The Hidden Blade Assassin's Creed in Depth

If you ask any of the Ezio fanboys, probably 90% of them started playing AC2 and somehow assumed that was the first game. I've seen comments before and after AC3 came out that asked, "Why is there a new character? What happened to Ezio?" I don't facepalm that often, but I did every time I read those.

Noone really thinks that was the first game, and I'd say a lot of people understand that the series has had more than one main character, but the biggest reason for complaints about ezio leaving is... well, people get attached to characters. Especially after 3 games.

It's not a logical reaction, but it's an unavoidable one when dealing with humans.

I'm personally excited to see them apparently trying to encapsulate a character's full arc in one game instead of going the Ezio route.

AC3 didn't show all of Connor's adventures, but it took you on a journey with him that ended with him in a very definite place, and it felt like a fitting spot to end, not one that was blatantly left open for a sequel, even though one could easily happen. Wheras both Altair and Ezio's numbered games ended rather abruptly.

We know that Connor did things after AC3, but whatever those things are, they aren't a continuation of his conflicts in AC3, but something new.

Like... joining Lafayette in France. Connor's already taken care of one revolution...

To be honest, my 'dislike' for Connor is, as said, probably based on not finding AC3 satisfactory enough. The game also didn't run very smoothly on my pc, which made the images in cutscenes slower than the sounds and dialogues. That was pretty crappy. So to all who DO like Connor, sorry for taking it out on him.

Never looked at it that way. Nice!

Homestead was always exciting for me playing AC3 when each one got unlocked I'd just rush doing them all~

With the exception of the everyday man collection thingy(WHICH SERIOUSLY PISSED ME OFF WHEN I REALIZED I HAD TO WAIT FOR DIFFERENT ACTIONS IN DIFFERENT SEASONS! D:<) I felt the Homestead was among the better things in the game, I can't tell ya how many times I just wandered around seeing what everyone was doing, their little convos with each other and such~

I'll look forward what 4 will do with the home base...! =D

Just saw this so I thought I'd share, you can make a new topic if you think it needs it~ :3
Pirate Gameplay Experience Video Naval Exploration:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KB7X686jKMA

beat me by 10 min.. because i was taking it all in...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KB7X686jKMA

Love the treasure map (47 sec in)
Love the options of what to do with conquered boat (you may not want to go guns blazing and kill everyone if you need more recruits)
Love the fort conquering/ownership (end of video)

Great new vid to check out if you haven't done so.

Great video, I'm getting more and more excited to finally play this!

I'm a bit jaded by the fact that they use cutscenes to explain away several factors in the gameplay, but overall I like what's coming.

What I like:
- seamless transitions. Away are those 15-20 second load times
- seems to have focus and narrative theme of actually being a pirate
- synchronization are fast-travels as well, and I like how the camera changed to match the previous games
- an actual need to upgrade, buy, and loot. In AC3, I practically cleaved through the entire game with just my tomahawk

What I dislike:
- everything has to glow. What ever happened to using Eagle Vision?
- social stealth? Hopefully Havanna will remedy this problem

I agree. Why do interactables have to glisten?

Then again, unless Edward has enough of the TWCB DNA, maybe he CAN'T eagle vision... he wasn't born into an assassin bloodline like the others (or at least he wasn't aware early on)... Maybe Haytham/Connor's bloodline comes from Edward's wife, for all we know so far.... but that would be dumb of them, so I'm sure he has eagle vision.

It's also nice to finally have a game where scattered treasure chests to loot actually makes sense.... It never did with Ezio. Connor made a little more sense... but not really (especially not in the cities).

He does have Eagle Vision. There was a Gamespot video (or something like that) where he uses it to spot a target.

Also, glistening objects make it easier for the gamer to appreciate the environment and details. Otherwise, we'd have another "Batman vision" game like the Arkham series. Seriously, have you tried playing those games without using Detective Vision ever?

EDIT: Here's the Eagle Vision in action.

I shouldn't have to use eagle vision to find out which treasure chest in a roomful of chests is the one the game lets me loot.

The idea of using eagle vision to identify targets is definitely in, didn't you notice that the target he killed in the fort wasn't marked with a big "X"? With the ship's captain it doesn't matter as much, since you'll only meet them in open battle.

And we saw Edward using Eagle Vision in an earlier video.

As for showing social stealth, this video was about exploring the forts and small islands and towns. They specifically talk about heading to Havana in the next video, so I'd expect to see more on that front there, since you can't blend with a crowd unless there's a crowd.

I LIKED that they used cutscenes to skip past some of the minutae. They got to show more varied things in a more easily digestible way because they didn't have to make the video 16 minutes long. And we don't want TOO much gameplay, honestly, it's more fun to feel exactly what it feels like to play the whole game when it comes out.

I also enjoyed that the format of it was set up as a story, with this gameplay segment leading into the next on in Havana.

Overall, this video was way more informative and smartly produced than their usual kind of gameplay walkthrough.

With AC3, the equivalent amount of information was delivered through two or three separate videos.

EDIT:

For real. This might be somewhat offensive to some people, but game design really shouldn't rely solely on a detective mode or eagle vision. If it comes down to "press this button to know how to progress" every 10 seconds, your game is kinda doing something wrong.

i remembered the eagle vision very quickly after posting that... just didn't edit it.

So let me TRY to interact with EVERYTHING in a trial and error type of thing. Eventually, I'll notice that a chest with a gold lock is unlockable and one with a black lock is not (for instance). Skyrim doesn't handhold you with glistening objects, because you can interact with most everything.

Don't get me wrong, glistening objects is much better than AC3's wire orbs.

ah, sorry :/

figuring out what chest is a real chest is in no way what I play AC games for. that's not gameplay. that's pretty much just padding. Not everything has to be highlighted, but why not just show me which doodad is a real doohickey so I can get back to plotting murders instead of rubbing up against everything that looks like an interactable object.

If anything, that aforementioned skyrim style scrounging takes me out of the thrill and adventure.

then why make me interact with ANYTHING?

In AC1 you planned your murders, murdered, and leveled up your gear WITH THE STORY.

In AC2 and beyond, the franchise has toed the line between story driven game and RPG. Every new game has given us more and more RPG aspects. Now we'll have full customization and leveling up of our ship, in addition to armor upgrades for my person.

I don't care either way. I think I prefer the glistening objects. I was just pointing out that it's POSSIBLE to have interactable objects without visually distinguishing them.

I'm just saying that I enjoy finding treasure and such, but my experience is not improved by being unable to discern if something is pretty environmental art or a box of goodies.

If you're going to have a detailed world with lots of objects but you're not going to put anything in most of them, it's just kinda courteous to mark the ones that do have something, in such a way that you won't know exactly where they are all the time, but that if you're looking at them you'll know what it is.

If your game is based around the player never knowing for sure if an object contains a useful item, like in survival horror, then that's fine. But if your items are more about encouraging exploration and progression, then why not make them clearly items?

But if they're about exploration, wouldn't it make more sense to have a Skyrim-ish way of interacting with the environment? I'm one of those people that likes to quickly scan each nook and cranny as I see them. I'd be fine looking at every chest if given the choice. And that's all it would be: Choice. Skyrim always placed a marker over the chest you were headed for originally, but all the others are there for explorer types like me. So Cheese has a very good criticism.

Also, in Skyrim, looking at a chest, there is an "EMPTY" indicator if it's empty. You don't waste any more time with it and just more on to the next one that doesn't say "EMPTY."

AGAIN, to be CLEAR. I LIKE the glistening object. I'm just pointing out that the same goals can be accomplished WITHOUT them if the dev's wanted to (or even wanted a user defined toggle).

Again, if your game is based around that sort of gameplay where you're not sure what might contain cool stuff or might not, then that's fine. But Skyrim and Assassin's Creed have very different philosophies about collectible items. AC's approach is far more streamlined because the focus is more on the gameplay, whereas with Skyrim there is a lot more focus on straight progression. Not to mention, AC is a game that's largely about moving around quickly and efficiently. Long breaks for looting a single room seem a bit counterintuitive in that framework.

The exploration value is that you got there, probably using Parkour or entering a discreet passage. Once you get there, you can look around, but it's really about immediately saying: "here's the stuff, pick it up and then go climb something else"

I know that you're not saying you hate shiny objects, and I'm not saying that every game needs them, but that they fit with a game like AC.

And more specifically, I was saying that I would never want them to be replaced with having to use eagle vision.

My point was that it would be a choice to look around for more loot or items and you'd be rewarded for it. You don't have to do so. Like you said, we can go into an area, get the main item and get out. BUT if we wanted to, we can look around a bit more and look for more things to pick up. There's no harm in that in any type of game.

If it's not broken, don't fix it.

And don't break your visual messaging logic by making some random optional chests glow and some not.

The main objectives would glow or have some sort of indicator pointing to that particular object. Other chests that are up to the player WOULDN'T glow. Imagine entering a room and all you see are shiny boxes littered around the scenery. That's terrible.

This feature would add replayability and depth to the gameplay. Nothing is broken, it's just adding a tiny bit more freedom to a series.

Maybe you can use Eagle Vision to spot additional loot items or something, but in normal vision, you'd just see the glow of the main chest. See? Not bad at all. Everyone wins.

That's not the sort of thing developers should be thinking of when they're trying to make their games more replayable. That's basically saying "how can we pad this out without actually making new content?"

RPGs are notoriously guilty of padding, and that's one of the reasons they often scatter so many potentially worthless loot boxes everywhere.

I never said it would be impossible to make it work, of course it would be. But, much like Edward throwing away his pistols after every shot, it would be a needless complication in an already complex project.

If they went ahead with it then I'd have massive respect for their ability to multitask, and I'd give you a cookie!

And it works well for them, doesn't it? Not every item has to be used for story purposes. That's why there's side content and crafting in games now. ACR had bomb crafting introduced into the series. AC can still use that for other purposes, and that's where the extra loot-finding comes in. It wouldn't be for no reason. They're probably not doing much with that in AC4, but don't be surprised if they use it in a future title.

AC3 and Black Flag already have hidden ingredients in chests. they just give you more per chest than most RPGs would, and the main way you get loot is through naval battles, land battles, hunting, and whaling anyways. The loot system can become more complex, as it has been for every game since it was introduced, but it doesn't need to become grindy or feel padded to be more complex, nor should it even be an especially important part of the way you gain base materials. The example of finding blueprints as treasure is perfect. A hunt that leads to the knowledge for an upgrade, but you get the base materials from fights and other activities.

The focus should not be to simply incorporate more RPG elements, but to make RPG elements more intuitive and blended into the normal gameplay, which should evolve as well.

But yeah, we'll see what happens.

I've never played Skyrim, so I can't comment on that "glow" feature. Batman's detective mode and Eagle Vision are very similar, but are used somewhat differently. For Batman's case, their used to plant traps and see enemies through walls and objects that you can interact with. Eagle vision was originally used to distinguish the intentions of people, but that soon evolved things of interest (treasure chests/burning towers). It's also a navigation tool, highlighting who to talk.

What I'm saying is that why does it has to have that glow without turning eagle vision? The same applied the ACB: after I killed the Borgia Captain, why did the Borgia Tower have to glow WITHOUT me using Eagle Vision. I already know (thanks to a rather lengthy tutorial and the update prompts) that I have to burn a freakin' tower after I kill its captain. Or how 'bout when I'm trying to assassinate the Banker. The game automatically pointed out Juan Borgia out in the crowd for me with a cursor over his head (why?), so Eagle Vision is completely unnecessary at this point. It's condescending design at its finest, as if video-game designers have to keep pointing you in the right direction.

I don't need the steering wheel of a ship, regular people, or treasure chests to glow. If I need help where to go next, if I need to know interactable objects, if I need to know what's what...I turn on eagle vision. Otherwise, the only indicator of their locations should be by the sound they make (treasure chests), common sense (steering wheel in a ship), or by them calling me out (people).

Your argument assumes that games should be designed with "fuck you if you get lost, player" as their main design document. Some games should. But most don't for the same reason that most movies subtitle foreign languages: appealing only to the hardcore linguists or gamers excludes other people who might have enjoyed the experience.

Sometimes people get lost in dumb ways. Designers don't wany that, and they get shit for it when it happens. God forbid they try to minimize it. God forbid someone feel like a helping hand is not condescending.

I'm writing this on ny crappy phones touch screen, apologize for any errors

Please don't confuse me as one of those PC elitist who only plays games on "hardcore" mode while belittling others who can't get the same achievements/score as I do. I'm all for an extra helping hand. I WANT a tutorial (albeit streamlined, short, and to the point) that allows the player to familiarize itself with the control scheme. I WANT prompts and updates on what to do when I'm stuck on a certain part of the mission. I LIKE how Ubisoft allows us to turn of/on such prompts and updates.

The helping hand IS Eagle Vision, which I am all for. It also serves as a primary gameplay function. All interactable objects and people of interest are highlighted in dark.

My argument is how it's used as much compared to the previous games. In ACI-2, you practically had to use it to distinguish your target once you've entered the RESTRICTED ZONE. Beyond that, Eagle Vision is used mainly for locating/marking things of interest. Why put an icon over my main target's head once I entered a RESTRICTED ZONE? If I need help distinguishing my target from the crowd, I'll use Eagle Vision.

I just don't want it overlapping it to where it's condescending; i.e., steering wheels, people, and towers that are glowing without me turning Eagle Vision...is condescending.

If people get lost in dumb ways...if people are (for some baffling reason) unable to locate the button for Eagle Vision AFTER a tutorial and prompt directs and helps them...then let them learn by trial and error. Let them explore. Let them experiment.

As for your analogy about movie subtitles, it doesn't correlate to my argument at all. Subtitles is an accommodation to those who want to enjoy the movie if they can't understand a foreign tongue. E.V. is also an accommodation - a helping hand to those who get stuck/lost or want to locate something/someone. I support such accommodations.

Now, glowing wheels, people of interest, burning towers, and marking my main targets automatically without me using E.V....is condescending.

If a movie has to put flashing prompts on screen every few minutes to remind the audience who's the protagonist, villain, what's the goal and motive...that is condescending.

Really good point there, Calvar. Reminds me of Arkham Asylum. Although the game was fun there were about several times I didn't know where to go and had to double check the whole area inch by inch, which was a pain.

I totally agree with the example of targets having icons, but you gave the example of glowing borgia towers. Very different. The black flag gameplay showed that hiding fort captains have no icons, as did the gameplay snippet we found at e3 where eagle vision was used for identification. So those things that need a bit of mystery or eagle vision are more intact, which is great. But glowing objectives arent going to make the core assassin gameplay any more obvious, right? Just help the player understand story advancing or secondary objectives!

I totally agree with the example of targets having icons, but you gave the example of glowing borgia towers. Very different. The black flag gameplay showed that hiding fort captains have no icons, as did the gameplay snippet we found at e3 where eagle vision was used for identification. So those things that need a bit of mystery or eagle vision are more intact, which is great. But glowing objectives arent going to make the core assassin gameplay any more obvious, right? Just help the player understand story advancing or secondary objectives!

Sorry bout those last posts, couldn't type very fast and it came out a bit accusatory

While we're on the topic of Eagle Vision, what was everyone's opinion on the "guard path" that appeared on patrolling guards in Revelations? I assume it was discussed in the ACR specific forum, but couldn't find any topic that was titled as such that I could imagine it'd be in there.

I don't think it was really all that well utilized. The guard patterns in that game were not complex enough to justify it. They also cut a bunch of other eagle vision abilities that ounded cool. Some made it into side missions or dialogue, though. I'd love to see another take on eagle sense someday.

Agreed. The patrol paths were to simple. Perhaps they can be utilized better in an indoor setting with MUCH more guards. Hm. Here are some suggestions I can make about Eagle Vision/Sense:

- perhaps it can be "upgradable". Maybe an EXP system can be in place. Upgrade your eagle vision so that you can use it without full health, and that the glow lingers on for any upgradable second
- It can be used to eavesdrop, but I'm thinking along the lines of tuning your "Eagle Ears" in order to pick up guards conversation. Similar to how Batman hacks those control panels in Arkham City
- ACB introduced a "mark and tag" system, where the map would automatically memorized the location of flags and treasures. Perhaps it can be used to mark other things as well...
- ACR added the ability to see through smoke. Pretty neat.

I absolutely LOVE this feature. It really does encourage using the viewpoints and other high structures to scan the city as opposed to relying on the map. In Revelations, when I was searching for the memory fragments, I was scaling buildings all over and throwing on Eagle Vision, which in turn really makes you realize how useful it is to scope out a crowded square and realize who is an enemy and who is a foe. I didn't feel as though ACIII really used the Eagle Vision feature as well.

I also like the eavesdropping suggestion, but it'd have to work in conjunction with patrolling guards having useful discussions. Perhaps they could discuss things like when there is a changing of the guards, certain things in the area that they find themselves distracted by, etc.

Maybe I've just missed it, but has there been any information about who will be accessing these memories in the present day? An Abstergo employee? Desmond isn't truly dead? Perhaps Billy Miles? Are we going to have the ability to be playing in the present day as well to learn more about the ongoing Assassins/Templars struggle?

Or is this supposed to be a "Tide you over with some kickass gameplay and we'll get you more updates in 2015 on the present day stuff?"

Ac3 eagle vision was used well in some scripted investigation moments, and it looked a lot better visually, but other than that it was pretty unchanged as far as what it could do, which was fine I guess.

Helped for hunting, though.

In AC4 the main character is you. Present day is in first person and you're a researcher working at abstergo entertainment. The memories you're exploring are Desmond's, but he's dead. My avatar is an official image of abstergo taking his body out of the temple, so Wwe're assuming they're extracting memories from his DNA.

EDIT: Oh, and they never say much about the present day story before release, and they SHOW even less of it. I don't think many people even knew much about the fact that the animus was a thing in AC1 until maybe just a little bit before the game came out

https://twitter.com/assassinscreed

Darby is just finishing up a Q&A on the Assassin's Creed twitter.

Jonathan López ‏
@assassinscreed Is there going to be an armor system like AC 2, Brotherhood and revelations?

Assassin's Creed
.@jonh2603 No individual pieces of armor, but loads of different outfits with various gameplay functions and tweaks.

ALWAYS wanted this. I really like that sort of thing. I assume the normal outfit is the "balanced" one.

90 minutes of present day content: Videos, audio files, documents, accessed through first person exploration and puzzles (no mention of platforming, which wouldn't make much sense in an abstergo building I guess.)

New PoEs will be introduced.

60% of main story is land-based gameplay.

New characters in present will include bosses and co-workers, and some of the modern assassins may return in some form.

No horses (fine, they never controlled all that well in their present form, I hope they seriously overhaul them if they're brought back)

There are a few missions outside of the carribean.

Blowpipe is mainly to be used for stealth. It's non-lethal, and its poisons are the one that makes people go crazy, and the straight up sleep dart.

You can get your crew to sing a sea shanty whenever you're on the jackdaw (probably not in story missions, but he didn't say) and there are 70 songs you can collect to teach your crew.

all for now.

Thanks for the nice summery Calvar, saw him flooding my tweetdeck so I kinda missed some of these...

http://www.gametrailers.com/videos/xg0nyx/assassin-s-creed-iv--black-fla...

Wow. There's so much new and amazing stuff in the first 2 minute long gameplay snippet that I'm not even going to spoil it.

http://www.gametrailers.com/videos/xg0nyx/assassin-s-creed-iv--black-fla...

Wow. There's so much new and amazing stuff in the first minute long gameplay snippet that I'm not even going to spoil it.

Oh...my...God. They actually expanded the D-Pad to incorporate all of our weapons!

It's almost like they care now.

to be fair, different outfits with different perks is even MORE RPG-like than armor upgrades.

I have no point, other than that. I don't care one way or the other.

doesn't sound like they're going to be straight health/armor boosts, but maybe things like "faster climbing" "faster attack speed" "silent footsteps on roofs".

Hey, I could be wrong about how it works, but regardless I'd say I like that approach far more and think it fits the concept of planning your assassinations.

The UI looks awesome, and I' glad they found a cool use of the D-pad weapon select.

EDIT: OH, and it means Edward's gameplay might actually change once he gets the Assassin outfit!