Watch_Dogs Catch-All

I was more curious on the ending, where it looked like someone was trying to hack the guy. Was that just story-stuff? Was it flashy? Or was it some sort of multiplayer integration?

So now this is a confirmed PS4 title, does that mean it's probably going to be on the NextBox as well?

ccesarano wrote:

I was more curious on the ending, where it looked like someone was trying to hack the guy. Was that just story-stuff? Was it flashy? Or was it some sort of multiplayer integration?

Total conjecture, but I gather the authorities in the game (be they local, national, or global) have a more widespread but less targeted hacking system. You (the protagonist) are not unique in your ability to hack, just uniquely good at doing it on the move with limited resources.

Happy Dave wrote:

So now this is a confirmed PS4 title, does that mean it's probably going to be on the NextBox as well?

Surely. And hopefully PC too.

MeatMan wrote:
Happy Dave wrote:

So now this is a confirmed PS4 title, does that mean it's probably going to be on the NextBox as well?

Surely. And hopefully PC too.

They already said it was 360/ps3/PC. With the PS4 announcement it makes sense that it'll be there for the 720/infinity or whatever it's called.

I think they confirmed it for PC, which isn't surprising for Ubi. Hopefully they get it out without a delay for once.

I think I'm missing something with this game. All cops and authority figures are bad? The protagonist stops the criminal non-lethally, but then takes out a few cops? Why not just let all those cops catch the criminal? Aren't the cops going to take custody of the criminal after he is stopped?

Besides the story shenanigans, I worry that the game won't be as open or free formed as it appears. There will only be certain objects you can interact with and use in certain ways and it will get old. Putting up the pole thingies to stop the police car looked cool, but after a few times would probably get old.

Scratched wrote:

I think they confirmed it for PC, which isn't surprising for Ubi. Hopefully they get it out without a delay for once.

+1

IUMogg wrote:

I think I'm missing something with this game. All cops and authority figures are bad? The protagonist stops the criminal non-lethally, but then takes out a few cops? Why not just let all those cops catch the criminal? Aren't the cops going to take custody of the criminal after he is stopped?

Besides the story shenanigans, I worry that the game won't be as open or free formed as it appears. There will only be certain objects you can interact with and use in certain ways and it will get old. Putting up the pole thingies to stop the police car looked cool, but after a few times would probably get old.

The concept was that you could find multiple ways out of each situation. The pole things are more active than changing streetlights from green to red or perhaps even hacking the cops' or bystanders' gps's to mess with traffic. Maybe you could even be proactive and create a traffic jam before / as you are stopping the crime.

The risk was always that the concept is too broad for implementation, so who knows.

I just want the announcement that this is actually assassin's versus templars in modern times.

Jolly Bill wrote:
IUMogg wrote:

I think I'm missing something with this game. All cops and authority figures are bad? The protagonist stops the criminal non-lethally, but then takes out a few cops? Why not just let all those cops catch the criminal? Aren't the cops going to take custody of the criminal after he is stopped?

Besides the story shenanigans, I worry that the game won't be as open or free formed as it appears. There will only be certain objects you can interact with and use in certain ways and it will get old. Putting up the pole thingies to stop the police car looked cool, but after a few times would probably get old.

The concept was that you could find multiple ways out of each situation. The pole things are more active than changing streetlights from green to red or perhaps even hacking the cops' or bystanders' gps's to mess with traffic. Maybe you could even be proactive and create a traffic jam before / as you are stopping the crime.

The risk was always that the concept is too broad for implementation, so who knows.

I just hope it pans out and feels intuitive and fluid. Too many times it feels like there are options, but only the avenues they choose as opposed to giving you tools and letting you loose.

Q&A

Summary stolen from reddit:

* play as Aiden Pearce, will be "a real human being that will deal with all the repercussions of his actions."
* even more hints at multiplayer "The ‘S’ at the end is also crucial since everyone is watching or being watched. It even explains key online elements of our experience but these will not be revealed just yet…"
* Chicago will offer "unprecedented dynamism"
* will get "real-time control over the city’s infrastructure" and "access to every mobile device, laptop and computer."
* Chicago chosen because it "symbolizes modernity and progress alongside crime and corruption"
* wants to be an accurate depiction of Chicago but still be fun.
* production of the game will be centered in Montreal but also use the studios in Paris, Newcastle, Bucharest and Quebec.
* been in development for 4 years
* "Realism is core to our game experience."
* talking about the games they are taking from "From Assassin’s Creed, we have leveraged the scope, diversity, depth and quality of animation that made it such a great success. From Far Cry and Splinter Cell franchises, we have the ability to deliver great shooting, physics and stealth. From the Driver series, we have state of the art vehicle physics and handling."
* "Our primary source of inspiration comes from the real-life intersection of technology and security where our citizens, our government and the infrastructure of our cities are increasingly networked."
* main pillars of the game are context, a serious tone, hyper-connectivity, and delivering a serious vigilante experience
* Aiden Pearce will fight for his own causes at first but later may fight for others
* has a symbol for connectivity on his mask
* hacking "will cause chain reactions which will also affect the game world and how the media talks about Aiden Pearce."
* hack using 'CenTral Operating System" or "ctOS"
* "Every action the player takes will have a direct consequence."
* When talking about stopping crime "Aiden doesn’t intervene, the player does"
* can slow down time using focus, "But it’s not unlimited and needs to be used smartly."

this sounds so novel. I cant wait!

New trailer with release date of November 22.

I dug the raising of the barriers. Seems like there might be a lot of innovative mechanics.

If this releases this November on PS4 (and possibly Nextbox) in the shape that it promises now (as the banner they put out today says), it would be a welcome difference from the last round of console launches. My memory of the 360 launch is of seemingly endless delays (Gears of War, Mass Effect) or launch games that should have been delayed (PDZ) and a long barren period in the months after launch (with the notable exception of Oblivion). Hopefully, WD's releasing at launch will be a harbinger of a smoother generation transition than we have seen in the past.

True story. Fortunately, Saints Row 4 on August 20 for current gen will give us something to kind of ease us into the next gen.

Good interview with the game's senior producer.

For me it seems like one of those games where I wonder if it can meet the hype, or come together in a logical way.

Scratched wrote:

For me it seems like one of those games where I wonder if it can meet the hype, or come together in a logical way.

Pretty much.

Having said that, it's not that I have any reason for doubting any of what they've shown is in the game, it's just what "small print" it comes with.

I guess my frame of reference is that this looks like it shares some DNA with Assassin's Creed, and while you can do a whole lot of 'stuff' in that game, how much of it is relevant outside of missions, and so on. I'm expecting to have to break into small outposts to get items on a scavenger hunt to craft "ctOS hacking device v3" for example, and the first thing reputation management brings to mind is AC as well. Saving random civilians from random muggings sounds familiar too.

It sounds like it could be awesome, but it also sounds like we could have seen it all before as it's major rework of the old production line, which doesn't excite me as much. Give me a good story to hang it all in and I can overlook a lot though.

Scratched wrote:

It sounds like it could be awesome, but it also sounds like we could have seen it all before as it's major rework of the old production line, which doesn't excite me as much. Give me a good story to hang it all in and I can overlook a lot though.

That's about where I am too - cautiously optimistic. Potentially, it could either be GOTY or it could fall flat. All I really want out of it is an interesting setting, a decent plot and multiple ways to achieve each objective that progresses the story. Basically, a near-future version of Dishonored.

Yeah, as much as I love some system based games, really there's only so much you can do with them, and there's certain types of games you expect companies like Ubisoft to make, that all these features have to support. I'm sure you can go around all day messing with people via hacking and playing vigilante, but that just makes the link for me to AC where I could play vigilante and mug people too. It won't be modern day AC, but that's my reference point on this so far. I'd be interested to see a comparison of the credits between this and the various AC games too.

Scratched wrote:

Yeah, as much as I love some system based games, really there's only so much you can do with them, and there's certain types of games you expect companies like Ubisoft to make, that all these features have to support. I'm sure you can go around all day messing with people via hacking and playing vigilante, but that just makes the link for me to AC where I could play vigilante and mug people too. It won't be modern day AC, but that's my reference point on this so far. I'd be interested to see a comparison of the credits between this and the various AC games too.

system based?

Hmmmm, say instead of things being scripted to happen by the developer, they put in place a number of systems that can interact.

I was playing don't starve earlier, that's got systems for plants growing, which takes time, and if you empty out an area of useful stuff for a time so you need to move to another area, directed by responding to the system rather than the developer specifically saying you've got to go to place A at time B. You could also have (not in DS) say villagers running out of food when their crops fail, who then go and raid another village for supplies.

There have been a few good stabs at making system games, but few really bear fruit. STALKER is one that comes to mind, although that got cut back during it's lengthy development, the zone, the monsters and the STALKERs were all supposed to interact, and hopefully in the end provide the player something fun to do.

Amazon are listing the xbone/PS4 prices as $99, similar to other next-gen releases not from Ubisoft. Just Amazon hedging their bets?

Scratched wrote:

Amazon are listing the xbone/PS4 prices as $99, similar to other next-gen releases not from Ubisoft. Just Amazon hedging their bets?

I find that price impossible to believe for a standard edition. Not in today's economy.

The only possible way I could see this being real is if they figure that this is a launch title, only available to early adopters, and those people either have the disposable income or are so hardcore they'll pay it.

But that's just spitballing; in reality I'd bet money against that price.

edit: There's quite likely to be a much better version of that trailer in a bit, one that's... complete.

Fedaykin98 wrote:
Scratched wrote:

Amazon are listing the xbone/PS4 prices as $99, similar to other next-gen releases not from Ubisoft. Just Amazon hedging their bets?

I find that price impossible to believe for a standard edition. Not in today's economy.

The only possible way I could see this being real is if they figure that this is a launch title, only available to early adopters, and those people either have the disposable income or are so hardcore they'll pay it.

But that's just spitballing; in reality I'd bet money against that price.

Obviously. Amazon is doing to protect themselves because they have to honor the lowest price. When actual pricing becomes available the cost will drop.

Trailer has been taken down.

And I'm late, but there's no way they can charge 99 dollars for a next-gen game.