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Difference between revisions of "The Witness"

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{{cleanup|Over 1080p resolutions. Launcher has both "display based" and "custom" now, so has the situation gotten better?}}
+
{{disambig|the 2016 puzzle game|the unrelated 1983 text adventure game|[[The Witness (1983)]]}}
 
{{Infobox game
 
{{Infobox game
 
|cover        = The Witness - cover.jpg
 
|cover        = The Witness - cover.jpg
Line 8: Line 8:
 
|release dates=  
 
|release dates=  
 
{{Infobox game/row/date|Windows|January 26, 2016}}
 
{{Infobox game/row/date|Windows|January 26, 2016}}
 +
{{Infobox game/row/date|OS X|March 8, 2017}}
 +
|reception    =
 +
{{Infobox game/row/reception|Metacritic|the-witness|87}}
 +
{{Infobox game/row/reception|OpenCritic|1557/the-witness|86}}
 +
{{Infobox game/row/reception|IGDB|the-witness|88}}
 +
|taxonomy    =
 +
{{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/monetization      | One-time game purchase }}
 +
{{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/microtransactions | }}
 +
{{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/modes            | Singleplayer }}
 +
{{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/pacing            | Relaxed }}
 +
{{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/perspectives      | First-person }}
 +
{{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/controls          | Direct control, Point and select }}
 +
{{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/genres            | Puzzle }}
 +
{{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/art styles        | Stylized }}
 +
{{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/themes            | Fantasy }}
 +
{{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/series            | }}
 
|steam appid  = 210970
 
|steam appid  = 210970
|gogcom page  = the_witness
+
|steam appid side =
|strategywiki =  
+
|gogcom id    = 1461060839
 +
|gogcom id side =  
 +
|official site= http://the-witness.net
 +
|hltb        = 10273
 +
|lutris      = the-witness
 +
|strategywiki = The Witness
 +
|mobygames    = witness_
 
|wikipedia    = The Witness (2016 video game)
 
|wikipedia    = The Witness (2016 video game)
 
|winehq      = 17370
 
|winehq      = 17370
 +
|license      = commercial
 
}}
 
}}
 +
 +
'''Key points'''
 +
{{--}} Colorblind and hearing-impaired players may have trouble playing the game in full.<ref>{{Refurl|url=http://kotaku.com/colorblind-and-hearing-impaired-players-wont-be-able-to-1755459642|date=2016-01-28|title=Colorblind And Hearing-Impaired Players Won't Be Able To Do All The Puzzles In The Witness - Kotaku}}</ref>
  
 
'''General information'''
 
'''General information'''
{{GOG.com links|the_witness|the_witness}}
+
{{GOG.com links|1461060839|the_witness}}
{{mm}} [http://steamcommunity.com/app/210970/discussions/ Steam Community Discussions]
+
{{mm}} [https://steamcommunity.com/app/210970/discussions/ Steam Community Discussions]
{{mm}} [http://the-witness.net Official website]
 
  
 
==Availability==
 
==Availability==
 
{{Availability|
 
{{Availability|
{{Availability/row| GOG | the_witness | DRM-free | | | Windows, OS X }}
+
{{Availability/row| Epic Games Store | the-witness | DRM-free | Can be played without Epic Store Launcher being open. | | Windows, OS X }}
{{Availability/row| Humble | the-witness | DRM-free | DRM-free or Steam key, but not both. | Steam | Windows, OS X}}
+
{{Availability/row| GOG.com | the_witness | DRM-free | | | Windows, OS X }}
{{Availability/row| Steam | 210970 | Steam |  | Windows, OS X }}
+
{{Availability/row| Humble | the-witness | Steam | | | Windows, OS X}}
 +
{{Availability/row| MacApp | id1167726849 | MacApp | | | OS X }}
 +
{{Availability/row| Steam | 210970 | DRM-free | Can be played without Steam being open. |  | Windows, OS X }}
 +
{{Availability/row| Origin | the-witness/the-witness | Origin | | | Windows | unavailable }}
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{++}} Steam version can be played without Steam being open.
 
  
 
==Game data==
 
==Game data==
===Configuration file location===
+
===Configuration file(s) location===
 
{{Game data|
 
{{Game data|
{{Game data/row|Windows|{{P|game}}\data\Local.variables|{{P|appdata}}\The Witness\Launcher.variables}}
+
{{Game data/config|Windows|{{P|game}}\data\Local.variables|{{P|appdata}}\The Witness\Launcher.variables}}
 +
{{Game data/config|OS X|{{P|game}}/The Witness.app/Contents/Resources/data/Local.variables|~/Library/Application Support/The Witness/Launcher.variables}}
 
}}
 
}}
  
 
===Save game data location===
 
===Save game data location===
 
{{Game data|
 
{{Game data|
{{Game data/row|Windows|{{P|appdata}}\The Witness\}}
+
{{Game data/saves|Windows|{{P|appdata}}\The Witness\}}
 +
{{Game data/saves|OS X|{{p|osxhome}}/Library/Application Support/The Witness/}}
 
}}
 
}}
  
 
===[[Glossary:Save game cloud syncing|Save game cloud syncing]]===
 
===[[Glossary:Save game cloud syncing|Save game cloud syncing]]===
 
{{Save game cloud syncing
 
{{Save game cloud syncing
|gog galaxy           = true
+
|epic games launcher      = false
|gog galaxy notes     =  
+
|epic games launcher notes =
|origin               =  
+
|discord                  =
|origin notes         =  
+
|discord notes            =
|steam cloud           = true
+
|gog galaxy               = true
|steam cloud notes     = Syncs up to 100 MB of game saves. Launcher preferences are also synced.
+
|gog galaxy notes         =  
|uplay                =  
+
|origin                   = true
|uplay notes           =  
+
|origin notes             =  
 +
|steam cloud               = true
 +
|steam cloud notes         = Syncs up to 100 MB of game saves. Launcher preferences are also synced.
 +
|ubisoft connect          =  
 +
|ubisoft connect notes     =
 +
|xbox cloud                =
 +
|xbox cloud notes          =  
 
}}
 
}}
  
==Video settings==
+
==Video==
{{Image|The Witness - Launcher.png|Launcher settings.}}
+
{{Video
{{Image|The Witness - Advanced launcher.png|Advanced launcher settings.}}
+
|wsgf link                  = https://www.wsgf.org/dr/witness/en
{{Image|The Witness - General.png|In-game general settings.}}
 
{{Video settings
 
|wsgf link                  = http://www.wsgf.org/dr/witness/en
 
 
|widescreen wsgf award      = silver
 
|widescreen wsgf award      = silver
 
|multimonitor wsgf award    = silver
 
|multimonitor wsgf award    = silver
Line 63: Line 94:
 
|4k ultra hd wsgf award    = silver
 
|4k ultra hd wsgf award    = silver
 
|widescreen resolution      = true
 
|widescreen resolution      = true
|widescreen resolution notes= Resolution setting is for rendering resolution, game always uses desktop resolution in fullscreen mode. Resolutions above 1920x1080 require changing the internal resolution to fix blurriness; see the [http://www.wsgf.org/dr/witness/en WSGF entry].
+
|widescreen resolution notes= Resolution setting is for rendering resolution, game always uses desktop resolution in fullscreen mode. Resolutions above 1920x1080 require changing the internal resolution to fix blurriness; see the [https://www.wsgf.org/dr/witness/en WSGF entry].
|multimonitor              = hackable
+
|multimonitor              = true
|multimonitor notes        = Requires changing the internal resolution to fix blurriness; see the [http://www.wsgf.org/dr/witness/en WSGF entry].
+
|multimonitor notes        =  
|ultrawidescreen            = hackable
+
|ultrawidescreen            = true
|ultrawidescreen notes      = Requires changing the internal resolution to fix blurriness; see the [http://www.wsgf.org/dr/witness/en WSGF entry].
+
|ultrawidescreen notes      =  
|4k ultra hd                = hackable
+
|4k ultra hd                = true
|4k ultra hd notes          = Requires changing the internal resolution to fix blurriness; see the [http://www.wsgf.org/dr/witness/en WSGF entry].
+
|4k ultra hd notes          =  
 
|fov                        = true
 
|fov                        = true
 
|fov notes                  = Adjustable in Settings menu. Can set from 80° to 120°.
 
|fov notes                  = Adjustable in Settings menu. Can set from 80° to 120°.
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|antialiasing              = true
 
|antialiasing              = true
 
|antialiasing notes        = [[MSAA]] up to 8x. Downsampling possible with custom rendering resolution. [[FXAA]] forced by default, see [[#Configuration file structure and options|Configuration file options]].
 
|antialiasing notes        = [[MSAA]] up to 8x. Downsampling possible with custom rendering resolution. [[FXAA]] forced by default, see [[#Configuration file structure and options|Configuration file options]].
 +
|upscaling                  = unknown
 +
|upscaling tech            =
 +
|upscaling notes            =
 
|vsync                      = true
 
|vsync                      = true
 
|vsync notes                =  
 
|vsync notes                =  
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|120 fps                    = true
 
|120 fps                    = true
 
|120 fps notes              =  
 
|120 fps notes              =  
 +
|hdr                        = false
 +
|hdr notes                  = PlayStation 4 version only.<ref>{{Refurl|url=https://steamcommunity.com/app/210970/discussions/0/215439774871844027/|title=HDR output coming to PC? :: The Witness General Discussions|date=May 2023}}</ref>
 
|color blind                = false
 
|color blind                = false
|color blind notes          = Colorblind and hearing-impaired players may have trouble playing the game in full.<ref>{{Refurl|url=http://kotaku.com/colorblind-and-hearing-impaired-players-wont-be-able-to-1755459642|date=2016-01-28|title=Colorblind And Hearing-Impaired Players Won't Be Able To Do All The Puzzles In The Witness - Kotaku}}</ref>
+
|color blind notes          =  
 
}}
 
}}
 +
<gallery>
 +
The Witness - Launcher.png|Launcher settings.
 +
The Witness - Advanced launcher.png|Advanced launcher settings.
 +
The Witness - General.png|In-game video settings.
 +
</gallery>
 +
 +
==Input==
  
==Input settings==
+
{{Input
{{Image|The Witness - Input.png|In-game input menu.}}
+
|key remap                = true
{{Input settings
+
|key remap notes          =  
|key remap                = false
 
|key remap notes          = Couple presets for movement, {{key|W}}{{key|A}}{{key|S}}{{key|D}}, {{key|E}}{{key|S}}{{key|D}}{{key|F}} and {{key|Z}}{{key|Q}}{{key|S}}{{key|D}}.
 
 
|acceleration option      = true
 
|acceleration option      = true
 
|acceleration option notes =  
 
|acceleration option notes =  
 
|mouse sensitivity        = true
 
|mouse sensitivity        = true
 
|mouse sensitivity notes  = Separate for camera and cursor.
 
|mouse sensitivity notes  = Separate for camera and cursor.
|mouse menu                = false
+
|mouse menu                = true
 
|mouse menu notes          =  
 
|mouse menu notes          =  
 
|invert mouse y-axis      = true
 
|invert mouse y-axis      = true
 
|invert mouse y-axis notes =  
 
|invert mouse y-axis notes =  
 +
|touchscreen              = unknown
 +
|touchscreen notes        =
 
|controller support        = true
 
|controller support        = true
|controller support notes  = XInput and [[Controller:DualShock 4|DualShock 4]].
+
|controller support notes  =  
 
|full controller          = hackable
 
|full controller          = hackable
|full controller notes    = Mouse/keyboard required to navigate the launcher.<br/>Bypass the launcher by adding {{code|show_config_dialog false}} under the {{code|:/display}} section in the [[#Game data|configuration file]].
+
|full controller notes    = Mouse/keyboard required to navigate the launcher.<br/>Bypass the launcher by using {{code|-skip_config_dialog}} [[Glossary:Command line arguments|launch parameter]] or by adding {{code|show_config_dialog false}} under the {{code|:/display}} section in the [[#Game data|configuration file]].
|controller remap          = false
+
|controller remap          = true
 
|controller remap notes    =  
 
|controller remap notes    =  
 
|controller sensitivity    = true
 
|controller sensitivity    = true
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|invert controller y-axis  = true
 
|invert controller y-axis  = true
 
|invert controller y-axis notes=  
 
|invert controller y-axis notes=  
|touchscreen               = unknown
+
|xinput controllers        = true
|touchscreen notes        =  
+
|xinput controllers notes  =
|button prompts           = Xbox
+
|xbox prompts              = true
|button prompts notes     = Only at the very beginning. Defaulted to controller prompts if any controller device connected.
+
|xbox prompts notes        =
 +
|impulse triggers          = false
 +
|impulse triggers notes    =
 +
|dualshock 4               = true
 +
|dualshock 4 notes        =  
 +
|dualshock prompts         = true
 +
|dualshock prompts notes   =
 +
|light bar support        = true
 +
|light bar support notes  = Static blue, lightbar keeps being light up after terminating the game, resets controllers Bluetooth pairing.
 +
|dualshock 4 modes        = V1, Wired
 +
|dualshock 4 modes notes  = V2, Wireless adapter and Bluetooth untested.
 +
|tracked motion controllers= false
 +
|tracked motion controllers notes =
 +
|tracked motion prompts    = false
 +
|tracked motion prompts notes =
 +
|other controllers        = false
 +
|other controllers notes  =
 +
|other button prompts      = unknown
 +
|other button prompts notes=
 
|controller hotplug        = true
 
|controller hotplug        = true
|controller hotplug notes  = Does not seem to work with XInput devices.
+
|controller hotplug notes  =  
|haptic feedback          = unknown
+
|haptic feedback          = true
 
|haptic feedback notes    =  
 
|haptic feedback notes    =  
|light bar support        = true
+
|simultaneous input        = true
|light bar support notes   = Static blue, lightbar keeps being light up after terminating the game, resets controllers bluetooth pairing.
+
|simultaneous input notes  =
 +
|steam input api          = false
 +
|steam input api notes    =
 +
|steam hook input          = true
 +
|steam hook input notes    =
 +
|steam input presets      = false
 +
|steam input presets notes =
 +
|steam controller prompts  = false
 +
|steam controller prompts notes =
 +
|steam cursor detection    = unknown
 +
|steam cursor detection notes =  
 
}}
 
}}
 +
<gallery>
 +
The Witness - Input.png|In-game control settings.
 +
The Witness - Keys.png|In-game keyboard binding settings.
 +
the-witness-gamepad.png|In-game gamepad binding settings.
 +
</gallery>
  
==Audio settings==
+
==Audio==
{{Audio settings
+
{{Audio
 
|separate volume          = false
 
|separate volume          = false
 
|separate volume notes    =  
 
|separate volume notes    =  
|surround sound          = unknown
+
|surround sound          = true
 
|surround sound notes    =  
 
|surround sound notes    =  
 
|subtitles                = true
 
|subtitles                = true
 
|subtitles notes          =  
 
|subtitles notes          =  
 
|closed captions          = false
 
|closed captions          = false
|closed captions notes    = Statement on Steam store page is incorrect.<ref>{{refcheck|user=Soeb|date=2016-01-31}}</ref>
+
|closed captions notes    = Statement on Steam store page is incorrect.<ref>{{Refcheck|user=Anonymous|date=2016-01-31}}</ref>
 
|mute on focus lost      = true
 
|mute on focus lost      = true
 
|mute on focus lost notes =  
 
|mute on focus lost notes =  
 
|eax support              =  
 
|eax support              =  
|eax support notes        =  
+
|eax support notes         =
 +
|royalty free audio       = unknown
 +
|royalty free audio notes  =  
 
}}
 
}}
  
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{{L10n/switch
 
{{L10n/switch
 
  |language  = English
 
  |language  = English
  |interface = yes
+
  |interface = true
  |audio    = yes
+
  |audio    = true
  |subtitles = yes
+
  |subtitles = true
 
  |notes    =  
 
  |notes    =  
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{L10n/switch
 
{{L10n/switch
 
  |language  = Arabic
 
  |language  = Arabic
  |interface = yes
+
  |interface = true
  |audio    = no
+
  |audio    = false
  |subtitles = yes
+
  |subtitles = true
 
  |notes    =  
 
  |notes    =  
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{L10n/switch
 
{{L10n/switch
 
  |language  = Simplified Chinese
 
  |language  = Simplified Chinese
  |interface = yes
+
  |interface = true
  |audio    = no
+
  |audio    = false
  |subtitles = yes
+
  |subtitles = true
 
  |notes    =  
 
  |notes    =  
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{L10n/switch
 
{{L10n/switch
 
  |language  = Traditional Chinese
 
  |language  = Traditional Chinese
  |interface = yes
+
  |interface = true
  |audio    = no
+
  |audio    = false
  |subtitles = yes
+
  |subtitles = true
 
  |notes    =  
 
  |notes    =  
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{L10n/switch
 
{{L10n/switch
 
  |language  = French
 
  |language  = French
  |interface = yes
+
  |interface = true
  |audio    = no
+
  |audio    = false
  |subtitles = yes
+
  |subtitles = true
 
  |notes    =  
 
  |notes    =  
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{L10n/switch
 
{{L10n/switch
 
  |language  = German
 
  |language  = German
  |interface = yes
+
  |interface = true
  |audio    = no
+
  |audio    = false
  |subtitles = yes
+
  |subtitles = true
 
  |notes    =  
 
  |notes    =  
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{L10n/switch
 
{{L10n/switch
 
  |language  = Italian
 
  |language  = Italian
  |interface = yes
+
  |interface = true
  |audio    = no
+
  |audio    = false
  |subtitles = yes
+
  |subtitles = true
 
  |notes    =  
 
  |notes    =  
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{L10n/switch
 
{{L10n/switch
 
  |language  = Japanese
 
  |language  = Japanese
  |interface = yes
+
  |interface = true
  |audio    = no
+
  |audio    = false
  |subtitles = yes
+
  |subtitles = true
 
  |notes    =  
 
  |notes    =  
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{L10n/switch
 
{{L10n/switch
 
  |language  = Korean
 
  |language  = Korean
  |interface = yes
+
  |interface = true
  |audio    = no
+
  |audio    = false
  |subtitles = yes
+
  |subtitles = true
 
  |notes    =  
 
  |notes    =  
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{L10n/switch
 
{{L10n/switch
 
  |language  = Polish
 
  |language  = Polish
  |interface = yes
+
  |interface = true
  |audio    = no
+
  |audio    = false
  |subtitles = yes
+
  |subtitles = true
 
  |notes    =  
 
  |notes    =  
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{L10n/switch
 
{{L10n/switch
 
  |language  = Portuguese
 
  |language  = Portuguese
  |interface = yes
+
  |interface = true
  |audio    = no
+
  |audio    = false
  |subtitles = yes
+
  |subtitles = true
 
  |notes    =  
 
  |notes    =  
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{L10n/switch
 
{{L10n/switch
 
  |language  = Brazilian Portuguese
 
  |language  = Brazilian Portuguese
  |interface = yes
+
  |interface = true
  |audio    = no
+
  |audio    = false
  |subtitles = yes
+
  |subtitles = true
 
  |notes    =  
 
  |notes    =  
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{L10n/switch
 
{{L10n/switch
 
  |language  = Russian
 
  |language  = Russian
  |interface = yes
+
  |interface = true
  |audio    = no
+
  |audio    = false
  |subtitles = yes
+
  |subtitles = true
 
  |notes    =  
 
  |notes    =  
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{L10n/switch
 
{{L10n/switch
 
  |language  = Spanish
 
  |language  = Spanish
  |interface = yes
+
  |interface = true
  |audio    = no
+
  |audio    = false
  |subtitles = yes
+
  |subtitles = true
 
  |notes    =  
 
  |notes    =  
 
}}
 
}}
Line 253: Line 331:
 
|native 3d notes            =  
 
|native 3d notes            =  
 
|nvidia 3d vision            = hackable
 
|nvidia 3d vision            = hackable
|nvidia 3d vision notes      = See [http://helixmod.blogspot.com/2016/02/the-witness.html Helix Mod: The Witness].
+
|nvidia 3d vision notes      = See [https://helixmod.blogspot.com/2016/02/the-witness.html Helix Mod: The Witness].
 
|tridef 3d                  = unknown
 
|tridef 3d                  = unknown
 
|tridef 3d notes            =  
 
|tridef 3d notes            =  
 
|iz3d                        = unknown
 
|iz3d                        = unknown
 
|iz3d notes                  =  
 
|iz3d notes                  =  
 +
|vr only                    = false
 
|htc vive                    = false
 
|htc vive                    = false
|htc vive notes              = <ref>{{Refurl|url=https://steamcommunity.com/app/210970/discussions/3/412447613581368890/|title=-vr mode crashes in the Vive :: The Witness Technical Support|date=2016-09-25}}</ref>
+
|htc vive notes              = Might require launching the game outside Steam with [[Glossary:Virtual reality headset#Compatibility layers|Oculus compatibility layer.]]
 
|oculus rift                = hackable
 
|oculus rift                = hackable
|oculus rift notes          = Turn on with the [[Glossary:Command line arguments|command line argument]] {{Code|-vr}}.
+
|oculus rift notes          = Buggy and incomplete implementation, puzzles almost impossible to play and most likely require taking headset off and completing puzzles on monitor.<br/>Turn on with the [[Glossary:Command line arguments|command line argument]] {{Code|-vr}}.<br/>You will also be required to run the game in [[Windows Compatibility Mode|Windows 7 Compatibility Mode]], otherwise VR will not launch properly.
|osvr                        = unknown
+
|osvr                        = false
 
|osvr notes                  =  
 
|osvr notes                  =  
|tracked motion controllers  =  
+
|windows mixed reality      = false
|tracked motion controllers notes=  
+
|windows mixed reality notes =  
|keyboard-mouse              =  
+
|keyboard-mouse              = true
 
|keyboard-mouse notes        =  
 
|keyboard-mouse notes        =  
 
|3rd space gaming vest      =  
 
|3rd space gaming vest      =  
Line 274: Line 353:
 
|trackir                    =  
 
|trackir                    =  
 
|trackir notes              =  
 
|trackir notes              =  
|play area seated            =  
+
|tobii eye tracking          =
 +
|tobii eye tracking notes    =
 +
|play area seated            = true
 
|play area seated notes      =  
 
|play area seated notes      =  
|play area standing          =  
+
|play area standing          = false
 
|play area standing notes    =  
 
|play area standing notes    =  
|play area room-scale        =  
+
|play area room-scale        = false
|play area room-scale notes  =  
+
|play area room-scale notes  = Incorrectly detected and forced. Allows moving in the enviroment while the main body stays in the center, breaking the game even more.
 
}}
 
}}
  
Line 289: Line 370:
 
|directdraw versions    =  
 
|directdraw versions    =  
 
|directdraw notes      =  
 
|directdraw notes      =  
 +
|wing                  =
 +
|wing notes            =
 
|opengl versions        =  
 
|opengl versions        =  
 
|opengl notes          =  
 
|opengl notes          =  
Line 297: Line 380:
 
|mantle support        =  
 
|mantle support        =  
 
|mantle support notes  =  
 
|mantle support notes  =  
|vulkan support        =  
+
|metal support          = true
|vulkan support notes   =  
+
|metal support notes    =
 +
|vulkan versions        =  
 +
|vulkan notes           =  
 
|dos modes              =  
 
|dos modes              =  
 
|dos modes notes        =  
 
|dos modes notes        =  
 
|shader model versions  =  
 
|shader model versions  =  
 
|shader model notes    =  
 
|shader model notes    =  
|64-bit executable     = true
+
|windows 32-bit exe    = true
|64-bit executable notes= 32-bit executable also included.
+
|windows 64-bit exe    = true
 +
|windows arm app        = unknown
 +
|windows exe notes     =  
 +
|mac os x powerpc app  = unknown
 +
|macos intel 32-bit app = false
 +
|macos intel 64-bit app = true
 +
|macos arm app          = unknown
 +
|macos app notes       =
 +
|linux powerpc app      =  
 +
|linux 32-bit executable= unknown
 +
|linux 64-bit executable= unknown
 +
|linux arm app          = unknown
 +
|linux executable notes =
 
}}
 
}}
 +
{{ii}} Metal supported Mac is required.
  
 
===Middleware===
 
===Middleware===
Line 324: Line 422:
  
 
===Configuration file structure and options===
 
===Configuration file structure and options===
 +
{{ii}} This lists all the possible variables that can be used with the games configuration file,<ref>{{Refurl|url=https://steamcommunity.com/app/210970/discussions/3/458607699616103145/|title=Command line arguments and config file variables :: The Witness Technical Support|date=2020-01-28}}</ref> however developer does point out that some of these settings can break the game in non-obvious ways.<ref>{{Refsnip|url=https://steamcommunity.com/app/210970/discussions/3/458606877334931773/|title=FAQ: Launcher, Tweaking graphics settings :: The Witness Technical Support|date=2020-01-28|snippet=Also, there are various forum posts out there in which people have figured out how to edit even more settings. Be aware that doing so can break certain puzzles and game functionality in subtle non-obvious ways, which is why they're not included here.}}</ref>
 
{{Standard table|content=
 
{{Standard table|content=
 
{{Standard table/row|low_res_reflections|Force reflections to be low resolution. Can be ''true'' or ''false''.}}
 
{{Standard table/row|low_res_reflections|Force reflections to be low resolution. Can be ''true'' or ''false''.}}
 +
{{Standard table/row|shadow_quality|}}
 
{{Standard table/row|sun_shadow_resolution|Resolutions of shadows cast by the sun. Can be ''256'', ''512'', or ''1024''.}}
 
{{Standard table/row|sun_shadow_resolution|Resolutions of shadows cast by the sun. Can be ''256'', ''512'', or ''1024''.}}
<!-- {{Standard table/row|point_shadow_resolution|}} -->
+
{{Standard table/row|point_shadow_resolution|}}
 +
{{Standard table/row|allow_non_essential_spot_lights|}}
 
{{Standard table/row|antialias_panel_rendering|Enables additional anti-aliasing for the puzzle panels. Can be ''true'' or ''false''.}}
 
{{Standard table/row|antialias_panel_rendering|Enables additional anti-aliasing for the puzzle panels. Can be ''true'' or ''false''.}}
 +
{{Standard table/row|fxaa_panel_rendering|}}
 +
{{Standard table/row|panel_mipmaps|}}
 +
{{Standard table/row|grass_detail|}}
 +
{{Standard table/row|grass_fade_begin|}}
 +
{{Standard table/row|grass_fade_end|}}
 +
{{Standard table/row|mipmap_filter_quality|}}
 
{{Standard table/row|skip_mipmaps|Changes texture resolution. Lower is better. Can be ''0'', ''1'', or ''2''.}}
 
{{Standard table/row|skip_mipmaps|Changes texture resolution. Lower is better. Can be ''0'', ''1'', or ''2''.}}
 
{{Standard table/row|aa_mode|2 for FXAA, 0 for no FXAA. Other values are the same as 0.}}
 
{{Standard table/row|aa_mode|2 for FXAA, 0 for no FXAA. Other values are the same as 0.}}
 
{{Standard table/row|msaa_sample_count|Sets number of MSAA samples. Can be ''1'' for 2x, ''2'' for 4x and ''3'' for 8x.}}
 
{{Standard table/row|msaa_sample_count|Sets number of MSAA samples. Can be ''1'' for 2x, ''2'' for 4x and ''3'' for 8x.}}
 +
{{Standard table/row|msaa_coverage|}}
 +
{{Standard table/row|msaa_coverage_sample_count|}}
 
{{Standard table/row|panel_render_width|Value must be a power of two. Values below ''512'' are not recommended.}}
 
{{Standard table/row|panel_render_width|Value must be a power of two. Values below ''512'' are not recommended.}}
 
{{Standard table/row|render_width|Changes rendering width. Can also be set with command line argument ''-width''.}}
 
{{Standard table/row|render_width|Changes rendering width. Can also be set with command line argument ''-width''.}}
Line 339: Line 448:
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{ii}} See [[#Game data|here]] for the location of the file on each system.
 
{{ii}} See [[#Game data|here]] for the location of the file on each system.
{{ii}} These need to be added to a graphical quality category called {{Code|:/render/low}} (or {{Code|medium}}, {{Code|high}}).<ref>{{Refurl|url=http://steamcommunity.com/app/210970/discussions/3/458606877334931773/#c458606877335056926|date=2016-01-28|title=Tweaking graphics settings :: Steam Community Discussions}}</ref>
+
{{ii}} These need to be added to a graphical quality category called {{Code|:/render/low}} (or {{Code|medium}}, {{Code|high}}).<ref>{{Refurl|url=https://steamcommunity.com/app/210970/discussions/3/458606877334931773/#c458606877335056926|date=2016-01-28|title=Tweaking graphics settings :: Steam Community Discussions}}</ref>
  
 
===Command line parameters===
 
===Command line parameters===
Line 346: Line 455:
 
{{Standard table/row|-width|Force a specific width.}}
 
{{Standard table/row|-width|Force a specific width.}}
 
{{Standard table/row|-height|Force a specific height.}}
 
{{Standard table/row|-height|Force a specific height.}}
{{Standard table/row|-language|Force a specific language: <tt>ar/ko/ja/ru/zh_CN/zh_TW</tt>}}
+
{{Standard table/row|-language|Force a specific language: <code>ar/ko/ja/ru/zh_CN/zh_TW</code>}}
 
{{Standard table/row|-vr|Enables Oculus Rift support.}}
 
{{Standard table/row|-vr|Enables Oculus Rift support.}}
 
{{Standard table/row|-fullscreen|Enables fullscreen mode.}}
 
{{Standard table/row|-fullscreen|Enables fullscreen mode.}}
Line 352: Line 461:
 
{{Standard table/row|-no_window_border|Hides window border.}}
 
{{Standard table/row|-no_window_border|Hides window border.}}
 
{{Standard table/row|-no_hud|Disables the HUD.}}
 
{{Standard table/row|-no_hud|Disables the HUD.}}
{{Standard table/row|-profile|Set render quality: <tt>low/medium/high/ultra</tt>}}
+
{{Standard table/row|-profile|Set render quality: <code>low/medium/high/ultra</code>}}
 +
{{Standard table/row|-no_log|}}
 +
{{Standard table/row|-no_sound|}}
 +
{{Standard table/row|-no_entities|}}
 +
{{Standard table/row|-new_game|}}
 +
{{Standard table/row|-demo|}}
 +
{{Standard table/row|-non_interactive|}}
 +
{{Standard table/row|-no_svn|}}
 +
{{Standard table/row|-map|}}
 +
{{Standard table/row|-centered|}}
 +
{{Standard table/row|-profiling|}}
 +
{{Standard table/row|-skip_config_dialog|Suppress the launcher when you start the game}}
 
}}
 
}}
  
Line 363: Line 483:
 
|minRAM  = 4 GB
 
|minRAM  = 4 GB
 
|minHD    = 5 GB
 
|minHD    = 5 GB
|minGPU  = Intel HD 4000
+
|minGPU  = Intel HD Graphics 4000
 
|minVRAM  =  
 
|minVRAM  =  
 
|minDX    = 10
 
|minDX    = 10
Line 373: Line 493:
 
|recGPU  = Nvidia GeForce GTX 780
 
|recGPU  = Nvidia GeForce GTX 780
 
|recVRAM  =  
 
|recVRAM  =  
|recDX    = 10
+
|recDX    =  
 
}}
 
}}
 +
{{System requirements
 +
|OSfamily = OS X
 +
 +
|minOS    = 10.11.6
 +
|minCPU  = Intel Core i5 1.8 GHz
 +
|minRAM  = 4 GB
 +
|minHD    = 5 GB
 +
|minGPU  = Intel HD Graphics 4000
 +
|minGPU2  = AMD Radeon R9 M290
 +
|minGPU3  = Nvidia GeForce 640M
 +
|minVRAM  = 1 GB
 +
|minother = Metal support is required.<ref>{{Refurl|url=http://the-witness.net/news/2017/06/macos-system-requirements/|title=the-witness.net|date=May 2023}}</ref>
  
 +
|recOS    = 10.12.4
 +
|recCPU  = Intel Core i7 2.4 GHz
 +
|recRAM  = 8 GB
 +
|recHD    =
 +
|recGPU  = AMD Radeon R9 M390
 +
|recGPU2  = Nvidia GeForce 780
 +
|recVRAM  = 2 GB
 +
|notes =
 +
}}
 
{{References}}
 
{{References}}
 +
{{GOG.com Enhancement Project}}

Latest revision as of 16:42, 10 May 2023

This page is for the 2016 puzzle game. For the unrelated 1983 text adventure game, see The Witness (1983).

The Witness
The Witness cover
Developers
Thekla
Release dates
Windows January 26, 2016
macOS (OS X) March 8, 2017
Reception
Metacritic 87
OpenCritic 86
IGDB 88
Taxonomy
Monetization One-time game purchase
Modes Singleplayer
Pacing Relaxed
Perspectives First-person
Controls Direct control, Point and select
Genres Puzzle
Art styles Stylized
Themes Fantasy
The Witness on HowLongToBeat
The Witness on IGDB
The Witness guide on StrategyWiki
The Witness on MobyGames
The Witness on Wikipedia

Key points

Colorblind and hearing-impaired players may have trouble playing the game in full.[1]

General information

GOG.com Community Discussions
GOG.com Support Page
Steam Community Discussions

Availability

Source DRM Notes Keys OS
Epic Games Store
DRM-free after installation through Epic Games Launcher (notes may include more details)
Can be played without Epic Store Launcher being open.
Windows
macOS (OS X)
GOG.com
DRM-free
Windows
macOS (OS X)
Humble Store
Icon overlay.png
Windows
macOS (OS X)
Mac App Store
Icon overlay.png
macOS (OS X)
Steam
DRM-free after installation through Steam client (notes may include more details)
Can be played without Steam being open.
Windows
macOS (OS X)
Origin (unavailable)
Origin
Windows

Game data

Configuration file(s) location

System Location
Windows <path-to-game>\data\Local.variables[Note 1]
%APPDATA%\The Witness\Launcher.variables
macOS (OS X) <path-to-game>/The Witness.app/Contents/Resources/data/Local.variables
~/Library/Application Support/The Witness/Launcher.variables
Steam Play (Linux) <Steam-folder>/steamapps/compatdata/210970/pfx/[Note 2]

Save game data location

System Location
Windows %APPDATA%\The Witness\
macOS (OS X) $HOME/Library/Application Support/The Witness/
Steam Play (Linux) <Steam-folder>/steamapps/compatdata/210970/pfx/[Note 2]

Save game cloud syncing

System Native Notes
Epic Games Launcher
GOG Galaxy
Origin
Steam Cloud
Syncs up to 100 MB of game saves. Launcher preferences are also synced.

Video

Graphics feature State WSGF Notes
Widescreen resolution
Resolution setting is for rendering resolution, game always uses desktop resolution in fullscreen mode. Resolutions above 1920x1080 require changing the internal resolution to fix blurriness; see the WSGF entry.
Multi-monitor
Ultra-widescreen
4K Ultra HD
Field of view (FOV)
Adjustable in Settings menu. Can set from 80° to 120°.
Windowed
Toggle with Alt+ Enter or set in launcher.
Borderless fullscreen windowed
Use the -no_window_border parameter.
Anisotropic filtering (AF)
Labelled as "Texture Filter Quality". Unknown samples.
Anti-aliasing (AA)
MSAA up to 8x. Downsampling possible with custom rendering resolution. FXAA forced by default, see Configuration file options.
Vertical sync (Vsync)
60 FPS and 120+ FPS
High dynamic range display (HDR)
PlayStation 4 version only.[2]

Input

Keyboard and mouse State Notes
Remapping
Mouse acceleration
Mouse sensitivity
Separate for camera and cursor.
Mouse input in menus
Mouse Y-axis inversion
Controller
Controller support
Full controller support
Mouse/keyboard required to navigate the launcher.
Bypass the launcher by using -skip_config_dialog launch parameter or by adding show_config_dialog false under the :/display section in the configuration file.
Controller remapping
Controller sensitivity
Controller Y-axis inversion
Controller types
XInput-compatible controllers
Xbox button prompts
Impulse Trigger vibration
PlayStation controllers
PlayStation button prompts
Light bar support
Static blue, lightbar keeps being light up after terminating the game, resets controllers Bluetooth pairing.
Adaptive trigger support
DualSense haptic feedback support
Connection modes
, Wired
V2, Wireless adapter and Bluetooth untested.
Tracked motion controllers
Generic/other controllers
See the glossary page for potential workarounds.
Additional information
Controller hotplugging
Haptic feedback
Digital movement supported
Simultaneous controller+KB/M
Steam Input
Steam Input API support
Hook input (legacy mode)
Official controller preset(s)
Steam Controller button prompts
Cursor detection

Audio

Audio feature State Notes
Separate volume controls
Surround sound
Subtitles
Closed captions
Statement on Steam store page is incorrect.[3]
Mute on focus lost
Royalty free audio

Localizations

Language UI Audio Sub Notes
English
Arabic
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
French
German
Italian
Japanese
Korean
Polish
Portuguese
Brazilian Portuguese
Russian
Spanish
To use a different language, change the language in the properties window in Steam for the game. Alternatively, use the command line argument -language with the correct language code.

VR support

3D modes State Notes
Native 3D
Nvidia 3D Vision
See Helix Mod: The Witness.
Headsets
SteamVR
Might require launching the game outside Steam with Oculus compatibility layer.
Oculus VR (LibOVR)
Buggy and incomplete implementation, puzzles almost impossible to play and most likely require taking headset off and completing puzzles on monitor.
Turn on with the command line argument -vr.
You will also be required to run the game in Windows 7 Compatibility Mode, otherwise VR will not launch properly.
Windows Mixed Reality
This game might be playable with the Revive Compatibility Layer.
OSVR
Devices
Tracked motion controllers
Traditional controller
See Input for details.
Keyboard/Mouse
Play area
Seated
Standing
Room-scale
Incorrectly detected and forced. Allows moving in the enviroment while the main body stays in the center, breaking the game even more.

Other information

API

Technical specs Supported Notes
Direct3D 11
Metal support
Executable 32-bit 64-bit Notes
Windows
macOS (OS X)
Metal supported Mac is required.

Middleware

Middleware Notes
Cutscenes Bink Video

Configuration file structure and options

This lists all the possible variables that can be used with the games configuration file,[4] however developer does point out that some of these settings can break the game in non-obvious ways.[5]
Description
low_res_reflections Force reflections to be low resolution. Can be true or false.
shadow_quality
sun_shadow_resolution Resolutions of shadows cast by the sun. Can be 256, 512, or 1024.
point_shadow_resolution
allow_non_essential_spot_lights
antialias_panel_rendering Enables additional anti-aliasing for the puzzle panels. Can be true or false.
fxaa_panel_rendering
panel_mipmaps
grass_detail
grass_fade_begin
grass_fade_end
mipmap_filter_quality
skip_mipmaps Changes texture resolution. Lower is better. Can be 0, 1, or 2.
aa_mode 2 for FXAA, 0 for no FXAA. Other values are the same as 0.
msaa_sample_count Sets number of MSAA samples. Can be 1 for 2x, 2 for 4x and 3 for 8x.
msaa_coverage
msaa_coverage_sample_count
panel_render_width Value must be a power of two. Values below 512 are not recommended.
render_width Changes rendering width. Can also be set with command line argument -width.
render_height Changes rendering height. Can also be set with command line argument -height.
dynamic_resolution Dynamically changes the resolution to maintain framerate. Can be true or false.
show_config_dialog Show configuration dialog before starting the game. Can be true or false.
See here for the location of the file on each system.
These need to be added to a graphical quality category called :/render/low (or medium, high).[6]

Command line parameters

See command line arguments on how to use the following options.
Parameter Description
-width Force a specific width.
-height Force a specific height.
-language Force a specific language: ar/ko/ja/ru/zh_CN/zh_TW
-vr Enables Oculus Rift support.
-fullscreen Enables fullscreen mode.
-windowed Enables windowed mode.
-no_window_border Hides window border.
-no_hud Disables the HUD.
-profile Set render quality: low/medium/high/ultra
-no_log
-no_sound
-no_entities
-new_game
-demo
-non_interactive
-no_svn
-map
-centered
-profiling
-skip_config_dialog Suppress the launcher when you start the game

System requirements

Windows
Minimum Recommended
Operating system (OS) 7
Processor (CPU) 1.8 GHz
System memory (RAM) 4 GB
Hard disk drive (HDD) 5 GB
Video card (GPU) Intel HD Graphics 4000
DirectX 10 compatible
macOS (OS X)
Minimum Recommended
Operating system (OS) 10.11.6
Processor (CPU) Intel Core i5 1.8 GHz
System memory (RAM) 4 GB
Hard disk drive (HDD) 5 GB
Video card (GPU) Intel HD Graphics 4000
AMD Radeon R9 M290
Nvidia GeForce 640M
1 GB of VRAM
Other Metal support is required.[7]
A 64-bit operating system is required.

Notes

  1. When running this game without elevated privileges (Run as administrator option), write operations against a location below %PROGRAMFILES%, %PROGRAMDATA%, or %WINDIR% might be redirected to %LOCALAPPDATA%\VirtualStore on Windows Vista and later (more details).
  2. 2.0 2.1 File/folder structure within this directory reflects the path(s) listed for Windows and/or Steam game data (use Wine regedit to access Windows registry paths). Games with Steam Cloud support may store data in ~/.steam/steam/userdata/<user-id>/210970/ in addition to or instead of this directory. The app ID (210970) may differ in some cases. Treat backslashes as forward slashes. See the glossary page for details.

References

  1. Colorblind And Hearing-Impaired Players Won't Be Able To Do All The Puzzles In The Witness - Kotaku - last accessed on 2016-01-28
  2. HDR output coming to PC? :: The Witness General Discussions - last accessed on May 2023
  3. Verified by User:Anonymous on 2016-01-31
  4. Command line arguments and config file variables :: The Witness Technical Support - last accessed on 2020-01-28
  5. FAQ: Launcher, Tweaking graphics settings :: The Witness Technical Support - last accessed on 2020-01-28
    "Also, there are various forum posts out there in which people have figured out how to edit even more settings. Be aware that doing so can break certain puzzles and game functionality in subtle non-obvious ways, which is why they're not included here."
  6. Tweaking graphics settings :: Steam Community Discussions - last accessed on 2016-01-28
  7. the-witness.net - last accessed on May 2023