Assassins Creed 3 assassination mission structure ideas
Okay, so we all want assassinations to be well designed for the next game. I created this topic in the hopes that we can come up with some good ideas and hope they might be used *crosses fingers*. Here are some ideas that I will be discussing:
-Replay value
-Full synch
-Target AI
-Secondary targets
1. Replay value. We need a reason to play the missions over and over instead of just rushing through them once and never playing them again. An idea I had would be to do what they did with virtual training and have an in-game timer (there isn't a time limit, it just records how fast you complete the assassination). So it's basically about how fast you assassinate the target. However it isn't as simple as that. It's also about how fast you kill the target under certain situations. One of the situations is stealth. There are a few levels of detection in the game and they will all be used as situations:
1. Detected. You are not anonymous and the minimap is red or yellow.
2. Suspicious. You are anonymous but an enemy has a full yellow bar and it wil start to fill red.
3. Seen but not suspicious. An enemy has spotted you, but the yellow bar isn't filled all the way.
4. Unseen. No yellow bars.
There are other situations like what weapon you used and killing all enemies in the area.
2. Full synch. This also adds to replay value. Instead of one requirement for full synch there will be multiple requirements. The requirements will be based on the same situations previously mentioned. However it would be hard to complete all the requirements in one playthrough, so you don't have to complete all of them at once.
In other words it saves which requirements you did complete and you can replay the mission to complete the other ones. I'm not sure what you will get for doing full synch, but one thing I would want is an achievement. I would rather it was a challenge to get an achievement instead of getting an achievement for simply assassinating a target or finishing a sequence.
3. Target AI. The behavior of targets has changed from game to game.
How I want it is when they detect you they will either fight or flee depending on whether or not there are guards nearby. So basically if there are guards nearby you are in open conflict, but if there are not the target will flee because he's too afraid to fight you by himself.
Also I want to discuss the target's travel pattern. In the previous games the targets usually either stood still, moved around a little or walked in a continuos loop. This provides little creativity. How I want it is the targets will walk randomly between waypoints. So lets say there are four waypoints: a,b,c and d. The paths the target can take are a-b, a-c, a-d, b-c, b-d and c-d (they can also walk the reverse way, but that's just taking the same paths backwards). That's a total of six different paths! The waypoints will be far apart so that the target can cover a lot of ground.
4. Seconday targets. These are other targets that can be assassinated during the assassination missions. However this will be different because these targets are optional. Their purpose is to add more to the missions. You are not required to kill any of them (except maybe for full synch). They have a high level of alertness, and can be more scripted than the main target since they aren't as important to the mission. Also when you kill the main target I think it should show any secondary targets that you killed during the mission in the memory corridor scene just because they are part of the mission. I also think there should be an achievement for killing all of them.
1. Replay Value: Maybe this doesn't really need to be said, but there should be multiple paths to the target and multiple ways to accomplish the goal, i.e. "Here is you and here is your goal. Figure out for yourself how to get it done" rather than the developers figuring out the path and the means for you beforehand.
All your ideas are excellent.
*My opinion... with Assassin's Creed 3 needs better combat... Harder Enemy A.I. , After playing Brotherhood & AC2 each with 2-3 playthroughs I find that Ezio is way to powerful. My theory to make the game more engaging is that the A.I. needs to be as stronger or if not stronger than the player your controlling. Killing a super tough knight is rewarding. Running away to actually survive.
AC2 & Brotherhood= Ezio against 3000 soilders at one area... Ezio will win...
Don't get me wrong I find the AC series has great replay value because of the exploring/platforming and I just trully love sandbox games.
Any thoughts?
"1. Replay Value: Maybe this doesn't really need to be said, but there should be multiple paths to the target and multiple ways to accomplish the goal, i.e. "Here is you and here is your goal. Figure out for yourself how to get it done" rather than the developers figuring out the path and the means for you beforehand."
If the targets are walking randomly between waypoints there will be multiple paths to take. 
I forgot to mention that usually you will start the mission at least 50 meters away from the target. Here's how I imagine the mission starting: A countdown begins before you can move in high profile (like in VR training). During the countdown either your stuck to a certain spot or you can move within a certain area like in AC1.
"*My opinion... with Assassin's Creed 3 needs better combat... Harder Enemy A.I. , After playing Brotherhood & AC2 each with 2-3 playthroughs I find that Ezio is way to powerful. My theory to make the game more engaging is that the A.I. needs to be as stronger or if not stronger than the player your controlling. Killing a super tough knight is rewarding. Running away to actually survive."
I liked how they made things easier in AC2, but they should make things hard again. Some things that were overdone were being able to assassinate a few seconds after being detected, multiple ways of doing one hit kills in combat and (in AC:Brotherhood especially) having too much ammo. This is supposed to be a stealth game, your not supposed to be able to blast your way through it.
Yeah in AC2 if a group of guards see you, you still have time to do two double assassinations and wipe them all out anyway, this should be taken out. The counter windows for the hidden blade should be the same as AC1, and you shouldnt be able to block. What I would like is different guard patrols every time you replay a mission.
For instance the developers could have multiple patrol routes and different positions for every guard. When you replay a mission, all those guards possible patrol scenarios are randomised, meaning there are hundreds of different combinations. Its like cracking a different puzzle every time, one of the biggest failures with replaying a stealth game is that you know where the enemy is and where he will go.
In AC3.... Different enemy types, each with unique abilities like a random ninja or some heavy armored knight who you don't want to mess with...
I heard in AC Revelations there will be more unique groups or variety of people, hopefully more variety with enemy soldiers aswell.
If even the patrols were randomized, it wouldn't be "historically accurate" if the Assassin faced the same memory with different enemy paths. I'd like it to be randomized, but technical views would shun that idea. In present-day sequences, however, it should be random since Desmond (the player) has been training to be the ultimate Assassin and the best thing about being an Assassin is the ability to adapt, to think on one's feet faster than their enemies.
I don't think it needs to be randomized, the guards just need to respond intelligently and in more than one way when they start to realise that they're not alone.
Maybe like the guard awareness levels in Arkham Asylum? I like that.
Damn i didnt think of that. Another thing that worries me about revelations is the eagle sense, it gives you the ability to see the guards path in the future. However if you kill them before they get to that point in the future, well you get all those time travel paradox arguements you see in other movies.
In otherwords, how could Ezio see his path in the future, if he never reaches that spot in the future due to Ezio killing him? Unless of course Ezio killing him creates and alternative universe and in the original one he does walk to that spot.
The way Eagle-vision like abilities work is by showing you the intentions of the people around you. (hostile=red, someone you need to focus on=gold, ally= blue) This new, more advanced version just extends the level at which you can sense their intentions= you can see where they intend to patrol. It's not future-sense.
I was perhaps thinking of creating your own objectives and missions itselfs. Though it will have to work with the animus interface, I'm sure that Ubisoft will be able to pull it off.
Anyone here played Batman: Arkham Asylum or City? Remember those challenge maps, but with a timer and 3 certain objectives one must complete? Those 3 objectives should be integrated into the mission structure, meaning that for a mission, one has the option to complete 3 optional objectives for a full synch. Here's some ideas:
- not use any projectile weapons
- not hire any prostitutes/mercaneries/theives/romanies
- don't call your assassins
- kill an enemy with a certain weapon (specific, like the florentine falchion)
- lure your target with a bomb/guild/money
- drown you target
As for replaying, there should be a time limit, to see how people complete their mission as fast as possible. Players are ranked with how fast they complete their missions and how many optional objectives they complete.
Good ideas there. 
Some time ago I thought of adding challenges that sound similar to that. I'll probably update the topic soon.
As long as they include the time mode like the "Time Attack" mode in Shadow of the Colossus (an entirely new optional game mode after you beat the game), I'll be happy. I already feel enough pressure with 100% syncing each mission for fear of seeing that damn 50% show up, making me feel like I'm not good enough. It would still be nice to have a hidden timer for your first time. Maybe we can go to the DNA, select a mission and see how long it took without the pressure of a clock at the top of the screen and the annoying final seconds sound.
Basically, I want to be focused when I'm doing my thing. If I want to be perfect, I want to choose it when I want a challenge.
It would still be nice to have a hidden timer for your first time. Maybe we can go to the DNA, select a mission and see how long it took without the pressure of a clock at the top of the screen and the annoying final seconds sound.
Um...they do have a hidden timer. Just pop up your animus menu and it will be displayed right next to your full synchronization objective.
It would still be nice to have a hidden timer for your first time. Maybe we can go to the DNA, select a mission and see how long it took without the pressure of a clock at the top of the screen and the annoying final seconds sound.Um...they do have a hidden timer. Just pop up your animus menu and it will be displayed right next to your full synchronization objective.
That's only for "Complete in less than 6 minutes" missions, not every one.
I did not know that.
Well, you learn something new everyday.
Full synch. This also adds to replay value. Instead of one requirement for full synch there will be multiple requirements. The requirements will be based on the same situations previously mentioned. However it would be hard to complete all the requirements in one playthrough, so you don't have to complete all of them at once.
In other words it saves which requirements you did complete and you can replay the mission to complete the other ones.
Looks like Ubi sort of used my idea for multiple full synch requirements. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nm9oy_P3kIw&feature=player_detailpage#t=195s