The Thespian Part 2 Assassination Variety Pack
[Front-paged. -stabguy]
The Thespian Part 2 seems to be the best designed assassination in Assassins Creed Revelations, and as such deserves a video.
Getting Around the Scripting
If there's one flaw in the mission, it's that the recruit is scripted to kill the target, leaving little time for creative assassinations. To circumvent that, you can use grab or attack before he takes off in a parachute (only have a brief moment to get it right, so it may take multiple tries), preventing the recruit from leaving the roof.
(Almost Completely) Stealthy Mission
One good thing about this mission is the need to escape the area after the assassination. Taking the same basic path as the recruit is the stealthy route.
At first I tried regular poison, but the two posted guards behind the target see me as I use the poison. Then I tried poison darts, but that is a high profile enough action to get detected. Once used a money bomb to stay hidden, but it didn't work out. So instead a Datura poison bomb was used. This bought me enough time to almost get away from the area at the time of death.
Since this was the closest I got to leaving the region, I can't say for sure if escaping the area beforehand will leave you unseen after the memory corridor.
Pacifist
Fists only run. Use a cherry bomb to lure the target to the docks. Other guards will also arrive, but walk back, except for the target's two posted guards I think. While I was undetected, fist knockouts were used; but in battle a little known move was executed, the counter grab. Yes, counter grab can be used to counter attacks in battle. Important note: Although both the target and Ezio were unarmed, counter grab can be performed regardless of whether or not Ezio and/or the enemy have a weapon out. High level guards can counter the move though.
Speedy Kills
A new type of kill I'm trying out. In a nutshell take a short path to the target and quickly dispatch enemies along the way. I timed it so that the pre-assassination scene ended when the first rooftop gunman was on the side of the roof toward Ezio. That way you can air kill him right after hopping on the zipline. Then run to the second gunman, air kill him, and jump down to assassinate the target. I was hoping to be anonymous up to the assassination, but got seen right before.
Parachute Drop Stunt
Using the nearby tower, a stylish kill involving a parachute+drop.
Blade Bomb Recruit
Finally a kill that goes along with the recruit's scripting. The blade bomb assassination was invented by IanXO4.
http://thehiddenblade.com/tarik-barleti-blade-bomb-assassination
Using a bomb with a five second fuse, kill the target at the time of detonation (in this case, it's the recruit and you working together). The result is what looks like an explosion cause by the assassination.
Kill Them All (After Assassination)
Instead of running away after the memory corridor, kill all the guards easily. Starting form a checkpoint post assassination, run to the end of the docks. This is a good spot for two reasons: It's narrow so you won't have to worry about being attacked during the ledge kills, and some guards may fall off.
Accidental Death and Other Bloopers
Speaking of falling off the dock, that's just what happened to the target during a cherry bomb lure. 
Several other bloopers were also recorded. Sometimes the target's two guards will see you when climbing up from behind. I haven't gone through this enough to determine if it's based off chance or being in the wrong spot.
A failed attempt during a speedy kills run. I land in font of the target and mash the attack button, only to double assassinate civilians off to the side.
Two recruit deaths. During a kill them all attempt, the recruit gets shoved off the dock by a guard and drowns. The second death is during an attempt to prevent the recruit from parachuting away. I grab him too early, so he still parachuted off the roof, but this changed his trajectory and made him land on the water.
Bonus from The Thespian Part 1
During this memory, I noticed the murdered civilian drops a dagger. You can pick it up and even sheath it. During a following loading screen, Ezio will still have it, but after that it's gone (also it doesn't show up in your inventory when you have it sheathed). I was hoping to use it on the target for some poetic justice, but to do that I would need to do Part 1 of the master assassination mission for the first time and then do Part 2 without any loading screens in between. That would mean making a new game, which I don't have time for.
Excellent work, Aurel.
AC1 to Revelations have been - for the most part - mined out, but I love it when there's something new to be seen from them.
Even the flow of the overall gameplay had a kind of charm that the recent releases do not, and it feels both fluid and chunky.
One thing that interested me was seeing how much of Revelations' design informed Unity's, since Alex Amancio was Creative Director on both games - and as he admitted, he really loves the Bomb concept. We weren't crafting any bombs in Unity, but several of the ones from Revelations made it into that game. The Cherry Bomb, the Poison Bomb, the Money Bomb. They work a lot better in Revelations though.
And of course, the Smoke Bomb which has been with us since AC2 was reworked to be an actual Smoke Grenade rather than a Stun.
My biggest question is, how did you begin to figure out the process for stopping the mission Scripting?
What was the sequence of events that made you think, "Hold on, what happens if I grab this Recruit before he triggers his Parachute?"
This was fun to watch.
I wonder if an eagle strike off that structure above her would be possible... maybe a parachute/eagle strike.
I'm sure you tried... 
“Force has no place where there is need of skill." Herodotus
Sorry this took so long, guys. I had forgotten you needed to get the recruits up to a certain level to unlock the part 2 missions. I thought maybe I just wasn't far enough in the game and played through the whole darn thing.
Also there was an issue with recording on the dvd recorder. It holds two hours of recordings, but the video files are thirty something minutes at the most. Normally this isn't a problem, except that when I have three or four video files, the first one is the only one that can be successfully uploaded to Youtube. The rest end up with "video failed to upload". Because of this I had to settle with less than an hour of recordings (and I recorded more than the variety pack), which is why I wasn't able to perfect some of the less-than-satisfactory recordings.
About half of the things in the video were on the second file. No problems putting it on Youtube, but the video and audio were a little out of synch, even after a few uploads.
My biggest question is, how did you begin to figure out the process for stopping the mission Scripting?What was the sequence of events that made you think, "Hold on, what happens if I grab this Recruit before he triggers his Parachute?"
It's been so long since that was discovered I don't really remember. I was probably trying to knock the recruit off the building to at least buy some time. Here's a fun little fact. The recruits have hookblades that they use to grasp onto ledges when pushed off surfaces and climb back up, making it hard to knock them off places. I guess the recruit getting shoved off the dock was an exception, or maybe he couldn't grasp because Ezio was already hanging from there. 
So how many of you knew a counter grab can be used against attacks? I wouldn't have found out if it wasn't for the changed controls in the revamped combat of the latest games.
I wonder if an eagle strike off that structure above her would be possible... maybe a parachute/eagle strike.
Once again, the lack of recording time prevented me from trying out more things. I think back when I first got the idea for a variety pack I tried more things.
Damn, sounds like a heap of headaches. Your effort is hugely appreciated. Not to mention it lends a greater appreciation to the Click and Upload functions of next-gen consoles. (As if I didn't already love those functions enough.)
I knew Counter-Grab could be used against attacks because I very quickly tested out all three of the Counters in Revelations as soon as I saw them in the Puppeteer HUD. I deduced that the Counter- theme was consistent. Counter-Kill, Counter-Steal, Counter-Grab. It's not so much that you're countering a Grab (that's a Grab Break), it's that you're Countering WITH whatever Option is listed.
Counter-Stealing from a Janissary and immediately attacking right after will always result in a one-hit kill, for example.
My favorite was the parachute drop stunt. We've done those before, right?
My favorite was the parachute drop stunt. We've done those before, right?
my favorite as well.
i'm certain others have done it... but i can't think of a single instance off the top of my head.
wait, check that.
there was a parachute drop off of Castel Sant'Angelo in Brotherhood to the priest by the fountain... or something like that. My memory isn't clear.
“Force has no place where there is need of skill." Herodotus
There's a couple parachute eagle strikes in Brotherhood. I think Altair92 or IanXO4 pioneered them.
[concentrates intently on elenapearson until the aura around their body becomes trimmed with a subtle red sensation]
You... Spambot...
----
----
[raises fist in air, awaits Ban Storm]
It's somewhat concerning that it tried to sell me Tripp pants. I'm a raver. I wear Tripp pants semi-regularly.
They are becoming aware.
That's the smartest I've ever seen a spambot. Oh, and while we're talking about parachute drop stunts, here's the original one done by Ian.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=wik75BccF-o#t=70
That's the smartest I've ever seen a spambot.
So am I correct in thinking that it created
'i don't think there was any better part than the parachute drop stunt! even all of my friends find it the best.'
from stabguy's comment
'My favorite was the parachute drop stunt.'?
That's pretty impressive.
aurllcooljay wrote:
That's the smartest I've ever seen a spambot.So am I correct in thinking that it created
'i don't think there was any better part than the parachute drop stunt! even all of my friends find it the best.'
from stabguy's comment
'My favorite was the parachute drop stunt.'?That's pretty impressive.
Machine learning is one hell of a drug.
I changed my mind. I don't want to take the red pill anymore. Give me the blue pill and I'll be happy enough.
“Force has no place where there is need of skill." Herodotus
"That's not true, Cipher, he set us free!"
Parachute Drop StuntUsing the nearby tower, a stylish kill involving a parachute+drop.
stabguy wrote:
My favorite was the parachute drop stunt. We've done those before, right?my favorite as well.
Looks like it was programmed to locate unique phrases (that were used more than once?). That way the bot would seem like a normal person staying on topic. And it would have gotten away with it too, if it weren't for you meddling kids and your eagle vision. 
MAGLX has confirmed the completely stealthy mission possible.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6rUhksYUpU