The Witcher Team Releases Free Development Tools for Modders

Not everyone has the time or money to create their own set of development tools. It takes a big budget and an even bigger dedication to the craft to do so, but CD Projekt RED has decided to do some of that work for you. Although the bright minds behind The Witcher series won’t personally help you develop and ship your own game, the team has just announced the availability of REDkit – a set of tools “for crafting non-linear role-playing adventures.”

These are the same tools used to develop the wildly successful The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings, and while the technology is not final, the editor has entered its open beta phase. This will allow everyone itching to see just what protagonist Geralt will do next to revisit the last game and create new content. People will also be able to experience what other members of the community have accomplished with these extensive tools.

"For CD Projekt RED, RPGs are all about telling amazing stories," said Adam Badowski, head of CD Projekt RED. "We want to give players the power to tell the same kind of non-linear, branching stories that made The Witcher games so popular. Our fans have helped us for years to make our games the best they can be, and REDkit is part of embracing our community as a partner in game development."

If you want to know exactly what REDkit will let you work with, here’s a full list of the features packed into the new technology:

• Intuitive tools developed for all would-be storytellers and game designers
• Complex and user-friendly terrain tools, including the SpeedTree foliage system
• Utilize the astonishing graphics and visuals that power The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings
• Create a realistic and dynamic day and night cycle in a few clicks
• Implement non-linear stories and quests with a unique quest system that allows player decisions to impact the game world and plot
• Build believable characters, NPCs, and entire communities and set their interactions with the player
• Place dialogue cameras automatically or manually to create a filmlike experience

This Polish developer seems to understand its fans quite well. Along with supplying these tools, the team has also promised to not include DRM in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.