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Assassins Creed 4: Black Flag |OT| Not Based on a DisneyLand Ride
- Thread starter dangerbyrnes
- Start date
Kingston is pretty distinct from the other two. Good variety in it as well.
You're totally right about the difference in city quality though. AC2 and ACB cities just felt incredibly rich, incredibly detailed, well researched, full of lore and history. You really felt immersed in that time period. AC3 and 4 cities feel more like video game cities rather than historical based fiction cities if that makes sense.
SJRB
Gold Member
Haha calm down there, champ. Simple misunderstanding is all.
ACIV has smaller, simpler cities because most of the game takes place on the water.
ACIII had small cities because they thought that awful wilderness area was a suitable replacement for them.
And both of them suffer in comparison to the Ezio trilogy because Renaissance Italy was just an older, more interesting place than Havannah or Boston in the 18th century. If Nassau had a Colosseum, it'd be in Black Flag.
nelsonroyale
Member
There was still bugger all to do in the cities in AC1 and AC2, however. Surely there can't be even less to do in the cities in ACIV? Sounds like there is more variety overall at least. I kind of jumped ship after AC2, but I am thinking of boarding again with this one.
More collectibles, less historical buildings to climb.
robotzombie
Member
can anyone give me any tips on sailing/ship battles? Because I just feel like I'm terrible and I mostly just seem to be veeerrryyy slowly turning around all the time as ships just race around me and shoot at me
beat it
I don't know what happens with me in AC games, always around half way point in the story I can't really tell who are these characters I am assassinating. More so in this game, maybe because they have mostly similar faces other than two or so, I can't tell who is who and their names don't stick. >.< I have this problem since ACII...
I think they should do something to make time gaps in the story more noticeable too...
Game was pretty good though except too many tail missions, like toooo many and I hated all of them. The stealth isn't anything great, it's really hide in the bush only, but at least it works unlike 3. High point of the game were the sea really even though it gets old after 4-5 hours tops still bombarding a fort during a storm doesn't get old because how good it looks. I like all the random and subtle things that happens here and there too. like your fort firing and sinking enemy ships, British and Spanish ships battling it out etc. Legendary ships were cool too. The map was a lot bigger than I expected, although there isn't much variety in the scenery and islands/ports.
Side activities were a bit better in this. Assassin's Contracts actually have cutscenes like main story although the missions were pretty bad still.
As for modern day stuff, well that was something... I hated the frogger hacking mini game, awful...
I like how much reading material is in this game and some of them are quite long and detailed.
Overall it managed to somewhat wash away the bitter taste AC3 left, like to see what's next even though the core mechanics of AC are seriously old and tired now. It needs a serious overhaul still. free running should feel a lot smoother for one. The story is so silly now it just looks like they can continue this forever and the funny thing is that the in game emails imply that too pretty much. lol
I don't know what happens with me in AC games, always around half way point in the story I can't really tell who are these characters I am assassinating. More so in this game, maybe because they have mostly similar faces other than two or so, I can't tell who is who and their names don't stick. >.< I have this problem since ACII...
I think they should do something to make time gaps in the story more noticeable too...
Game was pretty good though except too many tail missions, like toooo many and I hated all of them. The stealth isn't anything great, it's really hide in the bush only, but at least it works unlike 3. High point of the game were the sea really even though it gets old after 4-5 hours tops still bombarding a fort during a storm doesn't get old because how good it looks. I like all the random and subtle things that happens here and there too. like your fort firing and sinking enemy ships, British and Spanish ships battling it out etc. Legendary ships were cool too. The map was a lot bigger than I expected, although there isn't much variety in the scenery and islands/ports.
Side activities were a bit better in this. Assassin's Contracts actually have cutscenes like main story although the missions were pretty bad still.
As for modern day stuff, well that was something... I hated the frogger hacking mini game, awful...
I like how much reading material is in this game and some of them are quite long and detailed.
Overall it managed to somewhat wash away the bitter taste AC3 left, like to see what's next even though the core mechanics of AC are seriously old and tired now. It needs a serious overhaul still. free running should feel a lot smoother for one. The story is so silly now it just looks like they can continue this forever and the funny thing is that the in game emails imply that too pretty much. lol
indigo-cyclops
Member
One big thing is making sure to drop sails quickly to do a quick turn. If you're a full sail and need to turn around quickly, drop anchor and you should be set then throw full sails back.
I'm not very far into the game, but the free running can get seriously annoying. There are times it works perfectly (most of the time), and others when Edward starts climbing a pillar instead of going through a door, etc. This has been my biggest issue with AC gameplay and it hasn't changed much at all.
ACIV is not a bad place to jump into the series, actually, since it features new protagonists and a new setting. But you might be kinda lost without some background info on the series.
Here's what you should know. Assassins and Templars are two factions that have been secretly fighting each other for centuries, and are still fighting in the present day. Assassins pursue freedom, Templars pursue order. They're basically like Chaos and Law.
The Animus is a machine, created by a company called Abstergo, that lets you relive the memories of a person's ancestor. In ACIV, you play as an Abstergo employee who's job is to hop in the Animus and experience the life of Edward Kenway, an 18th century pirate, for research purposes.
Oh, and there's also the Precursors, a highly advanced ancient civilization that went extinct due to some catastrophe, but they left behind special temples and artifacts with mysterious powers and such. You're probably familiar with the trope.
If the story doesn't make any sense, don't worry, it's not like you're missing out on a great story or anything. The present-day storyline especially is a mess.
The slower you're going, the more sharply you'll turn, but these are ships, not motorcycles. They're not going to turn very fast no matter what you do.
Also keep in mind that you can upgrade your ship's weapons and armour so if an enemy completely brutalizes you, you might just not be strong enough yet, and it might have little to do with your actions.
Ship battles are actually pretty simple once you get down to it.
See I disagree on the "needs more cities" part. I got so bored of that by the time Brotherhood/Revelations came around, that I stopped playing. It's was just more of the same. I think Ubisoft trolled people starting out in a city mostly (or at least they trolled me) then going and turning you loose on the seas. I like that it's not more of the same. It's kinda crazy that you can go out and do your thing, loot ships, hunt animals, craft all kinds of stuff, then come back to a city like Havana and do traditional Assassins Creed stuff.
And it all looks gorgeous in 1080p now. My goodness.
And it all looks gorgeous in 1080p now. My goodness.
Opinions and all that I guess, The Caribbean/Pirates/Explorative aspects of the time period are far more interesting to me then anything to do with the middle east/italy.
Sailing the west indies, taking down forts in the middle of a hurricane, hunting whales, exploring mayan ruins, the historical figures from that time frame are all very interesting to me so ACIV has easily become my favorite game in the series.
I can see why some would prefer the larger cities of previous games, but this game is much more about the ocean, and exploration then it is about climbing some old church. My only real complaint at this point is that the sneaking is incredibly shallow(which makes it unenjoyable), and I dislike the evesdropping stuff(allot because the stealth mechanics kind of sucks).
I even kind of wish that they had called it something other then assassins creed because the aspects that tie it to the series feel abit forced within the greater context of the theme.
I'm specifically talking about the cities. The setting and characters are great but there are no cities anywhere close to as big and cool as Venice. Or basically anything but Forli.
This will spoil the modern day stuff in the other AC games, but other than that, it's fine.
chickdigger802
Banned
Which outfit are y'all's favorite?
Really digging pirate cloak and captain.
Really digging pirate cloak and captain.
Also: am I the only one who wishes there was a Batman: Arkham series-style crouch for sneaking/stealth missions? Partly why I hate those missions so much is that crouch is forced only when you enter bushes, but if I want to get from one bush to he next, I have to stand up in plain sight and walk there. I've been craving a crouch/sneak for AC for awhile, and it just feels so satisfying in the Arkham games... why not emulate that?
Right now im using the Black/red Captian armor. Im a few keys away from getting the Templar armor so we will see how much I like that one and if I switch up.
I want to get the persian swords but for some reason I cannot figure out how to do/find the social challanges on the PS4. It seems I also cannot use Kenways fleet at all because you have to be connected to Ubisofts servers and it seems like they forgot about the PS4 version in that reguard because the servers are never available.
robotzombie
Member
Thanks for the ship help guys
New question: how do I access my dlc stuff? I downloaded and installed some costume and weapons I got from Target, but I don't find them in my inventory to equip?
New question: how do I access my dlc stuff? I downloaded and installed some costume and weapons I got from Target, but I don't find them in my inventory to equip?
Raven77
Member
My GOD thank you so much!!!
This has been driving me nuts in this game, crap flickering everywhere. It was making it nearly unplayable.
JohnOfMars
Banned
Is the game worth it for me to pick up now on 360? Out curiousity, how many p's is it on current gen? Or should I wait til I get a PS4 early next year?
cleveridea
Member
you get exactly the same game, its quite impressive how close the core gameplay is - cities look similar from PS3 to PS4 though the PS4 does run a lot better, the framerate chugs in busy city areas on PS3 (360 should perform similarly) but it doesnt screen tear.
the sea and sailing looks quite close considering the difference in power (main difference is that PS3 has a limited draw distance for waves whereas it appears limitless on PS4) I was very impressed with this aspect playing the PS3 version.
apart from the better frame rate and higher IQ, the biggest difference for me is the foliage - it looks stunning on PS4 like a real tropical or jungle environment. There is no comparison looks wise, its just stunning on PS4 and quite barren in comparison on current gen.
If you have a PS3, perhaps buy for that and use the $10 upgrade plan. It appears like the code to ALLOW you pay $10 expires (early 2014 I think) but that you can actually then pay for and download on the PS4 at any time in the future without time limit,
Its a stunning visual upgrade for PS4, but I was surprised how the core gameplay itself is actually near identical.
Crouching would simply be a waste of a button. It's not like guards really notice the sounds you make and they have their backs turned to you half of the time.
I've always found crouching kind of silly when I can walk silently in real life and I have a visual profile that sort of blends in with the background. It's so easy to surprise the fuck out of people without even trying.
I used Kenway's regular robes throughout the whole game for the most part. There's just something about that teal color on his back that sets me right. Kind of wish his sash was turquoise like in the whaler outfit.
Fleet stuff and UPlay points were working for me on PS4. Actually, I really liked the social elements in this game overall. It was kind of cool seeing what other people discovered and helping their fleets move faster.
Loved the audio diaries and reading material. Lots there.
I still want to see a fictional revamp to the story when the first next-gen version arrives. That way you can build your setting around the gameplay instead of vice versa.
I've always found crouching kind of silly when I can walk silently in real life and I have a visual profile that sort of blends in with the background. It's so easy to surprise the fuck out of people without even trying.
I used Kenway's regular robes throughout the whole game for the most part. There's just something about that teal color on his back that sets me right. Kind of wish his sash was turquoise like in the whaler outfit.
Fleet stuff and UPlay points were working for me on PS4. Actually, I really liked the social elements in this game overall. It was kind of cool seeing what other people discovered and helping their fleets move faster.
Loved the audio diaries and reading material. Lots there.
I still want to see a fictional revamp to the story when the first next-gen version arrives. That way you can build your setting around the gameplay instead of vice versa.
Psychoward
Banned
Haven't played an AC2 game since 2 since it was so, so simple and repetitive to me. This is great fun so far, but I fear it will also soon overstay its welcome.
My problem with the game is that even though it is open world, there is very little genuine mystery or exploration. Everything on the map is telegraphed to you, and there is no challenge in getting things except in terms of the time you are willing to invest into running to them. Even the "secrets" are pointed out to you on the map, and the "uncharted" chests and animus fragments are revealed when you take down fortresses.
Also, you are so powerful in combat that if you break stealth, there is no real consequence. The only incentive to maintain stealth is for the occasional bonus gold or optional objective.
I was playing Super Mario 64 last night and it was refreshing how absolutely nothing is pointed out to you. You have to look around and think about where things may be and navigate obstacles skillfully. Secrets are really secret and there is a genuine sense of discovery to everything as you play.
With Assassin's Creed IV, there are no real surprises. The game is always telling you exactly where things are, how far you are from it, and exactly what you should do on a given mission. With the huge amount of collectibles and the massive size of the world, it's been enjoyable to run around in, but it's starting to feel tedious due to the lack of any genuine surprise or challenge.
Also, you are so powerful in combat that if you break stealth, there is no real consequence. The only incentive to maintain stealth is for the occasional bonus gold or optional objective.
I was playing Super Mario 64 last night and it was refreshing how absolutely nothing is pointed out to you. You have to look around and think about where things may be and navigate obstacles skillfully. Secrets are really secret and there is a genuine sense of discovery to everything as you play.
With Assassin's Creed IV, there are no real surprises. The game is always telling you exactly where things are, how far you are from it, and exactly what you should do on a given mission. With the huge amount of collectibles and the massive size of the world, it's been enjoyable to run around in, but it's starting to feel tedious due to the lack of any genuine surprise or challenge.
jim2point0
Banned
These 2 are my biggest complaints. I feel running around is very imprecise. Maybe a side effect of using mouse + keyboard.
The combat is really poor. I absolutely do not look forward to fighting enemies. I like silently assassinating them.... but melee combat is not fun at all.
"It's always a question of compromise about the effect, how it looks, and the performance it takes from the system. On PC, usually you don't really care about the performance, because the idea is that if it's not [running] fast enough, you buy a bigger GPU. Once you get on console, you can't have this approach."
no pc love
no pc love
Psychoward
Banned
To be fair, turning off most of the hud options could help most of your problems with it.
is the ps4 update out?
Yup. Came out yesterday. Check your patch notes, should be 1.02.
I really hope they find a solution to this soon. I submitted a ticket on the support website, I wonder if they'll just shoot a copy/paste reply about PSN being under heavy load or something.
Revolutionary
Member
Just beat the game. Pretty damn addicting. Never did finish Revelations so I was a bit backed up when it came to the lore, but now that I know a huge spoiler and it makes me want to go back and finish it. Same with AC3 if it has more ship goodness.
Jugendstil
Member
The 1080p patch makes a huge difference. I'm kind of shocked how much better it looks. Viva la next gen!
chickdigger802
Banned
Do your duty and 1 star all those bullshit.
Haven't played any AC games since 2. Read up on the ending to the Desmond stuff and glad I jumped out on that stuff.
I'm really enjoying this game; having the naval stuff helps break up the city missions and keeps me entertained. The ability to blend with more stuff makes the annoying eavesdrop missions less of an annoyance and I am willing to actually take things slow and go stealthy instead of running in headfirst and counter-killing every enemy.
I'm really enjoying this game; having the naval stuff helps break up the city missions and keeps me entertained. The ability to blend with more stuff makes the annoying eavesdrop missions less of an annoyance and I am willing to actually take things slow and go stealthy instead of running in headfirst and counter-killing every enemy.
1080p/AA patch really made pretty obvious difference.
I just got to first boat part after opening in main story. There are some FANTASTIC fighting animations. The water and boats and everything looks fantastic too. It runs quite nicely as well.
It's shaping up to be my favourite since 2 as well, and I loved brotherhood. So much of what made AC3 shit seems to be gone in this.
I just got to first boat part after opening in main story. There are some FANTASTIC fighting animations. The water and boats and everything looks fantastic too. It runs quite nicely as well.
It's shaping up to be my favourite since 2 as well, and I loved brotherhood. So much of what made AC3 shit seems to be gone in this.
AScotAbroad
Member
I think you might get the money when you sail away, I'm not sure though.
Eppy Thatcher
God's had his chance.
Anyone else having weird stuff with their Uplay passport happen? For the first 4 or 5 days I was up and running online with the passport they provided even tho whenever i started the game it would pop the "Validate your Uplay..." crap. I would skip or cancel and then it would say "You're UPLAY passport has been verified.." blah blah blah..
Well i went to start it up today, it asked me for the code again as usual and then when I canceled it said I was still not logged in. Tried entering the code and i got a verification error that said my Authentication code may have expired or some such bullshit...
ideas? I wanna finish up my fleet business and I got PSN homies asking for my help...
Well i went to start it up today, it asked me for the code again as usual and then when I canceled it said I was still not logged in. Tried entering the code and i got a verification error that said my Authentication code may have expired or some such bullshit...
ideas? I wanna finish up my fleet business and I got PSN homies asking for my help...
Sail a few hundred meters away and sail back? I've had that happen with floating crates before. It's really weird.