The Hidden Blade Assassin's Creed in Depth

eh... too much customization can be a bit fiddly.

I love the idea of collecting parts to craft your own weapons. I'd also like it if weapons broke regularly and would need to be replaced (or make repairing so expensive and difficult that simply replacing them might be a better option, even with the built-in difficulty of having to find the parts and craft them).

I'm not too sure about the ability to change the height, damage or pose of the assassinations. It might be a nightmare to program (unless I'm misunderstanding what you mean). It reminds me of those "Dragon Age" types of games where you're constantly having to fiddle with little adjustments in some menu rather than simply playing the game. Dragon Age bores the crap outta me.

I remember thinking about weapons breaking before. Like how long weapons break, except without the combat animations. The idea is they break randomly based on how much they've been used and maybe if the enemy is using heavy attacks. And how they break is based on the weapon. Weapons with a wooden shaft (spears, halberds, axes, maces) break a lot easier. Bladed weapons (swords, daggers, two-handed swords) get dull over time and would have to be sharpened. They should also have a system where you could just keep weapons dropped from enemies, but they would break easier from being used.
Not sure how good that idea is, but it does add more to the game.

I don't really like the idea of repairing weapons/armor anymore. I feel like you should be able to wear armor, but the repairing be implied. We don't see Ezio moving his bowels, so we don't need to buff out those scrapes to his chest plate.

However, I think it would be cool to develop our own weapons. Collecting certain amounts of materials (metal, silver, gold, wood, etc) and using them to create mods to current weapons or whole new gadgets/weapons.

Finding parts of weapons? Isn't that similar to the Shop Quests in ACB? That was a rather tedious and long process. And some of the ingredients were ridiculous. I mean, how would SHRUNKEN HEADS be used to create the best chest armor. I can understand Indian Diamonds being incoporated into it, but not SHRUNKEN HEADS. SHEESH.

If there was to be a weapon customization/creation in ACIII, then it can't feel like a tacked on gimmick. I it needs to be interwoven into the story and gameplay. I've discussed some aspects of the weapon customization in the Smarter A.I. topic section. http://thehiddenblade.com/smarter-ai#comment-23491

That's a whole new idea to me, Vesferatu! lol. I never even considered that the shrunken heads would somehow be incorporated into the armor. I just assumed that the blacksmith required that item as part of his payment for making the armor at all.

And you're right about the Shop Quest aspect. Agreed that it really shouldn't be like that. Maybe the parts could be purchased, but they'd have to be really expensive. I mean, really frackin' expensive. Or something.

W/regard to mods to current weapons or whole new gadgets/weapons: Wouldn't that be kind of a nightmare from a programming standpoint?

That's not actually what I meant. I'm talking about forging your own rather than trading found objects for the best items. I don't know how the forging could work, but that's why I mentioned it; so it could be thought through.

I'd hope not. It would be cool to literally develop our own weapons/items with only our imaginations as the limit, but we aren't really there in the gaming technology yet. I'm really just talking about variations on your current gear.

For example, what would you need for a golden hidden blade? Gold. Maybe you want a cool face mask to look cooler and hide your face? Find materials for that mask. Want to bedazzle your hood? Find some diamonds somewhere.

Ways to get these items: Looting, opening chests, completing side missions, attaining 100% sync, pickpocketing.

I'm just saying that there are a lot of players out there that enjoy making their characters look cool. This would really add to the replay value. Yes, there are a lot of variations, but Ubi could handle it. Most of it would be cosmetic anyways. They'd just have to change some patterns and colors.

That raises an entirely new question: how much were shrunken heads worth in early 16th Century Rome? Back then, the people were predominately Catholic...but I'm not sure how shrunken heads fit into that. And if the blacksmiths did sold them...then to who? Who buys these items, and how come Ezio couldn't contact them himself? I mean, he has underground contacts from the thieves and courtesans!

As for forging the weapons, who would that be possible? Would the player be awarded with a recipe after completing Guild Challenges, or would he/she be indiscriminately throwing random items in an "alchemy pot"?

For programming the effects in battle, it's not gonna be a problem. The only thing Ubisoft has to worry about programming...is the BLOODY MAP ITSELF! No more popping/clipping/tedious loading times/long cutscenes!

I think you're looking too much into it, haha. What sounds good? I just threw out the idea.

Hmm... I just realized that customizing one sword might indeed be simpler than switching between a billion swords. Heh, could be cool. Only problem is that the cutscene disparity of what weapon you're holding might become more complex... Hopefully they do all their cutscenes based off of the player model, like in Halo: Reach.

I like the Colour/skin remodelling and character customization, Joey. That little bit about golden blades, I like the concept. Maybe the choice to engrave your armour in a few patterns, stuff like that.

And then the player model-based cutscenes, that would be absolutely fantastic, for what it's worth to me. It was hard to pretend Altair's attitude in AC:II, just to be reminded by a cutscene that you're really a show-off with a silver tongue and an ego.

Yes Altair had an ego, but his was overconfidence in the technicality of his abilities, and no remorse. Badass.

People say that Altair had no remorse and disconnected but I always felt like he got way too connected with his targets. It's difficult to pretend he's a silent assassin when every kill he makes involves so much talking. He was cool and badass for what he was, but I don't think of him the way most do.

Ezio was charming and confident with those he trusted, but he was also kind and gentlemanly with those who deserved it. And when he was on the prowl all of that melted away and he became hard as steel, confident and succinct in his memory corridor judgments. He target pleading and offering excuses as to why they had no choice, and Ezio's firm statement that there is always a choice. Or in a case of a truly misguided target, a solemn apology that fate led to his blade through their neck.

I find it easy to roleplay as Ezio, you just have to consider his changing mindset.

Connor doesn't seem to me like just a mix of the two, but I feel as though he will be even more purposeful in his movements. I'll have to experience his story before I get more of a feel as to how I'll play him, but what we know so far intrigues me.

Back on topic, I really hope the future installments allow for better visual customization, but for the love of all that is holy that they don't make it apart of the gameplay. Assassin's Creed stealth should be about misdirection and cutting off line of sight. You should never be hidden as a lone person just because you changed your clothes. I love Hitman but that totally changes the way this game works.

I'm a little scared about this because the Liberation Vita game has changeable outfits that adjust how guards react, but since they all play differently and have their own abilities it's really its own unique thing.

Well yeah. That's how he doubted his master. He listened to their reasoning of why they did what they did and took a stand on what made sense to him after everything went down. That's a main theme in Altair's story; he chose to believe in what he personally thought was right, even at the mercy of his mentor. That's basically what the Assassins fight for. Not one mind, but many diverse, interesting ones.

But I didn't say that wasn't the point. I just said that I never found him to be disconnected or emotionless.

When I said "way too connected", I meant "way too connected to be disconnected". Not that his character was bad because of it.

There are too many connections. O_O

Lol, that did get complex didn't it?

Basically I like Altair's character, but most people usually describe him in a totally different way than I see him.

fair enough, and I used the name "Altair in the beginning of my post when I meant to say "Ezio" in AC:II. Just clarifying