Assassin's Creed Origins - Q&A Video

GameInformer ask some lingering questions about Assassins Creed Origins.

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In this special edition of The Game Informer Show podcast, Ben Hanson talks to the game director of Assassin's Creed Origins Ashraf Ismail and asks him burning questions from the community about the open world, E3 2017 feedback, the secrets surrounding Origins' modern day component, comparisons to The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and much more.

More information.

Someone on Reddit summarised.

• Trying to make a true AC with a drastically different experience ( that was the challenge which the team took)
• Feel and philosophy is similar to AC:BF (massive, wilderness elements, nature along with cities).
• Some naval combat. But not the same level as BF, not as core.
• Because it is an ambitious game, extra year of development helped, but was not used to add any new elements.
• Challenges were technological challenges of the scale, vastness and diversity. Bring Egypt to life was another. Creating a quest structure was an output of these challenges.
• We are going to go inside the Great Pyramid!
• Sandstorms are dynamic. Bayek doesn't take damage from sandstorm but it reduces visibility so adds challenges. Senu too can't see in sandstorms.
• Memphis is super-organic, monuments are huge, and is quintessential old Egypt. Alexandria is modern and is slightly bigger than Memphis. They are slightly bigger than twice of Havana in BF.
• Map will be completely open at the beginning of the game (after the first introductory mission).
• Senu can fly unlimited distance and there is a return to Bayek button.
• There is an introduction to Senu's entry in Bayek's life (which means Bayek acquires Senu somewhere in the beginning of the game).
• Horses, Camels can take damage from enemies.
• Navigation fundamentals have changed (to make Bayek more responsive). No high profile button. All of the movement on the analog stick. Ashraf doesn't think there is a perfect formula for parkour and navigation. Hence constant tweaks are made each game.
• Reaction of the dodge animation was strong at E3, so dodge animation will be retweaked. Team is iterating very fast using E3 feedback. Game is going to be very advanced compared with what was shown at E3.
• You can upgrade (uplevel) any weapon you love by going to the blacksmith. Crafting will change the gear physically as well.
• No item-sets bonuses.
• Most likely will not customize Bayek's appearance (beard, etc). The team is still thinking about it.
• No hard lock system of cover like Watch Dogs. There is a soft cover system behind walls, etc.
• Both Bayek's level and crafting level of the hidden blade play a role in stealth assassinations.
• No modern day revealed right now. He doesn't know if PR is going to talk about MD before game release. He wants the players to be surprised by the MD, doesn't want to ruin it. But he thinks people will be happy based on the MD feedback they keep getting over the years, especially feedback about AC4 MD.
• Doesn't want to reveal the timespan of the game, but mentions about Bayek's personal journey.
• Acknowledges that Bayek hasn't been mentioned in the AC lore, hinting towards something deeper. They don't plan to retcon the lore.
• Snake is part of the mysticism of Egypt but doesn't break the credibility of the game. No unexplained fantasy stuff.
• Ashraf doesn't remember the exact ratio of the night to day times. But says it is fairly long and realistic because of the NPC schedules.
• Super proud of the effort (thinks it is worth twice the price). Hopes to deliver a GOTY experience.

Navigation fundamentals have changed (to make Bayek more responsive). No high profile button. All of the movement on the analog stick. Ashraf doesn't think there is a perfect formula for parkour and navigation. Hence constant tweaks are made each game.

This is so retarded.
Drone controls in WD2 are pitch perfect on M+K, the protagonist's parkour moves too and I can't understand what nonperfect formula is even talked about here.

Originally Posted by Silver
Super proud of the effort (thinks it is worth twice the price). Hopes to deliver a GOTY experience.

Tough luck - seems Grimoire is going to be released against all odds.

Super proud of the effort (thinks it is worth twice the price). Hopes to deliver a GOTY experience.

Originally Posted by joxer
Tough luck - seems Grimoire is going to be released against all odds.

After this news Grimoire is going to be delayed again. AC is too strong competition and they have similar target audience - fans of both AC and Grimoire wait for new release every year.

They are certainly doing their best to maximise hype - the more preorders, the better, must keep Vivendi out of the door…

The overall visual impression of the game is that of a 'Greatest Hits of Ancient Egypt Remix', doesn't matter if something looks 2500 BC or 50 BC. It even looks as if they may have displaced iconic locations 500+ kilometers if necessary - there's been a screenshot of Abu Simbel (in Lower Nubia near the modern border with Sudan), despite the fact that the map itself seems to end somewhere north of Thebes.
I'm willing to bet there are gpoing to be more (Philae, Valley of the Kings etc.).

It's a significant difference with previous games, where deviations from the actual place and historical period could be explained as compromises necessary for gameplay, budgetary or technical reasons.

Ah well, it's not as if I have bought an Ubisoft game outside a major sale since, hmmm, Beyond Good and Evil?

Abu Simbel is a famously mobile temple

Originally Posted by Alistair
Abu Simbel is a famously mobile temple

True

…Like Baba Yaga's hut….

Originally Posted by Fluffyhotep
They are certainly doing their best to maximise hype - the more preorders, the better, must keep Vivendi out of the door…

Seems the fight was not futile, Vivendi is now having second thoughts:
http://www.gamezone.com/news/vivendi…ompany-3455331

In an interview with Le Figar, Gameloft’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Stéphane Roussel detailed that Vivendi wants a bigger presence in the games industry, but isn't "Ubisoft or nothing," however, they do see Ubisoft as the "most natural solution." According to Roussel, Vivendi is willing to pursue other companies as their pursuit of Ubisoft becomes more and more expensive.

Dunno what other companies Vivendi targetted but here's hope it's some MMO developers.

Originally Posted by joxer
Seems the fight was not futile, Vivendi is now having second thoughts:
http://www.gamezone.com/news/vivendi…ompany-3455331



Dunno what other companies Vivendi targetted but here's hope it's some MMO developers.

That's just public talk and they've been saying something like this for a long time. It takes off the heat off Ubi's stock price, Vivendi doesn't want it to be too high - the more desirable Ubi stock seems to be, the more expensive any takeover will be.

The spider likes the fly fat, but not so fat it'll endanger the web.