Assassin's Creed 3 Catch-All

As I said, I've got no problem with cosmetic stuff. Costumes, weapon skins, tags, *maps, whatever. PRetty much as long as it doesn't affect the mechanics, I'm fine with it.

I'm not some tonsured avenger, I've got my own thoughts to work through on what's appropriate and what I've paid for and played with previously, but I think 'cosmetic only' is a pretty safe way of being fair to everyone.

*I realise this isn't cosmetic. But it's not mechanical in the same way that a weapon, spell or whatever is.

Trashie wrote:

Agreed. Also, Slate has a great article up about the historical aspect of AC3.

I should not have read that. I could feel my desire to be responsible starting to crumble like a state-maintained overpass.

RE: "Microtransactions." Can I unlock stuff without them? Yes? Don't care. I haven't had the best of luck with ME3's random unlocks, but paying money wouldn't have changed that.

SpacePPoliceman wrote:
Trashie wrote:

Agreed. Also, Slate has a great article up about the historical aspect of AC3.

I should not have read that. I could feel my desire to be responsible starting to crumble like a state-maintained overpass.

RE: "Microtransactions." Can I unlock stuff without them? Yes? Don't care. I haven't had the best of luck with ME3's random unlocks, but paying money wouldn't have changed that.

It's more complicated than that. As was said earlier, developers are just creating an avenue to let gamers pay them instead of third parties. But the the problem is, once revenue can be driven, there is a natural tendency to exploit that stream.

There is a correlation to how much a grind you can inflict on a player and how likely they are to send you more money. So guys that like single player, but refuse to pay can find that they find the gameplay less fun than those willing to play. But everyone has been deprived a well-balanced game mechanic that leads to progression based on in game achievement.

I went PS3 this time, through Amazon (so I can look like a captain!). I don't really know how the PS3-exclusive stuff works. Anyone able to explain that to me? Is it PS3-exclusive or PSN-exclusive?

Reviewers are yelling on twitter not to watch that launch trailer, that it's full of spoilers.

I'm taking their advice.

Blind_Evil wrote:

Reviewers are yelling on twitter not to watch that launch trailer, that it's full of spoilers.

I'm taking their advice.

Came here to say this. Evidently, pretty much everything out there right now is a massive spoiler.

In other news, I can't wait to get this tomorrow.

SpacePPoliceman wrote:
Jayhawker wrote:

There is a correlation to how much a grind you can inflict on a player and how likely they are to send you more money. So guys that like single player, but refuse to pay can find that they find the gameplay less fun than those willing to play. But everyone has been deprived a well-balanced game mechanic that leads to progression based on in game achievement.

That's for other people to worry about--designers, producers, and the like. I'm only speaking to my experience and the way I play. Particularly within a console competitive multiplayer context, the play is the grind, it's hard to imagine the buyable thing that would make unfun MP suddenly fun, even marginally.

To be frank and blunt, I don't give a sh*t how someone else is playing, how they got their stuff, whatever. I think we could stand to do much less thinking about how the other guy is playing. MP Unlocks are hardly balanced and based on achievement (a concept I find of dubious value in a casual context) now--I was utter garbage at COD4, but I still had all the guns and perks, it just took me longer than the guys who were good. Skill, perseverance, or money, you can tell who has which when you're playing, and if you can't, does it matter?

I was going to post this as well. Having boosted to top ranks in brotherhood and revelations - often good players who were lower rank, and therefor had less unlocks, topped the charts.

Jayhawker wrote:

There is a correlation to how much a grind you can inflict on a player and how likely they are to send you more money. So guys that like single player, but refuse to pay can find that they find the gameplay less fun than those willing to play. But everyone has been deprived a well-balanced game mechanic that leads to progression based on in game achievement.

That's for other people to worry about--designers, producers, and the like. I'm only speaking to my experience and the way I play. Particularly within a console competitive multiplayer context, the play is the grind, it's hard to imagine the buyable thing that would make unfun MP suddenly fun, even marginally.

To be frank and blunt, I don't give a sh*t how someone else is playing, how they got their stuff, whatever. I think we could stand to do much less thinking about how the other guy is playing. MP Unlocks are hardly balanced and based on achievement (a concept I find of dubious value in a casual context) now--I was utter garbage at COD4, but I still had all the guns and perks, it just took me longer than the guys who were good. Skill, perseverance, or money, you can tell who has which when you're playing, and if you can't, does it matter?

LobsterMobster wrote:

I went PS3 this time, through Amazon (so I can look like a captain!). I don't really know how the PS3-exclusive stuff works. Anyone able to explain that to me? Is it PS3-exclusive or PSN-exclusive?

I've seen it called PS3 exclusive, and sellers are much better about using the right terminology than I am. If it's anything like how it worked for ACII, you download some stuff, it shows up on the map, and becomes such a part of the jumble of things to do, you'll play it without realizing it's the exclusive stuff.

It's all in what you do with it, not what you have.

As long as effort can also unlock the item, it's not much skin off my teeth. I don't expect everyone to feel that way; my stance is partly based on the fact I also play jRPG's. You guys don't even know how deep the grinding rabbit-hole can go. I have all the Ultimate Weapons in Final Fantasy X, and they are all fully charged, on multiple playthroughs. If I can cope with that, there is nothing your standard AAA title is going to hit me with on that vein that I'm even going to notice as more than a bump in the road.

SpacePPoliceman wrote:

Skill, perseverance, or money, you can tell who has which when you're playing, and if you can't, does it matter?

As a general point about competition, I think it might. That's why Armstrong's been stripped of his titles, people are angry when they feel their team loses to a cheater (but not if their team wins) and goalkeepers concede goals for bookies. Competition, whether professional, amateur or amongst friends in the park, is full of rules, discussion and checks and balances to make games fairer.

I'm not suggesting that the Armstrong situation is morally equivalent to unlocks in online gaming. But I think there are conceptual parallels there at least (though steroids and goalkeepers are outside the system, so are exploits not unlocks). ANd I think it's interesting that we'll accept certain sorts of behaviour in some arenas, but not in others. Even though, at least counting the amount of hours involved, people may spend much more in CoD than watching the Tour De France.

But I think you make an interesting point about awareness (if we don't know, does it matter?) and I understand that, in practicality, there's no difference between going up a against guy that's earned his perks and one that's bought them.

Incidentally, touching on something Sally said, I think people boosting in a game might be a sign of poor design. If people are doing something to get something, rather than just to have fun, it feels like the designers need to look at the system again.

EDIT:

Back to the game, I've seen videos where Conor jumps into a first floor window (or whatever) and runs through the flat to escape. Anyone know if those locations are fixed or if they're dynamic?

It'd be cool, though maybe a touch more annoying, to have to keep an eye open for escape routes.

EDIT X:

Clarification.

SallyNasty wrote:

So when should we plan for some goodjer MP action? I have a friend in town Friday/Saturday this week, but can do thursday or any time after sunday. Maybe start planning for next Friday?

I'm not sure when I'll be available but if I can be there, you will have my hidden blade! (Buried in your back)

1Dgaf wrote:

Back to the game, I've seen videos where Conor jumps into a first floor window (or whatever) and runs through the flat to escape. Anyone know if those locations are fixed or if they're dynamic?

Based on what I've heard, I think they're going to be fixed-ish based on your control of an area (like having mercenaries to slow down pursuing guards in AC1 after helping people). Nobody will know for sure till tomorrow though!

1Dgaf wrote:

As a general point about competition, I think it might.

But I'm not competing in the Tour de France, or even in some kind of AC league. Those bodies can set all the rules they like, and they do because they have stakes, and casual MP has none except "Am I having fun?" If there's some violation of one's eccentric notion of what constitutes ethical play, fair enough, but I'd think it's just as silly to expect a random MP lobby to conform to it as expecting me to keep my bike hewn to Tour de France standards.

momgamer wrote:

As long as effort can also unlock the item, it's not much skin off my teeth. I don't expect everyone to feel that way; my stance is partly based on the fact I also play jRPG's. You guys don't even know how deep the grinding rabbit-hole can go. I have all the Ultimate Weapons in Final Fantasy X, and they are all fully charged, on multiple playthroughs. If I can cope with that, there is nothing your standard AAA title is going to hit me with on that vein that I'm even going to notice as more than a bump in the road.

I cast myself into the vortex that is FFXI. I had two max level jobs, all common and uncommon subjobs for both, and gear for both that was dubbed "Pimped out." What others call "grinding" makes me laugh.

SpacePPoliceman wrote:
1Dgaf wrote:

As a general point about competition, I think it might.

But I'm not competing in the Tour de France, or even in some kind of AC league. Those bodies can set all the rules they like, and they do because they have stakes, and casual MP has none except "Am I having fun?" If there's some violation of one's eccentric notion of what constitutes ethical play, fair enough, but I'd think it's just as silly to expect a random MP lobby to conform to it as expecting me to keep my bike hewn to Tour de France standards.

momgamer wrote:

As long as effort can also unlock the item, it's not much skin off my teeth. I don't expect everyone to feel that way; my stance is partly based on the fact I also play jRPG's. You guys don't even know how deep the grinding rabbit-hole can go. I have all the Ultimate Weapons in Final Fantasy X, and they are all fully charged, on multiple playthroughs. If I can cope with that, there is nothing your standard AAA title is going to hit me with on that vein that I'm even going to notice as more than a bump in the road.

I cast myself into the vortex that is FFXI. I had two max level jobs, all common and uncommon subjobs for both, and gear for both that was dubbed "Pimped out." What others call "grinding" makes me laugh.

I got the Bronze Dragonflight in Vanilla WoW to Exalted on my own as a shadow priest in healing gear, almost entirely solo. You both make me laugh. Also, mine's bigger and urinates further!

You piss through your shameful addiction? Sounds like a hassle.

Demosthenes wrote:
SpacePPoliceman wrote:
1Dgaf wrote:

As a general point about competition, I think it might.

But I'm not competing in the Tour de France, or even in some kind of AC league. Those bodies can set all the rules they like, and they do because they have stakes, and casual MP has none except "Am I having fun?" If there's some violation of one's eccentric notion of what constitutes ethical play, fair enough, but I'd think it's just as silly to expect a random MP lobby to conform to it as expecting me to keep my bike hewn to Tour de France standards.

momgamer wrote:

As long as effort can also unlock the item, it's not much skin off my teeth. I don't expect everyone to feel that way; my stance is partly based on the fact I also play jRPG's. You guys don't even know how deep the grinding rabbit-hole can go. I have all the Ultimate Weapons in Final Fantasy X, and they are all fully charged, on multiple playthroughs. If I can cope with that, there is nothing your standard AAA title is going to hit me with on that vein that I'm even going to notice as more than a bump in the road.

I cast myself into the vortex that is FFXI. I had two max level jobs, all common and uncommon subjobs for both, and gear for both that was dubbed "Pimped out." What others call "grinding" makes me laugh.

I got the Bronze Dragonflight in Vanilla WoW to Exalted on my own as a shadow priest in healing gear, almost entirely solo. You both make me laugh. Also, mine's bigger and urinates further! :D

The point was that when someone calls working for an hour to get a weapon "grinding" there is a percentage of the population that laughs loudly at defining that as a grind at all. To get the Venus Sigil to charge up Lulu's weapon (getting the weapon itself is a whole 'nother thing), I had to stand on the Thunder Plains and duck 200 lightning strikes in a row, without ever getting hit. Get hit once, or lose count, and you start all over. There's no tracker for this until you give up and go back and see if you did enough.

But I do appreciate the epeen waving in one respect; I am glad to see I'm not as alone around here has I was thinking I was.

In some ways I agree with you, Space.

I'm not expecting the MP lobby to conform to my idea of fun. I well understand that they don't have any obligation to play in a way I decide. But these kinds of systems render MP meaningless for me and I think will come back to bite supporters in the arse.

That's a great point. I wonder if a dedicated thread might work better than everyone repeating discussions in individual game posts?

Hey guys, I'm fairly new to the forums and I'm looking for some people to play MP with. I'm on Xbox, gamertag Jefferson Q.

Hearing mixed reviews from across the Internet, feels like most of them come off as "meh".

Also, the embargo isn't up until 9am Pacific.

Anyone here able to weigh in?

Examples?

Blind_Evil wrote:

Examples?

Since there is an embargo still, the only early impressions I can find are forum posts, and you know how those people can be...

So Amazon just emailed me that my game hasn't shipped and that they will update delivery schedule when known.

This is the only game of the season i pre-ordered and I ordered on March 6th. I am a bit frustrated.

Blind_Evil wrote:
SallyNasty wrote:

So Amazon just emailed me that my game hasn't shipped and that they will update delivery schedule when known.

This is the only game of the season i pre-ordered and I ordered on March 6th. I am a bit frustrated.

I suspect the hurricane may be at play. I bought mine through the MS store, and for whatever reason it got routed from CA up to Canada.

Oh man, that's got the influence of the British Government still, you're never getting that game now!

SallyNasty wrote:

So Amazon just emailed me that my game hasn't shipped and that they will update delivery schedule when known.

This is the only game of the season i pre-ordered and I ordered on March 6th. I am a bit frustrated.

I suspect the hurricane may be at play. I bought mine through the MS store, and for whatever reason it got routed from CA up to Canada.

Still coming today though. My two preorders through them have been great. Overnight air at no extra charge.

trueheart78 wrote:

Also, the embargo isn't up until 9am Pacific.

That's a strange embargo time.

Just picked mine up. Probably won't get to it today, but at least it's here!

IGN liked it, and did note that it can be buggy and inconsistent, with some throwaway items (like assassin training and crafting), but overall, it's supposed to be a very good experience. The fact that it's colonial America and covers a time period I'm much more interested in than previous games, and with the world exploration (which includes hunting), reminds me RDR, and I can't wait to break into this later.

Demosthenes wrote:
Blind_Evil wrote:
SallyNasty wrote:

So Amazon just emailed me that my game hasn't shipped and that they will update delivery schedule when known.

This is the only game of the season i pre-ordered and I ordered on March 6th. I am a bit frustrated.

I suspect the hurricane may be at play. I bought mine through the MS store, and for whatever reason it got routed from CA up to Canada.

Oh man, that's got the influence of the British Government still, you're never getting that game now! :(

Our super secret hurricane generating submarine is working better than we could possibly have imagined.

Higgledy wrote:
Demosthenes wrote:
Blind_Evil wrote:
SallyNasty wrote:

So Amazon just emailed me that my game hasn't shipped and that they will update delivery schedule when known.

This is the only game of the season i pre-ordered and I ordered on March 6th. I am a bit frustrated.

I suspect the hurricane may be at play. I bought mine through the MS store, and for whatever reason it got routed from CA up to Canada.

Oh man, that's got the influence of the British Government still, you're never getting that game now! :(

Our super secret hurricane generating submarine is working better than we could possibly have imagined.

I will agree not to tell your secret if you can get me a few weather related days off in Cincinnati without hurting anyone.