AC:R - Tips and tricks

[fragger]

 

[mandru]

When I collect the 5th Altiar key and escape back to the ship completing the trip to Cappidocia the story line sets it up to make you want to rush straight into running to protecting Sophia at the bookshop but because I've bought armor and weapons that are only available during that side trip I want to switch back to one of the two sets of armor that give full stats and never take damage along with my preferred weapons.  I always hightail it straight to the assassin hideout to re-equip as soon as I arrive back in Constantinople.

Both times I've played through this part of the game there is a nice little cut scene of Sophia paying a visit to the hideout giving Ezio the perfect opportunity to further impress the lovely bibliophile with the massive size of his uh... literary collection.   ;)

I don't know if this cut scene is available later in the game if you rush straight to the bookshop as I haven't tried that but with this cut scene occurring right at this point in the story line it did strike me as odd that Ezio didn't take her into protective custody.  I guess that obvious intervention would have fouled up the rest of that sequence.   :-D   



Something I noticed of interest right after my last visit from Sophia while there at the hideout is that apparently as each of the faction challenges are completed (including the bomb challenge) there is a banner or coat of arms added to the walls of the library in various locations to show your accomplishments at those efforts.  I thought it was a nice touch once I'd slowed down enough on this play through to catch that detail.  :-X

The Thieves' faction banner did strike me as being a little on the weak side but I guess that's because they haven't had the chance yet to steal a better one.   ^-^

[PZ]

The Thieves' faction banner did strike me as being a little on the weak side but I guess that's because they haven't had the chance yet to steal a better one.   ^-^

:-X

That's interesting about returning to the hideout before continuing with the sequence; you're correct - the immediate inclination is to return quickly to find Sophia.  I've noticed throughout the series that you can take as much time as you want to get to the next step (unless it is a timed challenge).  I've not experienced the cut scene you mentioned, but will during this play through (3rd).

Speaking of which, I have all my dens locked, 8/12 assassins are master assassins, am using the master assassin armor, and just now completed the Galata tower mission to retrieve the second Masayef key.  Ezio's combat skills, bomb crafting, and judicious use of the factions makes it a pleasure to roam the streets in search of a good brawl.

I wish I could save the game at this point so I could return to it as a starting point in the future.

[mandru]

It is too bad about the way UBI  has decided to lock up the ability to make saves so that different approaches towards the end game can be experimented with but they have included a feature unlocked by completing the various memories at 100% sync that allows you through the Options Menu to engage a variety of cheats when replaying memories.

Memories replayed with the cheats enabled are not valid towards the completion of challenges etc.  But still some of tougher memories are amusing to revisit with "Buns of Steel" (no damage) or infinite ammo.   :)

[PZ]

I've yet to complete most things on 100% except the master assassination missions (those are easy  :-())

One thing that is a bit disappointing to me is the time element to achieve 100% in the hidden areas like the Galata tower.  Those places are cool to look through, but you have to rush toward the end goal to meet the deadline unless you want to revisit the area a second time.  Because these are "secret areas", it would have been nicer to need to find some kind of hidden object, or solve puzzles rather than the rush job.

[PZ]

The Janissaries are the most challenging of the adversaries, and although not perfect, the best method I have come up with so far is to battle them with whatever primary weapon you like, and have your throwing knives set for your secondary weapon.  Then, when the Janissary backs up to fire his pistol, a quick throw of one or more knives will dispatch him.

[mandru]

A good tactic PZ.  :-X

A poison dart is a guaranteed kill but you have a limited number of those on hand and if he's deliriously swinging a sword around in an area where you need to continue to fight it can really be problematic.

If you are holding a defensive posture and a Janissary does pull his pistol on you if you strike quickly with your primary weapon sometimes that hit will slip through on him but I like the quick thrown knife method you've suggested and will be trying that out.   :)

[PZ]

Thanks mandru - yes, the poison dart and pistol are both good, but require that you take aim while the knives are instant-throw weapons.  The precious few milliseconds are enough to make the difference when battling the Janissaries.

Another thing I forgot to mention - if you chain kill the other three guys (that are present with the single Janissary) in the group of four, then it is relatively easy to dispatch him because you have fewer distractions.  I've tried this method recently, and have found it quite effective.

[mandru]

If you have a shrapnel or datura bomb equipped in the secondary slot and do a quick tap to drop the bomb (instead of aiming it) it will kill them a lot more than it does you.   >:D

You'll take some damage from the shrapnel bomb but that's easily healed.  With the datura I've not seen where Ezio takes any damage but the guards are poisoned.

Acclimated immunity?  Hmm...   ????

[PZ]

Interesting - I wonder how it would w@&k with a caltrops bomb - might be really funny. 

[mandru]

Self piloted boats!

I've not seen any mention of this in the story line and they are completely lacking anything beyond some small amusement value but there are several boats on each side along both the North and South piers of the channel that separates Galatia and the southern districts.  They are controlled exactly the same as the Venetian canal boats from AC:2.  Though they differ in appearance from the canal boats they can be easily spotted once you're aware of their presence but they make it possible for you to pilot yourself back and forth across the channel.

I had always assumed that the program had to load a new area anytime that body of water was crossed by ferry or a tunnel but that's not the case.  I think you could swim the channel if you really wanted to.

I will have to check to see if these boats are available in the very early part of the game where you have free roam time to collect cash, gear and explore Galata.  If so this would make the acquisition of Vlad's sword possible even earlier in the game providing Sophia's shop is unlocked to give you the clue for it's location.

[mandru]

I pulled off a really embarrassing belly flop from the top of Galata tower last night forcing me to focus on just why all my parachutes keep disappearing.       I always try to keep an eye on my parachutes but that huge swan dive into the cobbles really ticked me off.

Not looking forward to the mandatory hours of pickpocketing that is required to start another trip through the game I've been stretching this play through out and had been revisiting the memories to the Fathi Sophia where the cool masked armor is awarded as well as some of the memory locations trying to memorize routes and agility requirements to shave extra time off my Masayaf Key collection efforts.  That's what set me up for the fall.

It looks like anytime you go into one of the hidden locations or any other activity that will not allow parachutes to be used instead of just disabling them it takes them all away from you.  This has been pretty annoying as I've noticed that there are times where they just gone and I've gotten in the habit of only carrying three or four of them even though I keep getting the pouch upgrades to have more carry capacity through the tailor shops.

Sometimes as in the tutorial missions where a specific weapon is the only one allowed the game will block all other weapons briefly but it always gives them back to you at the end of the exercise.  You don't find all of your arrows, bombs and throwing knives mysteriously missing.

For some reason UBI totally missed the bus on this one and I would like to see them issue a patch for this foul up.   ::)

The larger pouches for parachutes?   Pointless!   \:/

[PZ]

Self piloted boats!

I've not seen any mention of this in the story line and they are completely lacking anything beyond some small amusement value but there are several boats on each side along both the North and South piers of the channel that separates Galatia and the southern districts.  They are controlled exactly the same as the Venetian canal boats from AC:2.  Though they differ in appearance from the canal boats they can be easily spotted once you're aware of their presence but they make it possible for you to pilot yourself back and forth across the channel.

I had always assumed that the program had to load a new area anytime that body of water was crossed by ferry or a tunnel but that's not the case.  I think you could swim the channel if you really wanted to.

I will have to check to see if these boats are available in the very early part of the game where you have free roam time to collect cash, gear and explore Galata.  If so this would make the acquisition of Vlad's sword possible even earlier in the game providing Sophia's shop is unlocked to give you the clue for it's location.

That's really cool!  I did not realize you could use any of the boats - will certainly give it a try.  One question though - how will using a boat change the Vlad acquisition?

Not looking forward to the mandatory hours of pickpocketing that is required to start another trip through the game I've been stretching this play through out and had been revisiting the memories to the Fathi Sophia where the cool masked armor is awarded as well as some of the memory locations trying to memorize routes and agility requirements to shave extra time off my Masayaf Key collection efforts.  That's what set me up for the fall.

It looks like anytime you go into one of the hidden locations or any other activity that will not allow parachutes to be used instead of just disabling them it takes them all away from you.  This has been pretty annoying as I've noticed that there are times where they just gone and I've gotten in the habit of only carrying three or four of them even though I keep getting the pouch upgrades to have more carry capacity through the tailor shops.

Sometimes as in the tutorial missions where a specific weapon is the only one allowed the game will block all other weapons briefly but it always gives them back to you at the end of the exercise.  You don't find all of your arrows, bombs and throwing knives mysteriously missing.

For some reason UBI totally missed the bus on this one and I would like to see them issue a patch for this foul up.   ::)

The larger pouches for parachutes?   Pointless!   \:/

That's really bad news about the parachutes - I noticed mine had disappeared and did not make the connection to the hidden areas.

As to the pick-pocketing I used to do, my focus now is to get my thief faction ability going and then roam the streets - they will do all the stealing you need, and even beat up the citizens when you join in on their fun.  :-()

[mandru]

- how will using a boat change the Vlad acquisition?

After meeting the Assassins in Galata you are sent out to get better gear and funds if necessary.  That is where I build up my cash by pickpocketing because it's before any significant missions that will cause that kind of funds gathering to start counting against my notoriety.

If I could use one of these boats to get across the channel this early in the game (because the ferries are not available until needed to go meet Yosef for the first Templar lair take over) and if I can get into Sofia's bookshop during this time period then I would also be able to wander over to Vlad's crypt and pick up his sword.   :-D 

*EDIT additional* Rethinking this... I would need to wait until after the hook blade is given to me (would need hook blade in Vlad's crypt  ???? ) which is still before the ferries become available and then I would try to get across the channel to the bookshop etc...

[PZ]

Ah yes... now I see.  I forgot that the ferries were not available.  It might be interesting to go to the big island anyway just to see how things w@&k.  I remember in AC2 that I was able to pick pocket thousands of Florins and not gain any notoriety because that trigger had not occurred in the game yet.

It is fun to divert from the intended course to see what happens - in many cases, the developers might not even have thought that the gamers would go that way.

[PZ]

Turns out that if you use the boat to go to the mainland before the ferries are available, you will desynchronize.  :D

[PZ]

On yet another play through, I have all dens locked, have completed all of the bomb missions, and just did the mission for the first Masayf key.  To achieve 100% synch, you need to remain undetected, which was quite the challenge the first time I went through.  However on this play through, I used only throwing knives and datura (poison gas) bombs while I stayed high in the rafters.  Using the gas bombs made the mission as easy as pie.

On another note, the master assassin mission where you need to keep the herald from any harm was much easier using the pyrite coins bomb - quite funny actually, as the Templars rushed at us, Ezio threw down the coin bomb, and the citizens held the bad guys long enough to do them in. 

[mandru]

Too bad about the boat idea being scuttled.   :-\\

With the bomb making stations and resource chests located all the way through that area, yeah I can see it.   If you round the guards up with a cherry bomb then hit them with a Datura that would be a great approach.   :-X

I'll also have to give the pyrite bomb a try on that protection mission.

[mandru]

Here's a tip on the Vlad Sword that I came across.  While looking cool and having very good stats it is not the most powerful sword in the game but there are a couple positives to using it.

1. There is a 15% chance that it will panic a guard and cause him to attempt to flee.  A good thing in general but can be a nuisance if your working on getting chain kills.

2. There are animations for Kill Moves that are not available on any of the other swords.  More blood, more gore and more "Oh Yeeeaaaahhhh!"   >:D

[PZ]

I do recall seeing a video that demonstrated some of the extra animation scenes.  However, as you stated, it is not as useful as some of the other weapons, for instance Mehmet's (sp?) dagger, which I am now using as my current favorite.

I also like to disarm the guards wielding the long spear-like weapon, then throw it at another guard.  The animation scenes for the different weapons are fun to watch.

[mandru]

Invasion of The Janissary encampment immediately to the North of Fatih Camii (one of the tunnel exits) is an intimidating proposition.  There is even one mission that requires infiltration and assassination of their leader.

I've found however that the period of time the infiltration mission is taking place has the entire area under alert but this condition is not always the case.

The two Janissary guards covering the entrance to the area will always defend their post but in non-mission times I've been able to skirt around to the North of the barracks and use a nearby building's rooftop to hop onto the wall gaining access with no interference from the rest of the Janissaries scattered through the encampment.  As long as you stay away from the two guards at the entrance all of the others will either ignore you or (if you are climbing around on things really standing out) make a comment like "I may have to deal with that one.  Oh well, not my problem."

Knowing this the two gold chests in that area that are marked when you buy the area's treasure chest maps are a simple matter of hop the North wall and collect them.   ;)

[PZ]

Invasion of The Janissary encampment immediately to the North of Fatih Camii (one of the tunnel exits) is an intimidating proposition.  There is even one mission that requires infiltration and assassination of their leader...

I just did this mission - assassination of Tarek Barleit (full sync = air assassination).  This is the third time I have done this mission, and Ezio is wearing Ishak Pasha's armor.  After Ezio assassinated from the tall scaffold and the Janissaries descended on him, he fought valiantly until they were all dead.  Ezio then encouraged others to attack as he went through the front of the encampment killing everyone along the way.  Then casually walking through town, he was periodically assaulted by groups of Janissaries, all of which he dispatched with a variety of techniques, including the pyrite bomb that one is always hilarious - to see the citizens effectively holding down the enemy.  :-()  Coincidentally, this method comes out of the first AC, in which citizens automatically held the guards when you helped them.

[mandru]

There are some of the secret locations and Masayaf key locations that will take away my parachutes when I replay them as a DNA memory and then return to normal game play but I found that the mission to acquire Vlad's sword did not take them from me.  If you don't know that they are gone and take a huge leap reaching into your empty pouch it can lead to (let's say) a real awkward situation.   ???

I wanted to go back over some of those locations through the DNA memories including the one that gives the Ishak Pasha's armor at Haggia Sophia. That one for sure steals the parachutes.

It occurred to me after I had lost my parachutes banging around in the memories and as I was ready to go back into the game proper that the Vlad mission never takes my chutes so what would happen if I went back into a run through of that memory last.  When I had started playing memories I had 10 chutes in my pouch which were then gone but when I completed replaying the Vlad mission all 10 of them had been returned to me!

My pouch will hold 15 chutes but because of losing them repeatedly to memories I never fill it completely.  The same number I'd had originally were restored it didn't just refill the pouch.   :-X

[PZ]

lol, I know how you feel - especially the first time I lept off a building and tried to deploy a nonexistent parachute!

It is good that there are circumstances that cause the return of the parachutes - good find  :-X