AC3 - the NOT so good

[PZ]

While the game in my opinion is overwhelmingly good, there are a few areas where I wish the developers had done a better job.  This topic is dedicated to negative issues in the game.

One of these are in the wilderness areas; the short trees seem to have impenetrable foliage which means that you need go around these solid objects.  This is somewhat annoying, and not difficult when you are on foot, but when you are on horseback, it can be a challenge because the horse physics have not been improved much over prior games when it comes to obstacles.

In the cities in prior versions of the game, these types of obstacles were limited because a wilderness-style open world was not available.  However, I'm not sure given current console technology that anything could really be done differently.

[JRD]

I can live with that!!!  ;D

Just release the PC version god dammit!!!! 







I just realised I've cracked the 4k limit 6 posts ago!!!  ????

[PZ]

I'm with ya, JRD; I'm chomping at the bit to read you guys impressions!

[mandru]

Congrats on busting the 4k ceiling JRD!  :-X

I also have similar sentiments in alignment with those you expressed JRD regarding release of the PC version.  :D

[JRD]

The suspense is killing me!!!!  :D

[PZ]

I realize why I do not appreciate the timed events in the AC series.  While I was doing yet another chase sequence, I realized that it is not so much skill of the chase, but repeatedly doing the mission until you find the shortcut to success.  The task is typically to chase someone, but if you follow the target in AC3, you will never catch it; you need to find an alternative path to intercept.

The reason I personally do not appreciate this kind of mission is that unless you have clairvoyance or unbelievable luck, there is little chance that you will achieve success on the first try.  In fact, it will probably take several tries until you stumble upon the proper path.

Imagine typing an essay on a PC.  Rather than simply making an edit in the existing file, you instead would need to type the entire essay with each change you make.  This is what I feel when doing the chase missions.  In my opinion, the developers have completely missed the mark in achieving an open world experience.

Personally, I don't appreciate missions where the point is to do the event repeatedly until you stumble on the correct solution.  I'd much rather have a more open world experience where you plan properly and achieve success.  The chase events in the AC series are the worst example of linearity that I have experienced in any game.  You cannot proceed until you follow the preordained path, which in my book completely goes against the open world philosophy.

This morning I looked forward to another AC3 session, but in the main story line, yet another chase scene appeared; I attempted it a few times, but then shut off the console in disgust after the third desynchronization.  I'd had enough of trying to find the linear path that would lead to the next obstacle.  Oh well, maybe tomorrow morning I will try again, but I am not looking forward to repeated desynchronizations until I chance upon the correct path - just plain boring in my book.

While I dearly love the AC series, it is coming to the point where I dread opening a new mission for fear that it will be yet another chase sequence.

I hope FC3 will follow the FC2 way of game play.  You are presented a mission and then it is up to you how you go about it.  Imagine how boring FC2 would have been if you had to chase some merc across the map just to advance to the next mission.

[fragger]

I haven't played any of the AC games, but I totally get where you're coming from PZ. I can just imagine what a drag that must be, especially in a game that you otherwise enjoy so much and has a lot more going for it :D

[JRD]

I just finished another playthrough of AC2 and although there are timed events in the game, they are pretty much forgiving, allowing time for some mistakes in the way. I understand a timed event as a sequence logical to the story line like, for instance, chasing someone before he can escape. But what PZ experiences is really annoying. You can tell that this is not your skills that count as no matter what, your opponent will be always faster than you and all that is left is to "find" an alternative path to intercept.  :D

@PZ... don't let those small annoyances drive you off the game. Take your time and do one or two trials just scouting the way... if it's trial and error then use the errors in your advantage. Try different routes just to see what happens already knowing it will end up in desynchronization.... it may lower the level of frustration!

@fragger... there's still time to start up with the series. Although the graphics inAC:R are much more impressive than in the earlier games (AC2 and AC:B), the visual quality of Renaissance Italy as depicted in Ezio's adventures are just beautiful.... you won't be disappointed at all!  ;)

[PZ]

I so agree on all your comments, JRD.  I was disappointed enough so I did not start the game up this morning, which means that I'll not be able to do so until next week sometime.  However, I'm not giving up on the game because there are so many aspects that I really like.  The free roaming where you can do side missions are actually much more fun for me because each is a small nugget of fun in which you can typically accomplish the task based on how you want to do it.  It seems like the main missions are the ones that are filled with the timed events that are not appreciated (probably only by me)

@fragger - if you ever get the opportunity to get the AC games cheap, I'd recommend that you at least try one (I still like AC2 the best as my starting point).  You need an internet connection to play the game, but it ran fine even with my old crappy satellite connection - i.e., it does not need to exchange much data with the server.

[JRD]

It probably only stores a save game file in the cloud so it should be a few KB large... there must be some kind of online verification too but again, my games run when STEAM is offline and I often see a "lost connection - trying to reconnect" message without any damage to my gaming.

I cannot stress it enough fragger... if you ever get the chance to play Assassins Creed... do it!!! Don't even think about it... do it! I am now playing Brotherhood again... sequence 4. Man... there is so many things I love in this game I can't even know where to start a list! The graphics, music, gameplay, storyline, characters..... I could go on and on for days!

Gotta go back in......  8)

[PZ]

J is so right; even though there are annoyances, overall I love this series more than any other (can't count FC2 because that is the only game I played in that series)

[mandru]

PZ, Maybe the walk through vids you posted could show some tips on these "Chase events that are giving you fits.  Just a thought.

There have been lots of times where I've gotten completely stuck on how to proceed beyond a scripted bottleneck in a game so I get the frustration you expressed.

[PZ]

Thanks mandru,  yes, I checked the tips walk through, but all it said that the guy is fast, so you'd better hurry 

This particular chase sequence has you chase down several guys in succession, with the first ones being relatively easy.

A much better mission would have been to have the core of it stay the same (kill these guys), but instead of having to find just the right linear path to succeed, have the convoy march along while you discover just the right place for an ambush.  i.e., make it open world-like rather than CoD-like

[PZ]

This is more of a general complaint about video games because it is a characteristic of more than just the Ubi games.  When you start the game on the console, it begins to load.  Then you get to a certain point and you need to press the Start button (I would have thought that once you start the game it would be self evident that you wanted to play it).  More of the game loads, and then you need to press the Start button again.

How stupid is that; in order to get the game to the point where you can begin playing you have indicated that you want to play the game 4 times.  That's kind of like going to a restaurant and having this ensue:

   
• Welcome!  Would you like water?
• 30 seconds later... Welcome!  Would you like water?
• another 30 seconds Welcome!  Would you like water?
• and yet again Welcome!  Would you like water?

Really?  How many times do I need to indicate that I want to play the game?  It already takes a long time to load the software and having to babysit the thing by pressing the continue button is only annoying.

Maybe that should be worked into a new feature - have the player complete a chase sequence before they are allowed to play  :-()

[mandru]

Maybe that should be worked into a new feature - have the player complete a chase sequence before they are allowed to play  :-()

It sounds to me like you are playing a chase sequence.  ;)


Under the banner of not so good for the PC the relocation of actions vs key presses is close to a nightmare.  :-\\

Instead of plowing through the game I'm constantly replaying the early missions to make use of the tutorial prompts trying to make heads or tails out of how to control my character.  I'm failing to see how any of this rises to the standard of UBI's declaration that this game allowed for much more fluid play.

One of my biggest complaints is that defense (Block Attacker's Strike) in AC2 and AC:R was the uncomplicated "Right Button Hold" on the mouse button but that has now been moved to the "E Key Hold" (the interact key) which really fouls up almost all of my attempts of trying to position myself or move out of obvious line of danger when in hand to hand combat in the middle of a group of attackers and believe me I've yet to encounter a single opponent it's always groups of 4, 6 or 8.  ???

Previously when you had empty hands a "Right Mouse Hold" and "Left Mouse Click" as an enemy starts their attack would block and strip their weapon so you could use it against them.  Now the same action is completed with "E Key Hold" and "Space Bar Click" as the enemy starts their attack.  :(   

If a mob of Red Coats are slicing you up with their bayonets and you've expended the single shot of your flintlock pistol the process of scooping up one of the many unfired muskets under your feet from their fallen brothers is the same key you're trying to use to block and counter their onslaught.  For fluid combat it's way too much control thrown over to the Left Hand to even start to resemble balance.  Yes I can reassign keys but shifting functions back over to the mouse I suspect would conflict with the actions assigned there by default.  It makes me wonder if UBI is trying to force PC players over into the Console market by complicating the pi$$ out of what was previously a smooth layout.

I'll w@&k my way through the shortcomings of this redesign but I doubt it will ever come to feel as natural as the flow of combat in previous games.  I've yet to manage anything resembling a chain kill. :D


Also on another note none of the promised pre-order incentives (extra weapons and missions etc...) were delivered with the game disks and as I was one of the first customers to pick up my reserved AC3 copy (at least I was the first to ask "Oh! The pre-order Extras are included inside?" and we checked only to find they were missing) the manager at GameStop who handled my pick-up didn't know why.

UBI had not even supplied the manager of the shop with the standard emergency override "Extras" codes that are usually provided to them for verified customer's missing code cards and so on.  So he is looking into why this omission has happened and will get back to us with the promised codes.

[PZ]

UBI had not even supplied the manager of the shop with the standard emergency override "Extras" codes that are usually provided to them for verified customer's missing code cards and so on.  So he is looking into why this omission has happened and will get back to us with the promised codes.

A good example of bad quality control

[JRD]

mandru, I remember seeing a "training" option in the Animus menu. I believe you can practice there instead of re-playing the same sequence over and over to get the hang of fighting!  ;)

I installed the game and played a bit yesterday and just like you I am having some hard time getting used to the new controls layout. You can always assign keys to a few moements to get it more suited to your gaming style but there are so many functions assigned to a single key it is even harder to re-map the keys in a way it actually works, so I'll concentrate my efforts in learning this new layout.

I managed to fight pretty well and didn't die untill I called the day off late at night after reaching Boston and retrieving the chest from the fort... Johnson's errand I believe is the memory!  8)

I'll post my first impressions later on but so far I can say it feels very different from all previous games... I like it!  :-X

[PZ]

it might just be me, but I did not see any way to practice fighting in the trainer like you could in prior games.

[mandru]

I've looked for the virtual training option but all I'm finding is the Animus Manual text that describes the key and mouse functions.

It appears that almost all functionality in normal game play (I've not tried the Naval Missions yet) has been shifted over to the key board to be controlled with the left hand.  The only functions left on the mouse are:

1. High and Low Profile "Right mouse button clicked and unclicked" respectively
2. "Attack" in close combat situations "Left Mouse Click" (but not for ranged weapons they're Mapped to the "Q" button)

Dodge moves appears to have been removed.  In AC:R the key strokes for the dodges were "Rt Mouse hold" then tap "Space", "A" or "D" (for a jump back/right/left) as the enemy started their strike and if there's a Counter Kill in AC3 I've not been able to find it.  So far the best I've been able to manage is standing with my feet planted in one place (or a slight crab to the left) while being surrounded by gangs of thugs slashing and shooting at me at will with their muskets.

I've killed over 600 enemy but so far only managed 2 chain kills according to my stats in the DNA.  ???

I suspect the the game was designed for console game controllers (PS3 & Xbox) where the buttons are evenly distributed between the player's right and left hands.  The problem I'm having arises from the demands of the new function mapping being converted over to the PC's key board causing something similar to moving all of the buttons on a console controller over to the left side and only leaving two buttons for the right hand.

As a guitarist and bass player I think my left hand is fairly nimble but the mass press of a mob attack is pretty overwhelming.


Oh yeah.  If the firearms in AC3 were 1/10th as reliable as Ezio's hidden blade pistol I wouldn't mind them at all.  ::)

For full synchronization Sequence 3:3 "The Braddock Expedition" requires that you ride a horse you are continually spurring (with the space button) in order to chase another fleeing rider (keep up or  de-sync) and with your flintlock shoot three powder wagons as you are flying along.  The problem I'm experiencing that I've only been able to shoot two powder wagons and that is spread over 20+ attempts by replaying the DNA Memory.  I have to admit that those two wagons I managed to shoot were only because I stopped spurring the horse though I was still moving at a full gallop and was immediately de-synced both times so I had to give up on that approach as a possible strategy.  :(

I'm having serious doubts that full sync for sequence 3:3 on PC is even possible.  Usually I'm able to think of other things to try but this one has me baffled.  I even looked to see if it was possible to change the game to a lower difficulty setting only that's not an option probably because of the UPLAY award system.

I've had problems with the muskets refusing to reload causing complete forced memory replays and other than grabbing a fresh musket off rack there's no way to tell if the musket was discharged or not before its wielder met their demise and dropped it.  In real life combat if a dead man's musket was cocked it was almost a sure bet that it was hot to go.  That's because priming the flash pan and cocking the musket were the very last step of reloading.  My game character should be able to look at a rifle he's picked up and instantly notify me through a HUD message "It's empty dude.  Grab another otherwise it's time to get stabby!"

The firearms fail to aim.  The firearms fail to load.  The firearms fail.  :D

[PZ]

... The problem I'm experiencing that I've only been able to shoot two powder wagons and that is spread over 20+ attempts by replaying the DNA Memory. 

This is the crux of the problem I have with the game; in some instances you need to replay the memory so many times that it eventually becomes boring to the point where I simply quit and move on to another game or simply watch TV rather than suffer the foolishness of a game you are having so much difficulty with.  Those Ubi peop0le are stupid to design a game where there is no option other than going through their preordained path.

Admittedly I am not a hard core gamer that will keep at it until I am successful; I play because I enjoy a game, not to fight it until I have stumbled upon the precise keystrokes that the developers demand.

Reasonable or not on my part, I have not played the game since the last chase sequence I was complaining about, and I doubt that is what those fools at Ubisoft had in mind - make it frustrating enough so that the gamer will quit playing.  The other issue with the AC series is that there is no way to decrease the difficulty level, which has not been a problem in prior games because it was not unreasonably difficult to get past any particular point in the game.

Having to play the same sequence 20+ times is simply ridiculous.

[JRD]

You guys are right... the "trainning" in the animus menu refers to anything but training  :D

mandru. I've been having some great fights both killing and disarming enemies. I still have to get more practice before I can explain better what and how I fight in AC3 but taping E then space will disarm an enemy whereas E plus LMB will kill. Just holding E and then trying to counter seems not be be effective. I rather wait untill they attack then tap E and quickly LMP... it sometimes happens in slow motion and I've seen several different killing animations!

In the stats it says my longest kill streak was 4  ????

I too had to replay some sequences a few times but mostly due to my need to get all secondary objectives complete. There is a mission you have to eavesdrop some targets than go rescue Benjamin Church. You have to enter the area undetected and everytime I was detected I tried to restart from the last checkpoint, which would skip me to the very beginning of the mission again even though when you discover Church's location you reach a checkpoint!

I can say that my biggest frustration so far was lock picking with the mouse! Really annoying and frustrating. In the opra house I picked that lock quite fast and easily but now in Boston lock picking a chest took me almost five minutes!  :D

[PZ]

Unfortunately there is quite a bit of lock picking, mostly chests, but some doors as well, for instance to get out of the tunnels.

[JRD]

Let's just hope I get better with time... the lock you have to pick in the opera house was quite easy so I wasn't worried. The chest I found today got me worried though! :-(

[PZ]

I suspect that the chest you experienced is more the norm than the one at the opera house.  However, on the console I found a technique that allows me to get into a chest in less that 45 seconds on a regular basis.

[JRD]

Just found another one and this time it wasn't too hard. It probably took less thanone minute to pick it with two or three attempts!!  8)