The Witcher 3 v1.04 PC Patch Improves Graphics, Available Now

May 25, 2015

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It appears that CD Projekt Red is very serious about supporting the PC version of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Despite the game having been released less than a week ago, it's been patched a total of four times. Today, it gets its most noticeable patch yet.

Check Out: The Witcher 3 PC Review

Patch v1.04 has arrived for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt's PC version, and it includes several things of note. First, let's look at the full list of patch notes. The big ticket items are bolded.

Rebinding any key is now available after switching Unlock Bindings option in Options Key bindings submenu.
Corrects an issue in the dialog system that might rarely cause dialog looping in scenes.
Fixes an issue with incorrect behavior of Wild Hunt warriors after they were under the influence of Axii sign.
Corrects a bug causing spontaneous combustion of gas clouds.
1280 x 720 resolution is now properly displaying as valid resolution option.
Fixes boat stuttering in cutscenes.
Texture rendering quality for high / ultra presets improved.
Further improvements in NVIDIA Hairworks performance.
A few additional Gwent cards are now available in the Prologue area.
Fixes an issue where users with usernames using non-latin characters were unable to import saves from Witcher 2.
Overall stability and performance improvements.
Fixes related to alt + tabbing and minimizing game window.
Game icon updated.
Enlarges the size of the loot pop-up window in the UI.
Fixes an issue where, in certain circumstances, the comparison window could be displayed outside of game borders in the UI.
Upgrading set items no longer destroys sockets.
Small UI tweaks for Gwent.
Corrects some missing translations in localized versions.

What you might not notice from the line about improving rendering quality is how significant it is. This change adds a bias to mipmap of -1 improving the detail of objects such as tree leaves and bushes. The result is a noticeable improvement in clarity. See for yourself:

Before v1.04

After v1.04

The addition of Gwent cards in the early areas is a nice touch. Before this patch, you had to wait until further along in the game to be able to invest in cards to fill out a deck. Without a full deck, you play a significant disadvantage.

The improved optimization of HairWorks is a key item, too. Frame rate while the technology is enabled has increased, allowing players to enjoy the benefits of realistic hair and fur without losing 10+ frames per second. Your mileage may vary.

And lastly, the game icon change brings everything home. Previously, the game used the same icon as The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings. Bravo.

Overall, this is a solid patch. The best part about it is you don't have to wait as it's already available for download. Get to downloading, and let us know in the comments below what your experience is like.

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Although Jonathan Leack began covering the gaming industry in 2009, his earliest roots date back to 2004 when he wrote his first of many reviews to come. Equipped with a B.S. in Computer Information Systems and several information technology certifications, he provides a unique perspective that is technological and business conscious. Having acquired the role of Executive Editor in 2016, his mission is to make GameRevolution a gaming site that thoughtfully considers the consumer perspective, and has a knowledgeable presence of PC gaming, console, hardware, and eSports coverage.

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