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Assassin's Creed III
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Leonard
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Oct 22, 2012, 06:26 PM
 
Time for a thread of it's own, seeing as the much anticipated Assassin' Creed III is available one week from tomorrow.

I've already got my pre-order in, and time set aside for it. I'm planning on playing it on release.

Once I log on to a computer, at home, I will be adding some pics and additional info.

From the latest news I've read, they've changed the control scheme a bit. I wonder how much?
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Leonard  (op)
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Oct 23, 2012, 06:38 PM
 
6263/width/350/height/700[/IMG]

6264/width/350/height/700[/IMG]

Info on the clubs (guilds in previous games) and mini-games:

http://www.examiner.com/article/new-assassin-s-creed-3-details-feature-clubs-mini-games-and-more
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sek929
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Oct 24, 2012, 01:30 PM
 
Commercial came on the other night and my g/f said "That's looks cool, you should buy that."

Took me by surprise, but I actually may buy this game. I've only screwed around in the first game, and I recognize the appeal of the series, but I'm not sure if the 4th (5th?) installment is the best place to start.
     
Leonard  (op)
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Oct 24, 2012, 04:05 PM
 
It's the 5th installment (1, 2, Brotherhood, Revelations, & now 3).

I'd say it's a good place to start... New country, new assassin, and a few changes...
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Oct 25, 2012, 04:34 AM
 
Steam has a sale on all previous games today, including Mac versions of the ones that have it (2 and Brotherhood).
The new Mac Pro has up to 30 MB of cache inside the processor itself. That's more than the HD in my first Mac. Somehow I'm still running out of space.
     
Leonard  (op)
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Oct 29, 2012, 09:10 AM
 
One more day. Assassin's Creed III is released tomorrow, and I plan on picking up my pre-order.

Anyone else getting it on release day? Or are you finishing up Borderlands 2 before playing it?
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Leonard  (op)
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Oct 30, 2012, 06:30 PM
 
Just played Assassin's Creed for an hour so far. I can see what the other players are saying about it. It does start off a little slow or boring. Everybody wants to get into the new Assassin, but they give you some other guy to play at the start.
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Leonard  (op)
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Nov 1, 2012, 05:05 PM
 
Hooray, it looks like they may have added a "Restart from Checkpoint" option in Assassin's Creed so you can start from the last checkpoint, and not from the tart of the mission.

So far this is definitely a different AC. Seems to be more cut scenes, and so far it seems very linear. I hope that changes soon...
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Leonard  (op)
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Nov 3, 2012, 08:23 PM
 
Yep, they definitely added a restart from check, which makes it easier to redo parts of a mission. Could use an extra checkpoint in some missions.

Some missions are downright easy, others are a little harder or trickier. It looks like there are going to be a couple of frustrating ones - i can't believe it's so hard to control an eagle's flight and not hit a bloody tree?!?

I finally got to control the actual assassin, Connor, although we're it looks like we're going to go through training again. I don't see much difference in the controls, but there are some differences.
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Leonard  (op)
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Dec 28, 2012, 05:43 AM
 
Definitely a slightly different game than the past. Still has the same controls for the most part though. It was alot of fun and completing the main missions seems easier (except for maybe 1 or 2 missions) than past AC games. The naval combat adds something different and new and it's alot of fun. It could be made into it's own game almost. The hunting adds something new to the game. They've reduced the amount of tomb climbing, but there is still some of this in places.

The couple of problems, though, I see with the game are:

- the game is buggy or glitchy. Some of the bugs got fixed by a patch, but it looks like some persist. Ex. In some of the liberation missions you bribe the british to ignore the citizens' taxes. But in case although you get the bribe command coming up, YOU HAVE TO KILL THE GUY or the game keeps on replaying the mission with no end. Although my map is clean of every mission and every indication is that I finished every mission, my DNA tracker says otherwise for Assassination missions and Delivery missions. There are other bugs...

You may not get 1000/1000 GS due to some of these bugs, I don't know.

- the game is inconsistent. In most cases when taking on a wolf or other predator you have a second or two between Quicktime event button presses, but in one case they make it almost impossible in one mission, you have to ge the button presses done in nanoseconds. But it turns out, handling the wolves in this way, isn't the way you're supposed to do it... which leads me to the next point.

- it isn't obvious what the constraints of the mission are - this may be intentional as their expecting you to do things through trial and error and use the new features, try different things. But maybe the mission constraints could be clearer?
[SPOILER=Warning: Spoiler!]Ex. the Wolf mission above, one of the constraints says don't use range weapons, but apparently poison darts aren't range weapons!?! Would be nice to know that. Also you can use smoke bombs or trip mines.

Another ex. On one mission you can have up to 15 normal kills (or something like that), well it doesn't tell you that if you use your assassin pals, it doesn't count as a normal kill.

But then, like I said, some of those may be part of the game. The game wants you to try things and if they don't work restart from checkpoint and try something else.[/SPOILER]

- they really don't tell you what you're supposed to do with the forts. I had to check the net to find out what to do.
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The Final Dakar
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Jan 7, 2013, 11:49 AM
 
If I had one phrase to describe the gameplay, it'd be "Stop and go traffic".
     
The Final Dakar
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Jan 21, 2013, 11:45 AM
 
Having finished half the game this weekend, while things relax considerably around Sequence 5, this game is a poster child for the desire to create an important narrative negatively impacting the gameplay. I almost want to pop in Brotherhood, because I don't remember it being this erratic.
     
Leonard  (op)
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Jan 21, 2013, 09:59 PM
 
I still have 2 peg leg missions to redo, 1 privateer mission to redo & 1 club constraint to complete, to get the Completionist achievement. I finished redoing 2 privateer missions today.
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Leonard  (op)
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Jan 22, 2013, 10:05 PM
 
Hooray! I got the Completionist achievement... Not that hard to get once you figure what you're supposed to do.

The hardest one for me was one of the peg leg missions (Dead Man's Chest) in which you have a chase and have to kill the guy before the cave.
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The Final Dakar
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Jan 23, 2013, 11:39 AM
 
Find something expensive worth crafting, send land convoy, get bug where it locks because it was attacked before you quit.

Get naval convoy, craft expensive items for its first shipment, have it lost at sea.

This game doesn't want me to make money.
     
Leonard  (op)
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Jan 23, 2013, 12:23 PM
 
Originally Posted by The Final Dakar View Post
Find something expensive worth crafting, send land convoy, get bug where it locks because it was attacked before you quit.

Get naval convoy, craft expensive items for its first shipment, have it lost at sea.

This game doesn't want me to make money.
You want to reduce your risk before sending too many convoys. With naval ones, you have to reduce the risk by doing the privateer missions. Concentrate on privateer missions to one or two ports.

With land ones you want to reduce the risk by doing the Liberation missions and liberating Boston (and eventually New York).

Crafting stuff to sell is also not the best way to make money. It usually takes alot of money to craft something. Once you get a few of the homestead missions done and have the woman hunter, stocking up on skins and selling them via convoys makes money, especially with Beaver or Bear pelts (you don't get Bear pelts until you finish a few homestead missions for the woman hunter).

Crafting stuff is mainly there to complete the Delivery missions and maybe to arm yourself, but I didn't really use the arms I crafted.

I also do know that you can eventually protect your land convoy by sending your assassin pals to defend it from the attack (probably once you train them and level them up). Of course if the game crashes,... that doesn't help...
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Leonard  (op)
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Jan 25, 2013, 10:57 PM
 
The first of 3 single player DLCs is coming in February. 'The Tyranny of King Washington' is Coming

I'll probably get it. I've had fun with AC3.
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sek929
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Jan 28, 2013, 12:01 AM
 
Just finished the Naval Mission to destroy Fort Phoenix. I live about a half a mile away from the real Fort Phoenix. I never knew a Native American man crudely piloted a large ship in circles for 5 minutes to destroy the Fort, or that he had a second go after failing his first attempt.
     
Leonard  (op)
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Jan 28, 2013, 12:46 AM
 
Shhhhhhhh, it's a secret kept by the Assassin's. You go around talking about it that much and you might be quietly assassinated.
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The Final Dakar
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Jan 31, 2013, 05:09 PM
 
Originally Posted by sek929 View Post
Just finished the Naval Mission to destroy Fort Phoenix. I live about a half a mile away from the real Fort Phoenix. I never knew a Native American man crudely piloted a large ship in circles for 5 minutes to destroy the Fort, or that he had a second go after failing his first attempt.
Be sure to teach this to kids.

I've spent the last few nights avoiding it because I'm on the last sequence and don't want to beat it. By the same token, I finished up almost all the side missions and was dreading having to slog through the main story when I finished sequence 11. I make no sense.

---

So fatty, when will we co-op?
     
Leonard  (op)
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Jan 31, 2013, 05:26 PM
 
So are you going for 100% sync in the game, Dakar?
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The Final Dakar
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Jan 31, 2013, 05:30 PM
 
     
Leonard  (op)
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Feb 1, 2013, 10:45 AM
 
I was seriously starting to think you might, considering that you're doing the side missions and the constraints for 100% in this AC is on the medium difficulty side of things (some constraints are down right easy). But I also knew it was unlikely that you would go for 100%. So I just wanted to check.

Now if it was Sek, I wouldn't even ask, I know there's a good chance he's going for 100%.
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The Final Dakar
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Feb 1, 2013, 10:57 AM
 
I've seen Adult Swim shows shorter than the end credits of this game.
     
Leonard  (op)
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Feb 1, 2013, 12:06 PM
 
Originally Posted by The Final Dakar View Post
I've seen Adult Swim shows shorter than the end credits of this game.
Don't you hate games that MAKE you sit through all the credits. I know I hated that too. My god they had to list everyone and everything, and you HAVE to sit through it (or take a pee or food break).

For those that don't know why you want to keep on playiong after the credits, I believe one of the achievements doesn't pop until after the end of the credits. As well there are 2 or 3 achievements that you can't get until after the first end of the game. The game doesn't really end before the credits (the story does). They then give you 2-3 "missions" after the end of the game and this mini-game of finding some artifacts (I forgot what they call them).
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The Final Dakar
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Feb 1, 2013, 03:13 PM
 
I can live with credits but once you past 3 min you're pushing the good will, doubly so if you're not trying to entertain the gamer with cutscenes, drawing or landscapes as well.
     
The Final Dakar
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Feb 4, 2013, 12:19 PM
 
So, I suppose its time for my proper right up of the game. Where to begin... (Spoilers of course)

First off, I beat the crap out of this game. Devoured all sides, naval missions, forts, collectibles, and most of the clubs. And in retrospect I have to think that if it weren't for all that optional gameplay, this game would have been short. Really short. In fact, the stop and go nature and the torrential downpour of cut scenes probably did their own part in padding the game. This isn't new, but it felt like the game took levels.

The Frontier was fun, but it felt very much like the developers were wowed by Red Dead Redemption and looked for a way to implement in the game. As always, Rockstar* manage to breathe a semblance of life into their world, where ACIII was deader. Sure, you could run around hunting down myths and legends, but given the narcotic nature of side missions for myself, I did most of the Frontier club mysteries in one sitting, without fast travel.

Back to main story, I find it very peculiar that one of the men you are meant to kill is an optional side mission. Doubly so since I beat the game and his portrait was taken down like it was finished. The twist was surprising, riddled with bad writing tricks. The Templars are supporting the colonials... until you find out their templars. Charles Lee goes from a well kept man to a without a comb once inducted into the Templars.

In the real world, Desmond must hunt down several power cubes, until his dad volunteers to get the last one – because the other two were so easy – leading to a rescue mission down the line. Oh and god help anyone who hasn't taken a college course on Assassin's Creed lore. Holy shit what the hell is going on oh the main guy is a dead, thanks for finishing up that story properly.

Gameplay: This more than Brotherhood felt like an an attempt to create a more GTA like open world game (They did create a colonial Red Dead Redemption after all) but it felt very two dimensional. Homestead was their attempt at world making/influencing, but the nature of successful missions triggering instant upgrades in the animus robbed the player of the joy of gradually seeing their land mature and evolve in subsequent visits. I also had this foreboding feeling that when it was all said and done, some guy was going to burn the whole thing back down to the ground.

Fort liberations were less enjoyable than Borgia towers, mostly because the latter presented more transparent opportunities for stealth and assassinations. While I'd say the Assassin guild was deeper through the addition of different abilities, it mostly seemed convoluted and I prefer the more simple structure provided by AC:B. The assassination contracts might have been the biggest let down of all. All I had to do was run up to the guy and hit x before he could react. Absolutely no effort was made into making the unique or challenging.

The Naval Missions were the true hero here. Overly simplistic, but fun. While it was nice not to have to do extensive travel to and from missions, it also served to compartmentalize the gameplay and make it feel disconnected from the rest of the game (i.e., imagine sailing from Boston to New York and taking out some bad dudes along the way).

The soundtrack is not Jesper Kyd. That is a travesty.

Back to the writing, the slavish devotion to extending the animus/videogame metaphor as far as possible was a huge turnoff. I also didn't care for the new animus look (compared to AC:B). However one of the most galling things I discovered was when loading areas, you can stop the game from loading merely by entering the dashboard. Really? I have to watch Connor stand in the white room rather than roam my friends list? Whoever implemented that should be flogged.

Overall, I have to say the game is a disappointment. Which is odd to say but it comes down to this – I'd nominate most of the side stuff, the frontier, the new weapons 9/10. But the core of the game, the story, the main missions, the pacing, are like a 5/10, at best. It's really just terrible. So in the end I'd give the game 7/10. I don't regret getting it, but most of my fun was had outside of the constraints of the main game, which is a bad sign. (For comparison, i'd probably have given Brotherhood a 9 or 9.5/10. It helps that it was my first Assassin's Creed game). It's odd, I find myself wanting to play the game more yet, but without and forts to liberate or people to assassinate there's just no reason. Given the shittiness of the main game, DLC does not provide any hope for the future.

Perhaps I'll find some fun in the wolfpack mode.
     
Leonard  (op)
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Feb 4, 2013, 01:04 PM
 
Originally Posted by The Final Dakar
Perhaps I'll find some fun in the wolfpack mode.
I don't think you will. While it has some simple strategy to it, it's basically running around killing people.
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The Final Dakar
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Feb 4, 2013, 01:09 PM
 
Originally Posted by Leonard View Post
I don't think you will. While it has some simple strategy to it, it's basically running around killing people.
You're right, I was deluding myself.

I should pick-up the Hitman collection but I'm afraid that after having next-gen stealth mechanics at my disposal (cover, wall-hugging, hiding in brush, etc.) it's going to be close to unplayable.
     
The Final Dakar
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Feb 15, 2013, 10:49 AM
 
I forgot to mention, I love the addition of seasons. It'd be incredible if more open-world games did this.

By the same token, stats not counting because of superficial cheats like it being winter, rainy, or night time is a special type of retarded.
     
   
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