Fighting in AC3

[JRD]

Fighting in AC3 is very different from previous games. First because you don't lock on a target anymore but rather is free to slash and cut in any direction Connor is facing. You can also counter an attack coming from behind in a nice animation.

As anything that represents a change in the way I was used to do things I was a bit resistent to take the plunge. Since there's no choice, I had to just adopt the new fighting mechanic and try to do my best... not without some pain though.

Now I'm getting the hang of it I can say I prefer this way of fighting... first because is more fluid, second because it is more dynamic as enemies attack at the same time and don't just wait to be slashed and third because you cannot replenish your health during a fight (in previous games you could carry up to 15 vials of health replenishers and use them anytime during a fight... I was NEVER killed by enemies... NEVER)! Also I am pulling some nice kill streaks which I wasn't used to do in previous games! I am still learning to use an enemy as a shield but it will come with time.

I only died once in a fight against human enemies (wolves are another subject) and that was because I didn't realise I had to counter AND break their defenses before hitting them with my tomahawk. Once I realised the control tips on my bottom right corner HUD I realised what I had to do and surpassed the challenge!!

It will take more time to master the controlas but it feels great to actually have to learn it and I believe I'll have somre frustrating moments where I'll have to fight a tough enemy a few times before killing him but it will sure add to the feeling of accomplishment after a challenge!  8)

[mandru]

One frustrating shortcoming that I am continually encountering with the new combat system is the situation where you're in the middle of an attacking mob.  I get into this kind of hand to hand scrap quite often.  ::)

When you manage to grab and throw an enemy who once on the ground can easily be killed with a single quick stab that's not how things go anymore.  Now because the there's no lock you can't get to him because there are other enemies closer to you keeping you engaged so that the easiest target in the fray has time to sort himself out, pick himself up, straighten his cloak, take a sip of liquid courage, check his watch to make sure he's not late for tea and then jump back into the fight requiring another seven or eight hits to finish him off.  :D

I'm getting better at holding my own but it's clear it will never be the same for me.  :(

[JRD]

You're right about finishing off fallen enemies when they are in the middle of a crowd. I managed to finish one off by moving a bit the mouse which caused the focus of my atack to change slightly (you can tell by the white outline a given enemy display when you are "aiming" at him!)

I agree it has changed significantly but I feel it is easier to chain attacks and finish enemies off with precise counter attacks so I barely have to strike someone several times to actually kill him!

[mandru]

Another serious beef I have with the developers is the enemy is shooting my tail off but when I loot them all I'm getting is coinage.   ????

If they've got the ammo on them to reload then the spare shot and powder they haven't expended should go towards topping off my reserves.  \:/

[PZ]

Some of the loot is in the form of things like poison, darts, bullets, or other things.  However, it is completely luck of the draw so to speak.  The big fat Scottish guys seem to have good loot more often.

The change in mechanics will make it a bit more difficult for me to go back to prior AC games, although in general I like AC3 mechanics better.  It just takes becoming accustomed to the new controls.

[JRD]

I barely shoot at people to be honest.. I did when I was playing with Haythan and had my pistol with me all the time but using the musket is not really my cup of tea in the moment! In any case I can only carry enough pellets and gunpowder for 8 shots so looting one or two shots from a fallen red coat is ok!

Money wise it gets on my nerves, but keep in mind that soldiers were notoriously underpaid back in those days and it seems than looting chests and trading will bring some balance to the monetary system.

[mandru]

OK, now that I've complained about it I've started getting cartridges and even arrows back when I loot dead soldiers.  :-X

Also I've got a small tip I found at one point when I was hard pressed in a complete mob storm while I was taking over one of the forts.  Seven or eight men surrounded me while another group stood off at a distance firing regular volleys of musket rounds in a fire at will pattern instead of the firing line pattern which would allow me to hit space and grab an opponent for a meat shield.

They'd pushed me right up against one of the leaf piles used for stealth and my health was dropping fast so when I tried to dash away to buy a few seconds to heal up a bit I accidentally fell into the leaves which bounced me right back out again.  Oddly enough the closest soldiers had a "Huh?" moment which I somehow capitalized on by pulling off a chain kill.  I made another dash to get away not wanting to press my luck and fell into the leaves again.

The chain kill that spontaneously erupted on the second bounce through the leaves yielded the end result of me face to face with a solitary panicked redcoat musketeer who was thinking "Oh Crap!" and desperately wishing he were somewhere else.  It only took a moment to send him there. >:D

[JRD]

I read somewhere that collecting Peg Leg Trinkets will unlock some special missions and after those are complete you get an Eden Shard that will repel (most) bullets!!!

Nice tip about the leaf piles, mandru  :-X :-X

[PZ]

I read somewhere that collecting Peg Leg Trinkets will unlock some special missions and after those are complete you get an Eden Shard that will repel (most) bullets!!!

That would be great  :-X

...The chain kill that spontaneously erupted on the second bounce through the leaves yielded the end result of me face to face with a solitary panicked redcoat musketeer who was thinking "Oh Crap!" and desperately wishing he were somewhere else.  It only took a moment to send him there. >:D

:-X
Excellent tip; now I want to go back into the game and try it (I haven't started it up since my last rant about chase sequences)

[Art Blade]

entertaining story there, mandru  :) :-X

[nexor]

The first sword fight I got into is the one with Mills on the ship, It took forever and I just couldn't find a button to use for killing him, or isn't he supposed to be killed, it took the best part of ten minutes to dispose of him   :D

[PZ]

Wait until you get to the chase scene where you are required to use your horse.  He will continually run into invisible walls, corridor style.

[nexor]

I'm getting frustrated with this game, the lack of game key controls, I'm in sequence 2 outside the fort and I'm supposed to shoot the gunpowder near the gate, no matter what button or key I press I can only sheath/unsheathe the sword, on the right of the screen it shows a dagger and the pistol, and the only other thing on the screen is a tip showing I must press "V" to zoom in on the target.

So how in hades does one swop weapons   ???     :D

[PZ]

Sorry, I have only the console version.  Did you try the number keys at the top of the keyboard?  I'm playing AC:Brotherhood right now, and the "Q" key is used to bring up the weapon wheel - maybe try that?

[Art Blade]

Is there any chance of checking the key map in the game (change key binding) ? Most of the time that is how I find out (actually it's usually the first thing I do) in any game what keys to use and what to use them for. :)

[mandru]

Hi nex, I had to start AC3 up after a few months of not playing it because I'd forgotten the answer to your question.  :-[

I'll make a stab at a quick simple summary:

*Pressing and holding the "R" Key opens the weapons wheel.  Melee weapons are on the Left of the screen and Ranged (bow, fired, or thrown etc...) weapons on the right.

*The weapons you select from are the melee weapons and can be assigned to the #1,2,3 and 4 keys by selecting the weapon then "L Mouse" click the slot you want it in.

*A ranged weapon from the right side of the screen only comes into play when you press and hold the "Q" Key (to aim) and is fired/thrown when you release the "Q".

*You will not see the ranged weapons until you press the "Q" Key and they are put away once you have released the "Q".  So he doesn't walk around with a pistol or bow in his hands as you will see him do with the melee weapons.



As you've discovered if you have a melee weapon in your hands and want to sheath it tap the "R" Key.

Sorry I'm so slow getting back to you on this nex, I hope that helps.  :-X

[Art Blade]

if you're lucky, mandru, he might have forgot he ever asked.  :-D

[mandru]

Yeah, it's an awkward process at best.  There's nothing intuitive about it.  :-\\

Because it had been so long since I played AC3 there was a 10 minute update to drag through just to get into the game... Where upon I quickly forgot what I went in to find out before I could get it posted.  ???

That way I was able to enjoy another 10 minute update getting back into the game a second time so I could write it all down.  :D

[fragger]

Bloody hell :o It'd be easier to interpret the Popol Vuh...

[mandru]

Popol Huh?

Yeah what you said fragger.  :-D

[nexor]

I'm not that forgetful, I hope...... 8-X

No problem mandru, it's Saturday and we went river rafting for the day so I won't do anything before Sunday, thanks for your response, I'm copying it and will try It out asap  :-X

[Art Blade]

you are not.  :)

[JRD]

The game does have an weird key binding for fighting indeed. Most games put the attack commands on the mouse and the select comands on the keys around WASD. AC3 uses a combination of E, SPACE and LMB for fighting and Q for shooting (arrows or bullets).

It felt quite confusing to me when I started playing the game. But once I got used with the layout, the fighting became very fluid. Maybe using a controller like the ones on PS3 or XBOX makes it more intelligent but I learned to adapt as I had no other choice.

The fighting mechanics, i.e., the way you tackle your opponents, is better than in other AC games in my opinion. Not having to lock on a specific target and being able to strike several enemies at once made me enjoy the fighting in this game.

Of course, there's the fact mandru pointed out that right before you finish one opponent, another one strikes and break off the deadly sequence, but most of the time fighting is not annoying as it was in AC1. I also managed to pull out some serious killing streaks in AC3 and the animations for the axe are just brutal!  8)

[nexor]

Thanks guys your posts helped a lot, I'm getting the hang of it   :-X

Still, very awkward playing this game, the character wonders off to some location in the town hanging around people and just robbing them which seems to go on and on

[JRD]

I've spent at least 50% of the time hunting in the Frontier and doing side missions in Homestead. Those places are simply beautiful and varied. Story wise it has nothing even close to Ezio's adventures and the cities are plain boring imo, nothing compared to previous games.

Still, you're gonna have some fun once you get the hang of fighting!  >:D