice acting for Geralt was generated using ElevenLabs AI voice synthesis. The components were combine together in the DaVinci Resolve 18 video editing software where additional letterboxing was also added to remove the baked in English subtitles. The produced video was encoded to game readable .usm format using the Scaleform Video Encoder where vanilla style subtitles were also added.The finished videos can be view here.
Installation
Unpack 'modWoodlandSpirit' to your mods folder. Make sure that this mod is given priority over all other mods. This mod is fully compatible with the Brothers In Arms Ultimate Bugfix and Restored Content Collection. Mod has only been tested on game version 4.02 but may work on older versions.
Rationale
We made this mod as we really enjoy restoring cut content for the Witcher 3 wherever we find it can be done. With advances in AI upscaling and voice synthesis technology and Nexus announcing their new policy on AI use we thought it would be great opportunity to restore these videos.
Translation
This mod is currently only available in English as that is the only game language we can verify that the voice synthesis is correct for. Anyone is free to translate this mod however if you wish for your translation to be included we request that you also be able to provide the dialogue audio as cannot verify it has been properly synthesized if we do not speak the language.
Additionally, some have said the recap dialogue is not very good. This might as well be the case since it was likely first draft/placeholder dialogueby CDPR. We may considering making in this mod with rewritten recap dialogue in the future.
Credits/Special Thanks
glassfish777 - Editing the upscaled video, extracted music, and synthesized audio together and adjusting timing so it all flowed together. Removed the baked in subtitles. Encoded the videos to .usm format and provided vanilla style subtitles.
MerseyRockoff - Editing the w2phase and w2scene files to get the game to play the video after the appropriate outcome. Upscaling the original videos to 4k using Topaz AI and synthesizing the necessary dialogue using elevenlabs. Original idea for restoration.
All video editing was done in DaVinci Resolve 18. Videos were encoded into .usm files using Scaleform Video encoder 4.6. Videos were upscaled with Topaz AI and dialogue was synthesized with elevenlabs. Remaining works was done in WolvenKit.
My Other Mods
Old Witcher 3 (1.32):
Novigrad Crest in Journal Restored
Restored Content - Shrines of Verna
Restored Content - Ciri's Fate
Restored Content - Old Mutagen Icons
Restored Content - Additional Perks
Experimental Restored Content - Ice Skating
Smooth Camera Zoom for Base Game Signs and Posters
Restored Content - Yellow Mutagens
Next-Gen Witcher 3(4.0):
Smooth Camera Zoom for Base Game Signs and Posters
Restored Content - Old Mutagen Icons
Restored Content - Yellow Mutagens - Next-Gen
Restored Content - Additional Perks - Next-Gen
Experimental Restored Content - Ice Skating - Next-Gen
Restored Content - Ciri's Fate - Next-Gen
Restored Content - Woodland Spirit Aftermath
Restored Content - Shrines of Verna - Next-Gen
Restored Content - Usable Whetstones
Other mods I have contributed to or collaborated on:
Restored Content - Buffed Monster
Restored Content - Buffed Monster - Next-Gen
Restored Content - Food
Healthy Food
Brothers In Arms-TW3 Bug Fix and Restored Content Collection(includes all my location fixes mods as well as some other things I've contributed)
Brothers In Arms- TW3 Bug Fix and Restored Content Collection - Next-Gen
DLC - Events
DLC - Events - Next-Gen