Gaming Confessions & Blasphemy

Interesting stuff on AC. I'm only now getting reinterested in the series, now that it's iterated so many times, but I've never finished one. Went back into AC2 and am near done, have a strong urge to revisit AC1 but at some point it seems I erased my save file! Drag. It's starting to remind me of Metal Gear a bit... hard to follow, convoluted controls, but some stellar moments, abilities and world-building that make it all worthwhile.

ibdoomed wrote:

What's with the word 'sequence' being used with AC? We usually just call them levels, chapters, dungeons, areas....

Haven't played an Assassin's Creed game in a while, but if I remember correctly, the "sequences for levels" thing had something to do with the Animus machine that allows Desmond to recall memories of his ancestors, due to the relative DNA sequences. So in essence, each level was a DNA sequence the Animus is decoding.

Sometimes I'm a bit too verbose. Higgledy-hauser'd.

ibdoomed wrote:

What's with the word 'sequence' being used with AC? We usually just call them levels, chapters, dungeons, areas....

The levels are DNA sequences that you're completing/reliving.

I have to say I enjoyed the heck out of AC1. I've probably enjoyed AC2 and Brotherhood as much or more but 1 had some great stuff that they have moved away from. I liked the fact that the guards were more tenacious when hunting you and I had some fantastic long chases and epic roof top battles in AC1.

WipEout wrote:
ibdoomed wrote:

What's with the word 'sequence' being used with AC? We usually just call them levels, chapters, dungeons, areas....

Haven't played an Assassin's Creed game in a while, but if I remember correctly, the "sequences for levels" thing had something to do with the Animus machine that allows Desmond to recall memories of his ancestors, due to the relative DNA sequences. So in essence, each level was a DNA sequence the Animus is decoding.

Sometimes I'm a bit too verbose. Higgledy-hauser'd.

Ok, between you and Higgledy, I'm thoroughly confused about what AC is. I thought it was some sort of medieval adventure stealth game but don't worry about it.

ibdoomed wrote:
WipEout wrote:
ibdoomed wrote:

What's with the word 'sequence' being used with AC? We usually just call them levels, chapters, dungeons, areas....

Haven't played an Assassin's Creed game in a while, but if I remember correctly, the "sequences for levels" thing had something to do with the Animus machine that allows Desmond to recall memories of his ancestors, due to the relative DNA sequences. So in essence, each level was a DNA sequence the Animus is decoding.

Sometimes I'm a bit too verbose. Higgledy-hauser'd.

Ok, between you and Higgledy, I'm thoroughly confused about what AC is. I thought it was some sort of medieval adventure stealth game but don't worry about it.

Assassin's Creed follows a near-future protagonist named Desmond who gets strapped into a device known as the Animus. The Animus allows you to go into inherited memory within your DNA to a startlingly accurate degree (I mean seriously, my DNA's memory must be better than my own). Most of the action takes place in the older time periods (medieval Crusades, renaissance Italy, Revolutionary War torn America) within the memories of your ancestors, all to piece together bits of a puzzle of a secret war that's been going on for centuries.

Basically, it's a bunch of crazy and inaccurate/implausible sci-fi including inherited memory, conspiracy theories and ancient astronauts.

ccesarano wrote:
ibdoomed wrote:
WipEout wrote:
ibdoomed wrote:

What's with the word 'sequence' being used with AC? We usually just call them levels, chapters, dungeons, areas....

Haven't played an Assassin's Creed game in a while, but if I remember correctly, the "sequences for levels" thing had something to do with the Animus machine that allows Desmond to recall memories of his ancestors, due to the relative DNA sequences. So in essence, each level was a DNA sequence the Animus is decoding.

Sometimes I'm a bit too verbose. Higgledy-hauser'd.

Ok, between you and Higgledy, I'm thoroughly confused about what AC is. I thought it was some sort of medieval adventure stealth game but don't worry about it.

Assassin's Creed follows a near-future protagonist named Desmond who gets strapped into a device known as the Animus. The Animus allows you to go into inherited memory within your DNA to a startlingly accurate degree (I mean seriously, my DNA's memory must be better than my own). Most of the action takes place in the older time periods (medieval Crusades, renaissance Italy, Revolutionary War torn America) within the memories of your ancestors, all to piece together bits of a puzzle of a secret war that's been going on for centuries.

Basically, it's a bunch of crazy and inaccurate/implausible sci-fi including inherited memory, conspiracy theories and ancient astronauts.

Wow. I had no idea. That sounds awesome. I wish they had advertised that part of it when it first came out instead of just showing the hero stabbing people and wall walking in medieval times.

It might sound awesome, but in practice it's awful. One of the main things stopping me going back to try the later games in the series was how deeply annoying I found Desmond and his shenanigans in the first Assassin's Creed, and knowing I'll have to put up with more of him.

WipEout wrote:

IMAGE(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A4IOcf1sn1E/UAcH5YWbxaI/AAAAAAAAJ_8/7dlPJF7ITp8/s640/kristen_bell_6.jpg)

Is that some sort of 'put a fork in her' reference that I'm not getting?

ccesarano wrote:
ibdoomed wrote:
WipEout wrote:
ibdoomed wrote:

What's with the word 'sequence' being used with AC? We usually just call them levels, chapters, dungeons, areas....

Haven't played an Assassin's Creed game in a while, but if I remember correctly, the "sequences for levels" thing had something to do with the Animus machine that allows Desmond to recall memories of his ancestors, due to the relative DNA sequences. So in essence, each level was a DNA sequence the Animus is decoding.

Sometimes I'm a bit too verbose. Higgledy-hauser'd.

Ok, between you and Higgledy, I'm thoroughly confused about what AC is. I thought it was some sort of medieval adventure stealth game but don't worry about it.

Assassin's Creed follows a near-future protagonist named Desmond who gets strapped into a device known as the Animus. The Animus allows you to go into inherited memory within your DNA to a startlingly accurate degree (I mean seriously, my DNA's memory must be better than my own). Most of the action takes place in the older time periods (medieval Crusades, renaissance Italy, Revolutionary War torn America) within the memories of your tyrant, blood-lusted ancestors, who will not blink at the thought of bringing swift stylish death to all those that oppose them, all to piece together bits of a puzzle of a secret war that's been going on for centuries.

Basically, it's a bunch of crazy and inaccurate/implausible sci-fi including inherited memory, conspiracy theories and ancient astronauts.

FTFY

ibdoomed wrote:

Is that some sort of 'put a fork in her' reference that I'm not getting?

Ha! No, she (Kristen Bell) is in the game.

ibdoomed wrote:
ccesarano wrote:
ibdoomed wrote:
WipEout wrote:
ibdoomed wrote:

What's with the word 'sequence' being used with AC? We usually just call them levels, chapters, dungeons, areas....

Haven't played an Assassin's Creed game in a while, but if I remember correctly, the "sequences for levels" thing had something to do with the Animus machine that allows Desmond to recall memories of his ancestors, due to the relative DNA sequences. So in essence, each level was a DNA sequence the Animus is decoding.

Sometimes I'm a bit too verbose. Higgledy-hauser'd.

Ok, between you and Higgledy, I'm thoroughly confused about what AC is. I thought it was some sort of medieval adventure stealth game but don't worry about it.

Assassin's Creed follows a near-future protagonist named Desmond who gets strapped into a device known as the Animus. The Animus allows you to go into inherited memory within your DNA to a startlingly accurate degree (I mean seriously, my DNA's memory must be better than my own). Most of the action takes place in the older time periods (medieval Crusades, renaissance Italy, Revolutionary War torn America) within the memories of your ancestors, all to piece together bits of a puzzle of a secret war that's been going on for centuries.

Basically, it's a bunch of crazy and inaccurate/implausible sci-fi including inherited memory, conspiracy theories and ancient astronauts.

Wow. I had no idea. That sounds awesome. I wish they had advertised that part of it when it first came out instead of just showing the hero stabbing people and wall walking in medieval times.

Also:

IMAGE(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A4IOcf1sn1E/UAcH5YWbxaI/AAAAAAAAJ_8/7dlPJF7ITp8/s640/kristen_bell_6.jpg)

Alien Love Gardener wrote:

It might sound awesome, but in practice it's awful. One of the main things stopping me going back to try the later games in the series was how deeply annoying I found Desmond and his shenanigans in the first Assassin's Creed, and knowing I'll have to put up with more of him.

To be fair, that was a major complaint after the first game, so they cut down on the Desmond aspect in the second game (and what there was, was significantly better in pretty much every way).

Also, AC2 had more of this:

IMAGE(http://images.hollywoodpix.net/kristen-bell-picture-579434713.jpg)

(At least when you do get to the Desmond bits).

ibdoomed wrote:
WipEout wrote:

IMAGE(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A4IOcf1sn1E/UAcH5YWbxaI/AAAAAAAAJ_8/7dlPJF7ITp8/s640/kristen_bell_6.jpg)

Damn, look at those man-hands.

WipEout wrote:
ibdoomed wrote:

Is that some sort of 'put a fork in her' reference that I'm not getting?

Ha! No, she (Kristen Bell) is in the game.

Ah ok. Looking through her imdb, she hasn't done anything I've seen so I didn't recognize her.

You should understand Kristen Bell voices a character in the game. It's not like you're actually talking to her.

CptGlanton wrote:

You should understand Kristen Bell voices a character in the game. It's not like you're actually talking to her.

So that's why I keep getting thrown out of the cinema.

The first Assassin's Creed was thematically the best, hands-down. And here's a Gamasutra article to explain why.

ibdoomed wrote:

Is that some sort of 'put a fork in her' reference that I'm not getting?

Fork -> Butt?

Parallax Abstraction wrote:
ibdoomed wrote:

Is that some sort of 'put a fork in her' reference that I'm not getting?

Fork -> Butt?

Ouch ?

Minarchist wrote:

The first Assassin's Creed was thematically the best, hands-down. And here's a Gamasutra article to explain why.

Interesting read even when knowing nothing about the game. This would be that one time when dismissing a game (AC1) just because it's free bites one in the ass.

If she's the character I'm thinking of, her character model is pretty bad. I remember seeing her character in the intro to AC2 and thinking, "It looks like Sarah Michelle Gellar got into a really bad car crash and the plastic surgeon didn't quiiiiiite manage to put her face back together right."

Also, while we're on the subject, everything I've ever heard about the story to Assassin's Creed sounds flipping fascinating, but I've never gotten more than two hours into one. The combat never quite gelled for me, and I always managed to jump off a building going the exact opposite direction I intended and get frustrated.

I'm really hoping that the inevitable movie turns out to be the one really good video game -> movie translation in the history of cinema, because the story does sound super neat-o.

hbi2k wrote:

If she's the character I'm thinking of, her character model is pretty bad. I remember seeing her character in the intro to AC2 and thinking, "It looks like Sarah Michelle Gellar got into a really bad car crash and the plastic surgeon didn't quiiiiiite manage to put her face back together right."

Which is why modelling CG on reality is silly because the uncanny valley will bite you in the ass.

Scratched wrote:
hbi2k wrote:

If she's the character I'm thinking of, her character model is pretty bad. I remember seeing her character in the intro to AC2 and thinking, "It looks like Sarah Michelle Gellar got into a really bad car crash and the plastic surgeon didn't quiiiiiite manage to put her face back together right."

Which is why modelling CG on reality is silly because the uncanny valley will bite you in the ass.

All true, but I like the actress.

Parallax Abstraction wrote:
ibdoomed wrote:

Is that some sort of 'put a fork in her' reference that I'm not getting?

Fork -> Butt?

Spoiler:

More like "hidden blade -> abdomen" at the end of Brotherhood...

Alien Love Gardener wrote:

It might sound awesome, but in practice it's awful.

...In your opinion.

WipEout wrote:
Scratched wrote:
hbi2k wrote:

If she's the character I'm thinking of, her character model is pretty bad. I remember seeing her character in the intro to AC2 and thinking, "It looks like Sarah Michelle Gellar got into a really bad car crash and the plastic surgeon didn't quiiiiiite manage to put her face back together right."

Which is why modelling CG on reality is silly because the uncanny valley will bite you in the ass.

All true, but I like the actress. :D

I remember the model being good for 2007 for the first game. Then the second game came out and I remember being all "God damn, a bee stung your mouth! Are you a bear?" By Brotherhood the swelling had gone down, though.

Scratched wrote:
hbi2k wrote:

If she's the character I'm thinking of, her character model is pretty bad. I remember seeing her character in the intro to AC2 and thinking, "It looks like Sarah Michelle Gellar got into a really bad car crash and the plastic surgeon didn't quiiiiiite manage to put her face back together right."

Which is why modelling CG on reality is silly because the uncanny valley will bite you in the ass.

Assassin's Creed II: Kristin Bell bites your ass.

One of my gaming confessions is that I like the Desmond stuff. Well, not necessarily Desmond or any of his adventures (though I think they provide a necessary break in between the medieval murder-fests), specifically, but the way they explain the interface is brilliant. If it were just a "medieval murder simulator" as I've seen suggested elsewhere, people would be screaming about invisible walls, weird achievement non-sequitors and gaps in the narrative. But the sci-fi overlay explains that stuff, and makes all the necessary gamification seamless by giving you an in-narrative explanation for it. Sure, the in-narrative explanation is insane, but they don't actually reference it that much (take some notes Star Trek), leaving you free to make up your own explanation. I personally like to think that they're accessing alternate universes just slightly out of synch with ours, and the early technology means that only people that are very similar to the personalities that they're trying to follow can properly interpret the data. Then I don't think about it much.

People think about fictional technology far too much. Why do you have to know what "Warp 1" actually means? You're not a starship engineer. It's not the point of the story. Accept that it means "pretty darn fast" and move the f*ck on.

While the Animus is nutty, I like it because it's pretty clearly influenced by Dune, which I love.

And I also really liked AC1, though not to the detriment of the direction the series went since. The one thing AC1 had that I miss is the Escapes. The moment where the target's death CS ends, the interface comes back, the Access the Animus theme ramps up, and there's auditory bedlam of alarm bells and shouting guards was really, really thrilling.

I also love the bonkers modern stuff, not only because that's where Kristen Bell was, but because that's where the series gets a lot of its daring, and its thematic and political heft.

Aaron D. wrote:
ibdoomed wrote:
WipEout wrote:

IMAGE(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A4IOcf1sn1E/UAcH5YWbxaI/AAAAAAAAJ_8/7dlPJF7ITp8/s640/kristen_bell_6.jpg)

Damn, look at those man-hands.

She has hands?

Oh yeah gaming confession. I actually like The Old Republic a lot, even more than Guild Wars 2. I have no explanation for this, but everything just clicks in that game for me. I play MMOs casually, solo, and like story without getting weighed down by it. I enjoy Guild Wars 2, and it is an easy game to fall into, but TOR just has that mojo that clicks with me.

Her hands are fine.

kazooka wrote:

The way they explain the interface is brilliant. If it were just a "medieval murder simulator" as I've seen suggested elsewhere, people would be screaming about invisible walls, weird achievement non-sequitors and gaps in the narrative. But the sci-fi overlay explains that stuff, and makes all the necessary gamification seamless by giving you an in-narrative explanation for it.

Fully agree. It's one of the best rationalisations of game mechanics I've ever seen.